The CIX VFR Club Just...Flapless
Club Events - Just...Flapless!
New Year - New Challenge! How are your gliding skills?
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Briefing JANUARY 2021
Overview We will start the New Year by practicing a real-world PPL Skill: Flapless landing. Why? Well mechanical systems fail as do electrical motors and you must be able to prove you can land your airframe without flaps to achieve a rating for that airframe. There is even a chance in a simulator that your flaps will not operate when you expect, so simply practice how we land without flaps! The theory is standard, so to practice it over the course of an event, with diminishing sizes of runway will only improve your understanding. The flapless landing is a part of the PPL skills test and an expected understanding and practice when upgrading one's airframe or type rating.
Start Time and Place

This event lasts for the duration of the month of January and can be practised at a time that suits you.

Flight Planning (Plan-G, Little NavMap)

Flight planning is a significant part of this event. The airfields are given in the briefing, but you should plan with due regard to the requirements of flapless landings at each airfield: runway length available, airspace and terrain considerations, noise abatement rules etc.
info: if practicing a flapless landing at an active airfield, the ATC / local request is simply: “callsign - Downwind / Final – Runway xx Flapless”. This is not a race so feel free to go around if you are not happy with your approach!

The Exercise

Leg 1 (Approx 1h:20m) ½ star. Booker – Cranfield - Cambridge - Nottingham

Booker to Cranfield: Route via Hatfield disused aerodrome (where Geoffrey Dehavilland made his first biplane "Moths"). Straight in App for Runway 03 as a flapless taster; but touch and go only on the 1799m runway. Get a “feel for the sight picture”.
Cranfield to Cambridge: Route via VRP Bassingbourn for a straight in approach. This the first Full stop turnaround Flapless landing on a 1965m runway. The PAPI lights are great indicators.
Cambridge to Nottingham: Route via VRP Deeping St Nicholas and Bottesford disused for standard overhead join for Runway 27 on a 1050m runway (there is scope for wider / longer circuit here with an overhead join and a long runway).

Leg 2 (Approx 1h:05m) ½ star Nottingham - Sherburn-in-Elmet - Barton:

Nottingham to Sherburn-in-Elmet: Route via VRPs Sheffield and Barnsley with the standard overhead join (via the correct VRPs). Full stop turnaround on an runway 28/10 (830m length). For a landing on 28, it is easy to extend the downwind leg if required, but do avoid Hambleton.
Sherburn-in-Elmet to Barton: Route via VRP Dewsbury and the M60/M62 interchange to land on runway 26/08 (641m length). Heaton / Swinton / Worsley are possible sensible entry points to Barton, and you can request an extended downwind leg, or ask for a non-standard approach due to making a flapless approach.

**The landing at all the 5 airfields is a “flapless landing”. **

Flight Training Reminder

"Full stop turnaround" is the term for executing a landing, stopping on the runway, then backtracking as necessary prior to making an immediate take off. If you advise ATC that this is your intention, they can give you the appropriate instructions or information. Also Check out this document if you would like to refresh your memory about the aerodynamics of aircraft flaps.

What Aircraft can I fly The flights have been designed to suit a Cessna 172. However, any light GA aircraft meeting the club rules can be used if the Pilot's Operationg Handbook allows landing on the length of runway available at the 5 airfields!
Weight and Fuel For this event, have a passenger a similar weight to yourself with 75%-80% full tanks, as if you were flying from Wycombe Air Park (EGTB) to Barton (EGCB) and back.
Weather... or Not For this exercise it is preferred to have a nil wind and CAVOK to enable GOOD training value.  However, if you feel you are able to, then use real world weather to suit.
Airmanship

Remember to ANC (Aviate, Navigate & Communicate). This event should be fun for all, both pilots and any controllers on line. Should your enjoyment become impaired due to ATC instructions (emergencies are often not permitted if a controller is busy with normal traffic) you may have to try again on a different day/time. You must accept any refusal of service or admonishment lightly if you get something wrong, such as straying into Controlled Airspace without clearance, and use it as a learning point if required. If you wish to receive help and training for / before the event, please ask on the forum. Everyone wants to help…It’s the CIX way!

Radio Discipline Take care not to let our Teamspeak chat cut across ATC. Stop any conversation immediately the R/T comes alive, then continue if "he wasn't talking to us". This is difficult because when transmitting on Teamspeak you can't hear the R/T. So be brief on Teamspeak, and be aware that ATC might be trying to get through. If anyone hears an R/T message which seems to be being ignored, just say "ATC is calling G-CIXN" if you have identified the callsign, or "ATC is calling us" which is a cue for everyone to be quiet on Teamspeak until ATC call again (which they will). Remember too that if asked to "Stand By" by ATC, you do not reply - not even "Roger", but simply wait until you are called again.
Remember also that there are several different ATC frequencies in use, and you may not be able to hear when communications are taking place. Make sure you have set and know how to use a Teamspeak mute switch.
Club Star Award File a PIREP for Leg 1 as Booker EGTB to Nottingham EGBN and for Leg 2 Nottingham EGBN to Barton EBCB. Each leg will be awarded half a star.
Acknowledgements Event Idea: Dan Cooper
Event planning: Dan Cooper
Briefing: Dan Cooper and Peter Dodds
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