Chapter five members have been carrying out a (sometimes painful and embarrassing) self-evaluation of people and machines in reaction to the recent spate of crashes. Extraordinary safety meetings have focussed on mechanical review, and the airworthiness of our experimental craft.
The other serious topic is pilot currency. Joe Souza has been conducting impromptu flight reviews in his UL trainer, placing particular emphasis on engine-out procedures. I soon had a turn at having deficiencies exposed. Need to pay closer attention to rotor speed management: the 28' rotor on the two-place Bandit slows much quicker than my 25-footer. Then up to a 300 foot close-in pattern for simulated engine outs. Gary Longmore provided timing observation: from 300', it's six seconds to touchdown. Need to concentrate on a smooth approach to an arrival with enough excess airspeed for flare.
A week later I had another session in the UL trainer. Fifty mph is a comfortable speed for climbout, or power-on approach. But power-off, the loaded two-place needs sixty mph to flare. I had been feeling comfortable at the lower speed when I damn well shouldn't've. [This is, by the way, the best argument for periodic flight reviews in a GYROPLANE; a fixed-wing BFR may well suffice for Cessna drivers, but stands a good chance to miss bad gyroplane habits.]
During the last pass along the runway at a sedate 50 mph and an altitude of 50 feet, Joe pulled back power for the anticipated engine-out. An easy exercise: put the nose down to pick up airspeed for the flare. The machine obeyed, headed directly for the scorch-mark on the runway where Troy's Bandit burnt, but the airspeed didn't budge. Joe knew what would happen and was already running up the power by the time I figured out how far inside the shaded region of the height-velocity curve we had wandered. The g-pressure on the backside was most welcome as the ground slowed its alarming rise.
Bottom Line: In a slightly-unfamiliar machine (and in a familiar machine grown unfamiliar through lack of recent practice) it may be easy under prevailing load and atmosphere to misjudge the boundary of the deadman region of the height-velocity curve. A maximum-performance climbout might very well mean grave danger should loss of thrust occur. Know your machine. Know your limitations.
[Gary Brewer, our resident CFI, is participating in our drive for getting and staying current by contributing to the series of directed discussions that follow the chapter meetings. This month he considers requirements for Private Pilot.]
Sec. 61.103 Eligibility requirements: General. To be eligible for a private pilot certificate, a person must: (a) Be at least 17 years of age for a rating in other than a glider or balloon. (b) Be at least 16 years of age for a rating in a glider or balloon. (c) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons, then the Administrator may place such operating limitations on that applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft. (d) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who: (1) Conducted the training or reviewed the person's home study on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in Sec. 61.105(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and (2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required knowledge test. (e) Pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in Sec. 61.105(b) of this part. (f) Receive flight training and a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who: (1) Conducted the training in the areas of operation listed in Sec. 61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and (2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required practical test. (g) Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought before applying for the practical test. (h) Pass a practical test on the areas of operation listed in Sec. 61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought. (i) Comply with the appropriate sections of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.
Sec. 61.105 Aeronautical knowledge. (a) General. A person who is applying for a private pilot certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course on the aeronautical knowledge areas of paragraph (b) of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought. (b) Aeronautical knowledge areas. (1) Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that relate to private pilot privileges, limitations, and flight operations; (2) Accident reporting requirements of the National Transportation Safety Board; (3) Use of the applicable portions of the "Aeronautical Information Manual" and FAA advisory circulars; (4) Use of aeronautical charts for VFR navigation using pilotage, dead reckoning, and navigation systems; (5) Radio communication procedures; (6) Recognition of critical weather situations from the ground and in flight, windshear avoidance, and the procurement and use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts; (7) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft, including collision avoidance, and recognition and avoidance of wake turbulence; (8) Effects of density altitude on takeoff and climb performance; (9) Weight and balance computations; (10) Principles of aerodynamics, powerplants, and aircraft systems; (11) Stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery techniques for the airplane and glider category ratings; (12) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; and (13) Preflight action that includes-- (i) How to obtain information on runway lengths at airports of intended use, data on takeoff and landing distances, weather reports and forecasts, and fuel requirements; and (ii) How to plan for alternatives if the planned flight cannot be completed or delays are encountered.
Sec. 61.107 Flight proficiency. (a) General. A person who applies for a private pilot certificate must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor on the areas of operation of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought. (4) For a rotorcraft category rating with a gyroplane class rating: (i) Preflight preparation; (ii) Preflight procedures; (iii) Airport operations; (iv) Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds; (v) Performance maneuvers; (vi) Ground reference maneuvers; (vii) Navigation; (viii) Flight at slow airspeeds; (ix) Emergency operations; (x) Night operations, except as provided in Sec. 61.110 of this part; and (xi) Postflight procedures.
Sec. 61.109 Aeronautical experience.
(d) For a gyroplane rating. Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a private pilot certificate with rotorcraft category and gyroplane class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation listed in Sec. 61.107(b)(4) of this part, and the training must include at least-- (1) 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a gyroplane; (2) Except as provided in Sec. 61.110 of this part, 3 hours of night flight training in a gyroplane that includes-- (i) One cross-country flight of over 50 nautical miles total distance; and (ii) 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport. (3) 3 hours of flight training in preparation for the practical test in a gyroplane, which must have been performed within the 60-day period preceding the date of the test; and (4) 10 hours of solo flight time in a gyroplane, consisting of at least-- (i) 3 hours of cross-country time; (ii) One solo cross-country flight of over 75 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, and one segment of the flight being a straight-line distance of at least 25 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations; and (iii) Three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.
PRA Chapter 5 Newsletters are also available on-line at:
http://www.quiknet.com/~twitham/gyro/pra5/