Started Flight Training

[solmanic]

Loverly wife has given me some flying lessons for my birthday! She is determined to be fully in control of any mid-life crisis I might plan on having.

Had my first lesson yesterday with RQAC at Archerfield - wonderfully un-dramatic. As they say, a dull flight is a good flight. The instructor was good and gave me full control for takeoff, landing, and pretty much everything in between. I could feel him making a couple of minor adjustments during landing, but that was to be expected. Only 30mins in the air but long enough to get a feel for the aircraft (A Cessna 152 - so only just an aircraft).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

So I am wondering - who else here has or is doing flight training? And is anyone familiar with the RQAC? They seem to have a nice set-up and portray themselves as the biggest and best, hence my wife's reason for choosing them.

Looking forward to ringing that bell following my first solo.

[101RRS]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/



That ain't a Cessna 152 :).

I did it all about 30 years ago and went on to my commercial licence and did a bit of aerobatics and gliders. Was sooo much fun - but cost a fortune.

I hope your mrs has deep pockets.

Garry

[solmanic]

Yes, I know that certainly ain't a Cessna 152. SWMBO realised she hadn't taken any photos and snapped that one off just as I was disappearing with my instructor off to a remote corner of the paddock. I think they hide the old 152s where they don't visually embarrass the club.

I hear what you're saying about costs. She thought forking out a few grand for an old Series I to restore was mad - then I showed her a $200K Beechcraft Baron!

[VladTepes]

Half yer luck. I always wanted to fly helos but the medical authorities would have it otherwise. Talk about a dream-breaker !

Good luck with it mate !

[Quinnyii]

I did my flight training at the RQAC a few years ago(about 3), back when Don Mitchell was the CFI.

Found them to be fantastic. Enjoy your training, you will be going solo in no time. It is an awesome feeling when the instructor tells you to make your next landing a full stop, gets out and sends you on your own.

Cheers

Quinny

[Sprint]

whatever you do, dont tell them you dont need to know how to take off or land, only how to fly it!

[solmanic]

Read the first 150 pages of the flight training manual (one of three). Now I just have to try and remember it. 2hr briefing next Sat followed by 1hr 20min in the air. The syllabus says 13-15hrs to first solo but I wonder if it can be done in 10?

[BigJon]

The syllabus says 13-15hrs to first solo but I wonder if it can be done in 10?

Why rush? Remember there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots!

[VladTepes]

You realise of course we may have to change your forum name to BIGGLES.

[solmanic]

Why rush? Remember there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots!

Well it's like this...

My tax accountant told me that the training and associated costs could be tax deductible. I have prepared a business case which shows that for me to fly a team consisting of myself & two project managers to say Charleville & back for a site inspection saves about $2000 per trip! In fact site visits to regional towns anywhere between 400-1000km from Brisbane (which usually require an overnight stay whether flying commercial or driving) are massively cheaper flying the team myself. So I want to get this system up and running by next year.

But in any case, if my instructor is doing his job correctly he won't let me off the leash until I'm ready.

[wovenrovings]

Solmanic,
Have you looked at any of the so called 'recreational aircraft' lately. They are pretty impressive. Price and performance wise.

Just wondered as the training costs are much reduced over those for your PPL.
If you want to do you PPL a more cost effective method is to do you training with a school that does both RAA (Recreational Aviation Australia) and PPL's.
This way you can do you RAA license on the lower hourly rate aircraft and then continue onto your PPL. All your RAA training hrs count towards you PPL, especially if you do it all with same school and inform them what you want to do at the start.
That said the only benifts of the PPL license, is if you want to fly into Controlled airspace, carry more that 1 passenger or fly at night (but that needs more training).
With your RAA licence you don't need an aviation medical and so your annual costs are less.
Just thought I would mention it. Nothing like being informed.

I have had my RAA license for about 6 years now.
If you want to know anything about it send me a PM.
or go to

Dan.

[solmanic]

Good thought but I really need the ability to fly 2-3 passengers to just about any regional airport. I also want to get IFR rated so I don't get caught short if I'm running late and it starts getting dark.

Having said that - I did ask SWMBO if she would like to get a Spitfire replica...





She said no.

[solmanic]

With your RAA licence you don't need an aviation medical ...

Already done it anyway. Would have helped if the receptionist at the medical centre had told me they take a urine sample when I booked in (how was I to know). Had just been to the loo and had to sit around for ages drinking water and feeling like a fool holding a specimen container :rolleyes:.

[101RRS]

You are now starting to move into the area of a commercial pilots licence and as a minimum a night IFR rating or even a IFR rating - that in turn ups the ante on the type of aircraft that is needed and then the costs. A basic PPl costs big dollars, an unrestricted costs huge dollars, and then commercial costs mega dollars and you will need constant speed and retractable endorsements and on and on and on it goes.

If this is the route you want to go - start your commercial theory as soon as you can so that all your subjects are out of the way before you start commercial flying training as some aspects of flying training require certain subjects to be passed. Also the best way to do the flying training is in one go - not an hour here and an hour there.

Garry

[VladTepes]

Also if you are flying for business purposes and taking staff from place to place is a PPL sufficient ? I have no idea but there might perhaps be a requirement for a higher class of licence ?

Worth checking anyway.

[wovenrovings]

As long as they aren't paying passengers a PPL is sufficient.

Anyway Solmanic the RAA way is good way to do your intial training. You get to fly a plane that isn't 30-40 years old too.

Anyway have fun. With the frequency of training, I was reading that a couple of hours or an a week is the best as any more and your brain has trouble remembering it all.
Going solo can be done in 10 hrs it all depends on the person. The best way is to just do the best you can and not worry about how soon you are going to go solo. The instructor will let you know when you are ready :D. I've seen people take 25hrs.

Smooth landings.

[VladTepes]

Biggles when you get your rating to take pax - I'll be happy to be a guinea pig !

[solmanic]

Actually, if I was to get rated to fly big stuff, we could get someone with a lightweight to do an air drop! After all, that's what they were designed for wasn't it?

[Narangga]

Loverly wife has given me some flying lessons for my birthday! She is determined to be fully in control of any mid-life crisis I might plan on having.

Had my first lesson yesterday with RQAC at Archerfield - wonderfully un-dramatic. As they say, a dull flight is a good flight. The instructor was good and gave me full control for takeoff, landing, and pretty much everything in between. I could feel him making a couple of minor adjustments during landing, but that was to be expected. Only 30mins in the air but long enough to get a feel for the aircraft (A Cessna 152 - so only just an aircraft).

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/26826_386771809090_536784090_415465.jpg

So I am wondering - who else here has or is doing flight training? And is anyone familiar with the RQAC? They seem to have a nice set-up and portray themselves as the biggest and best, hence my wife's reason for choosing them.

Looking forward to ringing that bell following my first solo.

Did mine in 6 weeks full time at Parafield in Dec 85 - Jan 86.

Flew privately then got my commercial, came up here and 5000 hours later in Cessna 206 & 207 singles hung up the wings and haven't controlled an aircraft since Sept 97.

Enjoy it mate - just don't think about how much it's costing :o

[Craig]

Stuu, Dude! 5000 hrs in a 206 would make anyone want to hang up the wings.:D

Sol, welcome to aviation, its a great way to see a bit of the country and have a bit of fun. As a Grade 1 instructor with a few hours I would be more than happy to help you out with any questions that you have. law, met, aerody... don't hesitate to pm me. Some things in aviation can be a bit different and you sometimes need an outsiders opinion. (ie not the instructor whose wage you are paying)

Good luck and safe landings

Craig

[solmanic]

Been into the manuals for two weeks now but unable to manage another flight. Two takeoff attempts on separate days both stopped by bad weather :mad:. Oh well, at least I'm getting really good at taxiing and refueling.

