From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary

[mazzy1026]

John - excellent news mate...........this is what it says on my certificate:

"You defied gravity and and joined that elite band of aviators who flew then landed safely on Terra Firma".

Well done mate ;)

Cheq - I find that the biggest bonus for me now is not having to worry about studying for exams/uni etc. This Christmas will be the first one since I was 5 years old that I won't have to worry about reading for an exam or doing homework/coursework - so that is a pretty good feeling. Also, the finances are much better, but now I work the standard week, getting weekdays at the flying school is difficult, especially as my instructor only works week days (a good excuse for a week off!).

Well, when I started this thread I never ever thought it would reach 1000 posts!

Thanks all,

Lee :ok:

[kookabat]

More from the 'things you do after you get your licence' file!
I was lucky enough to get a back seat this morning with a mate in a Citabria. I wasn't doing (much of) the flying, just sat back and watched and enjoyed - off to a grass strip literally next to the Hume Highway (main road between Sydney and Melbourne) near Marulen for a fly-in breakfast organised by my mate's flying school. About a dozen aircraft went down (which meant some 'fun' in the circuit for the private strip we flew into!!) - a few Citabrias, a Pitts, a Tiger Moth, a Stinson plus a few of the usual Piper or Cessna offerings all made the trip - a big conga line following the highway all the way.
Had an awesome morning - did a few aileron rolls and wingovers on the way down which is GREAT fun and I think I'm hooked on the whole taildragger/aerobatics thing... this has the potential to turn very very expensive for me!! :D
Then a challenging landing on a rather undulating grass strip, brekkie and watching a bit of the action as others went flying around for a bit - a few were making the most of the opportunity to fly into an 'unimproved' strip with a few circuits or even aeros in the near vicinity. I was out very near the strip, camera in hand of course!
Then fly home again, following the highway as the weather was starting to look kind of dodgy (IFR -I Follow Roads!!) in a long line of various aeroplanes. Back into Camden, shutting down just as a rain shower started. Perfect timing as always! So - I had a great morning... then I went to work but that's another story.
For me, this typefies what private flying is all about. A bunch of pilots flying a variety of types into a small private strip for the sheer heck of it, and having a lot of fun in the process.

All I have to do now is learn how to fly a tail dragger!!!:E

[mazzy1026]

camera in hand of course
Post some pictures :cool:

That sounds like an amazing flight - I am dying to go up in a Citabria for a go, it looks fantatsic :8

[mazzy1026]

Guys - check out my post regarding Sherburn-In-Elmet in this forum....................

:ok:

[kookabat]

Here ya go... a few shots from Marulen. Only the static shot is mine, the rest are from my mate. I was shooting film so I have some more to process later on.
OK. The trusty steed for the day. Citabria VH-RRW.
http://www.geocities.com/kookabat/rrw-marulen.jpg

RRW on the runway. Check out the dust!!
http://www.geocities.com/kookabat/rrw-marulen2.jpg

Finally, a spectacular arrival by a Cessna. We think the pilot's used to taildraggers... check out that attitude!! They got it down just after it passed us.
http://www.geocities.com/kookabat/yikes.jpg

Good fun!!:ok:

[mazzy1026]

Great pictures Kook - it just reinforces my desire to fly the Citabria !!

:{

Neil and myself are hoping to fly today, we have the aircraft booked until 1600 but it isn't looking promising!!

[NT42]

Just thought I'd give another quick update on my progress!

I've had two lessons since my last post. The first we couldn't do circuits, so I had my first taste of navigation! Once I'd plotted a nice and simple route, we were off. It's nice to know that all flying isn't as hectic as in the circuit - I had forgotten that! Was fantastic to take in some of the Northumbrian scenery from the air! The lesson was only 45 minutes, but it gave me a nice insight as to basic navigation. After entering the Newcastle control zone, we orbited a while and made our approach. A nice, relaxed lesson was finished with a pretty good landing. (Lesson time - 45 minutes).

We were able to do circuits this lesson, but it was very windy. Luckily the wind was directly down the runway, so we could fly. Everything went as normal (except me managing to nearly get us lost on the taxiway!). As we took off I felt the real force of the wind, probably the worst conditions I'd flown in. It was perfectly safe, though and the circuit went as planned. My approach was good, and the landing ok. Although it seemed like it took 10 minutes to actually get onto the ground! Anyway, off we go again and on take off my instructor decides to throw an engine failure at me. Apparently I dealt with it fine, so we were back into the circuit. About half way down the downwind, he asks me if I want to do one by myself. To be honest I didn't, I wasn't happy with the conditions, but he just said, "we'll see how the next landing goes". It went ok, so I dropped him off, and I was on my own again (still air lawless!). But anyway it was all fine. I seemed to deal with the increasing traffic and poorer than usual weather conditions. Did one T+G and then called it a day. Was very happy to be sent solo again. (Lesson time - 35 minutes dual, 20 minutes solo).

So that brings us to today. I was in the club area, and even though there was no chance at all of flying, I thought I might as well pop in. During the drive there, I persuaded myself to do air law...could be a mistake, wasn't totally sure I was ready...but anyway, I took the plunge. Found it quite hard, some questions required a great deal of thought, some I had seen in the confuser. The majority I knew from extensive revision, though. Score: 90%.

Got lessons booked all week, now. So hopefully can finish solo consolidation (might as well do something during half term!).

Thanks,

John.

[mazzy1026]

Cheers John - sounds like you had a very successful few days, solo, nav and air law! Well done :ok: How did you find your first nav trip?

Well, further to my last post, Neil and myself did manage to get up into the Liverpool circuit. ATC asked us if we could wait an hour, as there were two other aircraft in the circuit, so we complied.

I have to say, that this could quite possibly be the most detailed circuit session I have ever seen - it certainly enforces the reason why you spend so much time in the circuit when doing your training. Anyhow, the first circuit went ok, and after being asked to orbit a couple of times, and extend downwind - we eventually got onto finals. It was then we were asked to go around, as another aircraft had caught us up on finals (however scary it may seem, it is a wonderful sight to turn around and have the bright lights of a 737 zooming towards you! So up we went for the go-around.

The next two circuits went fine, again with plenty of orbiting but it was the third that was the most tricky! When we were on finals (bearing in mind we were RW27 left hand) there were 3 other aircraft to join, another 737 on 6 mile final, and two other light aircraft, one approaching Jaguar (to join right base) and the other approaching from Helsby (to join left base) - so after we were told to go around, it was then when the controller said something along these lines:

"Go around with immediate RIGHT turn to join late downwind - I will call you back......"

So, we complied and then watched the 737 come in, and two helicopters (they took us by surprise). We eventually got onto quite a long final, to see a Ryanair 737 waiting for us on the ground :D

So, in summary - it was very good experience and the controller thanked us for our co-operation, to which we duly replied with a good "thank-you" for the help. Thanks to Neil also (DiscoChocolate) for letting me come along.

Regards,

Lee

[TJF97]

Hi,
Can anyone post there progress here?

If so, I started my PPL on the 29th September this year and I've manged eight and half hours so far this month. Its been quite frustrating because I've also had eight additional lessons cancelled during the last month (bloody weather!).

I took my air law exam yesterday and passed with 85% which was a real shock!!

I've got most of next month off and I'm either trying to complete most of my PPL here in the UK or I'll fly out to the states, my decision changes daily!! Before yesterday I was off to the States, then I had three good hours of lessons and I changed my mind again!!

My instuctor's here are so good and not just hour building that I think I'd become a better pilot as they are more interested in my progress than being another entry in there log book. Trouble is it may take a bit longer because of the weather!!

TJF97

[Lister Noble]

After checking out a few local places I have picked an excellent training school,very professional,good ground school and well maintained PA28-180 aircraft.
I am also frustrated by the weather,I book well ahead, six lessons between Friday and Sunday hoping to get some flying in but had five lessons cancelled last weekend and two this Friday,although I did manage to get nearly four hours in over this weekend.
I do notice it if I miss a week it takes me a while to get back in the slot, I have thought about training abroad but all my pilot friends say it is not a race,so enjoy it here even if it is frustrating.
Anyway this is the weather we are going to get when we eventually have our liceneces so we have to get used to it.
I started in August and have now done 17 hours,passed Air Law and Human Performance , doing some good landings and about ready for the solo,I had thought I would do the solo before this but the weather and of course my progress have got in the way.
Asking around there does not seem to be an exact time for solo,anything between 10 and 20 hours seems to be the going rate although some take longer ,age has quite an effect and I'm 62 so maybe that's why it is taking me a a bit more time?
Lister
:D

[Bob Stinger]

TJF97,
Welcome to Mazzys great thread,anyone can post on here and everybody learns from each others efforts, my advice as somebody who has held a PPL for 6 months is to do your training here in the UK.
Why, well I think we all fly better if we have our lessons closer together but, not all in a couple of weeks I certainly needed time for reflection , not a few minutes before the next lesson maybe a few days , if the training was intensive you wouldn't get that, some of my best decisions have come three days later whilst driving to work.
The one other thing I would do is if your lessons weathered off and you live close to the airfield go anyway , talk to your instructor ,talk to the engineers , hells bells even talk to the hanger cat ,you will learn something!
I learnt a hell of a lot talking to other pilots, just because its not fit for you to fly does not mean other people aren't , and you can if you are full of enthuasiasam(?) get a ride with them.
Good flying
Bob

[NT42]

Hello all.

Mazzy - was a very nice flight indeed. Probably the most simple navigation excersise I'll ever do, but very enjoyable indeed. A nice change from circuits, too. A short 45 minute, gave me a nice insight to basic navigation, follwoing the map, looking our for lakes and roads...really enjoyed having a good look at the scenery, makes a nice change to trying to find the airliners hurtling towards you! Was a rather wierd experience when the darkness set in as well - seeing the beacon flash against the wings. I felt like a proper pilot (don't ask me what the significance of a flashing light in darkness is - simple things...)!

I was very pleased with the air law indeed, I'd been getting 80% (average) on the confuser, but the day before the exam i took a fair few notes on the weaker points and it obviously payed off!

I've been grounded because of the weather today, which is shocking up here, so I'm going to have a day of meteorology study, and can hopefully do that exam sometime this week.

As for the first solo, there's tonnes of factors which come into play. I was lucky enough to get it done fairly quickly with not too many circuit sessions. But the weather was perfect, traffic was quiet, I'm only 17 and I've a very good, willing instructor - he's old school. Points at the 'plane and tells you to fly it. It also depends on the school, some request that certain excersises are done before sending their students on solo. At the end of the day it doesn't matter - it's not a race.

Finally - I also agree with Bob, if the weather is poor try and get down to the club just to "hang out". There's always someone about, who can offer some wisdom. And you often can pick up the odd free flight, which is always good! Instructors also seem to be willing to go through some theory as well, such as the whizzy wheel.

Anyway, cheers all.

John.

[mazzy1026]

Can anyone post there progress here?
Yes of course! Welcome TJF97 and Lister Noble - brilliant to see new people here, and thanks for sharing your experiences - you do realise that you have keep us all informed now don't you :=

Lister/TJ - what you have said in your post is 100% normal to anyone doing the PPL (I think anyway). The first one: the weather, this is or can be the butt of all our problems and cancelled flights. Secondly: trying to make the decision about whether or not to go to the States to do the PPL - I went through this phase at first and even went around contacting all the training organisations, however, for me it would have been the wrong decision, which I am now glad for. I do hear of people who make a success out of it, but there are horror stories also - this is something which has been battered on pprune!

I think you have summed it all up in one phrase though:

Anyway this is the weather we are going to get when we eventually have our liceneces so we have to get used to it.
No only that, but you may come back from the USA (or wherever you may have done it) and not be ready for 'UK' airspace, as I believe things are done somewhat differently over there. I suppose it's purely a matter of personal circumstance, and what you want to do with your license once you have it.

Bob - thanks mate :ok:

Jon has summed things up spot on about going solo - couldn't agree more, however do be prepared to get frustrated when you are well up for going solo but other factors prevent you - if you recall in some earlier posts before my solo, I just couldn't seem to get a day when the wind would go away - even conditions for my solo weren't perfect.

Regarding getting yourself down to the flying school to meet people etc - this is a fantastic idea, so far through this diary and being around other pilots (aside from meeting loads of people) I have flown in a Chipmunk and done some fantastic aerobatics, flown a C152 with pponting, flown our schools Cherokee, been shown the R22 and R44 helicopters (I promise Whirly, I will take you up on the offer for a flight) and flown with Neil a few times! Definitely a good idea to show your face :8

Don't forget MSN Messenger, the list of 'flying buddies' gets bigger: [email protected]

Thanks again,

Lee
:D

[MyData]

Blimey. Nothing for days then a storm of postings!

Mazzy - referring to your earlier post:

"ATC asked us if we could wait an hour, as there were two other aircraft in the circuit, so we complied" - I read that as meaning that you were IN the circuit and had to wait an hour. That's a LOT of orbits ;-)

whereas...

"bearing in mind we were RW27 left hand" ... then when the controller said something along these lines "Go around with immediate RIGHT turn to join late downwind - I will call you back......"

So you joined up late downwind for R27 Right Hand? Is that what was intended by the instruction?



jwf

"except me managing to nearly get us lost on the taxiway!" - been there, done that. Get a copy of AFE or Pooleys and learn the taxiways by heart - I always carry a copy of Leeds, Humberside etc. with me just in case.

I had great fun at Sywell - all grass. No nice yellow line to follow. Makes for a interesting change.



No flying for me for a few weeks now. I cancelled my lesson yesterday as I had a cold and headache and DID NOT want to repeat any of the bad feelings that can happen when in the sky and not 100%. I guess that the weather would have canned things anyway.

[wbryce]

Hello TJF,

If you enjoy reading write ups..have a wee look around my site - www.wbryce.co.uk started after my PPL though and currently recording an IMC rating diary.

Hope you enjoy your flying.

will

[DiscoChocolate]

MyData - We (me and Mazzy) were on a 1 mile final and told to turn right and report ready for right base for 27, and THEN instructed to extend downwind due to the helicopter traffic on Left base. So it all got very confusing but a very good day for learning! I think all the confusion we encountered that day was due to the fact the controller couldnt see us on his primary radar for some reason, anyone know why this could happen?

Neil

P.S Welcome new people! :}

[mazzy1026]

Data - Yes that's the closest I can describe it with a keyboard :D

If you can imagine that after we established the go around and applied full power, we were turning right and climbing over the numbers where we would normally be flaring over, to to intercept downwind (kind of like a very early crosswind). From what I can recall, there was another aircraft that had just took off, and I don't think the controller was happy with the spacing :=

Will - I had a look at your site earlier, it's very good - I will try and get it all read ;)

EDIT

Thanks Neil - I needed some backup there hehe :ok: It seems we are writing at the same time.........

[wbryce]

Mazzy, no problems...the site will probably be developed more as time goes by! sometimes progress may be slow like it is just now....should hopefully have a few more IMC lessons under my belt in the next couple of weeks.

[Say again s l o w l y]

Yes you will! But you and I are going to have to have words about your unusual positions recovery technique!!
Doing it all at the same time....... Indeed. Did I not explain about torsional loads?

Seriously though, a good site. See you next week for more under the hood fun and games!

[Chippik]

like the site bryce, stick in at it (the flying that is) look forward to seeing ur progress

[NT42]

Hello all!

Had another two lessons, circuits and the early stages of navigation!

The first lesson was circuits. Was hoping to go off solo, but the wind was a little too gusty, so my instructor came up with me, to make sure I could handle it! Was quite pleased when, on the first landing, I was told to drop him off, and I could do 2 or 3 T+G's, but was told very firmly "if you're not happy, come straight back". Fair enough I thought, but I didn't think that would actually happen!! Got a couple of circuits in, and apart from messing up my RT twice, it seemed to be going fine. Until I got onto final. Was replying to landing clearance, and my readability had suddenly become "awful". So I very quickly decided to call a full stop landing, which wasn't even understood by the controller. He heard enough to acknowledge a landing, but nothing more. Got back to base, and didn't have a clue as to what the problem was...just hoped I hadn't done anything wrong! Luckily, it seemed I hadn't. And the radio is now fine. Quite a scare at the time, but as mazzy told me - it doesn't harm to get experience in those sort of "scares" - builds confidence.

Anyway the second lesson. Had a nasty crosswind, wasn't too good for solo circuits, so it was decided to have a low level navigation lesson, with some instrument flying thrown in! So off I went with the whizzy wheel, and planned a simple route. I seem to be understanding the basics of the whizz wheel now, which is good! My instructor, for the first time, told me do to the externals AND internal start-up myself. Once I had it started he'd come out, and off we'd go. Was quite nice, up until then he'd always been with me for the start up! (Again - little things!) The low-level navigation itself was fantastic, went a little off route but found my point fairly quickly. Was great to be fairly low - especially over hills and lakes, quite hard though. So onto the instrument flying - had my external view totally blocked, and all I had was the instruments. More than once I tried to look outside, so hard not too, but my instructor stopped me rather quickly! At first I felt a little sick, not having something outside to focus on. But I got used to it, and seemed to be doing ok. Managing to do turns, and climbs/descents and a mixture of the two. Was such a relief to be able to see outside at the end of it though, as much as I enjoyed it! Seems strange to not be able to see outside, when I'd been told off many a time for looking at my instruments too much, in my first few lessons! After a little frantic searching through the building haze, we found the airfield and came in for a crosswind landing. I'd never done one totally independent, so was a little nervous. My instructor decided to keep his mouth shut, and see how I got on. All was fine until the last 5 seconds, when he had to speak up! I did get it down, using the wing-down method, and I'm quite looking forward to some more crosswind landings now. Need some practice in them, but hopefully it won’t take long to get them totally right.

Lesson cancelled today, and with the clock going back there'll be no after school flights I expect. So I'll be lucky to get two hours a week, if that! Can’t wait to finish solo consolidation, and start on the “heavy” navigation!

Thanks, hope everyone’s flying is going well!

John.

[mazzy1026]

Great writeup John - sounds like you got a lot done there in two lessons! I know what you mean about the "little things" though - having been asked to start-up yourself is a real confidence booster. Just wait until you are asked to go outside, start her up, AND fly miles away all by yourself, a very strange but exciting feeling!

Lee :ok:

[mazzy1026]

Right then! Having booked the week off (1st – 5th November) I woke up on Monday morning and looked out the window. I wasn’t too impressed with what I saw, which was crap visibility and strong winds, ‘here we go again’ I thought. Anyway, I had a chat with my instructor and we agreed that we would see how the day went and decide later in the afternoon whether we would fly or not. At this point, I needed a currency flight, before the QXC, so this is what I was hoping for. Anyway, about midday I spoke with my instructor again, and decided that I would do a southern route, which would be similar to the QXC.

I planned the MATZ penetration at Shawbury and calculated a heading to Wolverhampton. I was informed that along the way, I would be given a diversion and would have to calculate new headings. The wind at 2000 feet was 180/30 so quite a strong crosswind for most of the route. The visibility was still rubbish, but enough to navigate and spot features close by. It was all going very well, called up Shawbury and got the MATZ approval and off we went through it. It was actually quite steady once we got up past 2000 feet; however our groundspeed was in the region of 65 knots! After we come out the other side of the MATZ, I was asked to draw a line to Hixon from Peplow (small airfield 6 miles south east of Ternhill) and calculate a heading to get to it. So, I gave the controls to my instructor, drew a rough line with the edge of my pen, and took the estimate of a true track – then I added 10 degrees to it for the wind, and then 4 degrees for the magnetic variation (also using the ‘rule of thumb’ (literally) to calculate distance and time (the distance from the tip of your thumb to the first joint, is roughly 10 NM on a 1:50000 chart)). I was really made up when the heading took me right overhead! We then turned for Crewe, which would be one of my checkpoints for the QXC – it is here where I would normally continue on the same heading to find Ashcroft Farm, before entering the low level, however, today I would simply be joining back up at Liverpool, so I planned for Chester.

