Tag Archives: takeoff

Patterns in 737GM

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The weather continues to be unusual. It is the middle of April and it rained overnight into early morning. Winds are expected to start howling in the afternoon. I woke up at 6am to notice calm conditions so I was eager to fly this morning. 906MD’s starter had finally gotten so bad that it was nearly impossible to start it up. Also, COM2 hasn’t been working for a while so the plane has been grounded for maintenance. Fortunately 737GM was available but since it has been almost two weeks since I last flew, I texted Steve to see if he will join me for a couple of patterns around the airport before I fly solo to Byron, Tracy and back. He was available and we decided to meet at 8:30am. On the way to the airport, I checked AWOS to note that there was a 7kts wind from 240 at Livermore, 9kts from 220 at Byron and 11 its at Tracy from 260.

737GM wasn’t easy to start either. It took a number of primes and then a number of throttle primes. We pushed the throttle fully in and kept pumping it while the engine continued to sputter. It gradually picked up RPM and was finally able to idle around 700rpm.

We did 4 patterns around Livermore before Steve declared that he had had enough and decided to get dropped off at the northwest tiedowns while I kept the engine running and continued on a solo. Two things I noticed are (1) that the throttle lever is significantly shorter compared to the one on 906MD and (2) that the throttle lever slips out very easily when the friction lock is not engaged. A couple of times I took my hand off the throttle to adjust trim and the engine rpm dropped as indicated by a change in the hum. Steve and I both lunged for the throttle at the same time to push it back in.

I got a clearance for right downwind on 25R and as I flew towards Brushy Peak, it got significantly bumpier. Clearly the winds were stronger the higher I flew. I chickened out and asked Tower to bring me back in for 25R. I appreciated that the Tower thought there might be a problem and asked if I need any assistance. It continued to be windy and bumpy but not terribly problematic so I did 4 touch and go’s back at Livermore before calling it quits.

Patterns after another hiatus

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It has been a while so Srinath flew dual today with Steve. School kept getting in his way. The day started off with calm winds and clear sky. It was a day of doing patterns around the airport and Srinath’s rustiness showed.

The variety today involved following a Champ which was significantly slower than us, and a jet that was faster and ahead of us. On one pattern, the Champ was so slow that Steve requested a right 360 (while downwind for 25L) to increase separation. The wind then shifted significantly and that indicated runway switch was impending. Sure enough, tower asked if we can take a 9kts tailwind or if we wanted to wait to land until the runways were switched. Steve decided to take the tailwind to show Srinath how that feels for ground roll. Then after turning crosswind on the next pattern, the tower changed direction and gave him instructions to turn right for 7R.

On that last approach a jet was turning base for 7L while Srinath turned right base for 7R and they both touched town almost in parallel.

First solo to another airport

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Today was my first solo flight taking off and flying outside of Livermore. I went to Byron, then Tracy and back.

As I requested frequency change approaching brushy peak, tower alerted me to traffic in the opposite direction which I never was able to locate. After touching down at Byron, I taxied off to reset for the leg to Tracy. On the way back to Livermore as I approached Altamont, tower first alerted me to a traffic 1mi south for straight in to 25R and asked me to report for a 2mi  right base implying I had to turn right towards brushy peak. Then tower changed the instructions to make a right 360 and then straight in for 25R.

March 24 solo track log

First flight on 737GM

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Srinath and I flew dual with Steve today on 737GM. It is a Cessna 172 modified with STOL capability and 40 degrees of flaps. The goal for today is to get us a feel for the aircraft especially with full flaps so we can fly that whenever 906MD was unavailable.

As we took off on a left downwind departure, the guy who was just ahead of us encountered a bird strike and declared an emergency (“Mayday”) and wanted to return for a precautionary landing. Srinath overflew Tracy at which point he practiced slow flight with full flaps and a couple of stalls in the landing configuration. He then proceeded to New Jerusalem to practice landings with full 40 degrees of flaps. The last two landings were short approaches. It was incredible how slowly and with a tight turn we could approach for short landing.

