Flying the twin

I mentioned when I first got here at the end of last year that I was finding it to be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride. This week was no different. Flying is an emotional ride. When I was learning to fly I would either go home feeling ten feet tall and bulletproof from a good flight, or arrive home wanting to dig a hole and bury myself from a not so good flight. There really were no grey areas. Well this week was a hole digging kinda week. Flight and sim rides haven't been going so well, and it gradually just chips away at your confidence. Another emotional factor in this week has been tuesday's Christchurch earthquake. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to be living there right now. Every time I see footage on the tv I just want to cry. It's just heartbreaking, the town I grew up in, in ruins.

I could go on, but that is for another time, another blog. This blog is about aviation and my journey thus far. So let's talk aviation. Since my last entry I have flown the cross-country flight that I had practiced in the simulator. The down side of this is flying for 3.2 hours and not seeing any scenery. The upside however is that I found the actual flying easier than that in the sim. The same mind games were employed, with those little instruments making life incredibly difficult. But in the end I made it to Westport and made it back again. No fun was involved, but I guess I'm not here for fun.

Now let me tell you about today. Yes, there was fun involved. Due to the Christchurch earthquake we are unable to fly into controlled airspace for instrument training. This means for us that we have to skip ahead to start doing the Seneca type rating. Once we are proficient at flying the Seneca we will then start doing the instrument flying in this aircraft.

So yesterday I had my first lesson in the Seneca, and second today. This is quite a different story to flying the Cutlass (Cessna 172RG). The Cutlass is a highwing four seat single engined aircraft producing 180 horsepower.

The Seneca is a six seat low winged aircraft with two turbocharged engines, each producing 200 horsepower. 400HP!!! The take-off procedure is to line up at the end of the runway, feet firmly on the brakes bring the power up to 1500 rpm (about 30% power), and then check the engine temps and pressures. Increase the power to about 75%, pause to check the fuel flows, all ok then release the brakes. Unlike other aircraft I've flown which pretty much dribble off the starting blocks, the Seneca tends to lurch forward like a cut cat. At this point the turbos kick in, then it's a matter of going through to full power and keep the aircraft straight down the runway.

It is an absolute rush!! Rotate speed is 85 knotts (160kmh), climbing out at 105 knotts (195 kmh). The power of this little aircraft is unbelievable. I can not wait to get the hang of it. Where the takeoff is exhilerating, the landing is terrifying. It's the speed. Most aircraft I have flown have an approach speed of 65-70 knotts, whereas the Seneca is 90 knotts. That's 166kmh!! At that speed things happen pretty quickly over the fence. Something else which adds to the experience is the noise. The seneca is a very quiet aircraft, but once it gets up and goes with the sucking/whining sound of the the turbos it's a different experience altogether. This aircraft means business!! Like I said, it's a rush.

Speaking of sound. Another experience I had earlier in the week was to sit in the back of a Hughes 500 helicopter while a friend of mine finished off his type rating. The sound of a turbine starting up really is something which will send any pilot into writhing ecstacy! Awesome!!
I mean, check it out...





So it has been an interesting week of sorts. Never mind. Tomorrow is a new monday, with two more flights in the Seneca. Should be fun.