Flight training hour 8: My first lesson on circuits at Camden, NSW, Australia

In this lesson, I do circuit training! This is a fundamental component of the RPL license as it teaches the skills to operate around an airport and land. I will repeat a circuit several times in today's exercises and practice all the relevant procedures. This includes touch-and-go, ascending, descending, level and descending turns, and checklists.

It's Wednesday afternoon. I had a good break after this morning's flight (hour 7), and the weather is still perfect. A little more gusty wind than the morning, but nothing too serious.

So, this is it, I'm "GO" for circuits.

I am very excited because I will be training for this for the next few weeks. This is an essential component of my training for the RPL license. In circuits, I have to apply everything I have learned so far in quick succession and without error. A circuit ends with a successful landing, and the circuit maneuvers must be successful to achieve a successful landing. Statistics show that many accidents happen towards the end of a circuit when the pilot and the plane transition from the downwind leg to the base and final. That's when the plane configuration and engine power settings, attitude, and altitude change significantly, and things can go wrong quickly.

But let's wait to think about this right now. The plan is that Greg will demonstrate the first circuit with a touch-and-go, and I will do the next four or five.

## What is a circuit?

I should explain a circuit in case you are unfamiliar with this aviation term. And to make sure there is no confusion, I am referring to "circuits" in the context of aviation, not electronics.

In aviation, a circuit is an aircraft's specific flight path when taking off, flying around an airport, and landing. It's like a racetrack in the sky that helps pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aircraft know where an aeroplane is going. This makes it easier to manage air traffic and ensures safety.

A standard circuit has four main parts: the upwind leg, crosswind leg, downwind leg, and base leg. The final approach and landing follow the base leg. Each leg is a straight line, and the turns between them are usually 90 degrees.

* Upwind Leg: After takeoff, the aircraft flies in the same direction as the runway. This is the upwind leg.
* Crosswind Leg: The aircraft makes a 90-degree turn to the left or right. It flies perpendicular to the runway for a short distance.
* Downwind Leg: Another 90-degree turn leads to the downwind leg. The aircraft flies parallel to the runway but in the opposite direction of takeoff.
* Base Leg: A third 90-degree turn takes the aircraft onto the base leg, which is perpendicular to the runway again but closer to the landing point.
* Final Approach: After the base leg, the aircraft makes one last 90-degree turn to align with the runway for landing.

Aircraft usually fly circuits at a specific altitude, often around 1,000 feet above the ground. For Camden airport, this means around 1,350 ASL (Above Sea Level). The speed varies depending on the type of aircraft but is generally slower than cruising speed to allow for safe turns and landing. For the Cessna 172, we aim for speed of 70 knots on base, and 65 on final.

Pilots communicate their position in the circuit to air traffic control and other pilots. This is crucial for coordinating takeoffs and landings and for avoiding collisions.

00:00:00 Start
00:00:09 This flight
00:00:22 About this flight
00:01:28 What is a circuit?
00:02:01 A left circuit
00:02:05 The parts of a standard circuit
00:03:05 The parts of a standard circuit
00:03:12 Circuit checklists
00:03:32 BUMFISH
00:04:17 HHSS
00:04:41 300 feet checks
00:05:00 The flight
00:05:01 HHSS
00:05:04 300 feet checks
00:05:10 Radio call
00:05:51 Circuit 1
00:07:11 Turn crosswind
00:08:17 Turn downwind
00:09:40 Turn base
00:10:25 Turn final
00:11:06 Landing
00:11:38 Touch and go for circuit 2
00:12:38 Turn crosswind #2
00:13:32 Turn downwind #2
00:14:39 Turn base #2
00:15:26 Turn final #2
00:16:20 Landing #2
00:16:42 Touch and go for circuit 3
00:17:31 Downwind
00:18:12 Turn base
00:18:57 Turn final
00:19:18 Go around
00:20:33 Turn crosswind
00:21:08 Turn downwind
00:22:45 Turn base
00:23:36 Turn final
00:24:28 Landing
00:25:31 Debrief
00:27:09 Subscribe!