As you can see by my updated flight hours on the right of this blog, I've FINALLY completed all of FAA Part 61 requirements. In fact the I only have 1 more hour of "review" training in preparation for my checkride. I should be feeling releaved, but I'm not. If anything I'm more stressed out than ever.
So WHY am I more stressed out? Well, it comes down to three things: A)Knowing the checkride is very near, B)Having some doubt to my abilities under pressure, C)The monies have run out.
I recently sold some of my valuable music gear just to have enough to finish up this effort. So if I goof, freeze, blunder, or make some other folly on the checkride, I'm in serious hurt. I can't afford to "try again." I've never been a pressure player...my mind tends to lock up, and it takes allot of concious effort NOT TO!
In addition, I've never considered myself as a "duck to water," when it comes to flying. Sure, I can handle the immense amount of technical knowledge, but the "art" of flying is just that..."art." Still, I've come a long way, and I find my landings are usually smooth...with a few slight bounces from time to time. I'm pretty comfortable on my cross-country flights, and chatting with ATC. Lately though, I've had hit or miss type of days. You know what I mean...some flights go really well, and I'm flyin' great. Other days, I just can't get it together.
For example, we've been working on landing on a spot & short field. Now my smooth landings are more like "soft-field" in execution, and I've never worried where the wheels actually touch. I tend to come down to hard, and often bounce when trying to "force" the plane to land on specific points. It's taken me allot of practice to know my float distance (which is usually longer than most) well enough to consistently land where I called out. So, now finally to the point where I can do all this, but at a cost. Yup, I'm no longer smooth on regular landings... Gone it seems, are the frequently greased landings... So now when the instructor wants the soft field landing, I've been less than 50% succesfull. Aiee yiee yiee. In fact, I'd have taken my mock checkride already if I could! Everytime I'm not perfect, I get aggrevated, because I don't have the funds to mess around and screw up.
I wish I could do what most do, and fly everyday leading up to the checkride, but I can't. I've got to conserve every dollar I have. If my "mock" checkride goes well, then I might have the extra cash to fly a couple more times...if not...well I might not be able to afford the checkride at all.
Why is it these DPE charge so much anyway? Does anyone have a breakdown of what the 400$ in fees goes to?
If any other pilots, who've been through this...any words of advice would greatly help!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
The road to 1st Solo Cross-Country!
Well, it's certainly been a while since I last updated everyone on my flight progress! It's been frustrating at times, yet a few exuberant leaps keep me going! Frustrating from battling other students for instructor time, to dealing with undeniable finance hardships. Exuberant in the progress made and the overall feeling of having improved one's flying ability. I really feel I've made allot of good headway, especially after completing the second milestone in the process...solo cross-country flight!
Sure it's really cool to solo locally, but that's not the end idea is it? After a while, when your more profficient in the flight manuevers, your anxious to actually GO somewhere! The 25 nautical mile limit starts to feel like a cage.
To break free of this invisible pen, one must prove to be capable of navigation by a number of methods (Pilotage, VOR NAV, GPS...). Secondly, you've got to show you can plan the flight down to a tee. Fortunetly, I've been a duck to water on the planning. Calculating all the headings, compensated for wind & magnetic deviation, the fuel required, ground speed, wheather, notices, and how long it's going to take. It actually takes a good amount of time to do right. Being heavily dependent on wind & wheather, it has to be completed close to planned flight. Lastly you need to handle all of the above while communicating to ATC & making live flight corrections due to actual conditions. At times your so busy, you have to remember...fly the plane stupid!
The Journey towards Solo Cross-Country:
Learning to multi-task on cross-country, for me, has been slow and overwhelming. My first official cross-country (X-C) with my instructor was humbling to say the least. I kept track of where I was pretty good, but my heading and altitude varried wildly. I hate to think of what I looked like to the flight following crew! I had to teach myself to work all the communications equipment (dialing in and changing frequencies, etc), without altering the plane's flight.
My second X-C to Beaufort, NC wasn't much help, as scattered clouds at 6500' didn't allow me to maintain heading track. In VFR flight (Visual Flight Rules), you cannot enter or go to close to clouds. While I was dismayed at a chance to prove myself on navigation, it was FUN! I had never flown around, above, and under clouds this close before... I really felt I was flying. My instructor could 3-D visuallize the clouds much better than I. The clouds ended to a gleaming North Carolina shoreline. I got back on course and headed down to the airport, in which the locals seemed disappointed that we weren't staying.
Thankfully the third time's the charm, when my last dual X-C to Clinton, NC went very well. I was feeling more at ease working with the flight centers, having most of my radio freqs. dialed in long beforehand. My ETAs were spot on, as I flew over Seymour Johnson. My landing in Clinton was right on time, and greased to boot! I was smiling all over...even though I was trenched in sweat! Yes, wet as dog, happy as can be baking in a two person cabin on hot tarmac. I wipe the sweat from my eye, or is it tears?
When we arrive back, my instructor says, well...how do you think you did? I felt it went well, with only minor things to continue to working on. "I think your ready...schedule a stage check ASAP"! WOOT! I was close to freeing myself, and the realization of my dream was near. I went to schedule time with the lead CFII, only to find he was booked for the next two weeks. My heart sank with a thud. Over the next few days I prayed there would be an opening, and it was answered.
The Stage Check:
I'd flown and had some training from the Lead CFII before, and he's a fair but intense instructor. Intense in the fact that he's gonna drill ya, fail equipment on you, and you better not mess up badly. The ground inquisition went really well, and after being happy with my answers and preflight planning, we headed out. A short flight to Kinston, NC (Class D Towered), and back would be the trip. I knew he'd be failing the GPS, so I immediatly tuned into the Kinston VOR...a 1960s technology still used today. Can't complain, as it does it's job! The test continued to go well. At Kinston he asks for a short field landing, and my glide was perfect for it...as I just cross the threshold and land. Whew, nice...one never wants to land poorly or bounce while on a stage check!! We stay in the pattern for a while, doing some soft-field T/O and more shortfields. On the last one we do a low approach (flying low over runway but not landing), and get a nice tower light demonstration.
