So, I didn’t have any money to go flying with till my dad decided to put up enough for 10 lessons for me!!! Sweet, and there is a good chance I can solo in that time (stand by for that). But I really like my new CFI, hes a younger guy, good amount of experience, a good attitude, and I like how he teaches. He also set up his own ground school for his students, I like the structure that provides.

First time I met him, I knew we would get along great, and he briefed me on what we would be doing. He wanted to see where I was, so we went over the four fundementals again and intro to slow flight. he also demonstrated a few stalls, which were fun. I really can’t believe some of the things my other instructor didn’t tell me. I don’t mean to talk bad either…

Any how, I forgot a lot and learned a couple new things. Like leveling off after climbs and descents. I learned more about the pitch=airspeed, but pitch also allows you to descend more rapidly. During straight and level I was all up and down and my coordination sucked. I think that is just a matter of getting back into the grove. All together I think he liked the abiltiy I had and felt I did good. So, 8.3 hours in the book so far.

Fifth hour

Paying as I go, it takes a toll on landings and the whole learning process together. It had been a few months ago since my last one. Interesting enough, it was my 16th birthday! No it means I can solo when I am ready. Did the basic stuff and took off, which if I can say so myself, it was pretty good. My CFI agreed. We headed North and we would be going to 40N, Chester county Airport, and would be doing pattern work. It was basically like last time, my landings sucked and my pattern was sloppy. I felt it getting a little bit better towards the end and was able to not bounce one, but I planted the gear that time. My approaches were getting better, as I could see on the approach lights. I kept getting distracted with teh nice toys on the ramp to, couple of Lears, CJs, and al sorts of airplanes Ive only seen in pictures, pattern back into New Garden wasn’t that bad and the approach felt good, but the landing! I’m flaring too high, not falring, too high, to fast….oh man, it is an art, once again.

Sixth lesson

Again, it had been a few months. But even before I was able to go fly, I was stood up at the airport by my instructor for an hour, meh (things I could say, but I won’t). So, that sucked, and I scheduled next week. That lesson went OK, but It was a wasted lesson, and time is money. Oh well, got to learn the hard way sometimes….

As usual, after school, got there a little bit early and started on preflight. Went well and went back in to talk with my instructor. Took a look at my logbook and since the winds were light, he told me we would be doing landings. Sweet! I was excited and not really nervous either. I just thought it would be more important to make sure I don’t kick myself in the ass. Started her up, did run up and took off. My take off wasn’t too bad either, just have to tell myself right rudder all the time. I also think my rotation is sloppy at 55, as I feel like like maintaining directional control is more important at the moment. I’ll have to ease into that…

He explained to me in the airplane before we started what would be going on, meh, I wish my instructor would give me more of a briefing, it just makes me fell better and I am sure I would do a little bit better…So, I climbed at 70kts (best angle of climb speed, crap I forget the exact Vspeed! I need a POH!) and turned at 1,100 to the left and kept climbing to 1,500, pattern altitude (MSL). Well, that is what I sort of did, lol, I was a bit all over the place. We got to the 45 entry and turned to the left again. The next part is what gets tricky, maintaining airspeed is a big problem. I trimmed too much and gained too much airspeed. My altitude was OK, but it was still jumping as a result of my pitch adjustments (yes yes, I know that is not how you descend but it is the ballooning effect). I also kept getting too close to the runway. I wasn’t sure if it was wind drift or slipstream or p-factor or what. Once I got to parallel the numbers on the runway, cut RPMs, first notch of flaps and trim for 80 knots. Descending with little time is also nerve wracking for the first time. I was too high the whole time (all day in the airplane). When I would try to cut altitude in base and gain too much airspeed. Then I would turn final too late and turn too wide as a result. Then I would be high and had to cut airspeed and trim for 70 kts in 2 seconds, last flaps and level off as I descended the last 15 feet and try to flare.

It was horrible! It truly is an art! I would flare late, then early I bounced every landing. There isn’t much I could really say more than that it is also a balancing act that takes practice. That is why you’ll do all the maneuvers I have wrote about previously.  I think what would also help is slow flight and stalls. I can make all the excuses I want, but I was rushed into being showed how an airplane acts in slow flight to fast. I have since read that in the old days that CFIs would do slow flight, then landings and then see if they could land. If they couldn’t, they would go back to slow flight. Ah well, I’m not trying to complain, it was still fun an very educational. I felt humbled to say the least after that. My brother was watching and making fun of me on the ground. After about five or six landings we headed to the ramp and shut down.