[Cloud Basher]

solmanic,
I guess you instructors have already told you, but you don't need a CPL to fly for your own business reasons. If you are just carting you and your staff around then no CPL needed. A night VFR rating may be helpful, but if you want to have some added flexibility then a (command instrument rating (CIR) is really required. In saying that, in 16 years of flying for business and pleasure I can count on both hands the number of times I have been delayed by weather. And the for the cost of a CIR you need to weigh up the costs in time and recurrent training in order to stay proficient to see if it is useful. You can do a Private IFR rating (PIFR) and although the currency requirements are less stringent you still need to be current and competent in your IFR flying.

In saying the above I also get to claim my flying on tax, which certainly helps reduce the cost.

As a bit of advice, whilst a nice new (well new to you) Baron at 195kts might look very sexy (and they fly nice) I would suggest starting off with something like a C182. They can carry your three pax plus full fuel and do everything you need. Get a few hours, a bit of experience, especially in outback flying (things like Outback VMC - you will learn what it is!) and such like then make a rather large financial decision on what you would like.

Another bit of advice, if you are going to do your CIR then look into the pro's and cons of buying your own aircraft to do it in, actually this goes for all of your training. If you can afford it, it really is the cheapest way to go. Whilst the aircraft out there may be 25-30 years old at the youngest in a lot of fleets, there is nothing wrong with these aircraft as long as they are maintained. The best part is older aircraft do not depreciate, in fact they slowly appreciate, so although you can claim depreciation on them as a paper deduction, when it comes time to sell you will at the very least get your money back, so even if you bought yourself a Warrior or C172 to do your PPL in and then used it for maybe 2 to 300 hours of flying building that experience before trading up to something else, you will get your money back. Now the flip side of the coin is the old saying, if it flies, floats or f&#%'s, RENT IT! It is for good reason, but then again, there is nothing like leaning up against the bar and saying "I just flew my aircraft in from XXX" Up to you and your accountant!

Now to the flying training part. If you can take time off in blocks to do it then I would absolutely advice that way. Even if it is a week at a time and aim to fly twice a day, ie 2 x 1 hour sorties up to GFPT and then 1 x navex a day or at least every second day. Yes people do learn at different rates, and I am sure you will quickly find if this is too much or you can do more, but flying training in blocks is the cheapest way to do it. You retain more, you don't have to go back over stuff you have already learnt and you build on the serials you did the flight before.

As for the RAAus flying, if you want to fly for recreation then by all means go the RAAus route. You sound like you need more flexibility therefore I would suggest doing all your training at a GA outfit. A full PPL, 45 odd hours at $250 per hour give or take plus medicals, AVID, ASIC, exams fees etc, will set you back around $12,000. Take your tax off that and you would be paying no more than about $7,000 depending on which tax bracket you are in. I have my RAAus licence as well as GA (although all my training was done in GA). I did the 5 hours transition to RAAus and have done some time in a Jabiru and a Lightwing and whilst they - the Lightwing in particular - was a whole heap of fun, for me, to go anywhere for business, they simply are not viable. Yes a Jab may do 120kts, but they do not handle turbulence as well plus the other restrictions (if RAAus registered) of certain airspace and airports, night, pax numbers etc. Additionally I like to turn myself (and any willing passengers!) upside down doing aerobatics and you cannot do that in RAAus. But each to their and I guess when it looks like i will no longer be able to hold a medical (hopefully a large number of years away yet!) I will take up RAAus flying just to stay in the air. But for now GA suits me.

RQAC has a fairly good reputation in the GA world. However - and this goes for all flying training organisations - you are the boss, you say who you want to fly with, what aircraft and with whom, not the other way around. Do not be scared of saying "I do not want to fly with Instructor X, I prefer Y and if you do not get joy then go somewhere else. It is not an insignificant amount of money you are spending so make sure you get value for it. There are a number of good schools around Brisvegas so don't think you have to stay with one school. Also never, ever, ever pay upfront for flying hours. Pay as you go. Some schools offer discounts if you pay upfront, but the 10% or so some offer is simply not worth the risk. I don't know whether you have seen the GA news recently but within the last two years a half dozen of the biggest flying training organisations have gone under (arguably the largest three at Bankstown just recently) and if you have $10-15,000 in their account then kiss goodbye to it for the foreseeable future. So if you only take on bit of advice from this post, please only pay as you go.

Do not be too proud to ask questions, especially of the offer from a Grade 1 instructor as offered on this thread. You will find the aviation community much like the 4WD one. Yes there are some idiots but most people are very professional, friendly and have an enthusiasm for flying that is infectious. Welcome to the wonderful world of aviation. It may be expensive but then again so are most fun things in this life.

If you would like any more info please let me know, only too happy to pass my own experience (sometimes expensive!) on to a fellow 4WDer and budding pilot. You never know, perhaps we could have a Aulro pilots meet somewhere!!!

Cheers
Dave J.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Welcome to AULRO Dave :)
excellent first post!

but


can anyone say acronym?:p

and in the words of a previous red head,,

Please Explain?:D

CPL
VFR
IFR
Outback VMC
GFPT
XXXX, no wait, I know that one--
RAAus
AVID
ASIC
GA

[JDNSW]

Welcome to AULRO Dave :)
excellent first post!

but


can anyone say acronym?:p

and in the words of a previous red head,,

Please Explain?:D

CPL Commercial pilot's licence
VFR Visual Flight Rules
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
Outback VMC Don't know this one - VMC = Visual Meteorological Conditions
GFPT Can't think of it at the moment!
XXXX, no wait, I know that one--
RAAus Recreational Aircraft Australia (or something like that)
AVID Can't think of it at the moment
ASIC Should know it!
GA General Aviation

I'm a bit rusty - haven't flown for ten years, and can't afford it, plus it brings back too many memories of life before I lost my wife. But there are some of the answers.

I learnt to fly 55 years ago, and did my cross country flying for unrestricted with RQAC, quite good then.

John

[Narangga]

Stuu, Dude! 5000 hrs in a 206 would make anyone want to hang up the wings.:D

Sol, welcome to aviation, its a great way to see a bit of the country and have a bit of fun. As a Grade 1 instructor with a few hours I would be more than happy to help you out with any questions that you have. law, met, aerody... don't hesitate to pm me. Some things in aviation can be a bit different and you sometimes need an outsiders opinion. (ie not the instructor whose wage you are paying)

Good luck and safe landings

Craig

Mate - most of that 5000 hrs was done within one hour from base :eek::eek::eek:

I concur with your comment about an outsiders opinion as it can be a breath of freshair, particularly if the instructor is only marking time until they get another job that they want.

