Advice for a 4-year old's first GA flight

labbadabba said:
As a sidenote, the 162 is a freaking kite and pain in the ass to land.
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I agree with the first part of this statement but disagree with the second.

Of the planes that I fly (172, 182, PA28, DA40) it's by far the toughest one to put it exactly where I want it.
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Are you flying the same approach airspeed when you are light as you do for full gross weight?
 
asicer said:
Are you flying the same approach airspeed when you are light as you do for full gross weight?
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I try to be over the fence at 65kts and bleed off from there. Problem with my approach the other day was I was coming in high. I knew that I'd be fast and knew I'd land long but I had 6,500 feet of runway so I wasn't too worried. But, yeah, I've not been really greasing my Skycatcher landings. I might shoot for 60 kts. 65kts is usually where I'm at with a 172.
 
On a calm day, try 60, then 55, then 50. It'll do it! If you're spending more than a couple seconds in the roundout, you're too fast and too flat; you need to be pretty slow to get the nose up without ballooning in the 162.
 
labbadabba said:
So she finally got the nerve up. Last week, Amelia says to me, daddy, I'm brave now.

Okay, let's make this happen. Fired up the 162 at the FBO and took her up saturday morning. A little bumpy out ahead of major frontal boundary and visibility was not great but she loved it.

As a sidenote, the 162 is a freaking kite and pain in the ass to land. Of the planes that I fly (172, 182, PA28, DA40) it's by far the toughest one to put it exactly where I want it.
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That smile... Makes it with it. Glad she was brave. :)

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labbadabba said:
I try to be over the fence at 65kts and bleed off from there. Problem with my approach the other day was I was coming in high. I knew that I'd be fast and knew I'd land long but I had 6,500 feet of runway so I wasn't too worried. But, yeah, I've not been really greasing my Skycatcher landings. I might shoot for 60 kts. 65kts is usually where I'm at with a 172.
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The book says short field landing is 50kias at 50ft, full flaps, MGW. Normal is 55-65kias, full flaps. If you're light, solo and don't have much in the tanks much then I'd bet you could get away with ~45kias.
 
MAKG1 said:
That's a little high for a 172. 61.

Been flying the 182 a lot lately?
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Actually...yes. 65 is my over the fence number I'm usually over the numbers around 60kts.

I'm for sure too fast for in the 162 tho. : )
 
I use a boat cushion to give my kids some extra lift, no big deal, they wear headsets when i can get them to keep them on!
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labbadabba said:
Actually...yes. 65 is my over the fence number I'm usually over the numbers around 60kts.

I'm for sure too fast for in the 162 tho. : )
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That's a real nice number for a 182. Especially a bloated CAP 182 with three fat Americans in it landing at 2949 pounds. It's a little fast for a 172, especially with one or two up front, unless it's gusty or the flaps are up.

I trained at a 2400 foot field, so I learned not to allow much floating.
 
For heavens sake do not let your daughter fly the plane alone...... she can't reach the pedals.....:)

I don't remember my first airplane ride. I was 4 years old and it was in a B-25 according to my dad. He sat in the copilot seat and I sat in his lap. No cell phones then, and no one had a camera. My dad passed away several years ago so not even a memory of the flight is left.
 
Wet wipes are your friend...experience is the best teacher
 
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