We're heading back to Greenville, and as expected he kills the primary coms and navigation equipment...all of it. Even the 1960s VOR can't be used... No problem I thought, I know where I am. I'll just keep my planned heading and use pilotage (using a sectional map only, and terrain info to guide). I finally slipped coming in to the airport...figured I'd have to screw something up. I forgot to pull out my checklist and double check my pre-landing list. I'd forgotten to turn back on my fuel pump. He calmly said "so are you ready to land?" ... I caught it quickly, but still, not when I should've.
Back inside, we reviewed the flight, and he said I did well. No major things of note, other than checklist usage. I considered this somewhat ironic, as my pre-solo stage check had a comment of "too much concentration on checklist, instead of flying plane." Hmm, seems I went to the opposite extreme. He congratulates me, and says he's signing me off for solo cross-country! WOOTAGE! Again, I wiped my brow... the sleepless nights, and the extreme review of the FAA material had been worth it. My cage was lifted, a free bird to fly wherever I desired (well, for the most part.)
My First Solo Cross Country Flight:
I couldn't wait, sitting in my office chair, giddy as a schoolboy. Pouring over the online scheduler for flight availability & wheather outlook, I was anxious to go flyin! My instructor suggested going somewhere I'd flown X-C before, so I choose the one with the easiest ground reference points. Clinton, NC it would be...though I'm sure no one there would realize their town would be so immortalized in someones mind.
I found the following day (26th of June), looked ideal. I sat up and did my preflight, checked all the NOTAMs, radio freqs, airport info...it goes on and on. The next day I finish by entering all the wheather and wind compensation into my plans. I arrive at the airport nearly shaking with exitement. My instructor ends up being late from his last lesson, and so I'm there to twitch and shake. Just then the winds begin to pick up, with gusts at 16knots. Ah crud...this can't be happening! Just barely over my allowable limits. He said it was my call...winds were right down the runway, so I felt comfortable with it. With a flick of his pen, I was released to join the friendly skies.
With full fuel, and everything checking out on the plane, I was off to the runway. I called up Raleigh Radio to activate the flight plan, and off I went on RWY 26. It's late afternoon & really hot today, and she doesn't want to climb as much, but 700'/min still isn't bad. I turn to my 240° heading and call up Washington Center. They allow my request for flight following, and I squawk 3634 and ident. They indicate radar contact, and I feel more at ease to have ATC watchin' my back.
So far winds were a little more, and my groundspeed was slower, and thus a little off schedule. No biggie, 110k of groundspeed still isn't shabby. That's 143mph to the poor folk down below on I-70. Soon after Washington Ctr calls me up "223DC switch to Seymour Johnson on 123.7" I call back confirming the change and switch comm to 123.7 which was easy, having it ready several minutes ago. "Seymour Johnson Diamond 2-2-3-Delta-Charlie with you." A lady with a pleasent voice replies, and gives me AWOS (automated wheather observation station) freq info. At this point I'm finally relaxing... just flying over at 4500', looking about, and otherwise fighting to maintain proper altitude. It'd be nicer if there wasn't as much turbulence and headwind, but I'm not complaining.
I fly over Mt. Olive, Seymour, Falcon, and cross I-40. All my checkpoints are a little behind (about 4 minutes so), but still right on course. Soon I have Clinton (Sampson Co.) airport insight. Before I get the chance to cancel flight following, the nice lady calls me up and has me switch to VFR. I squawk VFR and begin my decent into the area. It's been hazy, so everything clears up as I get down to 1600', just 500' above the pattern. I've been listening to the comm channel and I've heard no local traffic. Strangely enough, it's the same come for Beufort and Greenville, so while I'm 62nm away, I still hear what's flying back home.
I broadcast the usual positional and intent info to Sampson Co, and cross mid-field. The fresh black tarmac looms below, with the high contrast "24" letting me know I'm in the right place. I teardrop around and enter downwind for RWY 24. This is it, don't screw this up Brian. By the time I turn base I see I'm looking good on the glideslope. What seems as flash later, I've smoothly landed on 24. As I slow down, I'm somewhat comatose and in disbelief. I back taxi, check everything and I'm off again.
Short and sweet and I'm off to my next destination, Kinston. Time to get my 3 T/O and landings at a towered airport out of the way. The wind is on my back, and I'm kickin it at 128k...yes! In less than 20 minutes I'm there and on the radio with the tower. "223DC report right base RWY 23." I call back, and listen as FedEx prepares to take off. Turbelence is gone by the time I'm there, but I still stay high in the glide to avoid it. On final, the RWY looks hugely different, as it's 11500' long, compared to the 4000' one I was just at. I literally land and taxi off within the first 1/6 of the runway. I hold for a citation jet, and then taxi back to the active runway. The next two flights in the pattern go fine. With that done, I get vectors out of the airspace to Greenville.
I've done this portion of the flight four times before, and it's cake. I spend my time enjoying the sights and pointing out Ayden, Winterville, and lastly the outskirts of Greenville. The gusts are still there as I set up for entry into the downwind of RWY 26. Mother nature decides my trip has been too easy, and shakes me good until I've landed. I taxi back with a big sigh of relief, and call up Raleigh to close my flight plan. I've heard nightmares from other students about getting lost, and mistaking one airport for another, etc... I didn't have any problems, and for that I'm thankful. Thus ends my first 1.45hr cross-country flight. Before the airplane is even parked, I'm thinking about my next one... Kitty Hawk (FFA - first flight) looms in my mind. My dream will be fulfilled, and then...then I'll consider myself a worthy pilot. To land where it all began one December long ago...
...until next time.
Sure it's really cool to solo locally, but that's not the end idea is it? After a while, when your more profficient in the flight manuevers, your anxious to actually GO somewhere! The 25 nautical mile limit starts to feel like a cage.
To break free of this invisible pen, one must prove to be capable of navigation by a number of methods (Pilotage, VOR NAV, GPS...). Secondly, you've got to show you can plan the flight down to a tee. Fortunetly, I've been a duck to water on the planning. Calculating all the headings, compensated for wind & magnetic deviation, the fuel required, ground speed, wheather, notices, and how long it's going to take. It actually takes a good amount of time to do right. Being heavily dependent on wind & wheather, it has to be completed close to planned flight. Lastly you need to handle all of the above while communicating to ATC & making live flight corrections due to actual conditions. At times your so busy, you have to remember...fly the plane stupid!
