tight circuit

[northies]

i am really struggling with tight circuits and any advice would be great. i fly a R44 II and the biggest problem is when to commence the turn. at the moment i am downwind at about 200ft at 60-80kts, the instructor says that i must enter the circuit when i am ready. the problem is knowing when to commence the turn to end up where i need to, and i typically enter late and then overfly the chosen lz or stop at about 80ft above the lz. i dump collective, push right pedal and do a 30 or 40 degree turn but i feel like i am plumeting to the ground and then i start to pull power too soon. any ideas?

[flingwing206]

OK- you got me. What is a "tight circuit"?

[Super64]

tight circuit.....First thought is the traffic pattern but he mentions that he is on downwind???

 

Not sure where northies is from so maybe thats what they call it in his neck of the woods.

[joker]

Hmmm... I must admit, Northies has me stumped too!

 

I can't imagine why you'd want to be 200' downwind in preparation for a landing. Its a pretty tight situation if you have an engine failure.

 

Can you give us an example?!

 

Joker

[Guest pokey]

i am really struggling with tight circuits and any advice would be great. i fly a R44 II and the biggest problem is when to commence the turn. at the moment i am downwind at about 200ft at 60-80kts, the instructor says that i must enter the circuit when i am ready. the problem is knowing when to commence the turn to end up where i need to, and i typically enter late and then overfly the chosen lz or stop at about 80ft above the lz. i dump collective, push right pedal and do a 30 or 40 degree turn but i feel like i am plumeting to the ground and then i start to pull power too soon. any ideas?

 

 

my advice is:

 

1) pay attention to the wind in a tight circuit ( pattern)

 

2) keep your landing spot in site & "fly" to it

 

2a) make necessary corrections "immediately" !

 

and last but not least "ALWAYS" !! --leave youself an out ( another option) _ if at all possible

[Wesp]

Downwind 200 ft. is just too low. If you have this experience level. Your instructor should be able to tell you what to do in the first place, but since he let's you fly this dangerously, it's obvious you turn to us. If you have an engine failure at 200 ft. downwind, you will have to make a very steep turn to turn into wind. With that load factor the RPM of an R-44 will go through the roof.

 

Find another instructor.

 

Wesp CFI(H)

[northies]

Thanks for the help, it feels so uncomfortable doing this circuit, like it is all wrong. i have flown with a few other instructors and none of them require this type of circuit. time to move away from the old instructor for good

[67november]

good on you northies

 

fly safe