WannFly
Final Approach
My CFI survived today. I will never understand why someone in their sane mind would take such life risk (AKA - teach me how to fly) for such small amount. I won't!
If you are too lazy to read this mile long post, here is a shorter version - I did my stall training and I did ok. For everyone else, read on.
Alright guys… here is my experience with Stall training today. you guys already know, I have a thing for falling from great heights, that’s the primary reason a 30 degree bank turn would drive me nuts. I do them every time I go up, I am pretty comfortable with 25 degrees now and every now and then I touch 30 when I am looking outside and not paying attention to the actual degree of bank. Then I get my eyes inside and I am like .. O crap I am at 30 degree, I better come back to 25 .. I know ridiculous. But it’s a real thing for me and I am pushing the boundaries every day.
Other than banking last few lessons I had some other trouble too…
Usually on take-off my CFI tells me, put full throttle in 3 seconds… it takes me 12 seconds and more than 1/2 mile ground roll to take off
While climbing from 3k to say 4k, when I hear the instruction go full throttle I pretty much disregard it and take my own sweet time and eventually go up t0 80% and stop there - as if I go full throttle the prop is going rip off. Ridiculous - but again a real thing for me.
Today, I knew I will be doing stall training, mainly power-off and watched enough youtube videos to understand that when the power is off and you enter a full stall, you better push that damn throttle all the way in as soon as you can to save you a$$. So after much thinking about stopping at walmart and buying a diaper, I took the advice from senior members here and didn’t get one and drove to the airport.
Big smile from my CFI, he declares - "we are going to go up and do power-Off and Power-On stalls today"
Me: (in my head) WTF dude, the syllabus you gave me said Power-off today and if you are not going to stick to it, why print that damn thing? Damn all of you POA guys who advised against diaper purchase…
Me (out loud) - "sure"
CFI - don’t worry we won't do full stalls, we will let you recover when you hear the stall horn
Me: (in my head) this dude knows I am not wearing a diaper today.
Meout loud) Sure.
Did my pre-flight, taxi, got clearance for take off…rolled on to the runway
Me(in my head): if I take 12 seconds to push the throttle in, I am surely going to die today while doing power-off stalls. + didn't get the diaper
Jammed the throttle in under 3 seconds and took off. Patted myself on my back for achieving the impossible while the CFI said, some right rudder would mean a lot on climb out
We some usual climbing, turns (still getting used to 30 degree bank, but quite comfortable with 25 degrees), mostly keeping turns coordinated and trying to look outside whenever I can. Still looking out 1/3 of the time and at the G1000 2/3 or the time, gotto reverse that, but it was like 10% outside and 90% outside before - so definitely some progress.
CFI took over control and set up for Power-Off stall
Me (in my head): and that’s how I die + didn't get the diaper
CFI: ok so we are at full flaps, I will let the air speed bleed and raise the nose to 12 degrees and hold there. There is the stall horn, there is the stall louder stall horn, there is even louder stall horn.. The is the drop and full throttle, keep the nose in the horizon, reduce flaps.. Climb out.
Me (in my head): WTF happened to just hearing the stall horn and recovering? where is my diaper?
Me (out loud): that wasn’t so bad. I imagined much worst in my head.
And that is true, I don’t really know what I imagined, but I guess imagined the experience to be much worst, I imagined I would be terrified and speechless and would need a diaper. In all actuality, it wasn’t that bad. I have been in worst roller coasters before. This was pretty manageable. It was a full stall, the nose dropped abruptly - but it wasn’t that bad and for sure I wasn’t scared. Which I kinda odd because my fear of fall always kicks in at 30 degree bank, when the nose actually dropped, the power was idle, air separated from the wing which means I am not actually flying that very moment, the fear of fall did not kick in. yes, I am weird.
Next my turn to do it and he said if you are uncomfortable, we will just hear the horn and recover.
Me (out loud): let's do this.
We were at 4500, took over control and before I could do anything ATC calls telling us a plane on our 2 o clock same alt, 3 miles out. CFI takes over.
Me (in my head): ok so here is how we die today. I should have bought those diapers (note plural now)
He did an emergency decent to 3500, it turned out another student was roaming around the practice area without notification. We had already made our clearing turns before and he wasn’t supposed to be there. So there is that.
Took over control, added 10% flaps, decent to 3000, added full flaps,
CFI : bring the power to idle
Me (out loud): e…e… are you sure?
Me (in my head): you should know I didn't buy the diapers.
CFI (with a chuckle): yes I am sure.
