Just to emphasize to student pilots that it's a license to learn...

[Hobobiker]

Approaching one year since I earned my ticket. I only fly once every week or three, but here are a few things I've learned since earning my cert that might be of value or bring a smile:

1.) ATC personnel are usually busy and don't often just call you up to chat. If ATC asks you out of the blue "Cherokee XYZ, say your altitude" it's probably not just because they wanna talk. Check your heading, your altitude, and remember the hemispherical rule. You MIGHT just be flying at the wrong altitude for that heading and they are politely nudging you to notice.

2.) If you make your call into a Delta asking for the option, stating that you have information Echo, and ask what runway to expect...you MIGHT have forgotten that this is a Delta and you just heard the runway in use on ATIS (and not the AWOS that you're used to hearing at all those uncontrolled places).

3.) If you switched frequencies to the next center for your trip and hear an ATC voice that distinctly sounds a lot like the last one with whom you've been communicating, you MIGHT have pressed the active/standby button one times too many (or not hard enough) and you haven't noticed that you're still on the same frequency.

Plenty more where those came from, but these are the ones that are burned into my memory right now. Bottom line, we all continue to learn long after our checkride...

 

[Mike Smith]

When knocking the rust off your landings cause you haven't flown much lately and at rotation speed it still doesn't want to fly, you may have left your flaps at 40.

 

[rocketflyer84]

Nice post. A few more:

1) 5 miles visibility looks a hell of a lot better from the ground than it does in the air

2) Density altitude isn't just a theoretical concept... first takeoff when its hot and you're heavy is a bit whoa!

 

[BigBadLou]

When the tower calls you up on departure and asks whether you are returning tonight, don't give them your life story and where you're headed. They might just want to inform you that the tower is closing in 20 minutes.

These are good, keep 'em coming, guys!

 

[jason]

Approaching one year since I earned my ticket. I only fly once every week or three, but here are a few things I've learned since earning my cert that might be of value or bring a smile:

1.) ATC personnel are usually busy and don't often just call you up to chat. If ATC asks you out of the blue "Cherokee XYZ, say your altitude" it's probably not just because they wanna talk. Check your heading, your altitude, and remember the hemispherical rule. You MIGHT just be flying at the wrong altitude for that heading and they are politely nudging you to notice.

2.) If you make your call into a Delta asking for the option, stating that you have information Echo, and ask what runway to expect...you MIGHT have forgotten that this is a Delta and you just heard the runway in use on ATIS (and not the AWOS that you're used to hearing at all those uncontrolled places).

3.) If you switched frequencies to the next center for your trip and hear an ATC voice that distinctly sounds a lot like the last one with whom you've been communicating, you MIGHT have pressed the active/standby button one times too many (or not hard enough) and you haven't noticed that you're still on the same frequency.

Plenty more where those came from, but these are the ones that are burned into my memory right now. Bottom line, we all continue to learn long after our checkride...

Nice post...

As for #3, I'll often hear them say "switch to my frequency...". They'll still be the controller...but on a frequency with better coverage in your area. Happens all the time out here on the prairie.

 

[jordane93]

We never stop learning

 

[Mason]

If you don't seem to be climbing very well on the GO part of a Touch-n-Go, make sure you shut the carb heat off.

 

[Kritchlow]

Great thread, but to be clear... EVERY grade of license is a license to learn. I'm a 14,000 hr ATP flying for the airlines, and I learn something literally everyday I fly. That's not a cliche, that's Gospel truth.

 

[aanderson81]

If you don't seem to be climbing very well on the GO part of a Touch-n-Go, maker sure you shut the carb heat off.

I had that the other day, I was climbing quite a bit slower than I had on my previous departure and just couldn't figure it out at first. Checked all the gauges and everything was in the green, the throttle was firewalled, everything seemed to be going well, but the climb just didnt seem right. Finally after going through just about everything else I finally saw the carb heat was still on

I am glad that I caught that something wasnt right at least. That made me feel better. Like i said the engine was running just fine, and I had decent climb (probably around 500 ft/min) but something just didn't feel right and I am glad I didn't just ignore the feeling.

