Pre-Solo delays

May 14, 2009 - I've had two pre-solo checkout flight canceled so far. First one was for weather and second one was due to a problem with the starter on the plane. I had a flight scheduled with Cameron today that I hoped would be my solo. We decided to fly anyway and move on to the next topic - short field and soft field takeoffs and landings. We started with a 20 minute ground session to discuss the theory behind short/soft field procedures then we headed off to the Diamond. I made a pretty nice short field takeoff, which you basically start off at the very end of the runway, hold the brakes, apply full power, roll out to rotation speed then you climb at the best angle of climb speed which in the DA20-C1 is about 60 knots. After you clear any obstacles and get above the tree line you begin climbing at the best rate of climb speed or around 70 knots in the Diamond. We flew to Butler Regional where I made a short field landing. This procedure has you land close to the end of the runway, raise the flaps and hold back elevator to get more force on the main gear and brake hard to stop as short as possible. I made a pretty good short field landing, taxiied back around and made another short field takeoff, trip around the pattern and another short field landing.

I have another lesson scheduled for Monday with another instructor. Let's hope the all the variables work in my favor.