Flying in the Circuit

Posted by Helen Krasner Oct 7, 2008

When if comes to flight training, learning to fly the circuit is a way of puttingtogether all the manoeuvres which the student pilot has learned. You take off, climb to a safe height, then performa climbing turn on to the crosswind leg. At a suitable distance from the run way, you turn on to downwind. When you turn on to base leg, you start a descent. Then you do a descending turn on to final, then you have to land the aircraft.

I had learned to do all of these except the landing. At first I had a little difficulty putting everything together, and performing manoeuvres far more quickly than I had one when learning them. The circuit seemd very small, and everything had to be done very fast. I also had to remember to do my downwind checks - brakes off, undercarriage down, mixture rich, fuel, pitch fixed, instruments, check carb heat, hatches and harnesses secure. We didn't have an undercarriage, but you learn the checks that you can use for any aircraft...and then perform them for ever!

But the really, really difficult bit was learning to land. that first time in the circuit I thoght it was impossible.. and I spent a very long itme after that thinking it too! Landing is one of the hardest things about learning to fly. So....more about that next time.