[harry]

Welcome to AULRO Dave :)
excellent first post!

but


can anyone say acronym?:p

and in the words of a previous red head,,

Please Explain?:D

CPL
VFR
IFR
Outback VMC
GFPT
XXXX, no wait, I know that one--
RAAus
AVID
ASIC
GA

commercial pilots license
visual flight rules [flying in day time and clear weather]
instrument flight rules [flying when you can't see out the windows -by watching and understanding what the instruments are telling you]
outback vmc -a dodgy business - vmc means -visual meterological conditions -what you fly in when vfr, adding the outback to it infers flying when it's not vmc/vfr 'cause no one can see you it's ok - dodgy.
general flying progress test - something you do when training
xxxx, not as good as coopers.
recreational aviation australia
avid, dunno
asic=- a card with your picture on it, which you get after police checks to see if you are a terrosist
ga general aviation - the cessnas, pipers , beechcraft of this world and many others.

[Cloud Basher]

AVID = Aviation Identificiation. It is also a security check on you but lasts for five years (as vs two years for the ASIC). It is another check that you have to hold in order to hold a pilots licence in Australia.

I won't go into the doubling up of the AVID and ASIC, suffice to say an AVID will get you into nowhere (but is required in order to hold the pilots licence), whereas an ASIC allows you to access the airside of security controlled airports where you have a reason to be on the secure side. For example you fly into Rockhampton airport and park your aircraft and then you go into the terminal to powder your nose... In order to be able to get back to your aircraft (which is now on the secure side) you need an ASIC. It is also needed at most of our GAAP (now Class D) airports such as Jandakot, Bankstown, Archerfield etc. For your training once you go a bit further and before you go onto your navagation exercises for your PPL it will probably be recommended you get one.

So what makes an airport a security controlled airport? It is simple, if there are RPT (regular public transport) flights into and out of the airport then it is now classed as security controlled and you must have, wear and display a ASIC whilst on the security controlled side. An RPT flight is simply a regular scheduled flight - ie not a charter. The airlines obviously do RPT, but so do a bunch of smaller companies.

As for GA - General Aviation, well, GA is indeed what Harry posted below, but perhaps a better definition is "all aviation minus the Airlines and Military". So you can see it covers all aircraft types and all operations other than RPT/Military. The RFDS comes under GA as do the rescue helicopters. A large business jet (even airliner size) come under GA as well. And it definitely covers pilot training and the smaller aircraft as defined below by harry.

Apologies for all the acronyms. Aviation is as full of acronyms as the military!

As you can probably tell aviation is a, or rather the main passion, other than my family, in my life. I am more than happy to take anyone interested in getting involved for a ride if they like, I just love to share my passion with anyone who shows even the remotest interest!

Cheers
Dave J.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Thanks Dave:D,(you to Harry;))

now all we have to do is get you to post some pics of your
Land Rover / Air-re-o-plane
;)

[harry]

this is a bit obscure, but has the requsite landie/bit of aeroplane

[solmanic]

I lost this thread and see there has been some good activity. Thanks Dave & others for the really good info.

An update...

Well I am doing the second of two pre-solo tests tomorrow and after that, well, we'll just have to wait for the instructor to step out of the plane at some unannounced time in the next week or so :o:cool:. I'm into circuits and loving it, even if there are some hairy moments. Landed on one wheel this morning and tracked a good 150m down the runway on it before putting the other ones down. The instructor said this was very hard to do (not as a compliment I presume) - I blame crosswinds.

Also, now that I am doing circuits I have been taking two lessons a week. I find this really good as the second one gives me a chance to get everything right that I stuffed up the day before. I don't think I can manage any more frequent ones as I still have a lot of "real" (=paid) work to do. At this stage I am just writing off Friday mornings for flying and then the rest of Friday is pretty wasted as I mentally recap on everything and waste time looking at flight stuff on the interweb.:D

I got my first headset today. Brand new, but bulletproof & reliable David Clark H10-13.4. I looked at some of the more expensive active noise attenuating sets but in the end figured I'd play it safe. In any case, this will most likely be SWMBO's in a few years.

I copy what you say Dave about paying as I go. RQAC have agreed to invoice my company after each lesson. I just have to make sure the payment has gone through before the next lesson so they don't place me on their no-fly list. I'm also pretty happy with the instructor as up till now he has supplied me with his previous DC headset. When I went for my standards check a few weeks ago the other instructor didn't have a second set so I had to borrow a student set from the club. I was absolutely shattered after the flight. The noise attenuation on the student set was virtually non-existent and it was like having two bricks strapped to the sides of your head for an hour and a half.

So all-in-all the progress has been good and I'm just bracing myself for the first solo.... soon.

[solmanic]

BTW Dave, I wouldn't worry about using too many acronyms in this thread. I think it must be considered acceptable given the topic and I've got to learn them all anyway.

[Cloud Basher]

Solmanic,
Sounds like you are getting right into it. There is simply nothing better than flying in my view. The freedom you experience is like nothing else. Well thats what gets me anyway!

Great stuff and please keep us appraised, I always love reading stories of people learning to fly and their gradual enlightenment and joy at overcoming the challenges it presents. Keep on learning!

Cheers
Dave

[solmanic]

Testing all done... countdown to first solo flight next week-end! :eek:

[JDNSW]

Testing all done... countdown to first solo flight next week-end! :eek:

I still remember my first solo - the strongest impression was how much better the plane (Victa 115) performed without the instructor!

John

[Narangga]

Testing all done... countdown to first solo flight next week-end! :eek:

Sleepless nights, sweaty palms... :D



I still remember my first solo - the strongest impression was how much better the plane (Victa 115) performed without the instructor!

John

C150 seemed much the same for me to John.

[GlenM]

Haha! Instructors do tend to be dead weight alot of the time! :p

[JDNSW]

Haha! Instructors do tend to be dead weight alot of the time! :p

If you are ready to solo, that is exactly what they should be!

John

[Captain_Rightfoot]

That's super great mate!

I flew gliders only. I must say I preferred them to those noisy smelly powered planes.

[solmanic]

Yes, I've read about the performance difference having only one person in the plane makes. Looking forward to it like you wouldn't believe.

I got a more powerful C172 the other week and was regularly getting up to 120KIAS in the circuit. I expect the reduced passenger load will have a similar effect.

I'm doing my best to put it out of my mind until Saturday although I occasionally find myself daydreaming... "check speed... flaps 10..."

[Narangga]

PUF boy, PUF :D

[VladTepes]

Just remember.. Any landing you walk away from is a good one !


Go Biggles !!!

[JDNSW]

Just remember.. Any landing you walk away from is a good one !

Not quite - I think the correct quote is "Any landing you walk away from is a successful one ! It is a good landing if the plane is still airworthy!"

Not sure who that is a quote from though.

John

[solmanic]

DONE! One week later than planned but now that psychological hurdle is over I can get back to the business at hand.

I was originally scheduled to do the G13 (nominally first solo) lesson last week but was thwarted by an administrative ****storm. Whilst I was fully prepared to go solo, the instructor (not my usual one as they have to pass you over to another instructor to check and verify everything) confronted me with "your medical certificate is not on file". :eek::mad: I had contacted CASA back in May when they asked for my Aviation Reference Number in order to process the medical and asked if there was anything more they needed from me. "No" they replied and added that the certificate would be out to me within 21 days. Well that was so long ago I just forgot that it never came through and thought I had already passed it on to my instructor for filing. As it turns out you have to make a separate payment and no-one thought to tell me, or ask for the money, or send an invoice or anything. :mad:

I have since come to realise that with regards to flight training, if in doubt, pay someone.

