Since the last post, I’ve had a further 3 lessons doing circuits.
During which time, I’ve clocked up a further 2 hours of time with my instructors, and 1 hour 45 minutes solo.
I’m working on becoming more consistent and trying to perfect my landing technique. In my last solo, I completed 8 take-offs and landings. The first 6 seemed pretty good to me, but then the last two were a bit ropey. I was probably getting tired. Or hungry. Or both. Probably both.
My next lesson will be about an hour or so of me entirely on my own. This is a new milestone, as up until now I’ve always done a few circuits with the instructor at the start of the lesson before he hops out and leaves me to go solo. Next time it’ll be me – from start to finish!
Here’s a clip of a couple of my circuits from the latest lesson. I moved the GoPro forward a bit, which I think gives a better view than the previous clips.
Here’s the GPS tracks from lesson 15. Notice how I had to extend the upwind leg twice, due to the aircraft ahead of me in the circuit practicing a fan stop. It was getting pretty busy up there, so I had to do a couple of left orbits before turning on to right base.
Compare them with the tracks from lesson 17, which I think look more consistent. This time, I extended the crosswind leg a couple of times for spacing before turning downwind – I was following a plane in front of me. ATC asked me to do a left orbit mid-downwind, which was a first for me. All seemed to work out pretty well!