The most protracted PPL ever?........
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Just 5 days to go...........
...and the funny thing is, I don't feel in the least excited. I feel just kind of neutral; in a limbo. This bloody thing I started 26 years ago and the countdown I laboriously began 16 months ago - this huge ambition is nearly upon me.........and I feel completely flat. For the last umpteen years walking the dogs has been time for a bit of peaceful reflection or, more often than not, fantasizing about flying. Now it's zilch. The barking frenzy at the front door used to be accompanied by a mental strapping-in scenario and the walk itself an aerobatic detail. Now I just walk up the road and that's it. A bit boring, really.
To add to this apoplectic apathy is the latest tentative forecast for Monday which runs along the lines of heavy and possibly prolonged showers and strong winds. Hopefully, the front that this describes will run through a few hours earlier but hey; I've waited this long - another day or two won't make much difference.
Kev.
To add to this apoplectic apathy is the latest tentative forecast for Monday which runs along the lines of heavy and possibly prolonged showers and strong winds. Hopefully, the front that this describes will run through a few hours earlier but hey; I've waited this long - another day or two won't make much difference.
Kev.
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I thought my 4 years and needing to take Air law for the third time was a record (have passed it twice before), but there's no planning for weather where on average I lose two out of every three booked lessons.
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Studying airlaw right now. The hardest thing is fitting the study around work and family commitments. By the time I get to study I'm usually too knackered to absorb anything.
Frustrating.
Frustrating.
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Back in the air!!!
For the first time in over 4 years I took the controls and got my backside in the air! The PPL has re-started! I've now added just over 4 hours - yesterday was general handling and circuits, today was PFLs and stalls (in various configurations) and spins. Oops, I mean, incipient spins. 
All in a rather quaint Cub, whose tacho reads backwards! Tomorrow, it's a couple of X-countrys, and I've homework to do. Must fly!!
Kev.
All in a rather quaint Cub, whose tacho reads backwards! Tomorrow, it's a couple of X-countrys, and I've homework to do. Must fly!!Kev.
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Well, the summer's over and with it, my indulgence of a 'flying course' of two or three times a week; and now I'm in a gap (due to instructor timetable overload) and back on the old weekly treadmill later this month. There have been ups and downs - confidence-boosting good periods punctuated by humiliating mistakes! 
To finish the block of lessons though, I was sent off in the Cub on my own to the south of Headcorn to practise steep turns and PFLs and to rejoin. First time I've ever done that - i.e. out of the circuit solo. It was great fun and the descent, rejoin and radio calls were all smooth and right on the money. I'm beginning to feel like a pilot! (Cue the next gaffe
)
Kev.
To finish the block of lessons though, I was sent off in the Cub on my own to the south of Headcorn to practise steep turns and PFLs and to rejoin. First time I've ever done that - i.e. out of the circuit solo. It was great fun and the descent, rejoin and radio calls were all smooth and right on the money. I'm beginning to feel like a pilot! (Cue the next gaffe
)Kev.
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Well done Kev, I thought my PPL training was long (2.5 years and counting, although hopefully finished very soon). Persistence is always rewarded in the end though. Flying solo cross-countries is great, makes you feel like a real pilot. I havent quite done them all yet (2 more to do), but I'm told Air Law is the hardest written exam, and its definitely the hardest one I've done so far (Aeroplane Technical wasnt too bad).
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Not a good one
A short triangular course - Headcorn, Southend, Damyn's Hall and back. My first trip for some 6 weeks or so. Now, as I want to do all my flying in the Cub, and it has no VOR, a chat with my instructor a few weeks ago has swayed me onto the NPPL route. Unfortunately, the Cub doesn't have a DI either. (Am I doing it the hard way, or what?)
Anyway, as far as today's trip was concerned, I did the plog ok, did the walk-round and strapped in. There was quite a strong crosswind so we talked about that, mentally honing my rusty skills, started up and taxied out. Lined up and did the take off. No dramas. Climbed out aligned with 29's centreline and headed in a bit of a choppy climb for Stapleford where the 1st leg was due to begin. Pre-selected my heading, turned over the town and settled on course.
And that's where my problems began. Basically, I flew rubbish. Courses all over the shop, levels all over the shop. Loads of chatter on the radio, most of which was incomprehensible to me and which did a good job of drowning out my instructor. (No squelch on this radio!). By the end of the last leg I was almost on the point of throwing it all in and letting him take me back to the field. Couldn't find features to track to, couldn't see other traffic til I followed my instructor's finger.
