The latest PPD was held in Bathurst on Sunday 20th June for club pilots. WardAir Flight Instructor Luke Patterson led the pilots through the activities, and his report of the day is below.
“The chosen activity for Sunday’s Pilot Proficiency Day was Stall recognition and recovery. Thankfully we were greeted with clear skies for the morning flights and were able to get under way. Pilots were briefed that exercise wouldn’t commence below 6000′ AMSL and that HASELL checks needed to be completed. On the way up to 6000′ we chatted about why the stall occurs, symptoms of the impending stall and the appropriate recovery technique.
Those pilots who undertook the stalling exercise performed well with their recoveries and return to normal flight. Some experienced a wing drop and were quite surprised by it. This is why it’s important to practice stall recovery often.
Unfortunately, cloud developed after the lunch break. We practiced steep turns and recovery from spiral dives instead. Pilots who practiced recovery from the spiral dive were surprised at how quickly the airspeed and rate of descent increased.
Lastly, the wind that developed after lunch was just enough for some pilots to practice their crosswind technique.
It was a busy but rewarding day with most slots booked and it was pleasing to see the skill and enthusiasm shown by Club pilots. Nice work.”