Flight Lesson 5

Airwork lesson covering climbing and descending techniques, memory items, magneto checks, airborne checks, and structured briefings.
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Lesson 1.5 – Airwork 3 Date: 26-09-2025

Introduction

In this lesson we performed several airwork exercises, preceded by theory briefings.
The focus was on aircraft control, procedures, and situational awareness.

Exercises covered:

  • Basic climbing and descending to a specific altitude
  • Memory items for emergency scenarios (QRH)
  • Taxi briefing
  • Take‑off briefing
  • Normal turns (30° bank)
  • Steep turns (45° bank)

Basic climbing and descending to a specific altitude

In cruise flight, we typically fly around 95 knots (175 km/h).
When climbing or descending to a new altitude, we must do this efficiently and precisely, avoiding overshooting or undershooting the target altitude.

Climbing (APT)

Important terminology

  • Altitude – Height above sea level (ft)
  • Attitude – Nose angle

For a climb:

  • Use Vy (best rate of climb)
    • Cessna 172: 75 knots
  • Use full throttle
  • Carburetor heat OFF (engine is already warm at high RPM)

Climb technique:

  • From straight and level flight at 2000 ft:
    • Increase nose attitude until 75 knots
    • Apply full throttle
    • Trim as needed to reduce control pressure
  • 50 ft before target altitude:
    • Reduce nose attitude to slow the climb
  • At target altitude:
    • Level off
    • Accelerate to ~90–95 knots
    • Set cruise RPM (~2300 RPM)

Descending (PAT)

Descending differs from climbing:

  • No additional power needed
  • Controlled primarily by power reduction and attitude

Descent procedure:

  • Carburetor heat ON
  • Reduce power to ~1700 RPM
  • Set nose attitude for descent (~500 ft/min vertical speed)

Level‑off technique:

  • 100 ft before target altitude
    • Carburetor heat OFF
  • 50 ft before target altitude
    • Adjust pitch and power to level flight
  • Resume cruise:
    • ~95 knots
    • ~2300 RPM

Memory items in checklists

Aircraft Quick Reference Handbooks (QRH) contain checklists for various scenarios.
Some checklist items are marked as memory items — these must be known by heart, as there is no time to read during the event.

Example: Fire during start

If fire occurs during engine start:

  • Continue cranking for 5–10 seconds to try to suck the flames into the engine

If engine starts:

  • Parking brake set
  • 1700 RPM
  • Wait max. 2 minutes
  • Prepare seatbelts, doors, fire extinguisher
  • If fire continues:
    • Mixture cut‑off
    • Throttle full open
    • Fuel selector OFF
    • Ignition OFF
    • Master switch OFF

If engine does not start:

  • Mixture cut‑off
  • Throttle full open
  • Continue cranking briefly
  • Ignition & Master switch OFF
  • Fuel selector OFF
  • Extinguish fire

Memory items exist because delay can cost the aircraft and lives.
They must be learned per aircraft type.

https://justinverstijnen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/jv-media-4506-c381dd5277f4.png

Important

Always learn memory items directly from the aircraft’s Quick Reference Handbook.
Procedures can differ between aircraft types and models.

Magneto check

During the Before Take‑off checklist:

  1. Set magnetos to Right
  2. Back to Both
  3. Set magnetos to Left
  4. Back to Both

This minimizes movement:

  • Two counter‑clockwise
  • Two clockwise
  • One counter‑clockwise
  • One clockwise

Airborne checks

While airborne, perform regular checks (once or twice per minute):

  • Oil pressure
  • RPM
  • Engine temperatures
  • Vacuum gauge

Additionally:

  • Continuously scan for traffic using horizontal and vertical eye movement
  • Deviate or perform a 180° turn if traffic is at the same altitude
  • Be predictable, just like road traffic
  • Make radio contact whenever possible

Briefings

Briefings are performed at the start of each flight phase to maintain shared situational awareness and reduce surprises.

We use the ANWB structure:

  • Aircraft
  • NOTAMs
  • Weather
  • Briefing

Taxi briefing

Performed during the Before Taxi checklist.

Items to brief:

  • Aircraft status (defects / remarks)
  • Relevant NOTAMs
  • Weather impact
  • Route to run‑up area
  • Taxi speed and RPM
  • Expected turns
  • Instruments to check:
    • Turn coordinator (ball & symbol)
    • Gyro / magnetic compass
    • Heading indicator
  • Avoid hotspots and deviate from yellow line to avoid nose‑wheel chimneys
  • Effect of wind (counter‑steering)
  • Brake check when starting taxi
  • “Any questions?”

Departure briefing

Performed before take‑off.

Brief:

  • Runway and usable length
  • Flap setting (default: 10°)
  • Power setting
  • Rotation speed (55 knots)
  • Climb speed after 200 ft
  • Circuit height and exit (700 ft / 45°)
  • Direction of departure
  • Cruise altitude and speed

Emergency scenarios:

  • Before 55 knots

    • Throttle idle
    • Braking
    • Inform ATC

  • After 55 knots – non‑flyable

    • Forced landing ahead
    • 30° left or right (wind‑dependent)
    • Above 1000 ft: consider turn‑back

  • After 55 knots – flyable

    • Stay in circuit at 700 ft
    • Full‑stop landing
    • Extra vigilance with gliders, parachuting or tow operations

Arrival briefing

Performed when approaching the destination airport.

Brief:

  • Aircraft status
  • Destination NOTAMs
  • Weather
  • Runway and usable landing distance
  • Flap setting (40°, adjust for wind)
  • Circuit direction
  • Approach speed (65 knots)
  • Go‑around procedure:
    • Complete circuit
    • Line up for another attempt
Last modified April 11, 2026: Added category to posts (9821eab)