Student solo practice agenda?

[jasc15]

Whenever i solo, i never really have a plan of action. Once i'm in the practice areas, its much like, "hmm, i think i'll do some steep turns now", and then "i guess i'll do some landing stalls". I feel like i should make my practices more structured. Any suggestions?

 

[Dean]

When I did mine I would have a planned series of maneuvers, normally I would start with turns around a point, then go into a steep turn to the left and then one to the right. I then would pull the power and do a power off stall. After recovering from the stall, I would do slow flight. It really helped when it came time for the check ride.

Just change it up and have fun.

 

[BigAL]

Just what Dean said. Also, I like to relax and have fun. Fly around a bit and turn, decend, climb, check deer population, see who's on the nearest lake, and just have fun.

Last time I was up solo I did the turns on a point, steeps, stalls, and I was tired of it. So I checked fields(I farm), buzzed my place(at 1000', weak I know.) and the parents(we all live in the country), checked some pvt rwys, looked for possible emerg land spots, etc.

You'll also need to get used to a "different" plane. They act different w/less weight.

Just relax and have fun, and don't push yourself too far.

good luck

 

[jasc15]

I do find that most of the time i'm just having fun looking around, which isn't really a waste, is it? It would be cool to buzz my house, but it lies right in the middle of NY class B, so we get 'buzzed' by 747's on final all day long.

 

[dmccormack]

I do find that most of the time i'm just having fun looking around, which isn't really a waste, is it? It would be cool to buzz my house, but it lies right in the middle of NY class B, so we get 'buzzed' by 747's on final all day long.

No -- "just flying" is never a "waste."

Some of us who raced through ratings can tell you -- sometimes you need to just go out and fly -- no agenda, no structure, no curriculum.

Just make sure you're not just flying in straight lines. Test yourself!

 

[poadeleted20]

Ask your instructor what you should be working on, and then try to build a profile from takeoff to landing which exercises all those tasks.

 

[markb5900]

My first few solo's my CFI just told me to go up and ENJOY it some. Eventually she started to tell me to "work on xxxx" when you go up solo.

 

[steingar]

I owned my own plane when I was training so I liked to fly it often. Of course, it wasn't so dang expensive back then (in the nostalgic era of 2001). Usually I did whatever I hadn't done recently.

 

[Areeda]

Ask your instructor what you should be working on, and then try to build a profile from takeoff to landing which exercises all those tasks.

My first few solo's my CFI just told me to go up and ENJOY it some. Eventually she started to tell me to "work on xxxx" when you go up solo.

Both of these quotes are good advice and not mutually exclusive.

I've attached a list of the PTS in flight tasks. Some of them you can't do solo like hood work, some take a lot of imagination to think of something remotely helpful like pilotage and dead-reckoning.

So don't take it as a to-do while soloing list but rather as a list of things you might work on while solo. As Ron suggested work with your instructor and mark which ones you should work on during solo. Try to do them all (not necessarily in each flight). Be honest with yourself about whether they are within standards (that means read the PTS) and ask for help on the ones that are not.

Don't forget what Mark said, have fun.

Joe

Joe

 

[TMetzinger]

Ask your instructor what you should be working on, and then try to build a profile from takeoff to landing which exercises all those tasks.

This is also good practice for the time after your certificate, where you'll be Captain-under-God and responsible for knowing your own level of proficiency and what it takes to maintain it.

 

[jasc15]

Both of these quotes are good advice and not mutually exclusive.

I've attached a list of the PTS in flight tasks. Some of them you can't do solo like hood work, some take a lot of imagination to think of something remotely helpful like pilotage and dead-reckoning.

So don't take it as a to-do while soloing list but rather as a list of things you might work on while solo. As Ron suggested work with your instructor and mark which ones you should work on during solo. Try to do them all (not necessarily in each flight). Be honest with yourself about whether they are within standards (that means read the PTS) and ask for help on the ones that are not.

Don't forget what Mark said, have fun.

Joe

Joe

Hey, thanks for the attachment!! I'll definitely print out a bunch of these.