So after getting that piece of news and realising that I would have to wait until the certificate was issued my headspace kind of caved in. I was then blindsided with more pre-flight questions on weight & balance and fuel calculations that I had not fully covered with my regular instructor. I knew I had to learn it but had no idea exactly when I was required to be able to demonstrate proficiency. As it turns out, no-one thought to give me a full copy of the Operations Manual which sets out the CASA standards so I never knew what was coming up with regard to assessment.

Then I was told my flight radio exam (done the week before) was not yet marked, then he told me I had to finish my aircraft endorsement questionnaire (which was only 90% complete).

So it was a total balls-up and we never even got off the ground. I went away to chase up the missing medical and finish the endorsement etc etc. Not happy!

---

Yesterday morning however, was a totally different story. Paperwork all sorted, the instructor was as keen as me to get out to the plane. Weather clear with only the lightest of winds, and crosswind well below the 8knot maximum allowed for a first solo.

In order to prepare me for the possibility of him not letting me do the solo if he wasn't happy with my performance, the instructor went to great lengths to explain that very few people actually do their first solo straight away at G13. He was careful to explain that most people require one or two more sessions to hone their skills. I understood this and had already tried to mentally prepare for another abortive attempt.

By comparison to the administrative debacle last week in not going solo, yesterday was altogether boring - which is pretty much the best way it could be. After several uneventful circuits and a couple of emergency simulated engine failures, glide and flapless approaches, the instructor made the call to the tower to check on crosswinds. I knew straight away what that meant and went berzerk internally. "Well I'm convinced" he said, and proceeded to lay out the plan.

We did a full stop and taxied to the holding point where he got out and gathered up his things. I was doing my level best to just keep my enthusiasm flat lining so as not to risk doing anything different from before. "See you back at the parking bay", and off he walked. I taxied to the holding point and made the radio call to the tower... although it wasn't the tower as I didn't notice the instructor had switched over to COM2 so I got a "your still on ground" reply. Oops. Not a good start.

We had been having a problem with one of the radios as there was an awful lot of noise interference from the engine on COM1 so midway through the first part of the lesson the instructor switched over to COM2 but left COM1 on and set to the tower frequency. Oh well, if this was going to be my only mistake then at least it's not a bad one.

Cleared for takeoff I headed off and from then on things just happened automatically, like they should. I was still calling out my checks aloud even though there was no-one else in the plane. I felt this would help me from focussing on the fact that the co-pilot's seat was empty. I can't say the plane handled too differently in the air. This particular C172 climbs like a good-un and the missing weight wasn't noticed.

For the first time that morning, I had traffic in front of me. A Tomahawk was pootling along ahead so I had to configure for a slower downwind leg to give me plenty of separation at the business end. I was spaced pretty much bang on 1 mile from the runway but, as seems to be the case, the Tomahawk was at least another half-mile further out. My regular instructor has frequently commented on how a lot of students and even more experienced pilots seem to struggle to keep the correct distance from the runway on downwind. And it's not like there was any crosswind as an excuse.

The Tomahawk turned onto base and I was stuck having to extend downwind further until he passed abeam my wing before making the turn myself. Not that I cared as it set me up for a nice, long, stabilised final approach. Flaps 30, I turned onto final and then just locked in the numbers. It was all a bit dull actually. Until I got about 20 feet from the tarmac then a puff of wind caused me to drift off to the right - bugger. I was really trying to put it down so I could taxi off the runway at the first exit making for a shorter trip back to the apron.

I touched down and hit the brakes but as I neared the first exit they just started to lock up a little, so I thought rather than flip it on its lid trying to make the turn-off, which would definitely NOT be a good thing on first solo, I rolled down the runway to the second. "Congratulations" came through on the radio from the tower.

After landing checks and the taxi call then I proceeded on to the apron passing the instructor who was still walking back. Obviously he had stayed out on the field to watch. I offered him a lift but he motioned me to continue to the parking bay and secure the aircraft.

Handshakes all round and my lovely wife was waiting for me at the club. I was instructed to follow protocol and ring the First Solo bell and "go crazy". So I gave it one, loud "ding". "That was hardly crazy" said the instructor.

"It's not about crazy, it's about control & consistency" I said.

[Narangga]

Well done - congratulations.

First solo is good but I found the first trrip solo to the training area was the REAL buzz - especially on a day with no cloud and no breeze. :cool:

All the best for the rest of the training.

[clean32]

Congrats

I am surprised that you didn’t notice the lack of weight, maybe something you shouldn’t mention.

Down wind leg, the T28 has the advantage that they can reference the runway against the wing. I would even go as far to say the T28 is a better learners Kite than the 172, the 172 being to easy and stable.

On the down wind leg pick out two reference points on the ground and just run them down. Two points so you can get your feet set up.

Have you been taught to crab down on finals or crossover

Lastly, never admit a mistake or mention that you have made a mistake
And get used to the paper war it only get worse, don’t ever show any emotion over it or any thing else. Good pilots are supposed to be unflappable.

You will soon be doing dead stick stuff solo. Nail it and Nail it hard, a few extra hours will do you no harm. And start looking for some inclement weather. crosswinds landings for a 172 is ??? 20 KNTs you want to be doing T&Gs in 19 knts. no point in learning when you don’t have a choice.

Get some hours in a low wing, ground effects are much greater, crosswinds, float etc

13 hours to solo, that’s ok, I know of many pilots who have gone past that before they could demonstrate competency. Me I did it in 10 but then I was flying since I was 10-11.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Well done! That was a great read. :)

The tradition at the club I soloed at was to dump a bucket of water on the newbie. This surprised me... but I didn't care. What an experience. :)

[Narangga]

Well done! That was a great read. :)

The tradition at the club I soloed at was to dump a bucket of water on the newbie. This surprised me... but I didn't care. What an experience. :)

I did my training at Rossair at Parafield and there it was to cut a hole in your shirt over the left nipple and stick the piece of shirt on the 'Honour Roll' board.

[harry]

Congrats


Lastly, never admit a mistake or mention that you have made a mistake
And get used to the paper war it only get worse, don’t ever show any emotion over it or any thing else. Good pilots are supposed to be unflappable.



that will get you an instant fail from me,
this flying business is about honesty and procedures.
and something called 'airmanship'

not that i am a pilot,
but i do know some things about aviation.

[clean32]

that will get you an instant fail from me,
this flying business is about honesty and procedures.
and something called 'airmanship'

not that i am a pilot,
but i do know some things about aviation.

Bollox, the fliging business is full of over testosteroned egos who would think nothing about sniping down a prune. as far as honesty goes there is none.
There is a thread around here about warfies and unions, pilots are much more militant. Both ansett and quatas NZ were taken down by aussie pilots.
Just have a look at the childish behavior or PPrune and that’s just the wanabes

Procedures yes, airmanship = the appearance being carm and professional at all times, unflappable, a cold fish even. defiantly has its advantages.

But lets face it, a bus driver faces more challenges daily in there job driving a buss than a pilot faces on 99.99% of there flights. (The advantages of procedures) this has the result of producing an extremely boring job. result many pilots become worse than fish wife’s.

I would sagest that you are still endowed in the glow emitting from someone who sports egg.

not only am I pilot myself but I have also had the pleasure of having to pull air crew out of jails, hold there heads down toilet bowel's and ask fourren judges to go lenient and yes there employer will ensure that they will go into rehab.
I would be more inclined to trust an aussie pilot flying for Dragon than I would one flying for Quantas.

[GlenM]

Congratulations!

Any chance you had a scrawny instructor and full tanks? Would explain you not noticing the performance difference.

