IFR: Polish Up
Today’s lesson was a local trinity of approaches with Instructor M. As usual I’d already preflighted and filed my flight plans when I met M in the school office. We discussed which approaches to do. I wanted one of them to be the GPS approach into the home airport as I wasn’t pleased with that on the long cross-country flight.
So we ended up with an ILS, a VOR, and a GPS. The first two with circle-to-land. That’s where the approach has the plane coming in not lined up with a runway and is in low weather conditions. I have to circle the airport to land on the appropriate runway. Since the approach minimums are lower than the pattern altitude and I have to stay within 1.3 miles of the runway, it’s a little close and low.
We did the ILS and I seemed behind the plane. Altitude control was off and, well, I just wasn’t settling in to a smooth track to the runway. As this was VFR weather we broke off and circled to land on the runway in use. After my 180 degree base/final turn, I was offset to the outside of the runway. While I could have saved the landing, I was learning from an earlier lesson and called to M, “going around”.
M said later that he thought I had too much power. I added that I didn’t turn enough either. Both contributed. He suggests that I fly a few circling patterns myself that I don’t need him for that. True enough, that altitude is an odd sight picture. Practice would be worthwhile.
I’ve noticed that my satisfaction with the lessons is about the same, but my standards are rising. For example; early on, I was happy if I could keep the nav dial needles from pinning against the side of the dial. Later, I was happy if I could keep the needles more or less in the middle of the dial. Now, I’m happy only if I’m in the middle of the doughnut (the small circle in the middle of the nav dial to the right).
We went missed to do one hold and then the VOR approach. This particular VOR approach is odd, it’s not very well aligned with the actual airport, you’re off one end of the airport property if you follow the needles. We did another circle-to-land, with a bit better results, but practice still needed.
I’m getting the descent better on this VOR approach. Slowing down helps. M says that later as I get more used to things I can come down faster. But for now slowing is good. It’s just like driving a car, your estimation of turns and such gets better with practice.
We do the GPS approach into home. I’m much happier with the descent here too. We I talk about what might have gone less well on the approach at the end of the cross-country flight and how I was more tired then too. That’s a factor that goes into ADM (Aeronautical Decision Making) and flight planning.
M says I’m basically ready. I’ll do my solo practice (sans foggles of course!), and fly once more with him and with R. If both agree I’m ready, I’ll schedule the checkride!