AdamZ
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
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- 14,866
- Location
- Montgomery County PA
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Display name:
Adam Zucker
I have an acquaintance I know as a service provider to local attorneys ( not necessarily important other than to preface the conversation) Anyway today I hired this person to do some work for a case I was working on and we began to speak about aviation. This person is a student pilot and has bounced somethings off me from time to time. (Hereinafter "Student")
I had invited student to the Wings fly-b-q as they train at another local field. Student couldn't make it b/c they were doing a solo XC that day. Today in court student tells me they had a bad situation on the solo XC I instinctively told student If they learned something from the situation to consider it a positive.
I may have spoken to soon. Student relates to me that on the solo XC they got lost. OK no biggie that happens to a lot of folks. Then student tells me they flew 25 miles beyond the destination airport and busts the expanded P-40 by one mile but does not realize the bust until they get back to the home field. Apparently after going 1 mile into P-40 Student by shear luck decides that at that point to turn around and go fly home without landing at intended destination so no XC. Student goes on to tell me that they think they then busted the Philly Bravo on the way back home. Student told me Philly approach helped student get back home but didn't say anything about busting the Bravo. When they get back to the home filed Student is told to immediately contact Washington. Student does so and is told they busted P-40 ( Prez was there) asked a ton of questions and told that they would have scrambled jets in another minute, next time be more careful and FAA said they won't take any action.
So I ask student Who were you talking to. Student says CFI " dosen't believe in Flight Following" Ugh! I asked if she used a VOR to determine position. Student said OBS worked but LCD readout on NavRadio did't work so couldn't tell what freq was tuned in. I explain that student needs to assure all equip is operational and tested with in requirements prior to flight etc. Then I ask what Navigation technique student was using, Pilotage or Dead Reckoning. Student says " I think both, I was just flying by landmarks that I had seen last time I was there" ( meaning the XC destination) I was talking to student about situational awareness visibility requirements etc. and I Mentioned something about "IMC" Student says " What's IMC?" ( student completed hood work a while ago) I start talking to student about students home field and I ask the length of the runway. Student says "oh its short I think 2000' " in actuality runway is just under 3000'.
Student tells me they have 49 hours and is one XC away from check ride which they expect to take w/in two weeks.
Most of you understand where I'm going here. I'm pretty concerned. I don't know if this is a bad student a bad CFI or what. But IMHO there is just to much knowledge student is lacking at this stage of the game. Situational awareness was totally absent. Not only did they bust P-40 and overshoot the destination field by 25 miles but Student thought they busted Phillys Bravo. In looking at the charts Student Should not have been ANYWHERE NEAR Phillys Bravo even with getting lost. If they did indeed bust it, I can't for the life of me figure out how they got into it from where they were. I don't think they busted it but the fact they thought they did is almost as bad because I don't think they were anywhere near it. I was asking what equipment student has in their flight bag. Student said "well have a flight computer. What else should I have?" Student dosen't have a flash light, nothing. I never fly at night and have two flashlights extra batteries and a mini light clipped to the bag as well. You know how they say aviation accidents are not just one bad decision but are usually proceeded by a "chain of bad decisions or event" I think this was a classic "Chain". I don't fly Cessnas and never flew a 150 but I remember from one of Joe's post they have about 2hrs fuel plus reserves. Student took a 160-175 mile XC with no fuel stop in a 150. Like I said I don't have a clue as to the numbers for a 150 but I think this might be pushin it. Even absent a fuel situation, Something is very wrong here. How do you not know how long your home field run way is? I am concerned about the students knowledge and the CFI ( whom I know nothing about). I can't help but feel that the CFI is not doing their job. Perhaps I am out of line belive me I am not absolving the student who I think has about 50 hours.
I am concerned about the student safety and yes even my own. I am by no means a pilot who knows it all but I am IMHO very competent and absolutely neurotic about safety. I have become very angry with pilots who ignore safety rules and who are selfish and IMO incompetent. I don't want them up there endangering me, my family or my friends. I suspect the system will always churn out idiots now and then and I don't' want this student to be one of them.
