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Entering Downwind on ground reference maneuvers

Asked by: 3152 views General Aviation

Last lesson I spend allot of air time trying to enter exactly on the downwind while doing turns around a point... Each time I would end up too close to the reference point... On this day the wind was 040 so I was flying away from my reference point on 220 hoping to come back on 040 but it wasn't working.... Any suggestions? thanks, jeff

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3 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Mark Kolber on Apr 26, 2015

    How do you know the wind was 040? It’s always difficult to figure out what errors there are without being there but two cone to mind from your description.

    One, is that it’s a very common error to be to close to the point.

    Second, you should not be looking at DGs and calculating wind vectors. Get your head away from the gauges and out of the cockpit. It’s a GROUND REFERENCE maneuver not an instrument reference maneuver.

    First thing I do when I see a student using the instruments on one of these is cover them. Suggest to your instructor you want to try if. You are bound to be surprised by the result if you think that can’t possibly work

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  2. Nibake on Apr 27, 2015

    Also, spending a lot of time setting up your ground refs is not necessarily a bad thing. I see many students rush into them and spend all their time trying to get set up during the maneuver instead of focusing on the maneuver itself. Go ahead and take the time to set up well, it will be worth it in the long run.

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  3. Mark Kolber on Apr 28, 2015

    Nibake makes an excellent point. Ground reference maneuvers are also a good lesson is staying ahead of the airplane. That means, when you make your first turn in the maneuver, you should already be at the appropriate altitude, at the appropriate airspeed and in the appropriate configuration, not still getting into it.

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