So, student pilots.. Who are we and where do we stand?

TimRF79 said:
Well, after checkride yesterday with FAA observer and a quick finishing up this morning (due to clouds yesterday) I got more to study.
For my instrument rating that is :-D
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You shouldn't announce so cryptically. I had to come back to your post and read it again to get what you said. Congrats! lol.
 
Can I join this conversation? I ve just started my ppl and try to get many informations from here as well :)
 
Wx is killing me. Had the ride portion of my check ride canceled twice now due to low ceilings. Try again Wednesday!
 
ScottinIowa said:
Wx is killing me. Had the ride portion of my check ride canceled twice now due to low ceilings. Try again Wednesday!
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Same thing happened to me. But, in the end I think it was better. We cancelled the initial entire test because of Wx. Second time we completed the oral but the winds were way to high to do the flight. Had to wait three weeks to do the flight portion because of DPE schedule. I think having the oral out of the way was a big relief and I could concentrate on just flying.
Good luck!!
 
ACG said:
Same thing happened to me. But, in the end I think it was better. We cancelled the initial entire test because of Wx. Second time we completed the oral but the winds were way to high to do the flight. Had to wait three weeks to do the flight portion because of DPE schedule. I think having the oral out of the way was a big relief and I could concentrate on just flying.
Good luck!!
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What were the winds? I'm curious to know what folks in different places consider as too much wind to be flying.
 
denverpilot said:
Depends on where you live and what you’re used to

280@35 is a nice day in CYS. :)
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That's kinda my point. ;)

I went up Saturday with south winds at 20 gusting to 25 and didn't think twice because it was just about right down the runway, but that's just part of living on the plains. I'm sure there are some places that would consider that too much.
 
I won't go up with any x wind over 15 for my check ride. Would I otherwise? Probably, but I don't need a gust pushing me off the center line and busting the the test because of it.
 
denverpilot said:
Depends on where you live and what you’re used to

:)
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Also depends on what you're flying.

The LSAs I fly get tossed around more than larger planes, and they're only rated for a 15 knot crosswind.

Local geography can also make a difference. Structures near the runway, berms near the runway, proximity of trees, etc., can all change what the wind is doing at your runway. A METAR wind figure might not be the whole story, and you need to interpret it a bit for the location.
 
Another solo today. Pretty much same as last time. CFI got out after 2 landings. I did two landings, a go around then a final landing calling it a day. I wanted to stay up longer, but it was way too hot to do so safely (comfortably).
 
1.8 hours of checkride prep left and the weather this week looks like crap. Also our 152 went into mx a week and a half ago right after I flew it and the mechanic on the field has been very backed up, it hasn't even gotten in the shop yet. It was running rough due to a leak somewhere on the intake manifold. Talked to my instructor and he recommended we fly one of the 172s if the weather clears up.

For you all that have flown 150/2s and 172s I would like your opinion on this. Would flying the 172 really through me for a loop in going back to the 152 for my checkride? Also, I plan on getting checked out in the 172s that we have right after I finish my PPL. I could just go ahead and transition to it now, fly a few more hours and take my checkride in one of those, which are always available, versus waiting on the 152 which is flown very frequently and in maintenance a lot. I have 51 hours, all in the 152. I hate to rush something, but its getting close to a year and a half since I have started and I am ready to move on to doing some cross countries, working on my instrument, and preferably buying a cheap 2 place to build time in.
 
Ronbonjovi said:
1.8 hours of checkride prep left and the weather this week looks like crap. Also our 152 went into mx a week and a half ago right after I flew it and the mechanic on the field has been very backed up, it hasn't even gotten in the shop yet. It was running rough due to a leak somewhere on the intake manifold. Talked to my instructor and he recommended we fly one of the 172s if the weather clears up.

For you all that have flown 150/2s and 172s I would like your opinion on this. Would flying the 172 really through me for a loop in going back to the 152 for my checkride? Also, I plan on getting checked out in the 172s that we have right after I finish my PPL. I could just go ahead and transition to it now, fly a few more hours and take my checkride in one of those, which are always available, versus waiting on the 152 which is flown very frequently and in maintenance a lot. I have 51 hours, all in the 152. I hate to rush something, but its getting close to a year and a half since I have started and I am ready to move on to doing some cross countries, working on my instrument, and preferably buying a cheap 2 place to build time in.
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If you plan to do it anyway, why not now? Sounds like you're either not flying or transitioning to the 172. It's (a little) bigger, heavier and (a very little) faster, but nothing dramatic and it's still a Cessna. The transition shouldn't be very hard, I'd say mostly get used to 1) landings (and approaches) because the speeds are a little different, 2) stalls (ditto) and things like steep turns. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to transition.

John
 
I switched from a 172 to a Piper Archer.. I lost about 10 hours getting re-qualified, but I think that is more of a switch than 150 to 172 (low to high wing, carb vs injected (172P) etc.)
If you are for sure planning on doing most of your flying in a 172 - I'd switch now, I was right where you were and I was glad to do that transition with a CFI in the right seat vs trying to figure it out on my own. Gives you time to get familiar with any different avionics as well.
 
Ronbonjovi said:
1.8 hours of checkride prep left and the weather this week looks like crap. Also our 152 went into mx a week and a half ago right after I flew it and the mechanic on the field has been very backed up, it hasn't even gotten in the shop yet. It was running rough due to a leak somewhere on the intake manifold. Talked to my instructor and he recommended we fly one of the 172s if the weather clears up.

