My IFR Training

This thread got so awesome :lol:


DavidWhite said:
My favorite acronym is TITS. Tune Identify Twist OBS Set markers.

Can't forget the TITS!
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The CFII who I flew with a lot this summer taught me that one. I still do the TITS check in my head, but I don't think my current 62yr old CFI would appreciate it nearly as much as I do :lol: He prefers the 5 T's

dell30rb said:
Remember your FARTS checklist. Flaps, Altimeter (field elev), Runway (center, correct runway), Take-off power, Suck up gear
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Haven't heard the FARTS list either.. that'll be for tomorrows flight now. "Alright, I'm ready.. did my FARTS!" :lol::lol::lol:


I'm actually making good progress for the airplane spending so much time broken. Again today my first lesson was cancelled because of a fuel leak. Luckily I grabbed an open space which are few and far between this week. Only 2 lessons :( Oh well, enxt week I have 5. This week I'm learning holds.. today was holds at an intersection of 2 VORs. Tomorrow is holds at an intersection with 2 radio. Yippie... :yikes: Only a few more lessons until approaches. I can't wait to get back to shooting approaches. Nothing feels more rewarding than a good ILS.
 
I made up FARTS. just trying to give back to the aviation community :)
 
dell30rb said:
I made up FARTS. just trying to give back to the aviation community :)
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The aviation community needs more people like you. :lol:


Yesterday I did VOR holds at an intersection again.. then bam magically my #2 radio quit. Funny how that happens :nono: after a few minutes of fumbling around flying all sorts of horrible.. I figured it out and everything went well until I got it back.. then I had to fumble around again. Luckily he left my HSI alone, but I'm sure that won't always be the case. Might go to KTUS or KSEZ tomorrow for lunch, so I'd probably safety pilot one way and my partner in crime would safety pilot the other way. We'd skip going direct and fly the airways even if it was to KTUS which you really don't even need an airway for if you follow the highway.
 
I feel like I should rename this thread "Mir's broken airplane tales" or something. Was getting ready for my stage check yesterday.. going to do some DME arcs into published holds then holds at an intersection from an arc. I'm still having a bit of trouble with the arcs but they're getting better, it really helps me to draw a picture of what I need to fly.

As I was taxiing on the ramp I noticed the rudder pedals felt a little odd. I attributed it to the wind and the fact I hadn't put my ailerons in the proper postion for the wind taxiing. So I get to the taxiway, then get to the runup area.. pull into it next to a Warrior and I hear a "POP boiiinngggg" sound. I looked at my CFI, asked him "what was that?" his response was "I dunno, I was going to ask you..." Oh joy, my rudder pedals don't work anymore. So had to call ground, taxi back using the brakes as our only directional control. And now the airplane sits at the shop. Again. Tomorrow they're not open for Veterans day, so hopefully wednesday they'll have the part and time to install it. I had lessons scheduled every day next week too so I could take this stage check and start shooting approaches. It's like the airplane KNOWS to break right before a stage check. Ugh. Cessna, why must you make bungees? It's an airplane, there shouldn't be BUNGEE CORDS IN IT.
 
Bungees are fine when they're inspected and replaced on a proper schedule. If they're breaking, someone isn't doing very good maintenance. Be wary.
 
denverpilot said:
Bungees are fine when they're inspected and replaced on a proper schedule. If they're breaking, someone isn't doing very good maintenance. Be wary.
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They were inspected less than 6 months ago on the annual. I fully trust all the mechanics who have touched my airplane. If I didn't I wouldn't be using them. I attribute it to the airplane being 30 years old, on original bungees, getting flown more than it ever has been. At 30 years old it only had 1400TT on it. We are finding a lot of small things that can be attributed to not flying enough.. like a small leak in the aux fuel pump gaskets. One of my mechanics said that he expected a chain of things like this breaking, and clearly he was right.
 
Agreed. There's going to need to be some changes in how MX is approached on these antiques. Mine included.

Do you replace in inspection now, or do you replace on age on some of these things?

If you can handle taxiing back in and the downtime isn't a problem, replace on inspection. If that'll make you cranky, on time. :)
 
It makes cranky now, but also I would be cranky replacing a part that inspected fine. It's more difficult to throw in low time parts that are old. You don't really know. This is my first rodeo as an aircraft owner so I'm still sort of figuring it out. Luckily I have these great boards and parents who spent (to them) too many years as aircraft owners. There are days where owning my airplane is incredibly rewarding. And there are days I look at it and go "Why are you doing this to me Lane?". I'd say 99 out of 100 days though I love my airplane, and wouldn't trade it for anything! Well, except maybe a Meridian, but that's not in the cards.
 
