Cleaning the rust off

[imploded]

I've been working on cleaning some rust off of my skills recently. I flew this morning, winds were 15G28 (I was up with a CFI). Turb was constant light, with a taste of mod here and there

Takeoff and cruise out to the practice area... no problem. Get out there, and we deicde to do slowflight. I'm overcontrolling the plane (hamfisting the controls, etC), creating more problems for myself. I eventually relax, and things are OK. Stall time! I rush my stalls, trying dropping wings left and right, and not recovering to nose-level attitude in time. *sigh*. My CFI eventually says "I Can see you are frustrated... no need wasting your money when we need to take a different course of action". Back to the airport we go.

We are # 1 in the pattern, tower clears us to land on downwind. CFI says, abeam the numbers, "I bet we can make Golf from here...". Chop the throttle, full flaps, Vref + 5, and we land just before the 1000 foot mark. I touched down, a gust kicked up and the airplane didn't want to stop flying (the stall horn was going off as I landed). I was extremely comfortable with the landing, even given the fact that it was challenging. I was NOT comfortable with my slow flight and stalls... it's like I'm paralyzed by the turbulence.

My CFI suggested (and I think it's a good idea) that we go on a quick XC somewhere when the winds are really whipping. If I can't polish the rust off, beat it off!

So... the whole point of my ramblings is: how would any of the CFI's on the board handle a situation like this? A pilot you are working with is having problems handling turbulence... but clearly (and has demonstrated to you) has the skills to handle them.

Thanks!

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[bobbysamd]

Turbulence

Practicing flight at critically slow airspeeds in any turb can be frustrating. The airplane never reacts the way that you expect. Ask your instructor what a "treat" it is to practice commercial airwork in turbulence and serious up-and-downdrafts.

A cross-country in some light chop some day may not be a bad idea. Your instructor can have you try it at normal cruise and also at maneuvering speed. You'll see that the bumps smooth out considerably at maneuvering speed. Along the way your instructor can give you MCA and stall practice. Also ask him/her to give you some hood time. You'll learn that the FAA books are right on; that holding a constant attitude does a lot for smoothing out the flight. At the airport try some touch and goes with half flaps and with no flaps.

Hope that helps.

 

[JRSLim]

Turbulence....

I don't know if this is what you'r elooking for but think of turbulence (even the moderate kind) as 'bumps in the road'.

This was told to me when I wa s nervous and it helped. 'course it helps if you drive an older 4x4 which makes bumps in the road ( and in Colo Spgs theres Plenty!) feel like moderate turbulence ...

Shaun

 

[midlifeflyer]

Sounds like the biggest problem is the one that you know:

I'm overcontrolling the plane (hamfisting the controls, etC), creating more problems for myself

I approach rust (even my own) in three ways:

1. Chair fly before you go. Visualize the maneuvers in detail from beginning to end. Half of the battle is getting the procedures down mentally.

2. Force yourself to relax the death grip. You simply cannot fight turbulence in a small airplane with a stiff grip. The controls even over-control pretty well with the touch of a finger and, more important, you cant feel the changes in control pressure early enough with a hard grip, so you're always behind the airplane.

3. The rule for even severe turbulence, once you get that airspeed in the proper range, is to fly attitude. So do it. Have your CFI cover over those instruments when you're in slow flight (and every other maneuver) and fly pitch while looking out the window. You'll see the changes much faster than any instrument can relay it to you and, unless you've done the drill before, will be amazed at how well you hold airspeed and altitude without those instruments.