So what now?

marcoseddi

marcoseddi

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
Messages
1,375
Location
Long Branch NJ
Display Name
Display name:
marc
Just soloed Sunday, did one take off landing I know it's not much! But now I'm wondering what's on the agenda CFI said lets get on requirements now cross country and night and all that originally was thinking let me do my solo time a few hours and than go do that but maybe it makes sense to go do the requirements and then I can solo once I get comfortable and know cross countries and get those out? Just curious what the consensus is on this.. Thanks as always guys
 
Although it is not written anywhere, three takeoffs and landings are the norm for a first solo. Having said that, I understand your desire to get more time alone before going ahead. ASA's syllabus pretty much goes along with your instructor, but I don't know that I buy it 100 percent. Looking back on my primary instructor days from a long distance, I think that after the first solo day I would want two or three lessons consisting of a couple of dual takeoffs and landings to pick up any developing bad habits followed by an increasing amount of solo time.

Bob Gardner
 
Your instructor should be in the loop on what he/she expects you to be working on. The cross-countries require lots of instructor input. What you can do yourself is work on all the PTS maneuvers that need work. For me, it was steep turns, short and soft landings. You'll want to check with your instructor to see if he's ok with you doing stalls yourself.
 
After a first solo (usually three takeoffs and landings) I usually work on the performance takeoff and landings (short, soft), plus crosswind in preparation for the cross-country phase. I like to see a few solo flights (some to the practice area, some touch and goes) before getting too deep into the cross-country training. That way you're better prepared to start on the solo x-c once the dual training is complete. Have you passed your written knowledge test? That's another prerequisite I have in order to move on to cross-country training....with rare exceptions.
 
Have some solo fun in the pattern. Get used to the shorter runway over there.
 
I have passed the written on sunday as well. I may go up for a quick hour solo today as it may be nice.
 
Can you mix foggle and night for your 3 hours of each requirement or does have to be separate?
 
Can you mix foggle and night for your 3 hours of each requirement or does have to be separate?
 
marcoseddi said:
Can you mix foggle and night for your 3 hours of each requirement or does have to be separate?
Click to expand...

We've combined some night with hood and never had it questioned by our DPEs (three different ones.)
 
I see no reason that you can't with the FARs as written but IMO its contrary to the goal of the requirement.

3 hours of night can pretty much be broken down into 2 lessons:

1 hour in the pattern doing touch and goes
2 hours doing the night XC

Somewhere in there you need 10 full stop takeoffs and landings at night with flight in the pattern, as well as a 50NM XC.

In my warrior the XC would be 1.4 hours direct point to point and I've done 3 stop n goes in .3 before but that was splitting the piloting time with someone else who was night current but needed his 3 in 90 to stay that way. Its usually more like .5 - .6. That puts you at 2.0 if you burn through it, and you're still short 5 landings.

So I think you'll find it takes about 3 hours to meet the requirement. I guess you could do foggles for the XC but I think that detracts from the sim instrument since that's about teaching aircraft control without reference to a horizon, and from the night XC time since its about flying the aircraft visually at night which is very different from during the day.
 
Last edited:
You'll get there :) enjoy the VFR stuff. I'm working on IFR (40 hours in and close to my ride) and cherish the flights where I get to use the windows to look outside.
 
So we ended up doing the night and foggle really cool. It was a great night no wind clear clear skies. We went over the ocean and did unusual attitudes pretty fun.. Then did some touch and goes pretty fun. Feels like every plane is near you when you see a plane out yonder..
 
Did a complete solo last night .6 on the hobbs it was great from start to finish owner of the school or rental plane place was mad at the cfi as i only did 1 real circuit solo last Sunday and i went out completely solo yesterday. But it was great was thinking I should have stayed a little longer out it was really nice but I decided it was enough.
 
Dude, here - have some punctuation marks on me! .......... ,,,,,,,,,,
If you run out, I'll send more.
 
airheadpenguin said:
You'll get there :) enjoy the VFR stuff. I'm working on IFR (40 hours in and close to my ride) and cherish the flights where I get to use the windows to look outside.
Click to expand...

:yeah that: Oy vey I didn't know I'd miss looking outside. I'm 25-30 hours into IR training and I miss VFR flying (did safety pilot and that was fun to the fact I was looking outside)
 
Congrats on the solo!
As you move on to the next phase of dual, with your CFI's blessing (be prepared to show you checked wx/NOTAMs/aircraft status, etc), you should be able to make local solo hops pretty much any time you want. You probably won't be approved for a solo flight of 50+ miles out until you get a good handle on navigation, etc.
Don't be in a rush to meet the minimum requirements... you will be glad later that you "wasted" a little time and money doing "extra" solo pattern work or short flights to the practice area. If anything, doing a little solo work might make your dual flights more productive, which will keep you moving forward with the requirements.
 
oh yeh i agree on doing some solo time before doing too much cross country thats why i did yesterday.. my school owner didnt like that i only did one cirucuit and then i went solo compelty myself yesterday she wants 2 more supervised solos him go with me and then jump out. i mean its a little late for that as i already went. But I don't know I think im giong to do a cross country on sunday and maybe even stop at a controlled airport to try that out as well with the cfi.. And maybe afterwards do some solo time depending on how i feel i dont know we'll see.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top