Vance
Gyroplane CFI
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 16,469
- Location
- Nipomo,California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2400+ in rotorcraft
Learning more about Gyropedia.
Rusty started Gyropedia after six flights so it is hard to know just where to start in Gyropedia. We started at the beginning with the expected “We already covered that”.
I don’t know enough about Gyropedia to use it properly so we are doubling up on some work.
We had decided to work on lesson five so that was a part our homework.
We had already covered managing airspeed and altitude to practical test standards on the first flight with my syllabus and Rusty had done well from the beginning. The Gyropedia technique was supposed to speed up the learning process.
It was lovely weather with clear skies, mild temperatures and low winds.
We had not flown together for more than two weeks so Rusty felt before he went flying around with his eyes shut it would be good to get a feel for the machine by doing some pattern work. Rusty had been doing a lot of chair flying and wanted to check on the results. Rusty felt this was not the best time to move him to the front seat with the extra responsibilities so we put that off.
Rusty has also been working on radio calls and this was a great time to increase the challenge because the wind was zero two zero degrees at eight knots and runway two was in use.
It is difficult to imagine how much challenge is added to the radio work at the Santa Maria Public Airport when runway two is in use.
To start with even the ground instruction read backs get more complicated.
Rather that taxi via Alpha, Alpha Eight we hear and have to read back; Taxi via Mike, Alpha and hold short of runway two, new transmission; cross runway two, turn left on Alpha two and hold short of runway three zero, new transmission; cross runway three zero and taxi via Bravo two and Charlie to Charlie three. Runway three zero may also be referred to as runway one two.
With several pilots taxiing at the same time the complexity compounds the challenge.
Somehow many of the pilots on tower frequency get confused about the legs of the patterns and they feel challenged by the narrower (seventy five feet vs. a hundred fifty feet) and shorter (fifty two hundred feet vs. eight thousand feet) runway two.
To add to the confusion runway three zero is still available on request.
Combine these realities with a new controller under instruction and it was some very challenging radio work for Rusty and I felt he handled it well.
Our takeoff clearance didn’t make sense to either of us and Rusty pretended it did and read back the part he understood thinking if he left something out that was important ATC would correct him. I feel this is a mistake and just as I was about to ask ATC for clarification we lifted off and a strong wind gust hit us from the left and Rusty was not quick enough on the rudder for my comfort so; “MY AIRCRAFT”. I was distracted with the exchange of controls and did not confirm the ATC instruction after giving the controls back to Rusty as I should have.
It was a good lesson learned when the tower admonished us for not following directions. The gust had turned into a change in wind direction so with six aircraft in the pattern they switched from runway two to runway three zero sending us three miles south to circle until they got things straightened out. Rusty managed the four circles well in turbulent conditions.
We made seven stop and goes before stopping for gas and lunch.
For the second mission Rusty and I decided to go forward with our plan to explore the part of lesson five about “How to Develop the Instinct to Maintain a Constant Attitude During Power Changes.”
Over lunch we briefed extensively on Rusty flying with his eyes shut while making power changes and on our return read the book at some length making certain we understood the procedure and goals. After a preflight and weather check Rusty asked for a left turn out with a turn to the south where there is less traffic than my practice area to the north.
Gyropedia assumes the instructor know what he is doing so we had to work around my confusion.
On our second flight Rusty did well with his radio calls with some minor omissions and his airspeed and altitude control was exceptional as we made the ten mile flight to the practice area. The tasks are constantly changing during pattern work and there is little time to relax. As we few Rusty felt relaxed and enjoyed the lighter pilot work load.
We were flying at 2,200 feet mean sea level pointed toward the town of Los Alamos when Rusty closed his eyes and added power. He flew straight for a bit and then banked slightly left. Rusty could feel the change in the wind. We both felt the bank was from a gust out of the north rather than the power change so we tried it three more times in two directions with no change in airspeed or heading and a 200 foot increase in altitude each time.
We were unsure of what Rusty supposed to learn and he was uncomfortable flying without looking for traffic so we headed back to the airport for more pattern work. Rusty had been exceptional with airspeed and altitude control on the way out so it was hard to pin down what I felt the improvement was on the way back. The flight felt smoother and more relaxed despite the increase in turbulence as we entered Santa Maria’s airspace from the south.
We did another six stop and goes and called it a day a half hour before sunset.
We both felt it was a successful day of learning
We talked at length about the value of the exercise and Rusty felt he had already learned what the lesson was intended to teach. Rusty felt it was a good reminder to use all of your senses when flying and agreed to explore this kind of exercise further. I love working with Rusty!
Rusty’s next lesson is in a week.
