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Thanks Tek ;)
It was in the bulldog that I learned two very important principles (amongst lots of other things of course). Firstly, I used to hold the control column like my life depended on it, and and the end of the flight I couldn't move my fingers - I was shown how the smallest of gentle inputs is all that is needed to fly the aircraft, so gradually I got round this problem. Secondly, there was PAT (power, attitude, trim). It took a few lessons before this was drilled in (I was only about 13 or 14 years old). If you look at the early stages of this diary, we talked a lot about this, and I seem to recall, (without looking at the mo) that Gertrude the Wombat had an extension to the PAT - correct me if I am wrong. Cheers all (back to work tomorrow) :{ Lee :ok: |
Gertrude the Wombat had an extension to the PAT |
White knuckles on the column/stick
Could not agree more Lee, I did the same thing as I would expect everybody on this thread that is learning or has gone through the course has done also ie : hang for dear life to said column/stick.
early on in lessons Bossman say's " I have control " but could not move column as I still had hold of it and he thought it had siezed. Nxt command was RELAX !!! Easy for you to say mate sitting there doing bugger all ..... (small smirk from FI ) great bloke though. It's about time you took that GFT Mr Mazzy..... Get it done |
Different kind of flying!!
Had a great evening out the other night with about 20 guys/gals from the Flyer forum. I discovered that several forumites live close by, and after contacting one of them, self and Mrs CF were invited to a forum Xmas dinner that very night. We had a superb evening, and it was very good to meet so many fellow flyers. The chap I originally contacted flies A340's around the world, and has a share in a Maule. As my flying was canned the following day due to the bloomin' weather (again, will I ever get the QXC done?), I was invited to fly with him and another forumite. The plane is kept in a hanger at a private strip, so we turned up, pushed the plane out, warmed it up, taxied and took off. No ATC, nothing!!
Boy, do those things go!! It is a very rugged "Land Rover of the skies" tail dragger. Tough and light with a big six cylinder engine and BAGS of poke. The lift off came VERY quickly, and the initial climb rate was phenomenal!! We flew cross country, and landed at another strip by a resovoir in Northants - absolutely wonderful approach. Upon landing, the farmers wife ran out and invited us in for a cuppa. Half an hour later, we took off and landed at a strip behind a pub in Keystone (Northants) with a massive crosswind taxing the pilot somewhat. Following a superb lunch, and a great couple of hours of flying talk, we took off, and flew back to the homebase strip, pushed her into the hanger, and simply went home!!!. Absolutely brilliant day out. I could well be converted to this kind of flying. So different to flying in and out of a busy commercial airport. Can't wait to go again (I've already invited myself!) Our intrepid captain had to shoot home, and prepare to take 300 people to Los Angeles the next day!! Envy him? You betcha!! |
Sounds like the hounds hydraulic's C F. Oh how the other half live......
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Frustrating w/e
The weather has been a so and so this weekend.
On Friday I did the ground planning for a local nav exercise,a five sided course around 50 miles, which I then flew with the CFI. It was very bumpy but I managed to keep spot on 2000 feet and did not deviate off course. The idea was that either Sat or Sun I would do a revised plan for the same route and fly it on my own. It hasn't happened as the weather has been really bad so now it will be next w/e all being well. At this rate I can't realisticaly see me having my licence before Christmas ,but as someone has already said,"it isn't a race!" Lister:D |
It's about time you took that GFT Mr Mazzy..... Get it done Cheq - that's what it's all about mate, I bet you truly appreciated the true value of being able to fly after that day. I look forward to those kinds of trips when the license hits the doormat ;) The weather has been a so and so this weekend It was very bumpy but I managed to keep spot on 2000 feet and did not deviate off course The weather has been strange recently - this morning we had heavy snow showers in Liverpool, and now I am looking at a clear blue sky :\ :ok: |
Half an hour later, we took off and landed at a strip behind a pub in Keystone (Northants) with a massive crosswind taxing the pilot somewhat. |
Not exactly on the same plot but a quick update , since i passed my PPL in April have put a few hours in well nearly 90 to be precise, night rating finished last week , IMC test was today, however just as we were ready to go my examiner got pulled to take some people to Gloucester in the King Air and yep I got the RH seat, wow wahat an experience 14,000' down the airways Gloucester hang around a bit and then back , no test but knowledge gained immense, now for the test tomorrow, so come on people keep going the light to learn more is at the end of the tunnell!
