Practicing Circuits at Wycombe Air Park in the Cessna 152 in Microsoft Flight Simulator

[@jonbeckett]

Worth noting (huge thanks to the viewer that spotted this) - this is not the correct circuit for Runway 24 at Wycombe Air Park - I flew the 06 circuit in reverse in this video because the navigation software I was using to sketch out the plan (LittleNavMap) cannot do asymmetric patterns. Since then I have drawn out the "real" circuit, and will be recording a new video soon trying out the correct pattern :)

[@Burrator]

This is turning into a excellent series, educational but learning through the mistakes too, great stuff.

[@jonbeckett]

Yep - that's the plan - I will return to doing the same video again at some point, with more and more in it. I may look at moving to a more "study level" plane at some point, to help fill in the numerous gaps in this initial story.

[@rezaomar3397]

Dude you don't understand how good this is, I was speaking to a proper ppl instructor and he was like this how flight simulators help when it comes to real life training. Learning Circuits in the sim make a humongous help doing it irl great job man.

[@jonbeckett]

Getting better and better :)

[@PilotStudd]

This was superb Jonathan, really enjoying this mini-series so far as a PPL student in the circuit at the moment!

[@jonbeckett]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@raymondgill9796]

Have enjoyed watching this many times. I went solo in a 152 at Wellesbourne last week.

[@Moonfaster]

As soon as I discovered this certain series you have and you made me aware of Pooley I immediately order the first e-book on the basic training.

[@eonmichaelides1415]

Most operators use flap for take off from a soft field,and zero flap for a hard runway takeoff.And if they do use flap for take off they retract it at 200 feet.The aircraft climbs with a steeper gradient and a higher rate clean.Also if you wait until you level off before flap retraction you run the risk of exceeding the flap limit speed as you accelerate.

[@michaeldawson4082]

very good point you made. " I have to keep telling myself it's a journey - and that practice will slowly erase the small procedural errors that keep creeping in"

[@jonbeckett]

Absolutely!

[@Ngamer834]

I found FS academy quite a helpful add on for the Sim completed the VFR one and keep meaning to try the others. I had a trial flying lesson once really enjoyed that so hope to one day take flying lessons....well that is the dream anyway.

[@donaldholman9070]

Very cool. Thank you! My first introduction to navigation was learning the way to and from school. It was a two mile walk in one direction. Over time I learned many variations.

[@jonbeckett]

Very welcome!

[@johnb.3655]

AWESOME..! Really Enjoying these...

[@jonbeckett]

Glad you like them!

[@mercurybullet6043]

No need for pulling mixture at that altitude. Just leave it at full rich. Reduce throttle to 23-2400rpm ~70kts on approach. Keep it up!

[@jonbeckett]

Thanks for the tips!

[@johnmaguire2185]

There is a detailed explanation of the noise abatement requirements from Wycombe air park website. A turn to 230 is required over the fence for RW24. You turned far too early to 330. Your crosswind turn was more like the base leg track for 06 circuits.

[@jonbeckett]

I just checked - you're absolutely right - the traffic pattern I followed was for runway 06! Part of the problem I had here is that LittleNavMap cannot draw asymettric traffic patterns - so I drew out the pattern for 24. It's fascinating that the two patterns are so different from each other. I'll return soon, and illustrate the correct pattern :)

[@johnmaguire2185]

@@jonbeckett 24 circuit crosswind (climbing) goes outside the ATZ to comply with noise abatement. 06 base leg (descending) remains in the ATZ. Aircraft climbing away much noisier than those descending.

[@benvanboom8907]

Now that’s safe flying !! (I will pm you with a few tips)😊

[@jonbeckett]

The second video is better :) When I get a chance in the week I'll start reading up on proper cross-wind technique :)

[@GeorgeRon]

Hmm , I don't remember the native FS tutorial talking about leaning the mixture before approach. Your rationale makes sense for doing it. Another question from a noob . How do you establish min-max altitude for the circuits? Is LNM able to tell you that? Might need a little tutorial.

[@jonbeckett]

You would normally go full rich before approach - in case you need power on departure. I guess it depends on airfield altitude too. Circuit altitude it typically 1000ft "AFE" (above field elevation). You should aim to get to at least 500ft before turning crosswind, and look to be at 1000ft before turning downwind - then the opposite on approach. You can find diagrams of the typical pattern all over the place :)

[@raeldor]

This was fun to watch... I've flown that circuit a bunch of times when I was taking lessons in the UK. On another note... don't you have to pull out carb heat before landing and also before take off? I though that was part of the checklist?

