Santa Paula is about 10 miles inland from the coastal town of Ventura and nestled in a small valley that protects it from the coastal fog. The locals claim that Santa Paula stays clear most of the time, and is the last place to get fogged in when it does get overcast. In fact, the entire coast was fogged in during my 2.2 hour flight down from Marina Sunday morning, November 22. I was beginning to think I would need an alternate airport, but as soon as I turned inland toward Santa Paula, the sky cleared up and there it was below me! It was beautiful VFR weather the entire two days I was there.
I was scheduled for two days of one-on-one instruction from Rich. It turned out to be a lot more laid back experience than I was expecting. I arrived at the Santa Paula Airport about 9:30am and Rich was there to greet me. The first thing I noticed was at least a dozen Citabria's parked in the transient area, and in front of CP Aviation. The predominant model seemed to be the Decathlon/Super Decathlon. I also noticed a couple of low wing aerobatic planes parked in an open maintenance hangar. I later learned that there were several aerobatic instructors, students, and pilots at this airport. In fact, it seemed to be the major reason for this airport's existance.
After tying Victor down and making a potty stop, we went into the classroom at CP Aviation. He briefed me about our schedule and what to expect both days, and then got into about an hour's worth of ground school on Dutch rolls, stalls, and spins. I told him I had only done one spin, with someone else flying the plane, and my stomach didn't take it very well. He assured me I would not only learn how to get out of a spin, but I would be able to exit at a predetermined compass heading. I found this hard to believe, but I was willing to give it a try.
Then we went outside to take a look at Victor, to be sure he felt it would be OK for the training. He looked closely at the wing struts, wire braces, landing gear, and interior. After he satisfied himself that Victor was in good shape, we climbed in for the first flight. Once in the air he told me to climb to 3,500' for our maneuvers, to which I responded, "Are you sure that's high enough?" Of course he said it was. I cannot describe my apprehension about doing the first spin.
First we warmed up with some Dutch Rolls, where I rotate the wings longitudinally, keeping the plane pointed in the same direction. I practiced sitting straight up in the seat, instead of leaning with the turn. Then I practiced Dutch Rolls only looking at the left wing through the side window. That perspective helps you keep the plane more straight as you roll from side to side. Then another one looking only at the right wing.
Now we're ready for the first spin. Rich explained that we would fly parallel to Highway 126 below, and use it as a marker to determine where we were in the spin. After leveling off at 70 knots, I dropped the power back to idle and tried to maintain altitude by slowly pulling back on the stick. As it slowed down to 45 knots I gave it hard right rudder and the nose immediately turned over and pointed down. It seemed like we were pointing absolutely straight down, but Rich claims we were really at about a 60 degree angle.
As it spun to the right, I was supposed to hit hard left rudder after we had turned 270 degrees, i.e. when the highway appeared to be level with the wings. Then I would push the stick slightly forward until I felt the wind catch the wings again, and then level the wings with the horizon. Theoretically, the spin would continue for a 1/4 turn after my recovery inputs (opposite rudder and stick forward) and we should exit heading parallel to the highway and on the same heading that we started on before the spin started. Of course, I was a little nervous about this entire maneuver, to say the least, so I anticipated way ahead and we exited after completing only a 3/4 turn. I didn't care; it was a complete success from my point of view. Whew, what a ride! And my stomach was only slightly annoyed at the wild ride; it wasn't nearly as bad as my first experience. Maybe I could do these spins after all!
We did one more power off stall at 45 knots, but this time to the left. Once again, I hit the opposite rudder too early and we exited after only a 3/4 turn. Then we did a power on stall, with about 1/2 power, followed by another right hand spin. This time I came out at about 5/6 turn, so I was getting better. We did one more power on stall with a left hand spin, and then called we it quits. That flight had so much going on and seemed like we were up there for some time, but it was on 7/10 of an hour.
Before this flight, I couldn't understand how anybody could possibly count the turns in a spin because things were moving too fast. But by my 4th spin, I was actually watching the ground (highway) and keeping track of where we were in the spin. We only did one-turn spins that day, but I know I could have counted the turns if we had done multiple-turn spins. Just as Rich said, after your first couple of spins, they actually appear to be slowing down. They don't, but they appear to be, because you're focused on details and keeping track of your progress.
As it spun to the right, I was supposed to hit hard left rudder after we had turned 270 degrees, i.e. when the highway appeared to be level with the wings. Then I would push the stick slightly forward until I felt the wind catch the wings again, and then level the wings with the horizon. Theoretically, the spin would continue for a 1/4 turn after my recovery inputs (opposite rudder and stick forward) and we should exit heading parallel to the highway and on the same heading that we started on before the spin started. Of course, I was a little nervous about this entire maneuver, to say the least, so I anticipated way ahead and we exited after completing only a 3/4 turn. I didn't care; it was a complete success from my point of view. Whew, what a ride! And my stomach was only slightly annoyed at the wild ride; it wasn't nearly as bad as my first experience. Maybe I could do these spins after all!
