From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
Join Date: Nov 2006
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First Solo this morning! All went well, little worried by a funny metallic tinking noise during the circuit until I worked out that the spare belt had dropped down beside the seat - just relaxed and enjoyed myself from that point on.
Happy Easter all...
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A few more updates:-
2nd solo flight - after a few dual circuits, my instructor hopped out and sent me off for a few on my own again. Very busy circuit with a few aircraft making really big circuits - I followed one Tecnam that was abeam the threshold as I turned downwind, and still had not turned downwind when I reached the threshold despite my slowing to 85kts downwind. Net result - 3 go arounds in an hour due to the spacing going to hell.
Also had my first birdstrike on downwind - can't tell you what it was, except that it looked huge and glanced off the top of the leading edge of the wing after I tried to dodge above it - evidently it decided to climb too. Fortunately no damage to anything other than my trousers...decided to call it a day after that.
3rd solo flight - first flight without an instructor onboard at any point, just pick up the keys and go. Just beginning to think I can handle flying the circuit solo, when the tower decides to reverse the circuit direction and I realise that I'm not sure how to deal with it, so I opt to do a full stop and re-enter the new pattern once it is established again. I sit on the ground for a few minutes cursing quietly and adding more things to the ever-growing list of things that I know that I don't know but should. The rest of the circuits go relatively smoothly - there is almost no wind and the airplane seems to want to float for ever on each landing.
I had a lesson cancelled yesterday due to poor weather, so I was missing my fix for the weekend. My normal instructor doesn't work Sunday's, so I called up another flying school to try flying a tail dragger instead. So I found myself inelegantly climbing into a Citabria this afternoon after being shown round the beast.
Had an absolute blast of a lesson - off to the training area, and few turns and stalls to get the feel for it and back to the field for some circuits - squeezed in 7 circuits as the light was starting to fade all in less than 50 minutes!
Such a different experience from the PA28's....I drive away realising that I'm hooked and will have to go back for more.
2nd solo flight - after a few dual circuits, my instructor hopped out and sent me off for a few on my own again. Very busy circuit with a few aircraft making really big circuits - I followed one Tecnam that was abeam the threshold as I turned downwind, and still had not turned downwind when I reached the threshold despite my slowing to 85kts downwind. Net result - 3 go arounds in an hour due to the spacing going to hell.
Also had my first birdstrike on downwind - can't tell you what it was, except that it looked huge and glanced off the top of the leading edge of the wing after I tried to dodge above it - evidently it decided to climb too. Fortunately no damage to anything other than my trousers...decided to call it a day after that.
3rd solo flight - first flight without an instructor onboard at any point, just pick up the keys and go. Just beginning to think I can handle flying the circuit solo, when the tower decides to reverse the circuit direction and I realise that I'm not sure how to deal with it, so I opt to do a full stop and re-enter the new pattern once it is established again. I sit on the ground for a few minutes cursing quietly and adding more things to the ever-growing list of things that I know that I don't know but should. The rest of the circuits go relatively smoothly - there is almost no wind and the airplane seems to want to float for ever on each landing.
I had a lesson cancelled yesterday due to poor weather, so I was missing my fix for the weekend. My normal instructor doesn't work Sunday's, so I called up another flying school to try flying a tail dragger instead. So I found myself inelegantly climbing into a Citabria this afternoon after being shown round the beast.
Had an absolute blast of a lesson - off to the training area, and few turns and stalls to get the feel for it and back to the field for some circuits - squeezed in 7 circuits as the light was starting to fade all in less than 50 minutes!
Such a different experience from the PA28's....I drive away realising that I'm hooked and will have to go back for more.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Wide Brown Land
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Ahh Miraz you have now been bitten by the tailwheel bug... and it will not let go!!! They certainly teach 'real' flying out there - how to 'fly' a light aeroplane, rather than how to 'operate' one.
Green, blue or orange (my favourite is the blue one - I have it for an hour tomorrow morning in fact)?
Green, blue or orange (my favourite is the blue one - I have it for an hour tomorrow morning in fact)?
Join Date: May 2003
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That'd be cos the green one is up on bricks!!! as I noticed wandering through the hangar this morning.
This'd be a familiar view for you then?