This is about my sixth navex and I'm beginning to think I've got a real problem with it. There's not one of these where I've come away feeling any sense of pride or accomplishment.
Work to do.
Anyway, as far as today's trip was concerned, I did the plog ok, did the walk-round and strapped in. There was quite a strong crosswind so we talked about that, mentally honing my rusty skills, started up and taxied out. Lined up and did the take off. No dramas. Climbed out aligned with 29's centreline and headed in a bit of a choppy climb for Stapleford where the 1st leg was due to begin. Pre-selected my heading, turned over the town and settled on course.
And that's where my problems began. Basically, I flew rubbish. Courses all over the shop, levels all over the shop. Loads of chatter on the radio, most of which was incomprehensible to me and which did a good job of drowning out my instructor. (No squelch on this radio!). By the end of the last leg I was almost on the point of throwing it all in and letting him take me back to the field. Couldn't find features to track to, couldn't see other traffic til I followed my instructor's finger.
This is about my sixth navex and I'm beginning to think I've got a real problem with it. There's not one of these where I've come away feeling any sense of pride or accomplishment.
Work to do.
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Making life hard for yourself
Kev
You some kind of masochist?Tailwheel/no DI/steam COMMS/protracted training schedule?
Don't think you inherently have a nav problem,just seems you are handicapping yourself unnecessarily.Why don't you switch to a trike spamcan (you already know how to handle a taildragger,unlike me),that has a decent radio,a DI and is probably cheaper than a Cub.Although you can't track a VOR for your GFT,you will still have to be able to get a position fix using one (or maybe not now you decided NPPL-but still handy to be familar with it).
At these prices,why make life difficult for yourself-you can always fly more esoteric types after you have qualified?
Good luck
MM
You some kind of masochist?Tailwheel/no DI/steam COMMS/protracted training schedule?
Don't think you inherently have a nav problem,just seems you are handicapping yourself unnecessarily.Why don't you switch to a trike spamcan (you already know how to handle a taildragger,unlike me),that has a decent radio,a DI and is probably cheaper than a Cub.Although you can't track a VOR for your GFT,you will still have to be able to get a position fix using one (or maybe not now you decided NPPL-but still handy to be familar with it).
At these prices,why make life difficult for yourself-you can always fly more esoteric types after you have qualified?
Good luck
MM
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The situation is not getting better. I didn't mention that I had changed instructors due to days off/availability issues. The new guy gave me problems in the air, as I've related elsewhere (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=296807) which I found I couldn't live with. So I'm re-arranging my day off to go back with instructor 1, who's been my main man along.
Now it turns out the slot he had free on my day off isn't actually all that free at all, and he can only give me 2 flights between now and Christmas! So all that currency I worked at during the summer is running into the sand. It's nobody's fault but my own. It's a corner I've painted myself into by wanting to stay with a particular instructor and a particular aircraft. There's only one Cub on the fleet, and only two instructors for it. The other taildragger is the Jodel D150 but after the Cub I don't like it, instructor 2 can't instruct on it and instructor 1 has painful neck problems with its springy undercarriage, so that's out.
I enjoy flying the Cub - I'm beginning to get a feel for it, and there's only one instructor I can fly with who can instruct on it, and that's the situation. But my currency's going to suffer until the New Year. One of our community has offered to help me out locally (thanks Ed!
- I'll be in touch) but otherwise it's just a case of biding my time. Again.
Kev.
Now it turns out the slot he had free on my day off isn't actually all that free at all, and he can only give me 2 flights between now and Christmas! So all that currency I worked at during the summer is running into the sand. It's nobody's fault but my own. It's a corner I've painted myself into by wanting to stay with a particular instructor and a particular aircraft. There's only one Cub on the fleet, and only two instructors for it. The other taildragger is the Jodel D150 but after the Cub I don't like it, instructor 2 can't instruct on it and instructor 1 has painful neck problems with its springy undercarriage, so that's out.
I enjoy flying the Cub - I'm beginning to get a feel for it, and there's only one instructor I can fly with who can instruct on it, and that's the situation. But my currency's going to suffer until the New Year. One of our community has offered to help me out locally (thanks Ed!
- I'll be in touch) but otherwise it's just a case of biding my time. Again.Kev.
