Just started my PPL & need some advice..

[57GoldTop]

I have just recently began my PPL training and have done 2 Navs so far. I feel a little overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to absorb in such a small amount of time, that's not to say I am not enjoying it. I find it quite challenging and exciting to say the least but there is a lot to learn.

I don't find the planning difficult, in fact it's fairly straight forward but I may be lacking some organization in my planning which in turn affects my performance. The main obstacle is doing everything in the aircraft, it's the the flying, CLEAROF checks, map reading/tracking time interval markers, listening to the radio ..etc all at once. I feel that I get a fairly strong tension headache towards the end of a two hour Nav, is this normal ?

I have spoken to various different people, some advise that I should just get the theory out of the way first then do the flying later but I think this would make it too boring.Advice would be much appreciated, especially from fresh PPL'ers or if you can at least think that far back :)

So how did you overcome the initial obstacles/difficulties ?

Thanks.

[Jabawocky]

Well, welcome to the world of flying. no its not easy, but like all things with time and practise you will find its second nature. Tension headaches, could also be brought on or made worse by dehydration. Water is your best friend here.....untill you really need to pee and there are not many options available to you:eek:.

As for learning, mostly we learn in a serial manner, one thing at a time, and eventually the skils habbits and routines have to be performed in parallel, when you fly solo. So that is when the work rate feels to be at a point you can not cope with it all. Eventually some of the things you think about, i.e scanning instruments checking altitudes, frequency changes, all begin to flow without so much thinking about them. This then allows you to relax more. Enjoy the view and overall be in a better position to comfortably deal with a diversion, an ATC instruction without causing a sweat!

So when learning is it normal, of course it is. But in a few hours and it may be 20 or 200 you will be fine even on a long X country trip.

As for how to deal with it.....Plan your flight & Fly your plan. Even may pay to play it through in your mind, dare I say it, do a dummy run on FS if you have it.....biggest thing is, work ahead in your plan, be in front of the plane not with it or behind it. So long as you keep calm all will be fine.

Listen to your instructor on how to manage yourself in the flight, eventually you will develop a routine that works for you.

I am sure you will get plenty of interesting and informative replies here too!:ooh:

J:ok:

[Daniel Beurich]

Remember the old saying Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

Flying the aeroplane is your first priority, just relax and get her all trimmed up, on course and steady, and then focus on your logs, checks, and radio calls. If it takes you a good few minutes to get it done; fine. Your isntructor will understand.

Also, preperation is the key to a successful flight. The more work you do on the ground means the less you'll have to do in the air. Try and memorize the next heading, landmark, radio frequency coming up, (be ahead of the plane) so its all in your head when you need to do it.

Like Jabawocky mentioned, stay ahead of the aeroplane, otherwise something will turn around and bite you on the ass; thats when the headaches start :ugh:

I found that when i started my first nav's, i got very focused on the whole log, map reading thing, pretty much exactly how your describing, but it'll click very soon, then its all smooth sailing.

Daniel

[pall]

Getting used to identifying things from the air helps. What a railway line, river, silo or homestead will look like helps. Also getting used to distance and time intervals. I agree that getting the aircraft trimmed and leaned in cruise first is best.

Having our clipboard set out well helps with info and prompts in colour or highlighted. Getting a mental picture of how you will approach an airfield help too. Active runway, circuit direction, altitudes, where is the windsock etc.

The combination of theory and flying works best as you consolodate your knowledge by practice.

[Andy_RR]

I'm sure it must be normal, else I'm abnormal too!

I have so far only one one NavEx in Oz and I did this after completing my JAR-PPL in the UK. After departing YPJT, overhead Armadale and setting heading for Collie, I crapped myself seeing the great green and apparently featureless nothingness we were about to fly over! The complete antithesis of my flying experience in the UK.

Added to that, it was an easterly blowing and the air was as continuously rough as anything I'd ever experienced and with the stress of it all, I couldn't get the thing trimmed up very accurately, so I was up and down like a proverbial yo-yo, (even though I've never heard a proverb about a yo-yo)

After a divert to Narrogin and a few demo go-arounds there, things started to settle down, but by this stage my complicated fuel log was completely out the window and my position fixing was close to pathetic, even though I wasn't actually lost. I began to stress less about making all the numbers add up and just looked out the window, held the heading and altitude and enjoyed the view. It was much more enjoyable and suddenly I could hold an altitude much more easily.