Then…a little kid came running up with his mom to see the airplane. We told him to sit in the cockpit. He was only 2 years old to! It was pretty cool seeing him that young in the airplane. Kind of reminded me of how I was when I was a kid, I loved flying and was always excited with aviation and airplanes.

Pretty good day, I just need more practice and coordination, but it only comes with more time in the airplane.

Fourth hour

Things at the airport were pretty nice, actually, again, I liked the clouds and winds were pretty light, but N57’s geography always makes takeoffs interesting. I was anxcious to fly since I hadn’t in a while. I got to the airport slightly early and decided to do preflight before my CFI got there, I felt confident and I did remember everything to do as far as it was concerned, but double checked once my instructor got there and went over the main points.

I hopped in the Tomahawk (01T today) got my headset in and started my checklist. It is always awkward getting in the Tomahawk, as you hop off the wing and “bucket in” (thats what I call it). My starting checklist went fairly well, but I felt a bit unfamiliar with the cockpit again. Started her up and taxied ot the runup area. That part went OK, as I skipped over some things. Then it was back up to the runway to position and hold and my favortie…”New Garden Traffic, Tomahawk 01T, departing two four, New Garden.” I like using the radio, but my voice is still shaky. Right rudder, right rudder, right rudder I told my self on take off roll and it helped, it wasn’t that bad of a take off. 55kts, rotate, and we were off. I love climbout…

I followed runway heading, two four, till we hit Rt. 1 again, which takes two miutes, while climbing to 1,500. I think I went over like usual to something around 1,700. Lowered throttle, reduced RPMs and “leveled” around 1,500 and did more S-turns. I felt the were getting better, but still need more work on picth/throttle coordination as well as rudder input on turns. Oh well, that is why I am doing the manuver, and all though it gets furstrating, it is important to relax on the yoke and relax, let the plane fly itself. The easiest thing to do can be the hardest. Also, I need to get my eyes outside the cockpit, I keep looking at the instruments and not really learning to hear the airspeed (if that makes sense, lol) and to recognize the bank angle and airspeed by looking outside. But again, that is why I am doing the manuver of S-turns.

After that, I returned to the silo and did more turns about a point, which again I felt more comfortable with but still needs improvment with the above listed. Although, turns about a point gets kinda boring (to me its because of the same scenery) it is a very good exercise. But what to come would be even better….

“What well do next is called steep turns, at about 55 degrees max.” Nice! My instructor did the first one and explained to me the basics. I started with 40 degrees, 50, then 55. I was loving these things. Although I know it wasn’t correct, I would let the nose (unintentionally) down, then I woudl catch up to myself, pulled up and feel the g force. Pretty cool gut feeling! I was using the Chesepeak bay as my refrence point to, and it was cool to see that and the sun rays bursting out of the clouds all around. Ceilings were high though, so no problem. I did a few to the right, a few to the left at different degree angles, between 50-55. I didn’t think I did that bad, and my instructor ageed. I don’t recall how much feet I lost on turns, but Ig uess it was kind of good because my eyes were outside the cockpit the whole time, except for a glance at the attitude indicator to see if I was holding my degrees at the angle I was supposed to. After a few minutes of those, I turned back. We drifted quite a distance, as we were somewhere in NorthEast, MD. I tried to turn to a heading of one five zero, but the heading indicator was stuck, as I noticed on runup, but it eased up then. No problem, good vis but Rob turned the VOR on anyway. I flew a bit of the pattern, mostly the entry and he did the landing. Taxied back to the ramp, tied the airplane down, and scheduled a lesson for next week.

Overall, I felt better in the airplane, little bit more relaxed. Seems like everything is rushing still and I am behind the airplane. I am gald I am understanding more about flying and the “whys.” Flying sure is rewarding and I am glad to say I am following a dream. It is also satisfying to say that I “fly” airplanes, because a lot would like to, but many don’t. I am glad I am doing this and it is very addicting. I hope to keep my eyes outside next lesson a learn to feel the airplane more.

