Lesson 22 : Maneuver Practice

04/11/2009

We did 2 hours of high altitude maneuvre review. Slow Flight and power on/off stall recovery.

Lesson 22 : Maneuvers and Advanced TO/L

4/3/2009

Friday was too windy to fly.  Ground school.  METARS, weather reports, VFR limitations, airspace, sectional navigation charts, etc.

4/4/2009

Saturday was a full afternoon of new stuff.  Chris spent much of the time flying himself, showing me some new takeoffs / landings as well as S-turns and turns about a point (TAP).  

All this stuff is fair game for the FAA check ride test.  Next weekend I'm going to practice these maneuvers more.  The following weekend will be my first of 3 cross country flights.  The next big milestone is the solo cross country.  And on the distant horizon is the FAA test, which upon passing.

Short Field T/O, LDG

Used when you don't have much runway and/or need to clear an obstacle.  Get off the ground as soon as possible.  

T/O : Stand on brakes and full throttle.  Release brakes, take off as normal.

LDG : Maximize ground distance by landing right on the "numbers".  Land as slowly as possible.  After landing, stop asap.

Soft Field T/O, LDG

Used when landing on a soft, grassy type field.  Keep the nose wheel off the ground as much as possible.

T/O : Keep nose-wheel up.  Rotate early, ride ground effect until Vy, climb out at Vx*.

LDG : Keep nose-wheel up.  Ride "wheely" all the way down the runway.

S-Turns

Pick straight ground reference, like a long road.  Fly "S" pattern across the road, maintaining constant speed and altitude, crossing the road with wings level.

Turns About A Point

Pick a point on the ground.  Aim left wing at the point.  Fly a circle around the point, maintaining constant speed and altitude, keeping wing pointed at the point.

*Ground effect : cushion of extra dense air just above the ground.

*Rotate means lift off from the ground.  i.e. Rotate from ground travel to air travel.

*Vy is the best rate of climb speed.  i.e. Shallow, fast climb.  Requires more ground distance, less time. 

*Vx is the best angle of climb speed.  i.e Steep, slow climb.  Requires more time, less ground distance.

Michael Jordan's Jet

We went to PDK after maneuvers and there sat what had to be Michael Jordan's private jet.  Of course, pics we taken.  Chris's friend, who works the baggage at PDK, said Mr. Jordan's luggage typically exceeds several thousand pounds.

Note the Nike Air Jordan logo on the tail.  It's a good chance this is Michael Jordan's jet ..

Note the FAA tail number : N236MJ .. "23?" "MJ"?  Has to be his jet ..

The underside of the wing reads 23.  This is MJ's jet.  Later confirmed by PDK folks first hand.