(that's the back of my ugly mug - my mate had the camera)
This'd be a familiar view for you then?
(that's the back of my ugly mug - my mate had the camera)
Last edited by kookabat; 30th Apr 2007 at 05:18. Reason: add a bit here, get rid of a bit there
Spicy Meatball
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Stop making me jealous!
Well done on the solo flying - you sound like you are getting some good experience in there, which will all pay off in the future.
I have thee most fantastic picture ever from my flight on Saturday - I'll try and post it as soon as....
Cheers
Lee
Well done on the solo flying - you sound like you are getting some good experience in there, which will all pay off in the future.
I have thee most fantastic picture ever from my flight on Saturday - I'll try and post it as soon as....
Cheers
Lee
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Kookabat - so that what it looks like in daylight...was a bit darker for me - lovely way to end the day though.
My other half didn't believe that I would fit in the "silly little plane" as I am a little on the large side - she took this pic as I wandered off to pre-flight with a ladder clutched in one hand.
My other half didn't believe that I would fit in the "silly little plane" as I am a little on the large side - she took this pic as I wandered off to pre-flight with a ladder clutched in one hand.
Join Date: May 2004
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Well, finally passed my checkride today! Yay!
Flight went without a hitch, and had a fantastic examiner. It's taken quite a while (18 months) but I finally found myself taxiing back and the examiner saying "Aaaaand that's a pass"
Just gotta wait a couple of weeks for the CAA to send my stuff back, then I'll be off!
Flight went without a hitch, and had a fantastic examiner. It's taken quite a while (18 months) but I finally found myself taxiing back and the examiner saying "Aaaaand that's a pass"
Just gotta wait a couple of weeks for the CAA to send my stuff back, then I'll be off!
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Woohoo....tail dragger solo today after 3 flights and 2.5 hours, followed by a damn near perfect sunset - just beautiful.
Perma-grin now firmly in place...seems a shame to have to go to the office tomorrow
Perma-grin now firmly in place...seems a shame to have to go to the office tomorrow
Join Date: Jan 2006
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my second lesson!
Hi everybody.
Well, it would appear I'm joining this club! After five consecutive weather cancellations, I finally got my second lesson in (the first was a jolly in Cornwall nearly a year ago).
successfully achieved: primary and secondary effects of controls
must pay more attention to: getting a feel for using the rudder to maintain balance and compensate for things inducing yaw (like power changes). I just don't "get" it yet: unlike elevator, aileron and power, it's not intuitive for me.
For the full blow-by-blow account, see the blog: http://mp-technical.com/ftd/?cat=1
cheers,
mtw
Well, it would appear I'm joining this club! After five consecutive weather cancellations, I finally got my second lesson in (the first was a jolly in Cornwall nearly a year ago).
successfully achieved: primary and secondary effects of controls
must pay more attention to: getting a feel for using the rudder to maintain balance and compensate for things inducing yaw (like power changes). I just don't "get" it yet: unlike elevator, aileron and power, it's not intuitive for me.
For the full blow-by-blow account, see the blog: http://mp-technical.com/ftd/?cat=1
cheers,
mtw
Spicy Meatball
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Why have I missed these posts! 
Firstly Woot - very well done. Your first passenger will bring it all home
Tek - thanks mate - things are getting better thanks, would still like to be flying more but now I am in my second year, I am managing to keep current and still find victims. Hope all is well with you
Kook - you can ask me that either when I go to Aus or you come here
Mike - trust me, in a few weeks time you'll look back at the post you made and wonder why the hell you asked such a question. I did that all the way through the PPL, right from wondering how to say "Golf Sierra Alpha goodbye" all the way to imagining what it must be like to fly a plane for 3 hours by yourself. Fear not, they are all good questions
Hope you are all doing good - time is flying
Best regards
Lee
Firstly Woot - very well done. Your first passenger will bring it all home
Tek - thanks mate - things are getting better thanks, would still like to be flying more but now I am in my second year, I am managing to keep current and still find victims. Hope all is well with you
Kook - you can ask me that either when I go to Aus or you come here
Mike - trust me, in a few weeks time you'll look back at the post you made and wonder why the hell you asked such a question. I did that all the way through the PPL, right from wondering how to say "Golf Sierra Alpha goodbye" all the way to imagining what it must be like to fly a plane for 3 hours by yourself. Fear not, they are all good questions
Hope you are all doing good - time is flying
Best regards
Lee
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Flying in Spain!
