Learn to Fly – Its Easy! Beginners Guide to Soaring with the Experts!
Learn to Fly – Lets get started!
If your keen to learn to fly then let me take you through the basics of flying a circuit in a general aviation aircraft. I have flown light sport aircraft in the real world so I would love to give you a taste . Light sport aircraft is what I had to learn to fly as the expense of GA was to much for me and I just wanted to fly for fun. If your planning an airline career the you must go through the general aviation GA program.
Learn to Fly – Lined Up Ready
Lined up on the runway check the whole circuit once AGAIN for any aircraft.If your happy with the circuit, check your engine instruments and ensure you have good oil pressure as well as the engine being up to temperature, check your fuel qualities again. Check your compass and heading indicator agree and it concise with the numbers on the runway. The next thing is to check your flight controls have free and full movement. Ensure there are no restrictions in the cockpit as well. Check: Are your bags and any other items that are not needed strapped down out of the way. A bit of negative or zero G could have them visit you at an inopportune time. Distraction Kills!
Learn to Fly – Check Systems
Check flaps are set and your trim are set correctly. This is important when you learn to fly because if the trim is set incorrectly the aircraft may react and want to climb or decent quickly. On its own it may not be a dangerous item per say but accidents are often a collection of smaller things that work against you to make the accident happen.
Learning to Fly – Make a Radio Calls
When you learn to fly the radio often as quite daunting to some. Lets see what you need to say so everyone knows what your doing. Ok, all set, make your radio call something like this: “Gawler Traffic, Cessna METO rolling runway 00 remaining in circuit – Gawler”.
Australia has VH-METO for example. You use “Cessna METO” to identify yourself and light sport aircraft like the Jabiru 170 get numbers when they are registered as light sport aircraft.
A factory built aircraft has 24 then a number. So Jabiru 24-1234 could be a registration number. FYI – the preceding two numbers denote many things but as I said 24 is factory built and 19 is home built.
Yes you can build and fly your own aircraft but I digress …..
Learn to Fly – The Take Off
When you re learning to fly look down the runway as you learn to fly you will want to reference the nose of the aircraft and the center line as you move forward. Release the brakes release and smoothly add power to the aircraft. It will accelerate reasonably quickly so be ready to counteract the torque of the engine as it will push the aircraft so apply opposite rudder. A smooth acceleration as well as poser application wont have you dancing from right to left until you
ground loop. If your learning to fly in a tri gear aircraft apply a little back pressure so as not to put to much pressure on the nose wheel. They are strong but don’t like undue punishment.
Learning to fly – You need Finesse
As you learn to fly you need to finesse the aircraft controls as well as during accelerating smoothly with quick glances down at you speed indicator. A you approach you takeoff speed you can apply a little more pressure to lift the nose wheel off the runway which is a rotation. You hear this often in airliners but maybe not that often in small GA aircraft.
It is done but not called out the same way. When the aircraft is ready it will leave the ground and begin to climb. Here is where you can allow the aircraft to accelerate as it climbs then trim it for VY or the best climb speed. In a Cessna 172 it is around 76 knots but it varies on model and aircraft.
Now trim the aircraft so it is nearly flying itself. If its wanting to climb and you pushing the controls to keep the nose down then put down trim in till the controls are reasonably neutral. The opposite applies if it wants to nose down just add some up trim till its balanced in your hands.
Once you climbing in your departure check instruments quickly and ensure all is in the green. Generally no radio call is made as you climb and then turn onto upwind but in some places they may do it.
Learn to Fly – Upwind Leg
The next part of our journey learning to fly is the upwind leg and we start this about 500ft AGL or above ground level.
Gently turn the aircraft to the left and you will be looking to head 90 degrees to your departure heading so for example you were on a runway heading north or 00 then you now want to be looking for 270 degrees. Make sure its a gentle turn and all your turns are consistent in bank angle.
Start to level out a few degrees before you get to the 270 mark as it takes a few degrees to level and keep climbing. This is all happening a lot quicker than your reading this so you have to be on your toes.
Climbing steadily not check for incoming aircraft joining the circuit, then check down the Downwind leg to your left and quickly glance back and see if there is any movement on the runway/taxiways. Now you have cleared this and noted where any aircraft are your ready for the downwind leg.
Turning Downwind radio call : “Gawler Traffic – Cessna METO left downwind for runway 00 – Gawler”
Learn to Fly – The Downwind Leg
As your approaching 1000 ft AGL start a turn to 180 and in doing so you can now consider your power. To now you would likely have been on full power so leveling off check the speed and providing your happy start to reduce the power and level off on heading and altitude. Here is a moment to power back to say 80 knots, trim the aircraft so the aircraft again becomes mostly neutral on the controls. Again check your instruments and around you for aircraft.