(pprune is a waste of internet.)

[solmanic]

...Any chance you had a scrawny instructor and full tanks? Would explain you not noticing the performance difference.

The plane I have been flying has a brand new engine and goes like a rocket. I was fully prepared for a difference but it was just a lot less of a difference than expected. Yes, the tanks were brimmed so 80kg of missing instructor in a ballistic shopping trolley with wings wasn't a huge difference.

In response to clean32, yes, I am keen to get some variable experience. Not sure what to do about the plane as all RQAC's single engine ones are Cessnas. I have done some crosswind landings, but only about 11kts. Enough to notice the plane weathercocking on takeoff. I figure I'll push through the training to GFPT getting as much crosswind experience as nature allows. Then I'll look at options for different aircraft just to feel the ground effect.

I've done crab descents in the training area but haven't done one on final approach other than minor sideslipping for minor crosswinds. Feels awfully wierd.

As far as admitting my mistakes... que? Whilst I'm officially a student pilot, every mistake is witnessed and dissected. And on my own, I'll be reporting every mistake to the instructor until I am no longer making any.

I had a funny bit of interaction with the instructor who was certifying me for the solo. He got in and just sat back with folded arms and said "off you go and I'll just let you know if you do anything wrong". I finished my run-up and was about to move out to the holding point and turned to him to ask "are we ready to go then?" He replied "you're in command so you shouldn't have to ask". To which I replied "as long as there's someone sitting next to me with epaulettes that have more bars on than mine I am inclined to seek some positive reinforcement of what I'm doing".

Glad I only had to ring a bell at the end. I was wearing a good shirt.

[solmanic]

Oh and by the way, thanks to all for the congratulations and well wishes. It is nice to see we have a strong flying contingent here and my wife is getting waaay over me banging on about this. It's good to be able to de-brief amongst other like minded people.

[clean32]

all good

my T28 comments were based on the fact that they are quite a bit harder to keep stable. altitude attitude and they keep your feet busy.
You will have much more crabbing ( as you call it) when you start doing cross country, very rarely is the wind behind you or in front.
But yes that can wait until you have finished.

Once finished and if you are able I would sagest that.

T28 10hrs
C180 50 hrs. really most of that can be T&G

Same time do your night rating. Do more met, aussie weather is boring so do as much met as you can. and of course your tail dragger once you hit 90? hrs, this will give you fingers.

My comments about mistakes and keeping them to your self is still valid, if you have a problem word it as a question. You have already had a small insight to this with your pre solo. pilots in command Never ask for advice, asking for information as a command is how it is done.
Put it this way. pilot in command asks co pilot for advice. co pilot wants his own command. co pilot will add into his report " captain asked or captain was not able to ascertain current situation wich resulted in captains requesting copilot for recommendations" I remember an asnett pilot doing a go around at windy wellington airport after a bit to much float. He not only losed his captaincy but his job. Not directly for the go around they found some other reason. the go around was justified but it opened the doors for his air crew to criticize, added to the discomfort of the PAX and cost the company a bundle in fees ( X2 landing fees) and fuel. Moral of the story know your stuff and just Nial it. Note the Poland crash, 2 go a rounds. Thailand 2 go a rounds. Keep reading, go a rounds are some thing you practice it is not something you ever need to do, period.

You will by now been told that aviation industry is a couture of safety, rubbish, it is a couture of egos, sucking up and perceptions. Pilots who make it though this archaic and childish system are as a result very good. But there are a hell of a lot of pilots as good if not better who didn’t get though the system. Have a look at many chief flying instructors, they have thousands of hours and usually good personalities. Then ask your self why they are just a chief flying instructor at the age of 50 instead of pushing 300 ton though the air for 5 times the money. invariably its because they didn’t play or understand the game. Brilliant flying instructors but!

[solmanic]

Thanks for the pointers and I'll see what the club has in the way of plane options for later on.


... Have a look at many chief flying instructors, they have thousands of hours and usually good personalities. Then ask your self why they are just a chief flying instructor at the age of 50 instead of pushing 300 ton though the air for 5 times the money. invariably its because they didn’t play or understand the game. Brilliant flying instructors but!

Actually many people just want to teach... and prefer to sleep in their own bed each night. And you don't get to do a lot of steep turns and whip stalls in a 747. As a comparison, not all professional drivers want to operate semis. I know my instructor is doing it because he looks after the house & kids and his wife's a lawyer (so who needs 5 times the money). Whilst I can't dispute that there may be some who are where they are as a result of politics, I sincerely hope the industry is not as bad as you make out.

[clean32]

Thanks for the pointers and I'll see what the club has in the way of plane options for later on.



Actually many people just want to teach... and prefer to sleep in their own bed each night. And you don't get to do a lot of steep turns and whip stalls in a 747. As a comparison, not all professional drivers want to operate semis. I know my instructor is doing it because he looks after the house & kids and his wife's a lawyer (so who needs 5 times the money). Whilst I can't dispute that there may be some who are where they are as a result of politics, I sincerely hope the industry is not as bad as you make out.

Sounds like you have a good instructor. he has options( his wife is a lawyer) so I would say he loves flying and he loves teaching.
unfortunately i personally regard the industry as that bad, it works but it is not a nice environment. Many pilots want command of a heavy, many others are happy with domestic and sleeping in there beds every other night, some are happy as a fert dumper. So it is not all bad. The bigger the aircraft the bigger the egos.
the closer to the ground the bigger the drinking

[JDNSW]

On the subject of flying different types - I did my restricted PPL at Hoxton Park on Victas (first solo 12hrs, about normal), and cross country training with RQAC in Musketeers.

Then I bought an Auster. Learned a lot flying that. Not only using the rudder and throttle to keep straight on the ground with a taildragger, but heel brakes to help exercise your ankles!

Then I moved to PNG and traded it on a Cessna 180. Which was when I really learned about taildraggers! Groundlooped it on my first solo just by relaxing when we got down to about 10kts. Really good performer though - except at high altitude strips, takeoff performance is better than landing performance.

When I moved to Melbourne, found it too expensive to own a plane when you can hire them, so sold the 180. After that mostly hired C210 or Beech A36, but also flew a variety of others. For example, my only engine failure (dropped valve) was in a Grumman Tiger. And one of my slowest flights was Dubbo-Lilydale(Melbourne) in a C150 - with 30kts headwind. Had to land twice to refuel!

Now in retirement, I can't afford to fly plus too much red tape, plus nearest airport is too far away.

John

[wovenrovings]

Don't be to worried about go arounds as a private pilot. I have had a few mostly due to traffic (plane on runway). Remember its safety first ego last.

Smooth landings,

Dan.

[solmanic]

My instructor has basically drilled into me that if in doubt, go around. That's what fixed & variable reserve fuel is for. But I appreciate it makes a lot more difference for a commercial operator where costs & schedules are a major factor.

[flagg]

Re the go arounds -

Had to do one on first solo due to a runway incursion. Some clown was also bellowing on the radio so I just did what I thought was right, and was thanked all round later on. For a private pilot if you need to do a go around, do it. Anyone who criticizes you for doing one when you need to is an idiot. The amount of collapsed noes wheels that have occurred from PPLs bouncing down runways because they were too arrogant to go around after the first hop is just silly. Check ATSB for details.

Re instructors.

Clean you are right about many instructors - too many hour builders. When looking for a school I asked the instructors specific questions to find out what they were doing - hour builders or career instructors.

