My week of flight training - Review of events

[Wm.Ince]

One tip:
Runways and taxiways are gently "crowned", and you can use that "crown" to help keep the nose from turning by taxiing a bit to one side or the other.
It really works.

Excellent tip.

[Cluemeister]

Ok, another update. After this lesson with the CFI, I found I liked the Skycatcher, so my concern about changing planes is a non issue.

However, my instructor's schedule does not match mine, so he graciously offered a different instructor. I spoke with the new instructor at length, and it feels like a good fit. His availability is good, so we are booking the first week to start. I'll let you know how that goes.

In addition, the flight school has a flight club that offers a discount on the hourly rental on the Skycatcher. I did the math, and looks like some good savings there.

[Cluemeister]

First week booked. Lessons on Wed, Fri. and Sunday. Weather permitting.

[FastEddieB]

First week booked. Lessons on Wed, Fri. and Sunday. Weather permitting.

[Wm.Ince]

First week booked. Lessons on Wed, Fri. and Sunday. Weather permitting.

Keep on truck'n!

[Cluemeister]

Met my new new instructor. I think we'll work fine together. Did not get to go up flying today, as there was an issue that arose with the plane. Hopefully back up in the air Wednesday!

[Cluemeister]

So the plan was lessons on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday weather permitting.

Wednesday - Plane issue (previous renter left on Master switch) - no lesson

Friday (today) - Low ceilings, rain, possible thunder - no lesson

So it's hard to report any progress this week.

[FastEddieB]

If it's any consolation, even with your own plane, mechanical gremlins can keep you grounded, and leaving a master on is not uncommon.

And weather is always a factor.

But chin up - we've all been through this!

[Cluemeister]

OK, back in the air again!

I had met with my new instructor on Wednesday, but we did not go up in the air. Friday the weather was not cooperative. Today the winds were calm, the sky was blue, and the weather beautiful.

Prior to heading out, he explained we were going to do steep turns around a point, power on stalls, power off stalls, slow flight with full flaps, and simulated engine out.

We pre-flighted the aircraft, and after the usual run up, etc, we head to the runway. Taking off wasn't too bad despite the fact I hadn't been in the Skycatcher for a week and a half, and only my second time in it. I still find it takes far less right rudder to take off the runway than the P92 Echo. He does nudge me to gently pull the stick back at rotation. I was looking down the runway and didn't notice we had hit our rotation speed. He mentions this aircraft is very nose high when climbing. Good, it's not just me that thinks this!

We climb and head out to the practice area, about 8 miles away, holding at 3500 feet. He demonstrates the aircraft's stability, and the plane is flying itself practically.

He asks for some small turns, about 10 degrees. He wants me to look out the window to maintain altitude. You mean I can't stare at the Garmin? Not bad. We move onto stalls. So we do a power off, power on, and turning stalls. I know you've all heard this before from me, but hey, I have to keep practicing these things.

We then move onto a simulated engine failure. We cut the throttle back, we set to best glide, and start looking for places to land. I knew it already, but it's amazing that if you have enough altitude, you can glide for quite a while! So we are sitting up there gliding, looking for places to land. We are too far from the airport. We discuss good and bad choices, and what to look out for. We head over in our chosen direction, pick our spot, and then the exercise is over.

Now we are onto steep turns, 45 degrees. He demonstrates right turn, roll out, left turn. I pick my spot, and turn right. "Keep that nose up." As instructed I keep my eyes outside, glancing at the speed and elevation briefly, but trying to keep the nose lined up consistently with the horizon. At about 180 degrees it started to feel right. Rolled out, and banked left. That was easier. This is the first time when I felt the steep turns coming more naturally. We discussed the elevation limits at check ride, and I had to keep it within those limits for doing these maneuvers.

Then we headed back to the airport for a few landings and takeoffs. Getting in the pattern was rusty, rusty rusty! I had completely forgotten my speeds, flaps, etc. for this aircraft. I'm still holding on to the memory of the P92 with the Rotax, and the rpms are totally different. Instructor demonstrates the speeds, flaps, etc. and he lands with me on the controls.

