Anxious: I even cancelled my flight lesson yesterday

[denverpilot]

Great points. I'm the type of person who likes to build an Excel spreadsheet to plan my vacations and major purchases, so I probably put too much emphasis on it.

You'll find a few others like that in aviation. You should see the spreadsheet I wrote up to decide if I should buy into the co-ownership of my plane. Haha.

Were the estimates about right? Yeah.

Could I have just looked at the local rental prices and then made some percentage assumptions and been just as accurate? Yeah.

 

[MAKG1]

I am 5'8" so I think I am OK with seeing. However, I am not sure if I have always had the seat in the same position every time. I usually only adjust it if my knees are hitting the yoke. I will try to pay more attention. Thanks for the other tips as well.

Depends on the airplane. You'll be fine in a 152. 8 year old kids are usually fine in 152s. Not so fine in a Warrior or especially a 182. A 172 is a "maybe."

Something else that will help you is to adjust the seat carefully so you get the same sight picture every time. What I like to do is put a closed fist on the glare shield and insist on seeing the nose two finger widths above the glare shield, on every airplane. In a 182, the seat has to be as high as it will go, and on the latest (G1000) models, I still need a cushion even at 6'3". That's a damn big instrument panel. In a 172, it's nearly all the way up for me with no cushion, so I think you're going to need something. But your own measurement wins, of course.

 

[Anthony]

I am 5'8"

Yes, but how much do you weigh?

 

[MIFlyer]

I didn't even know I had feet at 5 hours. You're doing fine. Haha.

thanks. it's a 180hp 172, so maybe a little more p-factor than a 150hp unit

I know i'll get it and so will the original poster.

I do think a flight with another instructor couldn't hurt her

 

[MAKG1]

thanks. it's a 180hp 172, so maybe a little more p-factor than a 150hp unit

I know i'll get it and so will the original poster.

I do think a flight with another instructor couldn't hurt her

Those are nice airplanes, but the P-factor is virtually identical to a 160 HP 172, unless it has a climb prop.

Try a Hawk XP or 182 if you want to exercise your right foot. Even better, a Grob 103. No P-factor at all there, but lots of adverse yaw to play with.

 

[eman1200]

Yes, but how much do you weigh?

DUDE!

whadya gonna do next, ask her to post a pic or something? sheesh!

 

[MIFlyer]

Those are nice airplanes, but the P-factor is virtually identical to a 160 HP 172, unless it has a climb prop.

Try a Hawk XP or 182 if you want to exercise your right foot. Even better, a Grob 103. No P-factor at all there, but lots of adverse yaw to play with.

thank you for the level set. I've taken a Cherokee 6 through rotation on touch and go, the 172 mentioned before and had light controls (sharing with CFI) on an SR20. The 172 was the hardest and the 6 was the easiest for me so far

 

[MAKG1]

thank you for the level set. I've taken a Cherokee 6 through rotation on touch and go, the 172 mentioned before and had light controls (sharing with CFI) on an SR20. The 172 was the hardest and the 6 was the easiest for me so far

I haven't flown a 6 yet, but an Archer doesn't take much right foot. It's not THAT different from a 172. However, all PA28s have rudder trim, and only some 172s do (and it's pretty sucky rudder trim).

If you like comparing models, you really should try a 182.

 

[jimson]

Hi Xcalibur girl.

I am a student and I feel this way about every other lesson. I am currently stuck on touch and go's. That's fine, the most important thing I think.

You will keep going and do fine because you want that accomplishment that so few have, not because they can't do it but because they don't want to put the effort in.

Listen to your instructor, he believes you can do it.

Ignore anyone who tells you it's time to rethink it.

You already know you are cut out for it because you have the one requirement, passion.

I found this at a corvair engine conversion site.
http://flycorvair.net/category/philosophy/

just substitute the word pilot for builder etc.

In the years that you will work on your creation, you will have at least 200 people tell you that you are doing the wrong thing. you should quit. This will not just be in the form of a coworker or a brother in law calling your creation a ‘death trap’ repeatedly. It will also come in the form of other fliers who are EAA members, but would never even fly in a homebuilt, far less create one, telling you just to buy a plane, to give up on self reliant craftsmanship, just because they did.

.

When people offer you this unsolicited advice, trying to have you quit, think of a man, with a destroyed reputation, with no one looking for him, held captive and tortured in the jungle for years with out a single act of kindness or human compassion shown to him, not a single friendly word spoken to him. All he had was his inner belief that he was on the right path. Politely nod and ignore them, and to yourself think “My name is “ and “I am a Homebuilder.”


I'll make you a deal. If you stick with it, I will too.

