Recently I have been putting a lot of focus into circuits. To help with this I have been doing chair flying at home and using a flight simulator to rehearse procedures. Running through checklists, visualising the circuit, and practising the radio calls away from the airfield has made a real difference. It means that when I get back into the aircraft, I already feel more prepared and less rushed.
I also booked in some lessons with Eva. I flew with her right at the start of my training but had not flown with her since, so it was good to see how things would feel with a fresh set of eyes on my progress. My main goal was to improve my landings. I am now flying circuits themselves well, and with a break between jobs as I move to a new company, I have been able to book out blocks of lessons. That extra stick and rudder time has boosted my confidence in handling the aircraft, although I still feel nervous at the thought of going solo.
The lessons with Eva went really well, and my landings have dramatically improved. I learned to level out earlier over the runway, then focus on feeling the sink rate and matching it with a gentle flare. This has helped me avoid flat landings and get a smoother touchdown. Eva also reinforced the importance of being ready to go around if anything does not look or feel right, especially with other traffic in the circuit. That message really stuck with me, and it has become a habit to think of a go-around as a safe option rather than a failure.
These sessions added up to two great hours, and I feel as though something has really clicked. Eva even thinks I am ready for my solo. All I need now is to sit my Air Law exam, work through a pre-solo checklist, and then, hopefully, my next lesson will be the big one. If all goes to plan, my thirteenth hour could be my first solo flight. Lucky number 13.
Modular Pilot Kiran 