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

@Half Fast - Being not all that far ahead of you time-wise, I found I really had trouble with the "how high am I" thing too - until about 4 or 5 lessons ago. (about 15 hrs) and it just "clicked". I really liken it to back when you learned to ride a bike - at first you are thinking about balance, steering, peadaling, and - crap that dog! <Crash>. Then, one day, it "just clicks" and you can think about riding the bike and where you are going, and the balance and stuff "just happens". For me at least, this is exactly how the flare felt. At first I was all over, some good, some high, some float, some WHAM.. Now I'm able to judge the flare without actually consciously thinking about it. In fact, I do better when I DON'T actively think about it at all. I just know, and can instead think about the landing itself - attitude, direction, wind, etc. This JUST happened to me about 2.5 weeks ago, so keep it up (and fly often if you can) and likely it will just "click" at some point. Good luck!
 
mscard88 said:
Are you looking down the runway a ways down? Say a third to halfway down? Give you a better 'sight' picture of when to round out/flare.
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Well, this was my first landing attempt, so I'm not altogether sure, but I was trying to look down the runway. I know it won't work to look directly in front of the nose; everything will move too fast. I think it's just going to take lots of practice.
 
Thanks, jbrinker. I'm sure it'll all click eventually. I have a tendency to be impatient with myself.
 
Half Fast said:
Well, this was my first landing attempt, so I'm not altogether sure, but I was trying to look down the runway. I know it won't work to look directly in front of the nose; everything will move too fast. I think it's just going to take lots of practice.
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I was surprised when I finally realized how low you actually get before doing anything. I like these two video's that attempt to describe timing of the roundout:

But yea, don't sweat it at this point, it just takes practice and you'll get a feel for it.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Starting to look like my checkride is going to be cancelled due to wind. The forecast isn't terrible, but bad enough to make me think twice. Haven't gotten to practice all weekend because of the weather. Today's gusts were 40 mph! :(
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Its checkride day!
 
Mike Smith said:
Its checkride day!
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Well, actually tomorrow is, but most likely not going to happen unless there's a sharp change in the wind forecast :( At least going to go knock out the oral exam so it'll be one less thing to stress. I have a backup date for Friday for the flying part, so won't have to wait too long. Just need weather to cooperate!
 
Just finished a check ride prep flight and ground school with my CFI and all went well. He's scheduling me for next Tuesday and I plan to go up once or twice this week solo to practice maneuvers. I'm also planning to go up with my CFI Monday afternoon for a last minute sanity check.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
I plan to NOT think about the checkride - or anything for that matter - that night. :)
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Except you will probably have to prepare your flight plan the night before to incorporate the weather forecasts, unless you want to get up early and then stress about completing it in time to get to the airport.
 
PPC1052 said:
Except you will probably have to prepare your flight plan the night before to incorporate the weather forecasts, unless you want to get up early and then stress about completing it in time to get to the airport.
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Really? I have to do a flight plan? Then who's going to drink this cold beer?
 
tuwood said:
Just draw a squiggly line on a napkin and tell the examiner that's the best you could come up with. o_O
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examiner: "Why does it smell like Guinness?"
me: "I'm sorry... did you just say I'm a genius? Thanks! What time you got, anyway?"
examiner: "10:00..."
me: "Hmm... What's 10:00 minus 2:45?"
examiner: "7 hours, 15 minutes..."
me: "You got 45 minute left of questions?"

:)

In all seriousness, no idea if I'm going to be able to knock this out tomorrow or not. Winds were super gusty this afternoon, so went up for a spin with my instructor. Didn't do much with landings (just a few in the crosswind), but I did well on everything else. I might at least try to go up tomorrow. We'll see. Feel pretty good about things, so regardless, I'll have my ticket soon enough.
 
oli_allstar said:
New student here! 1 hr in.

I'm looking forward to chasing more hours so long as the weather cooperates ;)
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Tell me about it. Tried to get out 4 times in the last week, no go with the weather. One of these days I suppose.....
 
I did my solo cross-country this past weekend. It’s something that has been planned on for a long time but between plane availability and weather it was usually cancelled...until this past Sunday when everything finally fell into place. The day dawned calm and clear (and hot). As is typical for a Colorado summer day the afternoon weather was gonna be iffy at best but that wasn’t going to be an issue since my scheduled flight ended long before any weather was forecast to move in.

I arrived at the airport and got the plane fueled while my CFI and I discussed the flight which was almost very familiar to me by now. I had done the route once already with him as well as flying to to Limon (KLIC) (stop #1) for TnG’s solo once already, we also did my night flight to La Junta (KLHX) (stop #2) for pilot-controlled lighting experience. He mentioned that density altitude might come into play with full fuel but it was just an observation, not a actual concern.