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Bit of a step up from G-WARH Bob.....
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Bob - looks like you are doing extremely well. Very jealous of your IFR trip :=
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Wow is all I can say.. I started reading this post on Saturday or Sunday and that is me just finished...
Sitting at work - supposed to be working - but all the time thinking about starting my training..especially after reading about all the challenges that lie ahead. I have already been reading through the Air Law & Met books - both TT and AFE (managed to pick them up on Flea Bay) and looking to start training at the beginning of 2006.. A couple of quick questions though.. I am a similar height to Mazzy 6'2" / 6'3" but on the heavier side of 17st - does this restrict the choice of training steed?? What are the limits for most training aircraft..?? Would I be right in saying that I could pick off the exams - one a month say - taking me through to the summer and then have 2 years to complete the practical side of the training?? Look forward to your comments.. Dave |
Dave, welcome aboard! That is some reading!
With regards to your weight, you will probably find the Tommy more than adequate (as I do) and depending on the weight of your instructor - you will probably be ok, however, you need to think about the type of flying you will do when you get your PPL - I.e. if you want to take people, then you may need the lower restrictions of the Warrior for example (4 seater). Personally, I will be converting to the Warrior (or similar) upon completion, for when I want to take people up. You sound like you have the right attitude towards the exams - you just need to make sure that you pass them all within an 18 month timeframe, and then (I think) you have 2 years from the date of your last exam to pass the PPL (someone correct me if I am wrong). Best thing to do is go to your flying school and have a chat with an instructor - they should be more than happy to answer all your questions (and in my case, put your mind at rest to any initial fears). Where are you flying from? Best of luck - look forward to reading your experiences (ahem)! Lee :ok: |
Cheers for that Mazzy.
I have still to finalise where I am going to do my training but I have the choice of several places.. Cumbernauld - Where I stay - Three FTO's at the local field. Perth - 50 miles away but apparently cheaper (according to a mate) Glasgow - 25 Miles no sure of prices as yet. As far as I am aware Cumbernauld trains on Tommys or C150/152. Dave |
Cheapest isn't always best!
Visit them all and have a chat,you are looking for a professional set-up with realistic student performance targets and decent aircraft to obtain your licence,have a trial lesson at two on the short list. Ask other local pilots where they trained and get as much feedback as possible before making a final choice. I looked at four before deciding where I wanted to be and am really pleased with the end result. Remember it might be £20-30 per hour cheaper but if it takes another 15 hours thats a lot of dosh! Lister:D |
RudeNot2
Lister is quite correct in that cheapest isn't always best. There may be valid reasons for a school to have lower running costs based on location but you will also have to factor in travel time and fuel in your car. I was at Glasgow earlier this week as a passenger. A good sized airport and one that would be fun to learn at. I started my training at a major airport in controlled airspace and don't regret doing so at all. It gave me great confidence when taxying around the big jets, sharing the R/T airwaves with the commercial crews, following ATC directives regarding airspace restrictions etc. etc. Get your exams out of the way asap and then concentrate on flying. You can always get back to the books to brush up on, for instance, navigation. I believe Mazzy is correct in the time limits - but your school will be able to put you right. Mazzy - if it is taking people 3 or 4 days to read this thread you really must start taking the book option seriously ;-) Still no documentation from the CAA - although they did debit my credit card in record time - at least I know the registered mail delivery worked... |
The book option would be a good idea and possibly a money spinner!! Do the right marketing on ebay with an electronic download for £5.99 and you'd be laughing!!
