I have just had 2 lessons back to back. Am knackered but happy
@tr7v8 Funny that you should mention 900' Downwind..... I had to sort that out twice today (instructor mentioned it but was not over bearing).
Started with an excellent briefing then first task was to check the fuel because a/c has touring tanks and if full we wd be over MTOW (not entirely due to me but....). In fact she needed fuel so we agreed that I'd do pre-start checks then taxi to fuel ON MY OWN -
Oh to have someone trust you not to be an imbecile, what a difference!
Unfortunately as I started up the beautiful Chipmunk beside me also came alive and announced they were taxiing for fuel. So I waited for them to move off. And waited. And waited. Eventually they moved but I reckoned it would cost me nearly 10 mins on the Hobbs with their dillying and then filling ahead of me. Instructor sorted it out later so I didn't come off that badly.
Anyway, first lesson was revision of stalls which got a bit exciting in a slow turn when we got to incipient spin stage - luckily it wasn't me driving
Then I practised approach to disused runway elsewhere, getting angle correct, playing with speed and ROD. Very useful. A bit more general handling then an overhead join, a slightly wonky approach that I rescued and a pretty decent landing
Oh, and I finally got lots of useful radio practice throughout.
[As an aside, there was a visiting a/c who made very clear calls on the ground but my instructor said they were too long-winded, taking up airtime. I think the pilot was very conscious of it being AG only and better safe than sorry, it certainly helped me keep tabs on activity.]
Break for a cuppa then into the circuit. A slightly mixed bag but plenty of helpful advice given and no jabbing at instruments so that was good.
Still have concrete shyness too often, starting to flare too high 3 times. Doh.
I think 2 decent landings, 1 OK but a bit firmer than intended... however, my flying degraded by the penultimate circuit due to fatigue and that landing needed rescuing
I said I'd get my act together for the last one and I did.
Given how long I've been at it it's embarrassing to admit, but finally I feel confident with TO and the climb-out speed was nailed every time, at last
.
I dealt with thermals without too much fuss and even managed to crab one in 'nicely'
Far from perfect but I had excellent, encouraging and helpful instruction.
The debrief was a textbook 'sandwich'; you know the drill - the good, the bad, the good.
So I gave profuse thanks to my new instructor (bless him, he even bought the teas) and I left with a lot more confidence and, dare I say, hope!
(Wake up at the back!!)