Lesson 12: Touch & Goes and Slips

Friday, 01/23/2009.
Tonight's lesson ran from 4 to 6 PM and the weather was perfect. Crisp and cool, flirting with being cold. Clear. Low winds.

We flew out to Winder and did 10 touch and goes. We're down to brass tacks and its all about getting ready for the solo. The solo, as previously mentioned, consists of 3 touch and goes and then a full stop. The weather on Friday was so perfect and my landings are getting consistently good.

So here's 1 "touch and go" in the pattern.

Take off at 55 kts. Climb out at 70 kts.
500 AGL, flaps up.
700 AGL, left turn crosswind.
Level off at 2000 ft MSL.
1/2 mile from strip, left downwind. Power down to 2,000 rpms.
At the numbers, first notch of flaps (T/O). Pitch for 90 kts.
1 mile out, left turn base. Power down to 1,700 rpms. Pitch for 80 kts.
Left turn for final. Power down to 1,500 rpms. Pitch for 70 kts. Last notch flaps (LNG).
When the runway is made, pull power. Keep center line. Pitch for 70 kts.
Look down runway. Just before touchdown, flare (pull up slightly).
On the descent, pull back a little more and contact back wheel first to runway.
Once on the runway, full power ... rinse and repeat.

I also learned a new trick: the slip. It's a way to loose altitude quickly without affecting airspeed or power. To perform a left slip, stand on the right rudder and bank ailerons to the left (opposite rudder). This causes the plane to essential turn sideways and angle downward .. "slipping" out of the altitude. To exit the slip, just let off the rudder and level ailerons, and your back at your original heading. It's a handy trick for fixing an overshot final - especially in an emergency where going around is not an option.