We taxied back to Rwy 30 at New J, watched a plane do a couple of touch and go before Srinath and I switched on the left seat. I had a chance to the same air work that Srinath did previously, then we headed back to Livermore.

As we radioed the tower over altamont, we were asked to follow a Mooney and then tower asked us to join downwind midfield for a landing.We later figured out this was because there was somebody behind us on an ILS approach. This was very unusual and it took me a while to regain my situational awareness. Essentially we turned north after crossing the altamont, west and then south towards midfield. Then turned east for right downwind pattern landing.

 

Radio trouble

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Srinath flew his first full solo at Livermore today running patterns to practice takeoffs and landings. We used two GoPro cameras today for the very first time, one mounted in the usual spot at the back of the aircraft looking forwards and the other one on the copilot’s window facing the PIC. They both had audio inputs from the radio.

It was a busy day and Srinath was asked to follow other aircraft, extend the crosswind and once even asked to come to a full stop to sequence other departing aircrafts. The solo was uneventful except for a brief period (9:07) on the downwind leg.

I had driven to the hangar to see Srinath fly the pattern. The club’s other plane 733BE had just gone through a 50-hour maintenance and our test pilot conferred with Steve on the maintenance items before he took it out for two touch and go patterns. He was in the pattern behind Srinath. On the ground, Steve and I were watching Srinath.

Tower communicated with Srinath that he was #2 behind a Pitt. No response. Tower tried twice more and still no response from Srinath. I was tuned into LiveATC listening to the ATC and mentioned to Steve that I was worried Srinath didn’t respond to the calls. Within a minute, I heard Srinath check his mic and soon he told tower that he might have a radio problem.

He called it quits after that pattern to my relief. Was there a problem with the headset? We squawk’ed that there might be a problem with the radio. Our club’s maintenance team looked into it and didn’t find any problems. The audio feed into GoPro caught the radio communications just fine. We have not encountered any issues with the headset since. Did Srinath simply get distracted for a while and missed the calls?

Close call and then a Solo

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Today wind was 240@9kts at Livermore.We departed right downwind towards Byron where the wind was 210@6kts and clear skies.Apparently I was still on Livermore tower frequency (00:21:12 in the video) when I announced on the radio that we were inbound for Rwy 23. We did a short field landing (02:09:00) at Byron followed by a maximum performance takeoff (02:35:00). Next we proceeded to Tracy (winds 260@10) and did a soft field landing on Rwy 26 (05:32:22) followed by a regular takeoff.

We next headed to New Jerusalem which is only 7 miles away and aimed for Rwy 30. Winds were from 260 (no ATIS or AWOS in New J so we go by the Tracy weather) so it was a crosswind (06:39:00) for Rwy 30. We only employed 20 degrees of flaps and that caused us not to sufficiently slow down and remain low for landing. As we approached the runway, the airspeed got very low to 50kts and Steve pushed the throttle for a go-around at the last minute (07:32:19) as the stall horn started going off. I was apparently not watching the airspeed at all, being more intent on getting the plane low enough (through a slip) for the landing (10:02:04). That was a close call. On reflection, the thought did cross my mind that perhaps I should go around given I was so high. I should have gone around as soon as the thought crossed my mind. We did two more successful attempts before heading back to Livermore.

Over the Altamont pass just before I was going to call Livermore tower, I saw an aircraft coming straight at us. I simply pointed it out to Steve (11:32:24) who immediately banked us sharply to the left and we noticed the other aircraft pass us (slightly below). It seemed like it would have been a head-on approach and that got me quite shaken up. I should have gotten us out of trouble the moment I saw the aircraft. In reviewing the radio communications just prior, there were two aircrafts that had departed Livermore. 53MM was ahead of 7E(something) and 7E(something) confirmed to the tower that the Cherokee traffic ahead of it was in sight (11:02:11). Tower then approved 7E(something) for a frequency chance and then radio’ed 53MM that traffic was behind to its left at 2500′ and had 53MM in sight. 53MM’s frequency change was next approved. So both those aircraft were heading towards us and no longer talking to Livermore Tower. We were tuned into the Livermore Tower frequency but the three of us were neither talking to each other, nor talking to the Tower. We were in a see and avoid territory and while I saw what was most likely 53MM, I was slow to avoid. Maybe I had a premonition about this event because I asked Steve a question at the start of our flight (00:02:18 in the video) about how we deal with oncoming traffic that uses the same general path.

