Fun Lesson Today

[Lance F]

Among other things aviation I do some independent flight instruction. Sometimes it can be a bit of a drag, but not this afternoon. One of the planes I use is a Cessna 150J. The plane is in good shape, but on a warm day like today it can be charitably be called anemic at best.

We were at 2,000’, and I asked my primary student to climb to 3,000’. We were getting maybe 200’ per minute climb when my old glider habits kicked in. I saw a nice looking cumulus cloud to our left and directed the student to turn towards it. Sure enough the VSI started up. We’d done our first steep turns the previous lesson, so I had him crank the bank in. After some maneuvering I had him centered in the lift. We were getting an honest 1,000 fpm climb in that old 150 and were quickly in much cooler air at cloud base (well 500’ below).

It was a great demo for the student and a lot of fun for me to teach something that’s definitely not in the ACS for private pilot airplane.

 

[Lachlan]

That’s not a big deal. I can get well over a thousand feet per minute in my 150. Horizontally.

 

[brcase]

My fun one was sending my student off on his solo cross country in a C-150. I then launched in my glider I flew the same 200+ mile flight. Even saw my student on his return flight.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

 

[Eric Stoltz]

My fun one was sending my student off on his solo cross country in a C-150. I then launched in my glider I flew the same 200+ mile flight. Even saw my student on his return flight.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

Okay, I'll have to admit that's kinda badass.

OP, your flight is also badass. That's a great skill to pass on to us mortal knuckle dragging propeller heads. My old man taught me that skill. His 65hp J4 he learned to fly in was working hard in the summer with 2 corn fed linebackers. Thanks for the memory.

 

[Zeldman]

We were getting maybe 200’ per minute climb when my old glider habits kicked in. I saw a nice looking cumulus cloud to our left and directed the student to turn towards it.

I used to do that, finding the thermals and using them to help the climb. I have also learned to get on the upwind side of some mountains and use that to help the climb, even in the 414. It is a real kick in the pants to see the VSI needle go past the markings.

I never have been in a glider though...they know about that stuff..??