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Isn't that what there is on bits of software after you've bu**ered it all up, say, "Yes, please!" and click the button? Well that's what I've done. Modelman, thank you! Much head-scratching and deep thought has put me back onto the PPL proper on C152s (or 172 as for today).
Yes, it was a heap easier. The day was as calm as a milkpond, which helped, but after the skittish Cub, the 172 seemed to be flying on rails. She settled bang on altitude and course, all slow and stately, just like an airliner (). (Lot of pull needed for the flare though 
) I still made c*ck-ups but they were comfortable c*ck-ups, and I felt a whole lot happier today.
Next lesson in a fortnight.
Yes, it was a heap easier. The day was as calm as a milkpond, which helped, but after the skittish Cub, the 172 seemed to be flying on rails. She settled bang on altitude and course, all slow and stately, just like an airliner (
). (Lot of pull needed for the flare though ) I still made c*ck-ups but they were comfortable c*ck-ups, and I felt a whole lot happier today.Next lesson in a fortnight.
Kev, I've enjoyed reading your thread - good on you for not giving up!
Flying, or at least being taught to fly is just like everything else in life - you'll get on with some but not others so I was unsurprised to read of your issues with a particular instructor. I was however impressed to read that you managed to put it across in a way that ensured you remained on good terms - a good mark for yourself & both instructors I think. Ultimately it would be a sad world if we were all the same so I'm sure instructor 2 will have other students who prefer their style of teaching....
That aside I was interested in the rest of your thread relating to your trials and tribulations along the path of life, and how long the flying thing has taken you to date.
For what it's worth I just checked my logbook to find that it took me around 20 years and 4 months to get my PPL. My first real flight was in a glider more than 30 years ago, from the same field that I now fly my own plane from. I didn't particularly enjoy that flight (the Pilot felt the need to do some aero's just to show me what it could do
) but some 10 years later, and in a different part of the country I began learning to fly in earnest. Perhaps unlike you I was not as constricted with funds and so was flying regularly but ran into other issues with the CAA. Given I was also wanting to fly fling-wing, and do so commercially, there was a bit of an uproar over my colour-vision deficiencies. Given I am no great fan of authority and rulers that appear to offer more hindrance than help I left the country entirely and went on to do different things.
Back in the original country, fast-forward to fifteen or so years later and one day when I had been working very hard - I was pulling out of a customers car park in order to go into town to do more work when I made a flash decision to in fact turn the other way and go out to the airport and see about flying again. Things hadn't been going well in other aspects of life so I suppose I felt like trying something different, also I don't particularly like having unfinished business laying around.
As luck would have it I struck just the right time and an instructor was available to take me up that very day - in fact within a few minutes of my fronting up to the place. Over the space of a few months I spent quite a lot of time and money flying different aircraft with different instructors, working my way towards completing my PPL. I passed most of the written papers within a day, enough to begin the final phase of cross-country flights before the revision and test. However just like you I found days when I seemed to go backwards, where instructors would appear to contradict each other, and where things just didn't seem to go right. This culminated in an incident involving a rather large aircraft (starlifter I seem to recall) vs myself in a Robin - hardly a fair match methinks! Whilst in the subsequent fallout the club was very good about it, and ATC took most of the responsbility, it was really the end for me at that time. A very efficient organisation but I'd never felt particularly 'at home' there - probably very good if you were a career and/or overseas student but somehow not really 'friendly' for the want of a better way of putting it. No old couches to sit around and chat to old-timers, or, er, chat up the new instructors/students. So exit my second go at getting some sort of flying licence.
Move on another few years and a friend invited me to come over to another airfield where there was some model flying going on - he was, and is, into model aircraft in a big way. As it turns out I'm not and in a short time I was not insignficantly bored watching all these grown men & women tinker around with their toys. However as I was peering over to the other side of the field I could see a few 'real' aircraft parked out on the tarmac in front of the old control tower. This was an ex-military field that, as far as I knew, had closed completely so my curiosity was piqued and, not being one to let things get in my way I jumped in the car and went over to investigate.
