Circuits, Forced Landings

2009/07/08

Yes, this is my third lesson in three days. I'm on holiday, and I want to get the rust off in a hurry. Frequent lessons are so much better than once-every-week-or-two. Retention is much better, and improvements are readily visible.

Another low-ceiling marginal weather day. First time with Instructor RK.

Preflight, taxi (good), checklist (no missed items), and a short-field takeoff from 09.

I received some really good instruction on getting to different items earlier, some mental flows around the cockpit during high-activity periods (after-takeoff checklist, for example).

We did nothing but circuits, trying different flap combinations, throttle, starting earlier or later on items.

On one circuit, just as I was about to turn from downwind to base (the furthest point from the runway), the instructor pulled the throttle and declared that we had an engine fire. Gaaaaack. I stumbled through the mental checklist while I more-or-less made a beeline in the general direction of the runway. I need to aim for the numbers, and I need to know the Emergency Checklists crisply and by heart.

Overall, a big improvement in the final approach, and the circuits. Flare and landing is sort-of OK, but not yet smooth.

Dual: 0.8
Landings: 5