How's your hand flying skills?

[Yooper Rocketman]

I needed to fly customers from the U.P. to Mankato, MN on Thursday and my Rocket was AOG for a leaking waste gate controller (internally leaking out the drain line).  Customers wouldn't wait for my plane to be repaired (would drive over and buy from the dealer instead of my dealership on a transfer).  Since the weather was generally good, and Steve offered up his "E" model (N1258X) which was a real need of some flying time, I decided to fly the customers over in the "E".  Steve and I went up the day before to check the plane over (just out of annual and MANY calendar days since last flight).  It was at that time I realized he has no autopilot.  Not a deal stopper, but it's been over 15 years since I flown a plane without that "back-up" option.

I found out really quick how much my hand flying skills had eroded from too much dependence on the autopilot.  I DO fly without it, but generally turn it on even on those flights when dealing with "in cockpit issues".  Within 20 minutes I was getting comfortable with it, but was amazed how quickly the plane would start rolling when I looked down for more than a couple seconds for radio and navigation adjustments, or other distractions.  When I was just south of Minneapolis I was given a "descend and maintain 4,000'" from 6k and I started down.  His E model has a bunch of speed mods, so descent management is more challenging than my Rocket (higher red line, 3 blade prop and speed brakes) without hitting the NE red line.  After just 40-50 seconds I get another "repeat" of the original descent instruction (and I am down 500' already).  I read back again and then a Supervisor comes on and asks me to expedite my descent.  With throttle just above gear horn blaring, I get it down at 800' a minute with the airspeed just below red line.  My next instruction after leveling at 4k is descend to 2800'.  When I reply back, I add I had the plane just below red line to get his earlier request "to expedite descent".  Later, with the airport in site and cancelling IFR, the Supervisor comes on and specifically thanks me for the help.     .................Got to wonder, was he working a new controller?  They sure didn't give me the descent instruction early enough to get what they wanted without extra work on my side (surely they didn't think I was a turbo prop with my "E model speed" flying into the wind).

On the trip back I got some quality IMC time, which could have been avoided with either a 2k climb or descent, but I clearly needed the practice.  I felt a lot better about my hand flying skills at the fourth hour than I did in the first 30 minutes.  George is going to turned off a lot more frequently after that wake up call.  My first 1300 hours of IFR was all done sans autopilot, with lots of hard IMC, but having that option since those days has sure made me lazy.

Tom

 

[Bob]

Great post and reminder Tom.  Just had a autopilot issue on my last flight and my experience was similar.  It was nice chatting with you in the UP and seeing you Turboprop Beast!  I still can't get it off my mind.....or the drool off my lower lip!

[bradp]

Good post Tom.  Remember in Mooneys without speed brakes a forward slip is your friend when you need to get down quick.  

Agree about automation dependence.  

[1964-M20E]

we all need to tun Otto off more often myself included.

 

 

[carusoam]

Tom,

Great description of executing a well thought out Plan B:

-------------------

Flying by hand with precision can be cognitively tiring.  Doing it in IMC must be a great brain work out.  

As a young guy, I used to get some sleep in after a 1.5 hour VFR flight.  Made me a nicer person...

Having Otto do the heavy lifting, the older me arrived in a more refreshed condition.

Getting a nap works wonders after a couple of hours in the gym, taking a long run, or hand flying a plane.  If you fly to the beech, nobody will notice if you take a nap.  everybody is sleeping in the sun (fully coated in SPF 99+ of course). 

Best regards,

-a-

[Bob - S50]

When all else fails, you can slow down and extend the 3 speed brakes on the bottom of the plane.

[DXB]

Thanks- Interesting post. I'm wondering if this is just your lesser familiarity with the E air frame's descent characteristics relative to your usual ride, rather than rusty hand flying skills.  When I started transition to my '68 C, I was just terrible at managing pitch, power, and trim to get the descent rate I wanted.   Now it's a non-event, and getting to about 1200 fpm in a pinch without hitting Vne of 189mph is easy.  I'm curious to learn how other folks manage their descents in the C/E airframe, and what kind of fpm they manage to get easily.   Also in '69 the Vne went up to 200mph without structural changes, so there's lots of margin beyond 189mph and thus no reason to fear getting close to it.  

[flyboy0681]

When flying in solid IMC I always make it a habit to hit the red button and hand fly it for at least a half hour at a stretch.

[Hank]

3 minutes ago, DXB said:

Thanks- Interesting post. I'm wondering if this is just your lesser familiarity with the E air frame's descent characteristics relative to your usual ride, rather than rusty hand flying skills.  When I started transition to my '68 C, I was just terrible at managing pitch, power, and trim to get the descent rate I wanted.   Now it's a non-event, and getting to about 1200 fpm in a pinch without hitting Vne of 189mph is easy.  I'm curious to learn how other folks manage their descents in the C/E airframe, and what kind of fpm they manage to get easily.   Also in '69 the Vne went up to 200mph without structural changes, so there's lots of margin beyond 189mph and thus no reason to fear getting close to it.  

I descend the easy way in my C--push the yoke for 500 fpm, trim it away and every now and then reduce throttle to my selected cruise MP, and push the mixture forward to the cruise EGT. This generally puts me right at 170 mphi. When I level,off (whether an intermediate IFR level or pattern altitude), then I reset power and lean again. I like to have ~3 nm to slow down to my downwind speed of 90 mph with Takeoff flaps.

My yellow arc starts at 175 mph, and Vne = 200 mph. It can be more challenging in the older models with lower speeds.

[Yooper Rocketman]

1 hour ago, Bob - S50 said:

When all else fails, you can slow down and extend the 3 speed brakes on the bottom of the plane.

I thought about that but at the speed I was going and the controller's "Expedite descent", I would have burned a lot more time at level or climbing time get speed down to gear extend.  I gave him what I could get and figured their poor planning didn't make me an emergency.

