Lesson 21
3/6/02 Sloping ground landings
A early morning lesson today, it's 'Golden Jubilee bank holiday Monday', the
weathers fine so I guess it will be busy today. My instructor is not in yet
so I listen in on someone else's briefing, which is on basic navigation. When
my instructor gets in we head out to do a check-over on the helicopter, as
it will be the first flight of the day. All checks done it's off to tackle
'sloping ground landings'. I did a couple of 'nose up' landings on my last
lesson so this is really carrying on from that. After a demonstration of each
landing (nose up, left & right skid first) I try each one a couple of times
with varying degrees of success before having a break and doing some normal
landings. Each time I practice my take off and landings I feel they are getting
better now, nowhere near as slow as they used to be! We break up all the landings
with a circuit, on the way round we look at a glider which is stuck on the
top of some trees. Apparently he (she?) lost all lift, landed on the treetops
and couldn't get down for about three hours. I'll try and get a picture of
that!
At the end of the circuit my instructor said we would do an 'auto' to powered
recovery. The auto was o.k, but not really good enough. More landings, both
sloping and normal which were quite good (well I think so), another circuit
and 'auto' and then back for more landings.
My Comments: The lesson went well and my landings and take off were
not too bad. My auto seems to have gone down hill a little and will need bringing
up to scratch before going solo. My instructor says another lesson practicing
auto's and if all goes well it's 'solo' time.
Lesson 22
11/6/02 Assessment
An early morning lesson again today. I was expecting to fly with my usual
instructor today to do some more practice autorotations after my last feeble
attempt. Instead of having some more practice and then having an assessment,
it seems I am having the assessment now, with the chief pilot.
Now I knew this was not going to go well as my auto's had been so bad on my
last lesson. We start off by doing some landings and take-offs which go OK.
A couple of spot turns and then out of wind landings, which are a little hesitant,
but I got there. I check the T's & P's and a nice transition into the circuit,
correct attitude and power and then around the circuit. I do my 'Freda' check
and then get ready to land. Unfortunately I have left it a little too late
and can see I will over-shoot the field so I decide to go around again. I
do the same circuit again and although I am still a little high I manage to
get back down quite smoothly into the hover. Back into the circuit and this
time I am told it will be 'auto' time. I get back towards the field and then
"Autorotation 3 -2- 1 go" and everything falls to pieces. And the
same happens the next time.
After a few pointers (and slap on the head) we go back around again and again
and again until I get it right.
When I get it right we go back round again and again to make sure I have got
it right! Back on the ground and into the office for the de-brief.
My Comments: It was OK. In the end my auto's did the job quite nicely
and everything else went well. I'll have to try a little harder next time
as I'm not too pleased with just getting it right! Despite the slow start
I have been given the go-ahead for my first solo. If the weather stays good
it should be in a couple of days time.
Lesson 23
13/6/02 First solo........maybe?
A one o' clock start today and the weather is not as nice as I was hoping
for. If I do get to do the solo today I would have liked a nice clear day
with sun shining and a gentle breeze. What I get is a dull day with wind about
8-10 kts and no sun. I take off and do what is probably my first complete
(where I can hear AND understand what the tower say) radio call. We taxi over
to the 'play' area and practice a few take offs and landings. Take offs seem
fine but landings are not happening as they should today.....again! We do
a circuit ensuring that all the safety checks are done, once again I am too
high and have to go around a second time. After the first fly-a-round I know
I will do the next OK, and I do. Back around for another circuit and this
time a practice auto which goes quite well considering all the problems I
was having with them. A few more take offs and landings, which again I can't
get right. We probably spend about fifteen minutes just taking off and landing
until it gets better. Even now I'm back home I can't see why today caused
so many problems with landings when everything else seemed to go OK.
We have landed and my instructor (with an extremely worried look) says "I
am going to get out now and I want you to do a circuit". I wasn't worried
to start with but my instructor looked worried and if my instructor is worried
I guess there is reason to worry!
I take off nice and gently, talking to myself (1st sign of madness) through
all the checks I have to do as I go round the circuit. By the time I have
finished all of the checks it's time to prepare for landing. This time I decide
where I want to land in the field rather than just accepting 'the field'.