It was at this point that I could not see a thing. The mist was very thick and nightfall was approaching, and due to the cloud cover, it was darker anyway for that time. So, I thought to myself “If I was alone now, I would probably panic, as I cannot see Chester” however, I could just about make out the waterline of the Mersey and thought “If I stay on heading and keep calm, I will be ok and eventually be over Chester”. So that’s what I did (obviously, I had my instructor next to me, so panic did not set in). As planned, we arrived over Chester, and having already put the rejoin call in, we proceeded with clearance to Cheshire Oaks (the retail park as it is described over the radio). By now, it was looking like night, and the ground was sparkling with orange and white – it was a truly amazing view (makes me want the night rating). So back to the flying school after a successful landing and a debrief.

I was of the impression that Tuesday would be a good day (and the best day of the week) so I was eager to get the above flight done ‘just in case’ Tuesday would be ‘my day’ (how right was I) :E

Tuesday – Solo QXC – Liverpool to Wolverhampton
Grins/nerves were of the many on Tuesday morning, when I got a call at 0900 from my instructor to come down to the flying school. Driving down there, knowing what I was about to hopefully do, was a weird feeling. I was scared (the good scared) and nervous, but very excited also. Hard to describe really (you all know the feeling, and those who ain’t done it yet – will!) I arrived, with all my routes/calls and procedures planned out and firm in memory. The wind was about 8 knots at Liverpool and 260/20 at 200 feet, so not too bad (yet). The forecasts were good and all was going as planned. (Strange, but I feel all weird now writing about it).

I checked out the aircraft and had some last words with my instructor, and before I knew it, I was sat on my own in the Tomahawk, closing the door and looking at an empty seat. Again, a feeling of loneliness (very hard to describe) but excitement. Started her up, completed all my checks, and before I knew wit I was airborne.

My first bit of advice for anyone flying (solo or not) is to clean the window you are looking out of. When I got out the zone and Chester and headed for Wolverhampton (south westerly direction) the sun was square in the middle of the canopy, right in my eyes. I could see every little spec of dirt and dried water/oil on the windscreen and I really wanted to pull over and wipe it before carrying on, but not possible in an aircraft! Anyway, I was feeling confident enough to continue and had a good pair of sunglasses on which meant I could see adequately. I was happy for the headwind, which meant I had more time to get things done. I contacted Shawbury and after establishing communication, squawk and radar contact, I was given a Radar Information Service. He asked me which service I was asking for, to which I replied “RIS please but if not possible, then FIS is fine”. It’s worth noting, that I had not been given clearance to transit his MATZ yet, I had to bear this in mind, as I think it is really easy to confuse establishing communication with being given a permission to do something (I’ve done it a few times before!)

So, I was given clearance to transit, based on 2500 feet on his QFE of 997. my route took me right in the middle of Shawbury and Ternhill, so I would have one either side however, Sleap can be a killer at this point, because it is very easy to confuse it with Shawbury, which what I did at first, but then in remembered this and looked for Shawbury closer until I found it. I then could see Ternhill to my left, having just passed Tilstock (small airfield used for parachuting) and Whitchurch (built up area north east of Ternhill). I was happy with navigation so far but my next concern was finding Cosford which would pass by my left, and Telford which I should have underneath me (the northern edge of the built up area). If you have a chart with you, have a look at the high ground which is south of Telford, I should have this to my right and be above Telford. When looking ahead, I could see that I may be slightly right of track, but realised that the nose was pointed into wind and not to be foiled by this illusion. When I got past Telford and Cosford, I started looking for Wolverhampton. This was my biggest concern. At first I couldn’t see it. I had the sun in my face (and a dirty wind screen) and couldn’t distinguish features on the ground, because of this. After about 3 mins of looking, I found it, ahead, just to the left (I had already contacted the FISO and established communication). A major relief to say the least :rolleyes:

Now, here is the fun part. I was asked to report overhead 2000 feet which I did. I was actually given runway 22 (which is the short one) and wasn’t too happy to try it. I asked for runway 28 as it is much longer, but knew I would have to tackle a tasty crosswind. I was then asked to join on 2 mile final (there was a lot of traffic). So, I did so and reported final, I was given clearance to land at my discretion. I was very focused at this point, knowing the runway undulates quite a bit and this crosswind was constantly in the back of my mind. I made a reasonable approach and landed a little to the left of centreline, which was quickly corrected with some right rudder. I then asked for taxi to the asphalt parking, which was next left and follow the path! I was very much relieved having completed this part of the QXC and was looking forward to a brew in the café. I went up to see the controller, and he asked me “would I like to save myself a tenner” to which I replied “yes” wondering how this would be possible. As it turns out, there were free landing vouchers in the GA magazines (I already have one which was at home, and I was of the impression that you couldn’t use it as a student) however, I was wrong, so I bought a magazine which I didn’t already have (bonus) and went to ‘pay’ the fee. Got my sheet signed and said the thank-you’s then went up to the café, to relax for 30 mins or so with a rather nice cup of tea. I took all the documents that I had used so far and screwed them to the back of my flight bag. This was one flight over – I now had the next one to think about.

Wolverhampton to Blackpool

I went back to the aircraft and firstly gave it a general look over (to see if anyone had walloped it). Having done that, I checked the oil and the fuel (along with the rest of the engine etc) to make sure all was well. My technique for deciding on which tank to fly on next, is to look at the tank that has the least fuel, then go and select it in the cockpit. That way, I can taxi on the tank with the least fuel, then change tanks, do power checks and fly on the tank with the most fuel. So, off I rolled down the taxiway, remembering to do my power checks at the hold point, and not the parking area, that would surely do a few people’s heads in, if not mentally then literally :=

Having lined up, the runway undulations became clearer. After applying full power, it is necessary to use a fair amount of rudder to keep the centreline (the lumps and bumps tend to throw you around a bit) also, it is easy to hit a ‘lump’ and bounce into the air, so it is important to try and stay on the ground until you reach rotate speed. I climbed out remembering to turn at the QNH height of 800 feet (due to the elevation of Wolverhampton) and not 600 feet like at Liverpool. I turned on a northerly heading and climbed to 2500 feet. Just before I got to 2000 feet I got on the radio and said something along the lines of:

“G-## heading north for overhead Hixon airfield climbing 2500 feet”.

The reason I did this was not only to aid the controller in his duty, but also to let anyone else know who was in the area, of my position/intentions. It was a good job actually, as another aircraft passed quite close to me underneath in the opposite direction – I cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining a good lookout, especially at smaller airfields where you are not controlled by ATC. It is all too easy to get complacent when flying round Liverpool, thinking that you are safe because you are in controlled airspace!

I was in a good frame of mind, and was happy with the fact that the sun was no longer in my eyes. I settled onto my height, thanked Wolverhampton for their excellent help and gave London Information a buzz (I have seen a lot of debate recently about the use of London Info – this is what I have been trained to do). After putting the initial call in, I did expect him to say ‘standby’ – which he did. It was it’s usual busy self. I eventually got the call in, and established good communication – it is amazing some of the stuff you here on there (as I have mentioned in a previous post) a lot of different accents and types of aircraft etc.

I started to look out for Hixon, which was strange at first, as there seemed to be 3 or 4 large fields in the same vicinity, which at first glance could be mistaken for aerodromes. I was determined not to get lost here, as I had the large built up area of Stafford about 3 miles south west of what I was looking for. Keeping this in mind, and looking at a large river/canal to my right, I successfully found Hixon, which was bang on my heading and time. I was made up, because now I was to be turning for Crewe – a large white, built up area which has a bout 7 railways all meeting in the middle, and the M6 running right alongside it also. It does stick out for miles, but you have to be careful not to confuse it with Stoke-on-Trent which looks similar from distance (white buildings etc). On the way from Hixon, the M6 is to your left and there is a service station which goes right under the nose – this was the case and I was pleased to see Crewe starting to appear. It was at this point I called up Manchester for the FIS and low level transition. I have to say that the Manchester controller was fantastic, he was extremely helpful and a real pleasure to be talking to.

(read on to the next post - pprune won't let me post that big!)

The next difficult bit was finding Ashcroft Farm. By looking at the chart you can see that Ashcroft is about 2 miles south west of Winsford – so in theory it should be easy to find, but this is not usually the case, as Ashcroft can change colour quite a lot throughout the year (Ashcroft is a very small grass strip – there are no visible taxiways or hangar). My thought here was to keep my headings and times and keep a good lookout. I found it. Was made up (at this point I was at 1250 feet on the Manchester QNH) knowing that I could now head north up the low level. I entered it successfully and managed to maintain desired track throughout, with some excellent traffic information from Manchester (there was loads of micro light activity that day).

Now, here’s where a potential ‘QXC stopping’ problem may have cropped up. My exit point of the low level, is a large roundabout, which is about 5 miles south east of Haydock racecourse – turning for Blackpool at this roundabout would position me south Abeam Haydock however, to my left (over most of Liverpool/Kirkby/Ormskirk) was a huge bout of rain, beating down on the country. So, I elected to extend the low level leg for 3 miles, which would put me 3 miles north of Haydock – and further towards Wigan) which would mean that I would miss the bad weather by a fair distance. This turned out the good option, and meant I could carry on to Blackpool. Having passed the weather, I turned back to see that it was drifting away, and I wouldn’t have a problem getting back home. It is worth pointing out that this was not on the forecast which I had checked, and had with me – it was an isolated shower and it passed away without causing any real difficulty.

Now it was time to call Warton – to get a MATZ penetration approval and joining advice to Blackpool. This went without a hitch, and before I knew it I was being asked to call Blackpool Tower for landing instructions. When I called Blackpool, I gave the full call and was asked whether or not I had contacted Warton beforehand, to which I told them I had been given MATZ approval and asked to call you! At this point, a fear was a bout to crop up.

I had been given overhead instructions to join for runway 25 (the shortest one available) and in the past, if I have been given this one, my instructor had asked if we could use RW38 which is huge – so I pointed out my concerns to the controller who was happy to let me go in for RW28 but did advise me that the crosswind may be a little stiff. So, I said something along these lines:

“Roger, I will set up for approach on 25 and if necessary initiate the go around, with the intention of assessing RW28”.




He was fine with this – the airport wasn’t really busy. So, I joined crosswind having descended dead-side and psyched myself up for a landing on the shorter runway. Some of you may be thinking that there may have been an option to turn around and go back to Liverpool, and you are right, however I was not going to throw all this away without even having a go. The wind was making it’s presence (as it usually always does at Blackpool). So, I got on final approach and was determined not to even think about using the displaced threshold (for those of you that have been to Blackpool, you will see that RW25 looks much longer than it actually is) not only would this be stupid, but also dangerous! It is a good job too, because when I got to about 200 feet, a fence running right to left appeared, which was impossible to see from further away. So, with plenty of clearance above the fence, a good approach speed and generally being happy with everything, I touched it down with plenty of runway to spare. I was really made up, and I was asked to taxi to Fylde Park (grass parking) to shutdown – I was over the moon. I thanked the controller, shutdown, and headed to the café for a chicken mayo sarnie :8

I had a rest in the café for about 30 mins, and stocked up on fuel (human fuel) before heading to the information desk to pay my fees and get my sheet signed. The (very very nice) lady from ATC was already on the phone to the information desk, and she asked to speak to me – she said that I could book out now, and congratulated me. I felt on top of the world. I got through the security checks and had my body/bag scanned then made my way back to the trustworthy Tommy.



Blackpool to Liverpool

After I started her up and got taxi clearance, I decided I would adopt the short filed takeoff technique – as Blackpool were still on RW25. I set up for the power checks at the hold and awaited clearance. For those of you that have Blackpool charts, look for hold point B4 which is adjacent to RW25. having been given clearance, I turned left onto the runway to backtrack (to make sure I got as much of the runway as possible, I went right to the very end). I was actually given takeoff clearance whilst still backtracking, and was hoping that the controller (yes the lovely lady I spoke with on the phone) didn’t think I was going to take off in the wrong direction! I turned the aircraft round, set one stage of flap, hit the brakes, applied full power and let her roll. I waited for 65 knots and rotated, climbing away at this speed (best angle of climb). Once at 500 feet and in a well established climb, I reduced the flap and let the airspeed rise to 70 knots (best rate of climb). I was immediately asked to contact Warton, so I said my goodbye’s/thank you’s and changed to Warton.

Rather than just say:

“Warton Radar G-####”

I gave a little more detail, so that only one transmission would be necessary which would give me more time before hitting the MATZ. So I said:

“Warton Radar G-#### out of Blackpool to Liverpool heading St Anne’s Pier climbing 2000”.

To which the reply was an immediate clearance to cross the MATZ and a request to squawk. It was ironic at this point, because my instructor was up in another aircraft with another student, doing the Leyland – Southport route (if you remember a while ago, this was my first navigation lesson routing and it couldn’t have gone any worse – I wrote it up a while ago) I was amazed at how much I had learned since then. I could hear them on the radio and it brought back some horrible memories :cool:

I was now on home turf. The routing took my smack bang over my house (I was very tempted to do some orbits – but I stuck to my plan and carried on) and before I knew it I was calling 5 for rejoin at Kirkby. I descended and was given clearance to Jaguar, where a 737 was joining on right early downwind – he was about 800 feet above me and there was a ‘3-way’ established between myself, the controller and the 737. I could see him, but he couldn’t see me – he passed right overhead and it was a truly amazing sight – he eventually caught sight of me and I watched him turn base leg and land – brilliant. I was number 3 to him, as another tomahawk was on left base. I extended downwind slightly and was given clearance to join final with the other aircraft in sight. I touched her down with great relief/pleasure as I knew I was about 2 mins away form completing my QXC.

I rolled to Kilo and shut down. I was on top of the world – I couldn’t quite believe what I had just done. Exactly one year and 2 days after my first solo, I took to the skies, traversed the country and got one step closer to the end.

Thanks for reading,

Lee :ok:

[maggioneato]

Mazzy Congrats. Great write up. Nearly there. :ok:

[Whirlybird]

Well done Lee, and fantastic write-up. :ok:

[NT42]

Lee - sounds like a very enjoyable flight with some good decisions. Great write up as well! Very well done indeed.

Congrats!

[DiscoChocolate]

Great write up mate! Congrats on what sounds like a great flight!
:ok:

[Happyeater]

Brilliant, Lee, well done. Its quite an achievement and a job well done. Your GST can't be far away now?

[kookabat]

Finally the old 'take a week off work' trick worked!!!

Top stuff, well done.

[mazzy1026]

Thanks for the kind responses people ;)

Got two hours now to do ADF, VOR and DME then it's the mock test! I think I have about 20 mins left to meet the official solo time, so I will probably do a few circuits or perhaps a mini nav before the test to keep up to scratch.

:D

[cadaha]

Hi

Anyone got a set of Trevor Thom PPL books that they would be willing to sell (and post to Florida)?

Please PM with a price if you have.

Cheers.

PS Anyone want a Villa in the Caribbean for 65K???

Regards

Carl:ok:

[Bob Stinger]

Mazzy,
Was at Blackpool that day myself , if youre coming again let me know if you want to meet up.
Bob

[MyData]

Mazzy

Great write up. We are both now at that stage where everything is done bar the time served and the GFT. Here we go, weather permitting.

I notice you didn't state that you made any use of the 'student PPL on QXC' radio calls - I found them most useful ;-)

Your call to London Information is interesting. I've never contacted them, and never seen any of my *eight* instructors do so. Only time I've seen it in use was when I was flying cross channel and we were in no mans land so it was the right thing to do.

I need to build a couple more hours solo and so am planning a trip to 'bimble' around. One of the options was to venture to the 'dark side' i.e. west of the Pennines. I looked at Blackpool in detail on my chart and noticed that Warton MATZ is pretty close. Do you find that usually clearance is given or do you fly around via Blackburn / Clitheroe?

The WX doesn't look so promising this weekend so I'll probably continue my planned route around the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire areas, but if there is a spectacular clear day you might see me over your side of the hills.

[mazzy1026]

Cadaha - you may be better posting that one in the main forum. Perhaps there are different manuals for the USA?

Bob - I will have a bit of solo time to make, so I may plan a trip to Blackpool, in which case, you will hear from me :)

Data - I sometimes put "solo qualifying" at the end of the call :D
Would be great to see you over this neck of the woods - any time you wanna come over, give me a shout. Getting to Blackpool is quite simple, you just call up Warton and ask for MATZ penetration (telling them you are routing Blackpool to land). I have never had a problem with this, and they usually always pass you straight to Blackpool tower! I've never known it to be refused...........

[cadaha]

Cheers Mazz will do. By the way I'm a brit living in the DR and the only way I can safely receive mail (without it being nicked) is through a mail service in Florida.

I want the books as I am returning to the UK and want to get a head start on studying before I get back and start my PPL

Great thread by the way, loads of info that gives us wannabees a feel for the course content and also problems that you guys/gals encounter during the course and how you ivercome them.

Keep up the good work. :ok:

[Chequeredflag]

Well done Mazzy - and a great write up too.

You may remember my last post detailed a really bad flight whilst (unknown to me at the time) I was coming down with 'flu. That left me feeling pretty low (the poor flight that is), and with one thing or another I did not fly again for nearly 4 weeks. I'm pleased to say my last trip (the day you did your QXC, Mazzy) everything went very well. Won't bore you with details, but it involved a land away, nav, stalls, steep turns, Matz penetration etc etc, so I'm current on all these now, and everything fell into place, seemingly better than ever before.

After my previous effort, I was pretty nervous on the way up, and had told myself if I was as bad on the day as previously, I would bin the whole flying exercise and stick to boating. I made sure I arrived in plenty of time, relaxed, plotted everything, read the notams, got the ppr required for the land away, checked the plane out, and STILL had 30 minutes "coffee time" to wait. This is the first time I've arrived so early (normally arrive around 20 minutes before the slot), and I have to say I was very relaxed by the time I climbed aboard.

I booked a lot of slots for last week and also for next week. I've just got to do a couple of solo navs, a distant land away and one more double lesson with my instructor - then, all being well, it's QXC time for me as well (we do Turweston, near Silverstone, Cambridge, a busyish commercial airfield, and back to East Midlands). Problem is , everthing I've booked to date has been canned due to weather!!.

I've now got slots booked for next Mon, Tues, Weds and Thurs, mostly doubles or two seperate sessions, to complete everything necessary to get me to the QXC stage. However, looking at the forecats, I can't see the conditions being suitable for solo student limitations until at least Thurs! Hey Ho, patience is a virtue in this game!!

Any idea when you are taking your skills test mazzy, a red letter day indeed!!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Cambridge, a busyish commercial airfield Busyness at Cambridge varies tremendously. Sometimes you're the only person flying, you can join the circuit however and wherever you like, other days you can't get a word in edgeways on either frequency and you've got three full circuits - choppers at 600', us lot at 1000', and the bizjets and fast jets at 1500' - as well as commercial traffic coming straight in to land.

(OK, so I've only been there whilst a bizjet was flying circuits once, and I've only shared the circuit with fast jets once (I think they were practising for Duxford the next day or something), and most days there aren't any airliner movements, but you can get all of these.)

Oh, and if you're on final for the main runway but it's occupied you might be offered the choice of going around or landing on the parallel grass runway - if you're vaguely aware that this might happen it'll be less of a surprise if it actually does! Actually a student on solo XC might be better off going around given this choice if they haven't practised this with an instructor first - sliding quite a long way sideways to line up with a different runway whilst low on final approach is possibly not something for a student to try for the first time for real on their own.

Most likely though you'll be sharing the circuit with a couple of other light aircraft and that's all.

[mazzy1026]

Cad - I see now mate, I thought you were training in Florida. In that case, I am sure a post on the main forum will attract a sale. Welcome aboard by the way, hope you can share your flying experiences with us too :ok:

Won't bore you with details
:confused:

Hehe - let's av em ;)

I really hope you get lucky with the weather, I can't believe how lucky I was to have one good day in between so much muck!

Gertrude - thanks for that :D

[TJF97]

Hi people,
I managed 5 hours last week but I had Wednesday and Thursday cancelled due to the weather. Although that said I still went in and did lots of ground exercises/emergencies.

Next week's weather is looking really ropey and I have got 8 lessons booked from Monday to Friday, I'd hate it if I missed all of them but its seriously looking that way. Its at times like this I wonder if I made the right decision to stay and do the PPL in the UK. I could just as easy get a quick flight out to the States next week and have it all done and dusted in three weeks.

I am now up to 13 hours in the log book, I discovered that I don't like stalling!! Blimey I thought the plane was going to fall out of the sky!!! The instructor was peeing himself, he said wait until we do spinning??

