Think midair trigonometry would be simpler than that! :)

Hampshire Hog - we've all been there. Sometimes it's just a bad day. I remember it from my interminable Ex12&13 days and was reminded of it recently when I seemed to regress during one session in my night training. Needless to say, all was well in the end.

I remember my first instructor saying that people who turn up expecting to go solo often fly worse. Whether this is subliminal because you're nervous about soloing or that you're putting pressure on yourself to get it perfect so you can and become too tense I don't know. I believe some instructors don't even mention the possibility in case this happens.

Whatever the case, I find that banishing expectations good or bad and concentrating on the job in hand does help with flying (after PPL as well).

Hope next week's weather is better! :(

I remember when I was about two hours from the end of the PPL course, me and my Instructor we doing a practice diversion / dummy skills test. After I completed it he just looked at me and said "what the hell was that". I dropped my chart, wasn't holding height or direction and messed it all up - purely nerves, however 3 hours later I had passed!

Aprian - Welcome! I like that version, simplicity at it's best :)

HH - dont get too down about it mate, it happens to us all - just learn from it and the next time you have a good flight you will realise.

Penguina, hey nice to see you here again - it's been a while. How are you doing and how is the night flying coming along? ;)

Been such a crappy weeks weather so hopefully will get airborne next week for my first flight 'out of the cage'!

Lee :ok:

Well, after my last post, I'm pleased to say that my lesson today banished my angst and that I have now completed my first solo with my dignity intact and the aircraft still usable:D However there was one minor excitement - an incident with a learning point for us all I think (see below). Sorry for the very long post that follows, but after a 1st solo ...

Penguina, I read your advice after the lesson, but I think you make a very good point. I was nervous about my expected solo, whereas today I felt really relaxed and had no particular expectations - much better.

Apriana, my instructor made exactly the same comment, 'what the hell was that', after one of my botched landing attempts several lessons ago. A short reminder of how important it is to remain calm and in control I think!

And Mazzy, thanks for your kind words as well.

So, what about the lesson and that learning point?

Well, after thoroughly checking the aircraft (I'm a stickler for this) and noting a slightly low oil level (my instructor promptly filled it), I managed a perfect readback on the taxi clearance and off to the hold. Power checks and pre-take off fine, followed by a nice relaxed take-off (thanks again for that earlier advice c-bert). Up to 1000' and into what my instructor had previously described as 'wispy cloud'. Could I see where I was? Only intermittently. Now, some people have suggested earlier on this forum that flight sim can be a bad thing for student pilots (which is true), but put a student with loads of sim exerience into cloud and I recon they worry about it a lot less. My only concern was getting lost. Flying the aircraft without an external horizon etc. holds few fears (although I haven't experienced turb in cloud yet!). Anyway, we ultimately elected to fly the circuit at 900' (which gives us only 100' separation from the helicopters and so requires constant vigilance) with far better vis. 3 touch-and-goes all great. Nice stable approaches. On the 4th, my ever kind instructor pulled the throttle, just to check I had remembered that SEP aircraft go downwards when the engine cuts. Then he suggested we do a couple of full stop landings. Back into the hold (power check area) and (I suppose I was expecting this really) he then asked if I thought I could take it around myself. What do you say in reply to a question like that? I decided to take my chance, before I regressed again!

So, there I am, sat in the LHS on my own. Yes, I know it's been said before, but it's an odd feeling (a friend of mine who is now an A320 captain told me recently that she burst into tears when her instructor offered her first solo!). I wasn't about to cry, but I was determine to do things right and make a safe return to Earth. I ran through the pre-take off checks twice, checked the mags (just for good measure) and called 'ready'. With an immediate take-off clearance I had little more to do than a quick check up the approach path, line up and start rolling. Again, I know it's been said before, but the Warrior feels like a jet fighter unsticking when you haven't got a nice heavy instructor sat next to you. I was expecting it, but it still surprised me how sprightly this aircraft could be. Up to 900' in no time and I was pleased to discover that I still knew where I was in the circuit! As some suggested before on this forum, having a quick sing-song to myself helped me to stay relaxed, completed the downwind checks in good time (I kept carb heat on for longer than I do with my instructor present) and called downwind. There was one ahead of me turning base, so I slowed a little to give him time for whatever (we have to backtrack after landing on the hard runway at Wycombe during the winter). All still quite relaxed. He then said he was on final for a touch-and-go, so I put the speed back on again and prepared to turn base. The plane in front was on final but he was going to do a touch-and-go so no problem.

