This morning I completed my first circuit training session in a Piper Warrior. This is the culmination of all the basic manoevures I have learnt to date so I can practice my landings. I knew I needed lots of practice beforehand with a bit of instructor assistance to ensure we actually land!

 So there are lots of things to remember after studying up the preflight briefing. A circuit is a rectangluar pathway whereby you take off from the runway, reach at least 500ft before a climbing turn to crosswind is performed. The turn can be to the left or the right (hence left-handed or right-handed circuits) this depends on the airport and on the day. The turn is complete when the plane is perpendicular to the runway.

 The climb continues to 1000ft where you maintain straight and level and initiate a medium level turn to downwind where you are tracking parallel to the runway. This is when you perform your prelanding checks. BUMFOHC, Brakes, Undercarrige, Mixture (Fuel), Fuel pump on, Oil pressure in green, Hatch and harness secure, Carby Heat on.

When the plane is approximately at a 45 degree angle to the runway threshold, turn for base, descend and slow to 80kts, flaps down 2 stages. When the threshold is about a 20 degree angle with the plane, turn for final at 300ft carby heat off, third stage of flap and land.

 Sounds very easy doesn't it? The devil was in the detail. I did not mention the radio calls!

The pre-flight briefing was all good with my instructor, he was going to do the radio calls as there was already a lot on my plate to get the circuit configuration for the plane at each leg correctly. 

The first thing that was different was that we needed to request startup clearance for circuits. Moorabbin ground (119.9) was called in the office and our startup was approved. The second thing that was different was that we were to take off on runway 35R and to call moorabbin tower on 118.1.

After the run up checks we were taxiing to runway 35R, there were already a couple of planes who have started their circuits  we lined up behind a Cessna 172 and this was the plane I was to follow.

The first circuit, my instructor showed me, all looked very easy, everything was like clockwork. Full power, 60kts IAS, pull back for take off, airbourne, set attitiude for best rate of climb (~80kts), trim. Check all in green, maintain runway heading do not veer left into the other active runway. Reach 500ft fuel pump off, lookout left to right, locate Cessna traffic ahead, commence climbing turn to the right track a heading perpendicular to the runway. Continue to climb to 1000 feet, maintain straight and level 1000ft, trim, commence medium turn downwind (paralell to runway) and make radio call to Moorabbin tower. "Moorabbin tower, Tango Alpha Kilo turning downwind request touch and go". Landing approved follow Cessna traffic ahead. Perform prelanding checks, Brakes work and park brake is off, undercarridge (Warriors are not retractable, but I understand why you need to mentally have this check in place) Fuel mixture set to rich, oil pressures in green hatch and harness secure, carby heat on and landing lights on. Because we are following the Cessna we watch it turn to base and once it passed our wingtip we commenced our descent and turned to base. 1700rpm setting commence descent and medium level turn to base. Check plane is slowed enough to engage first stage of flap, perform this and push the control column down. Second stage of flap and push control column down. Begin a shallow turn to the runway, 4 finger attitude to runway threshold check speed and altitude 500ft carby heat off, third stage of flap push down on column maintain speed of ~70kts always have one hand on column and the other on the throttle. Radio call on final. Power to idle upon reaching runway, commence flare and touchdown. Full power for takeoff and it was my turn. It all sounded and looked so simple!