I have 100 landings I need to do before making it to Grade 4. At most I can do about 5 touch and go’s before I have to stop because of the routine. Any advice on making pattern work a little more interesting?
I have always done tight patterns at KSAN with the C172. I have always enjoyed it and I can get around 30-50 done in a hour. There really is nothing that you can do to make your patterns more “interesting” if that is what you are looking for. I mean you can change the airport and aircraft I guess. But I would try out doing tight patterns at KSAN with the C172 as I mentioned. It is a lot of fun
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I would advise against patterns If you find them dull since after you achieved grade 3 there Is basically no further incentive to get a higher grade other than a shiny badge. But if you insist I would recommend too challenge yourself on an especially soft landings since that might increase your general skills or even try some more high risk airports to do your patterns in since those might be fun.
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I’m using a Citation at a small regional airport, but sounds like going to a smaller aircraft will allow for more landings.
The best way to make pattern work interesting is by doing it with a group. Wether it’s 1 other person or 5… Just the fact of other people flying the same pattern as you will make it interesting. I’ve also found that flying patterns in windy conditions make them fun and different. You can find the windiest airports by going to badbadweather.com
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When I use the 172, I go around 70-80kts and do Pattern work. I turn crosswind right when I reach the end otherwise runway and then turn downwind a couple seconds after. This will allow you a super quick pattern.
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Agreed by joining a VO like IFGAC the GA club (run by Balloonchaser) or most VAs it might make these patterns more fun and you might get into GA flying aswell
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Like Balloon said; best to do it with a small group or whatever.
Do it at an Airport you’re unfamiliar with, or one you’re familiar with, whichever one you find more interesting.
Other then that, only you can make it interesting
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I’d recommend doing tight patterns. The TBM is great for tight turns, so that’d help with tight patterns. Also another aircraft is the Cessna 172 is another great aircraft choice.
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They are boring in general, the trick is to do as many as you can in the quickest amount of time because who wants to do patterns for longer than they need to? Not me! I usually turn off the sound and have something playing on my other iPad that doesn’t require my full concentration. It makes the time go much quicker. With the TBM though I have actually started doing pattern work for fun.
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Cessna caravan 208 is the best for quick landings I recommend heading to kedw you will gain so many landings 😊
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Hello, Luis! I have a lot of fun doing touch and goes by adding some scenarios and aircraft configuration variations. Here’s a few using the A320 as an example:
- Land using different flap configurations: full, flaps 3 (commonly used for longer runways), and even simulated no flap landings
- Land full configured for a full stop so your spoilers deploy, requiring you to retract spoilers and flaps before throttling up on the go
- Perform a late go around as soon as your main gears touch (don’t arm spoilers), so essentially you’ll touch down, full power, then set flaps and gear up once you’ve established a positive rate
- Work on spot landings without worrying about smoothness. Pick the touchdown zone and firmly (or not with some skill) set it down with precision. This is useful in windy conditions or short runways.
- Sacrafice runway but perform a smooth landing simulating plenty of runway avilailable
- Perform stop and goes. This is a great time to work on short field technique. For the A320 you will land with flaps full and immediately apply full reverse thrust and brakes, applying back pressure on the yoke until you come to a stop. Departing can be flaps 2 with a lower rotation speed.
- Change your approach angle. Practice steeper approaches with a lower speed and/or brief level offs to simulate you’re too low prior to continuing your descent.
Happy Landings!
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For me it’s the challenge of getting to the next level. Understand that there is no difference really between grade 3 and 4, but I want to see if I can get it.
VNLK patterns. Pretty fun. Also try tffj.
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Patterns there are extremely difficult, defiantly a challenge and interesting.
Definitely. But I love doing the…
Using a Cessna 172 at KSAN today I was able to knock out 30 landings. A couple more days and I should have Grade 4 locked up. Thanks everyone!
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