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
#1885540
Thanks @TopCat. I did benefit from the smoothest air ever :lol:

And.... what did it for me was really controlling the flare and the hold off. I could just do it, fine adjustments to attitude, plenty of time, felt right, and I made the picture look right.

It's funny because YouTube tells you to look for that moment when the runway suddenly gets large in the windscreen but I had what appeared to be the world's widest runway so that tip was no help at all!

In reality it was better speed control and good timing of power to idle :mrgreen:

Did I mention the stall warner just a smidgen before touchdown on several of them? No? Well now you know :D

(Of course I am told that a set of good landings at this stage will transmogrify into poor ones next time but who knows? I haven't exactly been a conventional student :lol: :roll: )
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1885632
T6Harvard wrote:It's funny because YouTube tells you to look for that moment when the runway suddenly gets large in the windscreen but I had what appeared to be the world's widest runway so that tip was no help at all!

I've always found that sort of thing utterly useless. That's a particularly dreadful one. :roll:

In reality it was better speed control and good timing of power to idle :mrgreen:

Mazeballs :D

Did I mention the stall warner just a smidgen before touchdown on several of them? No? Well now you know :D

Just a smidgen? Isn't it working properly? :wink: :wink:
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1885663
T6Harvard wrote:"Just a smidgen? Isn't it working properly? :wink: :wink:"

Ha ha. The smidgen was height, not decibels :mrgreen:

Yes I know :)

Stall warners tend to be set up so that they sound 5 knots or more above the stall. So if it only came on a moment before touchdown, you could probably have held it off a bit longer.

The finesse in your handling is coming now, so on the calmer days you can start to strive for even more refinement in those last moments before touchdown. But it's all looking good to me.

I'm just channeling my PPL instructor a little.... if I did an ok landing, he'd say "Well you got it down". If I did a really good one, he'd say "You could have held it off a bit longer". I flew with him a few years ago, after a gap of about 20. His only comment on my flying was "Well you're better than you were". High praise from him. (He sounds strict, but he's actually a good friend, and I like and respect him enormously. He's been teaching MEIR at Bournemouth to CPL students for many years).
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1885682
@TopCat , you're a hard taskmaster!
So how about this..... what if the stall warner was sounding for a few seconds, increasing in volume, as the ac slowly descended that last few inches, at pretty close to minimum speed, while the dodgy student pilot slightly held her breath in disbelief, ? Just askin'.

PS, rather than an understated comment I got a cheery thumbs up from my Instructor, which made me smile :D

Happy days.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1885702
T6Harvard wrote:@TopCat , you're a hard taskmaster!

I did warn you :)

In my defence, I'd emphasise my other sentence...

I wrote:The finesse in your handling is coming now, so on the calmer days you can start to strive for even more refinement in those last moments before touchdown. But it's all looking good to me.

I'm really not suggesting that you stress about the difference between good and perfect just yet. There will be plenty of other stuff to distract you from landings soon.

So how about this..... what if the stall warner was sounding for a few seconds, increasing in volume, as the ac slowly descended that last few inches, at pretty close to minimum speed, while the dodgy student pilot slightly held her breath in disbelief, ? Just askin'.

That would be ok :wink:

In any case, it won't be long before what your instructor or any of us random internet types say about your flying is irrelevant. Because you'll know yourself.

All joking aside, I think you're absolutely on track, and I'm really happy about that. Just keep going. :thumleft:
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1886214
So you know how I said the good landings would transmogrify this next lesson? Well....I did my best to trick fate by booking a double slot. It was indeed a game of 2 halves.

First lesson, a strong crosswind. It took me few goes to really account for it properly in the circuit. Crabbing in was good but... I struggled on the last 100' to use into wind aileron but no rudder until we were over the numbers.

