From: "Dudley Henriques" Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student Subject: Re: About Touch and Go's Lines: 62 Organization: International Fighter Pilots Fellowship X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 Message-ID: Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2001 14:24:46 GMT "Mike Samsen" wrote in message news:Hk%Y6.7963$2w.1319541@news02.optonline.net... > Some intereresting points....particualry on the flap retraction which is > different from procedures I was taught and have used to this point. Last > week I got checked out at Palwaukee where I go frequently on business. The > flight school I happened to pick has a "no touch-an-go" policy. Seems a > student was doing a go-around and applied the procedures he was taught for > touch-and-goes instead. Which is to say, he dumped the flaps all at one > time after applying power. Given his altitude (or lack thereof!) he > pancaked into the ground. I guess if he had been taught only one > procedure...the go-around...he wouldn't have made that mistake. > > Guess I'll have to rethink my procedures here... It's worth consideration > at least. > > Thanks and safe flying. Mike, About the student who dumped the flaps; and just a few notes on procedures...... In the normal course of training, everyone should receive instruction on the proper use of flaps, especially the dangers involved with a total flap retract during a transition on a go around. It's incumbent on every instructor to insure that the student is completely familiar with the operation of the flaps in each type of airplane flown. Some flap systems are different than others. It's always a good idea to learn "yours" by feel alone. Learn to reach for it; identify it by feel; and count the steps of retraction in your mind as you carefully use the switch; glancing for just an instant at the gauge for verification. I'll give you a little trick here that I've always used in every airplane I've ever flown. Setting power to cruise after a climb is a good way to learn this. You use the same procedure in checking the flap gauge. In fact, you should use this procedure ANYTIME nose attitude needs to be maintained as it does in a go around. Example for cruise power reduction: Remember; the main thing here is to PIN THE NOSE. Setting the power is secondary. You level off from the climb and PIN THE NOSE in level flight attitude. You HOLD it there. You know you have to reduce power to cruise and you know what that setting should be. Without looking at the tach, you reduce the power a bit and then, AFTER you have done this, you glance at the tach for just an instant to verify what it reads. You instantly go back to the NOSE ATTITUDE. Now you make a second adjustment based on what the tach has told you WHILE you're PINNING THE NOSE ATTITUDE VISUALLY AGAIN. You repeat this process until you have reduced properly to the cruise setting. Then you trim the airplane the same way. The flap retraction procedure on a go around should be performed the same way. NOSE ATTITUDE is prime always. -- Dudley A. Henriques International Fighter Pilots Fellowship Commercial Pilot/CFI/Retired