I departed and picked up flight following with no issues. The flight to Limon (56 NM) was uneventful so I stopped and stretched my legs (mostly because I knew that if I didn’t stretch while I had the chance I would be seriously suffering pretty soon). It’s a sleepy small-town airport and I was the only one around so I didn’t have a reason to hang out any longer than necessary. My next leg to La Junta (74 NM) was just as uneventful but I realized I’d have to do some “pilot sh*t” once I tuned the ASOS. La Junta’s winds that day meant that the main runway would have have had 90 deg. crosswinds a bit above my level. I consulted the AFD and determined the crosswind runway would be acceptable with crosswinds abot 3 knots….I did have to fly around the airport a bit above pattern alttutude for a bit while I figured out the pattern entry (figuring out pattern entry for a runway/direction i’m not familiar with is like doing math by “counting on my fingers’...I know that it’s something I have to think about and figure out so I don’t just dive right on in).

After landing I filled up my water bottle in the terminal and headed back because I was just a bit behind schedule at this point and the winds so far meant that I likely wouldn’t be able to make up even a minute. The flight back to Colorado Springs was going to be 72 NM.

I tried to pick up FF but the rare times I managed to get on the busy freq I never got acknowledged so I wound up just flying the route straight-up see-and-avoid. The day’s heat became noticeable on the way back because it because a bit “thermal-ly” but I realized that I am finally getting more comfortable with those bumps.

I got vectored around a bit on approach to Colorado Springs (Class C) which is nothing new but I was eventually given a straight-in clearance from WAYYY south which was unusual but not exactly unexpected given my approach direction. I was told to maintain best speed as long as possible since a King Air was cleared in behind me and I did do the best I could and luckily I knew Tower was familiar with the tail number and just how fast the plane can(‘t) go.

I had one of my best landings ever at tthe end of the day (go figure, since my CFI wasn’t there to evaulate it!) and rolled up the FBO about 30 minutes behind schedule, much to my CFI’s relief (who knew they get nervous when students are overdue from a XC?!).

I was running a quite an adrenalin high for the rest of the day, not just becuse I actually flew an actual route by my actual self but because during the course of it I had to exercise my responsibilities as PIC and make some decisions which were totally unplanned for….okay, just the one, but still.
 
oli_allstar said:
New student here! 1 hr in.

I'm looking forward to chasing more hours so long as the weather cooperates ;)
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Welcome!

We're at about the same point. I've got .4 hrs and will be going up this Friday for my second lesson, weather cooperating.
 
Got a question:
My school uses the King videos and I'm watching one of them where she recommends calling on Unicom for "Advisories" and then does her radio call as "Podunk Airport, Bugsmasher NXXX, 10 miles south at 3,500. Request airport advisories. Podunk"

I'm pretty sure that's considered a no-no anymore, right? (the video is awfully old even compared to other videos in the series that look old)
 
Not a no-no at all. It's a good idea at untowered fields, especially if you're unfamiliar and there is no automated weather broadcast.
 
write-stuff said:
Not a no-no at all. It's a good idea at untowered fields, especially if you're unfamiliar and there is no automated weather broadcast.
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Agree! Hopefully someone will answer, be it the FBO or airplanes already in the pattern. inbound, or even outbound.
 
I was just notified that my oral and check ride on Tuesday will be done in accordance with the new Airman Certification Standards. eek
 
write-stuff said:
Not a no-no at all. It's a good idea at untowered fields, especially if you're unfamiliar and there is no automated weather broadcast.
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mscard88 said:
Agree! Hopefully someone will answer, be it the FBO or airplanes already in the pattern. inbound, or even outbound.
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Okay.

I think my confusion is what is different about this than from the constantly ridiculed "Any aircraft in the pattern, please advise?" Just phraseology?
 
hockeyrcks9901 said:
Okay.

I think my confusion is what is different about this than from the constantly ridiculed "Any aircraft in the pattern, please advise?" Just phraseology?
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I don't see anything wrong with any of it. I simply ignore those who ridicule any of it. Their opinion. I also instruct students to do this. Worked pretty well all these years.
 
mscard88 said:
I don't see anything wrong with any of it. I simply ignore those who ridicule any of it. Their opinion. I also instruct students to do this. Worked pretty well all these years.
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Fair enough and makes sense.

I haven't heard either phrase in my area but most of the fields are pretty busy so if you tune in the unicom you can normally build a pretty good mental picture just listening for a little bit.
 
