Bored.

Cajun_Flyer said:
I kept hearing my instructor in my head... "make the plane do what you want"... so, I did.
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I'd say you're ahead of the game (or, at least ahead of where I was at that point in my flying). It took me a long time to gain the confidence to be "assertive" with the controls. One day (after my PPL) I was out with my instructor practicing crosswinds just beyond my comfort level and it finally clicked and I was like "Ohhhh, that's what he's been trying to get me to do! Now I get this whole 'make the airplane do what you want' business..."
 
After my primary checkride, the FIRST thing I did was fly the family on a very nice local $100 burger. After that, I got landings DOWN, including with gusty winds up to 25 knots, and on very narrow and very wide runways. Also, I started combining takeoff and landing techniques, such as a soft field takeoff in a moderate crosswind (use a wide runway!). Then, expanded it to include runways in mountainous terrain (initially at low altitude, then higher). Landing on a ridgetop runway in the wind is quite different from landing in the flats, even at 1000 MSL.

There is lots you can do. A private pilot checkride means you're consistently safe, not that you're really good.
 
Congrats @Cajun_Flyer! After my PPL I took about 6 months off from active training and just flew around having fun. I did start my instrument rating in that period, but tabled it because I didn't want to bother with it.

After that I did my instrument, took time off then did my commercial.

Find some good $100 burger joints an hour or so away and have at it. I took trips to NC to visit family, Savannah for vacation, Boca Raton, Key West, etc..and every single one was good experience.

Challenge yourself with small runways, grass strips and unfamiliar fields. You can also get involved in Young Eagles with EAA (I did), or Pilots & Paws.

So many doors are now open to you, and it truly is a license to learn. Enjoy it!
 
MAKG1 said:
After my primary checkride, the FIRST thing I did was fly the family on a very nice local $100 burger. After that, I got landings DOWN, including with gusty winds up to 25 knots...
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The wind yesterday was 15G26 knots (gusts varied between 19-26). My CFI was initally really peeved at me for going up, but at the time we left, it wasn't that bad and the xwind component was only 7 kts. When we came back to the airport to do the no flap, soft and short field t/os and landings after completing all the maneuvers, the winds had increased and shifted to a 40 degree angle to the runway. He thought he was going to have to issue a discontinuance. I was feeling really strong and confident, though, and wanted to at least give it a shot. So, while I flew the plane, he shot PIREPs to the tower about the winds. First landing was a no flap. I came in sideways angled straight into the wind (based on the wind sock), then put my right wing down and straightened it all up at the last minute. Landed on the right wheel first, then smoothed it out. I noticed during final approach that he had put his hands up by the controls. He later admitted that he thought he was going to have to save the landing, but then I nailed it. After he touched down, he actually sounded a little confused... "that was, uh... wow, that was great!" So, we went up again and tried the next one - soft field. Nailed that one too. The last one was a short field over an obstacle. This one I did really great on until after we touched down. Got caught with a gust and had trouble getting back straight. He jumped in and helped and I worried I just failed myself. We got off the runway and he goes, "Those were the best crosswind landings I've ever seen!!" I assume he meant by a student. For someone with over 20,000 hours, it was a huge compliment! I taxied back, shut down the plane and got the "Congratulations, you're a Private Pilot" handshake :D

My CFI texted me earlier that the examiner was still gushing over my xwind landings this morning!! :)

So, first thing I'm doing - my parents are coming in town this weekend. Going to take my dad down to Martha's Vineyard on Father's Day!
 
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In my defense with the wind too - out of the 55 or so hours it took me accomplish my PPC, I bet less than 10 of those hours were on calm wind days. I've had a lot of crosswind training and even went up on Monday with my CFI during winds just as bad as yesterday.
 
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That's great, but be really careful here. Can you depend on landings that good every time? Maybe you can, and nailing it with an examiner is very good, but it's the one time with a kid in the back seat whining about how he really really really has to pee and ooh look at the pretty deer that will get you.

Complacency can kill. You're a very low time pilot. I'm not all that high time either, but I have several times the hours you do, and I take my landings quite seriously. I've pulled a few greasers out of my butt, but I did a go-around less than a month ago because I didn't like the way the approach was working. It was challenging, with gusty winds and changing tide (the water makes for nonuniform sink), and a flock of seagulls that really liked hanging out in the touchdown zone (had to land long, on a not-very-long runway). Oh, and the CAP Wing (state) head of pilot evaluation was in the right seat.
 
