Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

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By JAFO
#1846926
T6Harvard wrote:@JAFO, now I have regained my composure (!), I should perhaps clarify my comments about eleventy million knobs - that sentence was actually written as a running joke for a friend who is keeping tabs on my 'progress' but I failed to edit it out for my forum post!


Don't edit it out, eleventy is my lucky number.

I love your write ups, not only is it fascinating to see what you're learning, you also quite often remind me of stuff I probably already know but was no longer consciously aware of. :thumleft:
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1846928
@JAFO why aren't you working?? I have finished my coffee break and now feel obliged to do some domestic admin. Although it is a good week when I fly more than I work for us mere mortals there lies the road to ruin :lol:
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By FlightDek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1846937
T6Harvard wrote: Drat, I really wanted to see my (hilarious) flight path.

I have a vague recollection of someone saying they took their mobile with them and used a running app to track! I may look into that.


Download the "EasyVFR Basic" app. It's free and can record your flight and then display the tracks afterwards in Google Earth. It's what I used before I decided to pay for SkyDemon
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847195
Well despite the weathers best endeavours I did the 14th lesson today. Another session of circuits, 7 this time. Getting there but it seemed today when I cracked one bit, another bit went to pot! What didn't help today was the very light winds, this meant on the landing approach I was having to make more effort to slow the aircraft down. That I think took some grasping & probably at least two circuits to get. The weather was interesting, very shower, some quite intense. But at least I stayed dry!
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847199
Sounds like a great lesson, @tr7v8 . Well done. Improving every lesson has got to be good!!

Right now I am reading 'Making Perfect Landings in Light Airplanes' (sic), by Ron Fowler, as recommended by several forumites.
I am so looking forward to circuits next week but past experience of this learning to fly malarky tells me that I will take a while to grasp it :mrgreen: When I first met my Instructor I warned him that I need to be told or shown things 3 or 4 times before I get it. Since then I may or may not have revised that figure upwards :lol:

Any tips for what helped you flying today?
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847200
T6Harvard wrote:Sounds like a great lesson, @tr7v8 . Well done. Improving every lesson has got to be good!!

Right now I am reading 'Making Perfect Landings in Light Airplanes' (sic), by Ron Fowler, as recommended by several forumites.
I am so looking forward to circuits next week but past experience of this learning to fly malarky tells me that I will take a while to grasp it :mrgreen: When I first met my Instructor I warned him that I need to be told or shown things 3 or 4 times before I get it. Since then I may or may not have revised that figure upwards :lol:

Any tips for what helped you flying today?

I am now on circuits in excess of 14 so U would revise that number :shock:
Basically on the take off I was struggling to get the angle of climb out correct. Keeping 70kts at full power was hard. The upwind & base to finals leg turns should be 15Deg whereas the turn on to downwind & from downwind to base should be 30 deg, Also getting the downwind to be a reciprocal of the take off track. Finally getting the aircraft slowed down as you do base & then final. This was where the lack of wind didn't help. Obviously some level of head wind on final slows you down.
The FR track is here if you can see this. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airc ... o#27b8f3ca
If you shorten your crosswind & base legs it gives you less time in which to get things done. Also less time to settle speed/attitude/altitude

The 172 is faster than a 152 so this is possibly a part of this, I don't know.
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847201
I worked out the headings before we set off AND (boasting here) I remembered them :mrgreen:
I was reminded that the reciprocal is just the numbers on the other end in the case of the runway, although I was told this in the context of a likely overshoot on my overly high approach :lol:
ATM I can't judge the 30° angle at all. I need to find a better way to fix it. No idea how yet!

It's good fun though, isn't it?!
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By F70100
#1847278
T6Harvard wrote:ATM I can't judge the 30° angle at all. I need to find a better way to fix it. No idea how yet!


Which 30 degree angle are you referring to? Angle of bank, or something else?
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847297
F70100 wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:ATM I can't judge the 30° angle at all. I need to find a better way to fix it. No idea how yet!

Which 30 degree angle are you referring to? Angle of bank, or something else?


@F70100
Something else. The angle from the downwind end of RWY at point of downwind leg to turn base.

Thanks @AndyR , I had just realised when reading my homework for tomorrow that 7 O'clock made sense and 7.30 sounds better!. I'll give it a go :D
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847333
@VRB_20kt

Well....
I am fairly certain 30° was the angle at that point because I'd read about a 45° angle being used to work out the turns in part of the circuit but we flew further forward, reducing the angle. I will, of course, check with him!
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By Miscellaneous
#1847338
VRB_20kt wrote:Are you certain that your instructor said 30 degrees behind the wing when turning from downwind to base leg?

That's what I thought, I just wasn't brave enough to question @T6Harvard. :shock: :D
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