Alpha Kilo Warrior
Practicing Landings
Returning Back to Hartford at Night. I had to use Adobe After Effects to Lighten the footage up. Be dure to watch in in HD at Max resolution to see all the tiny car pixels!
Night landings at 35 - I read that in AFD, and did you know the control tower cannot see planes on base below 1,300' approaching 35 until 1/2 mile final.A dusk landing runway 35, my first into DXR years ago, was a magical experience with mountains on either side on final. In those days, the experience was capped off by a restaurant on the field. One can certainly land short field technique but definitely not necessary. Note that night landings runway 35 is NA for good reason.
Not only that, but the corollary is if you are not much much higher than 1300 ft from the south, you cannot see any of the airport environment either. However, there is the exception of visualizing a small sliver including runway 35 when much closer and lined up roughly to that final. If you are so high arriving from the south and CAN see the airport environment, you will most likely be forced to overfly, lose altitude and enter a right or left downwind so as to properly set up for the blind right or left base to final. If unfamiliar, you will sweat out picking up that small sliver of final 35 through that valley and could easily miss it if not on your game. And, as you read, tower cannot see you and cannot help except possibly through other means like Adsb(if not too low).I read that in AFD, and did you know the control tower cannot see planes on base below 1,300' approaching 35 until 1/2 mile final.
Happy May! I dug up some footage when I flew with my CFI 3 weeks ago. Upon returning to KHFD (Hartford, CT), he had me practice a Power off 180. I love doing these. I retarded the power to idle abeam the numbers. Now, my instinct was to turn immediately to the numbers, but I have to realize to maintain Vg 73 knots (best glide speed in the Warrior). I was a little above Vg, as I was trying to manage my aiming point outside the airplane. I waited till about 400' before adding any flaps slowly, 10deg, 25deg then 40deg. I have not tried this solo yet, but I think I could handle this (simulated). This is the 2nd time this year we did this. I love it, it helps build my confidence with the airplane and I think I need to try this by myself. Have any of you done this maneuver during your training?