The Journey towards Solo Cross-Country:
Learning to multi-task on cross-country, for me, has been slow and overwhelming. My first official cross-country (X-C) with my instructor was humbling to say the least. I kept track of where I was pretty good, but my heading and altitude varried wildly. I hate to think of what I looked like to the flight following crew! I had to teach myself to work all the communications equipment (dialing in and changing frequencies, etc), without altering the plane's flight.
My second X-C to Beaufort, NC wasn't much help, as scattered clouds at 6500' didn't allow me to maintain heading track. In VFR flight (Visual Flight Rules), you cannot enter or go to close to clouds. While I was dismayed at a chance to prove myself on navigation, it was FUN! I had never flown around, above, and under clouds this close before... I really felt I was flying. My instructor could 3-D visuallize the clouds much better than I. The clouds ended to a gleaming North Carolina shoreline. I got back on course and headed down to the airport, in which the locals seemed disappointed that we weren't staying.
Thankfully the third time's the charm, when my last dual X-C to Clinton, NC went very well. I was feeling more at ease working with the flight centers, having most of my radio freqs. dialed in long beforehand. My ETAs were spot on, as I flew over Seymour Johnson. My landing in Clinton was right on time, and greased to boot! I was smiling all over...even though I was trenched in sweat! Yes, wet as dog, happy as can be baking in a two person cabin on hot tarmac. I wipe the sweat from my eye, or is it tears?
When we arrive back, my instructor says, well...how do you think you did? I felt it went well, with only minor things to continue to working on. "I think your ready...schedule a stage check ASAP"! WOOT! I was close to freeing myself, and the realization of my dream was near. I went to schedule time with the lead CFII, only to find he was booked for the next two weeks. My heart sank with a thud. Over the next few days I prayed there would be an opening, and it was answered.
The Stage Check:
I'd flown and had some training from the Lead CFII before, and he's a fair but intense instructor. Intense in the fact that he's gonna drill ya, fail equipment on you, and you better not mess up badly. The ground inquisition went really well, and after being happy with my answers and preflight planning, we headed out. A short flight to Kinston, NC (Class D Towered), and back would be the trip. I knew he'd be failing the GPS, so I immediatly tuned into the Kinston VOR...a 1960s technology still used today. Can't complain, as it does it's job! The test continued to go well. At Kinston he asks for a short field landing, and my glide was perfect for it...as I just cross the threshold and land. Whew, nice...one never wants to land poorly or bounce while on a stage check!! We stay in the pattern for a while, doing some soft-field T/O and more shortfields. On the last one we do a low approach (flying low over runway but not landing), and get a nice tower light demonstration.
We're heading back to Greenville, and as expected he kills the primary coms and navigation equipment...all of it. Even the 1960s VOR can't be used... No problem I thought, I know where I am. I'll just keep my planned heading and use pilotage (using a sectional map only, and terrain info to guide). I finally slipped coming in to the airport...figured I'd have to screw something up. I forgot to pull out my checklist and double check my pre-landing list. I'd forgotten to turn back on my fuel pump. He calmly said "so are you ready to land?" ... I caught it quickly, but still, not when I should've.
Back inside, we reviewed the flight, and he said I did well. No major things of note, other than checklist usage. I considered this somewhat ironic, as my pre-solo stage check had a comment of "too much concentration on checklist, instead of flying plane." Hmm, seems I went to the opposite extreme. He congratulates me, and says he's signing me off for solo cross-country! WOOTAGE! Again, I wiped my brow... the sleepless nights, and the extreme review of the FAA material had been worth it. My cage was lifted, a free bird to fly wherever I desired (well, for the most part.)
My First Solo Cross Country Flight:
I couldn't wait, sitting in my office chair, giddy as a schoolboy. Pouring over the online scheduler for flight availability & wheather outlook, I was anxious to go flyin! My instructor suggested going somewhere I'd flown X-C before, so I choose the one with the easiest ground reference points. Clinton, NC it would be...though I'm sure no one there would realize their town would be so immortalized in someones mind.
I found the following day (26th of June), looked ideal. I sat up and did my preflight, checked all the NOTAMs, radio freqs, airport info...it goes on and on. The next day I finish by entering all the wheather and wind compensation into my plans. I arrive at the airport nearly shaking with exitement. My instructor ends up being late from his last lesson, and so I'm there to twitch and shake. Just then the winds begin to pick up, with gusts at 16knots. Ah crud...this can't be happening! Just barely over my allowable limits. He said it was my call...winds were right down the runway, so I felt comfortable with it. With a flick of his pen, I was released to join the friendly skies.
With full fuel, and everything checking out on the plane, I was off to the runway. I called up Raleigh Radio to activate the flight plan, and off I went on RWY 26. It's late afternoon & really hot today, and she doesn't want to climb as much, but 700'/min still isn't bad. I turn to my 240° heading and call up Washington Center. They allow my request for flight following, and I squawk 3634 and ident. They indicate radar contact, and I feel more at ease to have ATC watchin' my back.
So far winds were a little more, and my groundspeed was slower, and thus a little off schedule. No biggie, 110k of groundspeed still isn't shabby. That's 143mph to the poor folk down below on I-70. Soon after Washington Ctr calls me up "223DC switch to Seymour Johnson on 123.7" I call back confirming the change and switch comm to 123.7 which was easy, having it ready several minutes ago. "Seymour Johnson Diamond 2-2-3-Delta-Charlie with you." A lady with a pleasent voice replies, and gives me AWOS (automated wheather observation station) freq info. At this point I'm finally relaxing... just flying over at 4500', looking about, and otherwise fighting to maintain proper altitude. It'd be nicer if there wasn't as much turbulence and headwind, but I'm not complaining.
I fly over Mt. Olive, Seymour, Falcon, and cross I-40. All my checkpoints are a little behind (about 4 minutes so), but still right on course. Soon I have Clinton (Sampson Co.) airport insight. Before I get the chance to cancel flight following, the nice lady calls me up and has me switch to VFR. I squawk VFR and begin my decent into the area. It's been hazy, so everything clears up as I get down to 1600', just 500' above the pattern. I've been listening to the comm channel and I've heard no local traffic. Strangely enough, it's the same come for Beufort and Greenville, so while I'm 62nm away, I still hear what's flying back home.