Now here's the thing. The plane in front did become a problem (well a potential one anyway). His instructor reported that they had landed and that their engine had stopped. The no.1 was now blocking the runway. I stayed relaxed, monitored the situation and thought through the go-around that might be necessary. I heard the tower tell the disabled aircraft that if they managed to get restarted they could move onto the grass to let me (on first solo) land. I was down to about 400' on final they did just that (pity really, I was enjoying myself!).

I landed, slightly fast, but comfortably with no balloon or bounce, with clearance to backtrack and a nice compliment from the tower, not to mention a very big grin! Taxied back to the apron and managed to park the thing without hitting anything (parking it alone, for me, feels more unnerving than going solo!).

My instructor came out and, as we walked back to the clubhouse, we had a chat with the instructor in the plane that had suffered the engine failure. They concluded that the cause had been carb-ice. The instructor also explained that they had ballooned and had just been about to open the throttle to go-around when the engine cut - so committed to land anyway!

Made me think:

1. I'm glad I took more hours rather than less to go solo - my confidence in the circuit, experience of monitoring the radio and of many go-arounds (as a result of my numerous botched attempts during previous lessons) meant I wasn't panicking about the unfolding events, just monitoring and planning my next actions depending on how things played out. It's taken me a total of 19 hours, but I just wouldn't have wanted to be there 4 or 5 hours ago.

2. Maybe we should use carb-ice more. I have always tended to keep carb-heat on for longer than typically taught (especially on final) for two reasons. First, when you think about how long it takes to melt a block of ice with a hair drier, the 10 seconds of carb-heat many instructors encourage is almost certainly inadequate and, secondly, there are a load of factories under the approach to our runway 24 and I'm not planning on landing on them any day soon.

So, thanks to everyone for their support up to now. Can't wait for the coming lessons and all that solo consolidation, but not in the wind howling around my house right now!

HH

Congrats Paul!

Won't be long and you'll be pinging all over the place solo. Now there's a thought. :ok:

I'm booked in again tomorrow so I hope this gale/rain/cloud clears....BBC assure me it will. :rolleyes:

Well done Hampshire Hog!

An interesting first solo then:D .

It is strange looking to the right and just seeing a headset sitting where the instructor should be, but when I got up I just started to sing and focus on flying.

If carb ice conditions are present, then 10 sec is not long enough to thaw it out, so your right in getting it on just as you turn downwind.

Congratulations, Hampshire Hog. :ok: Good to know we have another pilot in our midst.

Bloody hell; who's telling you ten seconds is enough? :eek: :eek: :eek: While there are many, many different views on use of carb heat, and a thread I started a bit back if you want to do a search and read some of them, one thing is certain - 10 SECONDS IS DEFINITELY NOT LONG ENOUGH. Thirty seconds is more like it. And a little too much carb heat won't do any harm, unless you're trying to climb. Why, why, why do some instructors do this? What do they have against carb heat? If in doubt, use it.

c-bert - hope the weather clears for you.

Re. carb-heat. I should add that I didn't mean to suggest my instructor teaches short bursts. He's quite sensible about it, but many instructors do teach the 10second burst and I don't think it's long enough. I agree with the line 'too much rather than too little'.

I believe our club is considering changing its procedures so that carb-heat is kept on until landed - but turned off for a go-around. Must be the safer option.

HH

Thanks HH.

I have been taught to put carb heat on when I put the first two stages of flap down on base, and the carb heat then comes off when the third stage of flap is put down on final. That way it is already off for a go around, but is on until fairly close to touch down.

Congrats HH, glad you made it. Its a great feeling!

Where abouts you fly from in Hampshire?

With carb heat in the circuit I will put it on when I start my descent (so mid-base leg) and will then turn it off whilst doing the CRAP checks at 300ft, unless the conditions dictate otherwise(low cloud/humid etc)

I agree you should err on the side of caution but there are other things you need to think about. You should try and avoid using carb heat on/near the ground as it is not filtered and so can allow all kinds of crap into the engine, and if you need to do a go around then you really should have full power availble instantly and not have to be fumbling with the carb heat switch first.

Just my 2p. Congrats again HH! :ok:

Hi Blinkz,

Thanks for your comments. I use carb-heat on base and I prefer to keep it on during final until fairly close to landing. Yes, there's a risk of forgetting to turn it off, but I think the risk of ingesting crap into the engine in that case must be lower than the risk from an engine failure on final.

