Tee Bee Niner

After a few days of panic, before my COE expires on friday, I finally managed to snivel a couple flights from Republic of SIngapore Flying Club. I'm rather peeved actually with how my club's instructor for not answering my calls and smses. In the end, had to hit the panic button and call RSFC.

Not a bad choice actually, seeing that I get to fly a different airplane. The Socata TB-9 Tampico.
Beautiful plane from the outside, even the cockpit looks nice and advanced. Too bad I was late and had no time to enjoy and take in the view before flying. I was running from the clubhouse onto the tarmac. Flight instructor already had the plane engine up and running before I even reached the aircraft. Seemed like a scramble scenario from a fighter pilot movie.

Into the aircraft! Headsets on! Finally I get to shake hands with C.S Lee my instructor for that flight. He just landed a Silkair flight at Changi and rushed over to instruct and help me get my COE done. Bless him. So then, we carried on.
Pre-take off checks. Time to get acquainted with the new plane. Everything here is switches and electrical switches. Definitely a lot more advanced than the Cessna.
"9V-BOZ, runway available 1500 feet, backtrack RW21 clear for take-off!"
Ah! The sexy voice lady ATC! Her voice is so clear with feminine warmth that it jerked me out of my reverie with the checklist and proceeded to take off.
Take-off speed 65, climb at 75. Flaps up after 200 ft.

First thing one notices when flying the TB-9 is its unusual nose attitude. Its much higher than that of the Cessna. So much so that you can't really see forward of the nose at level attitude and at normal power. Its rather like flying on instrument. Ah, but the view from the top, rear and the sides. Good visibility all around. If you ask me, put a 200 HP engine on this baby and it'll be perfect. That way, lower nose attitude, perfect visibility all round.

Flying-wise, I personally felt that handling a new aircraft really put a lot of workload and I was behind the aircraft much of the time. I wasn't Aviating, Navigating and Communicating as well as I should have. But that got better as the flight went on. Flying with C.S was so much more relaxing than flying w Darshan. But no doubt both have their own way of teaching and both are effective.

Apparently, I have a v bad habit of taking my hands off the throttle to fly with both hands on the control. That did not go too well with Capt. Lee and he said so. Logic is so you can have power when you need it that split second. Similary he did not like the way I extended my fingers when I used the throttle. Reason: The mixture control is right next to the throttle and I could accidentally kill the engine by pulling the mixture accidentally.

So, level turns, steep turns and then Stalls. The TB-9 does not pitch over when it stalls and just falls like a rock while maintaining nose attitude. They've changed the stall warning to a continuous pulsing beep. Good! I hated the stall warning the last time I flew the TB9 eons ago.
It was a horrific loud shriek at the moment of stall. Does one's heart no good.
I felt I was rather sloppy at stalling. I lost 300 ft on the first stall. No good. 2nd time was better. 200 feet. And that's hte amount that should be lost according to Capt Lee. If you lose less means that you were cheating and did not stall. (Bet Darshan would argue with that seeing in the cessna we could recover below 200 feet.)

Lots of aircraft in Area Alpha. Choppers flitting around. SYFC flying about. They kept their distances today. Nothing interesting on that score. Lightning bolts seen from residual storm clouds around Singapore. Rather disconcerting.

Back to Seletar for recovering, PFL and boy the TB-9 is a heavy bitch. She sinks really fast. Its rather ironic, she looks sleek and sexy from the outside but she's heavy! Its like Catherine zeta Jones having the weight of Queen Latifah!
Apparently, the nose attitude is really different when it comes to landing as well. It seemed to me on short final we were about to fly into the ground. Boy my heartbeat doubled and I pulled up on the stick. Went on for 2 more approaches
1st
FI: "No no, that's too much nose up!"
Me: (In my mind) 'Too late, if I nose down now we'll bounce'
"BAM! heavy touchdown.

2nd
FI: " Too early a flare! Get the nose down!"
Me: (in my mind) 'Another 2 seconds and we'll be a dent in the runway. Thats early?"
BAM! Heavy touchdown.

3rd
Me: Ok, tell me when my nose attitude is OK
FI: This is ok, hold hold hold
Me: '(In my mind) This is crazy! We'll 3 pointer the aircraft!
Smooth touchdown.

All 3 landings were by the FI account was alright. Even the first 2. But a pilot landing in fear wondering if he's doing the right thing has fouled up already by being unsure!
We made a total of 8 landings. By the end I got the hang of it and made a rather smooth touchdown with a Stop and go.

4 important differences
1) Nose Attitude is very different
2) Nose Attitude does not drop during a stall
3) TB-9 uses a fin stabiliser and not an elevator. Therefore, its more responsive as the entire tailfin moves
4) Low wing acft and heavy. Sinks v fast.

All in all, a great flight. A great pleasure to fly with C.S Lee. I'll hope to do so more often next time. I still like the Cessna 172. Its more direct, straightforward and forgiving. No lies or pretentiousness. But I must say the TB-9 is a nice plane to fly