One of the more important instruments on the cockpit is the Altimeter.The altimeter senses pressure changes and displays altitude in feet.Just like I mentioned in prior posts, there are several different types of altitude.The altimeter reads indicated altitude.You’ll notice that the altimeter has three different hands or pointers similar to a clock.The big hand/pointer displays 100s of feet.The medium hand/pointer displays 1,000s of feet.The smallest hand (in this case just a triangle with a white line) displays 10,000s feet.For example, the altimeter reading below is just under 800 feet (most likely above sea level)
Since the altimeter reads pressure, the outside barometric pressure is important.The standard atmosphere, or the atmospheric pressure at sea level is 29.92 inches on mercury (Hg.).Since barometric pressure changes, the pilot needs to adjust the setting prior to take off.When checking the weather, visibility and other factors, the pilot should note the barometric pressure and adjust the altimeter with the small knob in the lower left corner.Most airports are a few hundred feet above mean sea level (MSL).For example, the Smyrna airport is about 550 feet above MSL.The highest airport in the U.S. is Leadville Airport is over 9,900 feet above MSL, and that is before you ever leave the runway.
The altimeter will not display how high you are from the ground (absolute altitude), but will display the distance above mean sea level after it has been adjusted.For each one inch of change in Hg the altimeter will be off by 1,000 feet.While traveling , the pilot will need to check the barometric pressure.
Another great day in the air. The 2007 Diamond Eclipse DA20-C1 (N362DC) had a new tire and was ready for flight.After the pre-check, I taxied it out to runway 1.We were in the plane for 1.6 hours, and spent the entire time in the traffic pattern above the Smyrna Airport.
We took off, flew to the runway 32 and then landed.Without stopping completely we took off again.17 take offs and landings in total.It was great to get so much practice.I wouldn’t go as far to say that landed perfectly any of those landings, but I felt much more comfortable than I ever have.
We tried landing with several different scenarios such as, landing without flaps, short runway landings, forward slips, and turning without the use of ailerons.
I also spoke with the tower more than I ever have.I didn’t sound like a professional pilot, but the ATC was able to at least understand me.
I mentioned in my last post about the precision approach path indicator (PAPI).The PAPI are a very helpful and simple device that enables the pilot establish a glide slope to the runway that will avoid any obstacles such as buildings, trees, or telephone poles.It is especially critical at night when ground obstacles are difficult to see.
The pilot see four lights near the runway and will be on the best possible glide slope when they see an equal number (2 of each) of red and white lights.The more red lights the pilot see, the lower the plane is and the greater likelihood of hitting an obstacle.The more white lights the pilot sees, the higher the plane is, which will require a steeper decline to reach the same point on the runway.
It is a great safety net for pilots, but I tried not to focus too much on the PAPI today.As noted by the Lebanon airport, not every airport will have them.I don’t want to become too reliant on them that I struggle to land smoothly without them.
As of today, I have logged 11.2 hours of flight time and completed 51 landings and take offs.
Perfect day today for a flight.We were scheduled to take the 2007 Diamond Eclipse DA20-C1 (N362DC).My pre-flight check went smoothly. And I taxied it to runway 10.I was making good progress and taxing it smoothing when all of a sudden, the plane started bouncing a bit on the left side.I wasn’t sure what had happened, but my CFI knew instantly that we had a flat tire.
Apparently this happens often with the Diamonds.I was told there was nothing I did to cause this, nor anything I could have done to spot it early.My CFI said this was his fourth flat tire in two years.Similar to a bicycle tire, it has tubing underneath the rubber tire that can sometimes give out.It is filled with nitrogen, because regular air has moisture which can freeze at high altitude.
So, I asked the question: “what would have happened if we discovered the flat on a landing instead of taxing?”I was told it would not have prevented the landing, but landing on a rim would have made it more difficult to control.Of course, it would not have been ideal, and we may have been stranded at an inconvenient airport.
We got out of the aircraft and had it towed back to the hanger to get it repaired it in the morning.
Next I pre-checked the 2009 Diamond Eclipse DA20-C1 (N322DC), and all was good with this plane.We took off to the northeast at a cursing altitude of about 2,500 feet above mean sea level.Our destination was the Lebanon Municipal Airport (M54).Google maps say it is about 23 miles away and should take around 32 minutes.Our GPS said we were approx 16 miles away (as the crow flies), and traveling at about 100 knots, it took us just a few minutes.
The Lebanon airport is a very unassuming airport with just one runway.It is uncontrolled, which means there is not ATC at that airport, so the pilot self announces their position and intentions.Oh, there is also a seldom used grass runway there as well.The Lebanon airport does have corporate planes from the Cracker Barrel there, as Cracker Barrel’s headquarters are in Lebanon, TN.
We practiced several take offs and landings at M54, and this really raised the challenge level.It was a smaller runway than I’m used to, no ATC to help separate aircrafts, TN-840 was right before the runway, and they did not have a precision approach path indicator.
