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 Crosswind Takeoff and Landing, Flight Maneuvers Practice

On Friday (April 16, 2010), I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA and taxied to runway 21 at the Raleigh-Exec Airport (KTTA) for solo flight practice. The weather was mild (70 F) but with strong winds of 8 knots from 260 degrees gusting to 12 knots. I performed my first solo crosswind takeoff with right aileron into the wind with flap 1. I lifted of at 60 mph as opposed to the normal 56 mph and retracted the flap at 150 ft. On climbing at 70 mph, I held a crab into the wind as I cleared the runway 21-3 and headed to the NW of the airport.

I climbed to 3,000 ft and practiced the following flight maneuvers: clearing turns, steep turns, power-on stall & recovery, power-off stall & recovery. I then descended to 1400 ft to try S-turns and circle around a point maneuvers. The wind aloft was high with updrafts. I piloted the Allegro 2000 LSA to the SE of KTTA. The wind conditions were still gusty and hence I decided to try these maneuvers another day. I entered the downwind mid-point for RWY 21 and performed my first solo crosswind landing with an approach airspeed of 70 mph with right aileron into the wind. I turned off the runway at taxiway Bravo to the FBO.

Solo Flight Maneuvers Practice - 2

As a continuation of my solo flight maneuvers practice, I soloed today (04/02/10) from 10:45 to 11:45 EST in the Allegro 2000 LSA. The weather was 80 F with 3 knots of wind from 320.

I taxied the plane to RWY 03 and performed a soft-field takeoff and climbout. Turning north from left crosswind leg, I climbed to 3,000 ft. After executing clearing turns, I then headed east and performed a power-off stall and recovery. I then piloted above a plant and did a circle around a point flight maneuver. I kept the airspeed at 80 mph and altitude at 2,500 ft AGL by increasing the back pressure and adding a little power during the turns. After crossing the KTTA mid-point of the RWY and entering a left downwind for RWY 03, I landed the Allegro 2000 LSA with Flap 1 and turned-off at the third exit for the taxiway. I then performed a short-field takeoff and climbout and headed north towards a highway. I did a S-turn flight maneuver with the intersection of two roads below as the center point. I tried to maintain the airspeed at 80 mph and the altitude at 2,500 ft AGL.



Heading towards the KTTA RWY 03, I entered the downwind leg mid-point at 45 degrees from west and switched on Flap 1 at abeam the no.03. I was unable to land with Flap 2 switched on at final and did a go-around about 150 ft above the RWY. Again entering the traffic pattern, I landed the plane with flap 1 but got bounced and added a little power. After a short roundout, I landed the light sport aircraft on the remaining RWY 03 and turned-off at the second exit for the taxiway towards the FBO - B Bar D Aviation.

I still need to practice short-field landings with flap 2 with my flight instructor, Jim Schmidt...

Solo Flight Practice: Soft and Short Field Takeoffs and Landings

PIC - Prasad

Today (March 17, 2010), I practiced soft-field and short field takeoffs, traffic pattern work and landings during my fourth solo flight. The weather at Raleigh-Exec Airport (KTTA) was sunny (62 F) with mild wind 0f 03 knots but with gusts of 10 knots. My flight instructor Jim was off today. Ross, another flight instructor with B-Bar-D Aviation, sent me on my solo flight after filling the Allegro 2000 LSA with a full tank of autogas.

I did the preflight check and taxied to RWY 03. After waiting for a low-wing 4-seater plane to land, I performed a soft-field takeoff (taxi to the runway without stopping and stick in the middle, apply full-power and takeoff at 56 mph, level to gain speed and climb at 70 mph with flap 1 - at 15 degrees). I climbed to 3,000 ft and did a go-around of the airport and flew to the practice area NW of KTTA. I turned towards the airport with two medium bank turns and entered the downwind leg with a plane on the final. Since the plane had not cleared the runway when I was on the final, I did another go-around to the right of RWY 03. Turning left crosswind, I did my third traffic pattern work with idle power abeam the number three. There was a plane on long final for an ILS approach and another behind me during my downwind leg. I landed after the airplane on the long final and turned off from RWY 03 at the second exit. Taxied back to beginning of the runway.

I tookoff for the second time from RWY 03 - this time I performed a short-field takeoff. I flew another traffic pattern, with a six seater Piper airplane way behind me to join the downwind leg and another airplane on final approach. I turned to base leg and with a forward slip reduced my altitude from 1000 ft to 600 ft on the final. I landed the plane after a long flare due to my fast speed during the final leg. Today, both of my landings were with no flaps as I did not try the slow speed maneuvers due to the gusty wind conditions. I turned off the runway via the third exit to the taxiway. Taxied the Allegro 2000 LSA back to FBO.