Say, you aren't doing your instrument training in Nebraska are you? (A funny for Nate)

In all seriousness, broken airplanes suck. I hope the situation is remedied quickly and inexpensively as possible.
 
Also, atleast you don't own a duke!

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Second time ever I've seen a duke move under it's own power. I didn't see it takeoff but my guess is the camshafts broke in two and the tail fell off before 500AGL.
 
You're right, at least I don't own a Duke. I've worked at an FBO about 6 years now, now I'm summer only. I've seen only a handful of Dukes.. really maybe 1 or 2 a summer. My view on aviation has changed dramatically over the years of working there.. even more so when I became a pilot. One thing I've taken in though is what to own, and what not to own. And the proper way to be a customer. More like how not to be an arsehole pilot.


edit: that one looks like a turbine, no? So the cams might be safe...
 
DavidWhite said:
Nah it had pistons on it. I assume the TIO541
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Ahh gotcha. I was just looking at the giant exhaust and figured it was a turbine. I honestly thing for a multi engine airplane I'd love to own a Navajo or even a 310. Navajos can haul anything and everything and 310's are just neat if they're kept up. Can't beat Piper or Cessna either.
 
Z06_Mir said:
Ahh gotcha. I was just looking at the giant exhaust and figured it was a turbine. I honestly thing for a multi engine airplane I'd love to own a Navajo or even a 310. Navajos can haul anything and everything and 310's are just neat if they're kept up. Can't beat Piper or Cessna either.
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I'd like a 310 w/ the Riley Rocket conversion. 250 kts cruise :yes:

Although ATM I'm pretty content with the 165 knots in the mooney.
 
DavidWhite said:
I'd like a 310 w/ the Riley Rocket conversion. 250 kts cruise :yes:

Although ATM I'm pretty content with the 165 knots in the mooney.
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I was content when I first got the R182 also. 140kts, so not quite as fast as a Mooney but hey, I can't complain. :lol: now though after 4 months of flying it, 8 0 hours in it and many, many cross-countries... I want more speed, and the ability to say "Center Skylane 3T at FL190". I think I'll end up the owner of a turbine single before a piston twin.. I think. We will see how those cards play out in the next 10 years or so. :yes:
 
I did 350 solo xc in a 172 - all the states on my map besides north dakota were in the 172. You have a lot of flying to do before you can complain :D
 
I'll buy the 172 for $1 if that works for you.


And nope... I certainly can't complain. But I will say a flight from SD to AZ is long.. 7.1 in the air actually. I anticipate in the future that will become the regular trip (again, 10 years or so) and the desire to go over the rockies rather than around them will be quite large. I am incredibly fortunate to have the R182, I don't think I'll ever be able to complain! :D
 
Get some supplemental O2 and go over them, all but the tallest ones you should be able to clear at 15k no problem.
 
DavidWhite said:
Get some supplemental O2 and go over them, all but the tallest ones you should be able to clear at 15k no problem.
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I don't know that I'm comfortable at that level. The airplane doesn't perform for poop up above 12 anyway. I'm too new of a pilot without much mountain flying really. A couple trips to the Bighorns in Wyoming, and a couple trips through the AZ mountains. Maybe in a couple years and after my IR is done.. maybe. Unlike you I wasn't smart and waited until I was 21 to get my license. Wish I would have done it when I was 17, but live and learn. I turn 22 next week, I'll have logged around 170 hours by then (pending my airplane is fixed....). Not too shabby though. :redface:
 
DavidWhite said:
Although ATM I'm pretty content with the 165 knots in the mooney.
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I have a feeling not for long :lol:

That's the problem with speed. No matter how much you have, it is not enough. It's the same problem with cars, at least for me.
 
DavidWhite said:
Say, you aren't doing your instrument training in Nebraska are you? (A funny for Nate)

In all seriousness, broken airplanes suck. I hope the situation is remedied quickly and inexpensively as possible.
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Heh. Nebraska broke both our airplanes! Yours was a teensy bit more expensive than mine. Hahaha. Or should I say, ouch? You know it was not fun when the front desk folks were still talking about it months later to me! Haha.

(And to be honest, my nose strut was "already broke", since its leaky. Mechanic and our opinion is that it has to get significantly worse before we ship the strut off for replating and tear down the rest to replace seals and what-not.)

The static thing, was transient... and weird.

Also blew a light bulb, which in the end was the impetus to just spend the $200/bulb and put LEDs in and forget about that darn problem for a very long time. Ha.

On the bungees, it's just stuff that's going to happen on 30+ year old equipment... We're all flying stuff that qualifies for "classic" license plates if they were cars...
 