Much like the last time I did something like this it turned out that there was a flying school there, and yes I could credit some of the time I had already, oh and also how about a quick circuit or two now? So I jumped into a 172 and did a pretty awful circuit with the duty instructor - in my defence I'd flown mostly low-wing Pipers four years earlier and it was a rather blustery day so I had a case of good ol' Cessna float on landing... nonetheless I can't have been too bad 'cos I was invited to come back again
Right from the start at this school I felt at home. Despite the fact that it was - and is - a privately-owned school rather than a club I felt the atmosphere was much more like a club than I'd experienced previously. Also it was smaller and it didn't take long for me to get to know everyone and vice-versa. Given my prior experience, some money and quite a bit of patience on the schools behalf (bearing in mind I'm getting to be a crusty old b'stard by now!) I managed to pass my PPL a little over 20 years after my first formal lesson.
One of the delights of completing my training at this school is that my flying didn't end with the completion of the PPL. Given some of the things I've done in life I found I was able to contribute in other ways than just monetarily. Not only did this help others and assist in keeping the place running smoothly but it also demonstrated to me, once again, that you will often get out of things what you put into them. I'd like to think that I've forged some life-long friendships here, and certainly I've had a much more varied and fulfilling flying career than I might otherwise have had.
Nowadays I do a little aircraft maintenance, have my own 'plane and regularly fly others. I've managed to get ratings in various craft including two or three taildraggers - one of which is a largish twin-radial taildragger - and of course that coveted initial MER. While I'm unable to get an IR due to the colour vision issues I guess what this little saga has demonstrated is that, with a bit of persistence, some luck and good people around you almost anything is possible. So whilst I can't beat your 26 years I will be looking forward to reading of your escapades up to the PPL test flight, and what you do subsequently. Keep up the posting and don't let any (flying!) opportunities go by!
FP.
Flying, or at least being taught to fly is just like everything else in life - you'll get on with some but not others so I was unsurprised to read of your issues with a particular instructor. I was however impressed to read that you managed to put it across in a way that ensured you remained on good terms - a good mark for yourself & both instructors I think. Ultimately it would be a sad world if we were all the same so I'm sure instructor 2 will have other students who prefer their style of teaching....
That aside I was interested in the rest of your thread relating to your trials and tribulations along the path of life, and how long the flying thing has taken you to date.
For what it's worth I just checked my logbook to find that it took me around 20 years and 4 months to get my PPL. My first real flight was in a glider more than 30 years ago, from the same field that I now fly my own plane from. I didn't particularly enjoy that flight (the Pilot felt the need to do some aero's just to show me what it could do
) but some 10 years later, and in a different part of the country I began learning to fly in earnest. Perhaps unlike you I was not as constricted with funds and so was flying regularly but ran into other issues with the CAA. Given I was also wanting to fly fling-wing, and do so commercially, there was a bit of an uproar over my colour-vision deficiencies. Given I am no great fan of authority and rulers that appear to offer more hindrance than help I left the country entirely and went on to do different things.Back in the original country, fast-forward to fifteen or so years later and one day when I had been working very hard - I was pulling out of a customers car park in order to go into town to do more work when I made a flash decision to in fact turn the other way and go out to the airport and see about flying again. Things hadn't been going well in other aspects of life so I suppose I felt like trying something different, also I don't particularly like having unfinished business laying around.
As luck would have it I struck just the right time and an instructor was available to take me up that very day - in fact within a few minutes of my fronting up to the place. Over the space of a few months I spent quite a lot of time and money flying different aircraft with different instructors, working my way towards completing my PPL. I passed most of the written papers within a day, enough to begin the final phase of cross-country flights before the revision and test. However just like you I found days when I seemed to go backwards, where instructors would appear to contradict each other, and where things just didn't seem to go right. This culminated in an incident involving a rather large aircraft (starlifter I seem to recall) vs myself in a Robin - hardly a fair match methinks! Whilst in the subsequent fallout the club was very good about it, and ATC took most of the responsbility, it was really the end for me at that time. A very efficient organisation but I'd never felt particularly 'at home' there - probably very good if you were a career and/or overseas student but somehow not really 'friendly' for the want of a better way of putting it. No old couches to sit around and chat to old-timers, or, er, chat up the new instructors/students
. So exit my second go at getting some sort of flying licence.Move on another few years and a friend invited me to come over to another airfield where there was some model flying going on - he was, and is, into model aircraft in a big way. As it turns out I'm not and in a short time I was not insignficantly bored watching all these grown men & women tinker around with their toys. However as I was peering over to the other side of the field I could see a few 'real' aircraft parked out on the tarmac in front of the old control tower. This was an ex-military field that, as far as I knew, had closed completely so my curiosity was piqued and, not being one to let things get in my way I jumped in the car and went over to investigate.