Anyway I'm still loving it, I just wish the weather would be great over the next three weeks and the the USA dilemma would go away!!

Cheese

TJF97

(PS, sorry for the rushed post, I'm at the evil in laws and I'm using there computer without permission!!!)

[Lister Noble]

Yesterday I did some quite good landings in very strong winds and really enjoyed it,wind was more or less down the runway but gusting around a bit and up to 25 knots.
Today the wind was straight down the runway and around 10 knots, I did a couple of OK landings but not spot on,then did a couple more better ones.
The CFI asked me to stop and did I feel like doing one on my own?
Caught me on the hop this did,as I thought I wasn't as good as yesterday.
I told him I reckoned I would be OK and off I went,I had been warned the plane would take off and climb quickly with just one person on board but it still took me a bit by suprise.
I was happy with the circuit although unlike other did not sing anything on the way round,just thought "I can't believe I'm doing this" and then did a reasonable landing.
I parked the plane and then there were lots of handshakes ,congrats etc and they all reckoned it was a good landing.
I have done exciting things through my life including sailing boats around the continent and racing cars but there is nothing like the feeling I have at the moment.
I'm booked for flying tomorrow but the forecast is not too special,anyway I can live on this high for a while!
Lister:D :D

[NT42]

LN - first solo? Very many congratulations! Great feeling, isn't it! The feeling won't go for a while now! Hope you can get up tomorrow and have another go!

TJF97 - I can sympathise. Stick in at it here, though. It'll be worth it in the end! I had a lesson cancelled today, which is bloody annoying. Plus I can't fly for two weeks, due to school and work commitments! Was talking to my FI, though and I've booked 2 hours so I can hopefully finish solo consolidation!

At least you get used to the dodgy weather now - it'll stay this way when we've passed!

Well done on the solo!

John.

[Chequeredflag]

Gertrude. Thanks for the info ref Cambridge - it's an airfield I will not have visited until the day of my QXC, so any info is welcome. I'm quite used to operating in and out of a busy commercial airport since I fly out of East Midlands. I don't think anything of it now, slotting in between 737's, Airbus 320's, and even the odd Antonov, but visiting an airport like Cambridge, solo and for the first time will make me sit up and take notice!!

Thanks again.

[mazzy1026]

Lister - great news, it is an amazing feeling eh, and it gets even better when you start Navigation!

Well done :ok:

[Lister Noble]

Thanks Mazz,and I've still got the buzz and am now going to write up my log.
No flying today as it's blowing hard straight across the runway,I spoke to the instructor this morning and he said "why spoil what's been a good weekend?"
I'm studying for the nav exam as it probably won't be long before we start doing practical nav flying lessons.
Lister:D

[Andy_RR]

Firstly I must say I like this thread a lot - well done mazzy for starting it. It's been a great source of inspiration for me and, no doubt, others too.

Well, I did my first solo circuit today at YPJT. A beautiful day with 15kts at 260 and blue skies. I've been waiting for it to happen for the last three hours or so, but every time I've gone up I've wound up doing something (or not doing something) that perhaps rattled my instructor a bit and put him off sending me out.

Today was IMHO, no different. I did an hour of circuits late this afternoon and was making an approach on one of them when ATC gave a guy clearance for 'immediate take off' whilst I was well into my final approach to 24L. This was also given him when the last plane to take off was about an inch off the deck too. My instructor muttered 'I don't believe he just did that' under his breath so it was go-around time.

No dramas really, except it was a busy circuit and I was flying up the live side (parallel runways) with two climbing planes below me and understandably getting a bit nervous about the situation. Probably should have asked my instructor before, but I put in a request for an early turn, which was approved with a long instruction to make no.2 to a Cessna somewhere mid down-wind. It caused my instructor to have a small fit and it put me off my stride a bit (a lot actually). Wound up delaying my early turn and then struggling a) to sight the traffic on downwind and b) (after a quiz from FI), to remember whether it was to be no.1 or no.2. to said plane. It shortly looked obvious what to do (I think) so I slotted in behind a plane and continued the circuit. Well, no planes fell out of the sky and I didn't hear any desperate RT trying to make the best of a mess, so I think I did OK (just!). I did get an ear bending about doing 'clever stuff' and 'I haven't taught you to do that'. etc

In retrospect, I'm nearly certain I should have left it to the ATC to shuffle everyone around whilst I was doing my go around and so rather than exchange the devil of a situation that I did know, of nervous anticipation for ATC instuctions for an unknown devil of me having to find my way into a new spot in a busy circuit and where everything suddenly begins to look like a Cessna!

Anyway, after a couple more conventional(!) circuits and some (what I thought were) pretty average landings, my instructor requested to ammend to a full stop. He took control on the ground and we did a Schumacher impression off at the first taxiway and headed for the runup area. It was at this stage pretty obvious what was going to happen but surprisingly I didn't feel any sense of trepidation or nerves.

We came to a halt and A, my FI packed his kit up and climbed out, giving me a few instructions to do one circuit for a full stop, go around if I had any proplems, a caution about the change in performance one-up etc etc. and then a last minute reminder about leaving the clever stuff out.

I re-did my pre-takeoff checks and then taxied off, successfully crossing the undershoot of a busy 24R and then cleared to line up after on 24L. To be honest, the only time a nervous thought went through my mind was when I went to full power. "I've got to get it right now!" The rest of the circuit was a non-event. The climb performance was impressive (for a 152!) and I was following a Singapore Airlines 172 around so absolutely no issues with finding traffic, keeping separation etc. The approach went well but the landing turned into two, although I managed to get the hold-off sorted for the second one. Then it was all over. It must have been a non-event, because ATC didn't even acknowledge my ground call as a first solo - in their defence they were pretty understaffed and overworked to today, even with a note on ATIS to that effect.

Well, that's my first milestone, with 20-something hours or so (I dared not add up my logged time just yet) and now for something a little different, more of the same!

Anyway, sorry if it's a bit rambling. Keep the diary entries coming guys and gals. There's probably 10 times as many people reading and gaining from them as the number of those posting.

Cheers,

Andrew

[mazzy1026]

Andrew - what a great post, thanks! Well done mate and welcome aboard! I hope you can share your future experiences with us!

Enjoy your new achievement :ok:

Lister - I have my Nav exam on Saturday, which if I pass, is all the exams done - no more ground study (apart from refreshers and going over GFT etc). Best of luck with yours ;)

Lee :ok:

[Lister Noble]

Andy,good post and I'm afraid I never was a terribly good letter writer!
I've just added up my hours to solo and it is 20 hours 40 minutes,so have posted this in case any new students think they have to do it in 10 hours or they are slow/useless/thick etc.
My instructors reckon there is no normal time, it's anything from 10 to 20+hours but they do say you young un's crack it quicker than us old un's!
The main thing is we're all enjoying it so much whatever our age etc.
Lister:D

[Chequeredflag]

Lee. I was surprised to see your School allowed you to take your QXC prior to passing all your exams. I've been told by my school, that you have to have ALL the exams in the bag before you are allowed to do this - I was under the impression it was a CAA regulation? Maybe I'm being fed a line to encourage me to get my last exam (Aircraft General) under my belt!! Any thoughts on this??

Mike

[mazzy1026]

Cheq - I see your point, I think these are school regulations and not CAA. It's strange actually when I talk to different people and they say "I had to do this and this". For example, I know a person who was allowed to get signed off for their QXC by any instructor, and not the one that they went dual with, whereas, I had to take time off work (no problem with this) in order that I could do my QXC on a weekday when my instructor works (he doesn't work weekends) due to the fact that I could not fly solo on another instructors license unless he had seen me fly.

Also, I had to do 3 hours solo in the circuit as a priority and was not allowed to do anything else until I had done so (which I am glad for now!) - I do believe this is not a mandatory requirement from the CAA either.

A prime example is that you should pass Air Law before your first solo, and again, I don't even think this is required by the CAA.

It would be good to hear of any others that people may have, and I am sure if I have been incorrect in any of the above, I shall be corrected :=

Lister, you have made an extremely valid point, one that everybody ponders over before they make their first solo!

Cheers all,

Lee :ok:

[Lister Noble]

My school does not allow you to go solo until you have passed Air Law.
I think the other exams can be taken later in the course but not too sure as the school keep pulling my leg.
eg,you only have to if your name begins with L or N !
Lister:D

[Chequeredflag]

Lee. It's a bit of a lottery, it seems, regarding exams! It's also a real lottery ref weather at the moment!! I was due to do a solo nav today at 10.30 - woke to a beautiful clear sky, but would you believe it the E.Mids winds are just outside the 10 kt crosswind limit for solo flights, Grrrrrr!! The plane is available at 12.00, so I'm waiting for the later TAF/METAR reports to see if it calms down a bit. The school decides these things, but 210/13 kts for runway 27 is VERY close to being OK. My school is VERY strict on these things, and will not deviate. They've never had an accident in about 20 years of operation, so perhaps their approach is admirable!!!

[mazzy1026]

Quite right Cheq - limits are there for a reason! It's not just the schools or the aircraft's limit, but it's also your own - you have to decide what you are comfortable with, and I wouldn't be (on my own) with a 13 knot cross wind!

I have been thinking of setting up a web-cam at Liverpool, purely because when I'm at home and I look out the window, it looks perfect, however when I speak to my instructor who is at Liverpool, he informs me that it's crap! There's only about 12 miles distance too!

[cadaha]

Hey Mazzy are using the PPL Confuser or the AFE Q & A. I've found a store that will post to USA and dunno whether to go for the full AFE package or just the five manuals and the confuser. :confused:

[mazzy1026]

Cad - I would definitely go with the confuser - I have got the AFE question book but never used it (I have heard quite a few times that it has mistakes in it). If you study the material well enough, you should be able to test yourself with the confuser and use it as a brush-up for the real exam. Bear in mind that the exams have recently changed, so make sure you get an up to date version of everything.

Best of luck :ok:

[cadaha]

Cheers Mazzy.

Just been reading a thread about PPL equipment to get you started

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=150662&perpage=15&highlight=ppl%20starter%20kit&pagenumber=1

and now I'm having problems deciding whether to go for TT Manuals or AFE. Some people reckon that if you are thinking of going pro later then go for the TT manuals as they are more in depth. Manuals 1 - 4 plus the confuser to start.

Should work out at the same price (ish)

Don't think I need Radio Telephony as I've found a free pdf for CAP413 which lays out the radio telephony stuff. It can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP413.PDF

Any recommendations would be great.

Carl :ok:

[mazzy1026]

Ah the famous AFE vs TT debate. I have only seen the AFE ones so can't give an unbiased view - do a search on this, it has been hammered on prune!

[TJF97]

Hi, I managed to get a hour in today. I was doing circuits (badly!!) Actually I was doing ok but I'm still having trouble landing, I'm flaring too early which is starting to annoy me!!
Any way I'll see how I get on tomorrow

TJF97

[cadaha]

TJF97 see this thread from the instructors forum, they are discussing flare points on this thread.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=196364

:ok:

[TJF97]

Thanks mate!! I've read it a couple of times and I can't wait to practice, trouble is the old weather has reared its ugly head again today (too windy) and I'm grounded until tomorrow.

TJF97

[mazzy1026]

That's a good one that. I wait until I can see tyre marks on the runway and then start the flare. When your higher above the threshold, they aren't as apparent as when you are lower down - works for me :=

[Chequeredflag]

Blimey Mazzy, at East Mids if you flare when you can see the tyre marks on the runway, you'd land on Kegworth village, some half mile short!! (or am I misunderstanding you?!)

Double lesson canned again today, wind/low cloud. I've got two single slots booked tomorrow, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, to try to get my next two solo navs out of the way, but it doesn't look too promising.

The problem is with this, that you mess up an entire day waiting to see if things improve. Invariably they don't!!

[cadaha]

Hi Guys 'n' Gals

Found a good pdf document showing all the low flying and transistion areas in the UK (any that not show are new or are temporary etc are show in NOTAMS). Of particular interest are the Military low fly training areas. This will help with Nav exercises and avoiding these will probably help prevent an nasty unexpected shock as you poodle along your planned track :eek:

http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/pdf/enr/6_5_2_1.PDF
You many have to register with NATS but it is free and has loads of good info

[mazzy1026]

Cheq - I knew that would throw up some confusion :p

I don't mean the huge tyre marks that the big boys leave behind, but the smaller ones, that aren't quite visible until you get closer. It's hard to explain with words!

Cad - That's a useful piece of info, cheers (good to see that most of my flying is done in an AIA) :ooh:

[Chequeredflag]

I knew that Mazzy.....only kidding! Hey, and the weather looks a bit better tomorrow - might just get my solo navs in!!

[mazzy1026]

Hehe :cool:

Hope you manage it, I will keep my fingers crossed :)

[cessna 152 pilot]

Mazzy

Just want to tank you for recording all of your flights. I have been reading this for a long time, and now i know what i am in for. I find it a bit funny reading about how bad the wx is becuase down in sunny Australia is is always 8/8 oakts blue. Still have a 15knot crosswind everytime i fly.

Booked in for my first solo in a few weeks - on my 16th Birthday. Just have to wait until i am old enough now.

[mazzy1026]

C152 - welcome aboard mate - your very welcome ;)

The weather is a funny old thing, but by the sounds of things, you will become very good at crosswind landings!

Let us all know how you get on - it seems daunting at first reading about Nav etc, but if you look at some of my earlier posts, I was scared too at the start - it's amazing what you can learn and in X amount of months/weeks time, you will be saying the same.

Regards,

Lee :ok:

[Lister Noble]

We do not have broadband as we live a long way fron the exchange and have two phone lines running off a DACS splitter.
To look at all this post would take me days, then I saw the download button at the bottom of thread.
Brilliant.
Sorry if this is obvious to everyone else but I thought I would post it as it may help some forumistes.
Lister:D

[mazzy1026]

My god :uhoh:

I didn't know about that - its HUGE

[cadaha]

Mazzy have you seen this!! These guys should have no probs with x wind landing :cool:

http://www.raymondstacy.com/pics/hv.wmv

[mazzy1026]

Cad - what a BRILLIANT video - thanks for the link, truly amazing.

Well, if I ever win the lottery............

[Chequeredflag]

For once the weather played ball!! What a fabulous day, cold (0 degrees at 3000), but sunny, clear and with fantastic visability - a few scattered at 3500, but that was it. I managed to get in the two solo navs I've been trying to complete for what seems like weeks (well, about 3 actually). the first, this morning, I found I was a bit "edgy" (it was my first solo nav), but it went well, except for getting my call sign wrong a couple of times (I usually fly in Oscar November, but for the first time in several months I was in Romeo Yankee, and habit kicked in. This rather confused the tower controller who did not have me booked out as G-CDON ("are you sure you arn't Romeo Yankee Sir?!"). Red face!!

Later, I repeated the mistake whilst switching to Coventry Approach for FIS, when it ALSO confused another student that was close behind me (in my "normal" Warrior, Oscar November on his QXC, and also talking to Coventry. I saw him afterwards and apologised, and we had a good laugh about it - he told me he had to look twice to be sure he WAS in Oscar November, 'cos my mistake made him doubt it!!

The afternoon nav, was much longer, involving lots of R/T exchange/changes, and a MATZ penetration at Cottesmore. This second exercise was fantastic, everything went well, all the waypoints coming up on the nose (good viz always helps, though the headings were spot on). I was much more relaxed second time, more "on" it, and REALLY enjoyed the hours flight.

Both these exercises were rounded off with a couple of my best landings ever (with no instructor there to witness them - he reckons next time he's going to the edge of the runway with his video camera!) I have to say that I was pretty tired after the exercises - a little under two hours in total, but my advanced(ish) years raised their ugly head!!

I've got a lesson booked tomorrow, weather permitting, and it doesn't look too promising at the moment, when we are practising forced landings - according to our CFI (who is also an examiner), PFL's are ALWAYS the weakest part of anyones Skill Test - something worth remembering. Then it's a long distance solo land away, and the QXC.

Safe flying all.

If you want to see some real skill, take a look at the post on the PPrunes\' "Rumour and News" Forum - the thread is entitled "pod strike at LHR", then see page 3, and the posting by WILEY, and click on the "leathermans" link.

Awesome crosswind stuff with 777\'s

[kookabat]

down in sunny Australia is is always 8/8 oakts blue.

Not so sure about that, mate!! ;)

http://www.geocities.com/kookabat/offthewing.jpg
We had canned a longer flight we were planning due that low ceiling and (relatively) high(ish) terrain to the south - but felt like going flying anyway. Stayed relatively close to the airport so if it did get bad we could get down quickly... Beautifully smooth, despite the dodgy ceiling. Great fun!!

[cessna 152 pilot]

kookabat,

You wouldn't happen to be flying around brisbane in Queensland would you!!

Just looking but are you using some flap.Just board

but i see what you mean about the wx.

[kookabat]

Nahh mate I'm somewhere near Sydney... and yes, I had flap down, was waiting for that Citabria-like thing to catch up!! :}

Read the rest of the thread for my weather-related whinges!! :E

[mazzy1026]

Nice pic ;)

So you actually have bad weather in Australia :eek:

:E

Cheq - sounds like you had a good time - I have managed to talk on the wrong frequency 3 times now, usuall forget to switch between Tower and Approach, but once asked Liverpool for a MATZ pen instead of Shawbury :{

[MyData]

Today was a momentous day for me in my training schedule. I've now completed the syllabus and notched up the requisite solo hours after having a bimble from Gamston to Scarborough, across towards Malton then back on the VOR to Gamston. This VOR tracking is really good fun - especially when you have two of them to play with.

This is in addition to last weekend's fun when I also managed to get a short amount of night flying in too (with the instructor of course!).

So the skills test is booked, everything is looking good, and barring any poor weather I should be qualified in the coming days / weeks. I'll not let on about the date yet as I don't want to put any further pressure on myself.

And to complete a great day, here are a couple of snaps of the Yorkshire East Coast and of Scarborough earlier this morning...

http://www.mydata.co.uk/photos/eastcoast.jpg

http://www.mydata.co.uk/photos/scarborough.jpg

[cadaha]

Great pixs MyData.

Less clouds over Yorkshire than here in the bloody Caribbean!!!

Missing Yorkshire and doesn't look like I'll be back before Christmas.

Suppose I'll just have to study for the ground school stuff over Christmas now that my manuals are on the way :{

At least I'll be able to do the exams pretty quickly and concentrate on the flying more when I get home.

Have some Fish and Chips and a few pints of Tetleys for me.

[mazzy1026]

Nice pics Data - cheers :ok:

especially when you have two of them to play with
Do you have two VOR instruments in the aircraft, or do you have one and switch between the two frequencies? I can imagine having two would make position fixing much easier, as you can draw two lines from the VOR and where they meet, should be where you are!

[MyData]

Mazzy - two separate VORs (and an ADF thrown in for good measure). Using the two VORs I found it useful to track out on one radial then intercept the other from VOR2 at the right place. A check on the VFR chart shows that I am where I'm supposed to be.

Of course, I'm still flying VFR all the time and aware of position but this makes for a great introduction for using radio nav aids and it all makes much more sense in the air when you can see what is happening in real time. What did help though was a wet and miserable day where I sat in the aircraft with the instructor and we tuned into VORs on the ground, identified them and then turned the heading dials. Once I had this knowledge it made things easier to follow in the air - I'd recommend it if you are located near enough to VORs or NDBs to be able to do some ground based practice.

The other fun I have is to use the VORs to practice my estimating skills for angles. I'll use my current position as a 'diversion' point and estimate the angles to the VOR ground stations as though they were airfields. Then turn the VOR dial until the radial is locked in - and compare notes with my earlier estimations.

All this tuning and reading of books on DME radial turns etc. has really given me an appetite for the IMC once the PPL is in the bag.

[cessna_nam]

Hi Guys

I really enjoyed this thread, couldn't stop reading, although I am supposed to be working :p I am currently doing my PPL in Namibia and I can only recommend that, especially because of the weather. Clouds? I don't even know what that is anymore, although some rain would be great (I never thought that I, as a European, would say that some time). Sometimes it's too much wind, but in general you don't have to worry too much about the weather conditions, which is quite a relieve when I compare it to the experiences of most of you.

I have finished the circuits by now, but didn't start with cross country flights yet, hopefully next week. Today I'm going on my own to the General Flying Area the first time and will try to improve my forced and precautionary landings. I am especially struggeling with the precautionary landings, does anyone have some advice on that?

