Frustration
 

Out of the last 8 lessons I have booked I only managed to get 3 because of the weather. I book a days holiday and get all excited - light the blue touch paper and then..............nothing. Too windy, low cloud, goats on the track!
Looking out of the window in central London it looks to be a beautiful sunny, cloudless morning although very cold. Log on to Denham weather station and the cloud is at 800ft - good job I didnt book a lesson for this morning. It is all very frustrating and I wonder whether I would be better concentrating on the ppl exams and then booking a holiday somewhere warm in the new year where I could be sure of getting the lessons. All very frustrating.

It's entirely down to luck. I started my training in September last year and flew every single week without a single missed lesson through the winter - even in the heavy snow we had in February.

I then had two or three cancellations in 'spring'!

I did mine a few years ago on Fridays and the weekend.
I''m sure just using the weekend you would get some flying in and save your hols.:)

On a pessimistic note welcome to the reality of flying light aircraft.

Dont we all think, from our experience with commercial carriers, that aircraft fly whatever the weather? That is a long way from the mark with light aircraft; you will find it will take time, experience and more qualifications before you can fly on most days.

On an optomistic note we might be running into a good time of year. We often get settled bright days around now so with luck you will bank a series of lessons before the weather gets too cold and the lessons are cancelled because no one has bothered to remove the frost from the wings. :)

Good luck - it is worth it in the end.

About 10 years ago my son undertook a course for his PPL, which was something he had long dreamt about. Everything went very well until his QXC. A/c unserviceability, poor planning by the club, his working shifts, weather problems, moving house, etc., meant that he booked 13 times before managing to do it. He flew from Southampton to Bristol - all OK. When he got to Exeter the wind had changed aso it was outside his limits and he had to divert back to Southampton without landing. Sadly, that was the end of his PPL as he gave up after that..

If you want to make any serious progress over the typical western Europe wintertime, you've got to be flexible.

1. Learn to read the weather charts. Particularly the ones that show fronts etc. a few days ahead. (I personally like the animation from Sembach.) This will show you which days are promising, which are not.

2. Make sure you have the cellphone of your instructor(s) and an arrangement with them that you can call them at, say, 24 hours notice to book a lesson.

3. Make sure you have an understanding with your job/significant other that you can go flying when the weather is good, and catch up the lost work/attention when the weather is bad.

If you just hang on to your weekly lesson which is scheduled months in advance you can indeed expect half or so of them being cancelled in the upcoming period. But if you're flexible you'll find that there's plenty opportunity for flying.

Last year I managed to schedule a flight a few hours after a heavy snowfall. CAVOK with no cloud whatsoever, 30 km viz, cold air, high air pressure and the whole of the Netherlands covered in white. Except for the runway which was duly plowed. Beautiful.

I have known a few people who waited months for their QXC. 6 months in one case; the instructor would not let him go anytime on the hazy summer days.

An appalling indictment of the training system, that pilots cannot fly in less than great visibility...

This time of year, training tends to get interrupted by heavy frontal weather. I managed to get just 3 lessons in during oct nov dec 2000, and I was booking a lesson every day!

However, right now, Thursday & Friday, the weather in southern UK is fantastic. CAVOK, and nothing at altitude either. Fantastic for long trips into Europe, VFR or IFR. Hardly a cloud over the Alps. I'd cram in a few lessons.

Wait until you chew your fingernails down waiting around for your skills test !

Out of curiosity, if your lesson is cancelled, do you still go to the school/club and use the time you had set aside to fly to read the aircraft manual, do some ground school,read the flying order book, ask the instructors (who will be on the ground due to weather) to clarify anything you are unsure of, and the many other important, but maybe not as much fun, aspects of learning to fly.

Depends on how far you have driven, I suppose :)

It may be a good idea to learn to read the MSLP charts, which takes only minutes, and book lessons only for days when there are no fronts forecast.

Precisely the reason I went stateside and did it all in 5 weeks. :ok:

However, if you think it's bad just now - just try keeping current after you've got the licence! That's almost more difficult with the wonderful UK weather (especially up my way) :hmm:

If the weather is good, can you not do at least 2 in one day? (i.e 4-5 hours flying)? I would.....

I found flying after getting the PPL much easier than before, because the PPL training did not use a GPS so solo flying (on the instructor's license) in say 5km haze was out of the question, whereas post-PPL is was a great flying day, with the skies relatively devoid of traffic ;) A great liberating experience, and a shame one doesn't get a taste of it pre-PPL.

Currency is something else; one needs the time flexibility, and the budget. Living/working close to the airport is a huge benefit.

Being able to deal emotionally and practically with frustration and the ability to do mental arithmetic are the only two essential prerequisites to training to become a pilot. ;);):}

That's the old school approach, sure...

what's the new one then?

I started my course first week of October 2009 and completed it in March 2010. Yes a fair few lessons were cancelled - I would guess around a third to a half perhaps - but I can prove it can be done through the winter in the UK. The trick is to book more lessons than you need to allow for the cancellations. You will need some flexibility I'm afraid.

