Fog this AM, but it burned off by 9, so I showed up at quarter to 10 and preflighted the 172. When my instructor showed at 5 'til, we had a short instruction period and then we took off on Runway 18 and flew south.
More stalls, (the 172 is harder to stall than the 150 and better behaved when it does) both power off and power on, then S-turns, which were kinda hard to do because the wind was variable and gusting. I got it right at the end, but the wind was causing me issues for most of the turns.
One approach with a go around and then one landing. I still need more practice taxiing.
I am, however, getting more comfortable and some stuff, like holding altitude and heading is easier and more automatic now. Less thinking, as it were.
I think I am getting this, if slowly.
More stalls, (the 172 is harder to stall than the 150 and better behaved when it does) both power off and power on, then S-turns, which were kinda hard to do because the wind was variable and gusting. I got it right at the end, but the wind was causing me issues for most of the turns.
One approach with a go around and then one landing. I still need more practice taxiing.
I am, however, getting more comfortable and some stuff, like holding altitude and heading is easier and more automatic now. Less thinking, as it were.
I think I am getting this, if slowly.
7 comments:
You are doing awesome. One word of advice. If someone offers you a flight in a Piper Traumahawk. Just say no. But it you don't, NEVER stall/spin it. It goes flat quicker than a politician can lie.
If you are ever up around Valpo and run into a dinosaur (and I say that in the kindest of ways) named Bob Markette he gave me my multi-engine CFI checkride in a Sabreliner (yes, I'd been an examiner at the airlines, but that didn't require a MEI, so when I went to get it my corporate boss let me tack it onto a proficiency check in our corporate bird).
I think he'd be in his 70's but was pretty active in aviation up there.
The whole purpose of S-turns across a road is to develop your ability to place the aircraft over a specific point over the earth, all while maintaining altitude, coordinated flight, scanning for traffic and obstacles, and being able to do all of this while the wind is constantly changing. Turns about a point and rectangular patterns too, but not to the degree of s-turns.
If you haven't already, you can download PDF versions of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Airplane Flying Handbook for free at FAA.gov. These are the references I use to teach my students.
Usually, after about 4 hours/lessons, things start to click together for start-up, taxi, takeoff, climb, straight and level, and turns. Descents and controlling speed take a bit longer with landings a bit more (they're kinda important).
And if I may put in my two cents, I'd recommend sticking with one aircraft type initially until you have soloed. Keeping in the same type will aid in recognizing when adjustments have to be made. The pressures required on the controls are much different when switching types.
Dale - CFII
Yeah, I discovered the difference yesterday. The 150 was down for a major electrical issue, so I did the 172. The 172 has more engine and is better behaves in a stall, but takes a LOT more control pressure. It is roomier and more expensive per hour, but I think I'd rather do one type or the other. Instrumentation is laid out differently as well 150 vs 172, so it had to LOOK for things in the 172 rather than just glance at them as I had become somewhat accustomed to the 150's panel. I mean, they FLY the same, but FEEL different.
I got one more scheduled flight in the 172, then I think I am going back to the 150 until I solo.
I believe that after s-turns, points come next.
I appreciate the advice.
Taxiing is steering with your feet. That's initially difficult, especially if you spent a lot of time on the hills riding a Flexibly Flyer. The control response is reversed.
Dale's got a good point: Stick with one type until you get more time in. Because of relocation issues, I had to switch from a AA-1 to a C-150 just after I soloed, which was essentially starting over. Changing airplanes early means more hours. Anything that drives up the number of hours unnecessarily might as well be sucking cash out of your wallet.
Cormrade and Dale are very correct, staying with one or the other will save money by requiring fewer lessons. The C-150/152 has a lower seating position that always messed with my mind if I took it out as an economy measure to get a few touch and goes in. When you're used to the C-150/152, the higher seated position in the C-172 (and especially all the changed reference points) make turns and ground reference maneuvers much more difficult.
Make sure to take a spin lesson with an actual spin of at least three rotations before recovery, it was a very enlightening experience and made me much more confident in control of the aircraft.
I'm seriously thinking next time the weather is too bad to fly of just taking the aircraft (and CFI) for a half hour or so of taxi practice, if they will let me.
Seriously.
Hard to remember: to keep the yellow line centered instead of to the left; how effing long the wings are on the ground; trying to remember control movements for winds while taxiing; finding my way on the ground at strange airports; flying the plane while saying 'Rio Linda traffic, CessnaTangoGolf1234, downwind 17, Rio Linda'; checking tanks and managing not to soak shoes in colorful aviation fuel; carb heat on descent; GUMP. And chocking and cleaning the plane while the instructor writes it up and prepares for debrief. B, you're making me miss it.
Flying really is the 2nd greatest thrill known to man/woman;
Landing is the first.
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