Date: 5/4/2009
Time: 16:20 - 17:35
Aircraft: Ikarus C42 - G-CDMS
Practice
Lovely weather again today. After last weeks imperfect landings, I decided to just go for some practice today.
After fuel and DI, I'm off on 21 and head off towards the north.
After a clearing turn I try a couple of steep-banked turns - the first to the left has great height control, the second (to the right) not quite as good, but OK.
Then I try a PFL (power fail landing). I pull the throttle and pick a field just north of Overton that seems to fit the bill. There seems to be quite a few suitable field this time of year, before the crops have grown. Sideslipping on final approach and I'm really quite pleased with it! Satisfied that I would get in easily, I climb away towards the north.
OK, perhaps I should try some stalling. I climb to 4000' mostly close the throttle and pull back on the stick. As always I get a bit nervous of stalling. I kind of automatically keep it in balance and it doesn't really stall properly and starts mushing. Oh well, I recover from this and have another go - still a bit of a mush. Third attempt was a bit better, but still not the dramatic nose-drop I expect. Still the recovery was correct - perhaps if I tried it out of balance - maybe another day.
Time to head back to the airfield for some circuit practice. I join for 21, but there was a couple of other aircraft doing a really large circuit, so I am forced to follow them. Good landing though. Taking off again behind them, once again their downwind seems far too far out and too far downwind. I slow it right down, so I don't have to go so far and do some s-turns on base leg to give some separation. Another good landing. Another three circuits and I'm happy with all the landings.
Good bit of practice today.