Now its time to get ready to land so while your taking a moment to relax and smile, cause you will be, your flying a plane and your a pilot. One of only 5% of the people in the world that can call themselves pilots.
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Learn to Fly – Aircraft Positioning
Now check where you are in relation to the runway. You should be flying parallel to it with it on your left side and in a Jabiru or a Cessna high wing the runway should be about halfway down your strut. This is generally regarded as the sweet spot. Not to far away nor to close. As you reach mid runway this is where I generally did my prelanding check.
Brakes – Check ( Back pressure so you know they are working)
Fuel Quantity – Check ( You need this stuff so make sure you have plenty)
Fuel Pump on – Check ( This provides a secondary system to make sure your fuel is supplied to the engine should the mechanical pump fail)
Harnesses – Check Secure
Hatches/Doors – Locked and Secure
Heat – carburetor heat stops a carby from icing then stopping the engine. This can happen at low rpm when there is a moist atmosphere. Just good practice.
Apply first stage of flap, use power to maintain the speed you desire as now there is a lot more drag so yo will need a little and TRIM the aircraft.
OK all set. When you are 45 degrees past the end of the runway so its behind your left shoulder reduce power smoothly and turn onto the base leg.
RADIO CALL: “Gawler Traffic – Cessna METO turning base runway 09 – Gawler “
Learn to Fly – The Base Leg
Turning onto the base leg is where you set up your landing. Check the runway and quickly around you plus instruments. All of this is done subconsciously in maybe a second or two. Always checking and looking for aircraft. Do it and do it again. It will save your life!
Now descending after a gentle left turn you want to be descending at about 500 ft per minute at say 80 knots for now.
POWER controls DECENT RATE so if your descending to slowly reduce power by a couple hundred rpm and see how that goes!
ATTITUDE controls your speed so if your fast pull the nose up a little and gently to get the speed you want, 80 knots say and then readjust power for your decent rate.
Learn to Fly – Final
So check as you line up you are 500 ft AGL, lined up on the runway, speed is correct (Say 80 Kts) decent rate is correct.
OK here is where the fun starts! You need to now keep your eyes on your point of touchdown and reference it to your view. If it starts to drop down your not descending fast enough so reduce power and check speed. Adjust.
If the runway point is climbing in your view hen add power and check speed and trim as necessary. This is a constant battle of small adjustments as you slide down the glide slope. When you are sure you can glide to the runway add the last stage of flap and again trim, and power as required. You may now consider reducing speed a little as you approach the runway so aiming for 70 knots as you cross the runway thresh hold and your nearly there. Great work!
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Learn to Fly – Touch Down
Now as you enter ground effect which is like a band of air wanting you to actually land, this is normally from about your wing width above the runway. It will try and keep you airborne as you try to touch down.
Move your view from your touchdown point to the far end of the runway. Why is this? Because you will fly the aircraft into the ground! You will trust me so hear my words. You will hit harder than you expect, likely bounce then it gets complicated and here the instructor may just call MY AIRCRAFT and this is where you let go and let him/her save your butt and probably bruise your pilot ego that was growing fast. Don’t worry everyone has probably done this a few times in training and eve when they were experienced. As you fly over the thresh hold again look down the runway and you can better get a better sight and situation picture. Hold the aircraft off as you smoothly close the throttle.
You will need to gently hold the nose off the runway and this will require more and more back pressure as you slow. Hopefully you will hear the cry of the stall warning indicator as you gently kiss the runway with your main wheels. Now keep the aircraft straight with the rudder/nose wheel steering as you slow and apply brakes gently and more firmly as you slow down as well as holding back stick so again so as not to put to much stress on the nose wheel. Once stopped select flaps up, boost pump off and taxi back to the hanger, your waiting instructor or back to redo it all again from the threshold of your favorite runway.
Learning to Fly – Wrap up
When you are learning to fly your landings especially, are a confidence thing, when your hot your hot but when your not it is a struggle to get it back. Practice Practice Practice. Well done you have completed you first circuit. Now head off to X Plane 11 or DCS or whatever sim is your choice because today they are all pretty fantastic and get some circuit work done. Thanks for coming to Lets Fly VFR – A Website and YouTube Channel for all passionate flight simmers.
Brendon McALiece (Aka Gunnie) author has 23 years of military aircraft experience on F-111, Mirage IIIO, F-18A plus Tornado IDS and ADV Aircraft. Brendon has been flying Flight Simulators since 1986 and also brings real world flying experience to the table having flown Light Sport Aircraft in Australia for five years.
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