MAKG1 said:
That's great, but be really careful here. Can you depend on landings that good every time? Maybe you can, and nailing it with an examiner is very good, but it's the one time with a kid in the back seat whining about how he really really really has to pee and ooh look at the pretty deer that will get you.

Complacency can kill. You're a very low time pilot. I'm not all that high time either, but I have several times the hours you do, and I take my landings quite seriously. I've pulled a few greasers out of my butt, but I did a go-around less than a month ago because I didn't like the way the approach was working. It was challenging, with gusty winds and changing tide (the water makes for nonuniform sink), and a flock of seagulls that really liked hanging out in the touchdown zone (had to land long, on a not-very-long runway).
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Trust me, I know. If the winds had been gusting that high or at that angle before we went up, I wouldn't have gone. When we came in on the first one, we had clearance for the option - as we both assumed we'd likely have to do a full stop and continue another day. I just happened to get it down... I think out of sheer determination. So we tried for a second one... then the third (final). I've had to do several go arounds due to winds and definitely prefer calmer wind days. Now that I have my ticket, I won't be going out in gusty weather unless I'm with another pilot. Not because I don't think I could handle it, but because I don't think it would be fun. And I just want to have fun for a while.
 
Congrats! As a reward for earning my PPL I took an 8 lesson intro to aerobatics course, it was great fun! Loops, rolls, snaps, split S, spins, etc. Really helped boost my confidence. Then I worked on my solo hours so I could start instrument training. Find a flying buddy for local trips and burger runs, it splits the costs and you learn interesting things flying with other pilots.

Also, you being in New England, go to cool places that are a pain in the butt to get to in a car. Block, Martha's, Nantucket, the cape, eastern LI, Acadia, etc.
 
You don't know what your personal crosswind limit is until you hit it. :eek:
 
mjburian said:
I'd say you're ahead of the game (or, at least ahead of where I was at that point in my flying). It took me a long time to gain the confidence to be "assertive" with the controls. One day (after my PPL) I was out with my instructor practicing crosswinds just beyond my comfort level and it finally clicked and I was like "Ohhhh, that's what he's been trying to get me to do! Now I get this whole 'make the airplane do what you want' business..."
Click to expand...
Another way of putting it is "Don't be a passenger" (when you're the pilot at the controls).
 
I'd encourage the OP to take some members of her family flying except for the sentiments expressed in one of her previous posts. So instead I say take a trip. It's what airplanes are there for. Decide on somewhere fun and go. Just have some flexibility on departure and arrival dates.
 
steingar said:
I'd encourage the OP to take some members of her family flying except for the sentiments expressed in one of her previous posts...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't see my husband ever flying with me. Maybe, but very doubtful. Got him to go up with me and my instructor once, but think that's as good as it's going to get. The good news is that he doesn't give me a hard time about flying anymore and seemed genuinely happy for me yesterday.
 
Don't give up. Maybe you won't fly to Martha's Vineyard together this weekend but eventually even the most reticent spouses realize that flying somewhere together can be both convenient and romantic. That's a combination that most men can appreciate.
 
I'm not sure I'd recommend a fly-in so quickly. When the AOPA fly-in came to Salinas, it had a five page NOTAM with very complex procedures including VFR holding patterns. That's a lot to ask of a new pilot.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Yeah, I don't see my husband ever flying with me. Maybe, but very doubtful. Got him to go up with me and my instructor once, but think that's as good as it's going to get. The good news is that he doesn't give me a hard time about flying anymore and seemed genuinely happy for me yesterday.
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Time to get rid of him. My ex-wife hated airplanes. Go do an aerobatics/tailwheel course and come over to the dark side. I was bored with flying at about 100hrs and then discovered a whole new world looking out the skylight at the ground. Congrats and have fun. Don
 
The first time I did a power off stall with my instructor, I let out a little scream. Not a big one, just enough for my pride to take a hit and for him to make fun of me over it for several lessons thereafter. The last time I did one with my instructor, I did it nice and solid... got a good drop and totally waited to recover a hair longer than needed to enjoy. I screamed again - but this time it was more of a "yeehaw, let's do that again!" scream. How far I've come!
So, yeah, aerobatics are DEFINITELY in my future :)
 
congratulations.
How many hours you required to do this?
How was your experience?
 
