My week of flight training - Review of events

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Cluemeister
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Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:20 pm

My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

Now that my week of flight training is over, I thought I would take a few moments to recap my thoughts and experiences over the week.

I arrived in Florida last Sunday, and do the usual hotel check in and get unpacked. I have dinner that evening with Flockr (from this forum), as he is here at the same time for a Rotax class. He asks if I’m ready for training, I explain that I’m a little nervous to get started, and he says that’s to be expected. We talk planes for two hours, which takes my mind off the next day.

Monday morning I awake, ready to go. Little more nervous than I thought I was going to be. Very excited to start, but wondering what if I don’t like it that much? and what if I am in that age category (now 51) that learns too slowly? Most schools have warned me that the older you are, the longer it takes to sink in. I grab a can of ginger ale to settle my stomach.

I arrive and meet my instructor Jeff Hudson. Laid back, easy going. Long history with light aircraft, flew hang gliders in the 70’s, and instructed in them as well. After the paperwork stuff, we start in on the POH for the Tecnam P92 Echo. We won’t be flying the one on the website, as they are overhauling the engine and selling it. I ask what they are asking for it, and he says $45,000. Not bad, I think. We will be training in the same make and model.

After the POH studying, we go out and we go over the pre-flight routine. Using the laminated cards, I double and triple check everything. I get the step stool and check the fuel. Drain some gas, check again. Inspect, move, check everything. I’m thinking I hope he’s checking my checking, because I’m not an expert on inspecting planes. :)

He says let’s go up and fly. We get in the plane, and he explains all my flight instruments. All dials except a garmin gps in the middle. We do the pre-start checklist. “Clear Prop!” I make a pathetic attempt to control the plane along the taxiway, weaving along trying to stay on the stupid painted line. Not impressive so far. Instructor doesn’t seem concerned.

We get to the runup area and go through the steps. I ask if the plane will actually sit in place when I rev the engine up to 3800 rpm. He checks the brakes, and then assures me it will. It does. We finish, and he makes another announcement that we will be departing on the runway.

He tells me to just watch the takeoff, which I’m happy to oblige. We cruise up to 1,500 feet, and head south to the lake. It’s close to noon now, and the thermals are a little bumpy but not too bad. We get over the lake, and he has me take the controls. Straight and level flight, gentle turns, rudder use (the ball is sliding all over the place) and climbs and descents. A little over an hour later, we come back down and land.

That wasn’t bad I said. Nervousness is gone, and it didn’t seem too terribly difficult so far. We take a break, review what we did, do some ground school, and he says I’m in pretty good shape in the area we covered (airspace).

Break for lunch.

Back to flying in the afternoon. Went back up and did the same thing as the morning, just little more. A little stronger banking, (shockingly I was too timid), and more rudder work. After about an hour back on the ground. More review, and day’s over. Jeff says I’m doing fine, coming along good. I’m certain he has to say that.

He enters my time in the logbook. I stare and smile at the book. It's really happening.

I survived day one, and called my wife, who’s supportive but nervous. She’s excited to hear from me. Day one is in the books.
Cluemeister
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

Day two.

I wake up a little nervous, but nowhere near as the day before. I arrive and we review, and out to preflight inspection. I’m still concerned about my inspection skills, but checking with a little more authority. I forgot to mention checking the oil and burping yesterday (double check those mags are off!). Also scanning the engine compartment looking for any fuel, oil, or water. All is good.

After a slightly less embarrassing taxiing attempt than the day before, we stop, do the runup, and off we go. We head back over to the lake, as the thermals are nowhere near as bad there. He announces we are going to do steeper turns. A little apprehensive, but I was able to do it after a little practice. We then move on to slow flight with and without flaps. That was a little ugly looking, but I did make progress. So much to remember, head is still a little full of too many data points.

