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

Moderator: AndyR

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By jcal
#1868355
Awesome T6!

Simon sounds like a great instructor! He sounds like he's not putting you into pressure when it's not needed, and something that I find really valuable from an instructor: lets you correct for your own mistakes without taking control.
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868365
Great that you had a good lesson and feel you’ve made progress.

Interesting that a flight with a different FI may have triggered it. I’ve read of a few cases where this has been the case. It’s not a slight on your usual FI, just that some people click and others don’t. I think psychologically we can fall into a trap of wanting to please our tutors and it put on unnecessary pressure.

I’ve got to do a medical check flight with the CFI in a few weeks and am quite looking forward to see the difference.

Have you got a lesson booked for Friday? I need the weather gods to be shining :D
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868367
Milty wrote:I’ve got to do a medical check flight with the CFI in a few weeks

What's one of those?
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868369
jcal wrote:Awesome T6!

Simon sounds like a great instructor! He sounds like he's not putting you into pressure when it's not needed, and something that I find really valuable from an instructor: lets you correct for your own mistakes without taking control.


@jcal , yes, indeed, that is the perfect summary - he left off the unnecessary pressure and let me correct my mistakes, while offering little snippets of advice during less hectic moments.

As I said, it was good timing because I had felt it was coming together, but the Instructor got the best out of me yesterday, for sure.

@Milty , I must apologise about the forthcoming weather - I have no lessons booked until 13th Sept :lol:

I shall be away visiting my Mum next week. I just want to give her a 'shout out' - she rings me after every lesson to find out how I got on, asking excitedly how it went. How lovely is that? I'm in my late 50's btw :lol: :lol: :lol:
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868377
TopCat wrote:
Milty wrote:I’ve got to do a medical check flight with the CFI in a few weeks

What's one of those?


I lost my detail vision in 2001 (basically a detached retina but a bit more complex) so to all intents and purposes, I can only see out of my right eye. As part of the class 2 medical, a CFI or Examiner is required to do a medical check flight. https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294992265

It's basically a practical review to ensure that I can appropriately compensate for the loss of vision. I don't think it will be an issue but I've not done enough landings yet to know if that will be a problem area. I certainly find it tricky to judge when I'm 10ft from the ground but as a new student, I don't think I am alone in this so can't be sure yet whether it is sight related or just lack of experience. Hoping for the latter. All other aspects I have learned to compensate for in the last 20 years and don't really notice it day to day.

For anyone else who stumbles across this thread, I'm going to add in the keyword monocular. There are a few things that I won't be able to do (get a class 1 medical without restrictions of flying MPA, fly open cockpit without goggles). If I have any significant sight changes, I will have to declare and fly another medical flight check. See https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294992264.

Sorry it's a bit of a waffle to a simple question but I struggled to find info when I was researching it and hope that other can stumble across this.
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868379
T6Harvard wrote:@Milty , I must apologise about the forthcoming weather - I have no lessons booked until 13th Sept :lol:

I shall be away visiting my Mum next week. I just want to give her a 'shout out' - she rings me after every lesson to find out how I got on, asking excitedly how it went. How lovely is that? I'm in my late 50's btw :lol: :lol: :lol:


Very selfish of you - can't you just book one anyway for Friday morning, or at least pretend.

You're lucky. My Mum lives in Somerset and is focusing on the recent CFIT on the Blackdown Hills and the Stearman landing on the Cessna at Dunkeswell. She's convinced that she's going to lose 'mummy's little soldier' to an aviation accident (I'm 47...).
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868387
Milty wrote:
TopCat wrote:
Milty wrote:I’ve got to do a medical check flight with the CFI in a few weeks

What's one of those?


I lost my detail vision in 2001 (basically a detached retina but a bit more complex) so to all intents and purposes, I can only see out of my right eye.....

It's basically a practical review to ensure that I can appropriately compensate for the loss of vision.

Wow. Thank you for explaining, and very best of luck.
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By jcal
#1868413
T6Harvard wrote:I shall be away visiting my Mum next week. I just want to give her a 'shout out' - she rings me after every lesson to find out how I got on, asking excitedly how it went. How lovely is that? I'm in my late 50's btw :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ah that's great! All I get from my Dad is questions on when I'm taking him up with him.. I think he imagines me being his private air chauffeur when I'm done :lol:.

Milty wrote:I lost my detail vision in 2001 (basically a detached retina but a bit more complex) so to all intents and purposes, I can only see out of my right eye. As part of the class 2 medical, a CFI or Examiner is required to do a medical check flight. https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/Download ... 4294992265

That's very interesting. I have very poor vision uncorrected, but get by well with correction, however it's always been at the back of my mind as the most likely cause for me to leave me grounded eventually. It's good to hear there are still ways to get up there though.
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By andynxn
#1868415
Just catching up, well done T6 glad to hear the positive progress.

Just one thing about the carb heat left on after T&G, my instructor told me to 'Carp' at final:

Carb heat off
Runway clear
Approach Stable
Permission Given

It really helps, i call final and then just say Carp to myself (could be interesting one day if i have passengers...).

Hope that helps.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868417
Milty wrote:Sorry it's a bit of a waffle to a simple question but I struggled to find info when I was researching it and hope that other can stumble across this.


There is a thread on here somewhere. It starts with someone asking, "Can I fly with just one eye?"

To which I replied, "No, you're going to need an aeroplane as well."

A lot of more pertinent advice followed! :D
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868419
Thanks @andynxn , an unforgettable mnemonic! Yes, so I'll always think of you and that at decision height now :lol:

It is on my mental list at decision height and I've never forgotten it before but I was plate-spinning.
I picked it up as I did the FERA checks early due to flaps already being up (ie, no need to wait till 300').
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868423
T6Harvard wrote:It is on my mental list at decision height and I've never forgotten it before but I was plate-spinning.

Mm. I don't like the concept of a decision height other than in instrument flying. Decision height for a go around in normal visual landings should be no higher than 0 (zero) feet.

You can have the most perfect approach, you're in the hold-off at a height of one inch....

... and then a deer runs out of the woods alongside the strip and straight across the runway in front of you. Or on longer runways, someone holding at a holding point part way along lines up in front of you as you flare.

You need to be alert to the possibility of a go around all the way down to touchdown, and beyond.
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1868429
Yes, @TopCat , I read criticism about announcing 'Downwind 08 for T&G' for that same reason; it presupposes and sets the action in stone.

It would be better called 'getting your ducks in a row height' :lol:
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