I am also quite scared of the nav exercises, because here everything looks somehow the same from above, and there are almost no big cities to help you find you way. But I guess I'll manage somehow.

Enjoy the flying!

[mazzy1026]

Cessna

Welcome aboard mate - thanks for the post.

Firstly, with your PFL's - relax and fly the plane. Don't get caught up with your mayday or this and that, just put the carb heat on, and set the aircraft up for the glide. then, pick your field and dedicate yourself to it. Then, if you can, try a restart and send a Mayday. Your instructor will go through all this, and there is tonnes of literature on the stuff.

Navigation is very daunting at first, all the complicated processes you have to go through and planning etc - everyone gets this feeling when starting nav, including me - just have a look at my first nav exercise post (it was truly awful). You will pick up a hell of a lot of skills and you will look back in the future, and be proud of what you have learned.

Best wishes,

Lee :ok:

Data - I reckon the IMC will be my next venture too!

[cessna_nam]

Mazzy

thanks for your reply! I am also quite confident that the nav stuff will become easier with time, just the first one is scary.

I am actually ok with forced landings, had to practice that a couple of times already, but we also have to do precautionary landings and they are really confusing. My instructor did explain it and in theory it's ok, but in practice you just have to remember too many things at the same time. Maybe somebody can share their experience with precautionary landings or do you not practice them?

Otherwise, the weather is good in the UK, so you can go flying.

Cheers, Cessna_Nam

[cadaha]

Keeping on page one.

Some funny stuff for you!!.

Did I pass????????
http://www.pplmania.com/games/bumpy_landing.wmv

Secure your cockpit
http://www.pplmania.com/games/loop.wmv

Was my approach ok???????
http://www.pplmania.com/games/boeing747.mpg

When are we gonna start then????
http://www.pplmania.com/games/girl_on_beach.mpeg

Enjoy

Carl :}

[Chequeredflag]

I was on a nav/landaway with my instructor today, and was routing from Turweston (near Silverstone) to turn overhead Podington (Santa Pod Raceway) near Wellingborough, when we were told by Cranfield of a "temporary danger area" just West of the M1 between Junctions 15A and 16, and to keep well away. We wondered aloud what it might be, and I have just discovered that it was due to a light aircraft (microlite?) coming down near the village of Bugbrooke (I know it well, with friends living there). As a result, one person on board died and another was seriously injured, which is terrible news.

It was a perfect day for flying, and it is sobering indeed to think that two people enjoying the beautifully clear and sunny conditions should end up this way. I'm sure our thoughts are with those concerned, and their families.

[mazzy1026]

Cheq - bad news indeed. Never like hearing anything like this, especially as it is a wake up call to the dangers of what we do. My thoughts are with the family and friends of those concerned.

[TJF97]

Well this week was very busy!! I did a total of 11 hours training this week, in the UK!!! The weather has been great all week!

Oh and did I mention I went solo as well!!! I was shaking like a leaf, I have never been so relived to land on that runway, and boy did I land with a thump!!

I cracked on through the week until I completed all the circuit tuition and now I'm out of the circuit and onto PFL's and steep turns next week!!

The only weird point was my last lesson, we went up to 3500' to start the steep turns lesson and all of a sudden I was overcome with fear about how high we was!!! I just couldn't concentrate and wanted to get down!! Which is what we did! Has anyone else felt like this?? I was thinking that perhaps it could be that I was tired although I did have one scare during the week when I was doing the circuits and that had played on my mind ever since??

Anyway I'm all booked up for next week, just sitting here trying to study as I've got to do two exams next week!!

TJF97

[MyData]

Cheq - very sorry to hear that news from you. I did see it on one of the news sites. Its things like that that put things into perspective at time.

TJF97 - Solo! Congratulations. Well done and welcome to the club. Interesting that you found fear at 3500', it has never happened to me - I'm more of the view that the higher I am the safer I am as I have more time to do something if something goes wrong.

My greater fear is in the take off (just always waiting for that EFATO) and in the circuit. However being on finals is always a nice feeling until the last 200ft where any error in judgement becomes obvious and it is time to make things right - quickly!

Don't worry - I'm sure you will get over it without any issue and will soon be passing through 3500' without a worry.

[Lister Noble]

Beautiful morning and I arrived at the airfield 10.30 having now done 1.25 hrs solo.
I was thinking one day he is going to say "it's over by the fuel bowser so off you go."
Well that's exactly what happened,the CFI told me to take it up to between 3-4000 feet north of the field and practice some manouveres for 30 mins then some landings for next 30 mins.
Off I went on my own and it all went very well,some left and right hand turns through 360 and some dives and climbs all the time keeping good lookout but a bit difficult to see into sun on base leg .
Then this afternoon we did the steep turns ,spiral dives,a feel of near Vne handling and then some glide approach landings.
Tomorrow we are going to do some local navigation , I am really looking forward to that and I will also probably do some more solo stuff in the afternoon.
The weather is fantastic and all being well I should get 6 hours in this weekend.
Lister:D :D :D

[NT42]

TJF97 - very well done on the solo! It's fantastic, isn't it!? I've not experienced the height problem to that extent, but I wouldn't worry about. You'll probably get used to it soon. The only time something like that happened to me was when I hadn't flown for half a year or so, and had a flight in a Jet Provost. Got much higher much quicker than in a PA28, I looked down and felt....terrible. Luckily this lasted 5 seconds or so, and went. Anyway, congrats on the solo!

Lister - Sounds very fun indeed! Must be nice being able to fly pretty much anytime! I can't wait to be told to go off on my own, outside the circuit! Hope you do get your 6 hours - wish I could!

Cheq - is indeed very bad news. My thoughts are with all those affected. Like mazzy said - it brings it home and makes you think about it.

I'm hoping to finish solo consolidation tomorrow, got 2 hours booked. Can't wait to get flying again, it's been horrible sitting in school watching the clubs aircraft flying over in this beautiful weather!

Tomorrow looks good weather wise (at least up here) so hopefully everyone can have a nice flight!

John.

[MyData]

I've PASSED!

That's all for now. A full write up tomorrow. Thanks to everyone on this thread who have given great support and inspiration over the past 18 months!

I'm going out now to celebrate!!!!

[cadaha]

Congrats MyData - another Yorkshireman to blaze the skies. If you pop over to Sherburn in the New Year you may see me putting dents into rwy 29 :}

[NT42]

MyData - Many many many congratulations!! That's fantastic! Very well done indeed!

Can't quite match the brilliance of that, but I also got flying today (after ages out!). Went up for circuits. Pretty standard really, but for once I had the circuit to myself! Was cleared to finals and number 1 on downwind! That hardly ever happens! Anyway, 7 T+G's and 1 full stop later and my flight was over! Was pretty uneventful really, but good fun. Nice to be back up and nice to have a good view when I was up!

Anyway - 15H30 into the PPL, still got some solo circuits to do, but had a crack at everything but the hard navigation! Lot's of fun to come I hope, can't wait to get out of the circuit!

Well done again MyData!!

John.

[mazzy1026]

WELL DONE DATA

That is truly fantastic news - look forward to this writeup (you must be over the moon!) I am jealous now!

TJ - top stuff mate, welcome to the club, it gets even more unreal from here on in !!

Cheers,

Lee

[Happyeater]

Congratulations DATA, fantastic news. I can't wait to read the report (once you've sobered up).

Great stuff.

[mazzy1026]

(once you've sobered up).
That should take at LEAST a week :D :D :D

[MyData]

I'll start with some numbers...
One Medical
One R/T Theory Exam
Two flying schools
Two aircraft types
Seven Exam Papers
Seven Different Aircraft
Eight instructors
Eleven text books
Ten different airfields (Grass strip to Class D ATC)
Dozens of take offs and landings
Eighteen Months
52 flying hours, 10 of them solo
About £7,500 in cash
A number of scares
A number of highs
Many PPRuNe posts


I've been ready for my skills test probably since my 45th hour. There comes a time when it all starts to fit into place and the individual skills and actions become one. I'm thinking here of the precise and skilled flying in the circuit, the overhead join at a distant airfield, the R/T dialogue with various station types, flying the aircraft by 'feel' rather than following the numbers on the instruments. Since the 45th hour I've had build up my solo time and a flying out of Sheffield means a number of ferry flights to Gamston, Doncaster and Sandtoft to get me out on my own.

As the test date drew closer I found myself reading and re-reading the CAA documentation on the test: "CAA JAR FCL Notes for the Guidance of Applicants taking the PPL Skill Test (Aeroplanes). Standards Document 19, Version 03." This is a must for any of you preparing for the test as it documents exactly what you will be tested on. One of the test objectives is for the candidate to demonstrate recovery from a spiral dive - I don't recall this in my training so read up on it in the flight training manuals. And yes - it did come up in the test! I also found myself revisiting "CAP 413 Radio Telephony Manual" for a brush up on MATZ and controlled airspace terminology.

The weather this week has been fantastic for flying. There was no way that my Saturday morning appointment could be cancelled, even on Tuesday the long range forecast showed Saturday to be fine, bright, sunny and cold. Perfect weather for a skills test. However on Friday I received a call from the flying school, could we move the test to the afternoon? Phew, no problem, I thought it was to be a cancellation notice. Afternoon might actually be better as any early fog or mist will have burned off, I would also have extra revision hours.

I was up early to start my revision and after checking NOTAMS and weather charts took a look at the TAFs and METARs for the area of my test. Just looking at these gave me the biggest grin. Could I ask for better weather for a skills test?

TAFs
DONCASTER FINNINGLEY EGCN 190907Z 191019 24003KT 6000 NSC BECMG 1013 CAVOK
EAST MIDLANDS EGNX 190902Z 191019 VRB03KT 7000 NSC TEMPO 1011 3000 BR TEMPO 1016 CAVOK
HUMBERSIDE EGNJ 190907Z 191019 24003KT 3000 FEW020 BECMG 1013 9000
LEEDS BRADFORD EGNM 190907Z 191019 27007KT CAVOK

METARs
DONCASTER FINNINGLEY EGCN 190920Z 30003KT 7000 SKC 00/00 Q1033
EAST MIDLANDS EGNX 190950Z 27002KT 5000 BR SKC M00/M01 Q1032
HUMBERSIDE EGNJ 190950Z 24004KT 3500 BR FEW010 00/M01 Q1032
LEEDS BRADFORD EGNM 190950Z 28005KT CAVOK 02/M00 Q1031

Just before I set off for my 1400hrs appointment I checked again, it was getting better - look at the wind on the METARs for Doncaster and East Midlands!

TAFs
DONCASTER FINNINGLEY EGCN 191205Z 191322 27003KT CAVOK
EAST MIDLANDS EGNX 191201Z 191322 VRB03KT 9000 NSC TEMPO 1316 CAVOK BECMG 1922 4000 BR TEMPO 2022 0200 FZFG VV///
HUMBERSIDE EGNJ 191205Z 191321 VRB03KT 4000 HZ FEW060 TEMPO 1318 6000
LEEDS BRADFORD EGNM 191205Z 191322 26006KT CAVOK

METARs
DONCASTER FINNINGLEY EGCN 191150Z 00000KT 9000 SKC 05/03 Q1033
EAST MIDLANDS EGNX 191220Z 00000KT 9000 SKC 04/01 Q1032
HUMBERSIDE EGNJ 191220Z 23003KT 3500 BR FEW010 04/02 Q1032
LEEDS BRADFORD EGNM 191220Z 27006KT CAVOK 05/02 Q1031

I arrived at the flying school at 1330. The examiner was out flying so I took the note he had left me: plan a route from the M1/M18 VRP to Beverley then Louth and back to Sheffield. Not a problem. A beautifully drawn up route with the closing angle error lines, the safe altitudes, times, expected fuel burn, etc. etc. For the first time in all my planning the wind vector was 0/0. No wind correction factor to consider at all. I was slightly disappointed in this as I wanted to be able to demonstrate that I knew how to apply the correction factor with the whizz wheel.

It was at this time that the other pilots coming in and out of the flying school were repeatedly talking about how brilliant the weather aloft was. They also commented on how busy it was - my R/T would have to be sharp and on-the-ball today.

I completed the other paperwork, W&B check etc. and presented this and my route plan to the examiner on his return. All was in order and he briefed me on what we would do and how we would do it, for example during the navigation exercise he would act as a passenger, during the handling exercises he would handle the radio. We talked about a diversion that would happen and other areas I would be examined on. He explained that he was testing me against the CAA criteria but was also looking for those intangibles such as good airmanship and handling of the aircraft - his rule of thumb: would he let a non-flying member of his family go flying as one of my passengers...

After the briefing the examiner sent me out to check over the aircraft and joined me after five minutes. This is when the test began properly. The examiner was friendly and talkative and simply followed me into the aircraft and sat down. I was a bit like play acting to talk to an experienced pilot as passenger but I explained to him how to close and open the door, how to insert his head phones, how to buckle up. I explained the emergency drill and his responsibilities. Pointed out the fire extinguisher and first aid box etc. etc. This actually worked better than expected and I began to feel in control. Reminiscent of being on a solo cross country flight but with a passenger. It was down to me to do all the checks, start up and then call the tower for airfield information. I did get the examiner to take control to test the brakes - something drilled into me. Although this is a skills test I would still want to ensure that we are flying as safely as possible.

As part of my revision I'd written up the various acronyms used during a flight and committed them to memory. The first one when ready to take off was Lights / Camera / Action, followed with the F.E.R.A.L. after take off checks. I'd been told that you can fail the test before you've even left the ground if you fail to follow the basic checks. And remember to read out check list actions and activities so the examiner knows what you are doing. As there was no wind I did my power checks at the hold point but explained that I would usually point into wind, every one of my actions was by deliberate thought and explanation.

Up and away out of Sheffield - over the M1/M18 VRP and setting course for Beverley on 050. Switching smoothly from Sheffield Radio to Doncaster Approach, clear and precise radio calls with no rush. Explaining to the examiner my thought processes as we climbed, levelled off and tuned radios. There was some haze at 2500ft making slant visibility that much worse so I explained I was climbing to 3500ft, much better. I made a note of the ETA over Beverley, the racecourse to be precise, and throughout the short 40nm leg continued to recalculate the ETA.

As we approached Beverley it became obvious that we had drifted just a few degrees off track so I flew visually to the racecourse and explained the drift due to very slight wind. Down below it was obvious from smoke stacks that a very slight westerly was blowing and this had taken us a few degrees off course. We were overhead bang on time, to the minute. That felt good. It was time to change heading to Louth, remembering to Twist/Turn/Time/Talk and also adding a 5 degree into wind correction angle to get us along the next leg. Minutes later we were over Hull and the diversion happened.

Divert to Sandtoft, from the North bank of the Humber. I spanned the route on the chart using my thumb and forefinger then, keeping this fixed position, moved to the VOR indicator over Gamston to read off a heading (does this make sense? basically use the VOR as my compass rose). Adding in 5 degrees into wind to cover the wind correction and then estimated distance of 25nm using my thumb. At 100kts this would take 15mins, with a slight headwind lets call it 18mins and I planned this into the next ETA.

Using 18 mins was probably a bit too long, 16 was the actual, but it didn't count as a fail as I had taken a good guess and made correction for wind. The heading was spot on. During the navigation exercise we had stayed with Doncaster the whole time. The airspace was quite literally buzzing with microlights, other PA28s, Cessnas and the Jet Provost out of Sandtoft stating intentions such as passing 3000ft, climbing to FL100. Quite a sight to see this small black dot moving at such pace.

The route to Sandtoft had the sun directly in our eyes and made forward visibility difficult. Listening hard on the radio all the time and building a mental picture of activity around us. I was also flying by tracking the surface below us on the chart as distant forward visibility was zero. At one point we heard of unknown traffic nearby and at our 11 o'clock. We couldn't see it so I stated I was making a right turn to give a better view. Looking out before turning and then as we changed heading the Cherokee became very visible below us a couple of miles ahead. Silouhetted against the haze. I made a call that I was visual with the traffic then turned back on the heading to Sandtoft with slight correction for the turn we had just made. I was given a thumbs up from the examiner for showing good airmanship there.

<end of Pt 1 due to PPRuNe posting restrictions...>

At this point the examiner took over the radio and it was time for the handling exercises. First of all to join the circuit at Sandtoft, descend dead side for left hand circuits on R05. I descended fine, crossed over the threshold of R23, to join downwind. Although I solo\'d at Sandtoft I\'ve never been at ease there. I don\'t know why as I\'ve landed at similar small strips and even grass strips. But I never feel that I can get the circuit nailed and was dreading that I was going to have to get things right on my skills test.

And my Sandtoft nemesis rose again. This time in the form of a black Jet Provost who also decided to join the circuit. Now those things can move, as I was lining up for downwind I saw her turning wide and fast to the right of me. As I was on downwind doing the pre-landing checks I could see her burning past me wide on my right to turn a RAF style curved approach. All good learning stuff to be in the circuit with such fast moving traffic but not on my skills test please!!

On base I lost sight of the JP, where had she gone? Then I saw her doing a low approach and going around. I was rattled and not 100% focussed. I made for a standard landing touched down and was straight back up again, I\'ve never liked touch and goes on short strips and the examiner did state in the debrief that I had landed a little hard but in my defence I said it was probably because I was focussed on getting us back in the air before we had even touched down.

So we went around again, my heart pumping, feeling that I had really messed up. Hearing the Jet Provost R/T and talk of approaching on R23 - the opposite runway? Did I hear correctly? There was no wind so why not? But I was active in the circuit for R05. I don\'t know if I heard this or not but I certainly didn\'t feel comfortable to be in this circuit pattern. As we approached the turn for base I was told this would be a glide approach and I was to reduce power at my discretion.

Base leg 1000ft up, power off, glide approach and in, but I was too high, too fast. I realised this early and said I was going around. The examiner asked me to complete as far as I could. I flew lower and lower and then we pulled away. The point here was that I could have landed, but it would have been a full stop landing and not a touch and go hence my reluctance to complete. The examiner gave me another thumbs up for good airmanship for making the decision not to land if I didn\'t feel confident. I also inadvertently had ticked another check point on the list: the go-around procedure.

With the Jet Provost still buzzing around, and no offence mean\'t to the JP team - I\'d love to go up in one some day, we switched to plan B and moved on to Doncaster for further handling. I climbed out of Sandtoft at the best rate of climb (Vy 79kts) - you need to know your Vy and Vx speeds and routed for the short hop to Doncaster. We flew abeam R20 with the airfield already lit up even though there was quite a bit of daylight left. A really cool site. I was then asked to fly straight and level at 60kts and hold that speed. Another of my \'tricky\' maneoveurs as I\'m very wary of getting onto the back of the drag curve. But it went fine, I was then asked to climb another 500ft at this speed and then level out. Again, fine, no problems and it was cool to fly so slowly overhead a big airfield.

Then a bolt from the blue. A request to do the PFL using Doncaster as the target field. ATC went away to ask someone important if this could be done. In the meantime I did my first steep level turn to the right. Doncaster ATC came back on the radio: PFL approved. The examiner cut the power, carb heat on, and asked me to land us in an appropriate field, particularly that one to my left where the number \'20\' is. Wow, this was going to be fun. I was overhead the runway and had to get myself aligned for a PFL to aim at a very specific point and in a left hand circuit which had been active as we had waited for clearance.

OK, into the full PFL activity. Glide speed and trimmed, check fuel etc., at 2500ft I\'m at the end of R20 looking at my landing strip. The W.O.S.S.S.S.S. check: no wind, no obstacles, the shape of the runway was good, perhaps a little narrow as a field, but good, surface good, size good, under and over shoot good, slope good, sivilisation good. Hey, a good selection this international airport.

Downwind at 2000ft and descending, practice mayday call, 1500ft and flaps 1, turning for base, don\'t think I\'m going to hit the numbers but will definitely make the field, 1000ft flaps 2, prep the passenger for crash landing - unlatch the door (and he does!), final approach, committed, flaps 3. Looking for a slow speed touch down, flare and round out and do it slowly, slowly and touch down. Excellent. Flaps down, full power, carb heat off, and back in the sky. So that was the PFL and the glide approach covered in one. As Doncaster is such a long runway we even practiced the fanstop on the climb out. Nose down, look either side for a field, but straight ahead is still more runway - I\'d choose that.