He has been working on Gyropedia in the meantime despite his busy schedule and I need to catch up.
Rusty started Gyropedia after six flights so it is hard to know just where to start in Gyropedia. We started at the beginning with the expected “We already covered that”.
I don’t know enough about Gyropedia to use it properly so we are doubling up on some work.
We had decided to work on lesson five so that was a part our homework.
We had already covered managing airspeed and altitude to practical test standards on the first flight with my syllabus and Rusty had done well from the beginning. The Gyropedia technique was supposed to speed up the learning process.
It was lovely weather with clear skies, mild temperatures and low winds.
We had not flown together for more than two weeks so Rusty felt before he went flying around with his eyes shut it would be good to get a feel for the machine by doing some pattern work. Rusty had been doing a lot of chair flying and wanted to check on the results. Rusty felt this was not the best time to move him to the front seat with the extra responsibilities so we put that off.
Rusty has also been working on radio calls and this was a great time to increase the challenge because the wind was zero two zero degrees at eight knots and runway two was in use.
It is difficult to imagine how much challenge is added to the radio work at the Santa Maria Public Airport when runway two is in use.
To start with even the ground instruction read backs get more complicated.
Rather that taxi via Alpha, Alpha Eight we hear and have to read back; Taxi via Mike, Alpha and hold short of runway two, new transmission; cross runway two, turn left on Alpha two and hold short of runway three zero, new transmission; cross runway three zero and taxi via Bravo two and Charlie to Charlie three. Runway three zero may also be referred to as runway one two.
With several pilots taxiing at the same time the complexity compounds the challenge.
Somehow many of the pilots on tower frequency get confused about the legs of the patterns and they feel challenged by the narrower (seventy five feet vs. a hundred fifty feet) and shorter (fifty two hundred feet vs. eight thousand feet) runway two.
To add to the confusion runway three zero is still available on request.
Combine these realities with a new controller under instruction and it was some very challenging radio work for Rusty and I felt he handled it well.
Our takeoff clearance didn’t make sense to either of us and Rusty pretended it did and read back the part he understood thinking if he left something out that was important ATC would correct him. I feel this is a mistake and just as I was about to ask ATC for clarification we lifted off and a strong wind gust hit us from the left and Rusty was not quick enough on the rudder for my comfort so; “MY AIRCRAFT”. I was distracted with the exchange of controls and did not confirm the ATC instruction after giving the controls back to Rusty as I should have.
It was a good lesson learned when the tower admonished us for not following directions. The gust had turned into a change in wind direction so with six aircraft in the pattern they switched from runway two to runway three zero sending us three miles south to circle until they got things straightened out. Rusty managed the four circles well in turbulent conditions.
We made seven stop and goes before stopping for gas and lunch.
For the second mission Rusty and I decided to go forward with our plan to explore the part of lesson five about “How to Develop the Instinct to Maintain a Constant Attitude During Power Changes.”
Over lunch we briefed extensively on Rusty flying with his eyes shut while making power changes and on our return read the book at some length making certain we understood the procedure and goals. After a preflight and weather check Rusty asked for a left turn out with a turn to the south where there is less traffic than my practice area to the north.
Gyropedia assumes the instructor know what he is doing so we had to work around my confusion.
On our second flight Rusty did well with his radio calls with some minor omissions and his airspeed and altitude control was exceptional as we made the ten mile flight to the practice area. The tasks are constantly changing during pattern work and there is little time to relax. As we few Rusty felt relaxed and enjoyed the lighter pilot work load.
We were flying at 2,200 feet mean sea level pointed toward the town of Los Alamos when Rusty closed his eyes and added power. He flew straight for a bit and then banked slightly left. Rusty could feel the change in the wind. We both felt the bank was from a gust out of the north rather than the power change so we tried it three more times in two directions with no change in airspeed or heading and a 200 foot increase in altitude each time.
We were unsure of what Rusty supposed to learn and he was uncomfortable flying without looking for traffic so we headed back to the airport for more pattern work. Rusty had been exceptional with airspeed and altitude control on the way out so it was hard to pin down what I felt the improvement was on the way back. The flight felt smoother and more relaxed despite the increase in turbulence as we entered Santa Maria’s airspace from the south.
We did another six stop and goes and called it a day a half hour before sunset.
We both felt it was a successful day of learning
We talked at length about the value of the exercise and Rusty felt he had already learned what the lesson was intended to teach. Rusty felt it was a good reminder to use all of your senses when flying and agreed to explore this kind of exercise further. I love working with Rusty!
Rusty’s next lesson is in a week.
He has been working on Gyropedia in the meantime despite his busy schedule and I need to catch up.