Power to idle it is and then pulled the yoke back till I heard the stall horn
CFI: hold it a little more till u hear a louder horn
Me (in my head): blank. No thoughts what so ever.
Me (out loud): sure
Heard the louder horn.
CFI : recover.
I dropped the nose, jammed the throttle in under a second I think and recovered.
Climbed and now for the full stall. Went as planned, the only difference is, when the nose actually dropped in full stall…
I said: oh ****, put the full throttle in under 1/8th of a second (I had no idea how fast my hand could travel from the yoke to the throttle) and pulled the yoke to bring the nose up. After recovery CFI told me not to do that because it could easily get into secondary stall. Guess more practice in order on that. But the funny thing is, I am not scared of falling out of the sky anymore!! Guess now I am ready for an engine out training as well since I did bring the power to idle.
Next, power on stall. CFI demoed the power-on stall. I am not very comfortable around this time. (diaper, where are you when I need you?) Guessing looking at nothing but all blue sky and losing the horizon got me. We did the full stall, had a wing drop to the right and saw he recovered with Aileron. This is interesting because everything I have read and watched tells me we use rudder on a wing drop (am I wrong?). Asked CFI, so do u use rudder for wing drop or Aileron? He said Aileron is fine.
I am little confused now, since if the air has separated from the wing and I am stalled I should have pretty less aileron authority, so…. Well may be it was not a wing drop, I have no idea. Something to clarify and try out next time to have a better understanding.
He also demo-ed some turning stalls - didn’t like the power-on turning stall at all.
In my turn, I did the recovery by dropping the nose when the stall horn got intense - didn’t go to full stall. That’s for the next day.
And I understand correctly, in ACS I need to recover the moment I head the stall horn. I plan to practice full stalls for saving my a$$ though.
While coming back did some low flying, 500 AGL and learned another valuable lesson… G1000 didn’t have at least 2 telephone towers in its database. Gotto keep eyes out for those… followed a road back to the airport. Felt AWESOME!!
Overall guys, I thought this would a terrible horrifying experience and I would probably give up flying after that. Turned out to be exactly opposite. I want to go up tomorrow again, too bad CFI takes Sunday off (not acceptable, I am enjoying every minute I fly, hence no off days for you). Cant wait for Wednesday and next training class.
Now I have a new problem and I don’t know how to solve it. I want to fly every day!!! What do I do???
If you are too lazy to read this mile long post, here is a shorter version - I did my stall training and I did ok. For everyone else, read on.
Alright guys… here is my experience with Stall training today. you guys already know, I have a thing for falling from great heights, that’s the primary reason a 30 degree bank turn would drive me nuts. I do them every time I go up, I am pretty comfortable with 25 degrees now and every now and then I touch 30 when I am looking outside and not paying attention to the actual degree of bank. Then I get my eyes inside and I am like .. O crap I am at 30 degree, I better come back to 25 .. I know ridiculous. But it’s a real thing for me and I am pushing the boundaries every day.
Other than banking last few lessons I had some other trouble too…
Usually on take-off my CFI tells me, put full throttle in 3 seconds… it takes me 12 seconds and more than 1/2 mile ground roll to take off
While climbing from 3k to say 4k, when I hear the instruction go full throttle I pretty much disregard it and take my own sweet time and eventually go up t0 80% and stop there - as if I go full throttle the prop is going rip off. Ridiculous - but again a real thing for me.
Today, I knew I will be doing stall training, mainly power-off and watched enough youtube videos to understand that when the power is off and you enter a full stall, you better push that damn throttle all the way in as soon as you can to save you a$$. So after much thinking about stopping at walmart and buying a diaper, I took the advice from senior members here and didn’t get one and drove to the airport.
Big smile from my CFI, he declares - "we are going to go up and do power-Off and Power-On stalls today"
Me: (in my head) WTF dude, the syllabus you gave me said Power-off today and if you are not going to stick to it, why print that damn thing? Damn all of you POA guys who advised against diaper purchase…
Me (out loud) - "sure"
CFI - don’t worry we won't do full stalls, we will let you recover when you hear the stall horn
Me: (in my head) this dude knows I am not wearing a diaper today.
Meout loud) Sure.
Did my pre-flight, taxi, got clearance for take off…rolled on to the runway
Me(in my head): if I take 12 seconds to push the throttle in, I am surely going to die today while doing power-off stalls. + didn't get the diaper
Jammed the throttle in under 3 seconds and took off. Patted myself on my back for achieving the impossible while the CFI said, some right rudder would mean a lot on climb out
We some usual climbing, turns (still getting used to 30 degree bank, but quite comfortable with 25 degrees), mostly keeping turns coordinated and trying to look outside whenever I can. Still looking out 1/3 of the time and at the G1000 2/3 or the time, gotto reverse that, but it was like 10% outside and 90% outside before - so definitely some progress.
