2013-07-09 02:04:43 +00:00
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---
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layout: post
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title: Maybe Hayward Isn't So Bad
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tags:
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- aviation
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- flying
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2013-09-19 03:56:58 +00:00
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- vfrstudentpilot
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2013-07-09 02:04:43 +00:00
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---
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I've had a good cadence of writing post-flight-lesson blog posts, so how about
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another one!
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The past few lessons, we've been doing pattern work, building one of the most
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fundamental skill sets I'll have as a pilot: takeoffs, approaches, landings,
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go-arounds, touch-and-go's and other near-airfield maneuvers. Previously we
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worked in [the heat at
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Livermore](/2013/06/01/wheels-down-livermore.html), and the [less sweltering,
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but still warm Napa Co. Airport](/2013/06/08/good-morning-napa.html).
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Today, time for the **big time**. Well not really, just
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[Hayward](http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHWD) (KHWD), my home field. We worked *up* to
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pattern work at Hayward because the pattern is **low**, 650ft on 28L, 850ft on
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28R whereas most fields have pattern at 1000ft above the ground. Plainly put: Hayward is a
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**fast** pattern.
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<center><img
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src="http://agentdero.cachefly.net/unethicalblogger.com/images/Traffic_Pattern_small.jpg"
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alt="Standard left traffic pattern"/></center>
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The lesson was due to start at 8am this morning, but the weather forecast
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wasn't looking promising: low clouds, the bain of the
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[VFR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_flight_rules) (Visual Flight Rules)
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pilot. Our decision point was going to be the weather report
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([METAR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/METAR)) for KHWD at 6:54am. In order to
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meet VFR flight minimums the lowest the ceiling could be was 1200ft above the
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ground. Checking the weather from bed is going to get a lot more common in my
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future, either way METAR said overcast at 1900ft! Plenty of usable airspace, let's go
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flying!
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Due to the weather, not a lot of folks were going to be flying since they
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probably would want to go higher than 1400ft (VFR requires staying 500ft below clouds
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at KHWD), so the field was **empty** of VFR traffic. Only a few other planes
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active, all flying
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[IFR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_flight_rules), and they were all
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heading further out, I had the pattern to myself! Bonus!
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After we get going, my instructor was showing me some useful ground references
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for the pattern, then we did a few approaches and touch-and-go's. I was
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exhibiting some of the same "nose-up attitude" problems I had in my [previous
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lesson](/2013/06/08/good-morning-napa.html). By the 3rd or 4th touch-and-go,
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I was working them out, and with the exception of some side-loading (sideways
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momentum) squeeling the wheels on touch down, things were looking good.
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Shortly after one take-off, my instructor calls the tower and requests a "short
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approach". "What's a short approach?" I ask mid-turn, "you'll see" is the only
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response I get. About mid-field on the downwind leg (opposite direction of
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landing on the rectangle), he pulls the power back and says "your power is
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gone, land on 28L."
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Per emergency procedures, when you lose your engine you're going to go through
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the following checklist:
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* **A** Establish best-glide **a**irspeed/attitude
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* **B** Find the **b**est field (runways, flat fields, golf courses, roads)
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* **C** RUn through your emergency **c**hecklists
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* **D** Declare your emergency over the radio
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* **E** Exit the aircraft, after you've landed of course
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The best-glide component in a 172 is **amazingly** easy to accomplish, you
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basically put in full nose-up [trim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trim_tab)
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and the airplane more or less enters a best-glide attitude, giving you the
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maximum distance over the ground for your altitude. Coincidentally, best-glide
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airspeed is about 65 knots, and best airspeed for the landing flare is just
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under 65 knots, fancy!
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A "short approach" turns out to just be the first two steps of that emergency
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checklist: best-glide, land, and you're done.
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With my power gone, I had nothing to do with my right hand, and nothing to
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focus on but the attitude of the plane. Having no power helped me
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really focus on my attitude, and subsequently I had pretty darned good
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landings without any power to futz with.
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We landed and got back up in the air for another short approach, except this
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time we got clearance for 28R. I was flying a 28L pattern, and received
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clearance for 28L, and then my instructor pulled my power again. "Put it down
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on 28R, you'll make that easy."
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Another fairly good landing, still carried some side-load onto the tires (we'll
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fix that next lesson) and we were done for the day.
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Only at Hayward, with it's crazy low and fast pattern can you put in **11
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circuits** and landings in a single hour of flight time.
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