"late bloomer" revisited

redcloud

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Messages
286
Location
Granville & Ottawa Ohio
Display Name

Display name:
scott keyes
Well folks,

I have been very busy ridding myself of the frustration regarding my experience with training towards my PPL-ASEL and thought it would be appropriate to provide an update. Without many of the supportive comments received after my previous thread, I may have just "bagged" it and called it quits.

I managed through a couple of contacts in this forum to hook up with a fellow from West Mesa Aviation, named Jerrod, who has had experience with persons that need help finishing. I ended up having him come to Ohio and pick me up for a XC trip back to KAEG which gave me some excellent "real world" experience in communications and as it turned out I got an extra 2 hours of actual IFR experience. On arriving in New Mexico and during the next 3 days I was able to have my skills objectively assessed and complete many of my final requirements: night requirement, long CX, and landings at a towered field. He corrected some bad habits and restored my confidence. If I could have stayed another couple of days, He implied I could have taken the practical exam. Unfortunately, I still have to work for a living and had to return home. As it stands now, I only need 1.7 hours of solo time of which one hour needs to be XC time and a little more "polishing" on the maneuvers. The experience was totally different than what I had experienced at the Cessna Flight Center. Also It was good experience dealing with the effect of the density altitudes on the performance of the plane. Also, it was really great to see the landscape out there while flying!

Finally, I had the good fortune of finding a plane to purchase and will close on it this week. I really want to finish in the plane. Its a 1997 182 with only 118 TT hours fresh from an annual and prebuy check. The darn thing is like new!

I think I am back on track and hope to finish in a week or so.

Best regards-all
 
That is awesome to hear.
Congratulations!!
That is an awesome looking plane too, I get to fly my grandpa's 182 quite a bit. They are really nice planes.
 
Good for you -- nice to hear you're back on track. Geez... a 1997 182 with 118 TT...

Are you able to finish up with Jerrod? Sounds like he'd do a good job of getting you ready for the checkride.

I'm glad you decided to keep at it. My old primary helicopter instructor (also a partner in our R22) and I were talking about primary training a while back. We came to the conclusion that getting initial ratings is more a question of determination than anything else! Go for it!
 
Rudy said:
That is awesome to hear.
Congratulations!!
That is an awesome looking plane too, I get to fly my grandpa's 182 quite a bit. They are really nice planes.
Hey Rudy, us Cherokee drivers need to stick together -- those Cessna things have the wings pasted on too high ;)

Seriously, I'm sure he'll enjoy an aircraft that new...
 
Congrats Scott you endored that worse of it now go get the TICKET and enjoy yourself (even if the wing is in the wrong position). BTW nice plane. Dave G (Cherokee pilot)
 
RotaryWingBob said:
My old primary helicopter instructor (also a partner in our R22) and I were talking about primary training a while back. We came to the conclusion that getting initial ratings is more a question of determination than anything else!

Bob, I think this is so true, IMHO. The last month leading up to my checkride I was miserable and overwhelmed by what I had to memorized and I threatened to quit a couple of times. My pals in The 99s would not let me, and without their support I very well might have thrown in the towel.

Hang in there Scott, YOU WILL FINISH and fly that beautiful new plane as PIC and it will be SOON!
Elizabeth H
 
EHITCH said:
Bob, I think this is so true, IMHO. The last month leading up to my checkride I was miserable and overwhelmed by what I had to memorized and I threatened to quit a couple of times. My pals in The 99s would not let me, and without their support I very well might have thrown in the towel.

Hang in there Scott, YOU WILL FINISH and fly that beautiful new plane as PIC and it will be SOON!
Elizabeth H


Hey! I had that same month! I swear I was ready to give up at least 4 times that month. The 99s here are really supportive of students, particularly at the really discouraging points. I sure could have used them. My wife hadn't joined them yet.

Jim G
 
good to hear Scott!! I learned a lot in the means of practical experience on my first XC last week too. Nice plane too :)
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Hey Rudy, us Cherokee drivers need to stick together -- those Cessna things have the wings pasted on too high ;)

Seriously, I'm sure he'll enjoy an aircraft that new...
Haha, i do have to say i like my Cherokee more. But had god never made low-wing airplanes and i absolutely had to fly a high-wing i would go with the 182. haah
 
Gee guys thanx for the suportive comments; There is quite a bias here for cherokees; I should a looked for one of those, LOL. All this talk on here about cherokee flyins and Gastons, I guess if I want to eventually meet some of you all, I will have to do some major airframe modifications on the 182, go to some "cessna owners" forum, start looking in the classifieds for a plane with the wings in the proper position, or fly in at night and cover it in a tarp.

Hopefully, will finish in a week or so!

