So it was time for my second solo! My father picked me up outside school with all my gear and we drove to the airport. This flight was also to be flown in traffic circuit. I met my instructor, but there wasn't really any briefing to do.
We walked out to the plane after it had landed. I did the pre-flight checks and jumped in. My instructor was waiting next to the plane until I had started the engine, before he walked back. The feeling was much different from the first solo, I felt much more confident (first solo is first solo!). Everything went as it was supposed to, I got cleared to taxi to holding Golf and even remembered to note all the times during the entire flight! I had to hold for a while at Golf while a chopper was hover-taxiing. Fun to see all the snow being thrown around. I got cleared to taxi to the holding point of runway 18, where I did the run-ups etc. I reported that I was ready for departure and updated my endurance via radio at the same time, as I only had 3h but had filed 4h. The take-off was like normal. A little bit of crosswind though. I probably started my turn a little bit late to the crosswind-leg, as the head of school had seen me when he arrived at the airport. No big issue at all, however. I have a feeling that it's hard to estimate when to start turning in crosswind, before you have done it and felt it once in exactly those conditions. It was a strange feeling to be up there alone again, but I enjoyed it just like last flight! This flight was also filmed with my GoPro on the headstrap. After two touch-and-goes, I was at the end of the downwind leg to runway 18. The clock was 15:52 and I had to be back at the hangar at 16 to pull the plane in. I was convinced there was time for once more circuit so I did it. When I was on base-leg for the last time, I reported "Oscar Alpha Tango, base 18, full stop landing" to let them know I wanted to (... or at least had to) land. I taxiied back to the apron and I parked just at the same time as the hangar doors opened. A nice timing, my instructor said. The video will be here soon! Stay tuned for more! Helge
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Hi! I have never published any videos in this blog, so it's time to do so. I got a GoPro Hero HD2 in November (early Christmas gift), and I've recorded some videos already. They can be found on my YouTube user: http://www.youtube.com/user/helgefly56/videos?view=0 I have also one video using my iPhone. That result was pretty nice as well! Unfortunately, my GoPro failed on my first solo, as already stated in the blog-post about the first solo. Below is some of them copied directly to this page. Enjoy and stay tuned, tomorrow is my second solo (in TC)! Helge So yesterday, 20.01.2013 was an important day! My first solo! Just as an introduction to those not so familiar with the licenses etc. The solo part of the license is intented to make the student familiar with flying alone, give a reminder of the routines, make the student familiar with how the airplane feels with only one person on board etc. But of course, it's a boost for the student's motivation as well. Solo will count for around 10 of the 45h required to obtain the PPL-A license. Things to do solo during the course is to fly in traffic circuit, do maneuvers in the training area and towards the end of the course, fly cross-country solo. I travelled to the airport with my parents and we arrived there just before 10:30. It was not my normal instructor supervising, it was the head of the school. He had also checked me the day before on my pre-solo. I got some final briefing and we highlighted some things that he had pointed out on the check. Together we also filed the flightplan, as it looked a little different from the normal one I file myself. One difference was the PIC, Pilot In Command, which for the first time was me. We walked out to the plane just after that. The plane had just parked and shutted down after a training flight. The weather was perfect, CAVOK (no clouds and very good visibility). We ordered full tanks so the difference in weight woudn't be dramatically different with only me on board. It was pretty cold, so I wanted to start the engine quickly, though it was not as big rush as on the pre-solo check when it was REALLY cold. Saying bye to the supervising instructor and close the canopy, all alone in there, was a very special feeling. No doubt my pulse was higher than normal. I went throught the checklists like normal, opened my side-window and waved to my parents watching my from inside the apron. I turned on the fuel pump, then the fuel prime (making much noise), moved the throttle to full for around 5 seconds and then back, whichafter quickly turning the key and getting the engine started. Once after start I went through more checks, and then I contacted Malmi Ground. After getting my celarance to taxi, I had to turn on the apron which was very contaminated by snow. It was a little hard, but I made it and took the plane to the holding point of runway 36. Doing the run-ups and final checks felt special all alone. Frankly, my GoPro wouldn't stick in the canopy, so after attempt number 4 or 5, I gave it up. I felt a little bit sad that I couldn't get the flight taped from the cockpit like I had imagined, nevertheless the flight itself was more important and I did have my parents taking pictures of me from the ground. I transmitted to Malmi Tower "Oscar Alpha Tango, holding Kilo, ready for departure". Their answear was to hold position. I read it back and waited for a fairly long time before I got cleared to line-up and wait. Seconds after I was fully lined up on the runway, I got cleard to depart for right hand traffic circuit. I read it back while I gave throttle. Not many seconds later I reached the rotation speed and pulled the plane carefully up in the air. My face was filled with a big and proud smile that moment. I climbed out at 70 kts before reaching the safe altitude and speed. I then took the flaps up and did my best to maitain 600ft (the TC altitude at Malmi). I then turned to crosswind and then seconds later do downwind, the longest leg. It was a great feeling to fly all alone. I slowed down to 90kts and took out the flaps for take-off. After that I turned right base to runway 36 and reported it on the radio. I got cleared for touch and go. Final checks; mixture rich, flaps for landing, fuel pump on and landing light on. The plane felt generally very much the same despite a little lighter. The landing went fine, and on the runway I took the flaps back on take-off position, full throttle, and up in the air again. I counted the landings using the VOR as my instructor had showed me, very clever indeed! After enjoying around 30 minutes in the air, it was time to land. When on right base to 36 before the 6th landing, I reported "Oscar Alpha Tango, right base 36, full stop landing". I got cleared to land and the landing went fine, just like the other landings. I started taxiing to the apron and did the after landing-checks. I parked my plane, performed the shut-down checks, then shutting down the engine and then turned off the battery and removed the key. My parents, my supervising instructor (head of the flight school) and another person headed out on the apron. As agreed, I was given a Solo bottle (a Norwegian lemonade brand and first solo tradition) by the supervising instructor, after he had congratulated me and we had shaked hands. It was now time for some pictures and hugs to both my parents. I had done it, flown my first solo, a milestone of the PPL-course and my big dream. Stay tuned! Helge Just after engine-start  On final approach  And the Solo bottle! A proud me and a proud head of school! A flight I will never forget!  | Helge Sakkestad
Welcome to my road-to-PPL blog! First of all, PPL means Private Pilot License for all of you who didn't knew. Second, the language of the blog will be English because of the various nationalities of my friends and readers. ArchivesJune 2013 Categories |
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