Private Pilot Maneuvers
Since I have started flying Pipers, with the exception of my club checkout I have only done point to point trips. The chief photographer and I had to cancel the long XC to Sin City (work issues), so I decided I needed to do some Private Pilot maneuvers in the Piper to really get the feel of the aircraft. I figured I could hit HMT (55 nm from MYF) to log it as XC PIC, then do some maneuvers (sans the chief photographer, who decided that yanking and banking wasn't her idea of a good time).
It was clear and sunny in SOCAL, but hot. When I got to MYF, it was about 90F. I took a good look at the performance charts for 06N, the Piper Cadet I would be flying today, to make sure I wouldn't have any issues with density altitude. MYF is about 400MSL, so no problem there, but at HMT it was 100F with a field elevation of 1500MSL, so the density altitude was 4500 ft. With a 4000 ft runway at that density altitude, I didn't want to take any chances.
I did a soft field takeoff from MYF, then got the NKX Class B transition direct northbound. Climbed up to 6500MSL, where it was a cool 80F, then headed to HMT. Picked up VFR flight following enroute, then descended over the lake south of HMT to TPA, where I entered the pattern on the 45. I did a soft field landing to a full stop (take no chances when I eat up that much runway at that density altitude), taxied back for a short field takeoff, lap around the pattern, short field landing to touch and go. My decision point was that if I didn't stick it on the numbers or was slow to reconfigure, it would be a full stop. If everything went right, I would roll with the T&G. I put it on the numbers, reconfigured quickly, and was airborne before the halfway point on the runway. From there, I made a left 45 departure back towards San Diego.
I climbed to 5500MSL on a heading of 150 until I got to Pauma Valley, the north practice area for San Diego. Once over Pauma Valley, I did two sets of steep turns (left, right, left, right), clean slow flight, dirty slow flight, power off stall, another set of steep turns, then an engine out (yes, I did clearing turns and a self announce before each maneuver). All of the maneuvers were well within PTS standards, except for the engine out.
From 5500MSL, that Piper will glide forever. I flew around losing altitude for a few minutes, with multiple fields to choose from, then decided to make my "emergency landing" to Pauma Valley Airpark, a private strip. As I turned from base to final, I realized I was WAY too high (yet not high enough for another pass), so I slipped like a madman to get back on glideslope. I didn't want to put the flaps in yet because once I put them in, I don't like to take them out again, so I would rather wait till the last minute to put the flaps in, slipping beforehand if needed. Once I was on glideslope at 100AGL, I went around and climbed back up to 35ooMSL to head for home. I was tempted to actually land it, but it is a private strip and I didn't have permission, so I didn't want to piss off the locals.
Once back at altitude, I made one final self announce, then called up SOCAL to get flight following and clearance through the Class B back to MYF. Smooth ride home, okay landing on the numbers, shut her down and called it a day.
Given that this was the first time I had done PPL Maneuvers in a Piper, I was happy with the results. All of my airwork was well within PTS (+/- 50 ft altitude, +/- 5kts airspeed, +/- 5 deg heading), but the short/soft field landings still need a little work (I have to refine my sight picture and power settings for the Pipers).
As far as the engine out is concerned, I am still having a little trouble with the glide characteristics of the Piper. Once I realized I was high, I figured I had several options:
A. Slip to get back on glideslope (the one I chose)
B. Put in a notch or two of flaps (the one I decided against since I don't like to screw with the lift/drag configuration until I know I have the field made)
C. S-turns or a 360 (scared to death of the dreaded spin/stall at low altitude trying to stretch a glide or maneuver significantly)
If any of you experienced folks/CFI's out there have any suggestions to make, I'm all ears.
Fly safe!
Big Country
It was clear and sunny in SOCAL, but hot. When I got to MYF, it was about 90F. I took a good look at the performance charts for 06N, the Piper Cadet I would be flying today, to make sure I wouldn't have any issues with density altitude. MYF is about 400MSL, so no problem there, but at HMT it was 100F with a field elevation of 1500MSL, so the density altitude was 4500 ft. With a 4000 ft runway at that density altitude, I didn't want to take any chances.
I did a soft field takeoff from MYF, then got the NKX Class B transition direct northbound. Climbed up to 6500MSL, where it was a cool 80F, then headed to HMT. Picked up VFR flight following enroute, then descended over the lake south of HMT to TPA, where I entered the pattern on the 45. I did a soft field landing to a full stop (take no chances when I eat up that much runway at that density altitude), taxied back for a short field takeoff, lap around the pattern, short field landing to touch and go. My decision point was that if I didn't stick it on the numbers or was slow to reconfigure, it would be a full stop. If everything went right, I would roll with the T&G. I put it on the numbers, reconfigured quickly, and was airborne before the halfway point on the runway. From there, I made a left 45 departure back towards San Diego.
I climbed to 5500MSL on a heading of 150 until I got to Pauma Valley, the north practice area for San Diego. Once over Pauma Valley, I did two sets of steep turns (left, right, left, right), clean slow flight, dirty slow flight, power off stall, another set of steep turns, then an engine out (yes, I did clearing turns and a self announce before each maneuver). All of the maneuvers were well within PTS standards, except for the engine out.
From 5500MSL, that Piper will glide forever. I flew around losing altitude for a few minutes, with multiple fields to choose from, then decided to make my "emergency landing" to Pauma Valley Airpark, a private strip. As I turned from base to final, I realized I was WAY too high (yet not high enough for another pass), so I slipped like a madman to get back on glideslope. I didn't want to put the flaps in yet because once I put them in, I don't like to take them out again, so I would rather wait till the last minute to put the flaps in, slipping beforehand if needed. Once I was on glideslope at 100AGL, I went around and climbed back up to 35ooMSL to head for home. I was tempted to actually land it, but it is a private strip and I didn't have permission, so I didn't want to piss off the locals.
Once back at altitude, I made one final self announce, then called up SOCAL to get flight following and clearance through the Class B back to MYF. Smooth ride home, okay landing on the numbers, shut her down and called it a day.
Given that this was the first time I had done PPL Maneuvers in a Piper, I was happy with the results. All of my airwork was well within PTS (+/- 50 ft altitude, +/- 5kts airspeed, +/- 5 deg heading), but the short/soft field landings still need a little work (I have to refine my sight picture and power settings for the Pipers).
As far as the engine out is concerned, I am still having a little trouble with the glide characteristics of the Piper. Once I realized I was high, I figured I had several options:
A. Slip to get back on glideslope (the one I chose)
B. Put in a notch or two of flaps (the one I decided against since I don't like to screw with the lift/drag configuration until I know I have the field made)
C. S-turns or a 360 (scared to death of the dreaded spin/stall at low altitude trying to stretch a glide or maneuver significantly)
If any of you experienced folks/CFI's out there have any suggestions to make, I'm all ears.
Fly safe!
Big Country
posted by Big Country at 6:31 PM
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