I broadcast the usual positional and intent info to Sampson Co, and cross mid-field. The fresh black tarmac looms below, with the high contrast "24" letting me know I'm in the right place. I teardrop around and enter downwind for RWY 24. This is it, don't screw this up Brian. By the time I turn base I see I'm looking good on the glideslope. What seems as flash later, I've smoothly landed on 24. As I slow down, I'm somewhat comatose and in disbelief. I back taxi, check everything and I'm off again.
Short and sweet and I'm off to my next destination, Kinston. Time to get my 3 T/O and landings at a towered airport out of the way. The wind is on my back, and I'm kickin it at 128k...yes! In less than 20 minutes I'm there and on the radio with the tower. "223DC report right base RWY 23." I call back, and listen as FedEx prepares to take off. Turbelence is gone by the time I'm there, but I still stay high in the glide to avoid it. On final, the RWY looks hugely different, as it's 11500' long, compared to the 4000' one I was just at. I literally land and taxi off within the first 1/6 of the runway. I hold for a citation jet, and then taxi back to the active runway. The next two flights in the pattern go fine. With that done, I get vectors out of the airspace to Greenville.
I've done this portion of the flight four times before, and it's cake. I spend my time enjoying the sights and pointing out Ayden, Winterville, and lastly the outskirts of Greenville. The gusts are still there as I set up for entry into the downwind of RWY 26. Mother nature decides my trip has been too easy, and shakes me good until I've landed. I taxi back with a big sigh of relief, and call up Raleigh to close my flight plan. I've heard nightmares from other students about getting lost, and mistaking one airport for another, etc... I didn't have any problems, and for that I'm thankful. Thus ends my first 1.45hr cross-country flight. Before the airplane is even parked, I'm thinking about my next one... Kitty Hawk (FFA - first flight) looms in my mind. My dream will be fulfilled, and then...then I'll consider myself a worthy pilot. To land where it all began one December long ago...
...until next time.
Monday, March 10, 2008
16th Flight - Solo..now I'm a pilot!
A prayer for stable wind:
With the last few flights the winds of March have done their worst. A little crosswind, no problem. Variable winds of 8k gusting to 16k, uh...problem. Gusts are a huge problem for me, heck for any pilot, let alone a novice student. It boiled down to creating a non-stable environment for landings, and thus mine weren't turning out great. This posed a big problem, as I was really close to solo, and had in fact passed my stage check. I'd been really down, failing to show readiness to handle it on my own.
Today, however, showed immense promise. Winds calm, and when there was some, it came from the east. 10 Statute miles vis, and a cool 37° F. At last, an ideal outlook!
The plane was in the hanger, so we could wipe off the frost and pre-flight the airplane in warmth. After that was done, opening the doors to the nippy morning air sent chills up my back. Towed her into position, and I began checking the ground. Allot of wind had really kicked up a lot of rocks. I began picking them up and discarding them when Rob asked "What the heck are you doing." At that moment, the owner, disconnecting the tow hook, said "He's pickin up debree like he's 'sposed too." Heh, props from the man himself! After all, we found one nick off the propeller already!
Pre-flight was normal, except I was far more calm and at ease. The previous flights I'd been nervous to perform, hoping to solo. Now, I didn't really expect to, so all that burden was realeased.
First Flight of the Day:
The first take-off of the day is always a definning one. As simple a manuever as it is, it's often a tale of how things will go. (Not to mention what the winds are really up to.) This one was a nice graceful lift-off. Perfect and smooth was the air, with just a slight Easterly wind. Pattern was nice and easy to keep square, and the cool air gave great climb performance. (Normally I fly later when it's about 20° warmer.)
Time came for the 2nd crucial judge of performance, the first landing of the day. I shrugged away the doubt, and setup for a good 60-65k speed, and was one light above glide. Runway 08 has a fairly close tree line, so it's right where I wanna be. I notice the other instructor & student are at the hold line in the DA-40. YAY, everyone loves a show *smirk*! I round out, worried if I'll nail this landing... I pull back a little, feel her out, a little more... it's all art & skill now...*eeeerrp* Ahh a nice one. In my head, the lando-meter trips over to 80. Wow, 80 landings...have I really done that many?
Slipin' the Ship:
Flaps up a notch and we're on the go again. "Pitt-Greenville Traffic Diamond 636DC is upwind on runway 08, Pitt-Greenville." Inside I'm ecstatic! It had been a couple of lessons since I really nailed a landing. One good one, just a few more and I'll be on cloud 9! I'm downwind when I notice the DA-40 is STILL sitting there at the hold line. Hmmm that's odd, why aren't they going. They've had plenty of time to do a run-up and take-off. Rob replies, "oh they're probably just watching!" Yay, a continued audience, no pressure! This time we hold 500' on final to do a slip. Winds from the right, I bank in, full left rudder and into a forward slip we go. Takes me a few corrections to keep the runway centerline, then I'm holdin' it pretty well. Slips was one of the things the other instructer (who happens to be watching in the DA-40) said I needed to work on during the stage-check. We're about 100' away when the other instructor radios "Beauty" or some similar description. Rob radios back in agreement. WOW, the toughest, most critical instructor just paid my flying a compliment... OK PINCH ME, I'M DREAMING! I relise the slip and come to another nice flare and landing! Oh this day keeps getting better!
Another day, another engine failure:
The third time through the pattern and comes the, almost expected, simulated engine failure. That's not to say I don't take them lightly, quite the contrary. You do, however, become trained to calmly handle them, and not panic. So with my vitals stable, I pitch for 70knots (best glide). Not enough altitude to run through a checklist, just land the plane. I turn in early off the downwind, and we're high. Another slip it is. This one needed a slightly more aggressive slip, as we tried to loose allot of altitude quickly. I felt a little anxious to get down, as we're 50' up at halfway down the runway. So I end up doing a lite, yet barely flared 3-pt landing. Ah well, so much for the perfect landing streak. Still it was smooth, no bouncing at all, just firm.
Is it that time?
