Slow flying & stalls

8 March 2010. Went up for my fifth lesson in sunny but slightly hazy conditions in G-CETD (the 4th aeroplane I've flown) in cold conditions with a slight crosswind from the north. Keith explained that I should handle the crosswind on takeoff by turning the ailerons into the wind on the initial takeoff run until 40 knots was reached then neutralise the column for the remaining roll before rotating. I did a decent enough take off and after levelling out at 1,500 ft headed off to the usual area just north of Chesham and west of Aylesbury.

Keith demonstrated the stall recovery twice: first without then with power. I then did 4 stall recoveries, firstly without power (power to idle, maintain back pressure on the control column to maintain altitude until the stall warning buzzer kicks in then feel the shudder in the airframe as the wings stall; immediate recovery is control column forward with right rudder and then level, losing about 400ft) and then the standard stall recovery [SSR] (same as before but with full power applied at the same time before climbing out, maintaining attitude and trimming; losing only about 80-100ft).

I then flew back to Elstree and carried out the standard approach and a much better landing than last time (we had talked through the flare and rudder control carefully before the flight). Still making good progress: I got a smiley face in my record from Keith! :)