I land the helicopter, not my best landing but I am here to tell the tale.
My instructor rushes over to the helicopter with a big smile, I guess if I
crash it's taken out of their pay.
A Picture
taken after my first solo.
My Comments: I have read many articles on the web and in magazines about
how fantastic the first solo is. With all the things I had to do during the
solo I didn't really have time to think about it or enjoy it. Now I am at
home and had time to reflect I am pleased and it was very enjoyable.
PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to popular belief (received emails) the helicopter was NOT radio controlled and yes it was a little windy .......but I'm taking tablets for that.
Lesson 24
18/6/02 Navigation
When I left home for my lesson the weather looked good. When I got to the
airfield it still looked good, but apparently it was 12kts gusting to 17kts.
This means my second solo will have to wait (Mum will be pleased!). It's a
shame as I was looking forward to this one, as I don't seem to remember too
much about the first.
Navigation is next on the list, I have already planned a route once but we
didn't go as 'rain stopped play'. I re-plan the same route, from the airfield
to Wescott then to Wing and back to the airfield, with the times and distances.
My instructor informs me that I have control of the radio and will have to
do all of the calls. We get in the 'NEW' helicopter (I didn't use this one
for my first solo, wonder why!), start up and do a 'passable' radio call.
I transition over to the 'play area' and start off with a few take off and
landings which again are passable.
Into the circuit and out towards my start point. We start the watch to check
how accurate the times I have calculated are and if I can stick to the flight
plan. We reach Wescott, a disused airfield, 30 seconds ahead of schedule.
The next leg again is 30 seconds ahead, so in reality was on time. I'm not
sure how close I was on the final leg, as I didn't ask, but it was within
a minute of the estimated finish time.
Back down to the airfield for a couple more take off and landings, then back
for a cup of tea.
My Comments: I started at High Wycombe and I finished at High Wycombe,
I would call that a successful first navigation flight.
Lesson 25
21/6/02 Second Solo!
Once again the weather was looking good for my 9am lesson. If the wind held
back then it would be my second solo (my performance permitting), if not we
would do another navigation trip, which I had prepared for homework. After
a nice cup of coffee and checking the wind we went out to attempt my second
solo. We are allocated one of the older helicopters for my second solo (I
think I see a pattern forming here) which, I do a full check over with my
instructor as it's the first flight of the day.
I start up, radio call and transition to the play area to practice a couple
of take off and landings. My instructor asks me to do a full circuit, with
all the checks. The circuit goes well except I do tend leaving it a little
late before starting to descend, not drastically late but it would be nice
to tidy up. We do a short circuit to tidy up the transition to landing which
is much better. A little more practice with take off and landings, again I
seem to be hesitant on the landings. My take offs are very good (I think)
but the landings just aren't as good. My instructor gets out of the helicopter,
taking all possessions and bits (as if they won't be seen again?). I am told
to do three circuits coming back to the field into a hover and all the checks
after each circuit and then land after the final circuit. The first solo I
think I had a few nerves, this one was more excitement as I was looking forward
to it.
I took off very carefully went into the circuit with all my checks happening
automatically. If I forget anything I can still here my instructor telling
me to check this or that (I'm not sure if these little voices in my head are
a good sign). I had time to look around during this solo; I got into a routine
of checking the gauges, adjusting the helicopter and then looking outside
to see what was happening. Half way through the first solo circuit I remembered
why I should have said no to the coffee. This is about the forth time I have
had a cup of coffee before going out flying, each time I regret it as the
toilet facilities in an R22 are "slightly lacking". I make a mental
note not to do that again.
Each of the circuits went well, I was happy with the transitions, the speed,
the checks etc. Once again the landing took a little longer than I would have
liked, but I landed when I was happy with everything. We returned to the pads
(maybe a little quicker than we should) but if the roof of the toilets had
been flat I probably would have landed on top of them.
My Comments: Altogether I was happy with my flying during the solo
time, one missed radio call and a hesitant landing........again!! I didn't
crash the helicopter (apparently the third solo is most likely for that!)
so no extra paperwork for my instructor.
p.s Mum, I'll tell you AFTER I have done my third solo!
