Thanks for explaining this so well. Running a touch and go pattern has helped all of my 152 piloting skills, it packs so much into a time-efficient loop. My roundout and flare is much much better after a couple of hours practice.
Glad you found the content helpful, Mike. Pattern work is what real world pilots use to get their landing practice - and getting landings nailed in the last few hours before solo is all about repetition for many pilots. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, davek0974. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching. I agree about the logbook. About the only thing I use it for is keeping track of my total time, and seeing where I've landed.
Thank you so much for these videos. Could you help explain the following: 1. How much closer to the runway would a real world pattern be as you mentioned it’s a bit tighter in real life? 2. You relied on landmarks in this lesson to help identify when to begin turning on each leg. What is the procedure when you’re at a new airport? Are there ways to help understand when and how much to turn to stay on pattern? TY!!
According to the FAA, the ideal distance for a traffic pattern is roughly 1 mile from the runway on downwind. If you turn your crosswind at 500 feet AGL, and then turn downwind as you level off a pattern altitude (1000 AGL) that *should* put you at about a mile away from the runway in a zero wind condition. You can also try to visualize a mile (most GA runways are 5000-6000 ft long - so about a mile, so you can try to visualize if the runway you're using would fit betweeen it and your aircraft if you turned it 90 degrees.) Another trick you can use on Cessnas with wing struts is to fly the pattern so the runway is placed about midway up your strut.
Been following your great instructional videos, and one of my main issues is getting the Physical trim wheel to have the correct sensitivity. Just seems to take a long time to trim. I have a Flight Velocity Trim Wheel Pro and just wondering what you use as you seem to trim very easily. Thanks again
FrySimulation - I bind two buttons on the top of my joystick to "Elevator trim (Nose up)" and "Elevator trim (Nose down)." I have a Turtle Beach VelocityOne flightstick that also has a trim wheel - but like you with your setup, I found it to be too sensitive. By assigning those commands to two buttons on the top of the joystick, it emulates an electric trim system like many aircraft have, and feels much more natural. Simply push the desired button to start trimming, and release it to stop. Hope that helps, thanks for watching!
We if I were to use the 172 to practice this pattern what would the altitudes be? I tried using the ones in the video, but everything happens so fast.. 700ft, 1200ft..
Diogo, you want to turn your crosswind leg at about 500 ft above field elevation, and fly the level segments at 1000 ft. AFE. Since PBF is at an elevation of about 200 ft MSL, you want to turn crosswind at 700 ft MSL (above Mean Sea Level - what you read on the altimeter,) and fly the level segments at 1200 ft MSL.
