AD circuit without instruments

Flight instruments were covered when in flight (altimeter, gyro, ASI) and while doing touch and go's. The gyro could be easily supplemented by reading the compass, for the altimeter we knew our reference points (especially hills), for the ASI it was more of a feeling thing. We performed 9 landings and 1 G/A. There was quite a few orbits at the beginning as this french falcon was being tested performing IFR flights.

These are most of the planes used by Avilu for schooling. Wish you a merry Xmas!

Flying a plane...

First time I touched a yoke was in a flight between Lima and Cuzco. After takeoff the captain announced his name, and my dad said, "hey that is a friend of mine!". Soon all siblings were inside the cockpit of the DC-8. This being Peru, we went a bit off course to get close to some Andean peaks, got to steer a bit while sitting on the capt's lap and of course landed in the cockpit.


This was the DC-8 that faucett used for inland flights. The company went bankrupt, after a series of accidents and financial troubles in the early 90s.

Landings on Runway 01, Departure Briefing

Today we learned a bit more about Departure Briefing that is performed during the Checklist. Things such as, were and how we go, which runway, upto what altitude and then to where are thought off, then cases of emergency (if above 1000' can return to airport, else find somewhere in front of you with 30' angles), abort take off, Vst, Vx, Vy, Vglide.

In order to get used to another traffic pattern we performed 4 landings on RW01 (see pic), where we land from the lake. This was followed with 6 landings on RW19, including a few emergency situations.

Emergency Situations, loss of flaps, engine

We first did a few landings without flaps, here we put 1600rpm at the on the runway on downwind, our approach was therefore from a lower position and we used throttle to control height, as well as lifting the nose to maintain speed. While doing the aerodrome circuit, at certain times the instructor would inadvertently turn off the engine. It was now time to decide what to do regarding making it either back to the runway, finding a place where to make an emergency landing (a park taking off, near the shore of the lake). Flaps were used if we were too high, and we were sure to drop the nose at the beginning in decent to have speed. Remember first fly the plane then worry about the rest.

Stall practices over Lago Maggiore

Flying Practice consisted of seeing how the plane reacts when the angle
of attack it to high to the relative wind. Flying on a straight path,
banking, descending and ascending was performed at very high angles,
until the stall warning was reached. A bit later on came the stall
accompanied with a quick drop resulting from loss of lift. To overcome
this we dropped the nose until a speed of 80mph.

2 Lessons, 8 and 9 Landings

Today we continued with our AD circuits. 8 where completed in the
morning, 9 in the later session. Main purpose was to get more
comfortable with the throttle specially when one is too high or too low
on final. We came from a steeper angle by climbing to 2600' (follow to
2000' go right, then left to go back downwind). When in final, we went
down to flaps 4, and using the lights set ourselves to the right
altitude. For lower approach we went to 2000' and at the end of runway
on downwind pulled throttle to 1600rpm and lower flaps.

I ended buying some batteries for my new toy, the VHF scanner... but
still figuring out how to install it, program it, set it. The day ended
with a nice ground school class in aerodynamics.

My 1st time airborne

The first time I flew was in Nazca, Peru in 1983. We boarded a single engine plane in order to view the Nazca lines that are carved in the desert below. I felt sad as Miguelon had to be left on the ground, I guess he never flew in his life.

Off course in the air I felt sick and had to use one of those paper bags!



The lines are a 2000 year old mistery: UFOs, astronomical calendars, etc. My opinion, I think Nazca people were good geometrists and drew this as a present to the gods.
On the way back to Lima, we hit a huge pothole on the "bajada" before cañete. Without a spare (also punctured, way up), we got lucky when the owners of the plane from Nazca drove down and helped us out giving us their spare.

Aerodome Circuit: 11 Landings

Today we kept doing circuits, throttle, carb heat and FINAL check were
performed. Landings are getting smoother :)

2 Lessons of 8 Landings each

Today we kept on doing aerodrome circuits, new responsibilities were talking CB to the tower, and lowering flaps on FINAL. Last flight ended 3 minutes before night time. I also finished the first page of my log book, 8:26 flight time. 27 landings.

10 Approaches, 6 Landings, 4 Go Arounds

Today we worked on landing at LSZA. Using runway 19 (915'), weather was great and we began with training. Difference between this week and last is that at LSZA we level off at 2000', rpm 2300. Take off from 950', at 1200' we put up flaps and turn landing light off. Sharp right towards Church, and before shore left wide circle back to downwind. Control apps. Call tower, flaps 1, right to TV building, Before highway left to BASE, flaps 2, rpm 1600. FINAL, land.

Simulated Airport Circuit

After more than a week with cancelled flights and bad weather, the sky quickly cleared up and I was on my way to LSZA again.

We departed from runway 19 direction W and on to Luino where the castle and pier along the lake would simulate a landing strip (at 2000',v=70mph). We would do GA, after FINAL with flaps 3 on top of the strip we would do full throttle, keep level and reduce to flaps 2 and then to 1 when we reach climb speed. At 2300' (clear) flaps were up and landing light off. At 3000' we turned left to the x-WIND and kept climbing until we reach level off at 3500' (v=100mph, rpm=2300) where we would now be on DOWNWIND side of the runway. We then checked apps (altimeter, gyros, fuel, mixture rich, carb heat, landing lights). When the start of the runway is next to us we put flaps 1 with v<100. We then fly at v=90mph until start is 45' behind us. We then turn 90' onto BASE and set rpm=1600, flaps 2, v=80 and start our descent. We turn right for FINAL and do final check (carb heat off, mixt set, flaps 3, landing clearance), speed stays at v=70mph. We line up with runway and simulate a landing before another GA.

This was repeated 5x, bad weather was closing in LSZA so we took off home... got really cloudy and scary. Evelyn had to take over the controls thru the bad part until we had good visibility again.