Kim Smith said:
congratulations.
How many hours you required to do this?
How was your experience?
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It took me as many hours as I needed! :)

Honestly, I'm not sure... haven't made the final tally. Somewhere in the upper 50s, I think.

As for my experience? Completely and totally amazing. Everything about it. Even the bad stuff, because it was pushing through the bad stuff that made me both a better pilot and better able to appreciate all the good stuff. I was very lucky to have a great CFI, although it took me weeding threw a couple duds to get to him. Any lessor of an instructor and I don't know that I'd have made it this far - and I certainly wouldn't have made it with the level of skills and confidence I came away with. The school was fantastic as well. Expensive, but nothing about flying is cheap anyway. The people there were great... from their cranky, but warm-hearted manager to their tough, but fair examiner. Not a bad place to learn out of. The planes were kept in fantastic condition, which I probably wouldn't have appreciated as much had I not started at a school with planes in not as great condition. The airport was very busy, but it certainly shredded any ATC anxiety I may have had early on. It was sink or swim. I finally made a visit up to the control tower one day to meet the wizards behind the curtain - they were all great as well.

It was all a very positive experience and I'm very blessed to have had it.

Now for the real fun!
 
Congrats, Cajun!

And as for next, I'd recommend (what else) gliding!
Of all the different category aircraft I've flown and am rated in, nothing comes close.
 
eman1200 said:
congrats!! not on being straight, but on nailing the checkride!
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Congrats on both the checkride and being straight!:D

Cajun_Flyer said:
My CFI texted me earlier that the examiner was still gushing over my xwind landings this morning!! :)

So, first thing I'm doing - my parents are coming in town this weekend. Going to take my dad down to Martha's Vineyard on Father's Day!
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If I was your father, I'd take pride in being your first passenger. My son was my first passenger when he was 10.

Sounds like you did great in high winds. Don't be afraid of them. Worse case scenario, you land somewhere else and wait them out. I did a night flight years ago where winds were supposed to be calm all night. After being at the nearby Class C doing stop and goes, winds kicked up to 45-55 knots heading home. Field AWOS reported direct cross 24G29 which I've done in the daytime, but not at night. All my highwind landings are "look sees", low approach if things are great go ahead and land, if not go around or somewhere else. On approach at 200 feet I suddenly lost 100 feet altitude, if that was near or during flare it'd have been ugly, rechecked AWOS and winds were 45-60 knots there a minute after the first wind check. Went to the next town (no winds), tied down at midnight and set alarm for 530am ... flew home in still air with plenty of time to get to work.
 
When it comes to winds also watch out that they don't change between the time you get the weather and when you land. Years ago I once had a really ugly landing in Santa Fe KSAF. The reported weather from the ATIS was light winds from the south. There were a few planes coming in including an AA flight so I was vectored around a bit then came in. On short final the tower gave me a wind check and the winds had really kicked up and changed and it was now a pretty stiff gusting 20-30 knot crosswind coming from the east (I was landing south). In retrospect I should have gone around and requested the runway more aligned with the wind and it was not a pretty landing. I survived, no damage, but that taught me a good lesson.
 
Holy crap. 4 pages in and not one mention of beer. Didn't you say the first thing you would do is have a beer. There's your answer. Congrats pilot
 
mulligan said:
Holy crap. 4 pages in and not one mention of beer. Didn't you say the first thing you would do is have a beer. There's your answer. Congrats pilot
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Think she mentioned the beer in another thread, I think. Cajun did say she was gonna chill in this thread. That would mean beer, well, to me it would.
 
