ALPHA Trainer www.pipistrel-aircraft.com
REV. 0
POH-162-00-40-050
Training/familiarisation supplement
This chapter has been written to assist owners/pilots/instructors of ALPHA Trainer on their quest to learn
how to safely and efficiently fly this aircraft in addition to the information already assembled in the rest
of this POH. This section will cover most operations the aircraft offers in an order established in section
Normal procedures and recommended speeds. Please consider what follows as an add-on to that chapter.
Engine start-up
First and foremost make sure you have sufficient fuel quantity on board for the desired length of
flight. If you are not completely confident there is enough, step out of the aircraft and add more fuel
into the tanks. There is an old aviators’ saying: “The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on
fire.”
When engaging engine starter, wheel brakes MUST be engaged. To keep your propeller in perfect
shape, avoid starting up on areas where there are small stones on the ground. Those little stones can
easily be picked up by the propeller causing damage to the blades.
Warming up must be conducted below 2500 RPM. When reaching safe operational engine tempera-
tures, verify maximum engine ground RPM. Hold the stick back completely and slowly(!) add throt-
tle to full power, then verify RPM.
Taxi
Taxiing with the ALPHA Trainer is rather simple considering the steerable nose wheel. It is recom-
mended you taxi slowly, up to 10 km/s (5 kts), while holding the stick back fully to ease the pressure
of the nose wheel.
During taxiing monitor engine temperatures. Due to low airflow around the radiators the CHT and
Oil temperature will rise during long taxi periods. If you are holding position, do not leave throttle at
idle. It is better you have some 2500 RPM as this will provide some airflow from the propeller to the
radiators and the temperatures will not rise so quickly. Should you see engine temperatures exceed
safe operational values, shut off the engine, point the aircraft’s nose into the wind and wait for the
temperatures to reduce.
Take off and initial climb
Having checked and set all engine and aircraft parameters, you should be ready for take off by now.
Reverify fuel valve is open. Trim indicator should be neutral.
Start the take-off roll gradually. Keep adding throttle smoothly and slowly to full power. There are
two reasons for this. First, you change flight stage from zero movement to acceleration slowly; this
provides you with time to react to conditions. Second, especially if taking-off from a gravel runway,
this method of adding full throttle will prevent the little stones on the runway to damage the propel-
ler. Extremely short runways are an exception. There you should line up the aircraft, set flaps to (+1),
hold the brakes, apply full power and release the brakes. Flaps (+2) can be used for short takeoff.
As you start to move, pull the stick 1/3 of elevator’s deflection backwards to ease the pressure on
the nose wheel and lift it off the runway slightly. Do not use full back deflection as this will cause the
aircraft’s tail to touch the ground.
Appendix
9-4
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