We taxy back to the FBO, with our short hour already gone. It was short and sweet, and had my confidence boosted back up. Rob is kinda talkin' to himself, with barely audible references to "time" and "readiness." I park the plane in the first spot and shut down. I lift the clear canopy up and feel the brisk morning air. I'm feeling a bit of relief, taking in the air, when Rob says "Hang here in the plane for a minute." My eyes get real big. OMG, is it that time, but....but we don't have any time! He runs in, and apparently successfully bargains some time from the next student. He comes out, and I have my log-book ready. I hand it over and he walks away again. I'm trying to remain calm... breath in the cool air Brian...just breath. Rob runs out, hands me my logbook, and I check for the necessary sign-offs. "Ok, your good to go. I want you to do three T/O and landings," gleamed Rob. "Full-stop?" I enquire. "Just touch and goes on the first two, full-stop on the last." With that he smiles and says "Keep good care of my headset for me!" I look to awkward empty seat beside me, with just an empty headset.
Off on my own:
Yes, it was that time...the time every student looks forward to, and yet doesn't look forward to. No back up now, your on your own. No visual feedback from the instructor if your getting yourself into trouble. Nada, nothing, no cosa. Even though I'd just flown the plane, I thought it best to follow my checklists to a tee. I calmly check the electrical, fuses, charge, etc.. All good. I begin the engine start routine, clear the area, and yell an enthusiastic "CLEAR!" The engine immediatly ROARS to life. I pull back the revs to idle (1000rpm). I check the engine vitals, and apart from getting cooler, she's set to go. "Good girl," I thought. I click on the avionics, and do my standard weather check. Unsurprisingly, nothing's changed. I key on the mic for the first time alone... "Pitt-Greenville Traffic Diamond 6-3-6-Delta-Charlie taxing to runway 0-8 via taxiway Alpha." I test the brakes and I'm off!!! I kept thinking how far away that runway was, and thankful PGV isn't a busy airport. As I approach the 02-20 runway hold marker, a USAir (Piedmont operated) Dash-8 radio's on base for 02. I see them, in his fairly wide pattern, and know I have plenty of time to cross the runway. I radio to them, letting know I have them in site, and cross the runway. What seems a few moments later I've arrived at 08, performed my runup, double check the list, check the vitals again, scan for traffic, and make the call. "...6DC departing runway 0-8, Pitt-Greenville."
No Turning Back:
As I line up on the centerline, I gradually put in the power...20 knots airspeed is live...30, 40, 45...I begin pulling her back, 50, 55 and I'm off! A minor bank to the right for wind correction, speed up to 70 and I climb. OMG do I climb. Without another passenger the plane just wanted to climb! Not 100' off the ground and I come to the SAME sudden realization that other students have. OMG, Now I'm going to have to land this! No turning back, she's in the air and flying... That phrase I've heard comes to mind "Take-offs are optional, landings are manditory." I quickly try and shake the feeling and nervousness off. "I know what I'm doing, I CAN do this." my mind claims, and becomes my anxiety cure. 500', flaps up... my mouth is dry as I make my radio call and turn crosswind 750'. I realize immediatly that I'm barely at the end of the runway...she really climbed fast! So fast that I even overshoot pattern altitude by 100'. I call downwind (parallel to runway), and get back to 1000'. Don't ask me what the scenery was like, because I don't even remember. All I do recal, is the runway, hitting my visual turn points, and that's it. No site-seeing today, just fly the plane! As 08-26 is a short runway the calm relaxing downwind didn't last long enough. At the numbers I began the usual proceedure. Pull back power, bleed off speed, put in first notch of flaps, and begin ....the decent.
The First Solo Landing:
Everyone has there favorite runways, for whatever the reason. As I turned base, I was glad to be on one of mine. I hit my visual marker, two small ponds below, and turned onto the final stretch. Two red, two white...alright! The PAPI lights don't lie and so far, all is well. With that and ~72k of airspeed, I put in the landing flaps. As there are only two settings on the DA-20 C1, it goes from 15 degrees, to 45! A huge change that is always immediatly felt. With an electric wirr, and lite thunk, I pointed the nose down further. With that I made sure my decent was stabilized, ~450 ft/min on the VSI, good. Winds were dead calm, and I didn't need many adjustments to stay on the centerline. The end is coming near, soon, I'll have to land this appendage strapped to me. I work the throttle ever so slightly to keep the numbers coming at me, and at the same place in the windshield. This focus keeps me calm. The final moments were at hand, and for those who can explain it, good on ya. To this day, the engineer in me can't explain the final steps or process. To me, it's become instinctive art...nothing less. Where I round out, the flare, and how one transitions into a near stall moments before touching down. The moments are blurred together, with the mere memory that the landing was a good one. I did it, holy cow (or some other catch phrase), I did it. Seconds later, flaps to T/O, back on the throttle...and it's time for another go!
As events go, the first time is the hardest, and the next two landings were easier. My 2nd landing was spot on. My third, was actually my only so-so landing, as a gust pushed me off the line, and I floated her a while longer as I got back on center-line. Sadly Rob saw the first and the last...and not my best one. Ah well. I'll take what I can get!
Whew, it's over!
Taxing back to the FBO, I was both excited and relieved. It was over, for better or worse, and fortunetly it had been for the better! I shut her down, and opened up the canopy. The cold air nearly chilled me. I'd had left the heat on, and combined with the pressure, I was a walking wetnap. As I stretched up in victory, I saw the other instructor & student arrive in the DA-40. Both gave me thumbs up and clapped. Very few times, have I really felt proud of something I've done. I'm usually pretty hard on myself, but I couldn't help feeling satisfied! Rob came over with Wayne and said "Look at that, the boy is sweatin' bad!" I know he was teasing, as I climbed out, and shook his hand while Wayne shot a photo. I realize now, thinking back, that I was so relieved that I even forgot to take out the key and write down the tach/hobbs info. DOH! Well at least the next student was already out at the plane, no worries.
Another Name on the Wall-
Shortly thereafter I was guided inside, and thanked the student whose time I borrowed to make this possible. I felt bad, so I asked them to put 100$ of his tab on mine... They proceeded, with some extremely dull scissors, to cut the tail off my grey NACCO shirt. It was really soaked! "We'll let this dry off a bit!" Rob smirked. Everyone congratulated me, and thus started the usual "solo" stories! (Pilots love talking about their experiences, and we never tire hearing them!) As Rob walked out for his next lesson, I did my final act. I walked up the stairs to the conference rooms, where the sky blue walls full of signatures set. Two columns, those who've soloed and those who've attained their Private Pilot Certificate. I grabbed the sharpy marker and added my name to the "SOLO" list. I look over the list and find I'm the fourth in my class to solo! Three others in my class had yet to solo...but I didn't really care about that. My dream & goal of writting my name on that wall before I turned 34 had been achieved. NOW, I thought, I'm a Pilot!
