Preflight Exercises | ||
Conduct the preflight inspection.
Dry-run through the following checklists
Walk the traffic pattern on the ramp, talking through the radio announcements and checklists executed in the traffic pattern. |
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Preflight Discussion | ||
Topic | Be able to answer: | Resources to study: |
Aerodynamics | Stability
Drag
Slow Flight
Stalls
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Practical Knowledge | Weight and Balance
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Decision Making and Risk Mgmt | Use the PAVE checklist to identify risks associated with the flight. |
Flight Experience
Preparation:
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Operation | Expect to: |
Preflight Inspection | You will be conducting the preflight inspection. Your instructor will be asking you questions about the preflight issues you are looking for and to identify the location and purpose of different aircraft components. |
Engine Start | You will start the engine, using the appropriating priming procedure, check engine gauges and lean the mixture for taxi. |
Taxi | You will make the determination of the appropriate runway to use for takeoff. You will transmit the pre-taxi announcement on the radio, allow the airplane to roll forward with slightly more than idle power, test the brakes, and then taxi to the appropriate runway for runup. |
Run-Up | You will perform the run-up using the checklist. Your instructor will ask you about acceptable and unacceptable conditions for items checked during run-up. |
Departure Brief | You will give the departure briefing for this flight, with a departure plan to the practice area. |
Before Takeoff Check | You will perform the before takeoff check, including the collision avoidance scan. You will transmit the takeoff announcement on the CTAF. |
Normal Takeoff | You will perform the takeoff. After the airplane lifts off, establish a Vx climb, then after clearing obstacles, establish a Vy climb. Complete the 1,000 AGL checklist and turn the airplane to the on-course heading. |
Shallow Climbing Turns | You will then practice turns and rudder coordination as you climb up to the practice area altitude. |
Level-Off, Cruise Check, Straight and Level | Level the airplane off using the sequence Pitch-Power-Trim, starting approximately 50 ft prior to the discussed altitude. Be sure to anticipate that you will need to increase forward pressure on the yoke to prevent the airplane from attempting to climb again, reducing power only once the airplane has achieved the desired low cruise airspeed, and finally trimming the airplane once the airspeed and the elevator force transmitted to the yoke and felt in your hands has stabilized. |
Climbing and Descending Turns | You will practice climbing left and right 90 degree heading change turns and wing-levels (think of a climbing turn from upwind to crosswind) and descending left and right turns and wing-levels in the landing configuration (think base to final turns). You will use both an outside visual reference and a determined heading as your rollout reference. |
Slow Flight | You will perform the HASEL check. Your instructor will demo the entry into slow flight, shallow turns, climbs, descents, and then the recovery from slow flight. Pay special attention to the use of rudder needed to maintain heading during the entry and even just straight and level flight.
Your instructor will then coach you to transition the airplane from level cruise flight to slow flight, first in a clean configuration (flaps retracted) and then in a landing configuration (flaps extended). |
Approach to Landing Stalls (Power Off Stalls) | You will perform the HASEL check. Your instructor will demonstrate the setup, initiation and recovery from a power off stall. Your instructor then coach you perform the setup, initiation and recovery from the stall. |
Approach Briefing | You will be responsible for giving the approach briefing as you return to the airport. |
Descending Turns | You will practice making shallow left and right descending turns. Remember to watch the nose during these turns to determine the amount of rudder input needed to keep the nose pinned on a distant object as you roll the airplane from left to right and right to left. |
Pattern Entry | Your instructor will coach you through performance of the before landing and landing checklists, entry on the 45, and establishing downwind. You will transmit radio broadcasts on the CTAF to give your airplane’s location and intentions as you return to the airport, enter the pattern and land. |
Normal Landing | You will establish a stabilized approach, use of power to maintain a stable rate of descent. The instructor will assume control of the airplane prior to 200 AGL. You will call out when you feel the airplane should perform the level-off. Pay close attention to the nose attitude during the flare. You should be able to always see the departure end of the runway over the top of the nose. |
Postflight Procedures | You will taxi the airplane from the runway to the tiedown, executing the after landing checklist and shutdown checklists. Your instructor will help you push the airplane back into the tiedown, secure it, clean it and complete the post-flight section of the checklist. |