Advice from PPL instructor please
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Advice from PPL instructor please
After having completed 8 lessons towards my PPL I dont seem to be making very much progress eg descending I forget to put carb heat on, climbing I forgot last time to apply full power, straight and level I twice lost 300 feet etc. Because of illness and the weather I have only had 2 lessons since Xmas.
I would appreciate some advice on how far I should have progressed after 8 lessons bearing in mind the gaps. I can talk through the exercises and get it right in the classroom but it all goes to pot when I get up in the air.
I would appreciate some advice on how far I should have progressed after 8 lessons bearing in mind the gaps. I can talk through the exercises and get it right in the classroom but it all goes to pot when I get up in the air.
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Hi,
Don't worry it's quite normal to get things wrong in the early days that's why you have an instructor sat next to you....
If it's something you really want to do my advice is stick with it, try and fly more regularly and be patient, you will find that it will all come together....!
Best wishes
TNB
Don't worry it's quite normal to get things wrong in the early days that's why you have an instructor sat next to you....
If it's something you really want to do my advice is stick with it, try and fly more regularly and be patient, you will find that it will all come together....!
Best wishes
TNB
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Don't beat yourself up about it - 2 lessons since Xmas is nothing really. Try and book some time off work to get a bit of continuity if you can - it helps so much in the early lessons and will save you money in reworked lessons later on.
If you're feeling down because your instructor is one of those nagging / hectoring types, try someone else who has a more coaching / mentoring style and which you feel more relaxed with, remember you are the customer in all this and it should be fun!
If you're feeling down because your instructor is one of those nagging / hectoring types, try someone else who has a more coaching / mentoring style and which you feel more relaxed with, remember you are the customer in all this and it should be fun!
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thoroughly nice bloke and blagger. Thanks for your comments - I dont think I could find a nicer instructor. He is very patient and the beating myself up is something which comes naturally to me.
I will ensure at least 10 more lessons on a weekly basis and then have a heart to heart with him to decide whether it is worth continuing.
I will ensure at least 10 more lessons on a weekly basis and then have a heart to heart with him to decide whether it is worth continuing.
The less the frequency of lessons the longer the flight time it will take to reach a standard. The less your experience the quicker your skill will deteriorate, requiring additional practice at a subsequent lesson to regain the previous level of skill. This is seen mostly at the beginning of training. Flying only twice since xmas isn't helpful. At your experience level those sorts of gaps are serious money wasters. Flying once per week is better but only a bit. You'll still suffer from skill rustiness - at least until the skills become somewhat ingrained after 20 or 30 hours or so.
You'd be better off not flying and reserve the money allocated each week to a lesson. At some point have a week or two off from work and fly full time, say 3 flights/day. Schedule it for a time of year when weather is more likely to be suitable. Meanwhile your time won't be wasted: Use the time to study the theory and do any exams that are required.
You'd be better off not flying and reserve the money allocated each week to a lesson. At some point have a week or two off from work and fly full time, say 3 flights/day. Schedule it for a time of year when weather is more likely to be suitable. Meanwhile your time won't be wasted: Use the time to study the theory and do any exams that are required.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 27th Apr 2011 at 18:24.
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ChasG not major problems, at 8 hrs I was still trying to hold onto my stomach contents and anyone can forget the carb heat particularly if not very current.
I wouldn't consider giving up until you have at least 30 hrs in the circuit and still can't land. Actually I didn't give up then either!
Take it from another who finds it natural to beat oneself up over everything - it's all worth it in the end.
But do try to chill out a bit.
You might find doing more lessons helps particularly for the circuit. I found two 40 minute flights with a couple of hours break between each, twice a week about right. Enough time to learn, not too long it all went bad again because I was getting exhausted. Flying gets really much much easier when you let the plane do all the work. Get it in trim and aim to get all the numbers sorted out. It takes time though to do all that.
I've just got this feeling you might be one of the 'I always wanted to fly' people and now you have the opportunity. Don't beat yourself too much, take the time you need, let your instructor worry about progress and enjoy the learning, the rewards are fantastic. I had just turned 40 when I started, no 10hr solo or 45hr PPL for me. Doesn't matter, I still enjoyed all of the training even if it took a little longer to complete.
