Thursday 10 February
The weather looked good so phoned the club and booked UFS for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I duly arrived at the club to find UFS still wrapped up in its overnight jacket but WIT free and ready to go so took that instead. I did six circuits in two batches, all pretty good. My aim was to concentrate on flying accurate rectangles with good landings but ATC had other ideas!
First circuit – right hand off 18L – on turning final for 18L could see a lot of taxiing traffic, was asked to switch to 18R (no problem as on more than a 1 mile final) but just before selecting full flap I was instructed to go around and make early left turn onto downwind which I duly did (started turning at the far threshold of 18R just as tower said “WIT, turn left now”). Apart from the odd shape the second circuit was all good with a touch and go and left hand again. I asked for a glide approach next but didn’t get it, so next circuit asked for 18L for a flapless but was asked to make a short approach, glide approved. OK, no problem, I closed the throttle did the usual engine failure checks turning towards the runway while trimming for best glide speed, 80Kt. Part way through the approach I was asked to make a full stop and cleared to land (no real surprise that as I had heard the Mount Cook Dash-8 call just before I started the approach). I just made the runway without “cheating” (i.e. using a bit of throttle) but was too late for any flap – nice smooth, but fast, flapless landing – taxi off and round to wait for a couple more circuits.
Last two circuits – first one a glide approach again – not quite as good and had to “cheat” a bit to make the runway proper. If it had been real I would have been OK but short of the runway threshold, still on the seal but only just. Final circuit and my worst landing: I was high on short final having got a bit of “lift”, closed the throttle a bit and got more “sink” than anticipated and ended up flaring a tad too late and it felt as though all three wheels touched at once. Sorry, WIT.
Still, that wasn’t as bad as what happened to the Twin Star from CTC landing beside me on 18L. As I taxied off I heard him call to report a flat tyre (? burst on landing) and request a tow as unable to taxi. Glad it wasn't me!!
Saturday 12th February
A weekend at Papamoa and up in the Stearman with instructor Pete again. He had a busy schedule and we just had time for four circuits off 07 at Tauranga. I seem to be getting my rudder legs a bit now as I thought I was significantly better than the last time. It helped that the breeze was about 10 knots at 090 (ish - most of the time the windsock was pointing straight down the runway so no crosswind to cope with). I tried to concentrate on accurate speeds (65Kt on climb out, 70 on approach), throttle settings, (full power, 2100rpm on take-off, back to 1900 in the climb and 1850 cruise), and circuit height (1000' indicated).
Height and circuit pattern were good, once Pete reminded me about the low reading altimeter in the front cockpit, but getting the climb attitude constant and the approach speed and height accurate was a bit of a struggle - on one circuit I was very high and Pet took over to sideslip and lose height.
All good practice, though and my legs appear to be getting less "lazy"!!
Monday 14th, Valentine's Day - took the lovely wife for brunch at the Avgas cafe on our way back to Hamilton - showed her the Stearman (first time she'd seen it "in the flesh"). She didn't seem over excited, well, she's not an aviation nut like me, but the food and coffee were very good.
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| Stearman 03 in the sun |
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| This is what you call an aero engine - a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp |
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| The Avgas cafe - well worth a visit |
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