What do I tell student? " Hey your CFI must not care about you b/c they aren't teaching you Shi^. " or " Hey student your situation tells me you are no where near ready to get your ticket even if you do pass the practical" or Hey I know your only two weeks away from your practical but RUN do not walk away from your CFI or flight school to one more competent? Am I wrong here folks?
I had invited student to the Wings fly-b-q as they train at another local field. Student couldn't make it b/c they were doing a solo XC that day. Today in court student tells me they had a bad situation on the solo XC I instinctively told student If they learned something from the situation to consider it a positive.
I may have spoken to soon. Student relates to me that on the solo XC they got lost. OK no biggie that happens to a lot of folks. Then student tells me they flew 25 miles beyond the destination airport and busts the expanded P-40 by one mile but does not realize the bust until they get back to the home field. Apparently after going 1 mile into P-40 Student by shear luck decides that at that point to turn around and go fly home without landing at intended destination so no XC. Student goes on to tell me that they think they then busted the Philly Bravo on the way back home. Student told me Philly approach helped student get back home but didn't say anything about busting the Bravo. When they get back to the home filed Student is told to immediately contact Washington. Student does so and is told they busted P-40 ( Prez was there) asked a ton of questions and told that they would have scrambled jets in another minute, next time be more careful and FAA said they won't take any action.
So I ask student Who were you talking to. Student says CFI " dosen't believe in Flight Following" Ugh! I asked if she used a VOR to determine position. Student said OBS worked but LCD readout on NavRadio did't work so couldn't tell what freq was tuned in. I explain that student needs to assure all equip is operational and tested with in requirements prior to flight etc. Then I ask what Navigation technique student was using, Pilotage or Dead Reckoning. Student says " I think both, I was just flying by landmarks that I had seen last time I was there" ( meaning the XC destination) I was talking to student about situational awareness visibility requirements etc. and I Mentioned something about "IMC" Student says " What's IMC?" ( student completed hood work a while ago) I start talking to student about students home field and I ask the length of the runway. Student says "oh its short I think 2000' " in actuality runway is just under 3000'.
Student tells me they have 49 hours and is one XC away from check ride which they expect to take w/in two weeks.
Most of you understand where I'm going here. I'm pretty concerned. I don't know if this is a bad student a bad CFI or what. But IMHO there is just to much knowledge student is lacking at this stage of the game. Situational awareness was totally absent. Not only did they bust P-40 and overshoot the destination field by 25 miles but Student thought they busted Phillys Bravo. In looking at the charts Student Should not have been ANYWHERE NEAR Phillys Bravo even with getting lost. If they did indeed bust it, I can't for the life of me figure out how they got into it from where they were. I don't think they busted it but the fact they thought they did is almost as bad because I don't think they were anywhere near it. I was asking what equipment student has in their flight bag. Student said "well have a flight computer. What else should I have?" Student dosen't have a flash light, nothing. I never fly at night and have two flashlights extra batteries and a mini light clipped to the bag as well. You know how they say aviation accidents are not just one bad decision but are usually proceeded by a "chain of bad decisions or event" I think this was a classic "Chain". I don't fly Cessnas and never flew a 150 but I remember from one of Joe's post they have about 2hrs fuel plus reserves. Student took a 160-175 mile XC with no fuel stop in a 150. Like I said I don't have a clue as to the numbers for a 150 but I think this might be pushin it. Even absent a fuel situation, Something is very wrong here. How do you not know how long your home field run way is? I am concerned about the students knowledge and the CFI ( whom I know nothing about). I can't help but feel that the CFI is not doing their job. Perhaps I am out of line belive me I am not absolving the student who I think has about 50 hours.
I am concerned about the student safety and yes even my own. I am by no means a pilot who knows it all but I am IMHO very competent and absolutely neurotic about safety. I have become very angry with pilots who ignore safety rules and who are selfish and IMO incompetent. I don't want them up there endangering me, my family or my friends. I suspect the system will always churn out idiots now and then and I don't' want this student to be one of them.
What do I tell student? " Hey your CFI must not care about you b/c they aren't teaching you Shi^. " or " Hey student your situation tells me you are no where near ready to get your ticket even if you do pass the practical" or Hey I know your only two weeks away from your practical but RUN do not walk away from your CFI or flight school to one more competent? Am I wrong here folks?