Lessons learned to give tips to others!!

[Buckaroo]

I thought it might be fun and beneficial to others to post experiences with your CT that taught you a big lesson about operations with this aircraft. You know that one thing that kinda came out of nowhere and kinda slapped you in the face!????

 

Mine happened just after I received the plane from the seller. I went out to the plane just to sit in it and study the instruments and look the planes cockpit over. I decided to pull her out on the ramp and just start her up. Here I am on the ramp with other parked planes in front of me in a relative tight spot. I crank it up and before I realized it I'm going very fast in a damn near uncomfortable taxi. I forgot to put the parking brake on and now I'm stabbing the non existent toe brakes in hopes of stopping this runaway beast!

 

That day I learned a fast lesson on aircraft hand break design and using a check list even when just starting the engine!????????

[ralarcon]

Yes and sometimes you have to pump the brakes one or two times before they latch on. Especially when parked.

 

Cheers

[JLang]

Yes and sometimes you have to pump the brakes one or two times before they latch on. Especially when parked.

 

This is the case with my CTSW as well, and I assumed it was indicative of needing to bleed the brake lines.  Or is this the norm?

 

My first wake-up moment came during the flight home with my CFI (who was not familiar with the CT) after picking up the plane, trying to fly the pattern with speeds typical to the legacy aircraft in which I had previously trained.  95 kts on downwind is waaaay too fast.  After several go-arounds, we finally got the bird on the ground.  I now use 75 kts on downwind, more or less depending on the situation.

 

The other characteristic which was an eye-opener to me was the extreme pitch sensitivity in the flare.  After 75 hrs, getting a good flare without a balloon or light bounce is still a struggle for me, especially with full flaps.  I believe others have reported that the slightly longer CTLS is a bit more forgiving here.

[Roger Lee]

Hi Jlang,

 

Don't flare. I tell people to throw that word out with most LSA. All you need to do is ROUND OUT just above the runway and just hold the stick still and just slowly pull back a tad as it settles for a landing. Trying to flare and or make it land before it's ready is causing your bouncing and ballooning. The plane will lose attitude and settle we just don't want to over control it while it's doing that. Whatever you do don't pump the stick which seems hard to get some people to do.

When I was flying helicopters the #1 issue in the begining was not chasing the stick.

 

Compared to some planes you are now flying a Ferrari and not a station wagon. Control use is small and not heavy handed. It isn't a problem with the plane it's muscle control from heavier control aircraft. Once you get used to a CT and get fine motor skills and use to using a rudder more often you'll be a better pilot and your minor issues will disappear. .

 

It's all what you get used to.

 

Trying to land in a nose high flare like some planes is difficult at best and doing that in zero flaps may cause a tail strike. Most people learning the CT almost always over control and over speed.

 

Also try using 60 knots instead of 75 and see what you think. It will make things even easier. remember this aircraft has a good glide ratio and isn't falling out of the sky like some.

 

Above all take three deep breaths on short approach and just relax on landing.

[ralarcon]

Hi Jlang,

 

Don't flare. I tell people to throw that word out with most LSA. All you need to do is ROUND OUT just above the runway and just hold the stick still and just slowly pull back a tad as it settles for a landing. Trying to flare and or make it land before it's ready is causing your bouncing and ballooning. The plane will lose attitude and settle we just don't want to over control it while it's doing that. Whatever you do don't pump the stick which seems hard to get some people to do.

When I was flying helicopters the #1 issue in the begining was not chasing the stick.

 

Compared to some planes you are now flying a Ferrari and not a station wagon. Control use is small and not heavy handed. It isn't a problem with the plane it's muscle control from heavier control aircraft. Once you get used to a CT and get fine motor skills and use to using a rudder more often you'll be a better pilot and your minor issues will disappear. .

 

It's all what you get used to.

 

Trying to land in a nose high flare like some planes is difficult at best and doing that in zero flaps may cause a tail strike. Most people learning the CT almost always over control and over speed.

 

Also try using 60 knots instead of 75 and see what you think. It will make things even easier. remember this aircraft has a good glide ratio and isn't falling out of the sky like some.