We taxi back, and take off again. I handled that one pretty well for a beginner anyway, and the plane felt like it flew itself off the runway. We get in the pattern, and I handle the majority of the landing. Better than most in Florida, but still way too weak. Going to take some more time in the aircraft. But still progress!

One more thing. I appreciated the comments on this forum about using rudder fully and then the toe brakes. I asked the CFI and he agreed, so taxiing, although not graceful, was progress in the right direction. I felt much, much more in control taxiing than the last lesson.

All in all, a good day. A little rough because my last lesson in Florida was April 2nd, and then there was the Skycatcher on the 13th, and then due to weather and mechanical issues, today the 24th was my first lesson.

But we got 1.6 on the Hobbs, and I'm getting more confident. So now the logbook says I'm at just under 15 hours. Instructor said I was doing well, and he said I am good on the controls.

Next lesson Tuesday, weather permitting!

[designrs]

Congrats. Sounds like you are progressing well.
Keep flying... often!

[VL Roberts]

Try taking off with a slight nose down trim setting, with instructor concurrence, of course. You will still have more than an adequate climb rate but with better visibility over the nose which will enhance collision avoidance.

[Flocker]

Congrats. Sounds like you are progressing well.
Keep flying... often!

+ 1

[MackAttack]

And +2 ... Well done!!

[HAPPYDAN]

Looking Good! Keep up the good work. You'll be there before you know it. And +1 on rudder use during taxi. On my first taxi, I looked like a drunken sailor zig-zagging down the taxiway. Folks here provided the same advice.

[Cluemeister]

Good weather to fly today. We preflighted at 9 am, talking about complacency and checklists. Talked about a few accidents where long time pilots went from memory instead of the checklist, and the results were not good.

Taxied to Runway 21. Taxiwork pretty good. Harder to get it to turn right then left. But on a scale of 1-10 I would say 7.5. We do the run up, and then he has me do radio work. I practice without the radio on three times for a SIMPLE announcement. "Cleveland traffic, N60045 taking off Runway 2-1, Cleveland" Or something like that. Not sure if I said Skycatcher or not. I wasn't nervous, just didn't want to skip any parts. It's non towered, so there was no control tower. I'm not worried about doing radio work, but the first time you just don't want to screw up.

Took off to go to the practice area. I would say I'm taking off by myself about every time. I might get a little coaching, i.e. right rudder, but for the most part I'm taking off by myself. We turn east at 1,500, and head about 8-10 miles to the practice area.

We do some gentle turns, keeping elevation. No problem. We do some power off stalls. For the first time I handled the complete process start to finish, including adding power, lowering the nose, and then gentle pull up. The very first time this happened in Florida I did not know what to expect, and did not enjoy it. Today I felt good. Keep my nose constant, and wings level. Did some slow flight and slow flight with turns.

We then did some steep turns again. 45 degrees right and left. Did these pretty well for first time last lesson, but today they were a little worse. By the time I rolled out of the second 360, I started to get it good again. So that was a little bit of a step back, but not bad.

Headed back to the airport, came in on the 45, and then turned downwind. Get abeam the numbers. Ok, down to 70 knots, and then pull first flaps. Crap, I'm a little close to the runway. Have to stay parallel! Turn left to base, want to be 65-70. Flaps. Turn to final. Watch throttle, might need power. Came in ok. Left wing down a little, where did that crosswind come from? Rudder to keep nose pointed correctly, ailerons to get centered on runway. Eyes down the runway! I land but he's on the controls. He adjusts to fix my not so pretty landing.

We go back up in the pattern a few more times, things are getting tighter, speeds are getting better. My next to last landing is pretty good, but again, he's on the controls to fix things.

We do a soft field takeoff. That was interesting.

One more landing. He coaches me, but he is not on the controls at this point. I come in, and it's looking pretty good. Right rudder! Float, and pull back, and we do a tiny bounce. Not great, not awful, but ok.

But he looks over and says "That was all you. I didn't touch the controls." So although it wasn't pretty, I landed a plane by myself today, just with verbal coaching. Progress!

1.6 on the Hobbs.

Instructor out of town for 5 days. Next lessons next week M-W-Sunday.