Thursday, August 2, 2007
Headset update
It's still not here. After I ordered it I got an email saying it would ship 7/29. I started calling on 7/29 and got an email yesterday saying that it would ship to me on 8/7. We'll see...
Lesson 6 & 7, 1.1 and 1.7 hrs
I had two more good lessons this past week. The first was short since I had plans immedately following, and the second went long. We didn't really learn any new techniques, but we did work to hone some of the ones I've been working on. Primarily: slow flight, stalls, landings, and emergency procedures (engine out procedures). I dare say I'm getting better.
One landing I had last night was pretty bad, and I didn't see it coming. What happened was my approach angle looked really good (to me anyway), but I had lost way too much speed. About 10 feet above the runway we stalled. Ed grabbed the controls (I think I added power, but maybe he did) and we recovered without slamming into the deck too hard. Lesson here is to watch that airspeed! Control altitude with power, and speed with pitch.
Also: During downwind at the end of the runway at pattern altitude, plan to lose 200 feet before turning base. I've been forgetting that.
I'm feeling pretty good about my radio calls. Not expert sounding all of the time, but at least I'm getting them made and I'm understanding wierd procedures the tower prescribes. Like last night they had me taxi back onto the runway I'd landed on and taxi to a different taxi-way.
Ed says I'll probably solo in the next few hours. I've got my medical exam scheduled for next week, so at least that will be done!
One landing I had last night was pretty bad, and I didn't see it coming. What happened was my approach angle looked really good (to me anyway), but I had lost way too much speed. About 10 feet above the runway we stalled. Ed grabbed the controls (I think I added power, but maybe he did) and we recovered without slamming into the deck too hard. Lesson here is to watch that airspeed! Control altitude with power, and speed with pitch.
Also: During downwind at the end of the runway at pattern altitude, plan to lose 200 feet before turning base. I've been forgetting that.
I'm feeling pretty good about my radio calls. Not expert sounding all of the time, but at least I'm getting them made and I'm understanding wierd procedures the tower prescribes. Like last night they had me taxi back onto the runway I'd landed on and taxi to a different taxi-way.
Ed says I'll probably solo in the next few hours. I've got my medical exam scheduled for next week, so at least that will be done!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Lesson 5, 1.6hrs
Ed and I departed Boeing Field to the North on runway 31R and enter the pattern for a southeast departure. The plan is to head South and practice some of what I've already learned and add short and soft field takeoffs and landings into the mix.
I need to get a chart of the area so I can study at home. I'm already forgetting some of the names of landmarks we saw along the way. One is Lake Youngs, which is really a funny shaped resevoir with no houses around it.
Just south of Lake Youngs is Crest airpark, which has a roughly 3000' runway that is pretty narrow. It is surrounded by trees. We landed here 4 times during the lesson and each time it was a bit freaky to me to see how close the trees were on both takeoff and landing. It reminded me about this months "I Learned About Flying From That" column in Flying magazine, where the author narrowly clips some trees in the dead of night taking off in his fully loaded Piper. Not something you want to do!
At Crest we practiced short field and soft field takeoffs. Short field you run the power up while toes on the breaks, then release and climb out at 65 knots (mainly to clear the trees). Soft field you keep the yoke in your lap during takeoff roll, releasing enough as you gain speed to balance the nose in the air and not dragging the tail. Once the mains come up its nose down to gain speed to 60 knots, then nose up again to climb. Quite fun, actually.
We also practiced turns around a point for a bit and I need to figure out how not to be spiraling in towards my point. In some ways I'm anxious to solo so I can go out and practice these maneuvers on my own. But there's quite a bit more I need to learn first...
Back at Boeing field we do a soft field landing (done with power on). I did pretty well on this one!
Next lesson is Sunday.
I need to get a chart of the area so I can study at home. I'm already forgetting some of the names of landmarks we saw along the way. One is Lake Youngs, which is really a funny shaped resevoir with no houses around it.
Just south of Lake Youngs is Crest airpark, which has a roughly 3000' runway that is pretty narrow. It is surrounded by trees. We landed here 4 times during the lesson and each time it was a bit freaky to me to see how close the trees were on both takeoff and landing. It reminded me about this months "I Learned About Flying From That" column in Flying magazine, where the author narrowly clips some trees in the dead of night taking off in his fully loaded Piper. Not something you want to do!
At Crest we practiced short field and soft field takeoffs. Short field you run the power up while toes on the breaks, then release and climb out at 65 knots (mainly to clear the trees). Soft field you keep the yoke in your lap during takeoff roll, releasing enough as you gain speed to balance the nose in the air and not dragging the tail. Once the mains come up its nose down to gain speed to 60 knots, then nose up again to climb. Quite fun, actually.