That is now something I check twice now.

 

[Mason]

That really bad noise you hear that sounds like the engine is coming apart is the end of your seat belt hanging out the door and flapping in the slipstream.

 

[JCranford]

When youre using both radios and you cant seem to transmit, you *might* have forgot to toggle from 'com 2' to 'com 1'.

 

[eman1200]

that if you didn't file a flight plan or use a metal landing calculator, journalists will have a field day when reporting on your story.

 

[Kritchlow]

There are many "rules" in aviation, but most of the time good judgement rules the day.

 

[MarcoDA40]

Carefully read NOTAMs

Was headed into an airport (0A7) that had a notam for ALL lights out of service, I read it but for some reason I misinterpreted.. Got there after sunset, trying to click my mic to turn lights on, nothing happens.. looking for airport and I finally spot the outline of the runway.. contact approach (luckily the airport was within class C airpsace.. AVL) and they tell me theres a NOTAM for it, my low fuel light comes on, wind a bit strong, flying inside a mountain valley.. I had to divert to AVL.

I now ALWAYS read NOTAMS very carefully, with a sectional out and orient where those "unlit towers" and other obstructions are. That flight made me nervous and I learned to not skim through notams but actually take the time to read them carefully.

 

[BigBadLou]

If you don't seem to be climbing very well on the GO part of a Touch-n-Go, make sure you shut the carb heat off.

True.
Also check the carb heat (and other controls) even if you didn't touch it before. Because the CFI(I) might have put it on for you "for your convenience" and without your knowledge.
If your CFI(I) is good, (s)he will understand when you say politely "don't touch my airplane".

 

[MAKG1]

True.
Also check the carb heat (and other controls) even if you didn't touch it before. Because the CFI(I) might have put it on for you "for your convenience" and without your knowledge.
If your CFI(I) is good, (s)he will understand when you say politely "don't touch my airplane".

Not necessarily "helpful."

I once had an instructor sneakily turn the fuel selector to "right" in a Cessna in the pattern, to see if I was paying attention to my before-landing checklist.

If I had seen him do that, he would have gotten a hand slap. I have a rule that the fuel selector does not change in the pattern in any airplane unless the engine quits. For the low wings that want a "fullest tank" on landing, that happens at 2000 AGL or higher. Too much risk of something going wrong at a bad spot for gratuitous changes.

 

[MarcoDA40]

Not necessarily "helpful."

I once had an instructor sneakily turn the fuel selector to "right" in a Cessna in the pattern, to see if I was paying attention to my before-landing checklist.

If I had seen him do that, he would have gotten a hand slap. I have a rule that the fuel selector does not change in the pattern in any airplane unless the engine quits. For the low wings that want a "fullest tank" on landing, that happens at 2000 AGL or higher. Too much risk of something going wrong at a bad spot for gratuitous changes.

+1

Even when I switch tanks during cruise flight, there is a 5 second period where I hold my breath

 

[valittu]

At an uncontrolled field, too much communication beats too little communication 8 days a week.

 

[StinkBug]

2.) If you make your call into a Delta asking for the option, stating that you have information Echo, and ask what runway to expect...you MIGHT have forgotten that this is a Delta and you just heard the runway in use on ATIS (and not the AWOS that you're used to hearing at all those uncontrolled places).

If it's a delta, charlie or bravo, don't bother asking what runway to expect, they will clear you for the one they want. some bigger airports will ask where you're parking and assign accordingly. If you want a specific runway request it.

3.) If you switched frequencies to the next center for your trip and hear an ATC voice that distinctly sounds a lot like the last one with whom you've been communicating, you MIGHT have pressed the active/standby button one times too many (or not hard enough) and you haven't noticed that you're still on the same frequency.