Z06_Mir said:
I don't know that I'm comfortable at that level. The airplane doesn't perform for poop up above 12 anyway. I'm too new of a pilot without much mountain flying really. A couple trips to the Bighorns in Wyoming, and a couple trips through the AZ mountains. Maybe in a couple years and after my IR is done.. maybe. Unlike you I wasn't smart and waited until I was 21 to get my license. Wish I would have done it when I was 17, but live and learn. I turn 22 next week, I'll have logged around 170 hours by then (pending my airplane is fixed....). Not too shabby though. :redface:
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I always felt more comfortable flying higher over the mountains - plus the higher you fly over New Mexico the further away from it you are.

Gubbins said:
I have a feeling not for long :lol:

That's the problem with speed. No matter how much you have, it is not enough. It's the same problem with cars, at least for me.
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Maybe, but in the name of efficiency the mooney is a tough one to beat.

denverpilot said:
Heh. Nebraska broke both our airplanes! Yours was a teensy bit more expensive than mine. Hahaha. Or should I say, ouch? You know it was not fun when the front desk folks were still talking about it months later to me! Haha.
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Yeah, it was less than ideal. I think the rundown went like this

1. Attitude Indicator was a POS and finally rolled on its back while flying an ILS
2. Fuel on front wheel pant. line going to fuel pressure gauge was broken
3. Oil leak and engine chugs at low RPM - oil leaks repaired, cylinder #4 had no compression, cylinder replaced with one from central cylinder and they discovered problem #4
4. Huge crack in the shroud around the exhaust - as per the engine STC exhaust cannot be repaired and must be replaced with new. Bush conversions gave us the run around and we ended up just putting a new short stack powerflow on it.

My most recent trip to Nebraska my DG decided it was going to act like a POS too, so we replaced that.

:yikes:
 
Well, we can feel better knowing we kept the nice folks in Aircraft Maintenance in Nebraska in money.

I forgot, my plug wire end cracked and fell off in North Platte too. I'm good at spreading the maintenance wealth across Nebraska. Hehe.
 
Z06_Mir said:
No sim at my school, they believe in teaching in the airplane which I do agree with. My CFI and I decided to cancel for today. Tomorrow if the plane isn't done we're gonna do a double ground since I had ground already scheduled. I always feel a little bad though, since he's only getting paid when he's with a student.
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Teaching in airplanes is the worst and most expensive way to get instrument rated. You also just can't get the proper training either.

I suspect the schools' "belief" is more based on getting revenue for the airplanes and not spending money on the simulators and training the staff how to use them/teach with them.
 
timrj said:
Teaching in airplanes is the worst and most expensive way to get instrument rated. You also just can't get the proper training either.

I suspect the schools' "belief" is more based on getting revenue for the airplanes and not spending money on the simulators and training the staff how to use them/teach with them.
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I've gotten to do training in IMC in my airplane.. how is that bad? I've flown XC's that were 900+ miles on an IFR plan in IMC for several of it... must be terrible to get real world experience huh? Granted, this training wasn't from my school but from another CFII friend. It taught me so much that I'm not learning from my school in the way of real-world XCs and conditions.. Being stuck in some bright room on some simulator that probably isn't even close to my airplane doesn't sound like a very real way to learn. It seems like a good way to wipe my butt with $50/hr. I wouldn't learn in a sim and I know it. I need the reality of the situation to take it seriously.
 
I passed my stage check today, and I did pretty well. I didn't totally screw up my DME arc but it wasn't beautiful either. After I landed the chief CFI said "really nice stage check!" so even though I had off points I know I did well. I did a hold at an intersection, a DME arc and then he gave me vectors to the VOR approach for 22R at KCHD. I can't wait to start doing fulltime real appraoches starting Tuesday. I've missed them. :D
 
NineThreeKilo said:
That sir, is a clean panel :yes:
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Thanks - I sold WL about a month ago and I miss it already :( I told the guy who was looking to buy it that I wanted to keep the 530 and CDI so to offer accordingly, he made a fair offer so we accepted. He's gonna put a garmin 750 in there :hairraise:

The Mooney is gonna have a 530/430/330 panel though which will be really nice.
 
timrj said:
Teaching in airplanes is the worst and most expensive way to get instrument rated. You also just can't get the proper training either.

I suspect the schools' "belief" is more based on getting revenue for the airplanes and not spending money on the simulators and training the staff how to use them/teach with them.
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Well, since she is using her airplane I don't see how the school is getting any extra revenue from it.
 
DavidWhite said:
Well, since she is using her airplane I don't see how the school is getting any extra revenue from it.
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They charge a couple bucks more an hour to use my airplane. From my research this seems fairly normal since most students give them rental revenue and instruction revenue and I'm giving them only instruction revenue. They have also been really good about dealing with my mechanicals in that every time I've broken I was never charged their normal fee for canceling within 12 hours, even if it meant they lost the revenue (my CFII is always 100% booked) from me for that day (or in one case, a week)
 
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