Back at Livermore, Steve sent me off to fly my solo in a pattern around a towered airport. I did 3 touch and go’s and on all three attempts I was #2 behind another aircraft. I had to extend my downwind leg, watch for the aircraft ahead of me before turning base.

Pattern work is never routine

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Steve asks, “What would you do if the door opens in flight”? First off, the wind will push the door back towards the frame. It will be a distraction but the right action is to focus on flying the plane and land it as soon as possible to secure the door once again.

We started with soft field takeoff. On the turn to crosswind, we noticed that the clouds were very low. The ceiling was barely enough for pattern work so we stayed right around 1000′ MSL for the entire pattern. But the second time around the pattern it was already a little bit better. We then focused on soft field landing, precision landing and a high performance takeoff to clear a 50′ obstacle.

Steve offered a glimpse into what he likes about flying – that it is different each time making it interesting and challenging. The winds change in direction and intensity, sometimes with no notice. The winds referenced in ATIS wouldn’t match reality and that injects an element of surprise. Then there are birds, especially around Livermore and especially when a weather front was approaching. They seem to materialize out of nowhere and throw in an element of surprise at exactly those instants when one wishes to be 100% focused on lining up in the pattern. Then there is traffic, which suddenly seems to become hectic and quietens down as quickly as it surged. Controllers would suddenly change sequence, or extend a pattern, or re-route to a different runway with an opposite pattern, or speed up a turn throwing a wrench on one’s plans for the landing.

And today we encountered a new surprise – unexpected clouds at low altitude. Patterns around the airport are not routine.

Engine out on takeoff

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We departed 25R on a left downwind departure towards New Jerusalem and just as we took off, Steve pulled the power without warning. Srinath did the right thing by “flying the plane” and landing it back on the runway. Steve then pushed the throttle in and we took off. This was a lesson in emergency procedures since the engine could quit just at takeoff. In that case, the best place to land is straight ahead. Never try to turn back to the runway because that effectively requires a 270 degree turn in one direction and then a 90 degree turn in the opposite direction to line back up with the runway. At low altitudes with engine out this turn is almost always impossible to make. In the heart-thumping moments, getting into a stall spin accident becomes likely and with grave consequences. No matter what is ahead, the best bet is to land it almost as straight ahead as possible with minor corrections.

Once at New Jerusalem, Srinath practiced soft field landings and takeoffs as well as a maximum performance takeoff. We next headed to Byron to fill up gas because the new gas station at Livermore isn’t fully functional yet. On approach to Byron, Srinath did a straight-in landing and this time a precision landing on the numbers.

After re-fueling, we taxied back to runway 30 and heard a heads-up that skydivers (jumpers) were heading down from 10,000’. It was incredible that they came down in no time at all, well before we completed the run-up checks and were at the hold short line for runway 30.

We waited for a tricycle geared Maule to land. Steve referred to this as a “quintessential bush plane”. Normally they are tail draggers so it was interesting to see one in a tricycle gear. There was a lesson in not hurrying to the threshold for takeoff because the Maule hadn’t yet turned off Rwy 30 on a taxiway. Just as we got ready to  takeoff, more jumpers were getting ready to unload at 13,000’.

Just as we were over Brushy Peak heading in to Livermore, I noticed gas gushing out of the fuel vents like crazy. Never seen so much fuel come out in such volume continuously. Steve asked if the fuel caps were on, which they were. In measuring the fuel after the flight, we estimated about a gallon was lost! Not sure what caused this…