christchurch and district model flying club

The Diary of a Flyer, by B Leonard Wise.

Episode 8 – Landing

Just to recap. B. Leonard Wise bought a Spitfire and couldn't fly it so is having his first lesson and has asked to land the plane. Walter his instructor to humour him has said O.K.

Walter put the plane up high and to the right. Now he said have a practice landing at this height so you can see how to do it. You fly down wind, then turn across the wind so you can land into the wind. Are you sure? I asked. If one takes off into the wind it would be logical to land back to wind. You are right said Walter but you do not have brakes so you would never stop the plane. Anyway here you are, now do what I said.

You have control he said. I cannot understand why the plane does not fly in a smooth stable way when I have control. I rather suspect Walter keeps messing things up just to annoy me. It took me some time to get it straight and into a gentle turn. Every time I turned it, it went into a shallow dive for some reason.  When you turn it, said Walter you need a bit of up on this plane. So I tried that. After while I seemed to get the hang of it. But the plane would for no reason lurch about the sky. I cannot understand why it does not go properly.

Now said Walter try the landing circuit. Down wind first. Which way is the wind blowing? I asked. I could feel it on my face but was not sure. You have a ribbon on the aerial replied Walter: which way is that going. I looked at the radio and the aerial, to see which way it was going. Got it fixed on my mind. Then looked up to the plane and it had disappeared. Where has the plane gone I asked in a panic.

That is the first safety lesson said Walter never take your eyes off the plane. If you do it will fly away. I think they know when you are looking at them, when you stop they fly off. After a while found it, but I realised that if he had not been there I would have lost a plane.

Now down wind he said. So I managed to do that but it seemed to be going too fast for landing so I shut off the throttle. Now turn across the wind, I just about managed to do that. It seemed to lose a lot of height. Now into the wind. When I did that the plane stopped and started to fall out of the sky. Suddenly Walter took over opened the Throttle and stabilised the plane.

Another lesson. We all think we are going too fast downwind and tend to shut the throttle then forget to open it when we turn into the wind. Oh dear I thought, I shall never master all this.

Right said Walter you are 50 feet up now but try to land it at that height. Keep the wings straight and let it sink. I did that but I could not say where it would have come down. Now try a real one if you like said Walter. So round we went again. I kept the throttle open a bit and with Walter’s help pointed it at the runway but it would not come down in time. It just seemed to float on. Cut the throttle said Walter, do not put the stick forward or you will crash into the runway. Then I seemed to get it right but if I had managed to land it I would have come down at least thirty yards off the end of the runway.

How do you know where to get in the sky I asked are there any rules? Walter took over and I handed the transmitter to Mike. Walter said you have to position your plane in the sky taking note of the wind strength and the landing speed of the plane, so that it will gently sink to earth at the start of the runway. Then just as it is about to hit you put in a bit of up and hold it off until it gently touches. It’s called flaring-out.

You mean it is different for each plane and for each wind strength. Yes said Walter, that is one of the skills of the Hobby, and the most difficult to do. You will get it: I can see you are keen, you will soon learn said Walter. I am glad that he recognises my potential. And I feel rather pleased, in spite of my failures. I can see I have much to learn but I am used to challenges. I think with all there is to learn I may well like this hobby. There is more to it than I thought. I will rise to this challenge. I can see that I shall need more than one lesson before I get back to the Spitfire.

Perfect, Mr Wise!”

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[Contents] [Chairman's Chatter] [Editorial] [Diary of a Flier] [Sealand Flies!] [Nietoperz] [Brian's Spitfire] [C&F 2007] [Seagull Arising] [Harry Spotter's] [St Louis Blues]