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

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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1880988
@VRB_20kt , I have done armchair circuits* but I like your suggestion of adding a briefing, esp as EFATO is the next new thing.
*there is room for improvement :lol:

My new (now-unavailable) Instructor has also introduced T.E.M. before every lesson to formalise the approach. Previously I checked NOTAMS and nearest TAF before heading to the airfield but often there was too little time to discuss pre-flight, and no other factors were put up for consideration.

A few months ago I'd have been glad of the break.... now I'm desperate to get airborne :mrgreen:
Last edited by T6Harvard on Sun Nov 07, 2021 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By MidlifeCrises
#1881224
@T6Harvard just popping in to say that I can imagine your frustration, especially having found an instructor with whom you were making progress. Definitely carry on with the exams, getting as many of them out of the way as possible can only help. They only get more interesting after Air Law!
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1881975
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
VRB_20kt wrote:
Miscellaneous wrote:Excellent to hear your enthusiasm has retuned. :D :thumright:


I’m sure we all resonate with that comment. :wink:


It's all about getting the frequency of lessons just right.


Pun aside, thereby hangs the problem! I have an ac booked for my next lesson and no instructor available!!

Learning to fly is full of unexpected obstacles, isn't it?
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By Duncan M
#1881980
T6Harvard wrote:
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
VRB_20kt wrote:


Pun aside, thereby hangs the problem! I have an ac booked for my next lesson and no instructor available!!

Learning to fly is full of unexpected obstacles, isn't it?



No instructor available........................code for going solo!
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1882175
Whoop whoop! Have been able to get some lessons booked. I'm as thrilled as a thrilled person can be.

Not sure if word has got round that I'm the problem child but I'm with 'the new guy' (the new new guy) :mrgreen:

[Tbf temp Instructor who found my level and explained things in.simple.terms. had said he was unavailable for the next few weeks so I knew I'd need another. It'd be good to return to his teaching style but I need to keep at it in the meantime. It'll be a 4 week gap as it is]
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1884149
Well I have another string to my bow....I can balloon :roll:
Never done it before but a slightly new technique from new Instructor and virtually no headwind....and there we were.

It was an interesting morning over all. My first circuit was a bit ropey, 4 weeks off really showed. I called a go-around due to being too high on approach because I'd cut in on Base :roll: .
Second circuit had the added spice of a blocked runway due to a blown tyre / rejected TO. So another go-around.

Crosswind leg was directly into the sun and it was anybody's guess what height /speed we were at! Even with sunnies I needed my spare hand to shade my eyes.

Next circuit, another balloon, and a confession from me that I knew I wasn't moving my eyes further down the runway and I wasn't getting the picture like last time.

Perseverance led to a slight improvement by lesson end.

Quick cuppa and off we went again. Circuits consistent, landing various. I think only 2 were up to scratch. I'm disappointed about that.

Summary was that my flying was good, nice and smooth, just need to work on the last few seconds :mrgreen:

Back next week for more fun :lol:
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1884153
It’s surprised me how much a break in training can have an impact. When I started learning to fly, my instructor advised to book one lesson a week with the hope and expectation that you might get one every other week. I was initially in no particular hurry to learn so was thinking one lesson every month. I had a small thought that the school was just trying to get cash quicker. Having achieved a mix of 1 week between and up to 3 weeks between lessons, I have surprised myself that it takes a while to get back to new progress when there is a break in between.

I had a nice balloon last week too. Join the club. Sounds like progress overall though.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1884156
T6Harvard wrote:Well I have another string to my bow....I can balloon :roll:
Never done it before but ....

I promise you, that doesn't make you even a little bit special :lol:

It's what you do to deal with it that is interesting, and that all depends on how fast you're going, and how far off the runway you allow the aeroplane to get. Options vary from relaxing the building back pressure a bit and recovering the hold-off as the aircraft settles, to adding some power, even to going around if you're not completely confident of recovering the situation.

What did you do in this case?

a slightly new technique from new Instructor

Being?
and virtually no headwind....

I'm curious why this would make a difference. I have an idea why it might but why do you think it did?
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1884159
@TopCat

One got a go-around :mrgreen:

One I recovered with relaxing back pressure.

Two Instructor intervened.

New technique was pull the power as soon as we were over runway then back pressure to flare and hold off. Didn't work for me. Invisible ratchet works for me, both power and back pressure being worked in tandem, although obvs power is off just before last of the hold off.

I was too fast, no headwind to dissipate air speed, I was reacting in the flare in the same way that worked last lesson in completely different circs. Doh.

(Runway was changed round twice during the afternoon, so I assume a few folks had a slight tailwind some of the time?)
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