I found out today that a fellow co-worker (well a Manager) at work got his private pilot license 20 years ago – he hasn’t flown in quite a while though.
I reviewed precautionary landings and forced landings tonight for my lesson on Saturday. For a forced landing the Flight Training Manual suggests two ways of landing the aircraft.
1. Using a modified circuit pattern
2. Using a 360° landing pattern
One thing that isn’t clear to me is when you should use each method. I’m assuming I will learn how to do both. I’m going to make sure that I have both forced and precautionary landing checklists memorized before the lesson – just to impress my FI. ;) This is also going to be the first time I’ve been to the practice area in about 2 months.
I’m going to be moving a lot closer to Toronto city centre airport in the next few weeks (I get the keys to my new condo next Wednesday). I also bought a new antenna for my scanner that is tuned specifically for air band frequencies. The plan is go offer a full time feed of Tower and Ground at the city centre airport on liveatc.net. Hopefully it will work out.
School is going good, last week we spent 3 hours with our noses deep in the CFS. Next week its going to be all about the E6B… i’ve been dying to learn how to use it. My maps are already starting to tare. My teachers suggested that I get some high quality clear packing tape and use it to tape up the folds.
What I usually do is spiral directly above the field if I have a lot of altitude to lose, say 2,000 feet or more. Plan to be set up on the downwind leg at 1,000 feet AGL, and you’re in good shape.
-C.