Today I revisited slow flights. It is required that a pilot can maneuver a plane at slow speeds while maintaining a stable flight. I flew out to a wildlife refuge about 7 miles from Bay Bridge airport and did a U turn. On my return flight I pulled the power all the way back to idle and had to maintain 55 knots or less and descend from 2,500 feet down to traffic pattern altitude 1,200 feet and enter the traffic pattern. The plane makes strange sounds and is sluggish at these slow speeds and the engine is so quiet that you can hear the wind gusting by the cockpit over the wings. Once back in the traffic pattern I was allowed to clean up my current configuration (take out flaps, add power and trim for 60 knots) and prepare for the downwind for runway one one. I looked to my left and I was abeam the numbers (in line with the one one numbers on the end of the runway I am planning on landing at) and my flight instructor told me to pull out all power to idle. This was to simulate an engine failure and I needed to modify my normal landing pattern since I was not going to be in the air much longer. I decided to continue to fly my normal traffic pattern and as I began on final approach I realized I was not going to make it. I had to add power to make it to the runway so I did not pass the test to land on the runway with an engine failure. The second time around I turned base at 1,000 feet and made a combined or modified base/final approach for runway one one. I made direct route to the runway threshold but then needed to eventually get back on the centerline to land on the runway. I acted too late and executed a go-around. The third time was a charm. I made it!
My flight instructor informed me that I was doing a few things right...but I needed to fix two major things.
1. Stay on the centerline of the runway
2. Flare the nose when I am 20 feet above the runway to slow the planes rate of decent
So on my fourth time around my flight instructor allowed me to land with power but I had to apply the techniques I learned during the power off landings. It was much easier maneuvering in the traffic pattern with power...I stayed on the centerline of the runway...I failed again to flare the nose :(
What goes through my mind when I am about to land? That close to the ground and about to feel the wheels touch down I think... oh my gosh have a nice landing, oh my gosh execute a smooth landing, oh my gosh what if I hit the tail on the ground, oh my gosh the wheels are on the ground and now the plane has landed and I can let off all the back pressure on the stick. The plane basically just runs into the runway... rather than gracefully gliding onto and kissing the runway with a beautiful landing.
I will have to keep working on executing the flare and fighting the crosswinds to stay on centerline. I will also need to work on three important landing techniques.
1. Maintain airspeed
2. Maintain glide slope
3. Stay on the centerline
Landing is much more difficult than taking off but if I ever want to enjoy flying and taking off from the runway my plane must land back on the ground.....safely!
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