[@DP-xz8xr]

Great video and series! But you forgot to reset mixture on 2nd attempt!

[@jonbeckett]

I know :) I commented on it elsewhere - like I said - still making odd mistakes :) Practice makes perfect!

[@DP-xz8xr]

@@jonbeckett you and me too, but I have learned so much following your videos, so please keep up the excellent work!!

[@Lone_GamerUK]

Very well done. As you know I used to do this hundreds of times for real back in my day. Btw you'd pull over to the right just before 24 to do the engine run-up/checks in that space on right at booker. The pattern if I remember cuts a little of the corner off (as you say non symmetrical) for both out on 06 and in on 24, avoiding some of the industrial as kept just slightly to one side. One other tip on approach is you control the speed on final with pitch and not throttle. I remember this from the many smacks on my hand from the old CFI! Saying "No, Don't touch the throttle!" "Smack" 😜 (after it was set I think to 1450 rpm ish) (for P28) I'm pretty sure we flew 1500 above airfield so about 1750 for the pattern? (normal is often 1000 but think Wycombe it was 1500 above airfield if I remember correctly?Helo were at 800 or so) Once you get power & trim set for approach speed 70/75kts & adjust using pitch you hardly move the throttle, until near much nearer flair out. It was very anti-intuitive at the time to start with & I had lots of issues moving throttle too much early on in my PPL training until smacked enough lol. Once the rpm & plane is configured, the final is mostly just pitch up/down (using trim/yoke) to keep approach speed was the way the CFI taught me to fly. Remember these things don't give power very quickly so more speed to loose it later is always preferable, rather than suddenly needing it later, the vasi are a bit misleading also, especially in the sim, we aimed for numbers at 250/300 feet. Of course my speeds were for the Piper PA28, not the 152. (so maybe a little different than the 152? But maybe 65/70kts for that?). Get the final flaps in a little earlier may help you a bit & train/practice for pitch control on final to keep desired speed. Thanks for the memories this gives me, You know where I if you ever want to chat about Wycombe circuits. But I can assure you in the real thing it was never perfect, you always tinkering, making errors, & just keep practicing, That Is how I always remember it. I felt at first pattern stress but then after doing it over & over each time you felt you had a little more time to manage/tweak configs & adjust each time you did more patterns. And paying several hundred £'s to go around in circles! 😜 Very enjoyable! You did very well mate, I made much worse attempts in my real training but that's common & just became a little easier the more times you did it, and have the advantage of a trained instructor next to you all the time until solo's, whilst learning which you don't get in the sim. Congratulations that was great! 👏👏 LG

[@jonbeckett]

According to the plans, only taking off on 06 turns left to avoid - approach into 24 almost goes over the industrial units. I'm about to record the "proper" 24 circuit in a minute :)

[@Lone_GamerUK]

@@jonbeckett Sounds right 👍 you doing really well and it’s amazing how much can be replicated now in sim. But remember details & stuff is easier in real life what you’re doing is harder! congrats 🎉 Nice to see 💜

[@jonbeckett]

@@Lone_GamerUK Cheers - much appreciated!

[@daviation9779]

Im a student pilot at Wycombe Air Park, i have a flight next week lol. Thanks for this 😂

[@jonbeckett]

Good luck!!

[@jonbeckett]

Look at the Runway 24 example! lol

[@rymdskrotet]

Hello Jonathan. Which GPS mod is the right One for this mod plane? The PMS50 or the T... something? Cheers.

[@jonbeckett]

Erm... it doesn't have GPS :)

[@jamesstuart3346]

Shouldn't you check the fuel gauge before setting off?

[@jonbeckett]

Of course :) I didn't do the full check because I think people will get bored if we go through the 100+ checks on it on every flight :)

[@michaelmcshane189]

Isn't putting on strobe lights before take off be distractiong to landing aircraft?

[@jonbeckett]

Should be turned on when entering the active runway. In a controlled airfield, nobody will be on approach if you're been cleared onto the runway unless something has gone very, very wrong.

[@michaelmcshane189]

@@jonbeckett Thank you for your answer, and reply. I enjoyed watching you video.