From the Front Desk

New Rates
Due to the ever increasing rise in fuel costs (this week fuel prices went up by R1.25 per litre!), we have decided to increase our rates slightly. The new rates will be effective from Monday 10 March 2008 and are as follows:

• Full Members:
  • Piper Tomahawk: R710-00 per hour
  • Cessna 150 Aerobat: R810-00 per hour
  • Piper Warrior: R910-00 per hour
  • Cessna 172 Skyhawk: R910-00 per hour
  • Cessna 172 RG Cutlass: R1130-00 per hour
  • Simulator: R200-00 per hour
• Temporary Members:
  • Piper Tomahawk: R890-00 per hour
  • Cessna 150 Aerobat: R990-00 per hour
  • Piper Warrior: R1090-00 per hour
  • Cessna 172 Skyhawk: R1090-00 per hour
  • Cessna 172 RG Cutlass: R1310-00 per hour
  • Simulator: R280-00 per hour

These new rates are only a fraction higher than before and we always strive to keep the rates as low as possible.

Skycatcher Fund
The club has started debiting members' accounts with R200 towards the club's new Cessna Skycatchers, as discussed in previous newsletters. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact the club on (021) 934-0257 or info@capetownflyingclub.co.za.

From the CFI

Restricted Airspace in March
All pilots please note that from 15-18 March the airspace from CTV to 50nm CTV will be closed from GND-F115. Greenpoint will be prohibited airspace from GND-2500. For permission to fly, a flight plan will have to be filed. For more information, refer to the relevant AIC.

State of the Fleet

The CTFC's aeroplanes are in great shape, and KSS is off on a week-long adventure around South Africa. All the others are available, and for those who haven't visited us in a while, that means a Cessna 150 Aerobat (IDL), four Piper Tomahawks (KKU, KKC, KFV, PIA), A Piper Warrior (KBK), a Cessna 172 (JDN), and two Cessna 172 RG retractable gear aircraft (KSS & PMY).

PPL Course Dates

If you would like to attend a course, please inform Beverly on (021) 934-0257. Limited space is available.

Deal Alliance Courses

1. Deal Alliance is holding the commercial ground school from 5th May to 4th July. Full time classes from 0700 - 1300. Download registration forms from the website www.dealalliance.co.za.
2. For those pilots who require Language Proficiency Ratings in accordance with the latest CAA amendment to the Part 61 Regulations, the relevant registration form can be found on the Deal Alliance website. Please note the changes that CAA has made to the Language Rating requirements. This amendment can be found on the CAA website www.caa.co.za
3. General Radio Licence course and practical testing will be held in April. Date to be advised on website.

Contact Deal Alliance:

Alyson Dawson: 082 658 3533
Debby Mann: 082 495 8179

The Student Pilot

Contributed by Steve Davies

Steve Davies is busy with his PPL at CTFC with Tony Russel. After every lesson, he writes his impressions and thoughts on the flight. Although initially just for his facebook profile, they make excellent and highly entertaining reading. Every week we will present one of Steve's "Facebook notes"

Entry 10: At last, some decent landings

Looking back in this blog, I see I started on circuits 4 lessons ago, at the beginning of September. If you’ve been reading along, after all those 4 lessons I still wasn’t making consistent landings. Which was getting pretty frustrating!

Bumpy afternoon flying and the windy conditions have been making things harder. So I booked my flying for 7am till 10 on Saturday morning. The air is usually smoother before the sun starts heating things up. That seemed like a very good idea at the time, but not quite such a great idea when setting the alarm clock for 5:30... (But thanks, Tony, for coming out so early!)

Looking at the TAFs on Friday night, they were forecasting fog at Cape Town in the morning. So I was half expecting (hoping?) to get up at 5:30, look out the window and go back to bed. But lo and behold - the fog has lifted - so a lowish overcast but flyable for circuits!

We headed off towards Fisantekraal without being certain that the weather would permit us to do circuits there. But it turned out to be quite OK.

My mission was to pay attention to the details, and STAY FOCUSSED! I needed to try to fly accurately - hold my headings and altitude. I had been tending to converge with the runway on my downwind, which leaves my base leg cramped and puts everything in a rush. Its probably my old tendency to allow the left wing to drop and to enter into a left turn.

So I really did make a point to be more accurate - make the turns in the circuit more accurately, get the 1200ft circuit altitude on the button, trim properly, mind my speed...

And guess what - it made a big difference. Who woulda thunk it?

What also helped was the easier conditions - wind very close to straight down the runway.

We did 4 (or was it 5?) circuits and all the landings were at least OK. I’ve got used to the look of the approach and flare and things worked out much better. Some were even gentle. Yay!

One problem remaining is that I’m being too hesitant with my power adjustments on final. Thinking about it now: leaving those adjustments too long means having to make a bigger adjustment at the last second - which is when you actually want things nice and smooth. So next time I’m going to concentrate on keeping those threshold numbers nice and steady in the screen and try to make the adjustments earlier!

After those circuits we did a full-stop landing and parked for a little break. Some advice from Tony, and we also watched the goings on for a bit (a Jabiru and a 152 were in the circuit, one or two microlights around).

I notice there’s a bit of an aviation hierarchy - it’s similar with biking - but for a new student like me they all fly therefore they are all cool!

We also saw a bunch of students from 43 Air School in Port Alfred heading off in their two aircraft (after some low-passes down the runway).

Compared to CTFC, 43 Air School looks like a training assembly line. I’m happy to be taking things a bit slower. That makes me think again that there’s more than one learning job in a PPL: the first is the mechanics of manoeuvring the aircraft. The other is more absorbed than taught: how to think like a pilot - to make decisions and stay on top of the situation. And some extra time and more variety of situations must help with absorbing that stuff.

After a break we took off again and did another couple of good circuits. Inevitably, Tony suggested one last good one to take home and my last was not so good!

Then it was time to head back. I took time on the way back to practice adjusting speed whilst holding a constant altitude.

I arrived back at the club feeling really pleased with the lesson. It was definitely worth the early start!

To strike while the iron is hot, I managed to get out to the club again on Sunday afternoon late. So off we went again. The time was really good to consolidate the progress.

So I’m looking forward to getting out next weekend! Tony - I’ll take my Ritalin and be my most focussed!

Steve

Videos: Scary Landings

Lufthansa Airbus A320 has a hairy moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwScr_wQAKM
Submitted by John Nicholas

It's a RJ100 at London City Airport, but looks like a Tomahawk at FAFK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5prz1Ae5QM
Submitted by John Nicholas

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