I downloaded it after discovering the feature on Monday or Tuesday and put it onto the pda to read on the train to work.. |
Very popular thread indeed. How about sometime in the new year having a 'Mazzy Bash' somewhere central, say Birmingham or somewhere....?
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(Blushing) Why thank you people, very kind words indeed ;)
Wouldn't squeeze money out of people who are already in, or about to take up an expensive hobby, but I would love to make a book out of it. BRL - glad to see you still here, t'has been a while := Would love to have a "Diary" bash and Birmingham sounds excellent, all once I get that golden (well, brown) ticket :E (mazbash sounds funny though) :D As long as those doing the bashing are good looking :E |
The MazBash. Sounds good to me. :ok: When and where?
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Hehe :E
Would you like to wait until I pass, or shall we have one sooner, say after new year? It's going to be around February when I pass (weather and time/money permitting) anyway :confused: |
A fly-in after you pass sounds like a good idea.
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A fly-in after you pass sounds like a good idea |
A MazBash in January sometime and the big one, the 'Mazfest fly-in', when you pass!!
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This is starting to sound more and more like a porn movie :p
Ok, to summarise, a binge drinking session in January, and a fly in when I pass - sounds good to me. I'll get the ball rolling and go for the last weekend in Jan, as most of us may have been paid by then, and will have had the chance to recover from New Year. Opinions welcome............. :ok: |
Excellent! :ok: I'm moving house on Jan 10th, and my present semi-unemployed status may have changed by the end of Jan. So a MazBash then would be great!
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The messages are coming in!
It's now the first week in Feb........ |
Yep, first week of Feb would be fine for me (from the 3rd onwards if poss 'cos we're testing oversaes until then) Would be very good to meet some of you.
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Right then, it's time for me to be honest (I have always been honest, but what I am about to write, I could easily 'miss out' but then it wouldn't be a proper diary now would it?)
My final exam was to be Navigation, which I took, and failed. Now I will tell you why I failed. My normal routine for exams is to read the text book, absorb it, and revise the confuser, and this has led me to pass every other exam first time, with a good score, however, Navigation is different. Whilst I was reading the Navigation book, I noticed that there are lots of calculations to do, I.e rate of fuel burn, rate of descent, fuel specific gravity etc - all of which at first looked a bit daunting, and dare I say 'pointless'? This led me to think: "I'll just read the book, not practice the calculations, and then use the confuser to find out how to do them". Big mistake. In my opinion, the confuser has been a great source of information and practice, however, I found that when it came to calculations and examples, it just baffles you with equations and numbers, and doesn't really explain it properly (something which the PPL book did, very well). This wasn't very encouraging for me, and I didn't learn it properly - so when I sat the exam, I couldn't answer the difficult questions PROPERLY - I could only take a reasonable guess. That coupled with a couple of stupid answers, was the reason I failed. In summary, I took a bad, and naive attitude to the exam. Now then, I went over the failed exam, with my instructor, prior to which, I really learned all the necessary techniques properly. I looked at what I had written and thought of myself as a complete idiot :sad: I re-sat the exam yesterday and passed - easy peasy. And this is how I did it (this is my advice for anyone who will be taking Nav) 1) Take your Whizz wheel and the little book that comes with it and LEARN IT INSIDE AND OUT. This book should contain explanations and examples on how to work out all the required calculations. I sat on the train to work with it in my hands, in the canteen, at home and anywhere I could get a few mins practice in - this leads onto: 2) At first, I didn't realise that you can do ALL the necessary calculations on the whizz wheel, from simple multiplication and division, to complex rate of descents. 3) Know your lines/true tracks/magnetic tracks/wind calculations etc - these are the things you learn as you FLY navigation, and there is a section in the exam. 4) (Very important) - Be able to read grid references, such as N21XYZ and W0003 etc - these looked difficult at first to me, purely because I didn't study it hard enough, and I thought: "I'll just look on the chart until I find what the exam is asking for". Big mistake, you could spend 10 mins looking for an aerodrome, when all's you need to do is know how to read the grid references. 