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mulligan said:
Holy crap. 4 pages in and not one mention of beer. Didn't you say the first thing you would do is have a beer. There's your answer. Congrats pilot
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Well maybe the rest of us assumed she had the obligatory post checkride beer. We do give her some credit. :cool:
 
Guys, guys, guys... come on. It's like you don't even know me at all. :/ All because I've been too exhausted post-checkride to write up the experience, doesn't mean I didn't immediately beeline to the nearest bar the second I was back groundside... geez. Although I will admit, out of respect, I held off on my first beer until my CFI could join me about an hour later. Also, I didn't trust myself not to get tanked before he could make it there. ;)

In the meantime, I pounded a really large, greasy plate of... God, I don't even remember... I know there was bacon involved. It was all kind of a blur. I hadn't eaten since the night before. I sat there scarfing my food down in a way that I can only imagine wasn't very ladylike (the bar coincidentally cleared out) and flurry-texted everyone I could think of the good news... because, well, pilots love nothing more than announcing to all that they are pilots and I didn't want to waste a second getting on that. Eventually one of my texts was from my CFI saying he was there. My first beer lasted about 2.3 seconds. I think my instructor made some kind of comment about how fast I drank it, but I didn't really take it in because I was already getting busy on my second one.
 
bikert said:
When it comes to winds also watch out that they don't change between the time you get the weather and when you land. Years ago I once had a really ugly landing in Santa Fe KSAF. The reported weather from the ATIS was light winds from the south. There were a few planes coming in including an AA flight so I was vectored around a bit then came in. On short final the tower gave me a wind check and the winds had really kicked up and changed and it was now a pretty stiff gusting 20-30 knot crosswind coming from the east (I was landing south). In retrospect I should have gone around and requested the runway more aligned with the wind and it was not a pretty landing. I survived, no damage, but that taught me a good lesson.
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That's what a windsock is for. I am amazed at the number of pilots just listen to ATIS/AWOS and never look at the windsock or know how to interpret it. Don
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Guys, guys, guys... come on. It's like you don't even know me at all. :/ All because I've been too exhausted post-checkride to write up the experience, doesn't mean I didn't immediately beeline to the nearest bar the second I was back groundside... geez. Although I will admit, out of respect, I held off on my first beer until my CFI could join me about an hour later. Also, I didn't trust myself not to get tanked before he could make it there. ;)

In the meantime, I pounded a really large, greasy plate of... God, I don't even remember... I know there was bacon involved. It was all kind of a blur. I hadn't eaten since the night before. I sat there scarfing my food down in a way that I can only imagine wasn't very ladylike (the bar coincidentally cleared out) and flurry-texted everyone I could think of the good news... because, well, pilots love nothing more than announcing to all that they are pilots and I didn't want to waste a second getting on that. Eventually one of my texts was from my CFI saying he was there. My first beer lasted about 2.3 seconds. I think my instructor made some kind of comment about how fast I drank it, but I didn't really take it in because I was already getting busy on my second one.
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You did just fine..... :cool:
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Yeah, I don't see my husband ever flying with me. Maybe, but very doubtful. Got him to go up with me and my instructor once, but think that's as good as it's going to get. The good news is that he doesn't give me a hard time about flying anymore and seemed genuinely happy for me yesterday.
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That's awesome news.

Cajun_Flyer said:
Guys, guys, guys... come on. It's like you don't even know me at all. :/ All because I've been too exhausted post-checkride to write up the experience, doesn't mean I didn't immediately beeline to the nearest bar the second I was back groundside... geez. Although I will admit, out of respect, I held off on my first beer until my CFI could join me about an hour later. Also, I didn't trust myself not to get tanked before he could make it there. ;)

In the meantime, I pounded a really large, greasy plate of... God, I don't even remember... I know there was bacon involved. It was all kind of a blur. I hadn't eaten since the night before. I sat there scarfing my food down in a way that I can only imagine wasn't very ladylike (the bar coincidentally cleared out) and flurry-texted everyone I could think of the good news... because, well, pilots love nothing more than announcing to all that they are pilots and I didn't want to waste a second getting on that. Eventually one of my texts was from my CFI saying he was there. My first beer lasted about 2.3 seconds. I think my instructor made some kind of comment about how fast I drank it, but I didn't really take it in because I was already getting busy on my second one.
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Hahahahaha that's such a universal thing it's always funny to read and remember when we all did it too.

I'm going to toss my opinion in the ring that you head out sometime for a really long trip. Beyond the standard 250nm circuit that everyone's doing in the area for their Commercials or whatever even. Those really long flights that last a whole day and you either get there or you don't because you got weathered into some Podunk place you otherwise never would have given a second thought, relate some of the best memories and the best weather flying training you can get before the Instrument rating, and frankly, they help you realize when you do get the instrument that the weather decisions just got harder, not easier.

