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The Take
Off and Climb
It is essential when
you are parked at the runway holding point you complete your take off
checklists. Having completed that, you then call the tower and advise them you
are ready for departure. At airfields without Air Traffic Control you would then
check the approach area to see that it was clear before lining up for take off.
Pilots normally tell each other by radio their positions but never assume the
approach is clear as some aircraft do not have radios. it is good practice to do
this all the time.
Assuming the Approach is clear you line up on the runway having set 10 degrees
of flap. Air Traffic Control airfields will either tell the pilot to Hold Short
of the the Runway, Line up and Hold or Cleared for Take Off.
Assuming you have been cleared for take off check your direction indicator is
set to the compass and that you are on the correct runway. A recent B747
accident was because the pilot attempted to take off on the wrong runway and hit
an obstruction.
Always look above the upwind end of the runway for aircraft joining the circuit.
You do not want to climb and hit them.
Open the throttle, fully check your airspeed is building, most light aircraft will pull to the left here due to the propeller slipstream hitting the tail. As
you reach 55 knots gently pull the stick back until the aircraft starts to
climb. If the airspeed starts to fall you ease the stick forward very gently 1
degree at a time until 65 knots is reached. This is your climb out speed. Trim
the Aircraft by moving the elevator trim to hold it in position. If you have
trimmed this correctly you can let go of the joystick, the aircraft will stay
climbing out at 65 knots. If your airspeed is more than 65 knots, pull the stick
back slightly until you get 65 knots on the airspeed indicator.
If you are climbing out at 65 knots you have automatically got the correct climb
out attitude, Learn this attitude also learn where to trim this attitude with
the trim tab gauge. We suggest you allocate two buttons on the joystick for
elevator trim it is essential to your whole training to trim the
aircraft correctly. One last thing watch your direction indicator to ensure your
aircraft remains on the correct heading during the climb. Also the ball on the
turn and balance indicator is in the centre correct with rudder if it is not.
Assuming the climb is going according to plan after 300 ft raise your flaps and
retrim the aircraft. You can then if going to another destination on
passing through 1000ft lower the nose and cruise climb to your cruise
height. The best climb speed for the Cessna on route is 80 knots. Due to
obstructions at some airfields the aircraft might have to climb out at 65 knots
at a steeper climb angle until 2000ft this is known as the climb gradient. if
you are using an aircraft with retractable undercarriage retract it as soon as
you get a positive rate of climb to reduce drag.
To Level off the aircraft the pilot will have to get to know when to push the
stick forward so the aircraft does not go above his cleared height.To judge this
look at the Vertical Speed indicator if you was climbing at 500ft per minute
then knock the last zero off and you should then start to level out at 50 ft
from the required height. IE 1950for a 2000ft required height. On
Levelling OFF allow the aircraft to accelerate to the required speed for the
cruise. Pull the propeller lever out fully and close the cowl flaps.
(These should be open in the climb only.) reduce your power setting to what is
required. Use the 10% of VSI speed for climbing and leveling off as a guide
height. 500ft =50ft
To Climb remember
PAT
Power
Full
Attitude
Pull the stick back and get the aircraft climbing at the correct angle
Trim
reset the Elevator Trim
To Level Off
Remember APT
Attitude
get the nose levelled off in time and the correct attitude
Power
Re apply the power to required settings
Trim
You will see the
quicker you learn your power settings attitude and speeds the easier it will be
to fly the aircraft correctly. it will come to you as second nature. The
procedure for climb in the air is exactly the same.
The Trimmer
What the trimmer does in a real aircraft is allow the pilot to fly the aircraft
with his fingers. If you did a long flight, without trimming the aircraft, your
arm will ache due to you holding the aircraft joystick. The pressure from the slipstream
air on the elevator will be fighting your strength. By using the trim tab
on the tail, which the pilot adjusts with a small wheel, it will put pressure on the
elevator on the tail relieving your arm from aching . The trim tab deflects
airflow. This is the simplest way to try and describe it for flight simulator.
There is one rule for the trim tab you must remember. If you apply or retract
flaps, adjust the throttle, or pitch angle, lower or raise the landing gear
,change speed you will need to retrim every time.
If you are correctly trimmed the aircraft speed and attitude will remain the
same when you let the joystick go. If either alters you have not trimmed
correctly. If trimmed in level flight the altitude will not increase or
decrease.
Remember your stall
speeds. Also get to know the airfield. Know where the obstructions are if
possible. Look to see where the built up areas are and where hills are in case
of an emergency you want to turn away from high ground not towards it. Especially when you could have an engine failure on take off.
If on a long climb, the
pilot will lower the nose every 500ft to look for other aircraft and on a high
wing aeroplane would lift the wing to look as well for other aircraft. Also slight turns
will eliminate blind spots as blind
spots are not uncommon above and beneath aircraft. This precaution saves the pilots from
climbing or descending into each other totally blind.
If you were flying on
circuit training you would normally turn left or right 90 degrees after passing
500ft unless individual airfield instructions say otherwise. after the turn climb and
level off at 1000ft.
This completes the
normal take off and climb briefing.
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