At this point he says we are going to do power on and turning stalls. Stalls? Did he really say stalls on day 2? I’m not really excited about stalls, but let’s do it. He pulls up the nose, and we drop. A little unnerving. We do a few more, and some turning stalls, and proper recovery, and we’re done. Not as bad as I thought, but still need tons of practice. I would probably call this lesson introduction to stalls.

Break for lunch.

Weather turns for the afternoon, clouds and rain. Afternoon flights canceled.

Instructor says I’m doing well. He says I seem more comfortable in the plane during flight than day before.

Logbook gets filled in. Three lines now. I call wife on way back to hotel.

I’m beginning to think I can do this.
Flocker
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Flocker »

Cluemeister wrote:I’m beginning to think I can do this.
You can and will! LOL
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Cluemeister
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

Day three - Wednesday

I’m going to leave out the ground school parts from here forward, as they are pretty self explanatory and I will continue to focus on the flying.

In the morning I meet another student who has arrived to finish up his training and do a check ride on Friday. He has already been to Lockwood for 20 days in the last month, (14 consecutive, a break, and then 6 consecutive), and needs to finish up. A great guy, and we talk flying and lessons. As he is further along in the process, I ask and he shares his thoughts on how he is doing. He just needs to brush up on several skills, a little ground school, and pull it all together on Friday. He’s concerned but hopeful he’ll finish. I ask about hours, and he figures he will have about 40 hours at completion.

I go up in the airplane first, and we head to another airport, Avon, just a little north. This I enjoy very much, because instead of just flying around in the same spot, we are actually traveling, and landing at a different location. I can see my future as we head across the sky. :) On the way over, we are practicing holding altitude, and keeping the ball centered as we have a slight crosswind and crab our way to Avon. He starts to introduce touch and goes. I’m to stay on the controls with him as he takes off and lands. A lot to absorb. After about an hour we fly back to Sebring and land.

We go up twice more that day, three sessions instead of two. Each time we fly over to Avon, as the winds favor their runways over Sebring’s, and since I’m just starting Jeff figures that’s best for me to have less to think about. Although I’m definitely not taking off and landing by myself, the process seems to start sinking in.

On the way back to Sebring from Avon at the end of the day, the instructor mentions that I am much more comfortable in flight now than just two days before.

The thermals don’t seem to phase me anymore, I’m too focused on the training. I can feel the progress, and so far so good.

We park and put away the aircraft at dusk. Three separate sessions, three hours of flight. A great day.

My wife files into Orlando, and I drive to pick her up and come back to Sebring. As it’s a two hour drive, she hears an excruciating, detailed explanation of everything that’s occurred. She appears somewhat interested in my never-ending commentary.

Half way through the 6 days. More entries in the log book!
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FastEddieB
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by FastEddieB »

Keep up the good work

You'll do fine.
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
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Cluemeister
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

I head to Lockwood in the morning, and the other student prepping goes up for some short field/soft field practice. I drive my car up to the beginning of the runway, (too lazy to walk) and get on the radio to listen. It’s really helpful to watch another student further in his training. His takeoffs were solid, and his landings were superb compared to my early attempts. Gave me something to look forward to.

We go up in the morning, staying in Sebring, and now Jeff says he’s going to follow on the controls, and I’m going to lead. We will take off, go around in the pattern, and land. Seems fair enough. I’ve watched the process several times, this shouldn’t be too impossible.

I could not have been more wrong. At take off, not enough right rudder. Over and over again. Not getting the wheel off the ground. Over and over again. Up in the pattern was messy. base to final was just awful. Landings were just atrocious, and I was unable to get it. Always behind the aircraft.

Ok, this will get better I think. A few more takeoffs and landings, and a few good things, but mostly bad. I say to myself that I will do better in the afternoon.

Back up in the air in the afternoon.

I think someone put stupid pills in my lunch, because I did not get any better, I got worse. At final, Jeff would say look down the runway, but I was so nervous about landing, I’m fixated on the numbers at the end of the runway.