Plus the planning and anticipation and goal-oriented nature (as long as you always say you'll just land and wait it out if Mother Nature's plan for the weather doesn't match the forecaster's guesses, even if it means sleeping on a beat up old FBO couch somewhere or cooling your heels for four or five hours at some crop duster strip in north Texas while the haze lifts and burns off, makes for a great way to feel like there's a goal in mind again.

Just give yourself plenty of wiggle room on the schedule to alleviate get-home-itis, and don't paint yourself into a corner with work obligations or something similar. Get folks used to the whole, "If I can't make it back, I'm on the ground and safe and I'll call you and let you know and I'll see you the next day, or even another day later..." idea now. (It might take your husband a while to get it. Ramp it up slowly, but make sure he knows it's a possibility on a longer trip. An alive pilot in a hotel room a few hundred miles away is better than a dead one who made it to a few miles from home.)

Seeing certain things from the air is totally amazing. I highly recommend the desert southwest. The route from ABQ to Las Vegas is stellar for scenery for example.

Set out for points unknown far away. It's really a lot of fun and teaches the positives and limitations of both you and the airplane. You get to practice all of those cross country planning and flying skills and see new stuff and all that. Sometimes you find things you'd never expect.

That GoFlyAmerica thing was nifty, but gone for now, but it got me to look at nearby airports and notice that nobody had landed at a Podunk little field in Calhan, CO. Dirt strip so a lot of renters can't, for club reasons about unimproved airfields and what not, but I could. So I looked at the AFD and started planning and saw, "AstroTurf" listed as part of the runway environment.

What?! AstroTurf?!

Sure enough. A small portion of the runway is covered in AstroTurf. I had to go see this in person so I hopped in the 182 and headed over to take a low look at the condition of the dirt ( not great ) and obstacles ( also not great but doable ) and landed and rolled out to the end with the plastic green stuff. Took a photo or two for GFA and myself and had a ball seeing and using a partial AstroTurf runway.

All sorts of interesting stuff like that out there to find and see.

Some stuff you'll never forget. Breaking down at your first remote airport, massive runways with not a soul around anywhere and a key for a courtesy car hanging on the wall, big city feeder airports that treat everyone like kings and queens complete with red carpet even if they show up in a tiny two seater and can only buy a paltry small tank of fuel in gratitude, horrible food in airport vending machines, great food you'd think the grillmaster was a Michelin rated chef to make at a lowly airport diner (I once had to deviate in Texas and ended up at some airport I don't even remember that just happened to have the town's best and only Chinese restaurant in the terminal building -- that was weird and unexpected and damned convenient since my wife was with me and hungry!)....

Just all sorts of stuff. Not to mention the nutty menagerie of self serve fuel pumps you'll have to figure out. Haha.

Two things. If you head west, learn how to use tiedown chains properly before you come, carry some tiedown ropes in the airplane on any long trip, sometimes they're just non-existent, and try to pick airports with some services at first, it's just a little easier if there's a front desk person and a courtesy car, and a hint on where to go for a decent meal in town. Save the middle of nowhere no services airports for later. You'll end up at one due to a weather divert sooner or later, but no reason to hurry that one along!

Also with airport security having changed a bit since I started flying I recommend finding out how to get back to the plane both during and after business hours if you're prone to flying at night. We all used to just hop the airport fence if we got back late from dinner, but these days you might have some flat-top with a sidearm lighting you up with a spotlight in Podunk America somewhere doing that.

That's all I can think of. Trip. Long trip. Plan it extensively (you'll over plan it, that's fine. You figure it out as you do it more that you don't need to...) and head out.

It's a blast. Even when something comes up that sucks lik a breakdown and a car rental and leaving the airplane for a week to get parts and fix it...honestly, it's not as bad as it sounds!
 
I guess by not drinking beer (or any alcohol to speak of) I am not a PILOT.
 
denverpilot said:
That's awesome news.



Hahahahaha that's such a universal thing it's always funny to read and remember when we all did it too.

