Too Scared ti Solo? Anyone else?

[Gixer]

Originally posted by Dux
hehe Gixer... I'm remembering my first R22 solo; You don't need quite so much collective with only 1 person onboard!

LOL yeah the extra inch of power is a joy eh.



...-Gixer

[Dago]

Uhhhmmm...patterns are one thing, slips another. Ive had several instances where tower asked me to make my approach immediately and have needed to drop alt fast and used a slip to pull it off.

Funny, my experience is a slip is normally only needed to drop altitude fast, and that shouldn't be necesary if you have set yourself up on the proper glidepath.  Slips help you correct from making an approach too high, and not used when your aircraft is at the proper height at its point in your pattern or approach.

I have had tower requests to maintain airspeed on approach or final, but this hasn't been related to my altitude, only speed.

I do hope those relying on slips recongnize the risks that come with a slip down low.  A slip, expecially with flaps down can interfere with airflow over the empannage flight controls and effect handling.

I haven't had to slip a plane in years, either in a single, or God forbid a twin.  I find full flaps does just fine if I need to accelerate my rate of descent.  Adds plenty of drag, allowing a steeper descent without an notable increase in airspeed.

dago

[Maverick]

Habu,

Perhaps you were not as inclined towards pilotage as others. As such it is rather silly of you, not to mention rather pretentious, to put down a flight school that allows solo's before 20 hours.

I soloed at 7 hours and my instructor was hands off the controls from 4 hours on. My first landing was my first flight and I certainly didn't have "controlled crashes". BTW do you denegrate naval aviators for thier controlled crashes??

FWIW there were other students at the school I used that didn't solo for 20 or more hours. One didn't solo until he had 40 hours and didn't do a cross country alone until almost 60. Instruction is supposed to be an individual thing and has been rather successful given the small number of incidents duing instruction.

Don't get your shorts in a wedgie just because someone soloed before you did. It isn't a reflection of poor instruction on the part of the school nor is your 20 hours a poor reflection on you as a pilot. It is just individual talent at work and some need more or less time to reach the same goals in ANY endeavor.

[Habu]

I was probably a quicker learner than you were. But the flight school had standards and I followed them. Even if I could have flown circuits at 7 hours I did not care. My goal was to get my PPL. Not fly circuits by myself learning nothing.

[Dago]

But the flight school had standards and I followed them.

Flight schools exist to make money, and yours certainly did.  Aviation unfortunatley is full of greedy people.  Maybe your flight school was just a very careful one.  At 20 hours, I was flying solo away from the airport but restricted to within 25 miles.

 

Not fly circuits by myself learning nothing.

I feel I learn a little with every circut I fly, and at minimum sharpen my skills and keep in practice.  That is why I will still just do them occasionally(after having my license 23 years )  instead of flying off somewhere for a $50 burger.  I notice a lot of others do the same, could there be something to be said for practice?  

dago

[Muckmaw1]

I thought it was an FAA reg that you could not solo with less than 20 hours.

[jigsaw]

Originally posted by Muckmaw1
I thought it was an FAA reg that you could not solo with less than 20 hours.

There's no hour requirement for soloing. Only that you have to have documented flight, ground training, and be safe for tasks listed in FAR 61.87a, b (1-15), proper endoresments, medical from an AME, and meet the age limit.

The specific hour requirements come in for flight experience required for your PPL. FAR 61.109a (1-5).

40 total
20 w/instructor
10 solo
10 however needed

National average is 60 total.

Something that'll help you out a lot; Open your FAR/AIM (if you don't have one get one)... on the first few pages you'll find a list of sections applicable to pilot ratings. Read all the ones listed for student, private pilot and medicals.

[Habu]

Originally posted by Dago
Funny, my experience is a slip is normally only needed to drop altitude fast, and that shouldn't be necesary if you have set yourself up on the proper glidepath.  Slips help you correct from making an approach too high, and not used when your aircraft is at the proper height at its point in your pattern or approach.