Looking back, the one thing I didn\'t do in the PFL was the power checks at each 500ft descent, but not to worry in this case.

Back up to 3000ft using best angle of climb to get us there quickly and time for the left hand steep level turn. This wasn\'t as good as the first, I lost about 100ft, but managed to recover and get us back on our heading and level. And now time for stalls. Following a H.A.S.E.L.L. check we started with a clean stall. Power back, keep the height, wait for the warner, then the buffet then the examiner to state \'Recover\'. Nose down, power, climb away. Onto approach configuration, 2 stages of flap, turning and stall by raising the nose. Recover at the warner - nose down, wings level, power. Finally 3 stages of flap as if on final, stall warner, nose down, power, climb.

On to VOR tracking. Tune into Gamston and listen for the dah-dah-dit dit-dah dah-dah of the GAM identifier, using the morse code table on my kneeboard. Then I was asked to track us towards Gamston. OK, turn the dial until the VOR arrow aligns with deviation indicators. This would put us on the 120 radial. Turn to 120 heading and follow the track. No problem. At this point the instructor took my chart and covered the windscreen. I\'ve just entered cloud and need to turn 180 degrees to get out. I made an error here. I looked to use a 1 minute rate one turn. Firstly I turned too sharply so was over rate one, then couldn\'t decide whether to use my watch or the aircraft\'s clock. Settling on the clock I held the rate one turn for one minute then levelled off. Good procedure if done correctly but I had been sloppy on the entry. I also notice that our 120 heading was to the right, I had turned too far, we should have been heading on 300 after a 180 turn. Brain fade I guess, so I then made use of the HSI to get us heading to 300. I\'d now used two instruments and was disappointed, but again I had shown good airmanship in identifying that my rate one turn hadn\'t been good and that correcting by the HSI was quite correct. The examiner also asked why I had done it the hard way - I don\'t know, something I must have read somewhere about doing a 180 degree turn using rate one turns...

All that was left was the unusual attitudes. The examiner took control and put us in a climbing turn near the stall. Nose down, wings level, power. Then onto a spiral dive, power off, wings level, level attitude, climb away. And another couple of similar attitudes before it was time to head back home to Sheffield.

An uneventful landing, taxi, park up and shut down then a big congratulations. I had passed. Fantastic!

We had been going for 2 hours, if felt more like ten minutes. Back at the office I was exhausted mentally and physically and also quite calm. I would say that in terms of elation I would have to put the solo QXC first, then the first solo and then the skills test.

In the office there was lots of paperwork to complete: skills test certificate, licence application, R/T licence application, medical, log book review and stamp, etc. I didn\'t have my passport with me but will need to copy it and get it signed / stamped by the flying school before I send off my application. That should take a couple of weeks and I can\'t go flying as a PPL until the licence is received. Then it will be time to take friends and family into the air and to move onto other types. The flying school\'s Diamond Stars do look tempting!

Sorry, there isn\'t a part 2. It is now merged with part 1 by PPRuNe automatically. And apologies for all those backslashes that have appeared..

And Mazzy - I\'m sober already. Just a few beers and curry out with my wife last night to celebrate. Then up early this morning to write this all up while it is fresh. Another fantastic day outside. I want to go flying again!

[mazzy1026]

Data - superb writeup, I would like to thank you for all the great contributions you have made to this thread :ok: :ok: :ok:

I was nervous just reading that, sounded like a great flight ;)

I can't wait !

[Happyeater]

Brilliant write up Data, thank you.

Made me feel that I need to do some work before I'll be ready for that. I suppose its a confidence thing really since it has been quite a while since even the straight and level at 60 knots has been done.

Great achievement.

[DiscoChocolate]

Congratulations MyData!
Sounds like your test was as good as they can get!An excellent write up and well done on your achievement :ok:

[stue]

Just want to say congrats mate!

Iv been quietly reading this forum and have followed it most of the way through. I pased my skills test at the end of June. mine didnt go quite as good as yours however, i muked up my PFL, did it again though and got it fine.

But very well done mate, well done indeed! welcome to the club, im sure the rest will be welcomed soon!

Good luck all! :ok:

[Lister Noble]

Data,congratulations and well done you, all this followed by an absolutely suberb write-up.
We have done quite a bit this weekend including more solo's,basic nav using only the chart and matching it to features 10 miles ahead.
Today we did some PFL's and really extreme steep turns up to 80 degrees bank to let me know how it felt buffetting at 50% above normal stall speed.
The CFI reckons weather permitting he will have me done and dusted by Christmas,just leaves me with several ground exams to do in four weeks,so no pressure then!
Lister:D

[kookabat]

Nice work Mr Data... the ol' PFL above an airfield trick, eh?? ;) I just happened to get the same thing on my PPL flight test, only it was over my home field at the completion of the flight!!:D

Damn good feeling to pass though, isn't it? Now the intensely frustrating wait for the licence...

[MyData]

Looking back, the PFL over an airfield was in someways more daunting. I was expecting a field to aim for and generally getting 'close enough' that the landing could have been completed.

Instead there is the pressure to actually get on the ground and instead of aiming for a 250m+ wide field I'm looking at a 60m wide runway (yes, I know it is still very wide, but from 3000ft it looks like a pretty thin and straight strip to aim for compared to the surrounding fields!).

Great fun though, and doing this all the way to touch down was a great confidence booster for future flying.

I'm going to the post office today to dispatch the various paper slips to the CAA. That will be another £149 for the application fee - nobody ever said this flying was cheap!

[Chequeredflag]

Many congrats Mydata - fantastic feeling I'm sure. I guess Mazzy's not too far behind you with his QXC under his belt. I was supposed to do my final solo landaway today before QXC, but of course it's been canned due to fog. Hey ho! that's how it goes I guess!!

Many congrats again - what's your plan? Buy a plane, a share in one or just rent??

[MyData]

Cheq, kookabat, Lister, stue, disco, happyeater, mazzy, cadahah, jwf ... thanks for all the kind comments. It is great to be able to share this with those who are closely involved in what's required in the PPL quest.

I've spent some time re-reading parts of this thread today. There is so much great information here that will help all of us through to the point where the examiner says 'Congratulations'. Mazzy - you should ask permission from PPRuNe powers that be to get this thread turned into a book ;-)

Future plans? Well, I'll stick around this thread for a while, at least until some more of you are qualified. I'll do the usual flights with family and friends over houses and places of interest. Although many of my friends / family live in Leeds or Manchester so opportunities to fly overhead will be limited due to restrictions.

At the flying school there is a DA40 for hire. I'd like to get a type rating for one of these. Very nice, fully kitted out with the latest avionics.

Then there is the IMC rating. That is my next target. I want to do it for the challenge but also for safety reasons and to make my flying more flexible.

Night rating? I'm not keen. I know some people think it is a great feeling, I'm just too risk averse. PFL in the dark anyone? I'll wait until I get my twin engine rating first ;-)

And then there is my ultimate goal, funds permitting. I want to get a PPL(H). I've always thought helicopters to be a truer 'flying machine'. There is something about them that is just so cool. And having had a helicopter lesson way before I started on fixed wing, and having flown about 3hrs in helicopters on leisure flights I'm still hooked.

Oh, and also in the 'things to do' list are gliding. Some would argue it makes a better pilot because you have to 'feel' the flying rather than managing the flightpath. Also on this list is aerobatic training, again to improve my skills and push things to the envelope in a safe and controlled manner and also to have fun.

The Jet Provost blast out of Sandtoft. Or a trip to Thunder City in South Africa for a Hunter or Lightning flight.

I'll probably stick to renting at this time. Although there is a small airstrip only 2 miles from home (Crosland Moor - a.k.a. Huddersfield International). It would be fantastic having my own or shared aircraft there to take out every now and then...

Thinks: I need a pay rise, or a lottery win!

[mazzy1026]

A book! Now there's an idea!

Data - I think you have done really well, and again, you, and everyone else who posts to this thread, is what makes it what it is - if you stripped out everything and just left my posts in, it would be tiny! So again, thanks ;)

Your list of future plans is more or less identical to mine, apart form the PPL(H) (well, I would love more than anything to fly whirlies, but I think I would need a money tree in the back garden that sprung £50 notes) :ouch:

I fancy the IMC and the night rating, as well as doing some aero's and maybe getting into a share. I suppose the ultimate goal would be to own my own aircraft, but then your talking real big bucks.

Enjoy your new found privilege :cool:

Lee :ok:

[NT42]

MyData - my future plans sound rather similar! I'm also keen learn to fly gliders - must be whacky at first. It's a must, for me though. IMC sounds good, as does aeros. But helicopters?! Really?! Not keen myself...don't trust them! (If there's any heli pilots wanting to prove me wrong by taking me for a flight I won't decline, though!).

As for the Jet Provost - costs a tonne, but go for it! You will not regret it. So, so much fun. My first flight in it was only after 4 hours TT, but very much looking forward to flying it again, now that I can actually fly!

Must be great being able to ponder about what to do now! I phoned up the club yesterday, to book a lesson, but I can't fly until 10th Dec!! Gutted! But 2 hours of circuits will hopefully be the end of it, just need a little more practice at glide approaches.

Anyhoo, have fun with your licence!! (Great write up as well, btw.)

John.

[Chequeredflag]

MyData. I've just read your full report of the skill test, and a very good write up it was too!! Well done again. What sort of plane did you learn in? I'm interested, 'cos you were asked to demonstrate spin recovery. In the PA28 Warrior that I'm learning in, deliberate spinning is forbidden by Piper. As a result I've never done it, so presumably (hopefuly) the examinersl take that into account for Warrior students. I must ask the school next time I'm there. (Friday booked for solo landaway, but strong winds/ snow showers are forecast ,so I'm sure it will be canned yet again)

[Vee One...Rotate]

Chequeredflag,

I'm guessing it might have been a request for incipient spin recovery rather than a fully-developed spin recovery as I'm pretty sure that's not a requirement for the PPL skills test. Stand to be corrected though.

As an aside, early on in my PPL training I went through a few fully-developed spins in the C152 - what a hoot :ok:

As well as being great fun and a nice challenge, I think it's useful to have a play at the edge of the envelope - gives you confidence in your abilities and teaches you more about the a/c.

Regards,

V1R

[mazzy1026]

Spins used to be in the syllabus, but they were removed, due to the fact that too many people were being killed. I think it was the spiral descent that was being referred to, and not a spin :confused:

Spins are bloody good fun though, done a few in the Chipmunk a while back and they are superb :cool:

[stue]

Iv done spins in a C-152, and they are fantastic! :D
not only are they great fun, but like Vee One...Rotate said, it really gives you the feel of what the a/c can do and how to avoid getting in to that situation. i think a defo for any pilot. (depents on how strong your stomach is though!:} )

[GonTek]

Chequred Flag : An old type Warrior (140 Cadet )is able to be spun if you can find one, They have little square wings.

JW Whisky Kilo will spin if you can find someone to do it with if it is still allowed (martinidoc used to do it )

Safe flying all...........


My Data : Try IMC at night in cloud, really disorientating !!

[NT42]

Don't tell me that! Hehe - WK will be my choice of 'plane next time! I'll ask John if it is still allowed!

Would like to experience it mind, for the reasons already mentioned.

I'd love to have a crack at IMC. Mind you I felt sick the first time I flew with just the instruments.

[GonTek]

Try unusual attitudes in cloud, take a bag with you........


Not sure if JC is keen on spinning but someone will be.

[MyData]

It was spiral dive recovery that I had to demonstrate. I've never been spinning (and don't like the thought of it) - as Mazzy states, it has been taken off the syllabus these days.

I guess it is something I'd like to consider as part of an aerobatics course - just to get the feel for it and how to recover.

[kookabat]

Never spun a powered aircraft, only a glider - good fun - ohhh soo slow and lazy though cos of those ridiculously long wings. Closest I've come to a spin in a 152 was an impressive wing drop during a stalling lesson - with flap out and a bit of power on. Happened far quicker than I was expecting!!
Aeros are something I'm aiming for as well - once the $$$ come through!!

[GonTek]

Try and find a Bulldog (ex RAF trainer ) fun to fly and fully aerobatic.

Flew and rolled in one,360 deg in the twinkling of an eye (not keen )

Have fun....

[mazzy1026]

Ahh the Bulldog! I love this aeroplane, managed about 10 hours in one when I was an Air Cadet - bloody good fun!

[GonTek]

Yes I agree, an interesting aircraft to fly a bit like a mini on steriods and very different to a warrior with bags of power and light airframe,very sensitive to inputs from the stick or is it just me being used to docile trainers.

This thread is doing well Mazzy...Keep it up people.

[mazzy1026]

Thanks Tek ;)

It was in the bulldog that I learned two very important principles (amongst lots of other things of course). Firstly, I used to hold the control column like my life depended on it, and and the end of the flight I couldn't move my fingers - I was shown how the smallest of gentle inputs is all that is needed to fly the aircraft, so gradually I got round this problem.

Secondly, there was PAT (power, attitude, trim). It took a few lessons before this was drilled in (I was only about 13 or 14 years old). If you look at the early stages of this diary, we talked a lot about this, and I seem to recall, (without looking at the mo) that Gertrude the Wombat had an extension to the PAT - correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers all (back to work tomorrow) :{

Lee :ok:

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Gertrude the Wombat had an extension to the PAT For levelling out after the climb I was taught ASPAT - attitude, speed, power, attitude, trim. In other words, shove the nose down, wait for the thing to accelerate to the desired speed, then do the PAT thing. I am aware that some text books have this differently.

[GonTek]

Could not agree more Lee, I did the same thing as I would expect everybody on this thread that is learning or has gone through the course has done also ie : hang for dear life to said column/stick.

early on in lessons Bossman say's " I have control " but could not move column as I still had hold of it and he thought it had siezed.

Nxt command was RELAX !!! Easy for you to say mate sitting there doing bugger all ..... (small smirk from FI ) great bloke though.

It's about time you took that GFT Mr Mazzy..... Get it done

[Chequeredflag]

Had a great evening out the other night with about 20 guys/gals from the Flyer forum. I discovered that several forumites live close by, and after contacting one of them, self and Mrs CF were invited to a forum Xmas dinner that very night. We had a superb evening, and it was very good to meet so many fellow flyers. The chap I originally contacted flies A340's around the world, and has a share in a Maule. As my flying was canned the following day due to the bloomin' weather (again, will I ever get the QXC done?), I was invited to fly with him and another forumite. The plane is kept in a hanger at a private strip, so we turned up, pushed the plane out, warmed it up, taxied and took off. No ATC, nothing!!

Boy, do those things go!! It is a very rugged "Land Rover of the skies" tail dragger. Tough and light with a big six cylinder engine and BAGS of poke. The lift off came VERY quickly, and the initial climb rate was phenomenal!! We flew cross country, and landed at another strip by a resovoir in Northants - absolutely wonderful approach. Upon landing, the farmers wife ran out and invited us in for a cuppa. Half an hour later, we took off and landed at a strip behind a pub in Keystone (Northants) with a massive crosswind taxing the pilot somewhat. Following a superb lunch, and a great couple of hours of flying talk, we took off, and flew back to the homebase strip, pushed her into the hanger, and simply went home!!!.

Absolutely brilliant day out. I could well be converted to this kind of flying. So different to flying in and out of a busy commercial airport. Can't wait to go again (I've already invited myself!)

Our intrepid captain had to shoot home, and prepare to take 300 people to Los Angeles the next day!! Envy him? You betcha!!

[GonTek]

Sounds like the hounds hydraulic's C F. Oh how the other half live......

[Lister Noble]

The weather has been a so and so this weekend.
On Friday I did the ground planning for a local nav exercise,a five sided course around 50 miles, which I then flew with the CFI.
It was very bumpy but I managed to keep spot on 2000 feet and did not deviate off course.
The idea was that either Sat or Sun I would do a revised plan for the same route and fly it on my own.
It hasn't happened as the weather has been really bad so now it will be next w/e all being well.
At this rate I can't realisticaly see me having my licence before Christmas ,but as someone has already said,"it isn't a race!"
Lister:D

[mazzy1026]

It's about time you took that GFT Mr Mazzy..... Get it done
I would give my left arm! Can't wait to get me ticket :=

Cheq - that's what it's all about mate, I bet you truly appreciated the true value of being able to fly after that day. I look forward to those kinds of trips when the license hits the doormat ;)

The weather has been a so and so this weekend
I'd say all year!

It was very bumpy but I managed to keep spot on 2000 feet and did not deviate off course
If you can nail that, then your 80% of the way there!

The weather has been strange recently - this morning we had heavy snow showers in Liverpool, and now I am looking at a clear blue sky :\

:ok:

[Adrian N]

Half an hour later, we took off and landed at a strip behind a pub in Keystone (Northants) with a massive crosswind taxing the pilot somewhat.

Not as much as the same crosswind taxed the co-pilot on departure!

[Bob Stinger]

Not exactly on the same plot but a quick update , since i passed my PPL in April have put a few hours in well nearly 90 to be precise, night rating finished last week , IMC test was today, however just as we were ready to go my examiner got pulled to take some people to Gloucester in the King Air and yep I got the RH seat, wow wahat an experience 14,000' down the airways Gloucester hang around a bit and then back , no test but knowledge gained immense, now for the test tomorrow, so come on people keep going the light to learn more is at the end of the tunnell!

[GonTek]

Bit of a step up from G-WARH Bob.....

[mazzy1026]

Bob - looks like you are doing extremely well. Very jealous of your IFR trip :=

[RudeNot2]

Wow is all I can say.. I started reading this post on Saturday or Sunday and that is me just finished...

Sitting at work - supposed to be working - but all the time thinking about starting my training..especially after reading about all the challenges that lie ahead.

I have already been reading through the Air Law & Met books - both TT and AFE (managed to pick them up on Flea Bay) and looking to start training at the beginning of 2006..

A couple of quick questions though..

I am a similar height to Mazzy 6'2" / 6'3" but on the heavier side of 17st - does this restrict the choice of training steed?? What are the limits for most training aircraft..??

Would I be right in saying that I could pick off the exams - one a month say - taking me through to the summer and then have 2 years to complete the practical side of the training??

Look forward to your comments..

Dave

[mazzy1026]

Dave, welcome aboard! That is some reading!

With regards to your weight, you will probably find the Tommy more than adequate (as I do) and depending on the weight of your instructor - you will probably be ok, however, you need to think about the type of flying you will do when you get your PPL - I.e. if you want to take people, then you may need the lower restrictions of the Warrior for example (4 seater). Personally, I will be converting to the Warrior (or similar) upon completion, for when I want to take people up.

You sound like you have the right attitude towards the exams - you just need to make sure that you pass them all within an 18 month timeframe, and then (I think) you have 2 years from the date of your last exam to pass the PPL (someone correct me if I am wrong).

Best thing to do is go to your flying school and have a chat with an instructor - they should be more than happy to answer all your questions (and in my case, put your mind at rest to any initial fears). Where are you flying from?

Best of luck - look forward to reading your experiences (ahem)!

Lee :ok:

[RudeNot2]

Cheers for that Mazzy.

I have still to finalise where I am going to do my training but I have the choice of several places..

Cumbernauld - Where I stay - Three FTO's at the local field.

Perth - 50 miles away but apparently cheaper (according to a mate)

Glasgow - 25 Miles no sure of prices as yet.

As far as I am aware Cumbernauld trains on Tommys or C150/152.

Dave

[Lister Noble]

Cheapest isn't always best!
Visit them all and have a chat,you are looking for a professional set-up with realistic student performance targets and decent aircraft to obtain your licence,have a trial lesson at two on the short list.
Ask other local pilots where they trained and get as much feedback as possible before making a final choice.
I looked at four before deciding where I wanted to be and am really pleased with the end result.

Remember it might be £20-30 per hour cheaper but if it takes another 15 hours thats a lot of dosh!
Lister:D

[MyData]

RudeNot2

Lister is quite correct in that cheapest isn't always best. There may be valid reasons for a school to have lower running costs based on location but you will also have to factor in travel time and fuel in your car.

I was at Glasgow earlier this week as a passenger. A good sized airport and one that would be fun to learn at. I started my training at a major airport in controlled airspace and don't regret doing so at all. It gave me great confidence when taxying around the big jets, sharing the R/T airwaves with the commercial crews, following ATC directives regarding airspace restrictions etc. etc.