I'm going to toss my opinion in the ring that you head out sometime for a really long trip. Beyond the standard 250nm circuit that everyone's doing in the area for their Commercials or whatever even. Those really long flights that last a whole day and you either get there or you don't because you got weathered into some Podunk place you otherwise never would have given a second thought, relate some of the best memories and the best weather flying training you can get before the Instrument rating, and frankly, they help you realize when you do get the instrument that the weather decisions just got harder, not easier.

Plus the planning and anticipation and goal-oriented nature (as long as you always say you'll just land and wait it out if Mother Nature's plan for the weather doesn't match the forecaster's guesses, even if it means sleeping on a beat up old FBO couch somewhere or cooling your heels for four or five hours at some crop duster strip in north Texas while the haze lifts and burns off, makes for a great way to feel like there's a goal in mind again.

Just give yourself plenty of wiggle room on the schedule to alleviate get-home-itis, and don't paint yourself into a corner with work obligations or something similar. Get folks used to the whole, "If I can't make it back, I'm on the ground and safe and I'll call you and let you know and I'll see you the next day, or even another day later..." idea now. (It might take your husband a while to get it. Ramp it up slowly, but make sure he knows it's a possibility on a longer trip. An alive pilot in a hotel room a few hundred miles away is better than a dead one who made it to a few miles from home.)

Seeing certain things from the air is totally amazing. I highly recommend the desert southwest. The route from ABQ to Las Vegas is stellar for scenery for example.

Set out for points unknown far away. It's really a lot of fun and teaches the positives and limitations of both you and the airplane. You get to practice all of those cross country planning and flying skills and see new stuff and all that. Sometimes you find things you'd never expect.

That GoFlyAmerica thing was nifty, but gone for now, but it got me to look at nearby airports and notice that nobody had landed at a Podunk little field in Calhan, CO. Dirt strip so a lot of renters can't, for club reasons about unimproved airfields and what not, but I could. So I looked at the AFD and started planning and saw, "AstroTurf" listed as part of the runway environment.

What?! AstroTurf?!

Sure enough. A small portion of the runway is covered in AstroTurf. I had to go see this in person so I hopped in the 182 and headed over to take a low look at the condition of the dirt ( not great ) and obstacles ( also not great but doable ) and landed and rolled out to the end with the plastic green stuff. Took a photo or two for GFA and myself and had a ball seeing and using a partial AstroTurf runway.

All sorts of interesting stuff like that out there to find and see.

Some stuff you'll never forget. Breaking down at your first remote airport, massive runways with not a soul around anywhere and a key for a courtesy car hanging on the wall, big city feeder airports that treat everyone like kings and queens complete with red carpet even if they show up in a tiny two seater and can only buy a paltry small tank of fuel in gratitude, horrible food in airport vending machines, great food you'd think the grillmaster was a Michelin rated chef to make at a lowly airport diner (I once had to deviate in Texas and ended up at some airport I don't even remember that just happened to have the town's best and only Chinese restaurant in the terminal building -- that was weird and unexpected and damned convenient since my wife was with me and hungry!)....

Just all sorts of stuff. Not to mention the nutty menagerie of self serve fuel pumps you'll have to figure out. Haha.

Two things. If you head west, learn how to use tiedown chains properly before you come, carry some tiedown ropes in the airplane on any long trip, sometimes they're just non-existent, and try to pick airports with some services at first, it's just a little easier if there's a front desk person and a courtesy car, and a hint on where to go for a decent meal in town. Save the middle of nowhere no services airports for later. You'll end up at one due to a weather divert sooner or later, but no reason to hurry that one along!

Also with airport security having changed a bit since I started flying I recommend finding out how to get back to the plane both during and after business hours if you're prone to flying at night. We all used to just hop the airport fence if we got back late from dinner, but these days you might have some flat-top with a sidearm lighting you up with a spotlight in Podunk America somewhere doing that.

That's all I can think of. Trip. Long trip. Plan it extensively (you'll over plan it, that's fine. You figure it out as you do it more that you don't need to...) and head out.

It's a blast. Even when something comes up that sucks lik a breakdown and a car rental and leaving the airplane for a week to get parts and fix it...honestly, it's not as bad as it sounds!
Click to expand...

I feel like you are trying to tell me there's no reason to be bored! ;)
 
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