IFR and moving onto the Twinstar!

So a lot has been happening here in the two months since my last post. We started the Multi Engine phase with two days of ground school, don’t think you get away from it after you leave the UK! After these two days, I think it’s fair to say we all came out of it pretty confused. It’s not until you get into the sim and actually see the things we were getting taught that it all seems to come together and make more sense.

Clearways seen on approach to runway 18L

So the first six flights in this phase are in the DA42 simulator. We start off practicing basic IF techniques such as selecting and holding attitudes, altitudes and headings. We then move onto tracking VOR’s, in other words using the navigation aid based at the airport to fly either a constant bearing to or from it. Next it is onto VOR holds, which are pretty demanding the first few times due to you having to think about a lot of things in a very short space of time, but once the technique is understood they become a lot easier to manage. We then go from the holding lesson onto going from the hold and into the VOR/DME approach before the final lesson which is GPS holds and approaches. The final flight in the sim is a check to see that all the techniques have been sufficiently understood before moving onto practice the techniques in the Cessna 172.

We only have eight flights in the Cessna in total consisting of practicing approaches and holds at Hamilton before starting the cross country flights which allow you to fly different approaches at airports such as Rotorua and Tauranga. It’s quite nice to get away from Hamilton and fly approaches that are new to you.



Engine shut down in flight as part of one of the Asymmetric lessons

A couple of weeks ago we moved onto the final stage of training out here which meant moving onto the DA42 Twinstar! We have a mix of VFR and IFR flights on the Twinstar which means we get quite a range of flying done on it. So far I have had 3 flights in it, which have been: Normal Operations – this lesson was just getting used to the handling characteristics of the aircraft as well as practicing some medium and steep turns as well as stalls. The next lesson was circuits, obviously with the Twinstar having two engines means it goes quite a bit faster than either the Katana or Cessna so there is less time to complete radio calls and checks before landing in the circuit. The most recent lesson I had in it was Asymmetric Flight – in other words flying on one engine and practicing having an engine failure after takeoff and continuing in the circuit. I really enjoyed these three lessons; it is quite a lot easier than I had thought it would be to identify which engine has failed. The first five lessons are conducted in VFR conditions before moving back into the sim for 6 IFR flights and then into the aircraft again IFR.

 

After this set of IFR flights we once again move back to VFR in preparation for the CPL flight test which is the last flight in New Zealand. We have three CPL Profiles to practice all of the fundamental techniques needed to pass the CPL. The test is broken down into six sections consisting of:

 

 

·       Departure

·       Airwork

·       En-route Procedures

·       Approach and Landing

·       Abnormal and emergency procedures

·       Simulated asymmetric flight

 

 

 

Away from the flying - a few of us recently went down to Taupo to go skydiving which was amazing! It was number one on my list of things to do in New Zealand and it definitely lived up to expectations, I’m very pleased I managed to do it and the weather was excellent for it too!