CFI took over control and set up for Power-Off stall
Me (in my head): and that’s how I die + didn't get the diaper
CFI: ok so we are at full flaps, I will let the air speed bleed and raise the nose to 12 degrees and hold there. There is the stall horn, there is the stall louder stall horn, there is even louder stall horn.. The is the drop and full throttle, keep the nose in the horizon, reduce flaps.. Climb out.
Me (in my head): WTF happened to just hearing the stall horn and recovering? where is my diaper?
Me (out loud): that wasn’t so bad. I imagined much worst in my head.
And that is true, I don’t really know what I imagined, but I guess imagined the experience to be much worst, I imagined I would be terrified and speechless and would need a diaper. In all actuality, it wasn’t that bad. I have been in worst roller coasters before. This was pretty manageable. It was a full stall, the nose dropped abruptly - but it wasn’t that bad and for sure I wasn’t scared. Which I kinda odd because my fear of fall always kicks in at 30 degree bank, when the nose actually dropped, the power was idle, air separated from the wing which means I am not actually flying that very moment, the fear of fall did not kick in. yes, I am weird.
Next my turn to do it and he said if you are uncomfortable, we will just hear the horn and recover.
Me (out loud): let's do this.
We were at 4500, took over control and before I could do anything ATC calls telling us a plane on our 2 o clock same alt, 3 miles out. CFI takes over.
Me (in my head): ok so here is how we die today. I should have bought those diapers (note plural now)
He did an emergency decent to 3500, it turned out another student was roaming around the practice area without notification. We had already made our clearing turns before and he wasn’t supposed to be there. So there is that.
Took over control, added 10% flaps, decent to 3000, added full flaps,
CFI : bring the power to idle
Me (out loud): e…e… are you sure?
Me (in my head): you should know I didn't buy the diapers.
CFI (with a chuckle): yes I am sure.
Power to idle it is and then pulled the yoke back till I heard the stall horn
CFI: hold it a little more till u hear a louder horn
Me (in my head): blank. No thoughts what so ever.
Me (out loud): sure
Heard the louder horn.
CFI : recover.
I dropped the nose, jammed the throttle in under a second I think and recovered.
Climbed and now for the full stall. Went as planned, the only difference is, when the nose actually dropped in full stall…
I said: oh ****, put the full throttle in under 1/8th of a second (I had no idea how fast my hand could travel from the yoke to the throttle) and pulled the yoke to bring the nose up. After recovery CFI told me not to do that because it could easily get into secondary stall. Guess more practice in order on that. But the funny thing is, I am not scared of falling out of the sky anymore!! Guess now I am ready for an engine out training as well since I did bring the power to idle.
Next, power on stall. CFI demoed the power-on stall. I am not very comfortable around this time. (diaper, where are you when I need you?) Guessing looking at nothing but all blue sky and losing the horizon got me. We did the full stall, had a wing drop to the right and saw he recovered with Aileron. This is interesting because everything I have read and watched tells me we use rudder on a wing drop (am I wrong?). Asked CFI, so do u use rudder for wing drop or Aileron? He said Aileron is fine.
I am little confused now, since if the air has separated from the wing and I am stalled I should have pretty less aileron authority, so…. Well may be it was not a wing drop, I have no idea. Something to clarify and try out next time to have a better understanding.
He also demo-ed some turning stalls - didn’t like the power-on turning stall at all.
In my turn, I did the recovery by dropping the nose when the stall horn got intense - didn’t go to full stall. That’s for the next day.
And I understand correctly, in ACS I need to recover the moment I head the stall horn. I plan to practice full stalls for saving my a$$ though.
While coming back did some low flying, 500 AGL and learned another valuable lesson… G1000 didn’t have at least 2 telephone towers in its database. Gotto keep eyes out for those… followed a road back to the airport. Felt AWESOME!!
Overall guys, I thought this would a terrible horrifying experience and I would probably give up flying after that. Turned out to be exactly opposite. I want to go up tomorrow again, too bad CFI takes Sunday off (not acceptable, I am enjoying every minute I fly, hence no off days for you). Cant wait for Wednesday and next training class.
Now I have a new problem and I don’t know how to solve it. I want to fly every day!!! What do I do???