I’d wobble my way down to the runway, wavering around like a drunk man. At one point another plane was holding short to take off, watching me come in. I thought to myself, I wonder what this guy is thinking watching me slop all over, on my way to a landing (rescued by my instructor)?

Just a fiasco of an hour. Drove back to the hotel at the end of the day, discouraged.
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FastEddieB
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by FastEddieB »

Did someone mention setbacks and plateaus?

Comes with the territory.

Now just...

Image
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
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Wm.Ince
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Wm.Ince »

Don't get discouraged.
Hang in there . . . it will come . . . but it takes time.
Remember when you learned to ride a bicycle? Almost the same thing, but a few more things going on. :D

My first experience flying wasn't any diferent than yours. Just hang in there.
Bill Ince
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Retired Heavy Equipment Operator
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designrs
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by designrs »

CONGRATS on starting your flight training! When I was learning to fly the objective was to build skills to achieve the goal of being a pilot. Thinking back I realize what a wonderful thing the TRAINING EXPERIENCE was! The ups and downs, good days and less perfect days, are all part of the journey. Everything you describe sounds perfectly normal... and you will have bigger challenges as you go along. You just have to shake off any frustration, be diligent, and keep going.

Sounds like you are off to a fine start.
The important thing is to just stay on it!!
- Richard
Sport Pilot / Ground Instructor
Previous Owner: 2011 SportCruiser
Cluemeister
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

Day 5 - Friday

After a good night’s sleep, I head over to the airport.

The other student pilot who was close to finishing had decided to cancel his check ride, and Jeff agrees. He will work on his ground school a little more, and return to finish after Sun n Fun.

We head out to the plane, and after preflight, we are ready to do takeoffs, landings, and pattern work. Jeff says I’m doing fine, and this is going to take time.

I had spent the morning prior to flying writing out a long page of line by line detail of how the takeoff, pattern and landings go. I will not paste the text of it here, but it is about 50 lines long. It helps sort everything out, and breaks down every action. It appears to help me absorb the steps better. I sit in a chair and walk through the steps.

We head out. Jeff goes over things again, and I am determined to do better. First takeoff a little better, but still not enough right rudder all the way through. Still not sure exactly when and how much to pull back the stick as the takeoff is happening. Pattern work, however, is much better. Much tighter. I’m getting up to 800 feet more quickly and smoothly, making my turns, staying parallel to the runway, and I’m ready when it’s time to reduce power at the end of downwind. My turn to final, although not great, looks and feels much better. Being more relaxed in the pattern allows my brain more time to set up for turn to final and landing.

Landings still a struggle, but improvement. Lining up better. Not so good at point of ground effect and keeping nose up.

Subsequent takeoffs get better. A few of the takeoffs Jeff does nothing but a little verbal coaching. Progress!

Landings still hard. At the end of this session, I feel a whole lot better.

We go up in the afternoon, and do more of the same. Winds have been a little gusty for the last three days, anywhere from a gentle 8 to a brisker 18 knots. So that has made things tougher, but I’m told will make me a better pilot. :)

So at the end of day 5, nice improvement in the pattern, and takeoffs are starting to click better (not good yet), and landings although not good, are not atrocious.

I compliment myself on not being atrocious. Logbook additions. All is good again.

Rats, only one more day, and the weather looks bad for Saturday. Low ceilings and high winds.

We’ll see.
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designrs
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by designrs »

Mental prep and visualization in between lessons is a big help. Aerobatic pilots walk around waiving their arms visualizing their routine before flight. Even sitting in a chair and imaging a pattern from takeoff to landing can help you memorize tasks and stay ahead of the plane.
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designrs
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by designrs »

Cluemeister wrote:Still not sure exactly when and how much to pull back the stick as the takeoff is happening.
I'm no CFI, but the best takeoffs are when the stick is positioned so that the plane will just fly itself off the runway when sufficient airspeed is achieved. Ask your instructor.
- Richard
Sport Pilot / Ground Instructor
Previous Owner: 2011 SportCruiser
Cluemeister
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Cluemeister »

Day 6 - Last day

My phone rings and it’s Jeff. Ceilings are at 800, and the winds are due to start coming in at 15-20 knots by the time the ceilings lift. He says we will wait and see in the afternoon, as things can change.