I found that some schools far and away had better instructors. I had to avoid the 'join and airline in 3 months' crap and found a school where most of the instructors were competitive aerobatic pilots... which answers Cleans question about why aren't they flying S&L in a 300 tonne bus? Because flying S&L for hours is so damn boring ! :twisted:

[rumman43]

This is a great thread.
I did some flying with the military in 04-06. I was onpilots course. got to fly the
CT4 135hrs and the PC9 165hrs
Unfortunately I failed out with 1 week to go at pearce b4 wings. Was ablast and am stoked I got to do it.
Before pilots course i was a armament fitter (GUNNIE) in the RAAF for 12 1/2 years
here some pics i hope you like

[flagg]

here some pics i hope you like

Not so sure about that first one
:lol2:

[solmanic]

This morning, after yet another long-ish break of more than one week, I got to do my first full session of solo circuits. It was good to get back up there on my own and prove that last week was no fluke. In fact, after a few T&Gs with the instructor onboard drilling me on various simulated engine failures etc, it was nice to have some time alone up there to just focus on technique.

After I took off solo, things actually got a bit bumpy with 8kts of crosswind and the occasional gust downwind. Fortunately they were still only reporting 6kts crosswind before the instructor got out so I was still allowed to go. It was especially good to have some variable winds to practice in.

I realised on my way out to the airport that I don't have a watch at the moment (getting a new battery). So I had a hard time keeping track of my time up there. The little airswitch is hard to read with polarising sunglasses on and is conveniently placed on the far RH side of the panel. In the end I didn't want to come down. It was just nice going through the procedures and being entirely in command of the flight from ramp out to ramp in. At one point turning onto base and seeing the world at 30 degrees through the screen and all these familiar places 900ft below I thought "hells bells, I'm flying a ****ing plane!"

The circuit filled up with traffic which made things interesting. Someone was actually refused permission to join the circuit because there were too many of us already in it. I started out following a nice Cirrus expecting to run up the back of it with my still new engine and lack of dead weight, but no chance. They can shift.

I got an inconvenient puff of crosswind on my second last landing and even though I had plenty pf runway and was still reasonably well configured for touchdown I thought "bugger it" and did a go around. I have to practice them whenever there is half a chance and better that than bouncing down the runway looking like a complete goose.

Final landing was a bit messy but again the winds were starting to get up. It wasn't so much a bounce as an unexpected resumption of flight after touchdown. I just gave the throttle a jab to re-stabilise everything and let it settle back down on the runway - all good.

The first thing my instructor said when I walked back in was "oh well, looks like I lost my bet." ... How rude. I told him that I left the bits on the runway and he could pick them up and fill in the report.:p

[rumman43]

Sounds like a good workout.
Go Arounds are a great thing to do.
When the times comes for real and you have that second of doubt about pushing a ****ty situation, you wont hesitate to crack that throttle and live to fight another day.
I've done circuits in tricky conditions or playing with different speeds/ROD where I've done more go arounds than landings.
You said there were a lot of aircraft in the CCT.
Have you had to go round due to someone on the runway and you on finals..Have a think bout where you would go and what you would say on the radio..
one thing I would recommend for you to learn is low level circuits. they are a blast..

ab

[solmanic]

...You said there were a lot of aircraft in the CCT.
Have you had to go round due to someone on the runway and you on finals..

I haven't had to go around, but this morning, still with the instructor in the plane, the tower gave takeoff clearance to another plane whilst we were turning final. They weren't even lined up, they were off the runway at the holding point and still had to roll out. I could hear the tower getting a bit nervous telling the plane to "keep rolling as there is traffic behind" and the instructor & I just looked at each other. He said something like "that's cutting it a bit fine".

I held off until I got landing clearance almost over the piano keys!

Fortunately the other plane was departing the circuit or we would have run up the back of them.

That's the second time this has happened to me. They sometimes make a balls-up of the separation when there's a lot of traffic and the tower can't tell if the plane lining up is going to be quick off the mark or not.

[solmanic]

I thought I might give an update on progress for those interested...

Well after a few weeks off whilst I was away on holidays, I am now working towards my first area solo. Since we are now into spring, the weather has started to give some trouble with inconvenient periods of rain and thunderstoms stuffing up my last few attempts to do solo circuits. Last week I couldn't go solo at all due to crosswinds and on Tuesday I was up there for three circuits and again the crosswind started so I had to come down. Policy dictates that I am not allowed to fly in greater than 8kts of crosswind and on Tuesday it went from nothing to 10kts in the space of a single circuit.

So tomorrow I will try to complete the last of me pre-requisite 2hrs solo flying before we head back out to the training area to prepare me for my first area solo. Fingers crossed the wind stays down.

And here are a few photos of the kite I'm flying...
VH-YRQ - a C172 that is a lot older than it looks. In fact the average age of the club fleet is about 30 years! YRQ is actually the best in the fleet I reckon. I have had to write up myriad defects in nearly all the others - but then I am a bit picky.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_4078.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_4080.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_4081.jpg

And my instructor Steve. As dry as they come.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_4082.jpg

[rumman43]

have you done the area solo?

if yes hown did it go?

going back a few posts, Do myou have Go-Around criteria? (criterria that if not met means an automatic go around)

i.e not landed by 1/3 of the way down the runway
or
Not lined up on the runway by 300ft AGL

[harry]

vh yrq,
172n
first reg aus. mar 1991,
being a 172n this makes it about a 1978 aircraft, s/n 17273375
i can look up the s/n production date, or you can look at the plate in the door frame to find the year of manufacture, the first number is the year of manufacture.

it really doesn't matter when it was born, it is the continuing maintenance that keeps these aircraft safe for you and i.
the maintenance release will tell you how many hours it has flown.

keep up your flying, it's worth the effort.

oh, just another little observation from an old, sometimes crabby, engineer-

carpenters use 'planes'

'planes' do not fly..

[ramblingboy42]

Read the first 150 pages of the flight training manual (one of three). Now I just have to try and remember it. 2hr briefing next Sat followed by 1hr 20min in the air. The syllabus says 13-15hrs to first solo but I wonder if it can be done in 10?

Don Mitchell is still instructing at RQAC, ask him about a girl (lady) who hadnt soloed in 50 hrs when he was CFI in Darwin. Her name was Iris, she would flare at 50' and the old ( actually then very new)PA28's(they were Piper warrior 11's) would wallow through the air until ATC would call her up and tell her to do a go round. But 10 hrs is a little ambitious I think. I just looked at my logbook and I soloed in 11.9 hrs and I liked to muck around a bit so 10 hrs would be achieveable.

[solmanic]

I lost this thread for a while...

Two area solos done to date and (weather permitting) I expect to go for my GFPT in the next two or three weeks.

Go around criteria is simply if I don't have a stabilized approach (4deg approach angle and 65KIAS) by 300ft. In the case of a high bounce after touchdown it's just common sense to punch the throttle and save trashing the undercarriage or risk a prop strike. I actually had one of these coming in from an area solo the other week. The wind gusted up just as I was touching down and away she went. I had already called for circuits on approach so I just jammed the throttle back in and kept on going. I called going around to the tower although I might have been able to disguise it as a very quick touch and go ;-)

[stallie]

How'd it go? Done the GFPT yet?

[Cloud Basher]

Solmanic. Well done. Hope you were successful in your GFPT. Just from your writing and the way you talk about it I bet you had no dramas. One point, you may like to lose the polarising sunnies. Pilots should never wear them when flying. They can cause lots of issues. Speak to your instructor he will be able to fill you in ratherthen take up lots of space here.

