Tuesday, July 08, 2008
"Anatomy" Of A "Takeoff"!
A friendly "Otter" comes to visit us regularly in "Dawes Bay", Nestor Falls, when the wind is out of the "north" or "northwest". I love watching the "standard" Otter "backtrack". It comes to mind that the "backtrack" on "floats" in any airplane gives one time to run through the pre-takeoff checklist, see some scenery, and have an abundance of time to prepare for the "big event" once one "turns into wind". Let's "analyze" the "scenario"....... Remember, "click" on the pictures, they go "full-screen"!
"Backtracking", headset on and radio on correct frequency. I have known "drivers" that never put their headsets on until just before takeoff, but this is incorrect. When a floatplane is in motion, proper radio frequencies should be monitored, as "waterways" are similar to "taxiways"............
Time for checks..... "Master on, mags on both, fuel on fullest tank, prop control forward, mixture rich, rudder trim set, aileron trim set, elevator trim set.........
Flaps at takeoff position........
Doors locked, seatbelts secured, controls free..........
Start the turn, water rudders up, takeoff radio call made.......
Into wind, DG set........
"Hammer to her", throttle up.........
36" of manifold pressure, RPM hits 2200......
"Hydrodynamics" must work on a floatplane to get "on the step" before "aerodynamics" takes over......
"Poetry in motion".........
"Over the top"........
"Acceleration".........
"Airborne"..........
Throttle back to 30" MP, 2000 RPM.....
Climb away, we're outta' here.......
"Adios"!
"Backtracking", headset on and radio on correct frequency. I have known "drivers" that never put their headsets on until just before takeoff, but this is incorrect. When a floatplane is in motion, proper radio frequencies should be monitored, as "waterways" are similar to "taxiways"............
Time for checks..... "Master on, mags on both, fuel on fullest tank, prop control forward, mixture rich, rudder trim set, aileron trim set, elevator trim set.........
Flaps at takeoff position........
Doors locked, seatbelts secured, controls free..........
Start the turn, water rudders up, takeoff radio call made.......
Into wind, DG set........
"Hammer to her", throttle up.........
36" of manifold pressure, RPM hits 2200......
"Hydrodynamics" must work on a floatplane to get "on the step" before "aerodynamics" takes over......
"Poetry in motion".........
"Over the top"........
"Acceleration".........
"Airborne"..........
Throttle back to 30" MP, 2000 RPM.....
Climb away, we're outta' here.......
"Adios"!
