From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
Spicy Meatball
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Hehe 
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
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
Spicy Meatball
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This is starting to sound more and more like a porn movie 
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, 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.............
The Original Whirly
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Excellent! 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!
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!
Spicy Meatball
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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
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
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
Lee
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
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
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
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
Lee
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
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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.....
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.....
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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/photoga...ightassist.mp3
Great post Mazzy Won't be long to the GFT now eh m8.
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/photoga...ightassist.mp3
Great post Mazzy Won't be long to the GFT now eh m8.
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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
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
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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Just for laughs
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/showthr...a&pagenumber=1
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/showthr...a&pagenumber=1
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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.
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.
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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
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