3 miles deadside

Short circuit

With a new, improved Cabair checklist in hand I knew my stuff today: ‘A’ checks started to make sense and when to turn carburettor heat on or off was no longer some black magic or dark secret.

The school, however, was running late and my time was limited. Still, it was a return to circuits and my handling of the plane much improved compared to a couple of days ago. More to do during circuits though as discussed in a previous post: the sense of messiness continued therefore and with only three times around the airfield my last attempt was nowhere near last year’s performance.

A similar problem as Tuesday as well: although I’m now flying the plane more I’d always been told to use a set of lights by the runway on approach to gauge whether I’m on the correct flightpath for touchdown. Two white and two red and you’re perfect: more red and you’re too low so feed in more power, more white and you’re too high so take some power out. But, as my new instructor pointed out, this is all very well for big airfields like Biggin but smaller ones won’t necessarily and how do I land then? Back to basics, choose an aiming point, fly the plane down.

Dizzy

And so we return to circuits: just like those at the gym but more exhausting for body and mind. These are to hone your discipline and skills around the airfield. When coming into land you don’t just aim for the runway, you have to join a well-defined, height-regulated and Air Traffic Control (ATC)-controlled pattern.

Circuits helps to speed that process up by taking off, joining the circuit and coming into land before, without stopping, powering up again and taking off.

Each circuit around Biggin Hill takes, I suppose, around 8 minutes. I say I suppose as I’m not really aware of time, just tasks. When taking off you have to maintain a certain speed in the climb and turn at the right point and at the right height. Then there’s the strict circuit height (as other aircraft may fly overhead), keeping distance from and looking out for other aircraft who may be joining the circuit from other airfields, usually from ‘deadside’.

On the downwind it’s checks time and BUMFFICHHL: dab the Brakes, check Undercarriage if not fixed, fuel Mixture to rich, check Fuel is sufficient for a go-around and that the pump is on, set Flaps as required, check Instruments and that the directional indicator aligns with compass and that temperatures and pressures are green, turn Carburettor heat on, ensure Harness is secure, that Hatch and windows are closed, that Landing light is on. Oh yes, and you need to advise ATC of your position. Oh… and fly the damn thing of course.

By the time that’s all done it’s probably time to turn onto base leg. Here you’re really getting ready to land, the flaps go down to improve lift while slowing the plane’s speed. Descending, descending to a turn onto final… the details of which I’ll leave til another day…

After 5 or 6 of these I was dizzy enough combined with my head spinning from task after task. And I’m paying for this?! Still, a circuit will be my first solo activity so, in spite of exhaustion, I feel a whole lot more confident at the end of the day than at the start.