What I did learn:

- don't fly without at least a shirt pocket
- even a crude time and heading will do the navigation business (mostly)
- don't make complicated logging tables to fill in - the scenery is much more interesting, so simplify it as much as possible
- work out and practice how your logs are meant to work before you fly
- don't panic, it doesn't help
- enjoy the scenery (it helps with your nav too!)

A

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

All good advice! Keep at it mate - it will all come together for you.

Dr :cool:

Man I must be losing it. Trying to think of something half-smart to add - but it just won't come to me !

[57GoldTop]

Thanks for the responses & great advice! When I think back to my very first GFPT lesson I recall how difficult it was to even listen to the emergency briefing! Some interesting points were brought up and I think your responses have helped me identify some problems. Thanks for the tip on trimming the aircraft, I'm so preoccupied trying to manage everything else that I neglect the trim.

I think the headaches might be caused by a combination of different things such as the headset and lack of fluids during the flight, I should bring some water to drink next time.

Thanks..

[Fred Gassit]

Your post took me back to my early days, I too used to getheadaches on flights longer than an hour or so.
I found that a good headset was essential, the good ones back then were Peltor and DC, whatever is very comfortable I guess.
I also found that over time the headaches went away, to be sure they were more like pressure points that got very sore and radiated into headaches.
Either way long gone as I'm sure yours will be eventually!

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Another cause of the head aches may come from wearing a ball cap / hat whilst flying.

On the top of most ball caps there is that little plastic/metal knob ( AKA a button ), when you wear a headset the pressure can be forced onto the button then down onto you skull, causing a killer head ache.

Rip the knob/button off,.

Also, fresh air is a must.

[Spelunker]

"Man I must be loosing it. Trying to think of something half-smart to add - but it just won't come to me !"

Careful now, you don't want to loosen it too much ;)

[Bullethead]

As well as all the previous great advice try running over your planned navex using google earth, it's about a 15 meg download so it doesn't take up a whole lot of room. You can draw the track lines on the surface and then flatten the viewing angle and get a very good visual picture of where you want to go. There's enough detail to be able to read runway numbers in most areas.
You can download it from here, http://earth.google.com/
Preparation is the key to success with most things and particularly flying.
Good luck with it all, it gets easier the more you do.
Regards,
BH.

[tio540]

Good luck with the training.

Ensure adequate hydration, and keep the blood sugar up. That will assist with headaches.

:ok:

[Atlas Shrugged]

If I can stick my head in here and offer one piece of advice, don't get into the aircraft with 4,000,000 pieces of paper. Keep only that which is essential on one sheet and put it away when you're not using it. We used to call it "fag packet naving" and you will learn after your first few hundred hours that for a private VFR flight, EVERYTHING you need can be written on your cigarette packet. :ok:

[dude65]

One thing that really helped me when doing navs was writing out all the radio calls days before actually doing the exercise. I would sit down with my maps and look at exactly where I was going,what airspace I would be flying through and then work out what radio calls I would be making and who I'd be making them to. It worked well.
Don't just have tracks/headings planned. That's bloody obvious. Look at your maps. Check what/who you'll be flying over and try to forsee any potential conflicts. Cockpit ergonomics play a huge part. Like Atlas said, don't have bits and pieces of paper floating about. Get comfortable and work out what works best for you. $100 knee pads won't do you many favours either. Good old clip board from the local newsagent does the trick. Write your radio frequencys on your maps. Nothing worse that mucking about with the ERSA looking for the page for whatever field you're flying into when you could have just scribbled all the info onto your VTC.

[YesTAM]

Good advice about minimal paper

I found it helpful to write a "script" for the navex on the right side of an A4 sheet on my board to which the back of the flightplan with times/bearings etc was clipped.

I tried to lay out in order the frequencies, navaids, calls required and joining and circuit altitudes that were required for the trip as planned along with any special instructions or notam information (like RH circuits on such and such runway). A simple fuel log was underneath the flight plan.