I wouldn't consider giving up until you have at least 30 hrs in the circuit and still can't land. Actually I didn't give up then either!
Take it from another who finds it natural to beat oneself up over everything - it's all worth it in the end.
But do try to chill out a bit.You might find doing more lessons helps particularly for the circuit. I found two 40 minute flights with a couple of hours break between each, twice a week about right. Enough time to learn, not too long it all went bad again because I was getting exhausted. Flying gets really much much easier when you let the plane do all the work. Get it in trim and aim to get all the numbers sorted out. It takes time though to do all that.
I've just got this feeling you might be one of the 'I always wanted to fly' people and now you have the opportunity. Don't beat yourself too much, take the time you need, let your instructor worry about progress and enjoy the learning, the rewards are fantastic. I had just turned 40 when I started, no 10hr solo or 45hr PPL for me. Doesn't matter, I still enjoyed all of the training even if it took a little longer to complete.
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Tinstaafl and conventional gear - thanks for your comments. It is reassuring to hear that I might not be as crap at this as I think I am. I dont think my age at 57 helps. To be honest I thought it would be a lot easier than it is. There seems to be so much going on at the same time and I find it difficult when I hear the instructor telling me I am making the same mistakes as the last lesson when I thought I had got it all sorted out in my head. I will try to book some extra lessons regards Chas
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I wasn't much younger than you when I learned, and the sudden extra workload when I first tried circuits blew me away. I would be turning base trying to remember what the 'H' was for in BUMFICH. With practice it all came together.
I still wonder why the "downwind checks" aren't taught more progressively. Obviously Carb Heat is important, so start with that. Once that is 100% reliable, include the rest that apply (so no undercarriage check in a PA28). Finally teach the full set to pass the test. A possible benefit is that, under real pressure one day, a pilot might revert to the earliest-learned "important" checks, rather than none at all.
But I have never taught anybody, so I would be interested in what the FI's think.
I still wonder why the "downwind checks" aren't taught more progressively. Obviously Carb Heat is important, so start with that. Once that is 100% reliable, include the rest that apply (so no undercarriage check in a PA28). Finally teach the full set to pass the test. A possible benefit is that, under real pressure one day, a pilot might revert to the earliest-learned "important" checks, rather than none at all.
But I have never taught anybody, so I would be interested in what the FI's think.
Tinstaafl and conventional gear - thanks for your comments. It is reassuring to hear that I might not be as crap at this as I think I am. I dont think my age at 57 helps. To be honest I thought it would be a lot easier than it is. There seems to be so much going on at the same time and I find it difficult when I hear the instructor telling me I am making the same mistakes as the last lesson when I thought I had got it all sorted out in my head. I will try to book some extra lessons regards Chas
Flying is difficult, beating yourself up and getting anxious about the learning process won't help - try and just relax, enjoy it, and fly at-least twice a week: preferably when you're relaxed and fresh (about 10am I reckon is the perfect time for a flying lesson).
G
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Gengis - reassuring. One difficulty with this is that I have nobody to compare myself with, everyone I see at Denham is about half my age. I will press on and hopefully get in more lessons.
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Keep Going!
I would encourage you to keep going. 2 hrs since xmas is a very small amount of time. Imagine the same scenario, if you were asked to drive a car on a bumpy road around Denham, whilst concentrating on opening the sunroof, closing the glove box and changing from Heart FM to Capital and talking to your passenger!
I have a 100% pass rate with my students. Your feelings are not uncommon. Sure, there are some that have the ability to be told once and fly well, but the vast majority of students take a while.
If you find you are in a dead end, try another instructor. A different personality can make all the difference.
Remember additionally, that flying around/in class 'A' airspace (eg Denham or Fairoaks!...I'm not biased) is tricky, but will result in you being happy to fly pretty much anywhere!
Good luck and PM me if its not going well....
LE!
I have a 100% pass rate with my students. Your feelings are not uncommon. Sure, there are some that have the ability to be told once and fly well, but the vast majority of students take a while.
If you find you are in a dead end, try another instructor. A different personality can make all the difference.