Get your exams out of the way asap and then concentrate on flying. You can always get back to the books to brush up on, for instance, navigation. I believe Mazzy is correct in the time limits - but your school will be able to put you right.

Mazzy - if it is taking people 3 or 4 days to read this thread you really must start taking the book option seriously ;-)

Still no documentation from the CAA - although they did debit my credit card in record time - at least I know the registered mail delivery worked...

[RudeNot2]

The book option would be a good idea and possibly a money spinner!! Do the right marketing on ebay with an electronic download for £5.99 and you'd be laughing!!

I downloaded it after discovering the feature on Monday or Tuesday and put it onto the pda to read on the train to work..

[BRL]

Very popular thread indeed. How about sometime in the new year having a 'Mazzy Bash' somewhere central, say Birmingham or somewhere....?

[mazzy1026]

(Blushing) Why thank you people, very kind words indeed ;)

Wouldn't squeeze money out of people who are already in, or about to take up an expensive hobby, but I would love to make a book out of it.

BRL - glad to see you still here, t'has been a while := Would love to have a "Diary" bash and Birmingham sounds excellent, all once I get that golden (well, brown) ticket :E

(mazbash sounds funny though) :D As long as those doing the bashing are good looking :E

[Whirlybird]

The MazBash. Sounds good to me. :ok: When and where?

[mazzy1026]

Hehe :E

Would you like to wait until I pass, or shall we have one sooner, say after new year? It's going to be around February when I pass (weather and time/money permitting) anyway :confused:

[Gertrude the Wombat]

A fly-in after you pass sounds like a good idea.

[mazzy1026]

A fly-in after you pass sounds like a good idea
Excellent idea, one which I shall initiate when that day finally comes ;)

[BRL]

A MazBash in January sometime and the big one, the 'Mazfest fly-in', when you pass!!

[mazzy1026]

This is starting to sound more and more like a porn movie :p

Ok, to summarise, a binge drinking session in January, and a fly in when I pass - sounds good to me.

I'll get the ball rolling and go for the last weekend in Jan, as most of us may have been paid by then, and will have had the chance to recover from New Year.

Opinions welcome.............

:ok:

[Whirlybird]

Excellent! :ok: I'm moving house on Jan 10th, and my present semi-unemployed status may have changed by the end of Jan. So a MazBash then would be great!

[mazzy1026]

The messages are coming in!

It's now the first week in Feb........

[Chequeredflag]

Yep, first week of Feb would be fine for me (from the 3rd onwards if poss 'cos we're testing oversaes until then) Would be very good to meet some of you.

[mazzy1026]

Right then, it's time for me to be honest (I have always been honest, but what I am about to write, I could easily 'miss out' but then it wouldn't be a proper diary now would it?)

My final exam was to be Navigation, which I took, and failed. Now I will tell you why I failed.

My normal routine for exams is to read the text book, absorb it, and revise the confuser, and this has led me to pass every other exam first time, with a good score, however, Navigation is different.

Whilst I was reading the Navigation book, I noticed that there are lots of calculations to do, I.e rate of fuel burn, rate of descent, fuel specific gravity etc - all of which at first looked a bit daunting, and dare I say 'pointless'? This led me to think:

"I'll just read the book, not practice the calculations, and then use the confuser to find out how to do them".

Big mistake.

In my opinion, the confuser has been a great source of information and practice, however, I found that when it came to calculations and examples, it just baffles you with equations and numbers, and doesn't really explain it properly (something which the PPL book did, very well). This wasn't very encouraging for me, and I didn't learn it properly - so when I sat the exam, I couldn't answer the difficult questions PROPERLY - I could only take a reasonable guess. That coupled with a couple of stupid answers, was the reason I failed. In summary, I took a bad, and naive attitude to the exam.

Now then, I went over the failed exam, with my instructor, prior to which, I really learned all the necessary techniques properly. I looked at what I had written and thought of myself as a complete idiot :sad:

I re-sat the exam yesterday and passed - easy peasy. And this is how I did it (this is my advice for anyone who will be taking Nav)

1) Take your Whizz wheel and the little book that comes with it and LEARN IT INSIDE AND OUT. This book should contain explanations and examples on how to work out all the required calculations. I sat on the train to work with it in my hands, in the canteen, at home and anywhere I could get a few mins practice in - this leads onto:

2) At first, I didn't realise that you can do ALL the necessary calculations on the whizz wheel, from simple multiplication and division, to complex rate of descents.

3) Know your lines/true tracks/magnetic tracks/wind calculations etc - these are the things you learn as you FLY navigation, and there is a section in the exam.

4) (Very important) - Be able to read grid references, such as N21XYZ and W0003 etc - these looked difficult at first to me, purely because I didn't study it hard enough, and I thought:

"I'll just look on the chart until I find what the exam is asking for".

Big mistake, you could spend 10 mins looking for an aerodrome, when all's you need to do is know how to read the grid references.

5) Don't think that Radio Navigation is easy (theory). There is a whole different section on this and sometimes the most basic questions can be the most difficult ones, such as:

"What band do NDB's operate on?"

Go over this with your instructor, and perhaps sit in the aircraft to get a firm grip on the principles.

6) You simply cannot get away with just learning the answers from the confuser, and if you pass having done this, then you are just lucky. Yo need to know the maths - cant emphasise this enough! Don't get yourself down with the though of this, you can do it ALL on the whizz wheel.

All the way up to my first attempt, I hated Nav, purely because I didn't know it properly. Now I have passed, I love it.

I am glad I failed the first one, because it meant that I would go away, and really absorb the material - now I can do it and it's great :D

All exams are now in the bag, and I will soon be having my last few hours as a stude - so until then - safe flying :ok:

Lee :D :D :D

PS If anyone would like any help with Nav, then post here ......

PPS Thanks to DiscoChocolate who put up with me on the phone for an hour - was a great help :ok:

[Chequeredflag]

Exactly the same thing happened to with Meteorology!! This subject has always been of interest to me, and I got a bit blase. I thought I knew it all, and it turned out I didn't!! Failed first time with 70%. I was gobsmacked, and spent the next two days really going to town with the subject books, and passed with 100% just 48 hours later!!

Now to the flying bit - I'm still waiting to do my final landaway and then the QXC. Every time I'm booked in, the weather cans it. I'm booked again for both tomorrow and Tuesday, but the weathers looking iffy all week. If I can't get the next one by Thursday 8th, I've run out of solo landaway currency, so have to do a local landaway again with an instructor. It's really frustrating. Bad time of the year I guess.....

[cadaha]

Excellent post Mazzy. What you have said makes perfect sense and it may even save someones life. I've always been one to learn stuff as thoroughly as I can but the confuser gives you an easy way to learn the answers to the exam.

Looking at the manuals, if you don't understand the theory behind it and only learn the stuff by rote in the confuser could get you into trouble once you have passed your GFT.

Flying towards a CB. Do I turn back or cary on?? Bugger that hill I've just gone round puts me into another that I squeezed past five minutes ago. My alternate destination is blocked by another.

OhMyGod I'm surrounded. There is a clear path to the East and and airfield in that direction about 40nm away, but this puts the wind on the nose and I'll have to climb another 1000ft for clearance safely.

Questions.

What is the W/V on this heading?
What is the Fuel burn for this leg?
Have I enough Fuel to make this diversion?
How long will it take to get there?
What is the safety height for this leg?
How do I call for help if I need to?
Is there a safer route that would take me over less hilly ground in case I need to do a forced landing?
After stressing about all these questions, where am I now.

You've been steadily tracking towards the CB in front of you and you are trying to remember all the stuff that you've been taught and can't visualise what you need to do because you just memorised the Confuser.

After reading some of the stuff on other sections of the forum it makes me wanna learn this stuff as thoroughly as possible.

Listen to this, don't wanna be in his position.
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/flightassist.mp3

Great post Mazzy Won't be long to the GFT now eh m8.

[Chequeredflag]

Cadaha,

I've heard that Mayday before - pretty strong stuff. Scares the hell out of me. It makes you realise how traumatic things can be!!

[Lister Noble]

I completed my first solo nav today and also first time talking to another airfield.
Left Old Buckenham for Snetterton and called Norwich when on route for Saxmundham,the right landmarks appeared at the correct times and places as planned,then on to Bungay then back to Old Buckenham via Tacolnsten Mast.
My CFI says always to look at the big picture,in this case coastline,rivers ,large forests etc and this definitely helped to re-inforce the other information.I had to drop below 2000 ft down to 1300 ft to clear cloud on the first leg then OK after that.
I put carb heat on every time I checked the heading indicator against compass and every time I changed heading,sometimes picking up signs of icing.
A reasonable landing finished of a highly satisfying trip.
I was going to do another trip this afternoon but various things conspired against it and in a way I'm glad, because I've had a great day and was quite exhausted when I landed!
Lister
:D

[MyData]

Congrats Lister, great progress.

Quite exhausted on landing? I recall my first big venture out in the wilds - I spent two hours flying around Yorkshire and only when I landed did I realise just how exhausted I felt - the adrenaline is going all the time and you literally don't come down until you are back on terra firma.

This is another great opportunity for us all to learn about our limits. I got some good feedback from my instructor when he stated how easy it is to get exhausted when first soloing because the adrenaline keeps you going. You must be doubly aware to concentrate at all times until the flight is completed and engines shut down.

[NT42]

Congrats Lister - sounds very fun indeed! I personally can not wait to go solo out of the circuit, must be amazing! I've forgotten what it's like away from the airfield!

Mazzy - great advice (or at least it seems to be). Will follow it - and as of tonight I will study the whizz wheel book.

Would you recommend proper ground school for the nav? I think the likes of me would benifit from it, and I'm pretty keen on the idea. Might quicken the process up.

Great thread - learned a hell of a lot from it, thanks.

John.

[cadaha]

Joke posted by Farrell had me in tears.

Aer Lingus Flight 101 was flying from Heathrow to Dublin one night,with Paddy the Pilot, and Shamus the co-pilot. As they approached Dublin airport, they looked out the front window. "B'jeesus" said Paddy "Will ye look at how fookin short dat runway is". "You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy" replied Shamus. "Dis is gonna be one a'de trickiest landings you're ever gonna see" said Paddy. "You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy" replied Shamus. "Right Shamus. When I give de signal, you put de engines in reverse" said Paddy. "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye put de flaps down straight away" said Paddy "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye stamp on dem brakes as hard as ye can" said Paddy "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye pray to de Mother Mary with all a' your soul" said Paddy "I be doing dat already" replied Shamus.

So they approached the runway with Paddy and Shamus full of nerves and sweaty palms. As soon as the wheels hit the ground, Shamus put the engines in reverse, put the flaps down, stamped on the brakes and prayed to Mother Mary with all of his soul. Amidst roaring engines, squealing of tyres and lots of smoke, the plane screeched to a halt centimetres from the end of the runway, much to the relief of Paddy and Shamus and everyone on board. As they sat in the cockpit regaining their composure, Paddy looked out the front window and said to Shamus "Dat has gotta be de' shortest fookin runway I have EVER seen in me whole life". Shamus looked out the side window and replied "Yeah Paddy, but look how fookin wide it is".

PS There are loads more at this thread
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59309&perpage=20&highlight=best%20school%20in%20florida&pagenumber=1


:ok:

[NT42]

cadaha - fantastic. First heard that a while back from a mate learning to glide. It's still as funny as then!!

A quick question (asked mazzy - he asked for me to post it on here - sure it's nothing to do with his abilities to answer my question. Just want to help others too!)

Anyway - magnetic variation.

I understand that you need to vary your heading, because of this variation. But, I'm unsure as to where to add or take off...

If, where I'm flying there's 4W magnetic variation, and I'm flying 175, I'd alter my course to 179. Ie 4 degrees towards west.

However, if I'm flying 290 would I add 4 degrees again, or take them off. Logically I'd say taking off TOWARDS west would make sense to get 286...but I'm not sure.

Anyone help?


Edited: Mazzy has indeed given me a very helpful answer (thanks):

If the mag variation is west ADD to your heading.

If the mag variation is east SUBTRACT from your heading.

"WEST IS BEST EAST IS LEAST"

I was confused - thought you'd add or subtract towards west, if the magnetica variation was west.

I'll leave this on, someone else may ask the same one day.

[cadaha]

Remember
West is best i.e add variation. cse 165T var 5W cse 170M
East is least i.e subtract variation. cse 165T var 5E cse 160M

Sorry missed then end of the post Mazzy's already done it:O

[NT42]

Sorry, Mazzy's too quick!

Thanks anyway, all confusion over now! Just waiting for something else to baffle me now!

Cheers!

[cadaha]

JW

Don't forget deviation or xwind :D

[Chequeredflag]

I'm interested, and somewhat relieved to find that some of you "youngsters" also feel knackered after being airborne for a couple of hours. I assumed it was my advanced years that made me feel so tired straight afterwards.

I can drive on busy roads/motorways for hundreds of miles, and for several hours at a time without feeling really tired. You might think that driving at motorway speeds, on roads as crowded as they are today might be just as tiring as flying, but it seems that being "up there" brings stresses over and above those that are found "down here", even though to a large extent, they are not prominent at the time.

God knows what state I'm going to be in after the GFT!!!

[mazzy1026]

I would use the word 'drained' rather than tired or worn out. I think being excited takes over and counteracts it. When I finished my QXC, i didn't feel tired until I got home, and even then, it wasn't that bad. I have been more tired, for instance when I done my first dual nav - it was so bad, I was just knackered. Stress has a lot to do with it I think, so the more stressful a flight, the more tired you will be.

That's just me anyway :=

[Whirlybird]

Flying is pretty exhausting - so much to do, such a lot to think about. It does get easier the longer you fly, as you get used to it and it becomes more natural. In my albeit limited experience, it never becomes as easy as driving, but that could be because I drive nearly every day, but few of us fly that often. So we're always rusty to a certain extent, and usually stretched in a way we're not when we're driving.

That's how I see it, anyway.

[mazzy1026]

Also, with the driving, I tend to go into autopilot mode - for example, when travelling on the motorway, I wont remember half of it when I reach the end, I just drive. I don't even have to think about driving now, I can just do it!

Different to flying, as I can remember every bit of my QXC! I will try and write up a diary entry next time I take a journey on the motorway :zzz:

[GonTek]

C F : it will be the best 2+ hrs of your life, go for it and as for the age bit I am 25+24 years of experience and managed so dont let that put you off !!!

[Bob Stinger]

It is very tiring, I recall my QCC, Bpool-Hawarden-Wolverhampton-Blackpool , instructor out and then Bpool-Wolverhampton-Hawarden-bpool , knackered , I nearly crawled home, i think the more hours you have the less tired you feel as some of the stress is taken out of it. Bob 28

[mazzy1026]

Bob - that is an almighty QXC ! I bet you were ruined after that one! :sad:

[Chequeredflag]

GonTak - you are Sir, but a mere spring chicken!! I have 25 years plus 37 years of experience.

Bob Stinger - Blimey, no wonder you were wiped out!!

Bob Stinger (2)

I have been told by the school, that on QXC, I have to land at two airports, one of which (Cambridge) has to be one I\'ve never been to before. I notice you did a sort of dummy run on yours with the instructor. Various schools do seem to interpret the syllabus in different ways.

I still think that was a marathon day you had - one run will be enough for me I think. I\'ve now run out of solo landaway currency \'cos the weather\'s had me grounded for over three weeks, so have to do a a local landaway with the instructor before I can do the QXC!! It\'s bloomin\' frustrating!!

CF

[kookabat]

Also, with the driving, I tend to go into autopilot mode - for example, when travelling on the motorway, I wont remember half of it when I reach the end, I just drive. I don't even have to think about driving now, I can just do it!

Vaguely remember something like this from a psyc course I did last session at uni - 'conscious' vs 'unconscious' processing. You can do something automatically (driving, serving customers at the bookshop I work at etc etc) fine while evrything works, but as soon as something happens that distracts your concentration you tend to struggle to remember what bit you were up to... soon as you have to 'think about it' again!

Flying is not at that automatic stage for me yet!

[GonTek]

C F : Sir ,with age comes experience......

The older you are the more experience you gain,question is do you learn from it ? (why on earth learn to fly????)

Here in the frozen north QXC consists of trip to Carlisle ( EGNC )
via west coast for milage - Tesside (EGNV ) return Newcastle (EGNT ) NCL >CAR>TEES>NCL. So you get to mix it with the big boys twice in one day,all good fun. Glenrothes/Fife is an eye opener aswell.

Anybody still get a bit nervous about flying before you get in the seat even after getting a few hours under the belt ??

Safe flying/happy lessons all....

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Flying is not at that automatic stage for me yet! How automatic does it get?

I'd sort-of hoped that bits of it would eventually get automatic ... like, for example, straight-and-level would be a nice start, so that I could for example decide I wanted to fly at 2100' and simply do so without any conscious effort to hold the level. Hasn't happened yet.

[Bob Stinger]

Gon tek ,I am always nervous right up to the point when i get to the aircraft then im fine, dont know if thats a bad thing or not?

[Whirlybird]

I'm always nervous until I get in and start the checks.

Is it good? It's certainly better than getting complacent or over-confident. Nowadays I just kind of accept it and see it as my mind doing its usual routine tricks. Same as when it tells me, every morning, that getting up is awful and terrible and I really need another three hours sleep. I get up, and feel fine. Similarly, I get in the aircraft, and remember how to fly. So I let this silly mind run on, and don't listen.

[mazzy1026]

straight-and-level would be a nice
I think this is one of the most difficult parts of flying - what seems so simple, is actually an acquired skill.

I won't use the word stress. Stress to me is something like finding out one of your degree module results, and realising you've missed the target by 5% - then worrying what to do next.

I've always said this kind of thing throughout my whole diary:

"It was a good scary feeling"
"I was nervous but in an excited way"
....etc

It's hard to explain, but if I was worried before I went flying, I wouldn't do it (OK I would start to worry when things go wrong). With me, the QXC wasn't a worry (OK weeks before the flight, I would nit-pick about things and worry about things going wrong) but it was more like a massive up-hill climb (not struggle) and I thought that if other people have done it, then I can do it too - I just looked ahead and then worried when the wheels left the ground :D

Nerves are always of the plenty when I go flying, before, during and even when I am driving home - but this I think is where the feeling, also known as "buzz" comes from, like that one we all get every time we fly ;)

Safe flying all :ok:

[Chequeredflag]

Lovely day today - pity I was one day out of currency to do my last solo land away before QXC, but nevertheless set out to regain currency with a local landaway with my instructor. One mile from East Midlands Airport, I got a phone call to say the Warrior had gone tech. and the other one was in for service.

Will I ever fly again???

[GonTek]

Personally, the nervous bit I think is good, as complacency is not.

Reading the post's it looks like all PPL's have more or less the same experiences pre/post licence grant. Why do we do it ?

Just for a bit of fun boys and girls try this one (dual ) Climb and descend/turn without using yoke - Power and rudder only.


Straight and level....... mmmmmm only cracked that one on GFT
Did navex at 2700 ft give or take 10, examiner asked why in debrief. Answer :- It was flying ok why adjust it..... he never replied.

Fly safe.

[kookabat]

Lovely day today - pity I was one day out of currency to do my last solo land away before QXC, but nevertheless set out to regain currency with a local landaway with my instructor. One mile from East Midlands Airport, I got a phone call to say the Warrior had gone tech. and the other one was in for service.

Ahh that's a familiar feeling.
Think I've said it before (maybe even multiple times): you need (while you';re training towards your PPL) three things - good weather, an instructor and an aeroplane. In my experience it's been 'pick any two of three'!!

[NT42]

Well, the weather was very dodgy, but I finally got into the air today!

Checked the METAR and TAF, both showed good weather, so I set off. About half way to the airport I rang to check, and it was all fine so I carried on...

Got the the club, had a quick chat with the instructor about emergency situations and went to check the 'plane out.

Everything was fine, short field TO and we were flying. It became apparent very quickly that the weather wasn't going to be kind. The turbulance was the worst I've experienced since learning to fly, and we decided I wasn't going solo. Fair enough, so we came in for a touch and go, and off we went again. This time we decided to make it a full stop - the wind was very gusty and turbulance not getting any better.