We also practiced turns around a point for a bit and I need to figure out how not to be spiraling in towards my point. In some ways I'm anxious to solo so I can go out and practice these maneuvers on my own. But there's quite a bit more I need to learn first...
Back at Boeing field we do a soft field landing (done with power on). I did pretty well on this one!
Next lesson is Sunday.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Alternate Air
One thing about training at one of the more inexpensive clubs is that their equipment isn't all bright and shiny and new. Alternate Air has 3 C150s that rent for $64/hr and and C172 which rents for $89/hr. The C150's are between 30 and 40 years old, and the C172 is almost 30. These are pretty old planes and things do go wrong with them.
Yesterday our reserved plane had the PTT switch go out. This is minor and not in any way related to the age of the plane - the switch is aftermarket. (It seems to me that PTT switches are always on the fritz - I've flown in lots of small planes where the pilots complain about them).
However, one of the other C150s is in the shop right now (due back any day) for a cylinder problem. And the remaining C150 came back from a flight yesterday with the pilot reporting a rough engine. We chatted with the pilot, who had landed at Harvey (where we were only minutes later) and had the rough running engine inspected by a mechanic. The mechanic cleared a fouled plug, ran the engine to test, and declared it good. But on the flight back to BFE, the engine began losing RPM again. Ed theorizes that perhaps a magneto is out of alignment. He says they can twist and this affects the timing of when they fire.
Regardless, that C150 is probably out of commission for a few days or more.
I told Ed that Alternate Air may not have the newest most expensive equipment, but they have the best instructors. He laughed pretty hard at that.
Yesterday our reserved plane had the PTT switch go out. This is minor and not in any way related to the age of the plane - the switch is aftermarket. (It seems to me that PTT switches are always on the fritz - I've flown in lots of small planes where the pilots complain about them).
However, one of the other C150s is in the shop right now (due back any day) for a cylinder problem. And the remaining C150 came back from a flight yesterday with the pilot reporting a rough engine. We chatted with the pilot, who had landed at Harvey (where we were only minutes later) and had the rough running engine inspected by a mechanic. The mechanic cleared a fouled plug, ran the engine to test, and declared it good. But on the flight back to BFE, the engine began losing RPM again. Ed theorizes that perhaps a magneto is out of alignment. He says they can twist and this affects the timing of when they fire.
Regardless, that C150 is probably out of commission for a few days or more.
I told Ed that Alternate Air may not have the newest most expensive equipment, but they have the best instructors. He laughed pretty hard at that.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Lesson 4, 1.3hrs
This was a pretty good lesson:
I arrive early to the airport and the weather is good. While I wait for Ed I read the FAR/AIM manual about student pilot requirements, for both solo and cross country solo. Ed shows up just as the refueling truck does and we watch the guy top off our tanks. Preflight and call for departure clearance - oops, we're not transmitting. The pilot side PTT switch is busted which is strange since it worked an hour ago on Ed's last flight. We decide that Ed will make the radio calls today.
We take off on 13 Right, which is odd, but Ed says the controllers are being lazy and are using only one runway. My takeoff is good and we climb out at 75 knots. Turn left just shy of 500 feet altitude and head for where the I90 meets Mercer Island. From there we head out past Bellvue and past lake Sammamish and head a bit North to practice turns around a point, and turns across a road. I do pretty well but there is some definite room for improvement. It's a lot to juggle: maintain altitude (800'), speed 90knots), and a constant distance from the point. Also, dont hang out in one area too long - we dont want to upset anyone on the ground.
Since we're flying North we're almost at Monroe, we decide to fly a bit further to Harvey field, which has a runway that is only 25 feet wide. There are planes in the pattern and we set up to join them for landing, full stop. I use only 10 degrees of flap and end up touching down midway down the runway. Better to use more flap and have a steeper approach. But the landing is good, and we taxi around and take off again.
We set the VOR for Seatac and follow the needle - just about due South from our position. We decide to arrive over lake Union and contact BFE for a straight in landing. Flying past downtown is fun; just stay midway between the radio towers on the left and the skyscrapers on the right. Following I5 is about right.
My landing at BFE is good. Not a greaser, but pretty good!
The reason we add carburator heat before we turn base and final is to ensure that ice won't form with the decreased airflow experience with lower RPM's.
Next flight is Wednesday. I need to memorize the the things to check and do once best glide speed is established and a landing spot identified:
1) Check the gas. Did anyone kick the fuel selector valve? Are the tanks registering empty?
2) Check the carburator heat and mixture. Also check to see that the priming pump is locked.
3) Check the mags. Left, right, both. Cycle them.
Then, the other stuff: squawk 7700 (emergency), and call mayday on 121.5. Everything on the list is optional - fly the plane first.
There's more to this, I think. Ed and I will practice again and again, I'm sure.