We did one more power off stall at 45 knots, but this time to the left. Once again, I hit the opposite rudder too early and we exited after only a 3/4 turn. Then we did a power on stall, with about 1/2 power, followed by another right hand spin. This time I came out at about 5/6 turn, so I was getting better. We did one more power on stall with a left hand spin, and then called we it quits. That flight had so much going on and seemed like we were up there for some time, but it was on 7/10 of an hour.
Before this flight, I couldn't understand how anybody could possibly count the turns in a spin because things were moving too fast. But by my 4th spin, I was actually watching the ground (highway) and keeping track of where we were in the spin. We only did one-turn spins that day, but I know I could have counted the turns if we had done multiple-turn spins. Just as Rich said, after your first couple of spins, they actually appear to be slowing down. They don't, but they appear to be, because you're focused on details and keeping track of your progress.
I finished the flight with a 180 degree power-0ff landing. Once the power is reduced to idle on downwind, I have to adjust the angle of the plane to the runway so that I can still reach the runway without overshooting the near end too far. In other words, I'm learning to fine tune the landing and learn to feel from how far away I can still make the runway.
The afternoon included two more lessons. Each lesson included between 30-45 minutes of ground school, followed by 30-45 minutes of flying. The next maneuvers were aggravated spins. Rich would take the controls and simulate an accidental spin-inducing maneuver, and then I would take the controls and recover from the spin.
Then we practiced skidding turns, frequently encountered on final when correcting from overshooting the turn from base to final. These turns can easily become fatal spins, since you don't have enough altitude to recover.
Day 2 ended and I flew home very pleased with my progress. I didn't necessarily learn as much as younger or more skilled pilots, but that's not the point. I did learn a lot about spins and other emergency maneuvers; a lot more than I knew two days before. I felt that I was on my way to becoming a better, safer pilot. I learned a little more about safely piloting Victor.
On December 8, 2008 I flew down again to Santa Paula for Module II of Rich's course. After practising more Dutch Rolls and spins, I did my first roll. For the roll I sped up to 120 kts, quickly raised the nose to about 30 degrees, and then pushed the stick hard to the left. I held the stick hard left until Victor turned to about 30 degrees before the complete turn. Victor is back pointed in the same direction that we started, but nose down. Now I push the nose slightly down to regain lift and then raise the nose to level again. Rolls are much more fun and easier on my stomach.
On the next flight we practiced simulated control loss. I would start a left turn and Rich would then hold the aileron as if it was stuck to the left, as if some loose object rolled into a cable pulley and jammed it. We also practiced turning and then Rich held the rudder in position as if I had lost rudder control. Whenever any control is lost, I fly Victor with whatever remaining controls are still working. With ailerons stuck left, I compensate with enough right rudder to fly in the desired direction. It's very much like an induced slip, that is, uncoordinated; but it works. A rudder stuck in one direction is compensated for with opposite aileron. Once again, it's uncoordinated flight but it works.
I headed back to the airport from this session as if I had no aileron or rear stabilizer, i.e. I couldn't use the stick. I flew back and landed using only pitch trim, rudder and engine power. This was done flying a regular pattern (no straight-ins), although slowly and with very small corrections. A left turn was made with a series of alternating slight left rudder, then back to straight, then slight left rudder, then straight, etc. until the turn is completed. It's amazing how well Victor can be flown with the complete loss of a flight control.
This Module ended with a ground school about off-airport landings. This session was interesting and informative. First, let me say everything Rich teaches is not just his theory. It is all backed up with years of study and research. He has statistics to back up everything thing he teaches.
Anyway, the first thing I learned about off-airport landings had to do with engine failure on climbout. Human nature is immediately turn around and head back to the airport. But hundreds of case studies and statistics say your chances of survival are better if you pick a spot to put it down somewhere straight ahead. In order to turn 180 degrees and make it back to the runway, you will need approximately 1,000 feet of altitude (agl). A very small percentage who have attempted that 180 degree return to the runway have made it safely; and most of those were over 900 feet above the runway elevation.
The second thing I learned has to do with picking the spot. Naturally, an open flat field is ideal. If you can, avoid power lines, power poles, towers and buildings. But what if your only choice is a grove of trees? Do you try to land in the upper branches or closer to the ground? The answer is to land as close to the ground as you can and try to put the nose of the plane between any trees if you can. Don't try to land on the tops of the trees. Your best choice of survival is flying as slow as you can, as level to the ground as you can and as close to the ground as possible.
Hitting a tree trunk head on at your stall speed is survivable. The G-Factor of such a landing is well below what the human body can survive. Landing at the tops of 30' or more trees is more dangerous because of the distance you would fall to the ground.
I highly recommend Rich Stowell's Emergency Maneuvers Training course to all pilots. It's fun, you learn a lot about controlling your plane more expertly and it can save your life. Go do it!
Stay tuned for Victor's next adventure: mountain canyon flying with Lori MacNichol in Idaho, summer 2009.