After driving the 30 miles or so, I wasn't keen to go back after 20 minutes in the air, so we thought we'd go and do some navigation. So off we go again - TO was fine, standard VFR to the North, but the weather was still pretty poor.

We were going to do some more instrument flying, but elected not to with the tubulance. So it was a basic navigation lesson in the end - FI told me where to go, and I had to get there.

To be honest - simple enough. Vis was fairly good so had no real problems. Had to alter course due to the increasingly strong wind but managed to find my points.

The cloud was lower than that indicated as well so we nearly got caught a few times. Some quick altitude alteration needed, but nothing too bad!

When requesting rejoin I managed to completely balls up my RT, but never mind, we all make mistakes! And then I followed a 757 in for a rather tidy landing!

Overall a nice lesson, flighting with the controls for the majority, but I enjoyed it!

Next booking is for monday, will hopefully be doing an hour of solo circuits. If the weather allows! Then that'll be it on circuits for now!

[NT42]

Hello again!

Turned up at the club today to be told to get lost for an hour, which was nice So off I went, a happy lad, only to end up waiting for 25 minutes to TO!!! That's the problem with an international airport, can be left waiting for a long time.

But I eventually got going, with a nice short field take off. As I climbed into circuit height and got onto the crosswind leg, I noticed a 152 (also in the circuit) taking it very, very wide (not wanting to start a debate on the size of circuits, but it really was massive!)

So I take a wider circuit too, not wanting to cause any mayhem. About a second after I do that, ATC ask me to "keep the circuit wide" - obviously spotting the problem. I called to say I was ready for downwind, and was asked to orbit before turning.

All fair enough, and I go downwind, cleared to finals and cleared to land. 2 stages of flaps and a (fairly) gentle landing.

I go around again, this time with an entirely uneventful circuit and landing with full flap.

The next circuit I end up orbiting for a long time. When I get cleared to land I get a rather frantic call from ATC asking me to go around. Didn't know what that was for - it seemed she hadn't left enough room between me and the easyjet behind me - didn't fancy having that ramming into me!

Anyway I went around for another circuit or two. Which were fine - a glide approach and flapless. On what I elected to be my last T + G I had to go around again. Not ATC's fault, but the op's 4X4 was at the other end of the runway, and I didn't think it would be off before I landed. So around I went. This time a right hand circuit and a full stop. Again, rather uneventful. 2 stages of flaps and I'm down.

Overall a bloody good lesson. Knackered, to say the least. That's the most mentally draining flight I've had before - but enjoyed it immensely.

The weather was beautifyl - 40km vis, no cloud, and still. Couldn't ask for any better!

I was up for 1H15 mins, and that's solo consolidation over! I've been given a route to sort out for saturday. Have to turn up an hour early and do everything.

This feels like a big milestone, looking forward to navigation.

Anyway cheers all and sorry to bore you!

Really enjoyed todays flight - makes you realise why you're doing it!

[Chequeredflag]

JWF. Sounds like you had an interesting day!! The weather was not too bad at E.Mids today, but not good enough for my final solo landaway (which should have happened after I had got my currency back this morning with a landaway at Leicester with the instructor). The cloud base was scattered at around 1800, and we ended up going over the top at times. An absolute "no no" of course, except with the boss sat with me.

Anyway, at least I'm current for landaway again now, and enjoyed the company of a different instructor than normal. Hopefully I'll get the final landaway, and the QXC in before Xmas, but somehow ,this time of the year I doubt it!!

Cheers all, and if I don't post again before, have a great Xmas and successful New Year. PPL's for one and all, I trust in 2006!!

[mazzy1026]

Tonight I am hoping to decide on the location for the fly-in.

I need some ideas today if possible - some things to consider:

> Needs to be central England
> A nice friendly place, that would welcome a fly-in
> Somewhere not REALLY close to controlled airspace (I will explain at a later date!)

If anyone else has any preferences, or airfield ideas, please post them ASAP. Once we have a location, I'll stick it, and then as I get nearer to completing the PPL, I can get down to the nitty gritty of organising it. If anyone has experience of this, then do drop me a line :=

Thanks all - much appreciated,

Lee :ok:

John/Cheq - sorry to hi-jack your posts. John, your not boring us! Turn up 2 hours early, not just one! Well done both of you, and hope you manage to get your QXC Cheq before Christmas.

[Whirlybird]

Tatenhill? Very central in the UK, and not that close to East Mids airspace. And friendly. And you can book trial helicopter lessons with me while you're there if you want. :ok: :)

[MyData]

I'd second Tatenhill. Accessible from most regions, easy to spot, easy circuit and approach. 700m of asphalt with lots of parking space. Friendly people.

Familiar to me as it is where I did my QXC.

Still nothing from the CAA... it's only been 3 weeks since I posted my application to them but it feels like forever. After having the past 18 months of weekends focussed around flying I'm getting withdrawal symptoms. At this rate I'll need a refresher course before going solo again!

[mazzy1026]

Yeah I was thinking of Tatenhill - been there once before with Disco. I'll say it's the top of the list so far - any objections/recommendations, let us know :ok:

Data - hang on in there !;)

[GonTek]

Keep at it C F you might get it sorted as a nice Xmas present




Best wishes All......

[Gertrude the Wombat]

700m? - oo er missus, have to practice my short field landings ...:) :) :)

Seriously though, my book also shows a 900m runway - don't forget that once you've got your PPL you're no longer restricted to licensed runways :D

[Blinkz]

Tatenhill looks do-able for me, just pop up inbetween birmingham and EMA and Bobs your mothers brother.

Quick update for everyone on what I'm up to, for those that don't know.

After my PPL I haven't actually done that much flying, straight after my PPL I moved down to Hampshire from Edinburgh so had to get checked out at a new airfield down south (Blackbushe) Did a cpl of flights here, mainly taking gf and mates up, nothing fancy. I did plan a flight to the IoW but the weather didn't let that happen.

Since beginning of september I have been at OAT working my way towards my fATPL, I've got my phase 1 exams on 9th Jan (theres so much to know!!!!) so have been really busy with learn things to do with planes, all very interesting stuff :ok: In January after my exams I'm going to be doing my night rating which I kind of looking forward too, but am also abit worried about flying at night in a SEP (not my idea of safe!!) Once all my exams are out the way in April I will be disappearing to the US for 5 months to do the VFR phase and get my CPL, then its back to the UK for the IR :E

If mazzys fly-in is on a weekend (I assume it will be!) then I maybe able to come, depends on work load etc, its not far from oxford so would be a nice day trip, plus being a student at OAT means that I get a discount on the PPL hire rate (warrior -161 for £95/hr! pretty good)

Glad to see so many of you working towards your PPLs and that you are find this diary useful, I've posted quite abit in it and it def helped me during my training (which I might add I started AFTER mazzy and finished way before, and am nearly halfway thro my commercial training!! come on mazzy, whats keeping you??? :p :p :p :D :ok: )

Hope to meet some of you at the Mazzy Post-PPL flyin ;)

[MyData]

Good to hear of your progress Blinkz.

Gertrude - on the subject of 'unlicensed' runways - what does this actually mean?

Hopefully someone will post a link to an arcane CAA document as I haven't found the definitive statement as yet.

Why, for instance, would Tatenhill have 08/26 as licenced, yet 04/22 as unlicenced? If they are both usable then I would expect them to be maintained to usable standards so it shouldn't be a cost issue.

I asked this specific question before my solo QXC to Tatenhill - I was concerned that if the winds weren't suitable for 08/26 then I would want to be able to land on 04/22. However I was told that a student couldn't land on an unlicensed runway but nothing further by way of explaination.

And here's a couple of photos for familiarisation, showing R26 when climbing away on a left hand departure. The parked aircraft, tower and hangar can be easily spotted to orient you with your Pooley's chart.

http://www.mydata.co.uk/photos/tat-dep-R26L.jpg

and
http://www.mydata.co.uk/photos/tat-dep-R26L-2.jpg

I have both these in much higher resolution if anyone would be interested.

[mazzy1026]

Blinkz !! Welcome back old chum, you certainly did make a lot of posts, so it's about time you came back and told us what you are doing you lazy git !! :ok: Enough sending me abuse on MSN anyway :D

I can't see the pictures here at work Data, but thanks in advance.

The fly-in will be on a weekend, purely because I think most people will work weekdays. At the moment, I'm afraid I can't give a date, as I don't know when I will pass (but it will be soon, not long to go.....)

I look forward to meeting you all, and I hope as many of you can make it as possible.

Whirly - Check your PM's ;)

So, Tatenhill it is then..........

Cheers,

Lee :ok:

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Gertrude - on the subject of 'unlicensed' runways - what does this actually mean? Yes, I did try reading up on this, but the only conclusion I could come to was "one that students can't use".

At an airfield with some licensed and some unlicensed runways, clearly the airfield must have the facilities required for the licensed runway. The unlicensed one might not have been checked against various standards like obstructions in the climb-out or whatever, but one can't really imagine crashing and burning on the unlicensed runway and the airfield managers deciding not to send out the fire engine because it's only legally required for the licensed runway!!

[Whirlybird]

I did try reading up on this, but the only conclusion I could come to was "one that students can't use".


That's always been my definition. :)

[MyData]

Unlicensed = Not For Students

Sounds good enough as a rule of thumb for me.

With regards the higer resolution pictures for Tatenhill I've taken the liberty to include another snippet below:

http://www.mydata.co.uk/photos/tat-26-zoom.jpg

For the observant you will see that on R26 after the fifth centre line mark there are a cones to the right of the runway. You should have landed and be slow enough to vacate the runway at this point. Just a pointer for those who land and then get instructions from the tower to this effect.

Of course - they may or may not be there on the day, but I thought it would be useful to post here in readiness.

[mazzy1026]

Last time I was there (the only time), there was a landing competition, which involved trying to land before some thin yellow markers either side of the runway - it was tough, but do-able. :8

[DiscoChocolate]

Maybe the same thing could be organised for the Fly-in? Could be good fun...

Nice pics by the way MyData :ok:

[mazzy1026]

Yes, the competition for the day could be "Who can land in their parking space" :E

[Lister Noble]

A lovely day today,brilliant weather with a dusting of snow on the ground,the effect of sun and snow was absolutely stunning.
Did another solo nav ,this time from Old Buckenham to Kings Lynn,then Sherringham on the coast and back home via Norwich,also did my first MATZ penetration.
I've been told to get the remaining exams out of the way ASAP because I'm nearly there,so that's a great Christmas present.
Although my real present from Mrs N is a of Pilot 17-79 DNC-XL headset, I've been using a borrowed set for several months and can't fault them.
Wishing all Forumistes a very happy holiday and a superb 2006!
Lister:D :D :D

[NT42]

LN - sounds like you're doing very well indeed. So a big congratulations!

You seem to have steamed through the PPL. There seems to be a few contenders for the first "class of 2006" now!

I managed to get another flight in yesterday. Was a little touch and go as to whether it would happen - late night on friday. Early morning on saturday! But I felt ok in the morning, so popped along to the aero club for a flight at 1100.

Got there at around 1000, and started planning my route. A simple, first official navigation exercise (even though I'd already done some navigation when weather wasn't good enough.

So I got the route planned fine. My instructor told me about QDM and QDR - nice to know there can be some help! Once I'd frozen my hands in the pre-flight checks we were ready for the off.

There was a 15 knot crosswind - never had one that strong - but I got on with it, and my TO was fairly good!

So, we turned onto the first heading, and cleared the zone. We were asked to contact radar (another first!). As soon as we turned onto the frequency we heard a little banter between the controller and a pilot - taking the mick out of Sunderland's football ground I believe!

Fairly quickly it became apparent that we were off track. Either the wind wasn't as shown, or there was an error in my calculations (the cheek of my instructor to say that! :} ) We found out what the problem was once we'd landed.

Because we both knew where we were, there was no problems though. The second leg was spot on, as was the third.

On the way back down to newcastle, we needed to get to the east of the VRP, so my calculations no longer mattered! We asked radar for clearance to enter the zone and rejoin instructions which we were duely given.

Not until we were on right base did I remember we had a rather strong crosswind to deal with (or more to the point - I did!). I massively overshot right base, but managed to get back on track. The next bit's a bit of a blur really, it all just happened. It seems I completed a good wing-down method of landing. And to be quite honest I was very chuffed. My instructor said it was a good landing. So I was very happy (only my second X-wind landing, 1st without any verbal input).

So now the real test - did I make a mistake with the whizzy wheel, or was the wind different to that predicted?

He used the information I had, took my whizz wheel, and after around 2 minutes came with his answers. Exactly the same as mine. :hmm: He apologised for doubting my abilities, but said he was happy that I was right! (Obviously couldn't be bothered to go through the wind calculations with me again!).

So, as always, a very enjoyable lesson.

Another dual nax ex next, and then I do them solo! Can't wait!

Edited to say: I also had the pleasure of meeting fellow forumite happyeater (Paul). Although, I have to admit I wouldn't have known who it was if he hadn't shouted "JOHN FOREMAN" at me, and introduced himself! :O

[Lister Noble]

JWF-
lt took me quite a while to go solo,(circa 18hrs?) though we were doing other things until I did.
Since then it's been very good progress,so it goes to show that a 10 hr solo doesn't necessarily mean a great improvement overall.
Re solo nav so far, before I leave my instructor lets me do all the sums first then we go through them together to see if I'm right.
Really embarrassing one day when I laid off the wind on one leg in the wrong direction( and I have been sailing all my life!)
Just shows it pays to draw the wind on the chart and see what it's doing to you,then double check all your results!
Another thing, I thought that I could memorise checklists and do them that way.
Big mistake, as I have missed really important stuff by jumping a stage!
I flew at night last weekend with a good PPL of around 250 hrs.
He went through the check list really thoroughly just as I should do,so another lesson learned.
Talking to a pal who is an airline pilot,he told me they always use checklists because it's very easy to miss someting really imporatant.
Now no flying lessons until 6th Jan as school closed but no doubt I'll be up in the Moth or something over the hols.
Lister:D :D

[NT42]

On my first few solo's I had a worrying tendancy to not do my landing checks. This prompted me to rights "CHECKS" on my kneeboard, and never forgot about them since.

As for the HASELLcheck - I totally forgot what some of them were yesterday. Luckily I had the checklist to hand, and went through them. Always good to have it there.

I expect if my instructor were sending me off solo, or we were going futher away, he'd veryify my sums. I think yesterday was a mini "test" to make sure I could actually do it. He checked my final figure for heading, and seemed to think they were ok. I'm in the habit of putting a large arrow on my chart now too, makes it a lot easier for quick checks etc.

My next navigation is a longer route, so will likely go through the calculations. Then I do them both solo (assuming everything's ok in the dual), and then start the land-aways! :D

And you're solo - don't think 18 hours is "quite a while" - I'd say that's pretty darn good! But like you said, doesn't make much difference in the end!

[Happyeater]

Nice to say 'hi' John. Good to put a face to the name from here. Glad your dual nav went well, you'll do it yourself next and that is a fantastic experience.

Great to see you coming along with your PPL. The QXC won't be far away and then its revision for the skills test. The class of 2006 beckons!!

[mazzy1026]

Ah yes, the checklist nightmares! I went through this stage myself - it is documented a couple of hundred posts back :D Keep up the good work ;)

THE FLY-IN
Now then - I need to see if it would be possible for people to make the fly-in on a weekday - reason being, is that there is a possibility of a very nice surprise coming to Tatenhill for us, but it has to be on a weekday. It's not a 100% definite, but it's possible.

Please let me know your thoughts - like I say, it will be around the spring time....

Cheers,

Lee :ok:

[NT42]

Paul - don't be saying that! QXC :oh: skills test :oh:

Makes it sounds rather scary! But thanks, it was very god fun the nav. And very good to meet you.

I really need to get cracking with the exams mind, would like met (maybe nav) done before the QXC. And class of 2006....fingers crossed. Just need you lot to pass first!

Cheers.

And the "suprise" - I'm dieing to know :confused: Will try and make it down, school and pilot permitting!

[Bob Stinger]

Mazzy, weekday or weekend are all fine for me, nice to see progress all round come on guys and girls keep it up!

[NT42]

Just a very quick post:

Had another flight today. The second official dual navigation exercise (for those who know the area - Newcastle - Barnard Castle - Seaham - Newcastle).

After arriving at the club I had a very long wait. One of the aircraft wouldn't start, one was lacking a nose wheel, and one was being taken elsewhere for a maintainence check! But after an hour or so we got in the 'plane and we were off...

...the the fuel pump! Once we'd filled it up, we really were off though.

Not a lot to say about the flight really, the visibility closed in a little, but was still perdectly safe. My first experience of talking to different ATC (Teesside approach) which was nice. Stayed pretty well on track, found all my points, and got back safely. By the time we at the airfield it was very dark though! Nice to fly over the Newcastle Quayside. We orbited for 5 minutes or so, then got cleared to finals - the runway looked amazing fully lit. And whilst not the best of landings, I got it down fine.

Next lesson is booked for wednesday (21st) - been told to turn up an hour early, plan my route, check the 'plane and go off on my own! :D Should be fun!

Cheers.

[MyData]

Great to hear the progress made by all. Looks like things are coming together nicely.

Earlier, Lister stated:
Talking to a pal who is an airline pilot,he told me they always use checklists because it's very easy to miss someting really imporatant.

I recall in the pre-9/11 days when, if you asked nicely, you could sit in the jump seat on scheduled flights. I've been fortunate to sit up front for a couple of trips from Leeds to Heathrow with BMI. The approach to LHR was awesome. Anyway, the point here is that I was very surprised at how much checklists are used in the cabin. Of course, here on PPRuNe those that fly professionally will think nothing of this, but at the time it was interesting to see just how regimented the activities at all stages of the flight were.

Checklists are vital. I've even made notes on mine to add to the standard ones (e.g. HAND ON THROTTLE before ignition). I've also made my own A5 kneeboard pad in Word with the various critical acronyms expanded out for those airbourne checks.

Mazzy - a weekday would be doable for me, just need as much notice as possible so I can book a day off work. It would be interesting to fly mid week, I've heard it gets busy and those RAF chaps are also to be seen buzzing around...

[mazzy1026]

Good progress John :ok:

I will say now then that the fly-in will be a weekday, most likely a Friday I think.........I hope people can make it as it will be a day not to be missed !!!!!



:cool:

[Lister Noble]

Sorry chaps,afraid I've lost the plot.
Are we saying to meet up the end of this month or end Jan 2006 or another month?
A really beautiful day today and hardly a small plane in the air,can't wait to pass and have that licence!
Lister:D

[mazzy1026]

Hehe - Lister, the fly in will be spring some time (presuming I have passed by then) and I that is my main priority at the moment (that, and organising the fly in).

Also, at any time people like, we can gather for a few scoops in a pub somewhere mid-England !

:D

[Lister Noble]

Thanks Lee,
I was getting it mixed up with the Christmas fly-in.
Lister:D

[Blinkz]

Am afraid that there is no chance I can go anywhere on a weekday so am gonna have to give it a miss :{

[mazzy1026]

:confused: :oh: :hmm: :sad: :ouch:

[mazzy1026]

It feels like ages since I last wrote something up!

On Friday, I am booked in to complete my solo flying, which is the requirement for the PPL. If the weather isn't good enough, I can see us doing an hour of radio navigation, probably starting off with ADF & DME - so fingers crossed :8

Hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year - wish you all the very best, with lots of flying! Bring on the class of 2006.....

[NT42]

It seems like I'm posting a lot on here at the moment - rather suprising how much I'm flying considering it's the middle of winter!

Anyway, today was to be my first solo navigation exercise. I turned up at the club an hour and a bit early. Got the wind, and plotted my route straight away. A simple one - Colt Crag - Rothbury - Newcastle.

I then found out that my usual instructor wasn't here, but asked another (part-time) instructor to send me off. Whilst it shouldn't have, this got me a little nervous. But never mind, he checked all my calculations and I was ready to go. Checked the ATIS - damn, cloud at 1500 feet. Decided to leave it for half an hour, and hoped it went.

Around 10 minutes later another instructor lands, and informs us there's hardly any cloud. So I give it a visual inspection, agree with him, and go to my 'plane! Everything was ok with the checks, I got it started, and called for taxi clearance. And got a prompt reply saying they hadn't received a flight plan - DAMN. The FI mustn’t have told them. After a few non-CAP413 RT calls I'm allowed to go. So two things not gone to plan...surely not a third?

