Originally Posted by
Genghis the Engineer
And finally, it's a VFR aeroplane with a reasonable view and plenty of attitude / feel cues - try and get a feel for it, don't try to fly by numbers - it'll do you no favours. I'm sure, like the rest of us, when learning you got shouted at for fixating at the dials (I'm sure that I did anyhow) - there was a reason for that.
i certainly did. thank god the vacuum system was down for my first solo, so i know that i know how to fly for real. (somewhat
)
re. 172 vs. 152, i find that the visual cues are much different. the 152 feels like being seated in an F1 car, whereas the 172 feels like a big jeep. the forces are higher, it reacts a bit slower, and it doesn't like to come down. (well, the one i first flew after the 152 had an upgraded engine, and flaps 40 were disabled). needless to say, i floated for a while, even though i started at the same height/distance i might have in the 152 with full flaps.