 

[AuntPeggy]

Those are nice airplanes, but the P-factor is virtually identical to a 160 HP 172, unless it has a climb prop.

Try a Hawk XP or 182 if you want to exercise your right foot. Even better, a Grob 103. No P-factor at all there, but lots of adverse yaw to play with.

I sure noticed the rudder difference needed on takeoff between a 180 hp C-172 and a 160 hp one. Not so much on landing, though.

 

[woodchucker]

Get a room, or start your own thread.... this isn't helping the OP!

For the OP, I'm just over a year now after getting my ticket. Much of what you have said resonated with my own feelings during training. To be honest, the whole training regime really isn't all that much "fun". It's hard work. After every lesson it felt like I had run a marathon.... well....let's be frank. For me that would be equivalent to stumbling up the stairs to visit the fridge. In any case, just like any training, the mental and physical focus can drain the fun from it. Once you solo all of that melts away. It's just you and the machine and the sky.

So, what's your status? Have you flown with a different cfi? Stage check? Solo? Spill the beans!

 

[murphey]

You'll find a few others like that in aviation. You should see the spreadsheet I wrote up to decide if I should buy into the co-ownership of my plane. Haha.

Back in 2010 I got invited to a flyin at Edwards AFB. Did all sorts of planning, had the charts, freqs, etc....got in the airplane with an ATP and a MEII and the MEII in front said "go that way". Huh? All that planning (which really was fun) went into baggage area, (other than the airport charts) never to be seen again.

That-a-way.

 

[denverpilot]

Back in 2010 I got invited to a flyin at Edwards AFB. Did all sorts of planning, had the charts, freqs, etc....got in the airplane with an ATP and a MEII and the MEII in front said "go that way". Huh? All that planning (which really was fun) went into baggage area, (other than the airport charts) never to be seen again.

That-a-way.

ROFL. Knowing who those two people were makes that even funnier. I can see them saying that. Haha.

 

[XcaliburGirl]

Hi Xcalibur girl.

I am a student and I feel this way about every other lesson. I am currently stuck on touch and go's. That's fine, the most important thing I think.

You will keep going and do fine because you want that accomplishment that so few have, not because they can't do it but because they don't want to put the effort in.

Listen to your instructor, he believes you can do it.

Ignore anyone who tells you it's time to rethink it.

You already know you are cut out for it because you have the one requirement, passion.

I found this at a corvair engine conversion site.
http://flycorvair.net/category/philosophy/

just substitute the word pilot for builder etc.

In the years that you will work on your creation, you will have at least 200 people tell you that you are doing the wrong thing. you should quit. This will not just be in the form of a coworker or a brother in law calling your creation a ‘death trap’ repeatedly. It will also come in the form of other fliers who are EAA members, but would never even fly in a homebuilt, far less create one, telling you just to buy a plane, to give up on self reliant craftsmanship, just because they did.

.

When people offer you this unsolicited advice, trying to have you quit, think of a man, with a destroyed reputation, with no one looking for him, held captive and tortured in the jungle for years with out a single act of kindness or human compassion shown to him, not a single friendly word spoken to him. All he had was his inner belief that he was on the right path. Politely nod and ignore them, and to yourself think “My name is “ and “I am a Homebuilder.”


I'll make you a deal. If you stick with it, I will too.

Sound like a plan.

Get a room, or start your own thread.... this isn't helping the OP!

For the OP, I'm just over a year now after getting my ticket. Much of what you have said resonated with my own feelings during training. To be honest, the whole training regime really isn't all that much "fun". It's hard work. After every lesson it felt like I had run a marathon.... well....let's be frank. For me that would be equivalent to stumbling up the stairs to visit the fridge. In any case, just like any training, the mental and physical focus can drain the fun from it. Once you solo all of that melts away. It's just you and the machine and the sky.

So, what's your status? Have you flown with a different cfi? Stage check? Solo? Spill the beans!

It's good to hear that it gets better. I think wondering if it will is one thing that has been bugging me.
No updates yet. Between work and an out of state trip this weekend, my next flight isn't until the 10th.

 

[eman1200]

.....No updates yet. Between work and an out of state trip this weekend, my next flight isn't until the 10th.

Do you typically have big gaps between lessons? This could also be a source of aggravation. You end up relearning a lot of stuff the less you fly. Just a thought.

 

[XcaliburGirl]

Do you typically have big gaps between lessons? This could also be a source of aggravation. You end up relearning a lot of stuff the less you fly. Just a thought.

Not until recently. I was doing twice a week over the summer while I still had 2015 vacation time from work and I had pretty good luck with weather for a while. September has been a problem due to fog and my cancellation, I only flew once. October is also shot, I will get two flights if I am lucky.

