PIC Time: Solo Flight in the Traffic Pattern with Crosswind

The Winter 2011 is almost over and the Spring is on the way in North Carolina. Today, I made a solo flight in the Allegro 2000 LSA from KTTA (Raleigh-Exec Jetport) for being current in my PIC time and practice landings in crosswinds.

The weather was mild (63 F) at the airport with broken clouds from 6,000 ft and good visibility . But, the winds were varying from 160 degrees at 8 MPH with some gusts.

iATIS App

The traffic in the airport was heavy, with three planes doing the traffic pattern along with a couple of incoming flights. I was number three for takeoff from RWY 21 and departed with flaps at 15 degrees. I rotated at 55 MPH and climbed at 65 MPH. I crabed the airplane into the wind to keep aligned with the runway. I followed the Piper Cherokee on the downwind and made my first landing with an approach speed of 70 MPH and carrying a little power. I turned off the RWY from taxiway Charlie and lined up for my second takeoff behind a Cessna 172.

I again tookoff from RWY 21 but this time without any flaps and climbed to the pattern altitude of 1200 ft. The Cessna was doing a long traffic pattern and so I made my base leg longer and entered the downwind from midpoint of the RWY. I entered the base leg at 800 ft AGL and final approach at 75 MPH. After holding the heading in the varying crosswind, I landed the light sport airplane at RWY 21 and taxied the plane to the FBO.

Solo Flight Maneuvers Practice

I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA at 10.00 AM today and started the engine as a cold-start (applying full-choke with ignition switches off for 3 seconds and then choke off and restart with ignition switches on). After the checklist, I taxied to RWY 3 following a Cessna 172. I departed with flaps at 15 degrees and with crosswind corrections for winds from 330 at 5 knots. After the climb and left crosswind, I piloted the airplane near the 3M plant at Pittsboro, about 10 miles NW of KTTA.

At an altitude of 2,500 ft AGL, I made clearing turns and steep turns to a circle with the distant water tower as the reference. I then piloted the plane at slow speed (55 mph) at flaps 2 towards the water tower. I made shallow turns to left and right. I then performed a power-off stall and recovery. Gaining an airspeed of 90 mph, I descended to 1600 ft and practiced circle around a point maneuver with a small pond as the ground reference.

I entered the downwind leg at midpoint for RWY 3 at 1250 ft and reduced the airspeed to 70 mph abeam the number 3. I switched the flaps at 2 and maintained an airspeed of 65 mph for the base and final legs. I then performed a short-field landing with crosswinds and touched down before the first taxiway exit at 1300 ft. I then taxied back to RWY 3 and performed a soft-field takeoff gaining airspeed by ground effect after the liftoff at 50 mph. I then executed a traffic pattern with an approach speed of 62 mph at flaps 2 for a soft-field landing. I then taxied back to the FBO.

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.

Solo Flight Practice: Circle Around a Point and Takeoffs & Landings

On June 8, 2010, I preflighted the airplane, Allegro 2000 LSA (N50631) and tookoff from RWY 03 for my eleventh solo flight. I performed my first takeoff with 15 degrees of flaps and headed towards the NW of KTTA (Raleigh Exec Airport). During my climb to about 2,500 ft near the 3M plant, I retracted the flaps at 150 ft and switched off the electric fuel pump at 1000 ft. I performed clearing turns and shallow turns and headed towards the KTTA. Entering the mid-point of downwind for RWY 03, I switched on flaps to 15 degrees at 70 mph and abeam the # 3. After base and final legs, I perfoemd my first landing of the day.



I again tookoff from RWY 03 of KTTA with flaps at 1 and headed towards the Cape Fear River Basin and followed the river. At the intersection of two state roads, I practiced several circle around a point maneuver at 1,400 ft ad 90 mph. I was able to keep the altitude and speed within the margins allowed for the Sport Pilot PTS and was able to correct when off with quick corrections. The wind was calm but there were some up drafts.



After my flight maneuvers practice, I entered the downwind for RWY 03 and landed the plane after a short flare. I taxied back to RWY 03 and did another takeoff, traffic pattern and landing.

Solo Flight Practice: Soft-field Takeoff, Flight Maneuvers and Landings

The mid-day weather at KTTA (Raleigh-Exec Airport) today (April 19, 2010) was sunny with clear skies with a temperature of 75 degrees but with gusty winds of about 4 knots varying in direction. I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA just after my instructor, Jim Schmidt taxied the airplane to the FBO after his flight training session with another student.

I taxied the airplane with the stick all the way back and entered the RWY 3 without stopping to simulate a soft-field takeoff. I applied full-power and the airplane lifted off at 50 mph with flap 1 (15 degrees). I levelled the airplane to gain airspeed in the ground effect and climbed out at the best rate of climb (Vy = 70 mph). I retracted the flaps at about 150 ft altitude and crossed the remaining runway.

I flew the plane at an altitude of 1400 msl to the NW of the KTTA Airport and performed the two following flight maneuvers, each a couple of time to gain practice:
1) Circle around a point (intersection of two state roads below)and
2) S-turns around a straight stretch of a state road with the intersection as the mid-point.



After the flight maneuvers, I entered the mid-point of the downwind leg for RWY 3 at 1250 ft. Turning base and final with an airspeed of 70 mph, I landed the Allegro 2000 LSA and turned off to the taxiway. I took off from RWY 3 for the second time today entering it via taxiway Echo. I performed a normal takeoff with Flap 1 and lifted off at 56 mph. I did the traffic pattern work and entered the base and final legs a little high. I applied full-power to perform a go-around (I should have tried a forward-slip!). After another traffic pattern with idle power from abeam the number 3, I landed the airplane after a short flare. The varying winds with not much corrections made me land a little off the center-line. I taxied the plane to the FBO.

Today marked my eighth solo flight and with this short 36 minute flight, I now have accumulated seven hours of PIC solo time.