Keen to know where you are up to.

Cheers
CB

[paulthepilot_5]

Wow, missed this thread. Solmanic, Congrats on your progress. I worked at RQ for 6years, finished up there in 2009. Hope they are treating you well out there. I remember Steve doing his PPL through the Academy course when I was there. Once you get your GFPT go get tail wheel endorsed in the Citabria with Don Mitchell, thats when the real fun starts ;)

[solmanic]

Well it's been a while since I updated this thread...

GFPT - done!

It took me a while. Up until this week I had only been for three flights since last December :(. This has been due to the dodgy weather (lots of it - and always strategically on the days I booked for flying :mad:), floods and holidays - both mine and my instructors. I did my first flight since early March only Friday a week ago, then a standards check, then we discovered I was still short on required solo hours - by 10 minutes! So I did an hour of circuits on Wednesday and booked the test in for yesterday.

So the big test was yesterday and my brain is still fried. 10am - 5pm, straight through. Missed lunch.

For those familiar with RQAC, Don Mitchell administered the test. It was a strange experience as I can't quite work out whether he went easy on me, or he just likes to make all students feel as though they only scrape in by the skin of their teeth. There were a lot of little and some major things he wanted me to do differently to what I had been taught. A lot of the preliminary briefing questions were very much Don giving his take on regulations, beyond the information contained in all my learning material. All good and informative stuff, but it certainly got me feeling like I really didn't know anything by the time we went out to the aircraft.

We conducted the majority of the flight OK, but he caught me out a couple of times with an emergency landing drill where I picked an enormous (and perfectly adequate in my opinion) field just below the aircraft when we were actually within gliding range of the local training strip. Doh! He had me do it again and glide to the strip for a glide approach. After my attempt he undertook to show me how he would do it. I was amazed at how differently he handled the aircraft to my regular instructor. The evidence of many, many more years experience was obvious. He flung the Cessna around with what bordered on reckless abandon doing a limit turn at 300ft back towards the airfield to demonstrate just how far you could glide even when you thought you were just about in the weeds.

Then we did a precautionary search & landing drill where I did the routine number of passes over the field with radio calls etc etc, then assessed the field as OK to land - given the scenario he had described with minimal visibility and deteriorating weather. Wrong decision. He took me back for a super-low pass over the field and pointed out water in the cow tracks on the field and said he wouldn't land there. I wasn't going to argue but thought the scenario required a decision to land.

We then returned to Archerfield and I did three of the dodgiest landings. Two were meant to be short field approaches so I set up as I had been taught but he said I was too fast and high both times. Then an average flapless approach which I thought was OK until I got a viscious nosewheel shimmy after touchdown. That was something that routinely happens in the particular plane I was in so not really my fault. I pulled back to fix it but each time I put the front wheel down again off it went like a shopping trolley!

He then demonstrated his low level circuit and short field approach. All his approach speeds were 5kts less than what I had been taught. Again I was amazed at how he handled the aircraft at speeds so slow my regular instructor would have been reaching for the throttle. I then did two more copybook landings which I guess were enough to prove to him that I could actually fly.

So in the end he signed me off but with plenty of advice. He also called my instructor in to the debrief because I think he wanted to let him know there were things I was being taught that he didn't necessarily agree with. Point taken and I shook his hand as he handed me my log book but I can't help feeling somewhat less capable now than I did going into the exam.

Time for navigation flights but I think I will be doing a lot of solo circuits just to sharpen up on what he taught me. I also plan to do about a million emergency landing drills as Don informed me that so far in his career he has had seven emergency landings but never scratched an aircraft. As Don and I agreed, they are inevitable and Murphy was an optimist.

The training continues...

[JDNSW]

Well it's been a while since I updated this thread...

GFPT - done!

It took me a while. Up until this week I had only been for three flights since last December :(. This has been due to the dodgy weather (lots of it - and always strategically on the days I booked for flying :mad:), floods and holidays - both mine and my instructors. I did my first flight since early March only Friday a week ago, then a standards check, then we discovered I was still short on required solo hours - by 10 minutes! So I did an hour of circuits on Wednesday and booked the test in for yesterday.

So the big test was yesterday and my brain is still fried. 10am - 5pm, straight through. Missed lunch.

For those familiar with RQAC, Don Mitchell administered the test. It was a strange experience as I can't quite work out whether he went easy on me, or he just likes to make all students feel as though they only scrape in by the skin of their teeth. There were a lot of little and some major things he wanted me to do differently to what I had been taught. A lot of the preliminary briefing questions were very much Don giving his take on regulations, beyond the information contained in all my learning material. All good and informative stuff, but it certainly got me feeling like I really didn't know anything by the time we went out to the aircraft.

We conducted the majority of the flight OK, but he caught me out a couple of times with an emergency landing drill where I picked an enormous (and perfectly adequate in my opinion) field just below the aircraft when we were actually within gliding range of the local training strip. Doh! He had me do it again and glide to the strip for a glide approach. After my attempt he undertook to show me how he would do it. I was amazed at how differently he handled the aircraft to my regular instructor. The evidence of many, many more years experience was obvious. He flung the Cessna around with what bordered on reckless abandon doing a limit turn at 300ft back towards the airfield to demonstrate just how far you could glide even when you thought you were just about in the weeds.

Then we did a precautionary search & landing drill where I did the routine number of passes over the field with radio calls etc etc, then assessed the field as OK to land - given the scenario he had described with minimal visibility and deteriorating weather. Wrong decision. He took me back for a super-low pass over the field and pointed out water in the cow tracks on the field and said he wouldn't land there. I wasn't going to argue but thought the scenario required a decision to land.

We then returned to Archerfield and I did three of the dodgiest landings. Two were meant to be short field approaches so I set up as I had been taught but he said I was too fast and high both times. Then an average flapless approach which I thought was OK until I got a viscious nosewheel shimmy after touchdown. That was something that routinely happens in the particular plane I was in so not really my fault. I pulled back to fix it but each time I put the front wheel down again off it went like a shopping trolley!

He then demonstrated his low level circuit and short field approach. All his approach speeds were 5kts less than what I had been taught. Again I was amazed at how he handled the aircraft at speeds so slow my regular instructor would have been reaching for the throttle. I then did two more copybook landings which I guess were enough to prove to him that I could actually fly.

So in the end he signed me off but with plenty of advice. He also called my instructor in to the debrief because I think he wanted to let him know there were things I was being taught that he didn't necessarily agree with. Point taken and I shook his hand as he handed me my log book but I can't help feeling somewhat less capable now than I did going into the exam.

Time for navigation flights but I think I will be doing a lot of solo circuits just to sharpen up on what he taught me. I also plan to do about a million emergency landing drills as Don informed me that so far in his career he has had seven emergency landings but never scratched an aircraft. As Don and I agreed, they are inevitable and Murphy was an optimist.

The training continues...

Congratulations.

In forty-five years of flying, I have had one emergency landing - and managed to make it at an airport (Wagga), thanks to my penchant for cruising at 9 - 10,000ft! One precautionary landing due to weather in PNG. This last I was saved by a habit of noting every possible landing spot (in this case a mission airstrip not on the map) - and then realised I was landing downwind, went round, did a 180 at 300ft and a perfect three point landing, about a minute before the weather closed in completely.

