Switch to full style
This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Post a reply

Gettin' more confidence

Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:28 pm

Did more "touch and go's" today. Getting better. Not as afraid of the ground as I was. Did a couple of low passes at about 5'. SMOOOTTHHH :D . Tiny corrections this time. I was really pleased with them. Didn't touch once.
A couple more "turns around a point" and "S" turns. Again...SMOOOTTHH :D .
Climbing turns and descending turns which I nailed. THEN...my instructor covered the instruments and made me do the "S" turns again. Nailed them, too. Only lost about 50' of altutide. At least I didn't climb like I'm inclined to do. (Inclined to climb...unintentional pun...sorry. :?)
All in all a darn good day if you ask me.
I'm gaining more confidence with what the "outside" should look like and not "chasing the needles" so much. So far, I'm still lovin' it.

Mudge the learning :shock:

Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:52 pm

it gets easier the more you do. before too long you'll wonder why you thought it was so hard.

Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:25 pm

Good point Matt. Indeed it does get easier as time goes by.

It sounds like you're flying very often, which is very important to be able to build from the previous lesson which would be still fresh in your mind. Be careful if you have an extended time between lessons and don't expect you'll pick up right where you left off. Definitely don't beat yourself up.

Cheers and happy flying,

David

Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:49 pm

Mudge,

You're progressing very well - don''t be discouraged if suddenly you feel like you've hit a wall - or even feel like all of a sudden you've lost it.
It is very typical around the point you're at, and a natural progression to learning. (could be described as 2 steps forward, one step back) but I think that you progress to the point where you start to realize what you are doing wrong. You might feel like all of a sudden nothing is going right, but trsut me, it will then all seem to click, and then, next thing you know, your instructor is standing outside the plane . . .

Good luck and keep us posted

Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:14 pm

I'm scheduled Mon., We., and Fri. I think I've only actually done three in one week, once. The other cancellations were due to weather. Snow a couple of times and wind a couple more. The Warrior is only rated to 18k of wind and the times we canceled, the winds were around 20-25k.
Haven't hit "the wall" yet, 'cause I'm still on the "upward" learning curve.
I'm having to repeat some of the "old" stuff but am doing it better each time.

Was doing lesson 8 of the Cessna Pilot Course and it was about the different flying areas. You know..."you must maintain altitude "X" in this zone" type of thing. They got into the myriad of zones around such places as LAX, ORD, DCA, ATL, etc. and I said to myself, "HOLY CRAP! Self, I ain't goin' to them places." :shock:

Mudge the "zoned" out :?

Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:28 am

Mudge wrote:Was doing lesson 8 of the Cessna Pilot Course and it was about the different flying areas. You know..."you must maintain altitude "X" in this zone" type of thing. They got into the myriad of zones around such places as LAX, ORD, DCA, ATL, etc. and I said to myself, "HOLY CRAP! Self, I ain't goin' to them places." :shock:

Mudge the "zoned" out :?


Hi Mudge!

I fly in the Bay area, and there is nothing but complicated airspace, SFO, OAK, SJC, PAO, RHV,SQL,HWD,Moffett, ect, ect. It's cool. It's like a big mushroom baybay. You're either in it, or you're under it. And,,,, this is super cool, there are non-talking ways through it. Terminal area charts buddy. heheeeeee, Just turn the chart over. The magic path is on the back. It's not that simple, of course, but it's cool, and very learnable, and I think it's a fun part of flying here.

Do a bay tour next time you come out this way. Norcal, SFO,SJC, everybody knows what to do. Just dial up Norcal and say you want to do a "Bay Tour". No sh1t. It's very cool flying over the city and seeing the bridge and all of that stuff. The last time I did that I got to fly over SFO at 800 feet. Very cool. Seeing the big mothers come in underneath you and taking off rocks.

To the point, I think that flying here has made me a better pilot. If you can't talk, or don't want too, you're gonna be pretty much relegated to the hinterland, flying in to the same 4 or 5 uncontrolled airports, and then turning away when there's four dudes in the pattern. (I've done it)

The only difference between landing and talking, is that you have to land. If you have a problem talking, or using airspaces, you can do what I used to do, and what I know a lot of cats do, and go around it. That will only screw you when you need that skill the most.

Talking and airspace is cool. Besides flying itself, I like that the most. It's pilot stuff,,, very cool man. Stuff to do, stuff to know, I like it.

And Mudge,
I'm a serious newb/nub/trainee. I am probably going for one of the longest training cycles known. 3+ years and counting..... So definatley do not take my word for it....

Hey, heeeheeeee, I'm a solo pilot, and all my friends are to big a pussys to fly with me, instuctor on board. Screw em. And Danny D has been giving me T28 time all of this time, heee. I have 40 hours in the T28 and 70 in the 172... which one would you pick :D heheheeee

Have fun Mudge.

Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:33 pm

At about my fourth or fifth hour of flight instruction we were shooting an approach and my instructor quit talking to me and I landed without any input from him. The light bulb went on in my head and I finally realized what I was doing. All of a sudden Mudge, you will get it too and soon be soloing. Good luck!
Post a reply