First circuit was a bit ropey throughout but not hideous.* I improved a bit, had a couple of decent landings and one where the runway came up at us :lol: , although I've had worse!
* first circuit previous lesson was a duffer too. Henceforth I shall think of it being like the first pancake you make on Shrove Tuesday, you know the one that's a mess 'cos the pan isn't hot enough and you pour the batter too thick. The next lot are much better :D

I finished the First lesson a bit disappointed. Could do better! Although on reflection, my height at key points on Base and final was much better by the end, despite the wind playing tricks.

My Instructor said we'd have a brew and a chat about flying the circuit and which method for crosswind landings. I was expecting to hear inadequacies :? But he was relaxed about it and said that when things were not bang on I was fine at correcting them and he was perfectly happy with the circuits. Phew.

Advice on crosswind landing also confirmed the crabbing was fine but I needed to add that aileron, and then rudder last minute, to straighten up. I found it trickier one time when he came onto the controls to set the aileron as I was landing and I sort of battled him for it! We sorted this out next time.

So second lesson, not expecting much but willing :D

Much better, but the wind had dropped a lot :lol:

I felt definitely more confident throughout. Something is clicking. I am flying the ac at last. My Instructor said virtually nothing, just let me get on with it.

I dealt with the ramblings of a heli pilot who took up the whole of my Downwind by putting a call out as 'G-xx, turning Base for 26', which I think was sufficient!

I spotted another ac who seemed to join straight in from long final ahead of me as I turned Base. I was keeping a close eye on him but then he turned towards us so I made a gentle right to make sure we went behind. Felt in control of the situation, resumed Base leg and he'd vacated in good time before Final so all was well.

Landings were mostly pretty good, a tiny balloon was easily overcome (ratchet deployed, just relaxed the yoke the tiniest bit :mrgreen: ).

I was tiring towards the end though and messed up a call, "G-xx......" ......pause (where am I???)..... ".....Downwind 26 T&G." Immediately followed by "Correction, 26 to land." I forgot where I was and what I was going to do :roll:

I was a bit left of centre on a couple of landings but redeemed myself when someone at the Hold announced they were waiting for the landing Cessna (me) and I managed a smooth one :D

Debrief was that there were no bad landings today, I just need practice, esp in crosswind.

All in all A Good Day :mrgreen:
Last edited by T6Harvard on Thu Dec 02, 2021 9:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By lobstaboy
#1886226
:)
Your use of language is changing - you sound like a pilot in your description of what was going on. In particular being able to read the traffic situation and understand what they're doing shows you've got some free mental capacity now. That's a sure sign of real and significant progress.
Remember that you'll always feel that the actual flying could have gone better. Even after hundreds of hours you should feel that - because you always are learning and aiming to improve.
Last edited by lobstaboy on Thu Dec 02, 2021 9:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By akg1486
#1886228
T6Harvard wrote:I forgot where I was and what I was going to do :roll:

I think also most non-pilots can relate to that! :lol:

Congratulations on a good set of lessons. Winter is really the best time to fly once the weather is good.
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1886239
Sounds like a good couple of lessons. You need to learn how to celebrate the positives - no bad landings today from your instructor feedback sounds brilliant to me. Loved your sneaky little comment that you feel like you were flying the AC today. That is a stunning milestone in my opinion. Keep up the good work and give yourself a well deserved slap on the back!
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1886275
T6Harvard wrote:I am flying the ac at last.

I told you that three days ago :)

Glad you've noticed as well, though, that's another good sign. Look up 'metacognition' if you're not familiar.

:thumleft: :thumleft:

:cheers: :cheers:
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1886294
Milty wrote:Sounds like a good couple of lessons. You need to learn how to celebrate the positives - no bad landings today from your instructor feedback sounds brilliant to me. Loved your sneaky little comment that you feel like you were flying the AC today. That is a stunning milestone in my opinion. Keep up the good work and give yourself a well deserved slap on the back!


Slap duly administered :lol: Afterall, I did 2 full hours back to back* without becoming a wrung out dish cloth :mrgreen:

*although I needed a mince pie with the half-time cuppa to get me through :D
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