Although I live in Hampshire (near Blackbushe - where I started flying) I now fly from Booker (Wycombe Air Park). Bit of a drive, but for all sorts of reasons I prefer it.

HH

this is only my 7th post..... so no-one will knowme but i thought i'd put my 2p worth.

i always use carb heat from the moment i drop the power to start my desent (and take 2 stages of flap).... i leave it on until i touch down.... in the case of a touch and go. Get rid of all my flap , carb heat off then full power and rotate at desired airspeed. and for a go around, full power, carb heat off, drag flap away pos rate of climb 2nd stage away, pos rate of climb 1st stage away.

as for carb heat on my downwind checks, its the first thing i do and the last thng i do.... so it stays on for my entire check. as you say.... too much is better than too little.

PUT - Stapleford in Essex

Congratulations and all that, but do please remember ... ... that the average life expectancy of a non-instrument qualified pilot in cloud is 178 seconds, as discussed here from time to time, whether or not they've played with toys on PCs, the occasional lucky one notwithstanding.

Yeah, once you start reading all the literature about on that, it puts you off taking risks with straying too close to IMC unqualified... :uhoh:

HH - congratulations! That was quite an eventful first solo! BTW - I told you so! ;)

Mazzy - hello, and I'm doing very well thanks. :) & you? Very remiss of me not to make my presence felt more on this thread, but in my defence I've been busy. :zzz:

The night training... well lets just say the weather's helping me spin out every last second of pleasure - and I am enjoying it no end so I am quite glad in a way! :) Finally managed to solo last week, so I just have an hour or so to complete now. Enjoyed the solo very much. A rather attention-seeking wind, a game of hide and seek with a bizjet, three satisfying landings then home for tea and medals.

Then I left the airfield and got on the wrong bus. Non-essentials off and all that! :rolleyes:

Yes, I noticed that rather worrying bit of over-confidence too, but forgot to say anything. I wonder why it's only those of us with some instrument flying experience who really know how difficult it is, and know that messing around with flight sim won't really help. Please, trust me on this, and stay away from the fluffy stuff until you're qualified to fly in it. The fact that it doesn't worry you is not the point.

WARNING - "alcohol induced post" :eek:

Firstly, Paul - nice one mate, well done. Great isn't it and it only get's better from here on. You have done very well but I will reiterate what Whirly and Gertrude say about the clouds (especially in the circuit) - please do be careful, I have seen many horror stories on prune about flying IMC when not qualified, and Jeremy Pratt (AFE books author) is hell bent on not doing it. When you think about it, 178 seconds is just under the life expectancy of a Royal Marine in a full war situation (according to a marine friend) - so take care mate ;)

With regards to the carb heat - I never used to have it on at all - only for a few seconds in the downwind checks (now there's a worrying thought) but after some more instruction, I now have it on from just before I reduce power for descent, until I reach 300 ft. I find sometimes that this can cock up the approach as you gain some RPM when you turn it back off, but careful throttle management overcomes this.

Penguina - no need to apologise. Having just one post from you is a pleasure :ok:
I'd have paid to see your face upon realising that :D

Tony - welcome aboard. Nice to see you in here posting. Please do continue :cool:

I think on one of my next lessons, I am to do the situational awareness training - where I close my eyes and have the instructor perform manoeuvres - I then have to figure out what we just did. I am betting I will get a lot of it wrong - and this emphasises the fact of staying out of cloud until qualified.

Thank you again,

Lee

Now listen folks,

Please don't think that in my 'first solo' inspired post I was suggesting anything close to overconfidence. I first took up flying because I was scared of it! Safety is everything to me (you should see how carefully I check the aircraft) and I have no intention of deliberately straying into cloud - sim experience or not. I guess my point was that many instructors criticise sim pilots for constantly looking that the instruments rather than outside. After entering cloud instruments are necessary and I suspect those same sim pilots are more used to looking at them.

Having said that, I was comfortable with the situation because I absolutely trust my instructor. He is a retired 747 captain with thousands of hours of experience on aircraft dating back to the end of the war. If I find myself in cloud with him sat next to me - I have every confidence that he can get me out of it.

I have no intention of exceeding my capabilities (and I am all too aware that 1 circuit does not a flying career make).

Nonetheless, you were all absolutely right to make the point and put my slightly ill judged comments in their place.

