I left my lesson yesterday thinking today was going to be a wash. Rain was supposed to be rolling through. CFI thought the same and we actually pushed a short ground lesson to an hour past our original scheduled lesson. When I got there a little early the weather looked OK for the time being. It started spitting but the ceilings were high. We decided to head out for a couple laps since I'd never had rain and high ceilings. Visibility was 7 miles as well. Right before taking the runway the rain was more than a drizzle. We also checked the AWOS to make sure everything was still OK. It was pretty cool taking off. There was a slight yaw while lifting off but the rear wheels were still on the ground, definitely a strange feeling. As soon as I turned crosswind, we realized that would have to be the first and final lap. We couldn't see a tower clearly that is about 3.5 miles from the runway. Listened to AWOS and visibility was reported as 2.5 miles. We could see a little further than that but not much. Landing was fun, too. Just kind of slipped it onto the runway with no indication we touched down. I can't wait to do it again, but definitely want some more visibility.
That was fun until it almost wasn't.
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MAKG1
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If that was a Class G airport, you were still legal (assuming it was daylight).
It's very useful to test your limits with an instructor aboard, as long as you aren't also testing the instructor's limits. I'll suggest doing this every chance you get.
Rain is irrelevant unless it's heavy. Wind (especially gusts) and visibility are another story.
Every student pilot should get some dual time in MVFR to see what it's like. You don't want that sprung on you later when you're solo.
I did my initial complex checkout in showery weather. It was very valuable, on several levels.
It's very useful to test your limits with an instructor aboard, as long as you aren't also testing the instructor's limits. I'll suggest doing this every chance you get.
Rain is irrelevant unless it's heavy. Wind (especially gusts) and visibility are another story.
Every student pilot should get some dual time in MVFR to see what it's like. You don't want that sprung on you later when you're solo.
I did my initial complex checkout in showery weather. It was very valuable, on several levels.
Clark1961
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And a cabin that doesn't leak much...
(just remember that all helicopters and open cockpit aircraft will leak - the IFR certified Wacos crack me up)
FastEddieB
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Fast Eddie B
Instructor's limits DO get tested...
...virtually all the freakin' time!
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger."
Nietzsche
MAKG1
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I can't imagine what it's like to let a student land for the first time, or to discover how a student deals with an unexpected response. We've all heard stories about the student freezing on the controls.
I was almost twice the size of my instructor. If I'd ever panicked on the yoke while trying to go around at 3000 DA with 40 deg flaps, that might not have gone well (I did have an incident like that, but I kept my wits and eventually figured out that the flaps should be retracted to 20).
DaleB
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I'm glad you had the opportunity to do that with an instructor on board. The first time you encounter conditions worse than you expect it can rattle you. Even legal VFR minimums can look pretty scary!
ajyeary
Pre-takeoff checklist
Ain't that the truth. I did a trip a while back with 2500-3000 foot ceilings for the first 45 mins or so of it, there was a lot of "Okay, I know I'm over 1000' above the highest obstacle in the area, and the nearby AWOS says I'm fine, but damn those clouds look close."
DaleB
Final Approach
We took off from Gaston's in the rain last year. Ceilings were maybe 3500 AGL, visibility around 4 miles or so... and I have to admit, after takeoff I thought I'd just made a horrible mistake. We were fine, but it was pretty unnerving. Fortunately we were only going a few miles to refuel and wait out the rest of the weather.
MAKG1
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I took one lesson with 4 miles visibility (as a student pilot), and another pushing up against the 2000 foot lateral cloud clearance in Class E (initial complex). Both were eye-opening and worth every second.
It can be surprisingly hard to spot traffic in 4 miles vis. And the traffic to follow can easily be 4 miles away approaching a towered airport, especially if you're entering on the 45 and the traffic to follow is on a straight-in.