With the last few flights the winds of March have done their worst. A little crosswind, no problem. Variable winds of 8k gusting to 16k, uh...problem. Gusts are a huge problem for me, heck for any pilot, let alone a novice student. It boiled down to creating a non-stable environment for landings, and thus mine weren't turning out great. This posed a big problem, as I was really close to solo, and had in fact passed my stage check. I'd been really down, failing to show readiness to handle it on my own.
Today, however, showed immense promise. Winds calm, and when there was some, it came from the east. 10 Statute miles vis, and a cool 37° F. At last, an ideal outlook!
The plane was in the hanger, so we could wipe off the frost and pre-flight the airplane in warmth. After that was done, opening the doors to the nippy morning air sent chills up my back. Towed her into position, and I began checking the ground. Allot of wind had really kicked up a lot of rocks. I began picking them up and discarding them when Rob asked "What the heck are you doing." At that moment, the owner, disconnecting the tow hook, said "He's pickin up debree like he's 'sposed too." Heh, props from the man himself! After all, we found one nick off the propeller already!
Pre-flight was normal, except I was far more calm and at ease. The previous flights I'd been nervous to perform, hoping to solo. Now, I didn't really expect to, so all that burden was realeased.
First Flight of the Day:
The first take-off of the day is always a definning one. As simple a manuever as it is, it's often a tale of how things will go. (Not to mention what the winds are really up to.) This one was a nice graceful lift-off. Perfect and smooth was the air, with just a slight Easterly wind. Pattern was nice and easy to keep square, and the cool air gave great climb performance. (Normally I fly later when it's about 20° warmer.)
Time came for the 2nd crucial judge of performance, the first landing of the day. I shrugged away the doubt, and setup for a good 60-65k speed, and was one light above glide. Runway 08 has a fairly close tree line, so it's right where I wanna be. I notice the other instructor & student are at the hold line in the DA-40. YAY, everyone loves a show *smirk*! I round out, worried if I'll nail this landing... I pull back a little, feel her out, a little more... it's all art & skill now...*eeeerrp* Ahh a nice one. In my head, the lando-meter trips over to 80. Wow, 80 landings...have I really done that many?
Slipin' the Ship:
Flaps up a notch and we're on the go again. "Pitt-Greenville Traffic Diamond 636DC is upwind on runway 08, Pitt-Greenville." Inside I'm ecstatic! It had been a couple of lessons since I really nailed a landing. One good one, just a few more and I'll be on cloud 9! I'm downwind when I notice the DA-40 is STILL sitting there at the hold line. Hmmm that's odd, why aren't they going. They've had plenty of time to do a run-up and take-off. Rob replies, "oh they're probably just watching!" Yay, a continued audience, no pressure! This time we hold 500' on final to do a slip. Winds from the right, I bank in, full left rudder and into a forward slip we go. Takes me a few corrections to keep the runway centerline, then I'm holdin' it pretty well. Slips was one of the things the other instructer (who happens to be watching in the DA-40) said I needed to work on during the stage-check. We're about 100' away when the other instructor radios "Beauty" or some similar description. Rob radios back in agreement. WOW, the toughest, most critical instructor just paid my flying a compliment... OK PINCH ME, I'M DREAMING! I relise the slip and come to another nice flare and landing! Oh this day keeps getting better!
Another day, another engine failure:
The third time through the pattern and comes the, almost expected, simulated engine failure. That's not to say I don't take them lightly, quite the contrary. You do, however, become trained to calmly handle them, and not panic. So with my vitals stable, I pitch for 70knots (best glide). Not enough altitude to run through a checklist, just land the plane. I turn in early off the downwind, and we're high. Another slip it is. This one needed a slightly more aggressive slip, as we tried to loose allot of altitude quickly. I felt a little anxious to get down, as we're 50' up at halfway down the runway. So I end up doing a lite, yet barely flared 3-pt landing. Ah well, so much for the perfect landing streak. Still it was smooth, no bouncing at all, just firm.
Is it that time?
We taxy back to the FBO, with our short hour already gone. It was short and sweet, and had my confidence boosted back up. Rob is kinda talkin' to himself, with barely audible references to "time" and "readiness." I park the plane in the first spot and shut down. I lift the clear canopy up and feel the brisk morning air. I'm feeling a bit of relief, taking in the air, when Rob says "Hang here in the plane for a minute." My eyes get real big. OMG, is it that time, but....but we don't have any time! He runs in, and apparently successfully bargains some time from the next student. He comes out, and I have my log-book ready. I hand it over and he walks away again. I'm trying to remain calm... breath in the cool air Brian...just breath. Rob runs out, hands me my logbook, and I check for the necessary sign-offs. "Ok, your good to go. I want you to do three T/O and landings," gleamed Rob. "Full-stop?" I enquire. "Just touch and goes on the first two, full-stop on the last." With that he smiles and says "Keep good care of my headset for me!" I look to awkward empty seat beside me, with just an empty headset.
Off on my own:
Yes, it was that time...the time every student looks forward to, and yet doesn't look forward to. No back up now, your on your own. No visual feedback from the instructor if your getting yourself into trouble. Nada, nothing, no cosa. Even though I'd just flown the plane, I thought it best to follow my checklists to a tee. I calmly check the electrical, fuses, charge, etc.. All good. I begin the engine start routine, clear the area, and yell an enthusiastic "CLEAR!" The engine immediatly ROARS to life. I pull back the revs to idle (1000rpm). I check the engine vitals, and apart from getting cooler, she's set to go. "Good girl," I thought. I click on the avionics, and do my standard weather check. Unsurprisingly, nothing's changed. I key on the mic for the first time alone... "Pitt-Greenville Traffic Diamond 6-3-6-Delta-Charlie taxing to runway 0-8 via taxiway Alpha." I test the brakes and I'm off!!! I kept thinking how far away that runway was, and thankful PGV isn't a busy airport. As I approach the 02-20 runway hold marker, a USAir (Piedmont operated) Dash-8 radio's on base for 02. I see them, in his fairly wide pattern, and know I have plenty of time to cross the runway. I radio to them, letting know I have them in site, and cross the runway. What seems a few moments later I've arrived at 08, performed my runup, double check the list, check the vitals again, scan for traffic, and make the call. "...6DC departing runway 0-8, Pitt-Greenville."