Much like the last time I did something like this it turned out that there was a flying school there, and yes I could credit some of the time I had already, oh and also how about a quick circuit or two now? So I jumped into a 172 and did a pretty awful circuit with the duty instructor - in my defence I'd flown mostly low-wing Pipers four years earlier and it was a rather blustery day so I had a case of good ol' Cessna float on landing... nonetheless I can't have been too bad 'cos I was invited to come back again
Right from the start at this school I felt at home. Despite the fact that it was - and is - a privately-owned school rather than a club I felt the atmosphere was much more like a club than I'd experienced previously. Also it was smaller and it didn't take long for me to get to know everyone and vice-versa. Given my prior experience, some money and quite a bit of patience on the schools behalf (bearing in mind I'm getting to be a crusty old b'stard by now!) I managed to pass my PPL a little over 20 years after my first formal lesson.
One of the delights of completing my training at this school is that my flying didn't end with the completion of the PPL. Given some of the things I've done in life I found I was able to contribute in other ways than just monetarily. Not only did this help others and assist in keeping the place running smoothly but it also demonstrated to me, once again, that you will often get out of things what you put into them. I'd like to think that I've forged some life-long friendships here, and certainly I've had a much more varied and fulfilling flying career than I might otherwise have had
.Nowadays I do a little aircraft maintenance, have my own 'plane and regularly fly others. I've managed to get ratings in various craft including two or three taildraggers - one of which is a largish twin-radial taildragger - and of course that coveted initial MER. While I'm unable to get an IR due to the colour vision issues I guess what this little saga has demonstrated is that, with a bit of persistence, some luck and good people around you almost anything is possible. So whilst I can't beat your 26 years I will be looking forward to reading of your escapades up to the PPL test flight, and what you do subsequently. Keep up the posting and don't let any (flying!) opportunities go by!
FP.
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FP - thanks for a really interesting and encouraging post. It's good to hear from guys or gals who've been keeping the flame alive in their own minds for however many years and then finally doing it. It can be really tiring and depressing at times but determination will out. 
Go on then; what's that radial taildragger twin? Beech, Lockheed? Dakota?!
It's good to hear from guys or gals who've been keeping the flame alive in their own minds for however many years and then finally doing it. It can be really tiring and depressing at times but determination will out. Go on then; what's that radial taildragger twin? Beech, Lockheed? Dakota
?!
Hi Kev, I enjoyed reading your saga so much I thought I'd reciprocate with my little trip along the way - and to demonstrate that there is (interesting) life after the PPL as well. It seems so many people drop off the landscape at that stage, which is a pity. Quite possible I will too at some point but in the meantime one needs to make the most of the opportunity.
Re the radial taildragger, as it happens it is a Dakota, a 1944 C47/DC3 in fact. Probably one of the lowest-hour DC3's in the world with less than 20,000 hours on the airframe. I could write quite a story on my little path to getting the type rating on that alone. Suffice it to say that it has been one of the better experiences of my life. Although I feel like I've been flying for years (and have in a way!) I'm a comparatively low-time Pilot and to have such an opportunity has been fantastic. She is a wonderful machine to fly, you really feel the history and ambience of yesteryear when sitting up front.
I hope to continue flying in her a wee bit, as long as I can be useful to the team at least, but one problem of course is that most other things pale in comparison really so it'd be difficult, if not impossible, to come close to that experience. Latterly I read somewhere that the Lancaster Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilots keep current on a DC3, which prompted me to take a look at what Lancs were flying around the place (I've read a lot of the stories over the years so they have a special place in my life too). However it seems there's only two and if there's one thing for sure a very ordinary pilot from an out-of-the-way place like me is not going to get a crack at one of them!!
Funny thing but I've no particular hankering to fly a Spitfire/Hurricane/747 or anything like that - something people have asked me in the past. Dunno why, guess it fits in with what I was talking about previously and peoples many differences. Mind you if an offer came my way!
Anyway I'm waffling and getting away from the gist of your thread, I'll be keen to read of your next experiences...
FP.
Re the radial taildragger, as it happens it is a Dakota, a 1944 C47/DC3 in fact. Probably one of the lowest-hour DC3's in the world with less than 20,000 hours on the airframe. I could write quite a story on my little path to getting the type rating on that alone. Suffice it to say that it has been one of the better experiences of my life. Although I feel like I've been flying for years (and have in a way!) I'm a comparatively low-time Pilot and to have such an opportunity has been fantastic. She is a wonderful machine to fly, you really feel the history and ambience of yesteryear when sitting up front.
