First Complex Flight

We actually got a decent flying day on Sunday. Winds had been forecast to be gusting to 35 knots but we didn't get that at Waukegan. When we took off at noon, the winds were 250 at 12 gusting to 20. That was only a small cross wind on runway 23.

CFI Pete and I started with a preflight of the Cutlass. On the interior, the only things I found different were checking that the landing gear lever was down and the propeller control was on high pitch. The exterior walk around is pretty much the same as with a straight-legged 172 except for checking the wheel wells for ice, snow, mud etc., checking the nose gear doors and checking for oil leaks at the propeller governor.

The club staff had preheated the airplane so we didn't have any problem getting it started. The start up procedure is a little different than I am used to. This is a carbureted airplane while I have been flying fuel injected C172s. Under Pete's instruction, I gave it two shots of primer, pumped the throttle twice and it fired right up.

We taxied to runway 23, did our run-up, which included cycling the prop a few times, and were ready to go. The takeoff roll and lift off were familiar but things got more complicated after that. With no usable runway ahead, I brought the gear up. A 500 feet AGL, I pitched down a little to speed up to 85 knots, brought the power back to 25 inches and set the prop at 2500 RPM. This would be our cruise climb configuration. We continued the climb to 3000 feet then leveled off and configured for cruise flight. This involved setting the power to 23 inches, the prop to 2300 RPM and leaning the mixture.

We repeated the climb and cruise configuration changes several times. I was learning to manage the power, propeller and mixture to make the changes correctly. When going from cruise to climb, the propeller is advanced to 2500 RPM first and then the power brought up to 25 inches on the manifold pressure gauge. As we climb, the power drops off a little with increasing altitude so the throttle has to be adjusted occasionally to hold the 25 inches on the manifold pressure gauge. When leveling off for cruise, the settings are reversed - power decreased first and then the prop set to 2300 RPM. My memory aid is to keep the prop setting greater than or equal to the power. Because the outside temperature was pretty low, I didn't have to mess with the cowl flaps today. That is one more task I will have to learn to manage though.

During the climbs and level off routine, we worked our way up to 6000 feet where I did a couple steep turns in each direction. My eight month layoff showed as these were pretty crummy. The turns themselves were fine but I gained altitude on the first set and then over compensated and lost a hundred feet on the second. I tried it again and managed to keep the altitude change under 100 feet but I still wasn't happy with them.

Next was some slow flight to simulate the landing configuration. This meant bringing the power back to 17 inches, setting the prop to high rpm as it would be when landing, dropping the gear and working the flaps down to full extension. No problem but it is definitely more complicated than in a fixed gear, fixed pitch airplane. After a couple minutes in this configuration, I reversed the process to get back into cruise. Flaps up, gear up, power to 23 inches, prop to 2300. Pete also gave me a demonstration of how quickly the Cutlass can be slowed from cruise to landing speed. By dropping the gear, reducing power, adding 10 degrees of flap at 113 knots then full flaps as soon as we got in the white arc, we went from 130 knots to 70 knots in 45 seconds. I'm sure we could have done it even quicker if Pete hadn't been talking me through it. When the controller wants us to keep our speed up in the pattern, we can do it but still slow down quickly for landing.

Having practiced going from cruise to climb and back to cruise, we now worked on configuring for descents then cruise and back to descent. This meant setting power to 20 inches and pitching down to get a descent of at least 500 fpm. After leveling off at the new altitude, the power is advanced back to 23 inches and the mixture readjusted. While working our way down, we turned back toward the airport.

Back at 3000 feet, I called the tower and let them know we would be staying in the pattern for full stops with taxi backs (the club doesn't allow touch and goes in retractable gear aircraft). As we got lower, we started getting bounced around by turbulence. For this first landing, I dropped the landing gear well outside the pattern. On downwind, I set the prop to high RPM, pulled the power back to 20 inches, and set carb heat on. Abeam the numbers I went to 17 inches and 10 degrees of flaps. On base I added another 10 degrees of flaps which was all we would use with the gusty winds and turbulence. On final, I held 70 knots and tried to correct for the crosswind. I did OK until just before touchdown. The wind was changing rapidly as we went down so I ended up 10 feet left of the center line. I blame it on being rusty after my long layoff.

We turned off and taxied back for the next circuit. Flying a complex airplane in the pattern keeps you busy. We start with carb heat cold, mixture rich and the prop in high pitch. Turn onto the runway center line, add full power, check the engine instruments in the green, good RPM and manifold pressure, rotate at 55 and climb at 75. With no room to land again, raise the gear lever and hold it until the gear up light comes on and we feel the gear bump into the wells, announce: "I have a gear up light and a bump." At 500 feet AGL, pitch for 85 knots, reduce power to 25 inches, set prop at 2500 RPM and turn crosswind. Level off at pattern altitude (here 1500 feet) and set power to 20 inches while turning downwind. Do before landing checklist: seats upright, seat belts and shoulder harnesses tight, fuel selector on both, landing gear lever down and hold until green light comes on, look outside for the wheel and announce: "I have a green light and a wheel." Pete tells me he also has a wheel. Mixture rich, carb heat on, propeller on high RPM. Abeam the numbers power comes back to 17 inches, add 10 degrees of flaps and nose down. Also this is the point for a GUMP check. Fuel selector on both, gear light green and wheel visible, mixture rich and prop on high. Turn base and add 10 degrees more flaps, monitor glide path and adjust power. Turn final and adjust power, add last notch of flaps if wanted (we didn't on this day), do another GUMP check. On very short final do one last gear and propeller check before landing. This time the landing was off the center line to the right.