Dev, you are right on the lack of E time and my Rocket (normal ride) with lots of options creating some of this issue.  

Tom

[midlifeflyer]

Last summer, I agreed to do a Pilots N Paws mission. Arriving at my flying club, I found the airplane placarded "Autopilot InOp." 5.2 hours later, 1.1 of which was in the clouds including an approach, I was happy to find I still knew how to fly  

[Marauder]

1 hour ago, Bob - S50 said: When all else fails, you can slow down and extend the 3 speed brakes on the bottom of the plane.

I thought about that but at the speed I was going and the controller's "Expedite descent", I would have burned a lot more time at level or climbing time get speed down to gear extend.  I gave him what I could get and figured their poor planning didn't make me an emergency.

Dev, you are right on the lack of E time and my Rocket (normal ride) with lots of options creating some of this issue.  

Tom

Slowing down the vintage planes can be a challenge. With the low flap and gear speed, even if I am aggressive on the power reduction, I could fly quite a ways level to get the flap speed.

I learned to be a parrot, "ah, Mooney wants lower", "ah, Mooney wants lower". Unfortunately it doesn't help in the "expedite" category.

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[Marauder]

I found that since I installed the GPS and used GPSS, I am using the autopilot a lot more than my VOR days. I still will try to balance the time between both modes, but that GPSS roll steering is awfully nice...

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[Danb]

10 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I found that since I installed the GPS and used GPSS, I am using the autopilot a lot more than my VOR days. I still will try to balance the time between both modes, but that GPSS roll steering is awfully nice...

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Regarding GPSS I lost mine inTx, and flew home to De., without it, it does not take long to find out how precise the A/P is with it vs. without. Very glad my wife who is not a pilot but a heck of a copilot was with me for all the changes, deviations for storms and rerouts given in Wash special airspace. I can not imagine doing it now without the AP, I've promised myself lots of practice under the hood soon.

[midlifeflyer]

38 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Slowing down the vintage planes can be a challenge. With the low flap and gear speed, even if I am aggressive on the power reduction, I could fly quite a ways level to get the flap speed.

I learned to be a parrot, "ah, Mooney wants lower", "ah, Mooney wants lower". Unfortunately it doesn't help in the "expedite" category.

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I have the same parrot. I pretty much automatically assume the controller doesn't fly and even if he does, doesn't know the performance and human needs associated with my unpressurized airplane from those associated with a CitationJet. So I'm always keeping an eye on and where I'd like to be in terms of descent and am happy to "annoy" the controller.

Sometimes, of course, it can't be helped. Airspace considerations may keep me higher than I want to be until that "expedite" comes along.

There still might be options. A reverse example: I was flying into the Rockies on an IFR flight plan. Climbing out of the Denver area, ATC comes on to ask whether I can climb to X,000 within Y miles for crossing traffic. When I replied "unable," the solution was climbing 360s - first time I was ever asked to do that under IFR :D.

[Danb]

Midlife, spot in, they should somehow have the controllers who don't fly little planes takes a few flights in them. My recent long xcountry was difficult complying with some of the instructions especially eleven miles out at 9000, papa Sierra cleared to land.

 

[1964-M20E]

2 hours ago, Danb said:

Midlife, spot in, they should somehow have the controllers who don't fly little planes takes a few flights in them. My recent long xcountry was difficult complying with some of the instructions especially eleven miles out at 9000, papa Sierra cleared to land.

 

I have experienced something like this before but I generally ask for lower about 50 miles out knowing the performance of my plane if I am at 110 or 100.

[rbridges]

I just did an instrument proficiency flight with an instructor, and he had the nerve to make me hand fly the whole time! Lol. I can tell I'm spoiled having an AP. 

[Yooper Rocketman]

I was going into Baltimore many years ago in the Rocket for a dealer meeting, up in the flight level with a decent tailwind (260 knots GS) and I started asking the controller several times for lower, to which he denied.  Finally he gives me a crossing restriction for 12k at an intersection for which I was not familiar (don't fly out east very often).  I set the descent up at 1k a minute while I looked for the crossing point.  Just as I find it and realize there is no way I can make it, even with everything hanging out, the controller comes on and asks me if I can make the crossing restriction (the same one that had denied me my earlier descent requests).  A little perturbed, I replied "No, not with both wings still on the plane".  He comes back with "360 approved".  He must have thought I was a turboprop.

Tom

[N201MKTurbo]

Ha, I've been flying a single engine turbo Seneca under the hood for the last week in prep for my check ride. Those twin trainers are the most unreliable flying machines ever made!

[Wakeup]

I don't know any different.  I have only hand flown. I have never have had the pleasure of an AP.  It's on my wish list on my next plane. Until then, I will keep one hand on the yoke at all times.   

[Hank]

Just now, Wakeup said:

. . . I will keep one hand on the yoke at all times.   

This is what I do in IMC. When VFR with the Brittain doing the work, I sometimes let go but only sit back with my arms crossed briefly for dramatic effect.

[Bennett]

I generally use my autopilot for out bound flights, and hand fly most of the return flight. I really enjoy both modes, and using the autopilot to fly complex flight plans is something that gives me great pleasure, but then again to hold altitude to Commercial standards is also pleasurable. I know that I would get very rusty if I didn't do a good deal of hand flying. You never know when an autopilot will fail. I've had autopilot failures over the years, and switching to hand flying in those circumstances were more of an inconvenience than a problem.

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

This is what I do in IMC. When VFR with the Brittain doing the work, I sometimes let go but only sit back with my arms crossed briefly for dramatic effect.

I treat my autopilot like a student pilot (albeit one who flies better than I do :D)

Watch every move and be ready to take over if necessary.