Call me looping!

Hello everyone,

This morning my zigomatic muscles were aching for having kept a huge grin all evening yesterday. Last night indeed, despite some hazy weather I had my first lesson of aerobatics!

There was only a slim chance for it to happen because of the very faint horizon line in the direction of the sun – which helps a lot to keep your wings level. “Whatever”, I thouhgt, as I left the office under the suspicious (envious? angry?) looks of my colleagues

At the club the CFI asked me if I was ready to do a few aeros with him… The hell, of course I was ready 😀 He explained that we couldn’t do what he usually does on a first lesson, ie. spinning, due to the lack of nice visibility and horizon but that it should be ok for some loops.

20 minutes later, here we are at 3500 feet, above the English country-side of Hampshire, the sun on the right wing. “Ok, I’ll demonstrate a loop and I’ll talk you through as I do it; keep your hand on the stick to feel the movement. We’ll first start by a dive to reach the entry speed of about 120 knots and then we’ll pull on the stick to maintain a good G between 3 and 4. We’ll relax at the top and check the wings are levelled and then, later we’ll pull out of the dive with similar Gs”

I hardly have time to prepare myself that we’re diving. He talks me through the manoeuvre as if we were walking in the park. I’m surprised by the G force that for 2-3 seconds squashes me on the seat a lot more than on a roller-coaster. And then I fell very light and I see the ground when I look up, the multi-colour fields, the forest. It only lasts a instant as we are already diving again straight to the ground. The needles of the instrument get crazy as once again the Gs crush me on the seat. Above the horizon and… that’s it.

“See, that’s not so diffficult. Over to you now, you have control.”

I have been dreaming about this moment. I’d almost wish I could freeze the time for a few more seconds to enjoy the rush of adrenaline before getting fully focused on the task.

Here we go. I push the stick forward. The altimeter starts moving, the speed increases, 115, 120, 125, I pull the stick back. The G force pushes me right in my seat. I don’t know whether I’m pulling too hard or not enough. “Keep pulling, keep pulling”. I hold it hard and then we’re floating. “Check your wings, they’re not levelled”. Upside down I don’t realise straightaway that I have been pulling the stick slightly left as well as back. I’m trying to correct but I’m confused with what way to correct, making things worse. However the plane carries on and, as what comes up must come down, sure enough we’re diving to the fields. “Right, now you start pulling again”. I do, trying to feel to right G, levelling the wings off.

I didn’t make a loop but a rather bizarre curve: instead of finding myself on the same heading as when I started pulling, I am now pointing 90 degrees to the left!

But, hey, I did it MYSELF!!! Bl**dy hell that was fun 🙂

I’m doing another dozen after this one, trying with difficulty to correct my left inclination. The last one of the session was the right one as I hit our own slip-stream on the dive back, which means an almost perfect one… Beginner’s luck!!!

Unfortunately we couldn’t finish the lesson on loops due to the disappearing horizon. What’s missing goes along the lines “what’s happening when things go wrong in the loop”… What a program for next time!

Flying back to the aerodrome the instructor asks me if he can take control as he’d like to do a few barrels over his house. “I have friends at home but don’t worry, I won’t charge you for that”. Fine by me 😀

It’s brilliant! I can’t wait for the next lesson but not before another 2 weeks 🙁

I’m sure this is a very simple manoeuvre for any of you aeros experts but I couldn’t help sharing my joy 😉

Cheers,
Steph