1st, 1st, and 1st

JasonM said:
Awesome man! I'm 12 hours in and it keeps getting better. Keep at it. :)
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JM, did u start out having a hard time with the thermals, and if so, did it get better for you? I think right now, I don't have much of an issue with them when he's got the controls, but when I have them I freak out if I hit one. I'm pretty sure it'll get better with time.
 
Funny you ask about thermals. On my 3rd lesson it was real warm and I thought I had the hang of controlling my altitude pretty good. We flew into my first thermal that literally shot my ALT up like 500+ ft. My instructor was laughing at me. "why cant you keep it at the same ALT?" blah blah.. It was strong enough that even idle it would rise. I couldn't believe it. I haven't experienced thermals since that day either, so I don't have much advise for you.
 
Definitely watch those towers 2 nm N. of 8A6.

I was sick the first few flights due to heat and turbulence, also only while I was flying. I like the longer 2-3 min videos. Enjoy your training this summer.
 
Corpsmaide said:
You will definitely get better at reacting to thermals. Your reflex skills will improve as well. Great vids!! How do you react in stalls? If you have not did any yet forgive me as I have for got if you have mentioned in previous posts.
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That was my first lesson, second time in a plane, so no stalls yet. I'll let you know when we get there!
 
JasonM said:
Funny you ask about thermals. On my 3rd lesson it was real warm and I thought I had the hang of controlling my altitude pretty good. We flew into my first thermal that literally shot my ALT up like 500+ ft. My instructor was laughing at me. "why cant you keep it at the same ALT?" blah blah.. It was strong enough that even idle it would rise. I couldn't believe it. I haven't experienced thermals since that day either, so I don't have much advise for you.
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Sinking on final flying into a hilltop airport will definitely get your attention too. Just remember that nice 10 kt headwind flows like water.
 
I will say one thing that puckered me up today actually. I was taking off and about 400' AGL and the plane suddenly banked really hard to the right. Like around 45 deg and I had the yoke turned to the left as far as it would go and nothing was happening for about 2 seconds, which felt like 10 minutes. I did remain calm, but inside it scared the crap out of me. I thought maybe a cable broke or something, then all of a sudden it regained control and straightened out. It was like the wind rolled me in a wave. Anyone have any idea what would cause that. Not wake turbulence either. no planes but me at that time.
 
that was fun to watch and made me smile.

in the future you'll really get a kick out of watching your first lesson and other flights like your first solo around the pattern, first solo flight away from the pattern, first solo xctry, etc.

If your CFI is okay and does not feel "uneasy" about having both audio and video recorded during some of the flight lessons, then that's great! you really can pick up on a number of things when reviewing your lesson that might take you a longer time to notice without it.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but for what it's worth, i'd say in-flight video can be reallyhelpful, but do not let it distract youfrom the normal pre-flight or in flight. Once set, forget that you have it (well, until after shutdown anywyas).

Good luck with your future lessons. I got my certificate in the latter part of last year and without a doubt it was my greatest personal accomplishment. So yeah, stick with it even when it gets a little more challenging or at times frustrating.

(you didn't look nervous to me; you should've seen the video of my first solo:D)
 
RV10flyer said:
Sinking on final flying into a hilltop airport will definitely get your attention too. Just remember that nice 10 kt headwind flows like water.
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I get that experience every landing as that is how my airport is. Also a nice valley right before the runway which causes the wind to drop you down a good bit. Pretty used to it now, but that was definitely not something I had expected. :)
 
Great videos, they can really help review your training flight. The only caution I would have is about Youtube, since the FAA has 60 days _from the time they become aware of_ an infraction to bring an enforcement action.

Lessons are probably safe to post though :)
 
Looks like you had fun.

Seems like a good instructor too.
 
iWantWings said:
....I know you didn't ask for advice, but for what it's worth, i'd say in-flight video can be reallyhelpful, but do not let it distract youfrom the normal pre-flight or in flight. Once set, forget that you have it (well, until after shutdown anywyas)....
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I totally agree....this takes me literally 6 seconds to slap this puppy up, then anther 3 second to turn it on during line up and wait. then it's completely forgotten about until engine shutdown.

and yes, re-watching the first lesson, I picked up on a bunch of things that really helped me out and kind of escaped my memory after the lesson.
 
BAD time to be messing with a camera. You're going to take off with the mixture still lean one of these times. Or perhaps turn the crosswind correction the wrong way. Or worse, not check final before crossing the hold short line. When taking the runway, your head must be COMPLETELY in the game. Do it earlier -- before reporting ready for takeoff -- or not at all.

Never rely on Tower to clear for you. It's not the controller's butt on the line.

I use line-up-and-wait time to double check configuration and take a last look at final.
 
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Turn it on before startup, then edit out the boring stuff later. It takes what? 30 seconds to taxi to the active at that airport? Not worth the hassle and the battery will last fine.