After spending some time in the pattern at Lebanon, we returned to my home airport of Smyrna, and continued to practice more take offs and landings.
At landing number 10, my CFI demonstrated a landing in which he let the plane float a few feet above the runway for several yards before reducing the power to idle letting it drift onto the runway.The method I had been using was attempting to place the plane on the runway as soon as feasible, thus it was not as smooth.On landing #11 and #12, with this new method, I was very pleased with the results.
This was one of the “ah-ha” moments that I think will make me a better pilot for years to come.I’m not sure why I was opposed to using more of the 5,000 or 8,000 feet of the runway, but now it just seems silly.It is no safer to land on the first 500 feet than it is to take 3,000 feet of the runway, and it creates a much smoother landing.
It was a great day for flying.We took the Diamond DA20 N362DC for a long 1.6 hour flight.Nothing new in the air was introduced, but we practiced, practiced and practiced.I’m starting to feel more confident in my new abilities.
I completed 8 take offs and landings and they were not smooth has as last Tuesday.
During one landing, my CFI cut the circuit to the flaps to make them inoperable.I was able to get the plane safely to the ground without the use of flaps, which is reassuring, but I did use more runway than I would have liked.I now have a better appreciation for the additions of the flaps (I mentioned them in a prior post, but I’ll go into more detail in the future).
We also practiced a landing with a simulated engine failure.Once again, got the plane safely on the ground.
On another positive note, my taxiing skills has progressed from absolutely terrible to awkward but still on the taxiway.Communications with the tower is progressing as well.
In the end, there wasn’t one part of today’s flight that I can say “I nailed it!”, but overall I’m pleased with the results for my training.
After days of record breaking sun and heat in Nashville, about 2 hours before today’s flight, this is what I saw out my front window…
By 3pm, the time of my scheduled flight, the rain had stopped but the sky was still a little gloomy over the Smyrna Airport so we took this as an opportunity to complete our first two ground lessons.Mostly topics I have covered in prior posts, but is was still good to knock some of this out of the way.
Smryna Runway 1
Also, it just so happen that the Metlife blimp was parked at the airport, which Kate and Rome had seen yesterday over Centennial Park, so that was an added bonus of the visit.
Since I received the first question from a reader (my father-in-law, Chuck) I thought it may be a good time to address some of the questions I have received since starting this adventure.
I wonder how you would communicate to a tower in a non-English speaking country. Is there a worldwide way to communicate?
Yes, there is.While the ATC at international locations will speak the predominate language for that country, the International Civil Aviation Organization requires the English language must be used upon request.
That being said, it may not be the English that is normally spoken.Pilots use a phonetic alphabet and number system.The popular “niner” is used instead of nine, so it will not be confused with the German word for no (nein).
Has anyone ever done an emergency landing on a road?
Absolutely, and YouTube has tons of videos of examples.The reason why you don’t hear about more of them is because a road is not in ideal location to land.It is easy to visualize landing safely on a hard, smooth, straight surface, but roads tend to be narrow and have signs or other obstacles on the sides of them that would sure to be struck if the pilot landed there (not to mention cars and trucks).The wingspan of a small aircraft, like the Diamond I’ve been practicing with, is about 10.87M (about 36 feet).The average width of a lane is 10-12 feet.You would have to have a 4 lane road to comfortably land the plane, and four lane roads tend to be busy.A much more preferable location would be a wide open field.Most of us live in cities, so we forget that most of America is agricultural, but finding a large field to land is easier than one may anticipate.
How do plane rentals work?
Most small airports have general aviation planes to rent.They tend to be older but very well maintained.Rental prices range about $100-$250 per hour and most of the planes I would be flying are near the bottom of that range.The pilot rents them, not by the day, but by the number of hours actually used (rounded up to the nearest 6 minutes).A plane doesn’t have an odometer, but they have a Hobbs meter.The reading on the Hobbs meter basically says how long the plane’s engine has been running.So if you fly for two hours and six minutes, but spend 4 hours on the ground at another airport, you still only pay the two hours and six minutes.At most locations, this is true within a 24 hour period.For a second (or third) 24 hour period, there is usually a minimum per day.At my school, the daily minimum is 4 hours per day.As you see, renting a plane for a quick day at the beach can be very reasonable, but becomes cost prohibited for longer trips when the plane would be grounded for several days.
Are you planning on making a career change?
While the lookout for the demand for qualified pilots looks promising, I have no plans to make this anything but a hobby.For most airline pilots, it can be a decade long commitment to develop their craft to be marketable to the airlines.At 35, I would be considered over the hill.For example, the FAA will not hire any ATC over the age of 30.
In addition, it is a lifestyle I don’t want to have.I enjoy being with my family on the evenings, weekends, and every holiday.That is usually not a possibility for career pilots.
Why do you want to fly so badly?
This is probably the hardest question to answer.Some answers I have heard are:
While these are all great reasons, they don’t completely express my feelings.The best response I have heard is “asking me why I fly is like asking someone why they fall in love.”