Scott
 
redcloud said:
Gee guys thanx for the suportive comments; There is quite a bias here for cherokees;
Ha, I'm always in the minority with my high winged bias. These low wing guys just wear me down sometimes. :)

redcloud said:
All this talk on here about cherokee flyins and Gastons,

Here are some pictures and a video of our Gaston's gathering this past summer. And BTW, Rudy flew into Gaston's in a high winger 182. :)

http://www.eaa732.org/aopa/display_gallery.asp


redcloud said:
I guess if I want to eventually meet some of you all, I will have to do some major airframe modifications on the 182, go to some "cessna owners" forum, start looking in the classifieds for a plane with the wings in the proper position, or fly in at night and cover it in a tarp.

Hey you can park next to my high wing airplane and we can all get in the shade under our high wings together. :)

redcloud said:
Hopefully, will finish in a week or so!
Good luck. :)

You have a beautiful airplane. :yes:
 
Diana said:
Ha, I'm always in the minority with my high winged bias. These low wing guys just wear me down sometimes. :)

Collegedale (3M3) had their annual open house today, and it was abnormally hot for October, about 87F with bright sunshine. Lots of folks sitting under the high wings, but no one sitting under the low wings...go figure.
 
Diana:

Thanx for the link, the pictures reveal a pretty happy group! The video and especially the music was awesome. We could make a very nice lanai with our wings and a tarp. You need one down there too. A couple of years ago, I took my family for a camping trip at the State Park there. It was 101 Degrees in the shade and we were tent camping with no shade!

Scott
 
redcloud said:
Gee guys thanx for the suportive comments; There is quite a bias here for cherokees; I should a looked for one of those, LOL. All this talk on here about cherokee flyins and Gastons, I guess if I want to eventually meet some of you all, I will have to do some major airframe modifications on the 182, go to some "cessna owners" forum, start looking in the classifieds for a plane with the wings in the proper position, or fly in at night and cover it in a tarp.

Hopefully, will finish in a week or so!

Scott

Really enjoyed doing a lot of Cherokee 180 flying in the desert and mountains for a couple of years and really missed the high wings the whole time, especially when it was hot or rainy. Usually real hot cockpits in summer and often wet at any time of year.

Still a blast once settled in and flying.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Collegedale (3M3) had their annual open house today, and it was abnormally hot for October, about 87F with bright sunshine. Lots of folks sitting under the high wings, but no one sitting under the low wings...go figure.
Low wings stink for sitting under. I was waxing the underside of my left wing this afternoon and I kept hitting my head on the pitot tube. My elbows got scraped on the pavement and the whole thing gave me a headache. Man.
 
Good going, Scott. Sounds like you'll be finished up soon and will be up there enjoying your new airplane.
 
Diana said:
Here are some pictures and a video of our Gaston's gathering this past summer. And BTW, Rudy flew into Gaston's in a high winger 182. :)
Ok i admit it, i sometimes fly on the dark side, i am happy just to be flying but i have to love my low-wing.

Here is me with both, the 182 at Gastons, and the Cherokee after passing my checkride! I have to say i am happy in both, haa!
 
redcloud said:
Well folks,

I have been very busy ridding myself of the frustration regarding my experience with training towards my PPL-ASEL and thought it would be appropriate to provide an update. Without many of the supportive comments received after my previous thread, I may have just "bagged" it and called it quits.

I managed through a couple of contacts in this forum to hook up with a fellow from West Mesa Aviation, named Jerrod, who has had experience with persons that need help finishing. I ended up having him come to Ohio and pick me up for a XC trip back to KAEG which gave me some excellent "real world" experience in communications and as it turned out I got an extra 2 hours of actual IFR experience. On arriving in New Mexico and during the next 3 days I was able to have my skills objectively assessed and complete many of my final requirements: night requirement, long CX, and landings at a towered field. He corrected some bad habits and restored my confidence. If I could have stayed another couple of days, He implied I could have taken the practical exam. Unfortunately, I still have to work for a living and had to return home. As it stands now, I only need 1.7 hours of solo time of which one hour needs to be XC time and a little more "polishing" on the maneuvers. The experience was totally different than what I had experienced at the Cessna Flight Center. Also It was good experience dealing with the effect of the density altitudes on the performance of the plane. Also, it was really great to see the landscape out there while flying!

Finally, I had the good fortune of finding a plane to purchase and will close on it this week. I really want to finish in the plane. Its a 1997 182 with only 118 TT hours fresh from an annual and prebuy check. The darn thing is like new!

I think I am back on track and hope to finish in a week or so.

Best regards-all

I am more than ecstatic that Jerrod could help you. He is, by far, my favorite CFI, and I wish he had been my primary CFI instead of the guy I wound up using. He is the CFI I got my complex with and the one that I fly with when I need a CFI for something.

You're almost there! Keep it up! And call me if you come into town again :)
 
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