Had my first lesson yesterday with Fly-in-Spain in Jerez. Revised effects of controls, then moved on to straight-and-level flight. Took a bit of practice to maintain attitude and re-trim when lowering/raising 10 degree flap, but nothing in the air was especially difficult - until it was time to level off from the descent into the zone at 1000ft, and everything got waaay too fast and bumpy for my brain... shortly followed by "I have control" in my headset.
The most difficult thing, perversely, is taxying! I think there's something funny about the shape of my feet that makes it difficult to apply enough force on the toe brakes, so any attempt at braking is usually accompanied by total loss of directional control...
I hope that I'll figure out a technique that works. Back in the sky this afternoon!
The most difficult thing, perversely, is taxying! I think there's something funny about the shape of my feet that makes it difficult to apply enough force on the toe brakes, so any attempt at braking is usually accompanied by total loss of directional control...
I hope that I'll figure out a technique that works. Back in the sky this afternoon!
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Taxiing
Initially,I had great problems keeping straight on the runway when taxiing,I even tried using the yoke as steering wheel!
Then they let me play about taxiing for 20 mins or so, when they were not busy,and that cracked it.
Best thing was they didn't charge me!
Same as the taildragger course,first of all lots of over input with controls and then suddenley you get it,or most of it
Good luck
Lister
Then they let me play about taxiing for 20 mins or so, when they were not busy,and that cracked it.
Best thing was they didn't charge me!
Same as the taildragger course,first of all lots of over input with controls and then suddenley you get it,or most of it
Good luck
Lister
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Then they let me play about taxiing for 20 mins or so, when they were not busy,and that cracked it.
Had another lesson today, and the taxying is coming a little more easily now (but not easily enough for the instructor to give me control anywhere near the other parked aircraft, after we landed!). Climbing and descending is all going to plan, and 20 degree turns too. All that lies between me and pilothood is... a heap of overconfidence after today's great lesson to embarrass myself with in front of the CFI, tomorrow
http://mp-technical.com/ftd/?cat=1
Good luck and happy flying, everybody.
mtw
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rudder co-ordination
Well it turned out that my lesson yesterday wasn't with the CFI after all, but a different German instructor. I now understand some of the comments that people have made on other threads about the lack of English fluency getting in the way of effective instructing at Fly-in-Spain. Well, there's nothing I can do about it other than make the best of it. And I did learn a lot yesterday!
The lesson was extremely demanding, and it was my first exploration of rudder co-ordination. At last, I am starting to understand the Great Mystery of the Rudder (bear in mind that I started my flying on flexwing microlights!). I'm getting it right a little over half the time - but I'm finding it very difficult, especially since the response is very very asymmetric. Left rudder never needs more than a feather-light dab, and right rudder needs constant pressure with a hefty shove if I want to actually bank in that direction. I understand that the propellor slipstream introduces some bias, but do you think that's normal for a C172 at moderate power settings?
The other problem yesterday was nausea from the sharp banking exercise that we started the lesson with. It wasn't incapacitating, but once it had started it never really went away, and it was extremely distracting and uncomfortable. It was all very hard work.
And now, it's time to do it all over again! Happy flying.
mtw
The lesson was extremely demanding, and it was my first exploration of rudder co-ordination. At last, I am starting to understand the Great Mystery of the Rudder (bear in mind that I started my flying on flexwing microlights!). I'm getting it right a little over half the time - but I'm finding it very difficult, especially since the response is very very asymmetric. Left rudder never needs more than a feather-light dab, and right rudder needs constant pressure with a hefty shove if I want to actually bank in that direction. I understand that the propellor slipstream introduces some bias, but do you think that's normal for a C172 at moderate power settings?
The other problem yesterday was nausea from the sharp banking exercise that we started the lesson with. It wasn't incapacitating, but once it had started it never really went away, and it was extremely distracting and uncomfortable. It was all very hard work.
And now, it's time to do it all over again! Happy flying.
mtw