Everything else goes as planned. I'm instructed to follow another of the clubs AC, and another was following me. All three of us to line up, and then go off one at a time. I was second, and it didn't take long until I was cleared for take off.

No problems on take off, expect for one large-ish gust of wind, but it was all kept under control. I got onto my heading, and all seemed fine. Cruising along at 2400 feet. Already had the first turning point in sight, so was feeling a little more relaxed. Re-checked my checks. DAMN - fuel pump! Other than leaving that on, it all seemed ok. Until I was reminded by ATC that I hadn't switched the transponder on....

So I contacted radar, flew over my turning point, did a nice little circle around it, and got onto my new heading. All seemed fine, the right landmarks were in the right places, and I was on track. Once I was overhead my next point, I did another nice little fly-past, and turned onto my new heading, direct to Newcastle.

At one point I lost one of the significant landmarks I was looking for, but that wasn't a big problem, as another popped up nearly straight away. Now was the time to deviate off course, though. I routed straight into Newcastle, from the West. But needed to be the East of the VRP. So a little correction and I'm heading in the right direction. Called for re-join, and was promptly cleared to enter CAS. The three aircraft I departed with, also wanted to land at the same time as me. Never mind, I was second in line, but I could not find number 1. I looked and looked, and eventually got him, when he was on short finals. Shortly after I was cleared onto finals. Was warned about the military helicopter to my right, which was indeed pretty close, but posed no risk.


So I was cleared to land. Decided on two stages of flaps, but the AC was still on the runway, and was taking a long time to vacate. Luckily he eventually did, and I had some time to spare before landing. For some reason, I did not get my approach right, speed was wrong, and when I eventually got the 'plane down, it was a heavy landing. Perfectly safe, but not as smooth as I'd have liked.

And that was it - my first solo navigation exercise completed! A more complex one is planned for Friday, and then it's landaways, so I've been told! Overall I'm ver chuffed, just wish the landing was a bit better! And I will remember to switch the transponder on, and fuel pump off next time! (And to be 100% my flight plan's been filed!) :O

Good flight, and past my 20th hour! :D Good day overall.

Thanks all,

John.

[mazzy1026]

Ah the first solo nav! Well done there, it's a good achievement, and builds you up nicely for the QXC :cool:

[MyData]

jwf - sounds like fun. It great to be able to read up on other's experiences here and 'fly' the route with them.



And got a prompt reply saying they hadn't received a flight plan

Did they mean a flight plan, or that you hadn't booked out? I never filed a plan during my training. I did have to book out at Leeds though: Type & Reg, POB, Land away or local, duration, vfr, routing out of the zone, captain's name. It is preferable to do this over the phone rather than the radio - as you found out ;-)

What type do you fly? I'm thinking about the point you made regarding 2 stages of flap and wonder why you chose to do this - I'm used to PA28 where 3 stages are used for landing.

[NT42]

MyData - yeah, I hadn't booked out. Didn't mean my flight plan! And yeah, all had to be done over the radio - like you say, it's much easier doing it by phone before you leave!

And I fly the PA-28 as well. I was initially taught landing with 2 stages of flap. Then used all the posibilities. I guess, because it was my first outing, I was keen just to stick with what I'd been taught originally. In other circumstances 3 stages (or indeed none) would have been used. Hope it's not frowned upon only using two!

[MyData]

Now that's interesting that we have both been taught quite differently. I had eight different instructors and one area they were all in agreement was 3 stages at 500ft on final, and carb heat off*

I was taught to be able to land with any flap configuration and how to adjust approach etc. accordingly. You never know when those flaps might fail.

*Until my very last lessons where this changed and the consensus was that carb heat should be on until needed at, perhaps, a go-around.

[NT42]

Hmm. Not to sure about that one. I've been taught with no flap, 2 stages and 3 stages. And whenever I'm flying dual, he'll always ask me how I'm landing. Sometimes I chose three stages, sometimes two and sometimes none at all.

Whilst I've only flown with two instructors since re-starting training, I seem to remember my initial lessons (mid 2004) were conducted in the same manner - 2 stages.

I don't know what to say really, anybody else with experience on PA28 care to comment? Like I said, I've done a lot of landings with 3 stages, but I was originally taught (and my 1st solo was completed) using 2 stages to land.

:confused:

[mcgoo]

i was taught on this aircraft to use all 3 stages of flap on landing and by 500 ft at all times unless there was a strong wind and then to use 2 stages and the carb heat was to be off but the carb heat had been on during the downwind checks!

[NT42]

I fear I may become the minority! :{

Never mind though. Will talk to my instructor about it tomorrow. I'm going to use 3 stages by 500 feet now! Anyway I'm off for sleep, so g'night!

[Itellbiglies]

Never flown a PA-28 but I know there are various models ie: PA-28 140,160,180....you know, maybe somthing there

[Blinkz]

I fly a pa28-161 and also use 3 stages.

Using full flap has a number of advantages, it will give you a steeper angle of descent, which imo allows you to control the height better (better view etc) and it will also give you a shorter float. Unless there is a specifc reason to not use 3 stages then I have always used full flap to land. The only down side I can see is that if the engine should fail then you would have a bigger rate of descent then if you had 2 stages.

[Lister Noble]

I am learning in a PA28-180,and standard landing practice taught is as follows-
Downwind - Carb heat on during downwind checks then off.
Base leg - Reduce power and carb heat on,select two stages flap.
Final - Select three stages flap around 500 feet and carb heat off well before landing.
Lister:D

[Cricket23]

This is my first post on here, but I've been following the various 'antics' with interest.

We'll, after 57 hours (too many I know), I've just completed my first solo land away (Redhill to Lydd) this morning. A bit of a dull day, and as usual Lydd was very difficult to see, but at least the danger areas weren't active! All in all very enjoyable, I feel dead chuffed!

QXC, now booked for early Jan - weather permitting of course

Keep it coming folks, and happy and safe flying in 2006.

[BEagle]

We teach that full flap should always be used in the PA28-140 and PA28-161, and carb heat checked OFF on final.

Do NOT let any idiot show off with a '120 KIAS over the hedge' landing in a PA28-161, that's a sure fire way to collapse the noseleg and is some 57 knots in excess of the correct 63 KIAS approach speed. Whoever 'Andy' is should have his ar$e kicked hard for such stupidity!

[Lister Noble]

I find the easiest mistake is to leave carb heat on for landing,
I've caught myself a couple of times on doing the after-landing check to see I've left it on.
I don't suppose it is the worst thing to happen and know there is another topic about carb heat and this gets a mention.
I think I am getting better as I don't think I've done it recently!

Re high speed approaches etc in a training plane.
I am a mere low hours learner but have several pals with many years commercial,military and private flying.
They don't p*ss about like that!
Lister:D

[NT42]

Seems I've sparked some interest! Apparently the 2 stages is ok. My landings are no worse off for it, but again, 3 stages will be used when or if needed. And I have been trained using this config. as well.

As for the fast, low approach - I think I'm too scared for that! :\

Anyway thanks for the feedback!

Welcome Cricket23, I look forward to reading some write-ups!

I had another lesson today - was planned to be a solo navigation again. The wind was too strong though, so I had a dual lesson doing some instrument flying and using the VOR. Would have liked to get this solo done (so I can move onto landaways!) but can't help the weather! Good to get some instrument work in too.

Next lesson not until next thur. now!! Fingers crossed for good weather.

Merry Christmas everyone, and safe flying!

[GonTek]

Beagle : I agree only an idiot would try to land at 120 kts and it is obvious to anybody that has any knowledge of PA 28 's they would not even try it and that was not the intention,
Any instructor worth his salt would not attempt it either and I for one would not allow it to happen.

I was shown the approach and landing "from 120 kts " over the fence by a very knowledgeable and well respected ex jet captain with many thousands of hours as well as instructing.

We landed at 70 kts....

My apolagies if you could not make sense of my posting as it may not of been clear.

[MyData]

...well, a number of pieces of paper actually.

12:20 on Christmas Eve and a knock on the door. A package from the CAA. What excellent timing!

Fantastic! I now have my brown wallet and its time to go flying again!

Here's to all for a great Christmas :ok:

[cadaha]

Well done MyData hope you have a great time utilising you new found freedom.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the flyers and wannabee flyers here.

I hope I'm back in the UK in time for the February Bash. :ok:

[Lister Noble]

Well done Data!!!!!
One of my pals has just been over and given us a great display in his Pitts,I'm not sure if I eventually want to do that but can't wait to get my licence anyway.
There is going to be a massive fly-out/fly-in from a local farm strip tomorrow,although I think it would be appreciated if I stayed at home for Christmas day.
A really happy Christmas and a fantastic 2006 to all.
Lister:D

[mazzy1026]

Wow - so much going on and I've only been gone 2 days!

Firstly, welcome to Cricket, like I say to every new diary joiner, you are now expected to keep us up to date on your progress ;)

Data - You make me jealous! := I cannot wait for that day to happen to me, you must be over the moon!

With regards to flaps - this is my two shillings worth: I fly a PA38 which has only two stages of flap. I will judge how many stages to use, depending on the wind, and that alone. If there is now wind, then I use full flap (there is always wind). Anything from 15 knots upwards I will use only one stage, as my ground speed will be slow enough. Also, if there is a stonking cross wind, I tend to use only one stage, to give a higher ground speed, should things go wrong.

I think Blinkz mentioned some very important points - If you use no flap, then you have a very shallow approach, your nose is much higher (greater angle of attack) and you need quite a bit of power to 'drag' it through the air. This is a bad approach (in two respects) if you have an engine failure. On the other hand, if you use full, or two stages, then you have a much steeper approach, greater visibility, and your chances of success are much greater should you have an engine failure - flaring is much easier too. Remember the purpose of flaps: to give a steeper descent without increasing speed.

With regards to the carb heat, I was taught to turn it off at 300 feet, should I need to go around.

I had what was possibly my final 'syllabus' style lesson yesterday - I completed VOR, ADF and DME etc, and the lesson couldn't have gone any better - I shall do a full writeup shortly! My next flight will either be a short solo trip to meet the requirements, or more likely, a mock test!

Have a great Christmas everyone - and remember, it is illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas day!

Lee :ok:

[NT42]

Congrats Data! Tis brilliant, you can go flying whenever now - allright for some!

Mazzy, looking forward to your write up! Good luck with the mock test too...and then of course the real test!

Just to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, hope everyone has fun and doesn't eat too much, or get too drunk!

If anyones flying during the festive period have fun, and of course be safe! My fingers are crossed for some good weather!

John.

[mazzy1026]

Suppose I'd better write this up whilst I am sober :hmm:

I managed to bag an hour last Friday, which consisted of using the ADF (Automatic Direction Finder), NDB (Non Directional Beacon) the VOR (Very High Frequency - Omnidirectional Range) and the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment).

Firstly the the ADF. I read an article a few weeks ago, in which the guy who owns Cirrus, the aircraft company, absolutely slated the use of this instrument. Whilst I agree with his views on technology, and GPS, I can't see how you can criticise the ADF. It is a very useful, and simple to use piece of kit. Before I write further, remember this:

TITS

(Sorry - this one is for the lads!) It does have some meaning, when flying using radio navigation:

T - Tune
I - Identify
TS - Test

Here is a perfect example of how I will use the ADF. I am flying around to the south of the Liverpool zone, lets say I have just taken off from Sleap, and I wish to return to Liverpool using Oulton Park as the VRP to enter the zone. Those of you who have flow at Liverpool, will know that this can be a difficult area to find. So, I TUNE in the ADF to the NDB on the frequency 368.5 - I then enable the Nav radio in order for me to listen to the Morse code to IDENTIFY, which consists of a series of dots and dashes. Once I have established I am tuned into the correct station, I can then begin navigating to it. The needle on the ADF display will now point directly to the station (TEST) (giving SLANT range - 10 points to whoever can tell me what this is - very important for those taking Nav, I should know) :rolleyes:

There are a couple of methods which come next, including holding your pen on over the needle, and transposing it's position over your heading indicator (an often frowned upon method). Make sure you synchronize your heading indicator/DI with the magnetic compass at this point - then, turn the compass card on the ADF to zero. Make a note of the number it points to (not a heading) and add it to the heading you are flying. For example, you are flying roughly north, lets say 010 degrees - having set the ADF to zero, the needle points to 090. Add 090 to 010 to give 100 degrees - this is the heading you fly - making sure you have synchronized the DI !!

I suggested to my instructor:

'Well why don't you just set the ADF card to the actual heading you are flying - then the needle will point to the heading you need'?

Apparently that is a more advanced technique - something which is learned in the CPL course. Anyway, as you get nearer to the station, the needle will start to flicker (if you manage to stay on track) - this means you are getting close, or perhaps over the station, by this time you know where you are (or should!).

VOR

The VOR is a brilliant piece of kit - one which is extremely useful. The use of this instrument is similar to the ADF, in that you tune to it, identify it, then test it, by rotating the OBS (Omnidirectional Bearing Selector - or the rotating compass card) through 360 degrees, checking that you see the needle deflect either side, and that you get a TO and FROM flag. You need to know if you are flying TO or FROM - if you are flying TO a station, then you rotate the OBS until you see the TO flag, then you keep rotating it until the needle is aligned, which means that the number at the top of the needle, is the heading you need to fly to take you directly to the station - you are flying the reciprocal of the radial. If you fly the RADIAL - then you are tracking away FROM the station, and to do this, you do exactly as above, except you have a FROM flag, indicating you are flying away from the station.

If you tune into two VOR stations, and obtain your heading from the station (QDR) then you can plot your position on the chart, with surprising accuracy. My first attempt at this was freehand, which was a big mess, not very accurate at all. The second time, I used my protractor, and discovered that we were above a grass strip, and I was made up having looked out the window to see that we had just flown over a grass strip!!

It was a very successful and enjoyable lesson, one which I will need to remember and practice for the GST.

Hope you all had a great Christmas, and look forward to seeing some of you at the fly-in.

Regards,

Lee :ok:

[Gertrude the Wombat]

The second time, I used my protractor IME this only works if you have an instructor in the plane to keep the aircraft straight and level ... otherwise taking both hands off the controls and looking inside for long enough to do this can get a bit hairy.

[Blinkz]

You can keep the a/c straight by using the rudder, however the issue of looking inside for too long is the main problem I find. I try to look up and scan often, but you have to get your fix done vageuly quickly or you just make it inaccurate!

roll on IRS :D

[BEagle]

"I was shown the approach and landing "from 120 kts " over the fence by a very knowledgeable and well respected ex jet captain with many thousands of hours as well as instructing"

Even worse - an utter show off who should know better. I too have nearly 10 000 hours and around 4000 instructional, on things from Chipmunk to Vulcan to Phantom to VC10, but now I instruct on the PA28 as my main flying activity I teach people to fly it the way it is safe to fly it.

Whoever 'Andy' is, he deserves nothing but contempt for such a stupid demonstration of how NOT to fly an aeroplane - and a sound kick up the backside!

ADF and the RBI. My tip for the rotatable compass card design is to use 360 at the top when tracking, so that drift can more easily be applied, but to set DI to compass, then rotate RBI to match DI when position fixing. No ADF will ever give you range, slant or otherwise. For that you need DME!

A bit silly to squeeze ADF, VOR, DME and GPS all into the one lesson, in my view. You really need a good ground brief, then a lesson devoted to each, including how to use them when augmenting traditional visual navigation techniques.

[Whirlybird]

Even worse - an utter show off who should know better. I too have nearly 10 000 hours and around 4000 instructional, on things from Chipmunk to Vulcan to Phantom to VC10, but now I instruct on the PA28 as my main flying activity I teach people to fly it the way it is safe to fly it.


BEagle, well said. :ok: Too many instructors don't seem to realise the effect this sort of thing may have on students. This is another aspect of what I've just posted on the instructional techniques thread (can't remember what it's called). Instructors are teaching people, not teaching flying. To explain, they are teaching individuals to fly, rather than demonstrating flying techniques, with little regard for the person sat next to them. At least, they should be!

[mazzy1026]

Beagle - quite right, it is the DME that gives slant range, nothing else. Quite a lot to think about whilst writing my last post :ok:

We didn't do GPS but I know where you are coming from with regards to amount of time spent on each instrument. I was lucky enough to be able to log 2.5 hours of VOR and DME when I went to Malta - I flew to Sicily with my cousin, who is the CFI at Luqa, Malta. We used the VOR to track there and back. I have actually had a few ground school sessions on this, including in Malta, so the theory was well covered.

With regards to trying to draw lines whilst fly - I admit, it is a nightmare to do if there is nobody to fly the aircraft for you - luckily, my instructor did, and I will ask the examiner in the test if he would be so kind as to fly it for me also, asking him to keep a good lookout of course. I agree with what's said though, the lookout is the most important.

[BEagle]

It's difficult indeed to draw lines whilst flying - which is why our PA28 checklists have a 1:500 000 scale on the back and a nice blank laminated area to scribble upon!

Use a topless pen - preferably a chinagraph - to draw the 'radial' line, then look out. Then check the distance and write it down, look out again. Then plot distance along the radial on the map. If in IMC, amend 'look out' to read 'check instruments'.

Fixing position from an ad hoc VOR or VOR/DME in IMC is quite difficult if you need to draw lines on charts. Far, far better to have a pre-drawn chart with range and bearing rings from the most convenient VOR/DME beacon.

When I was in the RAF, I produced 'kneepad' sized maps for our University Air Squadron Summer Camps at RAF St Mawgan which had a nice clear Lands End VOR/DME overlay, so it was dead easy to check position above OVC cloud - read off digital range and bearing from the nav kit and check your kneepad map!

I fear that too many FIs think that the use of ADF etc is a prelude to the hours spent boring around (in both senses) whilst practising NDB holds. Whereas really it is a simple (but expensive to install!) piece of kit which can give you a useful back up to visual navigation.

But GPS is indeed the way ahead - if used correctly!

[mazzy1026]

Fixing position from an ad hoc VOR or VOR/DME in IMC is quite difficult
Now that does sound impossible - but then again, so did the thought of flying an aircraft by myself for the first time :)

Thanks Beagle :cool:

[GonTek]

I said get him to show you.

He never demonstrated it ,please read before you post comments
and malign people you dont know.

Subject closed.....

[BEagle]

Subject NOT closed - don't encourage any idiot to show off! Ever!

It seems you've decided to delete that post?

[mazzy1026]

Now then ! :8

Let's look at it another way. Let's just say that one day, I woke up 'Quantum Leap' style, to find myself doing 120 knots over the fence in a PA28. There is only one thing I could do, given that the average runway doesn't last forever, the only thing I feel would be appropriate would be to raise the nose, let the speed drop a little, apply full power, and go around. But that's the end of that one anyway........:ooh:

I am lucky enough to be in an empty office today, with lots to do (honest) :{

[Chequeredflag]

That's it mazzy, you tell 'em, there's to be no nastyness on this thread.

[GonTek]

Yes I deleted it. It seems that a misunderstanding of the written english language is a problem here.

But it is a free bandwagon....

And I whole heartedly agree that any attempt to show off is foolish and indeed a dangerous practice, once again that was not the case of showing off .

[mazzy1026]

I very much appreciate anyone's posts on here, and a bit of whole hearted debate never hurt nobody. The problem with things like this, is that it is difficult to express tone - if we were sat at a bar, having a laugh and a few drinks, I am sure the same subject would receive some different responses, however, when you are limited to writing it can be difficult.

I remember about a year ago, when I met up with some pruners in Blackpool - one of the chaps thought I was a 16 year old kid, due to my writing style on pprune, he thought I was a totally different person when he met me!

:=

[Whirlybird]

And way, way back, when I went to my first bash, I introduced myself to someone with whom I'd had long chats on the forums and in the chat room and who I felt I really knew, and he looked at me in amazement and said, "I thought you was a bloke". :confused: :)

[mazzy1026]

Whirls - was he upset about the fact?

Its like when I met DiscoChocolate, he is a complete :mad:

Haha just kidding mate - I am just testing to see if you still read this :D

[Lister Noble]

Mazzy,
I thought you were young,pretty, and drove a fast red car on the A1026.
Sorry mate,wrong girl!
lister
;) ;)