Flight school stories

[HatTrickHero11]

I am thinking of getting my pilots license, just wondering if you guys could share your flying experiences and cool stories as you were doing training? I love hearing these stories!

 

[John Baker]

Well, first of all HatTrickHero, welcome to POA, and thanks for posting. You will find that by simply reading through the various forums and threads on this site, that it is loaded with countless stories about flying and training.

John

 

[Ken Ibold]

Just hope that, on your second flight when your instructor introduces you to stalls, that he doesn't say "here's what happens when you don't keep the ball in the center" and then proceed to spin the airplane with no further explanation of what was about to happen.

(I did not fly with that instructor again.)

 

[BellyUpFish]

Just hope that, on your second flight when your instructor introduces you to stalls, that he doesn't say "here's what happens when you don't keep the ball in the center" and then proceed to spin the airplane with no further explanation of what was about to happen.

(I did not fly with that instructor again.)

LOL.. Wow..

 

[GCA319]

Just hope that, on your second flight when your instructor introduces you to stalls, that he doesn't say "here's what happens when you don't keep the ball in the center" and then proceed to spin the airplane with no further explanation of what was about to happen.

(I did not fly with that instructor again.)

Sounds fun.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Instructors like that should be publicly outed.

 

[dmspilot]

Just hope that, on your second flight when your instructor introduces you to stalls, that he doesn't say "here's what happens when you don't keep the ball in the center" and then proceed to spin the airplane with no further explanation of what was about to happen.

(I did not fly with that instructor again.)

Let's hope it doesn't happen on his first flight, either.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I knew of one that carried an 18" wooden ruler in his left hand and rested that arm on the left side seat back.
He used it, on the heads of students, who failed to satisfy his standards for proper and correct maneuvering or handling of the aircraft throughout each lesson. This was in the last 8 years too, not 1947.

 

[BellyUpFish]

What rock do these idiots live under?

 

[N747JB]

I knew of one that carried an 18" wooden ruler in his left hand and rested that arm on the left side seat back.
He used it, on the heads of students, who failed to satisfy his standards for proper and correct maneuvering or handling of the aircraft throughout each lesson. This was in the last 8 years too, not 1947.

I think that's pretty much how my dad taught me to drive a jeep when I was 10! a punch in the leg reminded me not to grind the gears, and a punch in the right shoulder kept me between the lines!
I'm just glad I learned quick and he wasn't a CFI when that time came.

 

[MachFly]

Just hope that, on your second flight when your instructor introduces you to stalls, that he doesn't say "here's what happens when you don't keep the ball in the center" and then proceed to spin the airplane with no further explanation of what was about to happen.

(I did not fly with that instructor again.)

Was the plane at least certified for spins?

 

[Clark1961]

I learned to fly at BJC which sits on a ridge a few miles east of the foothills on the east side of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Winds can be "interesting" to say the least. I was up solo in 47E which is a rather tired 172 (160 hp nominal at sea level, somewhat less above Denver).

Turned based to final for 11R and the bottom just fell out. I went to full power and pitched for best climb (70 knots). Still going down at 700 fpm according to the vsi. Said to myself it'll either stop falling or it'll hit the ground. It did stop falling and started climbing. I leveled out to build speed and told the tower I was going around. The controller asked if that was some sort of training maneuver. I replied negative and that I was leaving the pattern. I went over to LMO to practice touch-n-goes. When I went back to BJC they had a wind shear warning on the ATIS.

Moral of story? Dunno, maybe it's don't be in a hurry to solo because you might just need to know a lot about the aircraft and what to do when things don't behave quite right.

Another pilot who trained for their private at the same time I did managed to wrap themself in an aluminum ball when they couldn't handle the conditions on approach. Free pry out by crash/rescue, but they had to heal their own broken pelvis. Ya gotta be careful and know yer limits.

Thinking about this reminds me of a ride with an instructor when I had solo time scheduled. There was some sort of front hanging out north of the airport and I wasn't comfortable going up solo. Called the instructor and flying we went. Pattern work. Well, the front moved across the airport and the crosswind component easily exceeded my ability. Around to the crosswind runway. Approach was rather drawn out with about 30 knots of groundspeed. Caught a gust at touchdown and ballooned up a couple feet. The aircraft was drifting left slowly and the instructor commented that he doubted the outcome (Clark, I don't know...). I just said that I had it and landed the aircraft. Definitely a confidence builder.

 

[denverpilot]

KBJC gets some of the worst winds around here, for sure... nowhere else in the Denver Metro area have I ever sat at the fence and watched an entire line of Cessna actually flying -- tied down to the cables via chains.

 

[Clark1961]

KBJC gets some of the worst winds around here, for sure... nowhere else in the Denver Metro area have I ever sat at the fence and watched an entire line of Cessna actually flying -- tied down to the cables via chains.

Yup, we always stretched the cables pretty good when tying down the school planes.

And then there's the PA-28 that destroyed itself a couple years ago while tied down...