My wife and I head out to Hammond State Park for a walk. Burn some energy, and get a little exercise. On the way over, I keep checking the weather, and the ceilings go to 1200 and then 1600. And the wind hasn’t picked up yet.

About 20 minutes into the walk, my phone rings. “Greg, it’s Jeff. That front is moving slower. I think we might be able to get in maybe an hour. Wanna go up?” Yes!

We hightail it back to the airport. Due to time constraints, Jeff has preflighted the plane by the time I get there. We head out. Taxiing is night and day compared to day one. Although not perfect, I’m pretty sure no one at the airport is going to say “Hey look at the student pilot trying to taxi his way out!”.

We do the run up and get out on the runway. Same recipe as the previous day. Takeoffs, pattern, landings.

I take a deep breath, check my flaps (15 degrees on takeoff), and push in the throttle steadily 1-2-3. I keep on the right rudder, and keep my feet better balanced. Feeling good so far. A takeoff or two later, I am doing the takeoffs by myself with just verbal coaching. One was done with no coaching and the instructor off the controls. It felt so good to have that plane fly right up, and then crab slightly to the right, lift the flaps, and get up to pattern altitude. Wow!

Landings got better as well. I am lining up better, I was always left, so I have to imagine I’m on the right side, because that’s really center. My base to final turns are decent. My final approach is pretty ok. I’m lining up well and not wobbling around. I make adjustments as needed. I get down to ground effect and keep the back pressure. Overall much, much better. One of the landings I do with very little or no input. Progress!

The weather turns bad, and the rain and storms begin to roll in. We land the plane and set it in the hangar. He says we probably won’t get out again, but he’ll call to let me know.

Weather stays bad, we can’t go up again.

I thank him immensely for his patience and skill. He is an excellent instructor, and very comfortable in the right seat with unskilled pilots in the left seat.

About 12 hours flight time this week. I’m guessing another 25-30 hours needed, but I understand it will happen when it happens. Now I need to figure out how to schedule the rest of my training.

All in all, the training went better than I expected. I made progress, and enjoyed myself.
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FastEddieB
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by FastEddieB »

Glad things are working out better.
Cluemeister wrote:
Landings got better as well. I am lining up better, I was always left, so I have to imagine I’m on the right side, because that’s really center.
I tried to get my students to visualize putting the centerline between their feet. The amount of offset in a side-by-side is trivial.

If you want to head down to Copperhill, I'll bet an hour or so in the Sky Arrow will help you cement some of the things you've learned. Not as student/instructor, just as friends flying together!
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
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Jack Tyler
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Re: My week of flight training - Review of events

Post by Jack Tyler »

Greg, congratulations on starting your training! Obviously, I've come to the party late (final days before moving to Montana...) but want to pile on all the 'that's normal' observations of the others. I think you 'training log' entries here are an excellent addition for other folks new to piloting, and I hope you keep them up. As things progress, you'll probably be tempted to combine training flights as - believe this or not - you'll often find yourself doing the same thing over and over, building muscle memory, and those times will start to blend together. Of course, limited experience, other aircraft, and Mother Nature will all suddenly remind you that you get to have a 'new' experience, and those will no doubt feature in the next log.

I missed your explanation for how you came to be training at Lockwood's and why you chose the 'concentrated days, but somewhat widely spaced weeks' approach. If you've addressed it earlier, perhaps you could point me in the right direction...or add your thoughts on that, if you haven't. Good luck to you on the next round!
Jack
Flying in/out KBZN, Bozeman MT in a Grumman Tiger
Do you fly for recreational purposes? Please visit http://www.theraf.org
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