Third lesson

As usual, scheduled a lesson for 1600 after my last lesson the week before. I got to the airport in time after school and waited till my instructor got there and when he did we headed out to 9801T this time. he watched on and showed me in more detail what to look for and helped me untie her. Plugged my headset in, starting checklist, CLEAR!, key to start, and the mighty 106 HP roared to life. We taxied over to the runup area and I felt more comfortable with taxiing and more comfortable in the airplane as a whole. Runup went well, taxied up to position and hold, “New Garden traffic Tomahawk 01T departing 24 New garden,” visual traffic check and a better take off, no skidding. So, back to those S-turns I was so axncious to try. We would be using Rt.1 as a perpendicular, as it is large, fairly straight, and a great ground refrence. We had a 16kt wind to, so it made them interesting and taught me more about winds affect on flight. They were sloppy and I had trouble maintaining altitude at 1,500. Airspeed was jumping around to. this is being an avaitor, coordination, I told myself. Rob would give me comments about how to do better, but let me learn my self, basically. I did those for a couple miles of Rt. 1 and for about 20 minutes, and I could feel them getting better. I then took her over some fields were there is another great ground refrence, a silo with a windsock. We would be doing truns about a point. At first they were difficult because of trying to tell myself to not bank as much when the wind was on the opposite side of the turn, pushing me towards the ref. I starting getting used to it again, and my throttle/pitch coordination felt a little bit better. after about another 15-20 minutes I went off course back to Rt. 1 and did what is called a rectangular course. Baiscally, you fly a rectangle using a ground refrence, again Rt. 1, and I kept my wing “on the strips” of the planes wing, which is about a quarter mile away from the ground looking out the doors window. I turned around with some easy 30 degree turns and followed Rt. 1 back to the airfield. It is pretty cool that I can fly over to another state and just turn around and go back. So, my instructor went over the pattern some more with me and he landed the plane, though he gave me a little bit of room to work the controls.

Pretty good lesson over all, I can remember it quite nicly. The scenery and weather were nice, and the winds wern’t really a problem. Partly cloudy skies made it look nice to (I like weather phenomina actually, while some people want it to be “perfect” and complain about lower ceilings, I think it adds to the scenery and looks beautiful).

 May 8, 2006

I got there on time, this time at 1600. We did the PF (which for some reason took longer than usual, oh well longer Pre flight is better than a sloppy, short one) and we started her up. Rob had told me before we got in the plane that we would be taxiing the airport, or the nickle tour of New Garden Airport. Either works for me, so we started to taxi. I know that you steer with your feet, but it is kind of strange to train your concious to steer with your feet, you want to turn the airplane with the yoke instead, so, I just let go of it, and kept my hand on the trhottle when it needed to be, other wise, on the lap. Okay, so we taxied down to the Northern hangers, I was all over the place, snaking along from the right to the left, you want to over compinsate alot, so you must become one with the airplane. Rob reminded me that you can damage the prop if you go twoards the sides of the taxi way, because there are rocks and such that go to the edges. Youll notice that some taxiways are humoed in the middle, for when it rains. Too fast, brakes, less thorttle, too unsmooth now, more throttle, brakes!, less throttle, too little throttle, more, brakes!, right rudder, now left, brakes, more throttle, brakes, less throttle, left, watch the hanger!!!, okay good rpm now, watch the rocks! brakes!, too much throttle now again… and so it went on as we circled the north hangers. I almost hit one of the hangers, you know its bad when you see the strobe of your wing reflect off the hanger, in daylight. He showed me the edge of a hanger and told me, dont be like that, because the corner was all bent up. So, we taxied on, and I was starting to get a feel for it, then I would get too confident and loose it. We then went around to the East hangers, and had some more practice snaking around, being extra carfull, and really getting the feel for it now.

Now the fun begins…

So, were done taxiing for the day. We go through the runup and we look good once again. I then proceed to takeoff, after Rob announced we would do this one together. Okay, its easy, just a fast taxi, he told me. I power up and forgot about prop tourq. It pulls to the left, SLAM! right rudder, Rob aligns me, SLAM! right rudder, by then we were at about 50kts and as I started to go to the left again we reached 55kts and eased the yoke back. wow, I suck I thought to myself. “wow that was bad” I told Rob. “dont worry about it, just gotta get used to it” he told me. Not a problem, I just realized that I cant play Mr. corporate pilot when Im a noob student pilot, haha. After that, we just flew around and brushed over the four fundimentals, then I messed up trimming on the wheel and trimed the wrong way. We wern’t up long, so I turned to a heading of 150 and got on the pattern to Runway 6. He briefly went over the pattern as he flew the legs. We landed and calle dit a day. He told me the next lesson we would do some S-turns, so I looked forward to doing that all week.