I arrive early to the airport and the weather is good. While I wait for Ed I read the FAR/AIM manual about student pilot requirements, for both solo and cross country solo. Ed shows up just as the refueling truck does and we watch the guy top off our tanks. Preflight and call for departure clearance - oops, we're not transmitting. The pilot side PTT switch is busted which is strange since it worked an hour ago on Ed's last flight. We decide that Ed will make the radio calls today.
We take off on 13 Right, which is odd, but Ed says the controllers are being lazy and are using only one runway. My takeoff is good and we climb out at 75 knots. Turn left just shy of 500 feet altitude and head for where the I90 meets Mercer Island. From there we head out past Bellvue and past lake Sammamish and head a bit North to practice turns around a point, and turns across a road. I do pretty well but there is some definite room for improvement. It's a lot to juggle: maintain altitude (800'), speed 90knots), and a constant distance from the point. Also, dont hang out in one area too long - we dont want to upset anyone on the ground.
Since we're flying North we're almost at Monroe, we decide to fly a bit further to Harvey field, which has a runway that is only 25 feet wide. There are planes in the pattern and we set up to join them for landing, full stop. I use only 10 degrees of flap and end up touching down midway down the runway. Better to use more flap and have a steeper approach. But the landing is good, and we taxi around and take off again.
We set the VOR for Seatac and follow the needle - just about due South from our position. We decide to arrive over lake Union and contact BFE for a straight in landing. Flying past downtown is fun; just stay midway between the radio towers on the left and the skyscrapers on the right. Following I5 is about right.
My landing at BFE is good. Not a greaser, but pretty good!
The reason we add carburator heat before we turn base and final is to ensure that ice won't form with the decreased airflow experience with lower RPM's.
Next flight is Wednesday. I need to memorize the the things to check and do once best glide speed is established and a landing spot identified:
1) Check the gas. Did anyone kick the fuel selector valve? Are the tanks registering empty?
2) Check the carburator heat and mixture. Also check to see that the priming pump is locked.
3) Check the mags. Left, right, both. Cycle them.
Then, the other stuff: squawk 7700 (emergency), and call mayday on 121.5. Everything on the list is optional - fly the plane first.
There's more to this, I think. Ed and I will practice again and again, I'm sure.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Lesson 3, 1.3hrs
It has been rainy and dreary all day and I've been afraid we'll miss tonight's lesson to the weather again. Around 5pm the sky is looking brighter and I can even see some blue, but by 6 it is entirely overcast and rainy. Still, I meet Ed at the airport and we decide to wait it out for a bit down at the airline terminal at BFE. Since all the seating in the lobby is taken (there isn't much seating...) we stand in a corner and chat for a while, me asking quesions and Ed answering. One thing we discuss is the potential for us to fly some Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) during my training. Ed has a line on a C182 with a Garmin G1000 cockpit, so later in my training we'll get to fly it. That will be exciting. I want to get the basics down first though, so I can focus on the TAA part and not the basics of flying part when I get to pilot the 182.
After a while we head over to Clay Lacey Aviation for a bit and look at the weather data on one of their pilot-center computers. Once I get my medical / student certificate I can get this information at home. So I need to do that - soon.
Finally we decide to do some touch and go's. I can tell the minute we get in the C150 that I'm going to be rusty. It's been a week. This time we're flying a different C150 than my first two lessons so there are a couple things to learn: different radios, different lights and swtiches, etc. All in all this is a nicer plane.
I'm doing all the stuff but not very confidently. I'm tense. This becomes very evident during our first three touch and go's. I'm dancing on the rudder pedals. My legs are tense and I'm not even realizing that I'm doing this, but the plane is bouncing all over the place. Ed keeps telling me to stop with the rudder movement, which to be honest it doesn't feel to me like I'm even making. Finally he figures out that I'm too tense and tells me to relax. Breath. Deep breaths. On the 4th takeoff things start to come together. As I relax everything becomes more serene. I can focus on what's happening and correct any problems, in good time. Ed's pointers make sense now that I'm not battling my tense legs on the rudder pedals.
On the 6th takeoff Ed says he's not going to say anything the whole way around. Wow - suddenly the cockpit is quiet. I try hard to relax and simultaneously remember everything I need to do: climb at 75 knots, heading for the tip of the hill line we're following. dont get blown left into the hill, and don't veer right into 31R airspace. at 500 feet turn left crosswind 90 degrees. roll out of the turn. almost immediately roll into the downwind turn, to follow the greenbelt. continue climbing to 1000 feet. dont drift left, or worse, turn left inadvertently when adjusting power or trim. keep an eye on the runway to the left, and the altimeter. level out at 1000 feet. confirm with the tower that we are cleared for touch and go. at the end of the runway, pull the carb heat and decrease engine power to 1700 rpm. add 10 degrees of flaps. when the runway is 45 degrees behind us, turn base. keep those turns crisp. add flaps and decrease power as necessary. trim! watch for the moment to turn final, then do it. aim for the short runway, not 31R which is the more obvious one. watch the VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator) - are we too high or low? red over white is what we want. maintain 75 knots. power controls altitude, pitch controls speed (counterintuitive, right?) pick my point on the runway and bring it on in. engine at idle? we can aways add power. nose up as we come in, hold it and nose up as we touch down. keep the nose pointed down the runway while pushing in the carb heat and adding medium power. flaps up. full power. pull back on the elevator. trim to take off the pressures. repeat.