HH

Hampshire Hog,

Glad to hear that. :ok: And I didn't mean to sound critical; I was just concerned. :(

If you look way, way back, if the search function lets you do that and you have lots and lots of time, you might find a thread where someone said something to the effect that all good pilots flew by the seat of their pants anyway, and could therefore fly in cloud. I explained why that didn't work without visual references. John Farley posted and agreed with me, and then the guy listened. I just wanted to make sure someone else wasn't making a similar mistake.

Mazzy
 

Hi Folks
I read this thread when you first started, congratulations for having the guts to do it and for getting as far as you have it's not easy.
I started a couple of years ago and am no spring chicken, I have now 100 hrs + night and IMC rating most of it done in the dark/in cloud. That is scary...

Dont let the moaners put you off, they are entitled to their opinion
you dont have to listen !!!

Keep at it (it gets worse the more you learn ! )

Fly Safe.

GonTek

Welcome aboard mate - some good points there :ok:

Lee

Whirly,

I had the experience of spacial disorientation in cloud, at night, up front in a 737 a few years ago. In the LAM hold for EGLL. I could have sworn we were turning the other way, but the instruments told the true story. A lesson I've never forgotten.

HH

First full-on nav lesson
 

I took a lot on board today, and I am starting to learn the true value of flying - how to get places! We had a about 2 hours sat down with all my equipment laid out and he went through the very basics of Navigation, from the curvature of the earth and LAT/LONG lines, all the way to the numbers that go round the compass. It is good because he laid it out in a way that I had never actually thought of before, and it all helped my understanding a great deal. For anyone starting NAV - dont miss out the basic simple stuff, it all forms part of a big picture.

The main area for now was to learn how to calculate heading required and groundspeed, given a certain wind condition (this all done using the whizz wheel - by the way I have the ARC-1 from AFE, anyone got this? I have some questions about it later). He drew a straight line, which was a True Track (very important) and it represented us flying A to B. Then we went through all the necessary steps as to calculate the required heading to fly, and what are grounspeed would be (with 90kts airspeed). At first this seemed all very daunting - but as we went through each stage seperately, and I made of a note of what to do (in logical order), it all started to fit into place, and I was actually enjoying what I was doing (sad arent I) :D

Anyway, it all went well, but the fact it, as I left the building, I knew that by about 8pm I would have forgotten it and would need to go over it more (no way anyone would take this on first time) - I knew I was in for some serious practice in order to get it right. So I gave it a go in the evening, and honestly couldnt understand some of my notes - I went over it again and again (also using the instruction manual that came with it - this has slightly different methods though) and in the end I had cracked it - I made some further notes that were easier to understand, so at least when I come back to it (I will definately need my notes again) I can do it successfully.

I would like to thank Blinkz for his help on MSN in this subject - it was a good introduction and he was very (very) patient with me - cheers :ok:

I look forward to writing the next post - which will be my first solo trip out of the zone - I hope it goes smooth, and I hope it is tomorrow - but we will see.

FFF - if you still read this, you were right about how good all this Nav malarky is :p

Thanks guys,

Lee :)

Questions about the whizz wheel to come soon.......

You want sad? Howzabout making flight plans (complete with wind) for flights you have no intention of ever making, just to see if you can - good for those times you can't go flying for whatever reason, and always good practice too!

(Of course, it loses its appeal when you actually have to re-do a flightplan four or five times because the flight keeps getting cancelled for whatever reason... )

Having said that, I have a few days off work this weekend, hoping to do at least three of the four navs I have to do before the flight test... getting there slowly!

Adam

Oh, you mean it's sad to enjoy planning...? :O :8

What a great thread.
I am currently doing my PPL ,went solo in mid December and then did two solo flights last Thursday one 75 mins and one 40 mins so another 45 mins required to reach the three hours required.
Currently fly a C152 but the plan is to swap to a PA28 prior to Nav otherwise we will never get there! Keep it up everybody.
Bob:ok: :ok:

Hey guys,
I finally flew on friday, after a month of nothing, and 2 months since flying a pa38. It was a navex to the east of glasgow and then south and back round to edinburgh. It went ok, altho I felt very rusty. More nice weather please!

What's your issue with the 152 - speed or fuel capacity limited by weight?

Lots of people have done all their training on a 152 ... but it was easier in the days when people were less concerned about the strict legality of taking the things off the ground with a decent amount of fuel in them. Or perhaps we were all thinner then.

