What do we state on our front page? “Our ideas for trips and stories usually come up spontaneously and also along the way we stay open for anything that might happen and that guides us along to the next adventure.”
Somehow this is also how my latest adventure came along: originally planned was the Cessna 172 check out and a relaxed chat with my dear instructor Ben. But suddenly the Cessna is not available and as I do not want to give Ben a couple of hours spare time on late notice, I book in one of the Robins anyway. The weather is…well, let’s call it april weather, but I am sure a relaxed flight over the tulip fields will give us at least plenty of time to catch up. On my way to the airport I start to re-consider. How can we make this a lesson to learn from (apart from the learning the latest gossip from Ben obviously)? And I remember something Kajsa and I had discussed before: when flying together with another pilot you tend to feel double safe. But are we really able to handle the plane from the right side in case of emergency? When we discussed this a few months back we already agreed that a lesson would give us a feeling for this – so here we go, the idea for today’s flight is clear!
Cockpit view from the left …
…and cockpit view from the right seat….a surprisingly big difference
Ben is convinced in no time that the tulip trip is cancelled. “Let’s go out via Romeo and mess around there a bit,” is his comment. Already taxiing feels strange and staying on the yellow line suddenly becomes a challenge again. Do we really turn into “left side idiots”? The brain knows what to do – but the changed view has its influence. I am still feeling kind of confident and curious – not expecting much worse to come.
“PH- SVT is ready for departure RW 06 V1.” But am I ready? We had agreed before to start already with a simulated engine failure during take off with wave off afterwards….and suddenly I am glad to have an experienced instructor by my side. Flaps are not were they are “supposed to be”, the same goes for throttle and stick. Without the support of Ben who stays calm, gives instructions and helps along this exercise would have gotten rather messy.
But we make it and soon find ourselves in the climb. “Nose attitude as usual, please.” What the heck does he want now? And yes, when I check my air speed, we climb too fast, thus with a nose too low. How is this possible? We are still in the plane I have most experience with. Guess when I sit on the left side I crosscheck my air speed and nose attitude without even noticing which quite simply is a different story when sitting on the right as my instruments are not right in front of me.
And where am I going to turn towards Romeo? Even the usual flying routes look somehow different with the known landmarks not visible or simply in other distances and different angles than usual.
Straight and level is fun after all
Eventually we leave the CTR and begin with some steep turn. “Do it over the left first, that is easier”, I hear. Ha- and I am normally quite ok with them! But again, the vision is different and after turning just 180 degrees while at the same time gaining 200 ft of height I break off the exercise and try to get a controlled feeling for the plane and my stomach again. Let’s try 30 degrees bank first…..and afterwards also the steep turns work. The funny thing is again, that one knows how it works. One knows what to look out for. But once more I find my eyes wander off to crosscheck with instruments which are quite simply in another place and the short moments I look around to get a good view at them I am already messing with the plane’s attitude.
“And now a stall. No worries, it looks the same as from the left side.” Well, certainly. And in my head I go through the routine: when the stall warning comes, stick slightly forward, let the plane catch itself and then throttle up to regain altitude potentially lost. Little have I been prepared for what happens next. Stall warning comes – brain seems to switch off while hands still “act as normal”: At least the order of my actions is right….stick first! Unfortunately my right hand seems to react as “throttle hand” and pushes the stick straight forward thus nose down while the usual stick hand (now on the throttle) goes only slightly forward leaving us with 30% power in a nice nose dive. “My controls”, I hear from the left but with all my trust in and experience with Ben as my instructor I had already taken hands and feet away from all controls, closed my eyes and waited for Ben to get the plane under control again. What a mess – but Ben is quick to ensure: “This is a rather normal reaction.” And I hear myself say: “Let’s do it again” – something that Ben (or any other of my instructors) normally do not hear from me when practising stalls. And surely, the second round goes better even if not (yet) perfect.
Upon our return to the field we agree to make a Touch & Go as well just for the feel of it. And certainly not surprisingly it does not feel good, it does not feel right, the center line is not “were it is supposed to be” and once more the air speed which is usually a quick check down is difficult to see on the other side of the cockpit. I am happy that we took extra 5 minutes to do this twice.
Full concentration on the right seat while Ben enjoys to pester me with more and more exercises – his smile says it all
Back on the ground Ben keeps smiling and laughing while I keep swearing. Is it really that difficult? Are we already “left side idiots” after just 150 hours flight time? I have learnt my lesson today, am glad I had this idea and already booked a follow up with Ben next week. I am not sure I would have been able to get a plane down from the right seat safely in case of emergency, especially considering that in such case there would also be a pic in distress next to me. For me one thing is sure: I will carry on practising for a few more times just to get a feeling that the right side is also the right side and will also in the future practise with an instructor next to me once in a while. Better safe than sorry…and maybe next time there is also a minute of relaxation to catch up with our life’s gossip.