Hi All
I have asked and my wife has permitted me to educate her unoffiacially
to fly our Europa.
That is only just for in case =93 if something will happen to me
when airborne (with our daughters), it is a much more relaxing case when
she is capable enough to take controls.
We have only two missions:
1) she have to navigate from any location to the nearest possible
airfield or landing area.
2) she have to make a succesful landing (= all the passengers can walk
out using their own legs and hands only)
3) she have to know how to select an emergency frequency and how to talk
to radio =9CHi I am Marke and now I am piloting this machine
OH-XRT...request some assistance...=9D.
It is not obvious that same time she should handle simultaneously
technical multifailures and horrible storm winds. Just fly home and land
safe enough (with a groundloop or not).
To get an ability to do this, she has followed me to fly hundreds of
hours and we have talked much about flying.
During this summer I have given the controls of the plane for her
several times.
Yesterday it was a time for a final step. We were over the base at 3000
ft and practised low speed flight until she was capable enough to keep
the altitude and the heading at the speed 60 knots with flaps and gears
and at the speed 70 knots with a clean configuration, also some turns.
Once again we repeated how to find a suitable landing place through GPS.
***
She was using IFR goggles when I flied half an hour away and made
several maneuvers until she had now idea where we were.
Then she took the controls, pressed =9CGo Nrst=9D, made a
choise EFTP, =9CEnter=9D and =9CEnter=9D.
Now she had a heading bug home, with autopilot or not (she wanted to fly
be herself).
She decided to join direct to the long final 24.
Her glideslope was just perfect, speed was 70 knots like nailed.
There was some difficulties to lower the gears using left hand from the
co-pilot seat but se managed to do it and also lock them =93 she
got green lights.
Landing was smooth =93 it was almost calm.
I took controls just after touch down =93 it was not necessary for
our health but maybe to prevent some possible damages for the plane (as
we all Mono-pilots know, it is a bit wild to handle and needs full time
authority just after touch down and just before rotateing).
***
I am so proud of her. This a good insurance and gives some equanimity
for us.
I recommend!
Cheers, Raimo Toivio
Europa XS Mono OH-XRT #417
Updated flight hours /landings: 248,6 /445
37500 Lempaala
FINLAND
p +358-3-3753 777
f +358-3-3753 100
toivio@fly.to
www.rwm.fi
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