By the end of the trip that A4 sheet was annotated (read scribbled) with ATIS, QNH etc. etc as well. I used a biro for the script to distinguish it from the rest of the scribbles.

That way all I needed was my board and the map. It's permissible I think to get your passenger to read the ERSA for you if you need it.

Bear in mind that your navex is deliberately "compressed" to get you used to working fast enough to stay ahead

[JulieFlyGal]

I can assure you it's normal. It's just like learning anything new; the brain takes some time to process the information and with time, some parts of your flying will develop into a motor skill and will come automatically (well, at least that's what the ATPL Human Factors course taught me ;) ).

Rule number one with navigation: Always know where you are. Make sure your DG and compass is aligned and check this every 15 minutes or so even if you're not "scheduled" to do your CLEAR checks. With navigation look at the big picture first and then zoom in and focus in specific features like bends in roads, road intersections, train tracks etc. Enjoy!

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

"We used to call it "fag packet naving""

Its been a while (and I have never smoked) but I seem to recall blokes doing "matchbox" naving!

A standard matchbox was roughly 10nm x 30nm (?) x 50nm (?) on a WAC chart!

Don't have a matchbox here to validate my recollections!

Dr

[57GoldTop]

Excellent advice & support from everyone who replied, I can't thank you all enough, it's re-assuring.

Jabawocky, I don't believe doing a run in FS X will help much, looking out is a major pain and I could never get the lookout to work the way I would like, perhaps it would prove to be useful with 3 displays, the two outside ones could be panned left & right. FS did help initially with radio calls & circuits but the problem with VFR naving in FS is that the detail is very grainy, a decent flight stick is essential if you don't want to juggle between keyboard/mouse & joystick. I would most definately start developing some really bad habits too, the h/w I just mentioned above is also very expensive and that cash could be best spent elsewhere like on a good pair of sunnies or a decent watch. Bullethead, thx for the tip on google earth, I don't know why I never thought of that.

I'm off work for a few weeks just so that I can concentrate fully on my PPL, I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.

Thanks.

[maxgrad]

Just read the first bit of the first post.
THANK GOD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!

Relax, all is well, take the advise given here and of course from your instructor.

Fly the kitchen chair prior every flight....
i.e write down everything you will do in flight from run ups to radio calls.
Then sit in a chair and pretend you are flying the task.

Don't let anybody see you doing this, I failed here as my family now think I am a twisted son of a .............. .

This just gets the mind thinking to the new process being taught.

above all enjoy it! you will once it all settles down a bit.

[jumpuFOKKERjump]

I think the headaches might be caused by a combination of different things...I recently got my PPL, and found the navs the most tiring thing I've done, and I don't think I've led that much of a sheltered life.

Your headaches may be because of your eyes. If you have come to this late in life the constant switch of focus from map to ground to instruments and to map again can exhaust you from eye strain alone. You don't strain your eyes this much in any other thing I've done. Had 'em checked lately?

What worked for me (I'm long sighted so glasses won't help much) was just assume I'll be knackered when I land and put up with it.

[bladesp2]

I am also just starting my navs at present I am reading all the books .One question I have is do you think it better to do all the navs within a week or two, or spread it out over a month or so ? .I was planning to read all the ppl books, then do the first nav and then see what I really need to work on and then do the rest over a week .any advice appreciated.

[YesTAM]

I recommend doing it over at least a month. I can't remember what it's called, but I recollect that learning requires a certain amount of time to be "processed" by your brain and internalised to become part of your skill set.

Do all your navs in one week and a month or so later you may have forgotten what you learned.

I still replay in my mind every flight I've done and find that I learn something new each time

- Like how wonderful it is to have a good autopilot and a GPS:ok:

- And NOT to keep misjudging distances when on approach to short and narrow strips:}

[OZZI_PPL]

Just finished my PPL recently. One thing that I found of great help was to keep every flightplan and scrap of paper I used. If I ever got stuck in the planning stages (which was fairly often) I'd refer back to a previous nav and soon get back on track. Worked well for me.

I got quite a few headaches early on, which I believe were mainly from lack of water. Make a point of including taking a drink in your CLEAROF or similar checks. Don't wait till you get thirsty because then its too late.