The old approach is that only men with a proper hairy chest and an infinite endurance for hassle, and acceptance of total authority (as promulgated to the great unwashed by the unchallenged organs of the Safety Politburo ( CAA, GASIL, GASCO ) should be permitted to enter Aviation.

We should consider ourselves fortunate that we do not have to travel annually to London to the Royal Institute of Navigation and bow in front of portraits of the Great British Men, painted in the glorious days when the sun never set on the British Empire, who had socks full of sand stuffed down the fronts of their trousers, while we are served tea in useless little china cups with handles too small to get one's fingers into.

........aaaahh, in the days of old, when men were bold and toilet paper hadn't been invented ........

RISE

(a ripoff of that rather sickly Cessna advert currently running)

Decades ago I waited for weather good enough to fly my solo cross country. Each week, I'd ask my instructor if the weather was good enough... He'd hmmm, and say, "I don't think so".

On the day I actually did my solo cross country, he had just said the same thing. Another instructor overheard, and said to me "go check the weather yourself". I did, and is was fine. I went right back to my instructor, and reported this. He said "Oh, Okay, go ahead then". And I did. I'd been lazy. I learned that lesson.

Perhaps at these earlier stages of training, it can be frustrating suffering the variability of the UK weather, because your go/no go decisions are being made for you. There will come a point where you'll have to make them for yourself. This is part of that training.

Understand what about the actual or forecast weather makes it not acceptable for your proposed flight. Some factors of weather will less influence your flight as your skills improve. Others are what they are.

Once, while ferrying a C 150 back through Manitoba, I arrived at my planned fuel stop (few and far between in Manitoba) to find the winds gusting to 45 knots with some crosswind. When I got to the ramp, two planes had just been blown over.

One day, you're going to be up there, thinking "what am I doing here!?". Then you'll think back to this frustration, and it won't seem so bad....

and the tafs and metars were? :)

It is very true that one should check the weather oneself first and only then ask the instructor for his permission.

On my skills test, it was about 5km vis (summer haze) and it was delayed. I was not happy about it but the man wouldn't do it - and that was with him in the plane...

....Not invented yet. It was the early 1980's. Weather reporting, be it actual or forecast, was more general, and sometimes of less than ideal accuarcy over larger expanses in those days. I'm sure it's much better now.

That's a great lesson sir, to this beginner pilot. Thank you very much!

Looking at next week doesnt look hopeful either. My issues are
1. Lister N - weekends denham is booked months in advance
2. Back Packer - my diary gets filled up by other people. I work in a meetings environment which I cant do much about which makes booking leave difficult
3. Bingo - if I am already at Denham then they are happy to do ground school but being so new to it I want to get more hours in
4. EnglishAl - Denham are not keen on the idea of more than one lesson per day. Not sure either how I would cope.

Heathrow Director - giving up at the point of cross country is a tragedy having put all the effort in. Maybe your son will go back to it when he is a bit older

IO/Jan/ILF/Molesworth/Postey/Pilot Dar - it seems I am not alone then in getting frustrated

Sloppy I had though Jerez might be a better bet for say a week to get a 10 hour block?

thanks for all your responses
Chas

Fri Sun Mon look OK and then low cloud till at least Thursday.

ChasG, you are certainly not the first or only student pilot in this frustration, at the contrary most must have been through this to some degree. Myself have been very lucky, though, in this respect.

Do not be put off by the oncoming winter. I am puzzled about the mention "too cold to fly", cold is only good for flying: cold air is denser, thus improving performance of wings and engine alike. Drag will go up too, yes, that's the counterpart, theoretically. The nicest is however that cold air is generally very stable, far less turbulent than on those treacherous days of summer that only bring unexpected turbulence and haze.
True, many days will be spoiled by low clouds and/or poor visibility; and grass runways may get too soaked and thus closed. But whenever you CAN fly, it will be great flying. Count on booking twice for flying once, as a crude rule of thumb.

A few snaps to make you drool:

http://users.skynet.be/fa348739/image/IMG_6778.JPG
http://users.skynet.be/fa348739/image/IMG_6779.JPG

Yes that's me, on some of my very early solo flying, photography courtesy of my instructor.

Do not be put off by the oncoming winter - but do prepare your thermal underwear.

ChasG

I feel your pain and a run of poor weather is just as frustrating for the Instructor. One of the challenges for instructors in your situation is dealing with skill/knowledge fade. It is very important to maintain what you have otherwise you get into the situation where after a bunch of cancelled flights, you finally get to go only to use most of the flight reviewing what you have allready done and hardly make any progress. My advice is if a flight is cancelled take a 1/2 hour or so and chair fly the last flight. By that I mean sit down and set out your maps, checklists, and instrument panel poster. Run through the flight from the inital walkaround to tie down at the end of the flight going through all the checks, radio calls, standard operating procedures, manoever sequences etc etc. This will keep the flying juices flowing and the info current. if during the chair flight an item comes up that you are unsure of, make a not of it and you can get it addressed at the next lesson.

Without wanting to upset the OP, the weather around Denham was perfect for flying today! I understand that lessons were running a little late due to overnight ice but otherwise no problems.