The AIM specifically says not to say "Any traffic please advise".
Asking for airport advisories on the Unicom is completely different.
 
hockeyrcks9901 said:
Got a question:
My school uses the King videos and I'm watching one of them where she recommends calling on Unicom for "Advisories" and then does her radio call as "Podunk Airport, Bugsmasher NXXX, 10 miles south at 3,500. Request airport advisories. Podunk"

I'm pretty sure that's considered a no-no anymore, right? (the video is awfully old even compared to other videos in the series that look old)
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I hear this all the time at untowered fields around here. Just heard someone phrase it just like that last lesson in fact... I'd say it's still used (at least here in upstate NY and across the lake in Ontario)
 
Today's lesson cancelled due to weather. Bummer.

Next lesson's are Monday and Wednesday so hopefully the weather holds out this week.
 
Half Fast said:
Same here (same wx system), but I'm scheduled again tomorrow. We're starting to get into the usual summertime pattern of afternoon thunderstorms.
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Where are you training?

I just started and can tell it's going to be tough with my instructor working until 5pm and my working till 3pm. Puts my flights at 3 right at prime storm time.

O well, just means I'll have to get better at reading forecasts.
 
I finished the 25 hrs of SOE today. Now I have to go down and get the limitation removed. There will be no limits or restrictions on my new certificate and that's thanks to the people here that convinced me not to go get the A320 or the B737 type rating. Couldn't have removed the PIC limitation otherwise.
 
hockeyrcks9901 said:
Where are you training?

I just started and can tell it's going to be tough with my instructor working until 5pm and my working till 3pm. Puts my flights at 3 right at prime storm time.

O well, just means I'll have to get better at reading forecasts.
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I'm training at First Landings in Apopka (X04). We're getting the usual summer afternoon thunderstorms. I was able to fly this morning, but my afternoon flight didn't happen due to wx.
 
Started working on landings today. The saying goes that any landing you walk away from is a good one, and if you can use the plane again it was a great one. Another student took up the plane right after me, so I guess my first attempts were great.
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I was scheduled to fly yesterday afternoon, but thunderstorms in the area forced us to cancel. I got up this morning, and we did a turn around a point to shake out the cobwebs and see if I'd forgotten last week's work. The turn was fine, well within PTS, so maybe the muscle memory is starting to work. Practiced a few steep turns next (also fine) then started landing work.

We had a wind from the west and the school airport (X04) only has one runway, 15-33. A direct crosswind didn't seem like a good way to start. We had intended to go over to Leesburg KLEE, but wx was working in from that direction, clouds were lowering, and the ride was a bit bumpy. We decided to use Orlando North Airpark (FA83) https://www.aopa.org/airports/FA83 , which has a 9-27 runway.

If I ever need to set down on a narrow country road, practicing at FA83 will come in handy. Narrow and short runway, trees on the approach and down both sides (pic attached). We did several touch & go landings, then returned to X04 where I did another messy landing on 33. I was awfully rough, but it's a start and I'll get better. (It'd be hard to get much worse...)

I'd scheduled another lesson for this afternoon, but thunderstorms were now working their way through the Leesburg area. My CFI came down from a noon lesson and told me it was too rough for any useful instruction, so we took some time to get me more familiar with the plane's Garmin. Sitting in the plane and taking my time to work through the various screens and explore dozens of options was helpful, so the afternoon wasn't wasted.

I'm taking tomorrow off from flying to drive up to Middleburg, FL and visit my dad for Father's Day. I won't be able to get back in the air until next Sun 6/26. Hopefully the wx will let us go to KLEE and work on landings there.

12.2 hours now. I felt today went well and my CFI seems satisfied that I'm making acceptable progress, so I'll continue plodding forward.
Orlando North rwy27.JPG
 
Logged 1.1 hours today for a total of 1.5 hours.

He had me do the full preflight, start up, taxi, takeoff (more rudder), and climb to pattern altitude before we headed to the practice area.

In the practice area we did more turns, climbing and descending turns, descents with/without flaps, best glide descent, slow flight (no stall horn), and practice patterns and approaches to a pretend runway. Our pretend runway was just a dark strip of grass in a large field and we pretended we were 1000 feet lower than we really were. I was a little high but the sight picture was weird with our pretend altitude.

Today, the sight picture in a level turn clicked more than in the first lesson which was nice. Didn't find anything particularly challenging which is nice. The amount of right rudder in a climb that's required was surprising even though I knew it was required.

Next lesson is Wednesday (weather permitting) and we're going to add stalls and I believe approaches. I'm one lesson ahead of the schools syllabus at this point but I do have a fair bit of experience flying a helicopter at work. The pilot lets me take the controls and I'd say I've probably got 3 hours of non-logged time there.
 
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