Started Flight Training

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Originally Posted by GlenM

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

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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.

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.

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!

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

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Originally Posted by clean32

... 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!

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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.

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Originally Posted by solmanic

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.

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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

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

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.

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.

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:

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