Back up in the air! (well almost...)

[average-punter]

Thought I'd share my brilliant experience that I had today!

After a break of about 18 months I have some more money and decided to invest it into my PPL! Unfortunatly I appear to have been messed around by the previous school that I trained at with several repeated exercises and little progression. My instructor confirmed this for me today :( Not good but an experience learnt anyway. Being only 15 at the time of being messed around I just thought to shut up as they probably know what they are doing.

So I changed schools but still at the same airfield.

I was due to fly at 13:30 today, I phoned up and found out that the instructor decided not to go due to the lack of horizon. It looked very hazy and a high QNH of about 1038 I believe. The very friendly person working on ops said I was still welcome to come up and have a chat and look around. I accepted the offer and it was brilliant.

I met with my instructor. He was first class. We started about talking about the equation for lift and the factors that affect lift. Then we spoke other aspects of flight including the importance of a horizon and ice. After that we went out to the aircraft and performed the checklists and he showed me around the cockpit of the C152.

Although I didn't get to fly I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. I learnt so much!

I have only got 5 hours booked, but can't wait to get up into the air!

[Genghis the Engineer]

On the evidence of your post - I think that you may well have an excellent instructor there, and should stick with him.

G

[average-punter]

I definitely plan to stick with him. I have got do a physics essay on a topic of my choice as part of my a-level, I've got so much to write about lift now. If I hadn't gone yesterday I would have had no idea about all this stuff!

Flying is re-scheduled for Thursday now.

[chrisN]

Lift is a very complicated story which is often over-simplified and sometimes wrongly stated. There has been much discussion of how wings work on two other fora recently, and my attention was drawn to this web site which has the real story:


Airfoils and Airflow [Ch. 3 of See How It Flies] (http://www.av8n.com/how/htm/airfoils.html)


Unfortunately, it goes into so much detail that it becomes hard to follow even with A level maths and physics, but it might be worth a look to help you ensure you don’t inadvertently go along one of the incorrect simplified statements.



Hope it helps.


Chris N

[FlyingSportsman]

sounds like you have a great instructor!

Good Luck,

FS :ok:

[Genghis the Engineer]

Lift is a very complicated story which is often over-simplified and sometimes wrongly stated. There has been much discussion of how wings work on two other fora recently, and my attention was drawn to this web site which has the real story:


Airfoils and Airflow [Ch. 3 of See How It Flies] (http://www.av8n.com/how/htm/airfoils.html)


Unfortunately, it goes into so much detail that it becomes hard to follow even with A level maths and physics, but it might be worth a look to help you ensure you don’t inadvertently go along one of the incorrect simplified statements.



Hope it helps.


Chris N

Even that's fairly simplistic, although somebody with A level maths and physics should handle it pretty well, and it's good enough for most purposes.

THE definitive book is "Aerofoil and Airscrew Theory" by Glauert, published in 1926. However, after British universities favouring "Aerodynamics for Engineering Students" by Houghton for many years, a lot of university courses now are using Anderson which is a really superb and well written book, and virtually all of it should be accessible to a good A level maths and physics student.

G

[average-punter]

We didn't do anything too complex just the equation and varying factors. All very interesting!

I forgot to mention that these 2 hours didn't cost me a penny... :ok:

[average-punter]

Eventually got to go flying today! I really like the C152 although I kept on clashing elbows with the instructor :O We did exercise 6. All was fine but about 20 mins into the flight I didn't feel very well. We cut the lesson short and came back after 40 minutes because I felt so bloody awful :confused: He says it common and seen it before. Reading through the threads here seems to be very helpful!

[Genghis the Engineer]

As a pilot I dislike the C152, because I find it charmless and gutless.

As an instructor, I like it very much as it's a simple and very safe aircraft that students can understand easily and teaches excellent flying habits.

In both cases, I'd like another 10" of cabin width please!


Regarding the airsickness, yes, this is fairly normal. Best thing is dress no warmer than you need to be, eat a light meal or snack around an hour before flying, and don't fixate on anything inside the cockpit - keep looking out. You'll get over the nausea with those tricks and a few flights. That said, don't be afraid to try "anti-seasickness" bands, they do work, and cost little.

G

[achimha]

30 years of students getting sick makes our C152s smell the way we all know and like it!

[foxmoth]

As a pilot I dislike the C152, because I find it charmless and gutless.

As an instructor, I like it very much as it's a simple and very safe aircraft that students can understand easily and teaches excellent flying habits.

Whilst I agree that the C152 does that, there are FAR better aircraft that actually cover both enjoyment in flying AND excellence as an instructional platform in a better way, unfortunately they cannot match the C152 for ease of maintenance and availability of spares, which is why it does so well in Schools.

As far as sickness goes, most people settle down after a few hours flying, even with aeros thrown in, though that does add a bit if you are susceptible.

[3 Point]

Hey Genghis, "charmless and gutless" may be objective but perhaps a little unkind to an aeroplane which has been the introduction to the world of flight for so many of us. If you want a bit more charm try a C120; full of charm (but still gutless I'm afraid)!.

Bottom line, as illustrated very well by the OP is that the attitude of the instructor is so much more important than the equipment used (a good thing for the manufacturers of many "trainers").

Happy landings punter, hope you enjoy your training!

3 Point

[pudoc]

152 is a kind aircraft who takes beatings day in and day out but is always loyal. Agree with a bigger cabin! I'm 6ft 2'' and I struggle to get out of my car without hitting my knee or head...imagine what a 152 does to me.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Hey Genghis, "charmless and gutless" may be objective but perhaps a little unkind to an aeroplane which has been the introduction to the world of flight for so many of us. If you want a bit more charm try a C120; full of charm (but still gutless I'm afraid)!.

As I said, it's an excellent teaching and learning platform. My other comments were entirely aesthetic.

For pleasure, something old with a tailwheel, or for a more enjoyable to fly but equally good teaching platform, I like the Grumman AA1/AA5 stable. On the more modern end, I have a lot of time for the Flightdesign CT stable as well, and would be interested to have a go at their metal MC aeroplane, which looks very much to be designed as a 152 replacement (I've only flown the CT2K and CTSW to date).

G

[GeeWhizz]

Ahhhh the humble C152. With two people on board yes its charmless and gutless, but with only one up this scatty little beasty comes alive if flown with a fire raging in the pilots belly!

Agreed many of us learned in the humble 152 and for me there will always be that 'je ne sais quoi' feeling toward the little fella. But whatever you do, do not pass up the opportunity to sneak into each corner of its performance envelope. Perhaps strap in tight and try it all at once!

The blessed thing won't do anything unexpected, neither will it scare the life out of its master. What's more, there's no requirement to manipulate the controls vigorously nor firewall the go-go rod, just take it that little bit further than normal and realise what its actually capable of. Only then will the charm and guts of a 152 run freely and be fully enjoyed!

Amen and safety first!

;)