Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:49 pm
#1475623
I have a poo brown licence. I trained and qualified on the C150. When I moved house, there was only the PA28 available for hire at the local airfield. My conversion to this took 20 minutes.
Some months later, I was asked if I'd like to bring a Piper back to base from Sywell. It had been abandoned there due to bad weather. Free flying? No brainer.
I got dropped off in a 172. No shut-down. Just told "That's it over there. It's got plenty of fuel and the keys are in the ashtray", before he departed into the blue.
It was an Arrow. Complete with wobbly prop and picky-up gear!!!
I found a phone and rang base, explaining that I'd no idea how to fly the thing. I was told to stay by the phone and they'd call me back.
They did, and told me to wait by the aircraft as someone was coming to 'sort me out'. It turned out to be a locally based Arrow owner. An hour later, with 30 minutes on type and a bit of paper with gear extention , flap, approach speeds and RPM/MP settings etc, I flew it home solo. Non-event really.
Since then, I've shunted lots of different aircraft about. Armed with the critical numbers, and knowledge of any quirks, it's no big deal. If anything, the biggest problem is being confronted with unfamiliar radios/avionics/ glass screens/ autopilots etc. They can be a distraction if you let them. Sometimes it's easier to leave the gizmos alone and let Skydemon get on with it.
The most recent scare I've had was with a Eurostar. After accruing several hours in them, I was told that for Insurance purposes I needed a check-out with an instructor. He didn't know that I'd been flying them. I didn't know that he'd never flown one. (Group A instructor). After a touch and go he decided, at about 150ft, to chop the throttle to simulate engine failure. He won't ever do that again
Sorry for waffling on. I've completely forgotten what point I was trying to make.
Some months later, I was asked if I'd like to bring a Piper back to base from Sywell. It had been abandoned there due to bad weather. Free flying? No brainer.
I got dropped off in a 172. No shut-down. Just told "That's it over there. It's got plenty of fuel and the keys are in the ashtray", before he departed into the blue.
It was an Arrow. Complete with wobbly prop and picky-up gear!!!
I found a phone and rang base, explaining that I'd no idea how to fly the thing. I was told to stay by the phone and they'd call me back.
They did, and told me to wait by the aircraft as someone was coming to 'sort me out'. It turned out to be a locally based Arrow owner. An hour later, with 30 minutes on type and a bit of paper with gear extention , flap, approach speeds and RPM/MP settings etc, I flew it home solo. Non-event really.
Since then, I've shunted lots of different aircraft about. Armed with the critical numbers, and knowledge of any quirks, it's no big deal. If anything, the biggest problem is being confronted with unfamiliar radios/avionics/ glass screens/ autopilots etc. They can be a distraction if you let them. Sometimes it's easier to leave the gizmos alone and let Skydemon get on with it.
The most recent scare I've had was with a Eurostar. After accruing several hours in them, I was told that for Insurance purposes I needed a check-out with an instructor. He didn't know that I'd been flying them. I didn't know that he'd never flown one. (Group A instructor). After a touch and go he decided, at about 150ft, to chop the throttle to simulate engine failure. He won't ever do that again
Sorry for waffling on. I've completely forgotten what point I was trying to make.
flybymike liked this