 

Above all take three deep breaths on short approach and just relax on landi

Yes, most instructors that have a significant amount of time in the CT often use the phrase, you fly this airplane to the runway.

 

Cheers

[JLang]

Hi Jlang,

 

Don't flare. I tell people to throw that word out with most LSA. All you need to do is ROUND OUT just above the runway and just hold the stick still and just slowly pull back a tad as it settles for a landing. Trying to flare and or make it land before it's ready is causing your bouncing and ballooning. The plane will lose attitude and settle we just don't want to over control it while it's doing that. Whatever you do don't pump the stick which seems hard to get some people to do.

When I was flying helicopters the #1 issue in the begining was not chasing the stick.

 

Compared to some planes you are now flying a Ferrari and not a station wagon. Control use is small and not heavy handed. It isn't a problem with the plane it's muscle control from heavier control aircraft. Once you get used to a CT and get fine motor skills and use to using a rudder more often you'll be a better pilot and your minor issues will disappear. .

 

It's all what you get used to.

 

Trying to land in a nose high flare like some planes is difficult at best and doing that in zero flaps may cause a tail strike. Most people learning the CT almost always over control and over speed.

 

Also try using 60 knots instead of 75 and see what you think. It will make things even easier. remember this aircraft has a good glide ratio and isn't falling out of the sky like some.

 

Above all take three deep breaths on short approach and just relax on landing.

 

Great advice!  And you caught me misusing "flare" when I should have said "round out."  I tend to use them interchangeably, but they are not...

 

Remembering your frequent caveat that there are many ways to achieve good results, I'm curious about your suggestion to try 60kts on downwind.  With that, do you keep that speed abeam and until final?

[Buckaroo]

Now that I'm gaining confidence in this design I'm starting to relax airspeed minimums by 5 knots at a time and very much enjoying how well our aircraft was built and designed!

 

This plane should cost more for the fun factor she gives!

[Roger Lee]

This is the way I was taught when I bought my 2006 CTSW. I was taught this by two different service centers and from a FD factory rep. in McMinnville, OR.

 

You can add or subtract from this and use flaps as you want. You will develop your own style and likes and dislikes and they'll fit right in with the rest of us. 

 

Remember there is NO EXACT hard numbers just a range to fall within.

 

I have crossed the numbers on the runway at 45 and crossed them at 100 and it still lands.

 

Also remember the stick controls your speed.

 

 

Just go have fun and learn it all to put as many tools in your mental toolbox as possible so when things aren't the same or normal your reaction and actions will be.

 

Practice like you play, but above all have fun doing it.

[Tom Baker]

Don't flare. I tell people to throw that word out with most LSA. All you need to do is ROUND OUT just above the runway and just hold the stick still and just slowly pull back a tad as it settles for a landing.

 

Seems a little odd to me, but that is exactly how I describe a flare to my students.

[Buckaroo]

Seems a little odd to me, but that is exactly how I describe a flare to my students.

Yup my limited experience with my CTSW I've come to the conclusion that takeoff and landings are the same in general than any other aircraft I've flown!

 

I now believe that the things I'm experiencing with this aircraft are those of the idiocies of the light sport class! Sensitive pitch control, light and sensitive controls, needed rigging requirements prior to takeoff, more rock and rolling especially at higher speeds, fast loss of energy, fast pitch acceleration etc etc!

 

I love my FD but now think that those tips and cautions I've received apply to the light sport catagory of aircraft in general.

 

The best thing is the FD set of aircraft do all of these things superior to other LS aircraft and many general types of aircraft!

 

I'm very happy with my beautiful CTSW!????????

[Roger Lee]

Hi Buckaroo,

 

You are exactly right. So all it becomes is whatever you get used to is normal.

[Buckaroo]

Yes maybe generic tips, opinions, advise, recommendations, warnings etc would be a valuable resource as it applies to light sport flying would be handy! Also such a valuable resource would save tons of verbiage as it pertains to the light sport class! My opinion now is these 1320 lb wonderful light aircraft resemble each other in so many ways!

 

The big difference is our FD aircraft perform so much better in many important ways than others in the industry! As a matter of fact I challenge any other manufacturer to challenge their product over FD!????????