The first 3 of these were no fun and in poor form. The last 5 were fun and passable. More practice!
Again, I have a less than stellar performance ending my taxi as we pull into park. What's the trick here?
On the ground, Ed refers to a chart as a "map" and I chide him for it. Mr. McArdle, my high school Aerospace teacher would be proud of me for this.
We're planning to fly tomorrow at 4. Weather is supposed to be bad again, so we'll play it by ear. Hopefully at the very least we can do a few more of these touch and go's.
After a while we head over to Clay Lacey Aviation for a bit and look at the weather data on one of their pilot-center computers. Once I get my medical / student certificate I can get this information at home. So I need to do that - soon.
Finally we decide to do some touch and go's. I can tell the minute we get in the C150 that I'm going to be rusty. It's been a week. This time we're flying a different C150 than my first two lessons so there are a couple things to learn: different radios, different lights and swtiches, etc. All in all this is a nicer plane.
I'm doing all the stuff but not very confidently. I'm tense. This becomes very evident during our first three touch and go's. I'm dancing on the rudder pedals. My legs are tense and I'm not even realizing that I'm doing this, but the plane is bouncing all over the place. Ed keeps telling me to stop with the rudder movement, which to be honest it doesn't feel to me like I'm even making. Finally he figures out that I'm too tense and tells me to relax. Breath. Deep breaths. On the 4th takeoff things start to come together. As I relax everything becomes more serene. I can focus on what's happening and correct any problems, in good time. Ed's pointers make sense now that I'm not battling my tense legs on the rudder pedals.
On the 6th takeoff Ed says he's not going to say anything the whole way around. Wow - suddenly the cockpit is quiet. I try hard to relax and simultaneously remember everything I need to do: climb at 75 knots, heading for the tip of the hill line we're following. dont get blown left into the hill, and don't veer right into 31R airspace. at 500 feet turn left crosswind 90 degrees. roll out of the turn. almost immediately roll into the downwind turn, to follow the greenbelt. continue climbing to 1000 feet. dont drift left, or worse, turn left inadvertently when adjusting power or trim. keep an eye on the runway to the left, and the altimeter. level out at 1000 feet. confirm with the tower that we are cleared for touch and go. at the end of the runway, pull the carb heat and decrease engine power to 1700 rpm. add 10 degrees of flaps. when the runway is 45 degrees behind us, turn base. keep those turns crisp. add flaps and decrease power as necessary. trim! watch for the moment to turn final, then do it. aim for the short runway, not 31R which is the more obvious one. watch the VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator) - are we too high or low? red over white is what we want. maintain 75 knots. power controls altitude, pitch controls speed (counterintuitive, right?) pick my point on the runway and bring it on in. engine at idle? we can aways add power. nose up as we come in, hold it and nose up as we touch down. keep the nose pointed down the runway while pushing in the carb heat and adding medium power. flaps up. full power. pull back on the elevator. trim to take off the pressures. repeat.
The first 3 of these were no fun and in poor form. The last 5 were fun and passable. More practice!
Again, I have a less than stellar performance ending my taxi as we pull into park. What's the trick here?
On the ground, Ed refers to a chart as a "map" and I chide him for it. Mr. McArdle, my high school Aerospace teacher would be proud of me for this.
We're planning to fly tomorrow at 4. Weather is supposed to be bad again, so we'll play it by ear. Hopefully at the very least we can do a few more of these touch and go's.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Headset ordered!
The other day I ordered a brand new David Clark H10-13X headset! Unfortunately it is back ordered and I won't see it until early August. Of course, I didn't find out that it was back ordered until after I placed the order itself...
I found a place online called Spinner's Discount Pilot Shop. I sure hope they're on the level. I found a few references to them from other pilots who had good experiences so I decided to try it out. The DC was $75 less than anywhere else, and they had a Google Checkout special for free shipping. Assuming I get the headset in good working order, I'll be pretty darn pleased!
I found a place online called Spinner's Discount Pilot Shop. I sure hope they're on the level. I found a few references to them from other pilots who had good experiences so I decided to try it out. The DC was $75 less than anywhere else, and they had a Google Checkout special for free shipping. Assuming I get the headset in good working order, I'll be pretty darn pleased!
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