I’ve registered for my summer semester courses last night. They start in the second week of May and run until August.
Tuesdays: Instruments and Avionics
Wednesdays: Navigation
Thursdays: Personnel Management
I was hoping that four courses would be offered, however, this schedule good (especially for the summer) as it gives me Mondays and Fridays off.
I haven’t been able to study for the PSTAR test at all. I really want to get it out of the way so that I can solo as soon as possible. I have, however, been studying my emergency checklists.
As part of the pre-take off checklist, I have to provide a take-off briefing to my FI. In a nutshell, it lets her know what’s going to happen if/when the engine fails on the take-off roll. I have recently added a new bit of information to the briefing in order to help me remember the best glide speed for the 172:
“If there is an engine failure or malfunction before rotation with sufficient runway remaining, I will abort the take-off and stop within the remaining runway.
If there is an engine failure or malfunction after rotation with sufficient runway remaining, I will land the airplane on the remaining runway.
If there is an engine failure or malfunction after rotation with insufficient runway remaining, I will put the plane into best glide at 65KIAS and land within 30° of the runway center line.”
Before I used to say just “best glide” without stating the airspeed.
It’s important to communicate this to your passenger or co-pilot in order for no misunderstandings or freak-outs to happen if something doesn’t go right on take off. You would put this plan into effect if you notice that your “parameters are not in the green”:
– Full Power?
– Engine Temp and Pressure in the green?
– Speed is alive (and climbing?)
If any one of those items don’t pass.. abort the take off.
I’ve booked lessons all the way up to the end of June. Hopefully by then I wont need my FI as I will have my private license by then. I hope to get up this weekend, I haven’t been in the air for almost 2 weeks now.