Remember additionally, that flying around/in class 'A' airspace (eg Denham or Fairoaks!...I'm not biased) is tricky, but will result in you being happy to fly pretty much anywhere!
Good luck and PM me if its not going well....
LE!
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As others have said - 2 hours since Christmas really isn't much, only a couple of opportunities to prove the skill improvement, and not much chance for continuity.
What's your pre-flight preparation like? I've found it helpful in the past for students to run through fairly detailed consolidation of the previous flight on the ground before we even approach the briefing for the next flight. This is something you can do on your own as well, often called armchair flying - when you have a free moment, actually run through flight manoeuvres, profiles, etc to practice them and make them instinctive in your mind. All practice helps remember!
What's your pre-flight preparation like? I've found it helpful in the past for students to run through fairly detailed consolidation of the previous flight on the ground before we even approach the briefing for the next flight. This is something you can do on your own as well, often called armchair flying - when you have a free moment, actually run through flight manoeuvres, profiles, etc to practice them and make them instinctive in your mind. All practice helps remember!
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Very pleased to say that the last lesson went much better despite the fact that it was so windy. Regarding the reading up before a lesson I always spend too long reading up and trying to visualise what I have to do. The happier I feel the better it seems to go which doesnt make it easy. Thanks for all your advice - I am going to do 20 lessons and then decide to continue or give up. At the very least I want to be able to land the plane and I suspecty that once I have managed to land with an instructor sitting next to me I will be hooked.
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There is no such thing as too much reading up and visualizing. I recommend this classic to all my students:
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RELAX!!!
The other instructors are correct...STICK WITH IT! you should try your best to fly at least twice per week but three times per week is the best rate you can fly. If you fly four or more times per week you will end up having it all mush together.
The most important advice I can give to you about flying though is to relax in the aircraft and work in trimming it. I have given almost 3000 hours of dual instruction and the biggest mistake almost every new student makes when they come to me for a check out is that they have a "Death Grip" and it really makes flying the plane difficult. When you have trimmed the aircraft correctly you have just fixed 2 of the three main factors when taking your PPL check ride. You have fixed 1. airspeed and 2. altitude. when you trim the airplane for the airspeed you want and you have the power set up so you are not climbing or descending then all you have to do now is look outside pick a point and fly to it. Also when you are looking outside be sure to enjoy the view!
Denis
The most important advice I can give to you about flying though is to relax in the aircraft and work in trimming it. I have given almost 3000 hours of dual instruction and the biggest mistake almost every new student makes when they come to me for a check out is that they have a "Death Grip" and it really makes flying the plane difficult. When you have trimmed the aircraft correctly you have just fixed 2 of the three main factors when taking your PPL check ride. You have fixed 1. airspeed and 2. altitude. when you trim the airplane for the airspeed you want and you have the power set up so you are not climbing or descending then all you have to do now is look outside pick a point and fly to it. Also when you are looking outside be sure to enjoy the view!
Denis
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Thanks - I will have a look on e bay for a second hand copy. I generally understand the theory though. The problems start when I get airborne and forget.
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ChasG
Its very common to be finding things a little difficult, especially at low hours, stick at it though because after time it WILL all come together (if it does`nt
), and when it does the rewards are fantastic, the best advice has already been given, try to fly as regular and often as you can, you will notice you make more progress FASTER that way.
Its very common to be finding things a little difficult, especially at low hours, stick at it though because after time it WILL all come together (if it does`nt
), and when it does the rewards are fantastic, the best advice has already been given, try to fly as regular and often as you can, you will notice you make more progress FASTER that way.
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Very pleased to say that the last lesson went much better despite the fact that it was so windy.
As long as you are enjoying yourself and can continue to fund your hobby then plug away at it. There is no rush and, to be honest, it's always nice to plug around the skies with someone to talk to! Most of the Young 'Uns have a financial and time agenda so perhaps don't want a leisurely pace.
Once you've cracked the boring fixed wing stuff have a go at Helicopters! Far more fun!
Good luck, enjoy yourself.
(I'll wave every time I go over Denham on a RWY 27 BPK departure, 6000'!)