No Turning Back:
As I line up on the centerline, I gradually put in the power...20 knots airspeed is live...30, 40, 45...I begin pulling her back, 50, 55 and I'm off! A minor bank to the right for wind correction, speed up to 70 and I climb. OMG do I climb. Without another passenger the plane just wanted to climb! Not 100' off the ground and I come to the SAME sudden realization that other students have. OMG, Now I'm going to have to land this! No turning back, she's in the air and flying... That phrase I've heard comes to mind "Take-offs are optional, landings are manditory." I quickly try and shake the feeling and nervousness off. "I know what I'm doing, I CAN do this." my mind claims, and becomes my anxiety cure. 500', flaps up... my mouth is dry as I make my radio call and turn crosswind 750'. I realize immediatly that I'm barely at the end of the runway...she really climbed fast! So fast that I even overshoot pattern altitude by 100'. I call downwind (parallel to runway), and get back to 1000'. Don't ask me what the scenery was like, because I don't even remember. All I do recal, is the runway, hitting my visual turn points, and that's it. No site-seeing today, just fly the plane! As 08-26 is a short runway the calm relaxing downwind didn't last long enough. At the numbers I began the usual proceedure. Pull back power, bleed off speed, put in first notch of flaps, and begin ....the decent.
The First Solo Landing:
Everyone has there favorite runways, for whatever the reason. As I turned base, I was glad to be on one of mine. I hit my visual marker, two small ponds below, and turned onto the final stretch. Two red, two white...alright! The PAPI lights don't lie and so far, all is well. With that and ~72k of airspeed, I put in the landing flaps. As there are only two settings on the DA-20 C1, it goes from 15 degrees, to 45! A huge change that is always immediatly felt. With an electric wirr, and lite thunk, I pointed the nose down further. With that I made sure my decent was stabilized, ~450 ft/min on the VSI, good. Winds were dead calm, and I didn't need many adjustments to stay on the centerline. The end is coming near, soon, I'll have to land this appendage strapped to me. I work the throttle ever so slightly to keep the numbers coming at me, and at the same place in the windshield. This focus keeps me calm. The final moments were at hand, and for those who can explain it, good on ya. To this day, the engineer in me can't explain the final steps or process. To me, it's become instinctive art...nothing less. Where I round out, the flare, and how one transitions into a near stall moments before touching down. The moments are blurred together, with the mere memory that the landing was a good one. I did it, holy cow (or some other catch phrase), I did it. Seconds later, flaps to T/O, back on the throttle...and it's time for another go!
As events go, the first time is the hardest, and the next two landings were easier. My 2nd landing was spot on. My third, was actually my only so-so landing, as a gust pushed me off the line, and I floated her a while longer as I got back on center-line. Sadly Rob saw the first and the last...and not my best one. Ah well. I'll take what I can get!
Whew, it's over!
Taxing back to the FBO, I was both excited and relieved. It was over, for better or worse, and fortunetly it had been for the better! I shut her down, and opened up the canopy. The cold air nearly chilled me. I'd had left the heat on, and combined with the pressure, I was a walking wetnap. As I stretched up in victory, I saw the other instructor & student arrive in the DA-40. Both gave me thumbs up and clapped. Very few times, have I really felt proud of something I've done. I'm usually pretty hard on myself, but I couldn't help feeling satisfied! Rob came over with Wayne and said "Look at that, the boy is sweatin' bad!" I know he was teasing, as I climbed out, and shook his hand while Wayne shot a photo. I realize now, thinking back, that I was so relieved that I even forgot to take out the key and write down the tach/hobbs info. DOH! Well at least the next student was already out at the plane, no worries.
Another Name on the Wall-
Shortly thereafter I was guided inside, and thanked the student whose time I borrowed to make this possible. I felt bad, so I asked them to put 100$ of his tab on mine... They proceeded, with some extremely dull scissors, to cut the tail off my grey NACCO shirt. It was really soaked! "We'll let this dry off a bit!" Rob smirked. Everyone congratulated me, and thus started the usual "solo" stories! (Pilots love talking about their experiences, and we never tire hearing them!) As Rob walked out for his next lesson, I did my final act. I walked up the stairs to the conference rooms, where the sky blue walls full of signatures set. Two columns, those who've soloed and those who've attained their Private Pilot Certificate. I grabbed the sharpy marker and added my name to the "SOLO" list. I look over the list and find I'm the fourth in my class to solo! Three others in my class had yet to solo...but I didn't really care about that. My dream & goal of writting my name on that wall before I turned 34 had been achieved. NOW, I thought, I'm a Pilot!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Airman Knowledge Test - 97%!
I've been talking allot about my flights in this blog, but haven't mentioned ground school much. I actually started ground school before I began flying. I think it's better this way. I quickly discovered, however, many classmates had already begun flying, some had even soloed! Whoa!
In any case, flight school was going to last about 26 weeks, meeting twice a week for 2.5 hours. At the beginning I didn't think it was going to be a big deal for me...after all compared to electronics engineering, how hard can flight school be. Ah yet another humbling experience for me.
Flight school didn't just go over the theory of flight & airplane systems, it got heavy into wheather, communications, pilotage, equipment, medical, and FAA requirements. It was ALLOT of information to assimulate. I never knew I'd have to learn so much about the wheather... By the time your done, I wouldn't be surprised if you could replace the local news wheatherman!
Bottom line, flight school was intense, and certainly not easy. Especially if your like me, and insist on understanding everything (and not just knowing what the answers are). For every hour I spent in class, I spent 2-3 hours studying on my own. The Jeppessen book was at my side most nights.
Why are you considered a "Brain" when you know stuff?
I'd like to think I'm of normal intelligence, with a decent understanding of physics and engineering. Certainly not a brainiac though. For me, I always had to work hard learning stuff, because it never came easy for me. Thus I poor myself into the subject, especially when I'm super motivated! Due to this, I was actually a chapter ahead in class, and the students noticed I seemed to "know" the material well. They immediately labeling me the "brain" of the class, and from then on out, I couldn't shake it.
