Taking of and landing in the Southeaster

[gertcoetzee]

The great thing about a GPS is that one can spend more time looking at your tracks than time actually spent flying. Especialy on a day like today. Here is a bit of a brain teaser. Have a look at the following data from a takeoff and landing, and comments please (esp on the bit that I have control over). My airspeed is 58mph. The Groundspeed and Altitude are recorded. The temp in the air was 30 Celcius - and that at 06:30 - will be spending the day next to the pool.

[gertcoetzee]

Please guys! Give me your opinions! Morph!?

[GR8-DAD]

Looks all Kosher. Took off into wind, got airborne at 55 mph. Once airborne gndspeed reduced to 30 mph (thus effective headwind off 25-28 mph) Quite strong for trike Climb rate seems slow (125 feet in 30 sec ?) WInd not consistent, varies between 20 -30 mph (maybe the hanger rotors at MS).

Landing seems sraight fwd, wind varies 10 mph on descent (or you controlling your speedvia arte of descent?) Why did your grdspeed change from 35 to 45 after touchdown?

[gertcoetzee]

Demon

I am still apprehensive of that SE at FAMS - which is why I want opinions, not onions. I was taught at Wintervogel, where there are no rotor inducing Port (may we still use the word Port) Jacksons, Gum trees or hills.

Yes, quite a headwind. I land with power, about 3500-4000rpm, but even with this at about 200m (300ft AGL) at this airfield you get thrown around. So this is why the GS now starts to go up and down - it is me struggling to hold to my "glide" and then sometimes at around 30 to 50ft AGL I need to accelerate for all its worth to make up airspeed else I get that sinking feeling.

Sorry, altitude is measured in meters. (FAMS Ground Level abou 320ft ASL). So quite a climb rate. In fact, on my last touch and go I got such a fright, I had to let go to reduce rate of climb.

Groundspeed increased because this was a touch and go.

How do you handle landing in crosswind/rotors/headwind/warm days? I've heard from the FAMS crowd that one should look at Zirk - they say he just calmly flies it to the ground.

This pic - that last takeoff. At full throttle my GS dropped as before, but rate of climb was 1300ft/min (note the left axis is in m). Got a fright, powered down. Heresy? Should one just pull in that bar - but it already is pulled in somewhat.

[GR8-DAD]

X-axis is Time in seconds.
Y1-axis is Altitude in metres (for the pink graph line)
Y2-axis is Groundspeed in Mph (for the blue graph line)

Graph 1 is take off.
Graph 2 is landing.

[Tumbleweed]

Simple solutions,

Just cut down those f#$%ing trees and braai them.

They even sound alien, in which case get Water Affairs to do it for you.