5) Don't think that Radio Navigation is easy (theory). There is a whole different section on this and sometimes the most basic questions can be the most difficult ones, such as: "What band do NDB's operate on?" Go over this with your instructor, and perhaps sit in the aircraft to get a firm grip on the principles. 6) You simply cannot get away with just learning the answers from the confuser, and if you pass having done this, then you are just lucky. Yo need to know the maths - cant emphasise this enough! Don't get yourself down with the though of this, you can do it ALL on the whizz wheel. All the way up to my first attempt, I hated Nav, purely because I didn't know it properly. Now I have passed, I love it. I am glad I failed the first one, because it meant that I would go away, and really absorb the material - now I can do it and it's great :D All exams are now in the bag, and I will soon be having my last few hours as a stude - so until then - safe flying :ok: Lee :D :D :D PS If anyone would like any help with Nav, then post here ...... PPS Thanks to DiscoChocolate who put up with me on the phone for an hour - was a great help :ok: |
Exactly the same thing happened to with Meteorology!! This subject has always been of interest to me, and I got a bit blase. I thought I knew it all, and it turned out I didn't!! Failed first time with 70%. I was gobsmacked, and spent the next two days really going to town with the subject books, and passed with 100% just 48 hours later!!
Now to the flying bit - I'm still waiting to do my final landaway and then the QXC. Every time I'm booked in, the weather cans it. I'm booked again for both tomorrow and Tuesday, but the weathers looking iffy all week. If I can't get the next one by Thursday 8th, I've run out of solo landaway currency, so have to do a local landaway again with an instructor. It's really frustrating. Bad time of the year I guess..... |
Excellent post Mazzy. What you have said makes perfect sense and it may even save someones life. I've always been one to learn stuff as thoroughly as I can but the confuser gives you an easy way to learn the answers to the exam.
Looking at the manuals, if you don't understand the theory behind it and only learn the stuff by rote in the confuser could get you into trouble once you have passed your GFT. Flying towards a CB. Do I turn back or cary on?? Bugger that hill I've just gone round puts me into another that I squeezed past five minutes ago. My alternate destination is blocked by another. OhMyGod I'm surrounded. There is a clear path to the East and and airfield in that direction about 40nm away, but this puts the wind on the nose and I'll have to climb another 1000ft for clearance safely. Questions. What is the W/V on this heading? What is the Fuel burn for this leg? Have I enough Fuel to make this diversion? How long will it take to get there? What is the safety height for this leg? How do I call for help if I need to? Is there a safer route that would take me over less hilly ground in case I need to do a forced landing? After stressing about all these questions, where am I now. You've been steadily tracking towards the CB in front of you and you are trying to remember all the stuff that you've been taught and can't visualise what you need to do because you just memorised the Confuser. After reading some of the stuff on other sections of the forum it makes me wanna learn this stuff as thoroughly as possible. Listen to this, don't wanna be in his position. http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photoga...ightassist.mp3 Great post Mazzy Won't be long to the GFT now eh m8. |
Cadaha,
I've heard that Mayday before - pretty strong stuff. Scares the hell out of me. It makes you realise how traumatic things can be!! |
I completed my first solo nav today and also first time talking to another airfield.
Left Old Buckenham for Snetterton and called Norwich when on route for Saxmundham,the right landmarks appeared at the correct times and places as planned,then on to Bungay then back to Old Buckenham via Tacolnsten Mast. My CFI says always to look at the big picture,in this case coastline,rivers ,large forests etc and this definitely helped to re-inforce the other information.I had to drop below 2000 ft down to 1300 ft to clear cloud on the first leg then OK after that. I put carb heat on every time I checked the heading indicator against compass and every time I changed heading,sometimes picking up signs of icing. A reasonable landing finished of a highly satisfying trip. I was going to do another trip this afternoon but various things conspired against it and in a way I'm glad, because I've had a great day and was quite exhausted when I landed! Lister :D |
Congrats Lister, great progress.