Get...where?? :confused: Two of us took a C150 - slower than a C152 - to Southern Germany and back last summer. It wasn't particularly fast, but not all that slow either. C152s are just fine for touring, and certainly OK for PPL nav. :ok:

Ahh the old 152 vs PA-28 debate... personally I changed to a Cherokee for my navs, if only for the extra space in the cockpit over two or three hours in the air! The extra 15kt or so TAS makes it slightly more bearable as well, though the extra cost is certainly becoming an issue now.

As for my flying, been foiled by the weather yet again, I'm actually staying near the airfield now (usually it's an hour and a half away), was planning to do at least two or three of the remaining navs over four days - here I am on day three with shoddy cloud over the escarpment AGAIN and all I've done is an hour in the circuit. Someone doesn't like me I think!!!:(

Guys

I am at my lowest point in training so far. I had thee worst flight ever. The trip was to be Liverpool, Kirkby, Leyland, Southport, Seaforth, Liverpool.

After take off, routing Kirkby, we were told to route Seaforth due to traffic - mix up number one. On route I just couldn't seem to relate the chart to what I was seeing out the window - There was a huge river ahead (the Ribble) but there were lots of blue lines on the chart. I should have called Wharton but did so on the last minute, so all I got was an FIS cos she could tell I was up my own ass. My heaight was all over the place - I should have been 2000ft and I was up to 2,600 (I probably busted Manchester airspace) and down to 1300 - complete hash. My airspeed was about the only thing I got right. The flight plan went out the window and I wasnt writing anything down - I had pen in one hand, chart in the other, VFR log on my other knee - a complete mess and I just wasnt doing the obvious - FLYING THE AIRCRAFT. My RT was crap too - botched up the position report (as I didn't know where I was) and kept pausing.

To top it all off - I had the worst landing ever (ok we had 14kt xwind - very close to limit, certainly the strongest one I have experienced so far). I flared early, didn't have the nose straight, floated and then WHALLOP!! :oh: The wind was all over the place and kept gusting in different directions.

I think about the only thing we got near to correct was the timing - we did actually sort of arrive at the checkpoints within a minute of the time calculated. In all honesty, my instructor assured me not to worry as it was my first nav flight, and it was hazy, raining at times, dark(ish) and very windy. He said that a lot of people are like that on their first trip, and I bloody hope so cos if my next flight is like that then I am gonna need some serious practice. Furthermore, there wasnt any proper flight plan - I did it myself and had it checked, so for Wednesday I have booked a 3 hour slot, with groundschool before the flight, to make sure I know what I am doing.

I guess this must be the same feeling that has been experienced by several people in the past, and I have said to them "dont worry it will get better" - well I must take my own advice (and hope to :mad: that the next flight goes alright) :D

Regards all - and I hope you manage to get some flying done :ok:

Lee

Lee,

Dont worry about that mate! Like you said it has happened to most of us during training. You will find that you learn a hell of a lot more by making a these mistakes. I know I certainly have. I think one of the best things that I have learnt is being able to anticipate the actions that you will have to carry out and try and organise your workload so your not doing to many things at once.
Most people who have done nav would agree that it is the most demanding aspect of the training but it is also, in my view, the most rewarding.

Good luck on wednesday!

Neil

Don't worry mate. Nav is easily the most tricky part of training I've had so far. All of the things you have to do in themselves are quite simple. Unfortunatly we have to do them all at the same time :rolleyes:

Like you say its just practice. Its sounds like you had crap weather, haze is annoying.

Don't lose heart. You'll be fine :ok:

He's right; try listening to him! And think about it. So far you've been able to concentrate 100% on flying the aircraft, with a bit of radio work thrown in. Now, suddenly, you're trying to do that, plus work out where you, where you're going, how to say some unfamiliar things on the radio (not just "downwind" or "request taxi" any more), and how to juggle a cockpit full of bits of paper. On top of that you had marginal weather, and a crosswind landing. Now, Maz, read that as though it was someone else...doesn't it sound like a rather steep learning curve? But don't worry, as with everything else in flying, it'll get easier as you get more used to it. :ok:

Well the reason that I am thinking of changing is the extra speed could be usefull also between me and the instructor the C152 is carrying 35 stone to start with , and we are both over 6 foot, it just seems to me to make more sense to swap to the PA28, did some bad weather circuits this morning , and then the weather cleared so up I went on my own, the xwind got up pretty quickly and by the time I called finals it was at 20knts , I tried to battle it and ended up almost down at about 100' over the threshold, it then hit me there was no way I was confident so I called the go around, you guessed it the next circuit very similar only now 21knts , another abort and go around, a bit of panic now set in and i just calmed myself down and had a think, it was then that the nice man in the tower made up my mind for me, he offered me runway 25 the wind was from 230 so I took it got it down taxid to the club and had a long think about what had happened, I concluded after the first go around I should have instigated the change of runway, well live and learn.