First Lesson May 1, 2006

 Excited the whole day in school, I was ready to go at 1600. I actually got there late, not a good thing to do on the first lesson.  My instructor, Rob, told me what we would be doing that day. I got a headset, and we went over to what would be a good friend of mine , 92L. He explaned in depth what to look for in the preflight inspection. The first thing he told me to do was inspect the prop for any noticable or big scratches or dings on the prop. I felt over the edge, it felt good to me. If there ever was a scratch, tell matinence and they will usually file it down if it is minor. Next, I opened up right engine cowl and had a look inside, my instructor had me look for anything that doesnt look right, as a refrence. Be carefull of bird nests and insect nests aswell. He also explaned to me if you can feel heat you can tell it has been flown recently. I then checked the oil level, and made sure it was a t the right level. Went around, popped the cowl plugs out and checked out the other side. Once again reminded me to look for anything unusual, or that doesnt seem right. I looked at the general condition of the gear and it checked out. I also paid attention to anything that just doesnt look right on the aircraft period, like dents, chips, broken parts, ect. I then inspected the wing edge a bit and checked the fuel level. My CFI told me how to know how much fuel is in the tank and we were topped off good. I then took a fuel sump drain and no water or dirt came up. I untied the left wing and worked my way around the airplane as Rob told me what to look for on certain parts, little things and quirks about the plane. Untied the tail, inspected the right side, right wing, checked for fuel, and took a sump drain. All looked good. We then got in the cockpit, and my noobness showed as I was getting in. “yeah, It takes a while to get in these things to make yourself look like you know what your doing” Rob remarked. I laugh at that now. I plugged my headset in and went through the startup check list, Rob telling me breifly how each thing works, why, and where. Master on, fuel pump, anti-collision on, fuel-fullest tank, throttle quarter inch, CLEAR PROP!, turn the key and she roars to life. Hand on the throttle Rob reminded me. (that was not the real checklist, just some main aspects of it, so dont quote me!). I released the parking brake and we were going! I was really clutzy on the throttle movments when trying to get the RPMs right, but my instructor just told me to ”feel” it first. We taxied down to 1/3 down 24/6 and Rob made the back taxi call. I had some more practice taxiing down the runway and it was harder than I though, but we made it there safely (you get used to taxiing after a few lessons). I noticed that I was really choppy and very unsmooth, but smoothness comes with practice. So, I went through the runup checklist and we looked golden. rob took off for me and we were off. Oh, and this whole time he was coaching me on, telling me what to do. We climbed up to 3,000 agl and he showed me what trim was and took a crayon and I drew a mark of land to sky on the winshield to SEE what 90kts looked like. He introduced me to the four fundimentals of flight, which are climb, descent, turns, and straight and level flight. He also told me picth equals airspeed and throttle equals altitude, and told me to enstill that forever in my mind. He took me around three states, PA, DE, and MD, and showed me some visual refrences on the ground. We had a quick discussion about Stick and Rudder (great book, go read it) and he told me one of the best things Ive ever heard and that will continue to push me my whole entire flying career, “I think we can make a pilot out of you.” after he mentioned that some people he thinks try to kill him because they’re not used to flying. After that, we turned back, and followed Route 1 up to the field. He made the landing and I attempted taxiing again. We then turned it around and puled it in and tied it down. He then told me that He wanted to make sure I never forgot pitch equals airspeed and throttle equals altitude. We headed into the FBO, my dad paided for the lesson and I headed home. I couldn’t stop smiling for the week!

 

Anyway, I have logged 5.1 hours in my log book, so Im still very green and have tons to learn. Yesterday we worked on landings for the first time, they are really fun and a bit of a challenge at first. So Im bloging to any new students out there who can relate and to any aspiring pilots who want to start taking lessons themselves. Ill post a few detaied lessons that Ive just had previously, so stick around!