Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Requesting taxi clearance to RWY 31R from Air Traffic Control (ATC)
Cleared to taxi
Keeping a good lookout for other planes on the ground, I begin heading towards the runway
It's a fair hike to the runway, so skip ahead to 3:35 if you'd like...
Moorabbin ATC Tower is visible on the right
Prior to take-off, I go through the last of my ground checks
Requesting take-off clearance
I'm told to line-up on the runway first
Cleared for take-off!
Applying full power (right hand pushes throttle all the way in)
60 knots - Rotate
Take-off
Climb speed 80 knots (150 km/h)
Turning onto crosswind leg. Height here is about 550 ft
Reducing power as I've reached the circuit height of 1,000 ft (the approx. height of Melbourne's Eureka Tower)
Turning onto downwind leg, and letting ATC know
The downwind leg is parallel to the runway, which can be seen to the right, under the wing
Pre-landing checks (making sure the plane is correctly configured for landing)
Speed of around 105 kt (~190 km/h)
Looking back to the runway threshold to judge the turn
Turning onto base leg, and starting to reduce power
Flaps - 1st stage (10 degrees). Flaps allow the plane to be safely flown at a slower speed, and improves the field of view by lowering the nose.
Flaps - 2nd stage (20 degrees)
Cleared to land by ATC
Turn onto final leg
Flaps - 3rd and final stage (30 degrees)
From here on, small adjustments are continuously made to power (via throttle) and nose attitude (control column / rudder), to maintain the aimpoint and extended centreline.
It was quite a windy day, so I had to work hard to keep the plane on a steady flightpath into RWY 31R
Doing about 70 kt here (130 km/h)
Touchdown!
Brakes
Exiting the runway
After landing checks (retract flaps, set radio, switches)
There are a few other aircraft movements on the ground, so I wait to get my radio call in...
Still waiting...
Finally, the airwaves are clear!
Cleared to cross another runway, and taxi back to the apron
Crossing RWY 31L
Saying thanks to the Air Traffic Control team after their kind congratulatory, first solo message
Shutdown checks