 

[rottydaddy]

Nothing wrong with just bombing around... it's good for morale. But even after you get your ticket, you may want to select at least one maneuver or task before you take off, and make sure you do it before the flight is over.
I'm not opposed to students making solo flights practice flights, covering all the PTS stuff (that can actually be fun, too, and very very satisfying if you find yourself doing a good job), but if you feel like just working on straight & level and looking around, that probably means you need that today.

My rule of thumb, even today after exercising my "license to learn" for a couple hundred hours, is to consider, before I take off, what thing I could stand to work on most ( something I wasn't happy with on the last flight, or something I just haven't done in a while). Then I will just make a note to do that at some point, even if it's a trip from A to B.

 

[BigAL]

I went up last night before dark to make a few landings before my xc today(fog should lift by 11am). I also just flew for fun, buzz'n some friends(all in the country) and while do'n that was do'n steep turns. Relaxed/confident and in control felt so good.

Sometimes you feel "behind" the plane. Just getting up and fly'n you learn something every flight. I feel more ahead of the plane anymore.

When I was up I could remember most every post and was apply'n that to fly'n. Best one I kept tell'n myself was McCormacks "just don't fly in straight lines, test yourself".


Anyway, enough ramble'n. Time to check the wx for the 25th time this morn. Not nervous, nope...not me.

 

[Snaggletooth]

Whenever i solo, i never really have a plan of action. Once i'm in the practice areas, its much like, "hmm, i think i'll do some steep turns now", and then "i guess i'll do some landing stalls". I feel like i should make my practices more structured. Any suggestions?

Wait, Wait, Wait......... you get to go solo outside of the traffic pattern, when not on XC work?!?!?!? Is it like that for most Flight Schools?

 

[Skip Miller]

Wait, Wait, Wait......... you get to go solo outside of the traffic pattern, when not on XC work?!?!?!? Is it like that for most Flight Schools?

I don't know about "most flight schools", but I was signed off on flights to the practice area, and to another towered airport within 15 miles.

This occurred in 1997-8.

-Skip

 

[EdFred]

Most of my solo time as a student was cross country. But I also only had 10.1 solo when I took the check ride.

 

[DutchessFlier]

Wait, Wait, Wait......... you get to go solo outside of the traffic pattern, when not on XC work?!?!?!? Is it like that for most Flight Schools?

Snags:

Yes, in most programs the first solo is in the pattern, the next solo is out to the practice area for work on maneuvers and the like then back to the airport. I was restricted to no more than 25 NM from my home base for those solo practice runs

 

[Areeda]

Wait, Wait, Wait......... you get to go solo outside of the traffic pattern, when not on XC work?!?!?!? Is it like that for most Flight Schools?

I believe so.

I sign off solo and tell my students that it only includes pattern work until the 3rd supervised solo. If I don't trust them to comply with my request they don't get my signature.

After that we work to sign off one, two or three local airports (< 25 nm) that they can also do pattern work.

Joe

 

[Snaggletooth]

thanks guys!

 

[nddons]

In the weeks before my checkride, I prepared this list below for my kneeboard to remind myself to work on my precision. I tended to get sloppy when I didn't have my CFI next to me. Also, don't forget those clearing turns!

Good luck.

Edit: Sorry, I can't seem to upload a word file that I referenced above.

 

[BigAL]

In the weeks before my checkride, I prepared this list below for my kneeboard to remind myself to work on my precision. I tended to get sloppy when I didn't have my CFI next to me. Also, don't forget those clearing turns!

Good luck.

Dang!!! Good point, I have a hard time remember'n those _____ clearing turns.

 

[jasc15]

Goin for a solo this afternoon. WX looks great around here. I'll bring along the sheet that Joe attached, and mark off some maneuvers. As for those clearing turns, I only use them when doing TO & LDG stalls (not sure in what other maneuvers they should be used), so when doing the LDG stall I use the turns as downwind, base and final, applying flaps as i normally would in those legs.

I think i'll mostly practice steep turns to the right, cuz i can never manage to hold altitude well. Last time was a huge improvement, so i hope to keep that up.