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Unread 06-30-07, 11:21 PM
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gkey gkey is offline
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Location: Cold Lake, AB, Canada
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Take off technique

I am having trouble with certain instructions I get from my CFI.
Regarding take off, this is his instruction:
1. Rotate at 65-70
2. Stay in ground effect until 90 KTS (blue line)
3. Climb out at 90 KTS (blue line)
4. Retract gear at clearance of other end of runway (about 200 AGL)
5. Retract 1/3 flaps at 300-400 AGL.
6. Configure engine 26MP/24RPM before turning crossfield.

He absolutely disregards the possibility that activating gear-up might cause penalty in airspeed. He says "you simply then pitch the nose down a bit, it'll hold at 90". He argues that nowhere in the POH is it mentioned that the operation of the gear doors will result in a speed penalty.

The POH only says "retract gear when at safe altitude", and does not make a distinction between which of the gear or flaps should be retracted first.

Although I agree that gear should be retracted first, I was under the impression that it should be done at a safer speed, such as 110 KTS, to compensate for loss of airspeed.

I also like to get my gear down before I enter the pattern. Maybe because I already had a gear failure, but I like to really focus on the gear alone a bit before the real work starts in the pattern. I still do my GUMP when in downwind, and what my first CFI called a "Last chance" (another GUMP) in final. My new CFI does not like this at all. He wants me to select gear down only as I turn for final. He feels if the gear fails, then you just overshoot, and stay in the circuit and work on your trouble shoot.

I have a problem with this, in the sense that when you are in the circuit, your workload is by default drastically increased. I would rather opt for finding out I do have a problem 2 miles out, so that I can divert to a safer place outside of the pattern (but close enough to make it back) to work on my problem at higher altitudes.

This is what happens when one has a second CFI when the first one moved before the job was done - too many cooks in the kitchen, with different recipies...and I'm in the middle.
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