Mince pies and aerobatics...

Was out at the club sitting in on an IFR study group that I had been attending all week, not really necessary at present, but I figure it can't hurt to get a heads-up on what is involved with IFR... actually learnt quite a bit and even understood some of it!

The guys decided to go over to the cafe at the auckland aero club for lunch as the cupboard was bare... Unfortunately by 2pm the cafe was running a little light on stock and I had the choice of mince or mince and cheese... So a mince and cheese pie (and a florentine slice :) it was. This would prove to be an interesting choice.

After the study group finished, Simon decided the cloudbase had lifted enough to go and try his new aerobatics routine and offered a ride along Trevor, who said I should go instead... Did I want to come for a ride in a CT-4 airtrainer? Hell yeah!

Turns out that DGY is actually the original CT-4 prototype... S/N 001.

So, strapped in, run-ups complete and off we went (airsick bag at the ready ;)... Climbing out over Papakura, Simon says "You have control"... All I can say is that aircraft with push-rod controls are quite sensitive ;) The little electric trim switch on the stick was nice though.

Simon then gave me a bit of a crash course in CSU's (Constant Speed Units) and the relationships between manifold pressure, RPM and ambient air pressure. Most of which I forget, but the QNH of 995 was not helping.

By now we were over the training area and Simon walked me through an aileron roll. Dive to increase speed to 140 knots, pull nose up to about 10 degrees above the horizon, check positively forward and then push the stick hard over and into the roll and then back to straight and level.

Then it was my turn... Weeeeeeeeeeeee!

Following my roll we were still carrying about 140 knots so Simon said "May as well do another". Double Weeeeeeeeeeeee!

Then it was a loop. Dive to 150 KIAS, pull back and hold, keeping straight with ailerons, releasing the pressure to let the aircraft float over the top and then pulling back out of the dive to straight and level.

And again it was my turn... Wooooooohooooooooo!

Following that I sat back and enjoyed being turned inside out while Simon started on his routine... Not sure of the exact maneuvers involved, but the view went something like blue, green, green, blue/green, green/blue, blue, blue, green, green, green/blue, green/blue, blue, blue/green, green, blue, green... straight and level.

After completing the first half and deciding it was not going well (I'm sure the 105kgs of ballast, nearly full tanks and low air pressure were not helping), Simon called it quits and we headed back to airfield.

If you ever get the chance to do aero's... Just do it!

For the record, the airsick bag was unused... And I don't recommend mince and cheese pies as pre-aerobatic food :)


This flight: 0.6 Dual
Total Hours: 120.0 (78.1/33.8 Day, 3.9/4.2 Night, 5.1 IFR)