Touch and go's on a trial lesson.

[BRL]

Just read on another forum a guy has booked a two hour trial lesson with two touch and go's thrown in.

If true, how would he be charged for this, would the T&G's be added on or included?

[Whopity]

I regularly do T & Gs on trial lessons if they're in the order of an hour or so. Not all aerodromes charge for every landing so it makes no odds.

[BackPacker]

Is it just me or do others think T&Gs on a trail lesson are a bit over the top? Regardless of whether they cost something or not?

I'm not an FI but on a trial lesson, as far as I know, what you're doing is straight and level, level turns, climbs, descents and possibly secondary effects of controls. You haven't done slow flight, trim, engine management, flaps, sideslips and a number of other things that are required for a good landing. You cannot expect even moderate rudder control. So in practice, it's the instructor who will fly the T&G, with the potential student following through. Other than the exhiliration, what's the added value of doing them in a trial lesson?

As I said earlier, I'm not an FI, but I remember on my trial lesson the instructor gave me control when we were leveled off after T/O, and took control away from me on final to land. Perfectly fine with me at that time.

[Spitoon]

Surely it will be up to the TL and the instructor to decide. If the TL knows a bit about flying and wants to try something and the school economics can support it, why not?

[BackPacker]

But if you have time to spare (a two hour trial lesson sounds very long), why not do things that are exhilirating but can also safely be done by the trial student? In other words: If instructor intervention is required because the student botches it up, it is only required rather late. For instance ever more steeper turns, or a S&L stall. Maybe even a PFL?

[Whopity]

Is it just me or do others think T&Gs on a trail lesson are a bit over the top?
A few weeks ago I did a 1 hour trial lesson for a person who was extremely nervous, the slightest bank upset him to the extent that he would not operate the ailerons himself. After demonstrating E of C we returned to the circuit to see something practical; he soon settled down and at the end of the lesson was keen to take up flying, his initial purpose for the lesson. A Trial Lesson is about Air Experience, to see what its like and if they have done some before, to consolidate on what they already know.

[JEM60]

Agree with Spitoon. First time I ever handled an aircraft I put it on the ground. I was an ATC cadet, and it was an RAF Chipmunk. During earlier handling, we discussed the possibility of doing a T and G and it was left to me to decide, a chance I jumped at. I subsequently learnt to fly. A descision helped by the T and G experience. The standard of people on Trial Lessons undoubtably varies enormously, and there can be nothing wrong with a competent person trying this.

[Whirlybird]

As Whopity says, a trial lesson is about air experience. Nowhere is it written what this has to consist of.

I usually ask my trial lesson students what they would like to do, and every TL is different. Some want to learn as much about flying a helicopter as possible, in which case we stay close to the airfield, do some general handling, then if there's time return to the field for some hovering. Others don't want to touch the controls; it feels like too much for them at that stage. But they want to see what things look like from the air, or have me show them what helicopters can do, or simply see what the whole experience is like. Some specifically want to see what an engine-off landing in a helicopter feels like. Helicopters don't do touch and gos (why would they?) but I quite often do the equivalent - a normal approach to show how it's done, followed by another circuit to demonstrate an auto-rotation.

It's up to the instructor and the student, and almost anything is acceptable.

[Blues&twos]

My first go included as much as I could persuade my instructor to do, so I did takeoff, stalls, PFL, steep turns and an attempt at landing which I was "assisted" with in the last 30ft or so.

Fantastic it was too. I slept like a baby that night.

[Fright Level]

I slept like a baby that night

What? You cried all night and woke up with your pants full of excrement? :}

[Blues&twos]

No, that was my instructor.....

[greeners]

Agree with Whirlybird, it really depends what the person wants. I'd reinforce the point that this is more about the experience for most people rather than the instruction, to see if they're going to enjoy it. For many of my students that will be gentle hands-on-stick time, whilst a fair few want to see exactly what the aeroplane can do - with some postively demanding high-g aerobatics. The objective is to ensure that they enjoy it - through tailoring the trip to whatever that particular individual wants - and then they have a greater chance of being enthused.

[hjmemon]

We had a non-written policy at our school by the chief that T & Gs werent allowed with pre solo students. I liked his saying
"T & Gs are worst landing and takeoff, before you finish your landing, you start you take off, so that means you didnt do a complete landing and a complete take off"

TC and Happy flying,
HJM