For you all that have flown 150/2s and 172s I would like your opinion on this. Would flying the 172 really through me for a loop in going back to the 152 for my checkride? Also, I plan on getting checked out in the 172s that we have right after I finish my PPL. I could just go ahead and transition to it now, fly a few more hours and take my checkride in one of those, which are always available, versus waiting on the 152 which is flown very frequently and in maintenance a lot. I have 51 hours, all in the 152. I hate to rush something, but its getting close to a year and a half since I have started and I am ready to move on to doing some cross countries, working on my instrument, and preferably buying a cheap 2 place to build time in.
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I instruct in 152 & 172s. At the stage you're at, I would stick to the 152. 172 isn't a lot different than a 152, but some maneuvers (like dep stalls) are a little different. You could switch but it may take you awhile to adjust.
 
Had my first day of pattern work at KCCR today. The wind really sucked but we went for it anyway. We were using runway 19r and the wind was 240@16k 22g. I progressively got better but still a lot of work to do. I didn’t seem to get the feel until the las 2 landings. I had two go around, one double bouncer, and a few where I just picked up the nose too much. All in all a good hour of practice!




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Peter Anderson said:
Had my first day of pattern work at KCCR today.
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Fun isn’t it? ;)

Has your instructor talked about using an aiming point on the windscreen as a reference for when you’re low or high? I bet he will.

Or does that runway have a PAPI or VASI or similar?

Aim point is a pretty common technique when a visual glideslope indicator isn’t available. You can search it and find lots of other examples, but here’s a randomly picked one from YouTube.


You can go back with that in mind and look at your video and see what the numbers were doing on the approaches where you thought you were okay and the instructor was saying you were going low. (I don’t think you had one where you went high, but eventually you will! :) )

Some instructors don’t use this technique, but has he ever said:

Pitch for airspeed, power for altitude.

We could discuss that a little more if you’d like but some instructors don’t use it. Eventually you realize there’s an interaction between the two, but it’s a good way to simplify what feels to you like juggling too many balls.

That last landing worked out nicely, eh? Good job!
 
Kansas Flyer said:
What were the winds? I'm curious to know what folks in different places consider as too much wind to be flying.
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I think winds were 15G20. On the day we finally did the flight portion they were about 12 or 13 which I liked. That gave me an excuse for a not so perfect landing. haha
 
Going wayyyy too slow, only logged 24.7hrs in the course of 9 months! :( (Weather and scheduling conflicts)
 
denverpilot said:
Fun isn’t it? ;)

Has your instructor talked about using an aiming point on the windscreen as a reference for when you’re low or high? I bet he will.

Or does that runway have a PAPI or VASI or similar?

Aim point is a pretty common technique when a visual glideslope indicator isn’t available. You can search it and find lots of other examples, but here’s a randomly picked one from YouTube.


You can go back with that in mind and look at your video and see what the numbers were doing on the approaches where you thought you were okay and the instructor was saying you were going low. (I don’t think you had one where you went high, but eventually you will! :) )

Some instructors don’t use this technique, but has he ever said:

Pitch for airspeed, power for altitude.

We could discuss that a little more if you’d like but some instructors don’t use it. Eventually you realize there’s an interaction between the two, but it’s a good way to simplify what feels to you like juggling too many balls.

That last landing worked out nicely, eh? Good job!
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Thank you for all the great input! We had a dirty crosswind today and it got tougher for sure. I can’t wait to master this up! Pitch for speed power for altitude is of my instructors favorite things to say!


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Peter Anderson said:
Had my first day of pattern work at KCCR today. The wind really sucked but we went for it anyway. We were using runway 19r and the wind was 240@16k 22g. I progressively got better but still a lot of work to do. I didn’t seem to get the feel until the las 2 landings. I had two go around, one double bouncer, and a few where I just picked up the nose too much. All in all a good hour of practice!




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Great video, your instructor was making me laugh every time he started laughing. Good Stuff!!!
 
Thanks for your input @jsstevens @Hang 4 @mscard88. As it looks now the weather is going to be a complete crap shoot here in the southeast the next two weeks, so I am just going to sit back and see how it plays out. If I am lucky, the weather clears up my memorial day and our 152 is out of mx. If not, then I'll address the issue at that point.

10 day forecast :(

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After 10 hrs of great instruction and advice from my CFI, he said he was bored and wanted to exit the plane and let me do a few laps around the pattern by myself. What a great feeling! (of course after all the thinking: "there's no one next to you... don't f... this up." :)
 
MacFlier said:
After 10 hrs of great instruction and advice from my CFI, he said he was bored and wanted to exit the plane and let me do a few laps around the pattern by myself. What a great feeling! (of course after all the thinking: "there's no one next to you... don't f... this up." :)
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Awesome! Congrats!!


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Peter Anderson said:
Had my first day of pattern work at KCCR today.....
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fun stuff, aint it? don't take this the wrong way, as I know how exciting this stage of learning is, but take off and landing time is the time to be LISTENING more and talking, well, little to none. maybe a quick repeat of what the instructor is telling you to do..."reduce power"....."reducing power".......more right rudder..........."ok more right rudder", and that's it, as instructions will be coming at you one after the other. I know it's overwhelming but, more listening at this stage.
 
denverpilot said:
My life is in the way of my flying right now and it’s ticking me off. Quite a bit actually. :)
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Bring the plane over and drop it off. I'll put on a few hours to keep her current.
(which with my landings will also ensure the landing gear can still take an ass-whoopin)
Safety first, as they say.
 
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