I hope to continue flying in her a wee bit, as long as I can be useful to the team at least, but one problem of course is that most other things pale in comparison really so it'd be difficult, if not impossible, to come close to that experience. Latterly I read somewhere that the Lancaster Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilots keep current on a DC3, which prompted me to take a look at what Lancs were flying around the place (I've read a lot of the stories over the years so they have a special place in my life too). However it seems there's only two and if there's one thing for sure a very ordinary pilot from an out-of-the-way place like me is not going to get a crack at one of them!!
Funny thing but I've no particular hankering to fly a Spitfire/Hurricane/747 or anything like that - something people have asked me in the past. Dunno why, guess it fits in with what I was talking about previously and peoples many differences. Mind you if an offer came my way
!Anyway I'm waffling and getting away from the gist of your thread, I'll be keen to read of your next experiences...
FP.
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Well, Christmas and this new year have been pants as far as opportunities to fly have gone, what with weather and various health factors, so on Thursday, I had my second lesson of this year. The nav is a slow and painful struggle. It's frustrating because I can see no earthly reason why I should be bad at it. Okay, my mental arithmetic is a bit shaky but that shouldn't result in inaccurate flying, slow take-up, cockpit disorganisation and nervy r/t, should it?
Now, sadly I have a lovely but disabled wife, who has major problems with walking, balance and general weakness, so I have to do the lion's share of housework, shopping etc.. Additionally, we have to continue to make a good income. And so it is, that my mind is not always clear and rested for flying. My instructor knows all this, and remarked that, in the circumstances, I should just accept the fact that I'm going to be slow with this part of the syllabus, and live with it. He said he knows I'm not doing as well as I can, and that it's frustrating for me and frustrating for him. I think these are wise words. This concept enables me to lower my expectations and be happier with my progress.
As it happens, last Thursday's lesson was a little better. My instructor sat quiet for a lot of the time and that gave me some confidence. I took some good decisions. The r/t was still a major problem, though. The route took us into Biggin's overhead and we contacted approach as we passed Paddock Wood. His dialogue with us left me spluttering for words as most of what he said was completely incomprehensible to me. My instructor had to deal with most of the r/t with Biggin. Half the time I didn't even know that the controller was talking to us!
Still, overall, some improvement. Next week, weather permitting, I'll be in the circuit solo again, in preparation for a solo navex!
Kev.
Now, sadly I have a lovely but disabled wife, who has major problems with walking, balance and general weakness, so I have to do the lion's share of housework, shopping etc.. Additionally, we have to continue to make a good income. And so it is, that my mind is not always clear and rested for flying. My instructor knows all this, and remarked that, in the circumstances, I should just accept the fact that I'm going to be slow with this part of the syllabus, and live with it. He said he knows I'm not doing as well as I can, and that it's frustrating for me and frustrating for him. I think these are wise words. This concept enables me to lower my expectations and be happier with my progress.
As it happens, last Thursday's lesson was a little better. My instructor sat quiet for a lot of the time and that gave me some confidence. I took some good decisions. The r/t was still a major problem, though. The route took us into Biggin's overhead and we contacted approach as we passed Paddock Wood. His dialogue with us left me spluttering for words as most of what he said was completely incomprehensible to me. My instructor had to deal with most of the r/t with Biggin. Half the time I didn't even know that the controller was talking to us!
Still, overall, some improvement. Next week, weather permitting, I'll be in the circuit solo again, in preparation for a solo navex!
Kev.
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Kev,
RT can be daunting,esp if it is some US militarylady speaking at typewriter speed.
Just ask them to repeat slowly.
Also speak really slowly and clearly yourself and they may realise you are not a whiz kid pro.
Lister
RT can be daunting,esp if it is some US militarylady speaking at typewriter speed.
Just ask them to repeat slowly.
Also speak really slowly and clearly yourself and they may realise you are not a whiz kid pro.
Lister
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Update- March 08
People have been complaining about the weather - with good reason - but I was lucky in that of three lessons scheduled this month I was able to fly two; slots between the clag, rain and wind coinciding with my times! In fact, I could've flown the other one but declined, for reasons I'll describe later.
