My week of flight training - Review of events

[drseti]

Just hold it after the bounce and let it gently come back for a landing. Came back down again, and this time bounced again. I did not like that at all, and gave full power and accelerated off the runway.

Because each successive bounce is a little higher than the previous one, it's easy to get into divergent oscillations and set up a porpoise (which almost always ends in a broken nosegear). For that reason, my policy is that you get one bounce for free. The second one is always an automatic go-around. You should discuss this with your instructor, as he may want to give you a similar restriction.

[Cluemeister]

I believe that's my CFI's instruction as well.

If I bounce, I am now in the air and hold steady and gently land down. That's ok.

If I bounce, and then when I attempt to gently land down bounce again - that's an automatic go around. That's what happened today.

Does that match what you were saying?

[drseti]

Precisely! Glad we're all on the same page.

[Cluemeister]

My CFI contacted me this morning. He got called up early for the job that was originally scheduled for July/August. He leaves Sunday.

He is a great guy. We are working on a transition plan for a new instructor.

[HAPPYDAN]

I had a chronic bouncing problem in the Skycatcher, too. Fortunately, it has plenty of power to throttle up and pull out if it goes way too wrong. I became so frustrated, I quit, convinced I would never learn to land that "flying beer can". Fast forward to a new CFI, and another chance. He got his PPL in the Skycatcher, and has taught me loads about its nuances. Trim. Just flying the pattern, it was constantly "Carb Heat! Flaps! Trim up for take off! Full throttle! Right rudder, more!". Then "Carb heat! Throttle! Flaps! Trim the nose down!" On short final, it was "Trim the nose down! All the way! Power Back! 55 to stay alive!". Then level off SLOWLY and hold, let it settle into ground effect, then SLOWLY raise the nose and hold as if trying to climb out, let the speed bleed off and touch on the mains. "Let's do it again!" After an hour of this, I was whipped. After days of this, it became rote. But my landings and confidence improved dramatically. Maybe it's my military background, but the "laissez faire" method of training did not work for me, but the "Aye, Aye, CFI DI!" does. Semper Fi, anyone? (I actually retired from the Army Reserve in 1997! But Marines are so much more fun!)

[Flocker]

Semper Fi, anyone?

Semper Fi! I served from 88-94.

[designrs]

Congrats on the solo Cluemeister!

[HAPPYDAN]

Semper Fi, anyone?

Semper Fi! I served from 88-94.

Good for you! Some of my best friends were Marines. I shared a room with two Recon Marines in basic airborne training. Talk about tough! Jump training was a joke for those guys. You can take the man out of the Corps, but you can't take the Corps out of the man.

[Cluemeister]

Scooted to the airport this morning. A little solo time. CFI is teaching another student today.

Four takeoffs, four landings, no bounces.

Progress.

I believe I'm at 31 hours total and 3 hours solo.

[designrs]

Good Job! Keep flying'!

[Cluemeister]

Just checked my logbook:

4.3 solo hours
31.3 total hours

Thanks for the encouraging words!

[Cluemeister]

Last lesson with this CFI. He heads out Sunday morning to his new job.

We start with short and soft field landings. Who knew you could pop a wheelie with an aircraft. Woohoo! Those went pretty good.

Departed to the south to practice area. He said steep turns, I did them. He said slow flight. I would say stall horn was on 90% of the time. He said power on and power off stalls. Did those as well. Actually surprised myself that I did really well on these tasks, as I struggled last time.

Did turns around a point. That was fair to good. Need more practice.

Then we moved onto a simulated engine out. He asked where I was planning on landing. I pointed to a field about 60 degrees to my left and said "right there." He said, can you make that field? I said yes, as I thought it was pretty close. He said "I agree." Headed that direction. At about 700' AGL the exercise was over and back up we went.

Now onto the cross country. Had to stay low, around 2,500 msl, as the cloud cover was a little lower than expected. Flew to Dalton, GA (without GPS assistance), got weather and checked windsock, flew over midfield, entered the pattern and came in for a regular landing on 32. All good. Did a short field takeoff, that went well. Having a good day so far!

Head north to Collegedale, just under Chattanooga Class C. Tough little airport for a beginner, ridges both sides, wind cuts across, U shaped runway, and trees on both ends. Come in on 3, and have an ugly landing. He says that's ok, hard to have a good landing here. He was ok, but I was not happy with that part of the lesson.

Took off, and we get about 50' AGL, and the wind across the ridges start tossing us around. I thought to myself "Do not take your wife to this airport." We climbed out, although very, very slowly. It felt slow as molasses compared to what I'm used to. Glad there were no engine problems, as it would have been a little difficult to find a place to land!

Came back up to Cleveland, TN, entered the downwind, and did a regular landing. Not the prettiest landing, one bounce. I'm guessing I was a little tired at that point, as were about 2 hours on the Hobbs, and the cockpit felt like it was 120 degrees. I have come to believe the Skycatcher air vents were designed by someone who hates pilots.

We sat down and discussed the lesson. I am signed off for solo x country. We have a new instructor lined up, and he will sign off on my x country flight plan.

He said if today was a check ride, I would have passed. That was encouraging.

However, I still have a lot of training to do. I definitely have weaker areas that need improvement, (ahem landings) and I plan to keep working on those until I am happy.

33.2 total hours
4.3 solo hours

[Half Fast]

Outstanding! Sounds like you'll have your ticket soon. Good luck with the new instructor. When do you start with him?

[Cluemeister]

Outstanding! Sounds like you'll have your ticket soon. Good luck with the new instructor. When do you start with him?

The first thing I have to do is send my flight plan to him for review. That is when we will set up lesson times. I actually flew with him once back in April, but his schedule was not as accommodating as I needed at the time.

[Cluemeister]

Spoke with the new instructor. We are meeting early this week to review my solo cross country plan, and schedule a few lessons to address weaker areas. Onward and upward!