I can't stand being labeled like that. If they'd just study, they'd know it too. Now, I'd seem to be "expected" to have all the right answers....additional pressure I didn't need. At least it had one benefit, the instructors relied on me to help the class during exercises, flight planning, etc.. They didn't drill or pick on me much. I still had difficulty in areas, especially wheather, medical stuff, etc....but it didn't change my label.
By the time the class reached time to review, I had already been taking practice tests online. http://www.4vfr.com/ Is a GREAT place to begin btw. Also I checked out and purchased the software from www.checkride.com, and found it helpfull as well. If you can make consistent 90% or better, chances are you'll pass the FAA Airman Knowledge Test.
Time for the BIG TEST!
About the time I had my 9th flight, I brought in two test prep exam scores and Rob kindly signed me off to take the exam. I called up the CATS center to schedule it. They could fit me in on that Friday, and I paid my 80$ (BTW, it's NORMALLY 90$, but if you join AOPA, you get a 10$ discount! Check them out www.aopa.com ). I studied and reviewed my butt off for the next few days. The last night of ground school was thursday, and I let them know I'd be taking the test the next day.
Friday came and I drove the 35mile trek to Kinston. (It took me 11 min by air, and a ever so slow feeling to drive it in 30min!) It was a wet and miserable day...perfect for taking a test! lol The auditor shows me to a room with a few PCs and cameras in the wall. I grab my flight computer (the paper version), and my protractor, and sit down. She explains the test system for me, and gives me a figure book, paper, pencils, marker and a clear sheet. "Don't write in the figure book, use the overlay sheet". Oh great...so now I have to worry about a little overlay moving on me while making trip calculations!
The test began smoothly, but my hope for a minimum of lengthy trip planning quickly dissappeared. I had to do three in all, with 1-2 questions on each. It wasn't hard, just time consuming.
About 55min later, I finished my first pass-through of the test. There were a few I wasn't at all sure on, so I went back... One was an moveable card ADF question, and I so dislike those. In the end I went with my first answer (after all your first intuition is usually correct). I hovered the mouse over the "COMPLETE" confirmation button. My goal was to be in the 90% range, but I didn't feel I succeded at doing so. The screen completed, and it told me I.... PASSED! Woot! It tell me HOW WELL I did though.
For that she came in, and said congratulations, you got a 97% and missed two questions! OMG, my jaw dropped... I would've swore I got an 80 something! YES, one major hurdle down...next up, time to work toward soloing!!!!!
In any case, flight school was going to last about 26 weeks, meeting twice a week for 2.5 hours. At the beginning I didn't think it was going to be a big deal for me...after all compared to electronics engineering, how hard can flight school be. Ah yet another humbling experience for me.
Flight school didn't just go over the theory of flight & airplane systems, it got heavy into wheather, communications, pilotage, equipment, medical, and FAA requirements. It was ALLOT of information to assimulate. I never knew I'd have to learn so much about the wheather... By the time your done, I wouldn't be surprised if you could replace the local news wheatherman!
Bottom line, flight school was intense, and certainly not easy. Especially if your like me, and insist on understanding everything (and not just knowing what the answers are). For every hour I spent in class, I spent 2-3 hours studying on my own. The Jeppessen book was at my side most nights.
Why are you considered a "Brain" when you know stuff?
I'd like to think I'm of normal intelligence, with a decent understanding of physics and engineering. Certainly not a brainiac though. For me, I always had to work hard learning stuff, because it never came easy for me. Thus I poor myself into the subject, especially when I'm super motivated! Due to this, I was actually a chapter ahead in class, and the students noticed I seemed to "know" the material well. They immediately labeling me the "brain" of the class, and from then on out, I couldn't shake it.
I can't stand being labeled like that. If they'd just study, they'd know it too. Now, I'd seem to be "expected" to have all the right answers....additional pressure I didn't need. At least it had one benefit, the instructors relied on me to help the class during exercises, flight planning, etc.. They didn't drill or pick on me much. I still had difficulty in areas, especially wheather, medical stuff, etc....but it didn't change my label.
By the time the class reached time to review, I had already been taking practice tests online. http://www.4vfr.com/ Is a GREAT place to begin btw. Also I checked out and purchased the software from www.checkride.com, and found it helpfull as well. If you can make consistent 90% or better, chances are you'll pass the FAA Airman Knowledge Test.
Time for the BIG TEST!
About the time I had my 9th flight, I brought in two test prep exam scores and Rob kindly signed me off to take the exam. I called up the CATS center to schedule it. They could fit me in on that Friday, and I paid my 80$ (BTW, it's NORMALLY 90$, but if you join AOPA, you get a 10$ discount! Check them out www.aopa.com ). I studied and reviewed my butt off for the next few days. The last night of ground school was thursday, and I let them know I'd be taking the test the next day.
Friday came and I drove the 35mile trek to Kinston. (It took me 11 min by air, and a ever so slow feeling to drive it in 30min!) It was a wet and miserable day...perfect for taking a test! lol The auditor shows me to a room with a few PCs and cameras in the wall. I grab my flight computer (the paper version), and my protractor, and sit down. She explains the test system for me, and gives me a figure book, paper, pencils, marker and a clear sheet. "Don't write in the figure book, use the overlay sheet". Oh great...so now I have to worry about a little overlay moving on me while making trip calculations!
The test began smoothly, but my hope for a minimum of lengthy trip planning quickly dissappeared. I had to do three in all, with 1-2 questions on each. It wasn't hard, just time consuming.
About 55min later, I finished my first pass-through of the test. There were a few I wasn't at all sure on, so I went back... One was an moveable card ADF question, and I so dislike those. In the end I went with my first answer (after all your first intuition is usually correct). I hovered the mouse over the "COMPLETE" confirmation button. My goal was to be in the 90% range, but I didn't feel I succeded at doing so. The screen completed, and it told me I.... PASSED! Woot! It tell me HOW WELL I did though.
For that she came in, and said congratulations, you got a 97% and missed two questions! OMG, my jaw dropped... I would've swore I got an 80 something! YES, one major hurdle down...next up, time to work toward soloing!!!!!
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