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

Moderator: AndyR

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#1909046
So today it was time for exercises 12 and 13, in the circuit! I was quite nervous when we discussed the lesson goals... :oops:

6 take-offs and 6 landings later, and I am buzzing. I quickly got the hang of the take-off, climb and climbing turns, but the pre-landing checks kept throwing me. I'm dyslexic so long strings don't always help me to remember the checks, so I may need another way to commit them to memory. I was able to independently perform the climb and turns, and observe the noise abatement requirements, and turning into base and final went really well too. The landing was the hardest part overall, so I have two things standing out to really work on:

- pre-landing checks
- landing

That's not to say I don't need to work on all of it, as I quite obviously do, but for me those are the standouts.

I have two more lessons booked tomorrow! :D
ericgreveson, Milty liked this
#1909079
Hexsplosions wrote:
> but the pre-landing checks kept throwing me. I'm dyslexic so long
> strings don't always help me to remember the checks, so I may
> need another way to commit them to memory.

I decided to put my afternoon after flying to productive use, rather than vegetate in front of the TV. I loaded up X-Plane 11 in VR, loaded into a C152 at EGNE, and practiced the circuits. It's not that valuable in terms of the flying because it lacks any feedback on handling, but I really wanted to practice the procedures. I started verbally rehearsing the pre-landing checks, using the VR to look at the items being rehearsed, while on downwind, and after a few circuits I was starting to remember them. Where there's the will, there's a way... :thumleft:

I haven't actually been able to switch off since those circuits. I might annoy my wife a lot tonight. :lol:
Milty, ericgreveson liked this
By ericgreveson
#1909106
I did the same but in Microsoft Flight Simulator in VR when doing circuits! I think it helped for remembering procedures... Also good for practicing glide approaches, different flap settings etc (mapped a suitable button on the throttle controller to carb heat as well).
Hexsplosions liked this
#1909125
ericgreveson wrote:
> I did the same but in Microsoft Flight Simulator in VR when doing circuits!
> I think it helped for remembering procedures... Also good for practicing
> glide approaches, different flap settings etc (mapped a suitable button on
> the throttle controller to carb heat as well).

I'm planning to do the same.

I have the Honeycomb Alpha and Bravo controls, so have the carb heat mapped to an axis. It's a bit hard in VR knowing where the flaps lever is (lots of fumbling around near the general area) but after a while I got used to having my hand on the flaps ready for it, rather than fumbling and panicking. :lol:

I'm back up later for two more lessons (did I mention that I'm hooked? :shock: ) and fully expect to be doing circuits again.
ericgreveson liked this
#1909214
And that's another day of circuits over.

I am exhausted.

I did my first ever circuits yesterday and, per my previous post, spent last night in VR in X-Plane 11 trying to commit the pre-landing checks to memory.

I arrived today and had my first hour of circuits, getting in 8 take-offs and landings. I felt absolutely shattered afterwards and needed a break, but I was really pleased with how many I got in and how much I'd improved. I remembered the procedure for the entire circuit, so the help needed was on monitoring my flying and with my landing.

I'm a sucker for punishment though, so after a 45 minute break I went back up and did another 8. :lol:

The wind had become a bit blustery, so it was a bit more challenging, but by the end of the day my instructor was leaving me to it, with only minor remarks needed on a few occasions.

I'm already counting down to next Monday for my next lesson. :D
#1909315
I've got my medical booked in anticipation of doing my first solo circuit.

I believe, being over the magic number 40, that it'll require an ECG at additional cost. For a Class 2 medical exam, would anything else be required? (e.g. blood tests?)

Also, please tell me I don't have to strip to my skivvies... I have a body that isn't to be aired in public! :lol:
ericgreveson liked this
#1909327
Great progress - you're going through the lessons quickly! I don't think there's any need for blood tests for the medical, but there will be a urine test. Expect some potential "top off, belly out" action too (for the ECG)... but I'm sure the AME has seen worse before! ;-) I had an ECG at my medical despite being still a bit below 40, I think it's standard for an initial Class 2 medical. I also had to do some additional eye tests due to being pretty short-sighted but otherwise I found it to be a fairly straightforward process on the day.
Hexsplosions liked this
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By Hexsplosions
#1909344
I'm just perusing YouTube, looking for good GA related channels to follow, and found this one:



That's where I'm learning to fly. It was nice to see it on a recent YouTube upload. I've eaten at the aerodrome restaurant (The Apron) and the food is indeed very tasty!

