Sport Pilot Talk

SoaringSeth · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: Morrow,Ohio

I finally had my first flight tonight. I wasnt able to go in an LSA so he took me up in the 172.

Wow guys. I was certainly impressed with how much actually goes into flying! The instructor said I would be overwhelmed and I was.

I taxied a bit (I felt awkward using the rudders and the break on top of the rudder). Then in flight I made several turns. He had me maintain a certain speed during descent. He, of course took off and landed. He did let me feel the controls when he took off. We also did a touch and go.

I feel like a kid trying to learn how to ride a bike. I was so focused on basics I didnt get a chance to look out much.

What is the most difficult thing normally when you first learn to fly? For me it was how it all worked together. I felt awkward. :)

CharlieTango · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:17 pm Post subject: Re: First Flight Finally

SoaringSeth wrote: ...What is the most difficult thing normally when you first learn to fly? ...

landings 8)

Jim Stewart · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 43

Landings

CTflyer · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:22 am Post subject:

agree!

rule #1: be sure the number of landings = number of takeoffs :D

rule #2: never disturb the sunbathers!

Tom

SkySteve · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject:

Yea, I agree . . . Gotta go with LANDINGS :oops:

This past weekend, I was returning to the airport from the NE through a mountain canyon and made a 6 mile call to the class D tower from 9,400' (the mountain tops are 10,100'). The ATIS said runway 16 was the active so I was expecting to be given runway 16 and had plenty of room to decend to the 5,200' pattern altitude. But instead of runway 16, the tower gave me runway 21 and cleared me for a straight in approach. All of a sudden I had to decend 5,227' within 6 miles to make the 4,173' field elevation :shock: ! I dumped the trottle, pulled carb heat, kept the Air Speed Indicator at 60 IKAS and hit left rudder all the way to the floor and went into the steepest slip I could get. The Vertical Speed Indicator was reading -1,500+' and I was dropping like a rock! Slipped all the way to a landing and ended up with a nice squeaker, "one main, then the second main, followed by a soft nose wheel" landing. You gotta love it!

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

I was a little overwhelmed on my first flight too, and I've spent a lot of time flying right seat with my brother. Occaisonally my brother would tell me to take the controls while he checked the chart or something. I would hold the plane level and keep it aimed at a distant landmark on the horizon.

On my discovery flight with my instructor I had the realization that I was going to have to learn to do everything- takeoff, navigate, aviate, and land. There would be no one to hand it off to if I got nervous. When we landed my brother asked how it went. I told him it went great except for the flying part :D .

MikeB · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:09 am Post subject:

For me, with 23 hours so far, landings are the most difficult thing.