Also, don't forget it in the plane. It looks stupid if you do. ;)
 
ebykowsky said:
Turn it on before startup, then edit out the boring stuff later. It takes what? 30 seconds to taxi to the active at that airport? Not worth the hassle and the battery will last fine....
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haha, so, let me rephrase.......I take 6 seconds to put the camera up during my preflight check.....literally it's on a suction cup so it's a matter of sticking it to the window, no cables to install, nothing, SIX seconds tops. then, as we're taxiing, I hit record, another second. I don't know why I said 'line up and wait', it just seemed easier to type at the time.

Honestly, if I thought the camera diverted even a single second of actual 'pay attention' time, I wouldn't do it. it's a non-factor, and in my mind pays huge dividends by me being able to watch it again later and see what I did wrong.
 
OK, let me convince you a different way. You WILL forget to turn it on doing this. I agree there's no real danger in simply adding something to your runup that takes an instant, but there are so many things to do just before takeoff that "go pro on" can easily get lost. Having that happen is a real bummer when you think you've been recording. You'll never forget if you turn it on when you put it up. OTOH, it also sucks when the battery dies on short final of a solo xc. Ask me how I know :)
 
Interesting airport. It looks like you're taking off in the middle of a forest!:hairraise: I'm glad you had fun, and I'll second what everyone else said about video. Oh, and any CFI who uses the word "cognizant" is all right with me.:D
 
What kind of plane is that? As regards to the videos, they looked good and your CFI seems pretty cool. It's good that you can hear everything on the vids too instead of just engine noise.

Camerwise, establish an SOP for it, just like the other preflight or runup items and it will likely be fine.
 
Jeanie said:
What kind of plane is that? As regards to the videos, they looked good and your CFI seems pretty cool. It's good that you can hear everything on the vids too instead of just engine noise.

Camerwise, establish an SOP for it, just like the other preflight or runup items and it will likely be fine.
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it's a piper cherokee 140. as for the SOP, yeah, now that I think of it, when it actually comes time to put the headset on, that's when the camera power goes on. quick, easy, quick, set it and forget it.
 
ebykowsky said:
OK, let me convince you a different way. You WILL forget to turn it on doing this. I agree there's no real danger in simply adding something to your runup that takes an instant, but there are so many things to do just before takeoff that "go pro on" can easily get lost. Having that happen is a real bummer when you think you've been recording. You'll never forget if you turn it on when you put it up. OTOH, it also sucks when the battery dies on short final of a solo xc. Ask me how I know :)
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OK, I simply have to ask what the point of flying is for you.

A camera is hardly required equipment. It should be the FIRST thing jettisoned.

Aviate, navigate, communicate, and then consider nonessentials only if the workload is far from saturated. This is not the case during run-up, nor during or right before a takeoff. The point of a run-up is to find problems with your aircraft, not to go through a ritual. This is your last chance to spot a problem that might kill you.

This is very much like the usual sterile cockpit procedures. Discuss and even think only about things related to flight.

I don't want to hear that you got your camera working, but crashed the aircraft. Ever.

Watch this video and see if you can spot the configuration error. Hint: he's at a high altitude field. You can see it in the first 15 seconds, but only very briefly.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=835_1344412426
 
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If you make a mistake during flight from this day forward, you will remember it forever. If you don't believe me, just ask any pilot. I can tell you every single one. A camera would be nice for special occasions, although if I was a CFI, I would not want them in my plane. If you are in an accident it is just one more projectile with cords.
 
eman1200 said:
I totally agree....this takes me literally 6 seconds to slap this puppy up, then anther 3 second to turn it on during line up and wait. then it's completely forgotten about until engine shutdown.

and yes, re-watching the first lesson, I picked up on a bunch of things that really helped me out and kind of escaped my memory after the lesson.
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eman1200, i'm sorry i ever mentioned anything about the camera. The thread is morphing into something other than the excitment of your first lesson. Anythin you do is your decission.

I have filmed a number of my flight lessons and it was great for a number of reasons. It was no distraction and i do what u do.

You know what you're doing and are having a good time so keep at it.

The next trainer aircraft will have a "built-in" video recording LRU with multiple audio sources and no one will say "bad bad bad" ;)
 
MAKG1 said:
OK, I simply have to ask what the point of flying is for you.

A camera is hardly required equipment. It should be the FIRST thing jettisoned.

Aviate, navigate, communicate, and then consider nonessentials only if the workload is far from saturated. This is not the case during run-up, nor during or right before a takeoff. The point of a run-up is to find problems with your aircraft, not to go through a ritual. This is your last chance to spot a problem that might kill you.

This is very much like the usual sterile cockpit procedures. Discuss and even think only about things related to flight.

I don't want to hear that you got your camera working, but crashed the aircraft. Ever.

Watch this video and see if you can spot the configuration error. Hint: he's at a high altitude field. You can see it in the first 15 seconds, but only very briefly.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=835_1344412426
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Which is why I do it all before starting the plane, then I forget about it until the end. All I'm saying is I don't think that pushing one more button during runup would be all that distracting.
Cameras are nice, but I do not get caught up with them. If it doesn't work first time, I toss it back in the bag.
 