Learning to fly
 

Hello All

Mazzy :
I posted a while ago and I am glad to see you are still posting your escapdes and results of lessons.

I can only echo previous comments and you will find it easier as you progress, I went through the "should I, Should I not " phase
but after spending the money I could not let failure be the end to my flying.

The rewards far outweigh the pressure of learning and it is well worthwhile just for your own self esteem.

safe flying and keep at it !!!!!!!

Regards All
ps
Blinkz and Whirly are dead right,just wait till your test !!!!!

That's close to the best description I've read of it... love it!

So much for my weekend of flying... two of the four days were weathered out, the other two my instructor was busy with something else... I'm now going to try with another instructor for a bit, who's available when I am!!!

On the plus side, PPL theory is all done now, sat the exam this morning, wasn't too difficult.

Only four navs to go!

Mazzy - try doing all that when you're flying an unfamiliar aircraft as well!! Barrels of fun...:}

OK you have reached your Air Nav/ X Country stage

Why not "practice" the Nav side by using MFS2002/4 AND VFR scenery.

Before people say a flight simulator is not realistic especially for GA planes...I agree but combined with VFR scenery you can "fly"your planned route and recognise where you are ( oh look there is the River Ribble or there's Southport) as many times as you want. Once you are familar with how an area looks from the air some of the pressure is off you - allowing you to concentrate on flying or ATC

It isn't expensive and whilst its 2D and not 3D, flying at 2-3'000ft it is really really a good way of getting used to Nav side of things

I know..I used it ...and I passed !!!! There are a lot out there who do


Enjoy !!!

Maz,

Don't worry mate! Remember all that advice you gave me when I was getting frustrated with my landings.

Don't forget all that human factors stuff either. Feeding in a load of new tasks it sounds like you're trying to do everything consciously. You can now fly the aircraft without doing this (you had the airspeed correct), so that's one thing out of the way. It also sounds like you were shocked by your altitude deviations (see below) and the difficulty of map reading whilst trying to fly in marginal weather.

I haven't started nav yet, so I have to profess considerable ignorance, but Sheepy's suggestion of using Flight Sim might be worth a try. I recon some areas of the photographic scenary are better than others, so I'm not sure how much help that would be. However, my instructor often talks about the need for practice to keep up 'scan rate' which sounds like it might have been an issue for you (with the altitude problems). FS might help you practice juggling the chart, simulated radio calls (without anyone to tell you off!), rough location (and you can double check using the GPS function!) and scanning airspeed, altitude etc all at the same time.

Don't worry - perseverance will pay off - and I'm sure you'll have a better lesson next time. Mine got cancelled yesterday - occlusion arrived over the airfield at just about the same time as I did:{

Paul

Lost my reply!
 

Hmmph, I just wrote an long reply replete with all kinds of helpful advice that would not fail to revolutionise your flying, Maz, and then I was told I was not logged on and it was lost! :mad:

So it seems you'll never be enlightened. ;)

Anyway, the basic points were:

*Pointed out that chasing an instrument not helpful mid-leg VFR. Getting really well in trim, then using the horizon to hold height & heading and referring to DI (& compass) and altimeter regularly to check you're still OK a better idea, I think. Worked for me, when I developed an unhealthy obsession with my altimeter and was more up and down than someone with PMT...

*Piquant observation that stress = screw-ups is a cruel trick on God's part.

*Said it's much easier to be ahead of your aircraft in good vis ( you can SEE what's coming!:) )

*Recommended the writing down of calls until you're used to it.

*General words of comfort & solidarity.

:)

Hi Mazzy, and everyone else who contributes to this thread, I am learning all sorts.

I passed my ppl over a year ago but reading this has taught more than my instructor did!

I was told 10 seconds carb heat, on downwind checks and during freda checks in the cruise, I now do 30 seconds instead!

I had to teach myself to use the wizz wheel, I booked an hours ground school with my instructor before my first nav trip and after him trying to calculate the wind for about 10 mins he declared that it was a "freaky wind" that day and gave up
:confused:
I worked out the winds in my self taught way and off we flew.

Thanks to all who take time to post on here, it is very usefull to those of us who wern't really taught anything during our training!