Blog – Simulated Instruments 31/08/2024
Today was a blustery day in Wairarapa. It was also a planned instruments training day so with the foggles it was going to be challenging to say the least.
We departed NZMS from runway 06 and started our climbing turn to 3000ft.
At 500ft out came the foggles and I was now in Simulated IMC conditions. All you can see is your instrument panel. After being told to not fixate on your instruments during a VFR flight, your FI is now insisting that you do!
My FI took care of safety and the Radio so I could concentrate on the exercise. Today’s session was mainly Instrument flying & compass turns as I really struggle with mental maths. All turns are done at a “Rate 1 turn” which is a gentle balanced turn of around 5-10deg, so very gentle.
The winds aloft were around 25kts plus windshear, so it was bumpy all the way. I managed to get dialled in, so I was happy.
My FI had me flying all over the place, adding in climbs and descents. I had a repeat of some amazing sensations of “the leans” which is when your ears send false signals to the brain that you are turning. Very strange but great to experience this in a safe training environment. It just goes to show that you need to believe what the instruments are telling you, and how very easy it is to get disorientated in cloud. I’m told that on average, a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) pilot who flies into IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) is likely to crash in about 90 seconds! This is why we train for IFR: so that we know what to do if we ever get in that situation.
My compass turns today were a little off as I haven’t done these for some time.
I still have a fixation sometimes on one instrument rather than scanning though all the “basic six pack” of Altimeter, Airspeed Indicator, Vertical Speed Indicator, Altitude Indicator, Heading Indicator, and Turn Co-Ordinator. This caused me to miss headings on the Direction Indicator and sail beyond the rollout point.
We took a break from the foggles to work on the forced landing without power or “FLWOP”. We did this from 2500ft where the FI pulls the power. I immediately pull the power to idle and trim nose up for 68kts. I decide on a landing field and make for my 1500ft point which is 45deg off the end of the field. Once at 1500 I then fly “downwind” to abeam the threshold to 1000ft. A left turn onto final is then made descending all the way towards the field aiming for 1/3 the way into it. Once the field is made, I then drop some flaps in increments to slow down to around 60kts. At 500ft my FI called simulation over and I power up for a go around. Not too bad at all.
We travelled back to NZMS circuit with the foggles off and prepare for joining the circuit at base for 06, landing flapless due to the winds. I was a off with my cross wind landing as I didn’t push the aileron’s towards the wind or straighten the aircraft enough. Bugger!
After the flaps were cleaned up and turning off of all lighting except taxi lights, we taxied back to the Aeroclub. Once at the Aeroclub I shut the aircraft down. Another great day of flying with heaps done. Hard work in the wind but still great training.
Happy Days!
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Blog – Simulated Instruments 31/08/2024