Relax too :) Enjoy the scenery, its much more interesting than GFPT training flights.

Ozzi

[Crosshair]

I'm a big fan of flight following.

This is where you remain in contact with a controller through all or part of your flight, even if you don't strictly have to be in contact with them due to airspace requirements.

They give you a discrete transponder code and hand you off to other controllers as you make progress.

Flight following is handy if you're going into an unfamiliar metropolitan area. It makes it much more difficult make an airspace mistake.

You're still in charge, of course, and you still have responsibility for everything -- and the controller can terminate your service anytime he wants -- but in practice I've found they're helpful and I imagine that if you said you were a student they'd be less likely to drop you even if they became busy.

[Di_Vosh]

G'day 57Goldtop,

There's been some GREAT advice given to you here. :ok: Well done guys!!

But I've got to say that (apart from Crosshairs suggestion about flight following) every bit of advice given to you here on prune should have already been given to you by your INSTRUCTOR!

What's more, your instructor should have been able to see that you're having difficulties during the navs, and given you some of these tips already. This should have happened after the first nav, and definately after the second.

My 2c!

DIVOSH!

[OZBUSDRIVER]

G'Day 57Goldtop

Re- using FS. Use FS to go over the route rather than practice your scan. What you are looking for is prominent topo features on your horizon,at your intended cruise altitude, that will help you get a good hold of your intended track. Towns and villages are not much chop. Roads, rivers, rail, dams and powerlines depend on what software you have downloaded. However, the terrain is very close to what you will see as you look ahead on the RL flight. Like Deja Vu:ok:

[57GoldTop]

What's more, your instructor should have been able to see that you're having difficulties during the navs, and given you some of these tips already. This should have happened after the first nav, and definately after the second.

Yes you're right, not much advice has been given period. I'm currently 4 lessons into Navs & very frustrated for reasons I don't want to get into, especially on an internet forum

I'm looking at different flying schools in Bankstown but I'm unfamiliar with the area & GAAP procedures so perhaps some good advice on schools would be a plus. I looked at Basair and other schools after doing a search on the forums but it appears that I need to pay upfront ?

Regards.

[Di_Vosh]

Presumably you've already approached both your instructor and CFI regarding the lack of "help". :(

Do a search on "Flying schools" or just "Bankstown"; there should be some good info there.

Good luck.

DIVOSH

[57GoldTop]

Presumably you've already approached both your instructor and CFI regarding the lack of "help". :(

Yes to no avail, unfortunately.

[jcassebohm]

Its simple, look at the map, look at the ground. Good, now you know where you are. Then:
C- Check heading, DG to compass, check trim
L- Log times, fuel (change tanks)
E- Engine Temps and Pressures.
A- Altitude
R- Radio, ensure you are on the correct frequency and have the next one dialled up.
Have a swig of water, look out the window, take a deep breath then start again.

Have asked these same questions of my CFI and he has said its all perfecty normal, he even gets it if he hasn't flown for a couple weeks.
Lastly, I was getting terrible headaches from my Flightcoms, so go buy some good gel seals for your headset (i got David Clarke) and also I pop ginger tablets on a regular basis while flying, staves off any nausea (rare) and will calm you as well.
Good luck! Now I just have to take my own advice...

[russianthru_thesky]

Cant really think of any helpful advice here that hasnt been mentioned, definately agree with the button on the hat thing. I've got my hat 'aviationalised' but find on the bigger trips especially its better just not to wear a hat.
Anyway, I see a few mentions of CLEAROF checks. Obviously something has been missing in my education because this is the first time i've heard of them. Can anyone enlighten me?
Thanks
Ivan the Russkie

[Lasiorhinus]

More useful than a cap in flight is a spare WAC chart. Spread it out over half the windscreen, does a wonderful job of blocking out the sunlight!

Maybe not the best to do flying around the Bankstown circuit, but it does work, and avoids both problems associated with wearing caps. (the little buttons, and hat-hair)

[russianthru_thesky]

Windscreen WAC, Thats pure class, i like it!!! :D Might try it tomorrow at work, give the boys something to talk about

[Lasiorhinus]

I doubt it will be the first time your colleagues have seen it..