Taxi
The superb visibility in all directions along with the excellent canopy optics allows clear maneuvering in the taxi area. (HANGAR RASH NOTE: If your shadow does not touch anything, you won’t touch it either.) Taxi speeds should be low - at a brisk walk. The airplane will accelerate even at idle power, and you will need to use the brakes. So you don’t have to add power to move, just let the idle engine thrust accelerate the aircraft from a dead stop. No hurry. That way you don’t add power, burn fuel just to get up speed and quickly have to waste that energy with immediate braking. Don't ‘drag’ the brakes; just apply them firmly, slow – almost to a stop – and release slowly. Use the excellent nose wheel steering and make it a habit to keep your aircraft on the taxiway centerline. Wait for engine temps to stabilize at 120 degrees before engine run-up. The run-up is very simple and quick; you won’t need to spend an extended time at high power setting for the ignition checks.
Hold the brakes (They can hold the aircraft at full power.) and increase the power to 4000 RPM, quickly switch off each electronic ignition, note the reduced single ignition RPM repeat and immediately reduce the power. Exactly 4000 RPM is not required but allow the engine RPM to stabilize to obtain correct changes in the electronic display. Wait only long enough with an ignition OFF for the engine to stabilize at the lower RPM. Check it and quickly return the ignition switch back to ON. Then check that the RPM returns to 4000 and go to the other ignition switch. Repeat the process and reduce the engine power. Your propeller will thank you and your maintenance folks will thank you. Complete the pre-take-off checks and confirm that the safety pin is removed from the aircraft parachute (GRS) ballistic recovery system. (All Sting aircraft are chute-equipped.) Don't forget to check for traffic on short final approach.
Takeoff
When the approach is clear, make your departure radio call and taxi to align with the center of the runway. Set the flight controls for any crosswind component. Check the time, release the brakes, but don't hurry, just power up to 4000 rpm to do a 'last chance' EMS GreenLine check. If the display is in-the-green, immediately advance to full power and check that the engine RPM is within limits. Lift the weight off of the nose wheel about 30 Kts rotate and you will fly off the surface at 40Kts.
Climb
You will find that the climb out at less than 60Kts for obstacle clearance has a rather steep deck angle. Lower the nose to retract the flaps at 70Kts and continue the climb flaps up at 75 to 85Kts for a good visual clearance and engine cooling during the climb. Rate of climb will increase with each reduction of flaps.
Cruise
Level off from the climb and allow the plane to accelerate at full power to cruise speed. The smooth surface of the Sting wing profile (MS(1)-313) allows the air to stay attached aft of the leading edge without those nasty rivets.
Once level and at cruise speed, set power to 75%, to enjoy the view and fun of flight. At sea level the and most other aerodynamically clean sport aircraft will easily cruise at Vh, the FAA regulation maximum of 120Kts calibrated airspeed (CAS). The same 120Kts exists higher but becomes true airspeed (TAS) so expect your indicated airspeed (IAS) to reflect the affects of fewer air molecules. Estimate about 2Kts less for each thousand feet above sea level and you should indicate from 105 to 115Kts IAS depending on weight and variations from standard data.
Descent
Plan the descent from altitude well ahead of your arrival point. Although shock-cooling is minimal in the Sting engine, it is 'bad form' to do an idle-power descent. Vne arrives quickly and you will still need to descend. At high speed, that only leaves heavy maneuvering to scrub off the speed and altitude. If you anticipate the descent, you will also be in good position to handle any turbulence at a reasonable airspeed that is not high into the yellow arc. Have your GPS system set to help you with it’s built in 500 FPM descent profile. Then you will always arrive one mile from your destination at 1000ft above the field elevation. Lead your level-off altitude by 10% of the VSI descent rate. Level off and reset power for the lower altitude.
Traffic Pattern Entry
When approaching an uncontrolled airport again make a radio call and announce your intentions. Our CFI recommends that you use the airport name at the end of your radio call so your location is a prominent part of the reception by other traffic. Try to be at, or slightly above, the traffic pattern altitude some distance out from the pattern area. This will keep you from interfering with other aircraft climbing to downwind from the crosswind location. To enter the airport traffic pattern, check for traffic, position yourself at the pattern altitude, make your radio call and enter at 45º to the downwind position. If equipped, the Sting's advanced EFIS autopilot will make the 1000 ft pattern entry, base turn and final approach runway heading for you by pressing only two buttons. Of course all auto-approaches are supervised by the pilot, but are very handy when arriving at a strange airport after dark.
Downwind
Once downwind, reduce power slightly, hold your altitude and allow your airspeed to decay to 75Kts. Across from your intended landing point, reduce power to IDLE. Hold altitude and continue on downwind doing your pre-landing checklist. At 70Kts, extend half flaps and start your base turn with a traffic check and radio call. Keep the power at idle and use pitch to keep your speed at about 60Kts. Cross check the VSI. If your decent rate is about 5-600 feet per minute, you have it figured out. Keep the 60Kts as your speed around the initial portion of the base turn. Don’t forget to check the extended final approach for that unexpected straight-in traffic.