John

[ramblingboy42]

Solmanic, I know, and have known Don Mitchell both as a professional pilot and instructor and also as a friend. I could not think of another person to go to, to get fine tuning and instruction. Every time he flies he has a glint in his eye and he always has a glint in his eye for his students. The harder Don tests you, the more respect he is paying to you. I would be interested to know how many students he has taught to fly and if any instructor in australia has taught more.

[solmanic]

Solmanic, I know, and have known Don Mitchell both as a professional pilot and instructor and also as a friend. I could not think of another person to go to, to get fine tuning and instruction. Every time he flies he has a glint in his eye and he always has a glint in his eye for his students. The harder Don tests you, the more respect he is paying to you. I would be interested to know how many students he has taught to fly and if any instructor in australia has taught more.

It was pretty obvious to me that he loves his flying. He was quick to grab the controls and demonstrate stuff and like I said, he was very fluid with his technique. I feel priviledged that he took the time to teach me even whilst he was testing me. There definately seems to be two types of instructors at RQ - Don and the other guys.

[solmanic]

So this morning I had what was probably the MOST important flight so far. More important than my GFPT, and even more important that first solo or my PPL test when it comes up. I took Mrs Solmanic up for the first time!:o

What a glorious morning. Clear skies, light winds, CAVOK and the possibility of some whales off the coast of North Stradbroke Island.

SWMBO was quite nervous. More nervous than she expected. She has only been in a light aircraft once before, and never actually landed in one. The first time we jumped out! I left her in the "lounge" while I did my pre-flight. My regular instructor was not there to sign me out so he lined up one of the others. After plenty of paperwork and a thorough check over the plane we were ready to go.

I retrieved said wife from the lounge and escorted her to the plane. As required I did the mandatory passenger briefing - no smoking, exits etc etc. Then we strapped in and I ran through the pre-start, after-start, taxi checks and all that. Despite the perfect conditions there was hardly anyone else out. I saw only one other plane in the circuit.

We took off like a rocket. SWMBO doesn't weigh much and I didn't have full tanks so we were at 500ft before we even crossed the end of the runway! We tracked out to the bay over Macley Island then climbed up to 3000ft with a clear view all the way down the coast and up. Had some interesting chatter from Brisbane radar. They wanted me to confirm my altitude to "test" their radar? I confirmed I was at 3000ft and they said thanks and advised there was other VFR traffic in the vicinity. SWMBO then spotted a Qantas turbo-prop about 1000ft above us and I said I didn't think that was who they were talking about - but it was. Apparently the Qantas plane was on an unusual flightpath and must have been getting some discrepancy in reading our altitude and BNE radar wanted to confirm it.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Look at those instruments. 3000ft, 100KIAS, like a machine with my eyes looking where they should be - outside!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

We then tracked up along the coast looking out for any whale activity. SWMBO spotted one spout but couldn't actually see anything else. I didn't want to stray too far outside the training area to find out and it was high tide so the beach would have been interesting if we needed to do a forced landing. Brisbane radar then made contact again to thank me for listening on channel and helping out with the traffic. He then proceeded to start talking about how nice the weather was?!? Obviously the guy wanted to be in the blip on his scope, not just looking at it.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
Looooong final to 28L. Easy-peasy Japanesy.

We then turned left and headed back in via the Target inbound reporting point. A straight-in approach with a nice 12kt headwind made for a beautiful, easy touchdown on 28L. All in all it couldn't have been a better introduction to flying for SWMBO and positive justification for all the time and money spent ;).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
Dipping the tanks at the end. 1hr flight - 30l used. Pretty economical.

[Narangga]

So this morning I had what was probably the MOST important flight so far. More important than my GFPT, and even more important that first solo or my PPL test when it comes up. I took Mrs Solmanic up for the first time!:o

What a glorious morning. Clear skies, light winds, CAVOK and the possibility of some whales off the coast of North Stradbroke Island.

SWMBO was quite nervous. More nervous than she expected. She has only been in a light aircraft once before, and never actually landed in one. The first time we jumped out! I left her in the "lounge" while I did my pre-flight. My regular instructor was not there to sign me out so he lined up one of the others. After plenty of paperwork and a thorough check over the plane we were ready to go.

I retrieved said wife from the lounge and escorted her to the plane. As required I did the mandatory passenger briefing - no smoking, exits etc etc. Then we strapped in and I ran through the pre-start, after-start, taxi checks and all that. Despite the perfect conditions there was hardly anyone else out. I saw only one other plane in the circuit.

We took off like a rocket. SWMBO doesn't weigh much and I didn't have full tanks so we were at 500ft before we even crossed the end of the runway! We tracked out to the bay over Macley Island then climbed up to 3000ft with a clear view all the way down the coast and up. Had some interesting chatter from Brisbane radar. They wanted me to confirm my altitude to "test" their radar? I confirmed I was at 3000ft and they said thanks and advised there was other VFR traffic in the vicinity. SWMBO then spotted a Qantas turbo-prop about 1000ft above us and I said I didn't think that was who they were talking about - but it was. Apparently the Qantas plane was on an unusual flightpath and must have been getting some discrepancy in reading our altitude and BNE radar wanted to confirm it.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_1469.jpg

Look at those instruments. 3000ft, 100KIAS, like a machine with my eyes looking where they should be - outside!

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_1472.jpg

We then tracked up along the coast looking out for any whale activity. SWMBO spotted one spout but couldn't actually see anything else. I didn't want to stray too far outside the training area to find out and it was high tide so the beach would have been interesting if we needed to do a forced landing. Brisbane radar then made contact again to thank me for listening on channel and helping out with the traffic. He then proceeded to start talking about how nice the weather was?!? Obviously the guy wanted to be in the blip on his scope, not just looking at it.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_1482.jpg


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_1484.jpg
Looooong final to 28L. Easy-peasy Japanesy.

We then turned left and headed back in via the Target inbound reporting point. A straight-in approach with a nice 12kt headwind made for a beautiful, easy touchdown on 28L. All in all it couldn't have been a better introduction to flying for SWMBO and positive justification for all the time and money spent ;).

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/IMG_1486.jpg
Dipping the tanks at the end. 1hr flight - 30l used. Pretty economical.

Woohoo what a hoot! :D :D :D

Great feeling isn't it? Well done.

[stallie]

Great stuff, well done. It's great to be able to shaare the fun.

[solmanic]

It's been several weeks but I finally got my first nav flight done. My instructor has teamed me up with another student at the same stage so we are tag-teaming the nav flights. I rode along with him a couple of weeks ago but due to weather I couldn't do my flight until Saturday.

Perfect weather, just scattered cloud at about 6500ft. Our route was from Archerfield to Gympie via Nanango then straight back. The other guy in the backseat was tracking the journey via GPS and sent me this map of our route.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/solmanic42/Andrews23JulyArcherfieldtoGympieviaNanango.jpg

As you can see, I was a little south of our intended track all the way there. This was due to there being 20kts forecast wind from the south so I had varied my heading accordingly. Obviously there was a lot less than that during the actual flight. I tried a 1 in 60 correction midway along the leg from Petrie to Nanango but it doesn't seem to have made any difference as we still arrived about 5nm south of the town.

The return leg was into the wind the whole way so there was no need for any corrections coming home. Two nice, tidy landings and I even got to use the grass runways at Archerfield.

Next Nav is to Casino so I will see how well I can keep on track for that one.