If there are any recommendations for good channels to follow (preferably educational), I'd be very grateful for them.
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1909357
[usermention=28542]@Hexsplosions[/usermention] medical is fine. Definitely will be a top off and t!ts out. Mine made a light slapping noise when released from my t-shirt. Don’t worry, there’s only you, the AME, the student doctor and the receptionist there. If you’re lucky, they’ll push the door shut to the waiting room and pull the blinds. I do seem to think that there may have been a ‘cough’ test too but by that time, I was in my happy place and don’t have a full recollection.
Hexsplosions liked this
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By Arrow
#1909424
Recently discovered The Flying Reporter too and really enjoying it especially as it is a UK focussed channel unlike a lot of YouTube content.

The AOPA Air Safety Institute have a great series of both YouTube videos and podcasts. There's also some good videos on AVWeb's channel - I really like Paul's dry humour.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
Hexsplosions, T6Harvard liked this
#1910025
That's two more lessons completed today. :D

I practiced more circuits today, with today being my fourth and fifth hours in the circuit, and we introduced go-arounds.

The first couple of circuits were pretty good, with a few tweaks needed based on a week passing by and my mind being focused on other things, but it soon came back and I was managing the circuit quite happily. My biggest challenge was the landing, ensuring I was on profile for the runway and managing my speed accordingly, followed by the flare. I had a tendency to not quite pull back enough and then to pull back too much when the rear wheels touched down, so more work needed.

My instructor was quite pleased though. He didn't really need to handle the controls and provided mostly verbal support. I know I need more practice and I'm far from perfect, but I'm really pleased overall. I found I had the capacity to not only do the circuits, but also enjoy the flying and take in the views, so I think I'm starting to feel quite comfortable managing everything.

I then had a go at go-arounds, and boy did I enjoy that. I initially had a tendency to jump to communicating the go-around before I'd actually finished the process of doing a go around, so we discussed it (aviate, navigate, communicate), had another go and it went much better.

We had a break as it was quite intense, then went back up for another hour. This time I flew circuits, planning for touch and go, with my instructor randomly throwing in a go-around so that I had to think on my feet and perform the required actions. It went really well. I didn't die. :lol:

I finished off with a landing that my instructor left me to it, which was my best landing so far by far. It's still not perfect, not even close, but I'm so pleased with it that I'm grinning from ear to ear.

We're working on emergencies again soon, with a view to working towards my first solo circuit. I honestly can't wait.
Cowshed, FlyingBoot, T6Harvard and 2 others liked this
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910035
Sounds great. Certainly know that grinning from ear to ear feeling.

Sounds like you have a good, balanced mindset. Don’t get hooked on being perfect - no reason that you should be while you’re learning. Focus on your progress.

Good that you’ve had a decent amount of go-around practice. I don’t think I had quite enough and developed an early mindset of land if at all possible. A better mindset I think is to consider every landing as a possible go around, even if the wheels have touched the ground. If you land, it’s a bonus.

Stick with aiming not to die, it will serve you well.
Hexsplosions liked this
#1910897
I passed my medical today. I was a bit worried about some medication I have to take, and we had to have a good talk about flare-ups and making myself "unfit", but apart from that everything was fine.

I'm a bit more "rotund" than they would like. :lol:

I had one lesson, in some really blustery weather, but it was still fun and today we focused on slow flight, with and without flaps, and poor visibility configuration.

We're going onto stalls next. :D

I'm also working more on my theory, and have started getting passes on Aviation Law using EasyPPL. I'm still quite confused about how the books relate to the mock exams I'm taking, but as long as the knowledge is going in I'm happy.
ericgreveson, Milty liked this
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