I keep reading recommendations to fly more often, but I don't know how else to do it with a full time job. Once 2016 hits, I can go back to flying more often by taking time off during the week.

 

[exncsurfer]

Not until recently. I was doing twice a week over the summer while I still had 2015 vacation time from work and I had pretty good luck with weather for a while. September has been a problem due to fog and my cancellation, I only flew once. October is also shot, I will get two flights if I am lucky.

I keep reading recommendations to fly more often, but I don't know how else to do it with a full time job. Once 2016 hits, I can go back to flying more often by taking time off during the week.

Reduced frequency has the opposite effect for me, related to any sort of stress. Skills erode some, but my anticipation goes up. If I have to have a couple weeks off, it's like Christmas eve when I finally get scheduled and the day rolls around. (then it rains on my parade, literally!(tomorrow!))

 

[MIFlyer]

I sure noticed the rudder difference needed on takeoff between a 180 hp C-172 and a 160 hp one. Not so much on landing, though.

my landing is just sloppy, but thanks for the heads up on take off rudder inputs

 

[Anthony]

"Quantity has a Quality all its own." Fly A LOT.

 

[XcaliburGirl]

Reduced frequency has the opposite effect for me, related to any sort of stress. Skills erode some, but my anticipation goes up. If I have to have a couple weeks off, it's like Christmas eve when I finally get scheduled and the day rolls around. (then it rains on my parade, literally!(tomorrow!))

Yeah, I kind of feel like maybe twice a week, plus for a while I was studying daily, almost gave me a sense of being burned out.

Once a week seems ideal for me personally, but then that pesky weather ruins it, like you said.

 

[MAKG1]

Yeah, I kind of feel like maybe twice a week, plus for a while I was studying daily, almost gave me a sense of being burned out.

Once a week seems ideal for me personally, but then that pesky weather ruins it, like you said.

Where are you flying? Odds are, SOMEone around here is close by.

I found that flying in other contexts, especially right or back seat, helped get the stress level WAY down. Including work-like things such as CAP search and rescue.

The real big eye opener was flying jumpseat at work, in the 747, while I was a student pilot. Pro crews really do all the stuff we're told to do as students, such as checklists, towered and non towered procedures, etc. I wish that were possible for everyone, as it was the single most valuable lesson I had as a student (even though it wasn't a lesson). We fly part 91, so I can go in the flight deck in flight!

 

[simtech]

I keep reading recommendations to fly more often, but I don't know how else to do it with a full time job. Once 2016 hits, I can go back to flying more often by taking time off during the week.

I also work full time during my training. I flew before work mostly because my shift starts at 4pm. So I flew 9am two times during the week and usually once on the weekend. My CFI at the time was working with another guy at the same time and he flew at 630 am then went to work. Those are some options as well as after work, or if your close enough during your lunch break. There is always a way. The more you fly the less anxiety you will have.

 

[MAKG1]

I also work full time during my training. I flew before work mostly because my shift starts at 4pm. So I flew 9am two times during the week and usually once on the weekend. My CFI at the time was working with another guy at the same time and he flew at 630 am then went to work. Those are some options as well as after work, or if your close enough during your lunch break. There is always a way. The more you fly the less anxiety you will have.

There is much to be said for that.

I used comp time heavily to fly twice per week. Basically, I did a half day Wednesdays, and an extra hour every other day. That made lots of time Wednesday afternoons to take my time.

It sucked around solo, because it was summer and the wind tended to pick up every afternoon. I probably could have cut significant time off my training if all the pre solo work was done earlier in the day. But now, light-turbulent approaches don't scare me much, 'cause that's just how it's done on the bayshore.

 

[mscard88]

Great advice and suggestions for ExcaliburGirl. As a CFI, flying a couple times a week seems to work best for most students. Having too long of a layoff between lessons, in my experience, ends up having to repeat much of the previous lesson. Mixing in a XC before solo not that big of a deal unless the student becomes too overloaded. I agree a fun flight now and then might be beneficial and refresh the student. I hope she sticks with it. Good luck!

 

[N801BH]

Great advice and suggestions for ExcaliburGirl. As a CFI, flying a couple times a week seems to work best for most students. Having too long of a layoff between lessons, in my experience, ends up having to repeat much of the previous lesson. Mixing in a XC before solo not that big of a deal unless the student becomes too overloaded. I agree a fun flight now and then might be beneficial and refresh the student. I hope she sticks with it. Good luck!

First post....

Welcome to POA...

 

[mscard88]

Thank ya, thank ya very much! (best Elvis voice)