Yes, it is a lot to do and my sloppy pattern showed that I was overworked. I expect it to get more natural with practice so that I will actually have time to think about other things - like headings. I can't get complacent though. Skipping a step in a complex airplane could be very bad. I don't want to be the one who lands the club Cutlass with the gear up.

We taxied back to 23 for one more pattern. Pete had me fly this one a little wider so I was a little less rushed. It was my best landing of the day and a good one to quit on. I taxied us back to parking and shut down.

I now have 1.5 hours of complex time in my log book. The club's insurance company requires 10 hours with 25 landings and 5 go arounds to fly the Cutlass solo. Next time we will repeat much of what we did this time but with the addition of stalls and emergency gear extensions.

Tomorrow's Flight is Already Cancelled

So far in December we have had intense cold, a lot of snow and ice and some very low ceilings. Every flight I have scheduled has been cancelled. It shouldn't come as any surprise then that my complex lesson in the Cutlass, which was scheduled for tomorrow, is already out the window. The TAFs for time period of the 10am to noon flight look like this:


Milwaukee -FM271300 22012KT 1/2SM RA FG OVC003

O'Hare - FM271000 20014KT 1SM RA BR OVC004


The 300 to 400 foot ceilings and low visibilities are bad enough but the local radio stations are forecasting the rain to be heavy with a chance of thunderstorms as well. That is a rarity in December.

I rescheduled the lesson for Sunday which looks to be colder but dry.

Merry Christmas

This is my favorite Christmas carol. I hope you will enjoy it too.

Now for a Different Problem

We had a lot of snow over the last week.  The weather was especially awful on Tuesday and Friday.  I had to skip Thursday's flight because of work so I rescheduled for yesterday.  The weather was marginal VFR when I got to the airport.  Sky condition 2000 ft overcast but with good visibility.  The ATIS was announcing that snow removal operations were underway and no pattern work would be authorized.  The Kenosha airport was completely closed and Burlington had an ice covered runway.  We could go to Janesville for pattern work or get above the clouds for maneuvers.  As it turned out, we didn't have to make the decision.  Someone left the Cutlass' master switch on over night and the battery was dead.  The staff put a charger on it but it would take a while to get it  charged. The airplane was booked from 11am to 3pm so, we were finished for the day.

I will try again next Saturday.  If we can't fly the Cutlass, for whatever reason, we will take one of the Skyhawks.  At least I can start getting checked out in something.

Stick & Rudder Holiday Party

Georgia and I attended our first Stick & Rudder holiday party last night. We enjoyed the evening and felt very welcome at the club. Both of us look forward to more social events in the future.

Bad Weather Strikes Again

My membership at Stick & Rudder Flying Club is official and yesterday was my first session with one of the club CFIs.  Since I haven't been flying lately, I want to get some dual time in addition to getting checked out in the club aircraft.  According to the club rules, by checking out in any of the airplanes, I am also automatically authorized to fly any airplane of equal or lessor performance.  I, of course, want to be able to fly all of them.  So, after talking to a couple of the CFIs, I decided I am going to get my complex endorsement in the club Cessna 172RG .  The rules require a minimum of 1 hour of ground, 10 hours of dual, 25 landings and 5 go arounds in the Cutlass RG to get the endorsement.  By doing this I will get the refresher time I wanted, a new endorsement and be qualified to fly any of the current club aircraft.

Yesterday was supposed to be my first flight in the Cutlass but, the weather just would not allow it.  When I checked the TAFs and METARs in the morning, Waukegan was still IFR with a 900 foot overcast but, Milwaukee and O'Hare were marginal VFR.  It looked like there might be a chance the weather would improve enough to, at least, get some pattern time in.  It was not to be though.  The beacon was still on when I pulled into the parking lot at 10:30 AM and it stayed on the whole time I was there.  But, we did get the ground training done so the day wasn't a total waste.

After the ground session, I talked about instrument training with the CFI (I forgot to mention this blog to him so, I didn't get his permission to use his name.  Hopefully, I will remember to ask next time).   I liked the answers he gave to my questions and his attitude about how the training should be conducted.  I plan to jump right into that after the complex endorsement.

The Cutlass is booked up for all of next weekend so, my next try at flying it will be December 18th.  Here's hoping for better weather.  In the mean time, I will continue to study the POH and the Garmin GNS 430 manual since this airplane has one installed.