I mentioned above that I was at a stage prior to solo navs (like you, G-EMMA, n'est ce pas?) and the work was to bring me back to solo standard first. Well, first lesson this month was out of the circuit and up to 3'500 for steep turns and stalls. We did those but I still have the glider pilot's habit of waiting for the nose to start dropping before checking back on the stick - in something with a bl&&dy great donk up front that happens a good deal quicker and I end up looking at the ground before hauling back.
On this detail Bruce demonstrated an interesting quirk of the Cessna breed. He set us up with full flap at a fairly slow speed and in a gentle starboard turn. "Imagine", he said, "That you're doodling along in a shallow turn, pointing out features to your passengers, the stall warner's not working, and your airspeed is slowly bleeding off.......". I was looking, as a dutiful passenger, out of the right window at some hypothetically interesting ground feature, when WHOOSH! The left wing suddenly fell away and we were in an incipient spin to the left. Interesting! A great lesson, and one I shan't forget in a hurry. Particularly telling was his saying, "..and I've seen people do this..."
Next lesson it was blowing a hooley but at least it was straight down the runway, at well over twenty knots and set to strengthen. "We could go up", says Bruce, "if you like being tossed around like a cork in the ocean; but I don't really think you'd get much benefit from it"
"I thought you liked flying in these conditions", someone else chipped in.
"I do. But when someone else is paying I need a better reason than the fact that I enjoy it!"
Thank you, Bruce! In fact, I was tempted, just for the experience. And I have absolute faith in Bruce's own experience and judgement, so it would have been sheer fun. But the pragmatics of cost benefit had to hold sway and I declined the opportunity. Perhaps some other day.
And so to last Thursday's lesson. Rain had been the predominant feature and as I ran through the mental list of reasons why my lesson could be cancelled on arrival a waterlogged runway figured large. And so it was. But that didn't mean cancellation - no solo flying for me, but circuits with no touches - climbing away from the hold-off. Again, interesting stuff which I've never done before.
During the detail Bruce took control and said, "I just want to find out the power setting to maintain height at 50 knots with 30 deg flap for an exercise I have in mind". That worked out at about 1750 so he got me to do a normal approach and as we got to the flare he took control and set 1750 rpm. Then he demoed weaving up the runway from side to side at about 8-10' agl - low speed handling just above the ground. Then I had a go. Shallow turns from one side of the runway to the other just above the ground concentrate the mind! I pulled back too far and ballooned or not enough and touched with one wheel. Another circuit and another go. Better this time. Kept it level during the turns and one touch (left wheel) before "Full power!" and off again. Great fun!
In fact, I could've flown the other one but declined, for reasons I'll describe later.I mentioned above that I was at a stage prior to solo navs (like you, G-EMMA, n'est ce pas?) and the work was to bring me back to solo standard first. Well, first lesson this month was out of the circuit and up to 3'500 for steep turns and stalls. We did those but I still have the glider pilot's habit of waiting for the nose to start dropping before checking back on the stick - in something with a bl&&dy great donk up front that happens a good deal quicker and I end up looking at the ground before hauling back.
On this detail Bruce demonstrated an interesting quirk of the Cessna breed. He set us up with full flap at a fairly slow speed and in a gentle starboard turn. "Imagine", he said, "That you're doodling along in a shallow turn, pointing out features to your passengers, the stall warner's not working, and your airspeed is slowly bleeding off.......". I was looking, as a dutiful passenger, out of the right window at some hypothetically interesting ground feature, when WHOOSH! The left wing suddenly fell away and we were in an incipient spin to the left. Interesting! A great lesson, and one I shan't forget in a hurry. Particularly telling was his saying, "..and I've seen people do this..."
Next lesson it was blowing a hooley but at least it was straight down the runway, at well over twenty knots and set to strengthen. "We could go up", says Bruce, "if you like being tossed around like a cork in the ocean; but I don't really think you'd get much benefit from it"
"I thought you liked flying in these conditions", someone else chipped in.
"I do. But when someone else is paying I need a better reason than the fact that I enjoy it!"
Thank you, Bruce! In fact, I was tempted, just for the experience. And I have absolute faith in Bruce's own experience and judgement, so it would have been sheer fun. But the pragmatics of cost benefit had to hold sway and I declined the opportunity. Perhaps some other day.
And so to last Thursday's lesson. Rain had been the predominant feature and as I ran through the mental list of reasons why my lesson could be cancelled on arrival a waterlogged runway figured large. And so it was. But that didn't mean cancellation - no solo flying for me, but circuits with no touches - climbing away from the hold-off. Again, interesting stuff which I've never done before.