Base
Establish and hold 55Kts in final portion of the base turn. This will show up in your VSI as a decrease in the decent rate. Around 500 fpm is about perfect. Again check final approach for traffic and make your final approach radio call. Make the turn to final with varying degrees of bank to allow for the wind and your distance from the runway centerline. At 55Kts the Sting will give you plenty of maneuvering energy for any turns you have to make. If you find that you are overshooting the final approach course, don’t tighten the turn to make the heading; just continue the turn through the approach heading to a new intercept angle from the other side. Then correct with a new turn in the opposite direction to final. You should still arrive on final with 55Kts, which will allow you to roll out and extend the second stage full flaps when you are positive you can reach the landing area at idle. (Zero thrust in the Sting is equivalent to 55kts, idle RPM, and half flaps.)
Final
Complete the final landing checklist; maintain the proper glide path, and allow the speed to stabilize at 50Kts on short final. Setting the final flaps to full will increase your decent rate even though you have slowed to the final approach airspeed. So keep the VSI steady at about 500 fpm to stabilize the approach. Make any last minute SMALL (1/8" of throttle movement) power changes to allow for wind gusts or deviations from the proper glide path.
As you slow down and stabilize on final approach there will be about half of the cruise speed of airflow over the control surfaces which will require a bit more control displacement to maintain the desired aircraft attitude and heading. This is also true for the rudder. Just remember to keep the nose pointed with the rudder and the ailerons as required to stay coordinated. This process quickly becomes intuitive when you see it, so words are a bit crude for the explanation. But the this method of understanding the reduced aerodynamic forces on the aircraft will prevent a lot of adverse yaw and create an easy training method to maintain a constant heading to the landing area aim point.
Landing
While close into your landing aim point and into the area of 'ground effect', (remember you are still at idle power) simply start the flare and stop your decent just above the runway surface. Don’t allow the airspeed to decay below the 50kt approach speed while you are still 20’ in the air. Raise the nose as the airspeed slows to present the main gear to the runway and attempt to touch down at your intended landing point with little or no vertical descent rate. The aiming point will pass underneath while you are working at holding the nose wheel off the runway. This is normal and don’t worry about it. Spot landing will come later and be much more accurate if you continue to train to use the stabilized approach and a non-moving aim point.
You know from your stall practice that the Sting will continue to fly well below the speed of the approach and flare. You will be using that difference in speed (energy) to maneuver the plane during the last few inches above the runway. The intent of any landing is to contact surface of the earth at a tangent to the runway surface so that (in theory) you touch down at minimum speed just as you stop the descent rate. The most common problem is that the pilot stops flying the controls at touch down and lets the nose wheel flop on to the runway. Keep flying the plane with full crosswind authority and use full aft controls if necessary to position the nose where you want it. Use the elevator for pitch control and keep the nose wheel from dropping to the runway as you touch down. Hold the nose wheel in the air and gently lower it to the surface at about 35Kts
Roll Out
But the landing is not over! Continue to fly the airplane, both with ailerons and rudder for crosswind control just as you did for takeoff. Now primary steering control will be with the rudder pedal interconnect to the nose wheel. Apply the brakes gently at first to determine the braking effectiveness for the surface conditions. Do not 'ride' the brakes or 'slam' them on. Apply the brakes as firmly and evenly as is required for the desired stopping distance in coordination with the nose wheel steering to a perfect stop. The brakes on the Sting are VERY effective and can completely stop the main wheels from rotating at touchdown speeds.
Turn Off
Generally you won’t stop on the runway, even at an uncontrolled airport. However, when you are on the runway, it is you, the pilot, who is in control of the landing area. Don’t be inconsiderate, but do not rush the plane off the nearest exit unless you have total control of the aircraft and it is clearly within your skill level to turn and exit. Heavy, excessive braking will cause premature tire and brake pad wear.. Finally, make your radio call that you are clear of the landing area. The gradient at some uncontrolled runways does not allow direct vision of all the exit taxiways from the runway hold position.
Parking
As in the taxi for takeoff, do not let the ground speed increase as you return to parking. The engine RPM should be kept about 2000 to allow the engine to cool before shut down. The GreenLine will let you know if you reduce power below 1850 RPM. This is also the best RPM to reduce the engine impulse loads on your the gearbox, so, use about 2000 RPM for all ground operations. Even at this RPM the aircraft will want to accelerate. Do that braking thing.
Complete the ‘after-landing’ checklist in a non-congested area. A small check of your ignition system can be done by alternating which ignition switch is turned off first. Just shutdown by switching the 1 IGN Off – 2 IGN Off for the first flight of the day, followed by 2 IGN Off – 1 IGN Off for the next, alternating with the end of each flight.
After engine shutdown, don't forget to replace the safety pin in the aircraft parachute recovery system. Re-check that all switches are off and exit the cockpit. Chock the wheels, and check the engine oil immediately after engine shutdown to obtain the correct oil level reading.
Lock the canopy; install the canopy cover and tie-downs; then log your flight time. Don't forget to close your flight plan! Finally, it's ‘Miller’ time. Congratulations on another fun flight with your new Sting!
A Final Note
All of the above information will be covered in greater detail along with your personal questions during your five hours of transition flight and checkout in your own new Sting aircraft. These services, including a review of the Pilot Operation Handbook, Airworthiness Operating Limits, and Sport Pilot regulations are included as a part of your purchase. If you wish we also have an FAA CFI Pilot available for your currency and a Biannual Flight Review.
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