RV10flyer said:
If you make a mistake during flight from this day forward, you will remember it forever. If you don't believe me, just ask any pilot. I can tell you every single one. A camera would be nice for special occasions, although if I was a CFI, I would not want them in my plane. If you are in an accident it is just one more projectile with cords.
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Yup. Absolutely.

I can tell you most if not all my mistakes. The most expensive one was just recent -- not working out emergency transfer of controls with an instructor in advance. I aborted a takeoff (unplanned -- I didn't like how it was progressing) and the instructor jumped on the brakes along with me -- this guarantees locking them and I ruined a tire. A bit late, we agreed that a verbal "I got it" shall be used under emergency conditions with immediate deferral from the other party (me), FAA-style three-way transfer under non-emergency conditions.

The first significant mistake was attempting my first unassisted takeoff with no rudder input on rotation. The second significant mistake was not retracting flaps to 20 on a go-around from the flare in a 172. They don't climb that way on a hot day, and obstructions near the end of the runway got a little close.
 
Great video!
I love how he asked if you were scared, you said yes and he said good. Fear for me means focused. My CFI told me that after 10,000 hours, in his mind, that engine's gonna quit on take off and he's ready when it does.

I use a Drift HD170 camera that comes with a remote control that fits around my wrist. After the plane is preflighted, I secure the suction mount to the window, set up the angle and forget about it until we're both in the plane ready to start. I hit power on my sleeve and don't give it a thought until shutdown. Sterile cockpit in the 180 I train in, I don't even turn on the I fly GPS unit. My videos help me with procedures and sight pictures, but if they became a distraction, I could do without them.

Enjoy this experience! I'm only 14 hours in myself and having a ball.
 
thanks guys. I didn't realize this would be so controversial, so this will probably be my last post on videos. as long as my instructor and I know that my full attention is on flying, I'll just keep the vids to myself.
 
ebykowsky said:
Which is why I do it all before starting the plane, then I forget about it until the end. All I'm saying is I don't think that pushing one more button during runup would be all that distracting.
Cameras are nice, but I do not get caught up with them. If it doesn't work first time, I toss it back in the bag.
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I don't see a problem doing this before engine start, but run-up is the wrong time to take your attention from the airplane. Sometimes the airplane tries to tell you something then.
 
MAKG1 said:
...Watch this video and see if you can spot the configuration error. Hint: he's at a high altitude field. You can see it in the first 15 seconds, but only very briefly.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=835_1344412426
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Mixture looked full rich.

eman1200 said:
thanks guys. I didn't realize this would be so controversial, so this will probably be my last post on videos. as long as my instructor and I know that my full attention is on flying, I'll just keep the vids to myself.
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Eman its not controversial. On aviation boards if there isn't something controversial someone will come up with something. The slightest difference in opinion is enough to get things going. Keep posting videos if you think it helps you don't stop because someone here says its a problem. Rely on your CFI.

Now about the flight. Two things. 1) Sure looked like you were close as hell to the trees on the left. Are they that close or was it just the video angle?

2) From the video it looked like the CFI was flying the plane. Did he take off or did you?

Glad your enjoying it. Flight is a true gift. Keep soaring!
 
AdamZ said:
....Two things. 1) Sure looked like you were close as hell to the trees on the left. Are they that close or was it just the video angle?

2) From the video it looked like the CFI was flying the plane. Did he take off or did you?....
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trees are close but the vid makes them look closer.

that was my first lesson, so yeah, he took off and landed. Once we left the pattern, I did the rest.
 
8A6 40' X 2,835'

http://www.airnav.com/airport/8A6

- TALL STEEL TOWER 2 MILES FROM THR RY 17 APPROX 2000 FT RIGHT OF CNTRLN.
- ARPT CLSD TO PURE JET POWERED ACFT AND ULTRALIGHTS.
- 50 FT TREES WITHIN 80 FT OF CNTRLN BOTH SIDES.
- NUMEROUS OBSTNS WITHIN 60 FT FM CNTRLN 15 FT - 40 FT.
- DEER INVOF ARPT.

A good airport for crosswind landing and go-around practice.
 
iWantWings said:
eman1200, i'm sorry i ever mentioned anything about the camera. The thread is morphing into something other than the excitment of your first lesson. Anythin you do is your decission.

I have filmed a number of my flight lessons and it was great for a number of reasons. It was no distraction and i do what u do.

You know what you're doing and are having a good time so keep at it.

The next trainer aircraft will have a "built-in" video recording LRU with multiple audio sources and no one will say "bad bad bad" ;)
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I don't think you need to apologize. One of the great things about this site is that we can all learn from others who have far more experience than we do, whatever our particular question or circumstance might be. I think the concern about cameras in the cockpit is legitimate. Just as it is in courtrooms: the fear is, we behave differently if we know we're being recorded. If first and foremost you pay attention to flying the plane, then there's probably no problem. Still, I'm probably going to wait until I get my license before I start recording what I do.
 
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