Quite exhausted on landing? I recall my first big venture out in the wilds - I spent two hours flying around Yorkshire and only when I landed did I realise just how exhausted I felt - the adrenaline is going all the time and you literally don't come down until you are back on terra firma. This is another great opportunity for us all to learn about our limits. I got some good feedback from my instructor when he stated how easy it is to get exhausted when first soloing because the adrenaline keeps you going. You must be doubly aware to concentrate at all times until the flight is completed and engines shut down. |
Congrats Lister - sounds very fun indeed! I personally can not wait to go solo out of the circuit, must be amazing! I've forgotten what it's like away from the airfield!
Mazzy - great advice (or at least it seems to be). Will follow it - and as of tonight I will study the whizz wheel book. Would you recommend proper ground school for the nav? I think the likes of me would benifit from it, and I'm pretty keen on the idea. Might quicken the process up. Great thread - learned a hell of a lot from it, thanks. John. |
Just for laughs
Joke posted by Farrell had me in tears.
Aer Lingus Flight 101 was flying from Heathrow to Dublin one night,with Paddy the Pilot, and Shamus the co-pilot. As they approached Dublin airport, they looked out the front window. "B'jeesus" said Paddy "Will ye look at how fookin short dat runway is". "You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy" replied Shamus. "Dis is gonna be one a'de trickiest landings you're ever gonna see" said Paddy. "You're not fookin kiddin, Paddy" replied Shamus. "Right Shamus. When I give de signal, you put de engines in reverse" said Paddy. "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye put de flaps down straight away" said Paddy "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye stamp on dem brakes as hard as ye can" said Paddy "Right, I'll be doing dat" replied Shamus. "And den ye pray to de Mother Mary with all a' your soul" said Paddy "I be doing dat already" replied Shamus. So they approached the runway with Paddy and Shamus full of nerves and sweaty palms. As soon as the wheels hit the ground, Shamus put the engines in reverse, put the flaps down, stamped on the brakes and prayed to Mother Mary with all of his soul. Amidst roaring engines, squealing of tyres and lots of smoke, the plane screeched to a halt centimetres from the end of the runway, much to the relief of Paddy and Shamus and everyone on board. As they sat in the cockpit regaining their composure, Paddy looked out the front window and said to Shamus "Dat has gotta be de' shortest fookin runway I have EVER seen in me whole life". Shamus looked out the side window and replied "Yeah Paddy, but look how fookin wide it is". PS There are loads more at this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...a&pagenumber=1 :ok: |
cadaha - fantastic. First heard that a while back from a mate learning to glide. It's still as funny as then!!
A quick question (asked mazzy - he asked for me to post it on here - sure it's nothing to do with his abilities to answer my question. Just want to help others too!) Anyway - magnetic variation. I understand that you need to vary your heading, because of this variation. But, I'm unsure as to where to add or take off... If, where I'm flying there's 4W magnetic variation, and I'm flying 175, I'd alter my course to 179. Ie 4 degrees towards west. However, if I'm flying 290 would I add 4 degrees again, or take them off. Logically I'd say taking off TOWARDS west would make sense to get 286...but I'm not sure. Anyone help? Edited: Mazzy has indeed given me a very helpful answer (thanks): If the mag variation is west ADD to your heading. If the mag variation is east SUBTRACT from your heading. "WEST IS BEST EAST IS LEAST" I was confused - thought you'd add or subtract towards west, if the magnetica variation was west. I'll leave this on, someone else may ask the same one day. |
Remember
West is best i.e add variation. cse 165T var 5W cse 170M East is least i.e subtract variation. cse 165T var 5E cse 160M Sorry missed then end of the post Mazzy's already done it:O |
Sorry, Mazzy's too quick!
Thanks anyway, all confusion over now! Just waiting for something else to baffle me now! Cheers! |
JW
Don't forget deviation or xwind :D |
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