Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ohio
Posts: 3
A "late bloomer's" experience & frustration
Dear Fellow Forum members:
At the outset, I must appologize for the length and probable rambling nature of this post. Please bear with me! I have been lurking on this forum for awhile and have found that responses for the most part are sympathetic, encouraging, supportive, and informative. On April 4th I took my "Discovery Flight" at a local Cessna Flight Center and the following week I began the journey towards obtaining a PPL-ASEL at the same facility. I have found the experience to be both exhilarating and frustrating!
I have always wanted to learn to fly. As a young adult, I was too involved with obtaining my education and starting a family (3 kids); at age 30 or so I could not afford to take lessons; at 38 or so I became disenchanted with the idea of taking lessons after speaking to a local CFI who related hating training "doctors" because of their "inherent attitude". Well I turned 49 this year in March and decided if I was gonna do it (fly that is) I had better get busy. I visited the local FBO, but the CFI there told me I had to buy my own plane. It might be important to mention that I am 6'4" and 325#. Ultimately I decided it would be a good idea to attend a more structured school so I went with the Cessna Flight Center. Due to my physical size and their willingness; I opted to take traing in a C-182 with G-1000, and purchased a training package (to include 50 hours wet,40 hours of ground, the costs of testing, & the training CDs) for around $10,700. The average instructor at this facility had taught for about 2 years each completing the training for around 8 or 9 students. Later another fellow came on board with considerably more experience. I was assigned a primary instructor.
The ground portion has gone fairly well. I self studied using the CD series, an ASA test prep guide, various things I found on the internet & the AOPA site, a book called "Stick and Rudder", and answers to questions posed to my instructor. I took the written exam and received a score of 92. I also dutifully obtained my medical clearance by the 3rd week or so.
My frustration results primarily from the course of my practical training. I am fully aware that I am not as coordinated as I may have been when younger and I am even willing to accept that my "natural ability" may be suspect when compared to others.
During the month of April I had six lessons totalling 8.3 hours and which covered essentially all of the basic maneuvers as well as power and prop management. I was excited and felt the lessons had gone well!
During the first week of May I was unable to be in the area for lessons but wanted earestly to fly so I took 5 lessons in a C-172 at another FBO totaling 6.4 hours and included general maneuvers, steep turns, and 26 landings. Later in the month at the same place I took a 2.4 hour lesson which included XC touring at several airports in central Ohio. Remember, I just wanted some extra "stick and rudder" time. Throughout the rest of May, I had 8 lessons totaling 14 hours. These were alot tougher, personally. The instructor strongly implied I needed to take more initiative in managing the plane; however remembering what a prior CFI had said about teaching "doctors" I had fervently tried to touch nothing until specifically "told to do so" so as not to appear pushy and difficult to teach.
During the first week of June, I had 4 lessons totaling 6.6 hours and involved landings (the outcome after 26 landings during this week and by now 92 landings was that I was unable to flare at the right time (usually early) or enough, or too much. I was getting upset at my inability to "get it". I had an aquaintance who had taught for >25 years for essentially all ratings, was a DE for many ratings, and a fully rated mechanic take me out to see what was wrong. He felt that I had essentially no confidence any more, helped me get a better sense of the appropriate sight picture when leveling and flaring, and strongly suggested I stop attending my existing flight school. I personally felt that given what I had already invested that I should just tough it out and it was up to me to learn to control the plane despite the situation. I think that decision hurt this fellow's feelings alittle, as his advice seemed sincere! I took 3 more lessons at the flight school during June totaling 6.1 hours. The lessons were oriented towards landings including those in x-winds. The comments from the instructors were very positive as indicated in the log book and verbally for these17 landings.
I then had to be out of the country for a month and resumed training on July 11th; wherein after a 27 day layoff, the lesson involved 3 normal landings and 3 under different emergency conditions and were described as "good, unassisted landings". I then ran into major problems related to availability of the plane which was a lease-back and became popular for checkouts on the Garmin1000 and leasing for vacations (of the 200 hours or so total time on the plane I had been the renter nearly 30% of the time until then). Also I began running into difficulty regarding instructor availability. THIS WAS A CRITICAL TIME IN MY TRAINING I THOUGHT! In order to keep plugging onward I talked other instructors into getting my foggle time completed, but had to do it in a C-206. I had to go for 27 days between showing my primary instructor I had "got it" on June 11th and still "had it" on August 6th and 7th. I Finally soloed on August 7th after 52.1 total hours (37.2 in the C-182, 10.9 in a C-172, and 4 in a C-206).
During the remaining portion of August I have had 3 solo sessions totalling 3.9 hours devoted to practice and the short XC; only 2 lessons with my primary instructor involving landings at and operation within controlled airspace and a night flight with 6 landings instructor has been busy and does not know when we can complete the remainder of the night portion of the training; and 4 lessons with other instructors (due to instructor/plane unavailability and his taking a vacation- I realize he is entitled to a vacation) totaling 7.1 hours and involving landings, x-wind landings, and operation in controlled airspace.
At the outset, I spoke to the owner of the business that I was willing to fly regularly and often, that I wanted to be finished if possible by the end of August, that I wished to pursue an IFR immediately on finishing the PPL, and that I wished to purchase a new plane if things went smoothly. When plane/instructor availabilty became an issue I spoke to the owner about it. I felt that since I had been the single most often renter of the lease-back that perhaps some consideration should have been made for its availability during the critical phases of my training. Out of frustration, I cancelled my order for the plane.
I am disappointed that during critical phases of my training I had to go for long periods without the consisency of constant training with my primary instructor which caused me to farm out 36% of my lessons with other nice, well-meaning fellows, and good teachers. While this may seem to be an advantage to some; it has led to a considerable increased cost -around an extra $2500 (due to duplication and showing someone who hasn't been with you what you can and can not do).
My primary instructor feels he has no idea how much longer it will take to get me ready for my checkride (I am seripously concerned about how much more it will cost before I will be finished). I still need to complete the night XC flight, the long XC solo, and 3 landings at a controlled field, and further pre-checkride tuneups. It is now September with continued difficulty regarding instructor/plane availability. I have a total of 70 hours total time, 10.9 of which was at other flight schools. I have 179 landings. I have spent around $15,000.00.
I wish the lessons had been structured regarding firm lesson plans and completion goals and standards, I feel schools should look at their program and provide some certanty that students not waste money duplicating lessons, primary instuctors and the plane are available during the critical phases of their training.
I sincerely love having the opportunity to learn to fly and the wherewithall to do it! I don't think it should have been this expensive (admittedly I could have trained in their C-172 and saved around $3000) or this disjointed (in my case the last 2 months).
I encourage any response or guidance. Am I expecting too much? I realize I am fortunate compared to many others but I was quite clear at the outset that I wanted my training to be as efficient as possible. I have been diligent regarding showing up for lessons early and almost never cancelling them. When weather interfered with flying, I would at least use my instructor for further ground training as a means of supporting the school.
redcloud
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