DON'T believe the Denham weather page - it isn't always accurate. When I checked it early this morning it was apparently snowing! Took off a few hours later in glorious sunshine and returned late afternoon to similar sunshine.

DO persevere - as you get more advanced and do solo flights, the instructors are very picky with the weather and only want to send you out when it is perfect. Take the opportunity to knock off all the ground exams so when the sun does shine you are ready.

Hoping for clear skies for us all.

Is that possible in the UK?

I have flown single Cessnas down to -41C (though it is interesting to note that the "O" rings in the fuel system are only approved down to -20C). That was central Quebec, we don't get that cold here!

-10 to -15C is just perfect for a good flight.... like this one...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IMG_2357.jpg

Pilot Dar

What a stunning picture :ok:

Pace

Here is a good question ,

I see Pilot DAR has left his propellor at the 12-6 o'clock position.

Who else parks their props like that,and how many know why?
and,
what if the prop was wooden?

Me, in winter time - lets water drain out of the spinner etc so you don't get ice forming overnight and creating an imbalance. It's a theory I'm in favour of, having seen the remains of a PA34 nacelle after the engine removed itself due to ice creating enough vibration...

I found it useful to occasionally go up with my instructor on the days I was told it wasn't flyable - it provides a far more effective learning experience than simply being told the weather is unsuitable!

Madlandrover,
Thats what I was taught many years ago as well, but am I am amazed how few people bother especially with aircraft parked outside in the UKweather

Now what about a wooden prop?

That can be very useful, but I think a lot of students don't like it - because the PPL costs a lot more money that way.

There are instructos who do the "right thing" (for the right type of more able student) and take them up in less than great weather, and that produces a better pilot in the end. But there are also instructors who are less than honest and they take people up in unsuitable conditions; I have met some of those.

Can't have it both ways.... but I do think the total reliance on map+stopwatch nav in the PPL does result in a lot of training opportunities being wasted.

Let's be honest - nearly all pilots who hang in there long-term go out and buy a GPS ASAP.

We seem set for a number of days with low cloud but only a thin layer; perhaps blue-sky VMC at 3000-4000ft. I wonder how many instructors will take PPL students up there and do some radio nav? I would.

Thread drift, sorry...

Propeller position:

Mine is deliberately positioned as seen, to make most easy (and safe) hand propping, should it ever be necessary. The position of the propeller allows it to pass through the top of the compression stroke at the optimum position of my hand (about 10 o'clock). Having your hand below the 8 o'clock, or really any other position, is comparitively unsafe.

The only negative of this position is that if parked in a crowded ramp, there is a slight chance that a passing high wing might hit it, but that's fairly low on the "likely" scale for me.

Some props are keyed to only two positions on the crankshaft, so position would not be a choice. The O-200 is not arranged this way though.

Were it to be a wood prop, this would be a poor way to orient it. The low blade can absorb water, that affects the balance. Wood props are best horizontal.

As for the actual subject of the thread, which is certainly worthy of attention...

I support the idea of students being cautiously mentored in poor weather, just to learn how scary it can be. Similarly with strong winds, though that is a skill which really should be mastered. When you actually experience flying in "Special VFR" conditions, you quickly realize that you'd best have everything else going your way, so better plan for it!

My extensive experience as a visitor in the UK (happily, to occur again next week) reminds me that I don't visit to enjoy the weather! I delight in the number of days I can fly here, without weather being a concern. the odd stretch of a few days where I cannot fly, reminds me to think a kind thought for those, for whom poor weather is more a common event. Stick with it....

In the UK we actually require better than "ordinary" VFR weather for special VFR flight in controlled airspace.
Go figure, I think you say over there.

When I learnt to fly the PPL was around 42 hours and I could not afford it.
I did not want to be on 50 or 60 hrs because I was flying around with instructors to keep myself current awaiting weather windows.

One thing you do have nowadays is a good home PC sim. Some you can customise with photo real scenery and accurate mesh terrain.

It is easy to fly the routes for practice as well as raising and dropping the visibility so you can get used to flying in poor vis.
Okay you wont get a fantastic feel in home sims but they are still a useful tool.

On my last Citation recurrent the operator put an engine on fire, threw in solid IMC. He then decided to throw in bad turbulence with the engine now shut down. Dropped the viz to 200 metres fog and then to top it all gave me 200 ibs of fuel a side on the ILS :ugh: Oh and failed the autopilot.
Hand fly to a zero vis landing on the ILS. OK not a home PC sim but a full motion and very real variety :E

Sims are a useful tool even the home PC variety to help keep current.

Pace

I know how you feel, my skills test was cancelled...ready for this..........23 times. First booked in Oct 09, finally complete Sept 10. Bad weather every time. Inbetween bookings the weather was great, but when I booked a test, the weather closed in EVERY time.

My first skills test was even called off half way through due to lowering cloud base. It added alot more hours to my log book, and removed a few more zero's from my bank account.
Stick with it, it's worth it in the end. It took me 2 1/2 years and 68hrs. Losing my job half way through didn't help either.