Sometimes the same guy is also working both frequencies. Also keep this in mind when you're making calls and not getting an immediate response, you may be talking on top of a frequency you're not on.

 

[onezuludelta]

1) 5 miles visibility looks a hell of a lot better from the ground than it does in the air

AMEN.

 

[MAKG1]

At an uncontrolled field, too much communication beats too little communication 8 days a week.

Hell no. Have you ever tried to announce yourself as some guy tells his life story on CTAF? Even worse, as two pilots use it to make lunch plans?

 

[woodchucker]

And really, don't be that dork who keeps making position calls on guard.

**ducks**

 

[valittu]

Hell no. Have you ever tried to announce yourself as some guy tells his life story on CTAF? Even worse, as two pilots use it to make lunch plans?

I'm talking relevant communication. Nothing opens the pores like preparing to turn base to final and backing off because some idiot decides to complete his 3 mile "final" and assumes everybody sees him so it's okay.

 

[mryan75]

I had that the other day, I was climbing quite a bit slower than I had on my previous departure and just couldn't figure it out at first. Checked all the gauges and everything was in the green, the throttle was firewalled, everything seemed to be going well, but the climb just didnt seem right. Finally after going through just about everything else I finally saw the carb heat was still on

I am glad that I caught that something wasnt right at least. That made me feel better. Like i said the engine was running just fine, and I had decent climb (probably around 500 ft/min) but something just didn't feel right and I am glad I didn't just ignore the feeling.

That is now something I check twice now.

To me this is an issue of checklist discipline, not necessarily a need to do something twice. When I do touch and go's, after the plane is firmly on terra firma and slowed to a reasonable speed, my pre-"go" checklist (in the Cherokee, not sure what you fly) is "mixture rich, carb heat cold, flaps up".

I've had my PPL for going on 3 years, and that's the biggest thing I would tell any student pilot: use your checklist. Always. It's not something you ever outgrow.

 

[mryan75]

Carefully read NOTAMs

Was headed into an airport (0A7) that had a notam for ALL lights out of service, I read it but for some reason I misinterpreted.. Got there after sunset, trying to click my mic to turn lights on, nothing happens.. looking for airport and I finally spot the outline of the runway.. contact approach (luckily the airport was within class C airpsace.. AVL) and they tell me theres a NOTAM for it, my low fuel light comes on, wind a bit strong, flying inside a mountain valley.. I had to divert to AVL.

I now ALWAYS read NOTAMS very carefully, with a sectional out and orient where those "unlit towers" and other obstructions are. That flight made me nervous and I learned to not skim through notams but actually take the time to read them carefully.

This is another thing I've learned: call for a briefing. I've read many stories of situations that probably - not always, but probably - would have been avoided if the pilot had called for a briefing instead of self-briefing online. My attitude is, why not do both? I self-brief through FF, go through all the information, then I call a briefer and get a full briefing. Do it a few times and you will find eventually that you've missed something.

 

[VWGhiaBob]

As a guy who returned to flying after a decades old break and has amassed 400 hours in 2 years (460 total), if there's one thing that stands out, it's how much there is to learn.

The key is to learn as much as you can by passionately pursuing and understanding the mistakes of others so you don't make them yourself.

This process never ends. Just when I start to feel comfortable, there's another BIG lesson on the way.

Most recently for me after a couple of bad landings (my landings are usually great): The site picture on very narrow runways is really, really deceiving if you are used to the wider variety.

We all want to enjoy our time in the air. But we must remind ourselves over and over that we have a lot to learn and have an awesome responsibility as pilots.

 

[wilkersk]

...
Most recently for me after a couple of bad landings (my landings are usually great): The site picture on very narrow runways is really, really deceiving if you are used to the wider variety.
...

I'm in a similiar situation (although, not with 400hrs in 2 years). My bugaboo recently is circle to land. A couple of times now, I've ended up way high on short final.