Flight Training: Review Flight for Sport Pilot Checkride

On July 15, 2010 at 8.00 AM, I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA with Jim. Taxing to the RWY 03, I performed a short-field takeoff applying full power with brakes and releasing to gather speed on the takeoff roll. Liftoff at 56 MPH and climb at Vy=70 MPH, I headed NW of KTTA to the flight practice area. At an altitude of 3,000 ft and airspeed at 90 MPH, I performed a clearing turn to the right and left. Jim asked me to perform a power-on and power-off stall & recvery. I did the power-on stall at 4,500 rpm and with no flaps and recovered by lowering the nose to reduce the angle of attack (AOA) and applying power to climb to the original altitude. I reduced the power to idle and at 70 MPH, put flaps at 2 and stalled the airplane by backpressure. I recovered from the stall by lowering the nose by pushing the stick forward and applying full-power. I retracted the flaps from 2 to 1 and after the airplane gained some speed, I retrected the flaps from 1 to 0. I climbed to an altitude of 2,800.

Jim simulated an engine-out emergency by bringing the power to idle. I trimmed the airplane for a glide speed of 70 MPH, picked a landing site (KTTA RWY 21 within 3-4 miles), announced on the radio and entered final for RWY 21. I performed a forward-slip all the way down to the beginning of runway and straightened for flare and landed just after the first taxiway exit.

Landing Insights

Credit: AOPA Pilot, August 2010

I then performed a soft-field takeoff with stick all the way back from the taxiway and the plane lifted off at 50 MPH, gained speed at ground effect and climbed at Vx=65 MPH. After a traffic pattern at 1250 ft, I performed a soft-field landing with some power on the flare at 60 MPH and soft laning holding the nose up a little longer before rolling out of the runway.

Soft-field Landing

I then entered the beginning of RWY 03 and performed another takeoff, traffic pattern and a short-field landing with power at idle abeam no. 3, flaps at 2 and airspeed at 62 MPH. After a short final, I landed the airplane with an aiming point just after the first 500 ft mark and exited the runway within the first 1,300 ft of the runway. Taxied back to FBO.

Short-field Landing

Jim suggested some finer points and e-signed my FAA-IACRA application form for my sport pilot certificate. Jim then called the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) to inform the completion of my sport pilot training preparations. I contacted the DPE later in the day to schedule my sport pilot checkride...

Flight Training: Evaluation Flight with another Instructor

On July 8, 2010, my flight instructor Jim asked another instructor at the FBO, Ross Kennedy to perform an evaluation of my flight maneuvers in preparation for my Sport Pilot checkride. After the preflight of the Allegro 2000 LSA, I taxied to RWY 3. Ross asked me to perform a soft-field takeoff and head towards the flight practice area. At an altitude of 3,500 ft MSL, I performed clearing turns and slow flight at 55 MPH heading straight and shallow turns to the right. Ross then asked me to demonstrate stall & recovery in both the takeoff and landing approach configurations with flaps at position 1 and 2 respectively. Ross asked me to simulate an engine failure at 3,000 ft. I then changed the attitude of the plane to maintain a stable glide speed of 70-72 MPH and picked a large field as the landing site. I flew the plane descending towards the field. I was a little high even after a forward slip maneuver and Ross demonstrated the correct configuration and slip maneuver to reach towards the field. I ended the simulated landing at 500 ft and performed a climb to 1,000 ft AGL. Ross then asked me to perform a turns around a point maneuver. I performed the maneuver at 90 mph and headed towards the KTTA, joining the midpoint of downwind for RWY 3 at 1,250 ft. Ross then asked me to perform a soft-field landing. I landed the plane within the first 1,000 ft of the runway with flaps at 2 and a final approach speed of 62 MPH. Ross provided some feedback and suggestions.
I have scheduled another dual flight training with my instructor Jim Schmidt next week and hope to be ready by then to contact a DPE for my checkride !

Solo Flight Practice: Sport Pilot PTS Maneuvers

On July 2, 2010, I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA and taxied to RWY 03 for solo practice of Sport Pilot PTS maneuvers. I performed a short-field takeoff, applying full-throttle with brakes and release for a takeoff at 56 MPH, climb at 70 MPH, heading to NW of KTTA (Raleigh-Exec Airport). I climbed to 3,500 ft at the flight practice area near the 3M plant located in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

I performed clearing turns to 360 degrees at 90 MPH followed by steep turns to 360 degrees both left and right. I then slowed to 70 MPH and put flaps at 2. Maintaining a slow-speed of 62-64 MPH, I headed straight towards Jordan Lake and then performed shallow-turns to the right and left. I applied power and retracted flaps from 2 to 1. At 70 MPH, I retracted flaps from 1 to 0 and gained an airspeed of 90 MPH. Turning towards the KTTA, I started to descend and entered the midpoint of downwind for RWY 03 at 1,250 ft and 80 MPH. At abeam # 3, I reached an airspeed of 70 MPH and put flaps at 2. Maintaining an airspeed of 62-64 MPH during the final approach, I landed the airplane after a short flare at RWY 03.

I then taxied to beginning of RWY 03, and performed a soft-field takeoff with full back pressure and liftoff at 50 MPH, climb at Vx=65 MPH with a crosswind (winds of 7 knots from 350 degrees).

METAR for KTTA

I headed towards the intersection of two state roads and performed turns around a point and S-turns above a state road at 1,750 MSL. I then entered the downwind for RWY 03 and performed a short-field landing (AS of 60-62 MPH at Flaps 2 during final approach) witnin the first 1,300 ft of the runway of 6,500 ft. I taxied back to the FBO. With the completion of this flight, I have now logged 100 landings and 40 hours of flight time.