During the detail Bruce took control and said, "I just want to find out the power setting to maintain height at 50 knots with 30 deg flap for an exercise I have in mind". That worked out at about 1750 so he got me to do a normal approach and as we got to the flare he took control and set 1750 rpm. Then he demoed weaving up the runway from side to side at about 8-10' agl - low speed handling just above the ground. Then I had a go. Shallow turns from one side of the runway to the other just above the ground concentrate the mind! I pulled back too far and ballooned or not enough and touched with one wheel. Another circuit and another go. Better this time. Kept it level during the turns and one touch (left wheel) before "Full power!" and off again. Great fun!
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a time and money jigsaw with fate throwing in a hand
According to my log book The last time i flew was a PA38 out of Manchester International in 1984, With hour long lessons being stretched or cancelled as we waited for the heavies to go or stop arriving long enough to finally get down the runway and special vfr departure to the south.
For some strange reason I put women ahead of flying, and then cars and then kids and then Training in Computers, And the cost of getting a commercial divers qualification and suddenly 24 years have gone by.
The smell of aviation Fuel that hung in the air All through my RAF days was so addictive I knew at some point I was going to have to get myself back into flying. Sitting by the fence in the pub garden watching things come and go down 27 r/l just isnt enough is it?
Just as improbable as it seems, I happened to help someone one day who had some pretty nasty situations going on in her life and she found that sitting by the fence in the pub garden watching the Manchester traffic land and take off wasnt enough either. So what did she do then? She put a deposit down on Piper Cherokee, sold her house, and started coaching me for the exams while we wait patiently (impatiently) for me to get a medical and for the cherokee to arrive.
Some time in the next month I am off to see Derek, Mentioned here before somewhere, for a full week of 1-2-1 tuition and study for all the exams, and after that I am going to fly every day until the weather stops me or the instructor hits me and says "bog -off..."
But.....
We have decided that it really would be good to fly somewhere else, like France or Italy , so she is on the look out for something bigger.. and when I have finished writing this we are off to Barton to look at a Cherokee Six.
Run before you can walk ? Maybe.
We have other plans for the future, a bit hampered by finances for the time being but I know how lucky I was to get this leg up and back into flying again.
I am looking forward to sharing this little Cherokee with anyone else who wants to fly it and maybe help to get someone else who otherwise wouldnt have been able to afford to fly the hours they need, one good turn and all that ..
I found the information, feed back, instruction help advice and general comment on the forum an invaluable asset and a the best free entertainment ever. The SOAP like sagas of some of the threads, and the friction between contributors is amazing, Where would my life be without the daily fix from Pprune.
For some strange reason I put women ahead of flying, and then cars and then kids and then Training in Computers, And the cost of getting a commercial divers qualification and suddenly 24 years have gone by.
The smell of aviation Fuel that hung in the air All through my RAF days was so addictive I knew at some point I was going to have to get myself back into flying. Sitting by the fence in the pub garden watching things come and go down 27 r/l just isnt enough is it?
Just as improbable as it seems, I happened to help someone one day who had some pretty nasty situations going on in her life and she found that sitting by the fence in the pub garden watching the Manchester traffic land and take off wasnt enough either. So what did she do then? She put a deposit down on Piper Cherokee, sold her house, and started coaching me for the exams while we wait patiently (impatiently) for me to get a medical and for the cherokee to arrive.
Some time in the next month I am off to see Derek, Mentioned here before somewhere, for a full week of 1-2-1 tuition and study for all the exams, and after that I am going to fly every day until the weather stops me or the instructor hits me and says "bog -off..."
But.....
We have decided that it really would be good to fly somewhere else, like France or Italy , so she is on the look out for something bigger.. and when I have finished writing this we are off to Barton to look at a Cherokee Six.
Run before you can walk ? Maybe.
We have other plans for the future, a bit hampered by finances for the time being but I know how lucky I was to get this leg up and back into flying again.
I am looking forward to sharing this little Cherokee with anyone else who wants to fly it and maybe help to get someone else who otherwise wouldnt have been able to afford to fly the hours they need, one good turn and all that ..
I found the information, feed back, instruction help advice and general comment on the forum an invaluable asset and a the best free entertainment ever. The SOAP like sagas of some of the threads, and the friction between contributors is amazing, Where would my life be without the daily fix from Pprune.