I have had tower requests to maintain airspeed on approach or final, but this hasn't been related to my altitude, only speed.

I do hope those relying on slips recongnize the risks that come with a slip down low.  A slip, expecially with flaps down can interfere with airflow over the empannage flight controls and effect handling.

I haven't had to slip a plane in years, either in a single, or God forbid a twin.  I find full flaps does just fine if I need to accelerate my rate of descent.  Adds plenty of drag, allowing a steeper descent without an notable increase in airspeed.

dago

You are almost dangerous in the advice you give.

A slip is a tool that can save your life. You should learn them before your first trip away from the circuit.

I am sure every licensed pilot here knows how to fly a proper approach. You are correct you don't need to know how to slip to do so.

Imagine though your engine quits and you only have one safe field to land in. I think a slip would be a useful thing to know how to do when flying that approach. Especially if the field was 500 long and surronded by forests.

[Habu]

Originally posted by Dago
Flight schools exist to make money, and yours certainly did.  Aviation unfortunatley is full of greedy people.  Maybe your flight school was just a very careful one.  At 20 hours, I was flying solo away from the airport but restricted to within 25 miles.

 

I feel I learn a little with every circut I fly, and at minimum sharpen my skills and keep in practice.  That is why I will still just do them occasionally(after having my license 23 years )  instead of flying off somewhere for a $50 burger.  I notice a lot of others do the same, could there be something to be said for practice?  

dago

I leaned more flying with the instructor. There is not benifit to flying solo with low hours. None.

You still need 20 with the instructor and 40 overall to get your license. It is stupid to go solo low time.

[Dago]

Habu, now you are amazing me with your arrogance.

Example:

I was probably a quicker learner than you were.

Do you realize that every flight school, and every Instructor tells each student "you learn quicker", or "you're one of the most natural pilots I have trained"?  Its an almost required thing to keep the students confidence up, and keep him coming back for more.  They need to do this since most people who start flying lessons don't finish.  Maybe you actually believed that line?

A slip is of course a maneuver one should learn, but it shouldn't need to be part of your everyday manuevers.

I am sorry you cannot learn alone. If you really needed 20 hours before you could solo, that would confirm your inability to learn.   I can learn with every flight, regardless of an instructor sitting with me or not, and I think most pilots would agree.  I can and work at learning my climbing ability at differant speeds, the power settings need for required climb and descent rates, I can learn to make better landings with each settings of flaps, or no flaps at all.  I can practice flying a pattern without touching the throttle.

I can practice intercepts, holding patterns, single engine work, I can learn to naviagate or just fly with a selected instrument blocked.  

Flying for 23 years now, and I am still learning, with or without an Instructor.  Too bad you feel you are incapable of learning without being spoon fed.

Dago

[Dago]

You are almost dangerous in the advice you give.  

BTW Habu, please point out my dangerous advice.  

I believe I just talked about my experience, and didn't tell anyone what they should do.

dago

[Habu]

Dago I learned to fly an ultralight in less than 15 hours, totally licensed before I started to take my PPL license. Of course I was a great student. I could already fly. I already owned my own aircraft. I had already passed a ground school for my ultralight and had already solo'd.

So what? Was I a slow learner when I went for my PPL? No. Was I angry that I kept getting more time with the instructor each lesson? No. I wanted to pick his brains. I wanted to get what I was paying for. His experience.

You attitude amazes me.

[ B] I am sorry you cannot learn alone. If you really needed 20 hours before you could solo, that would confirm your inability to learn. I can learn with every flight, regardless of an instructor sitting with me or not, and I think most pilots would agree. I can and work at learning my climbing ability at differant speeds, the power settings need for required climb and descent rates, I can learn to make better landings with each settings of flaps, or no flaps at all. I can practice flying a pattern without touching the throttle. [/B]

You can also kill yourself alone making a turn to final by snap rolling because you don't know the effect of an uncoordinated turn with too much left rudder and some back pressure on the yoke.

The fact you have flown for 23 years and not killed yourself is good. How many hours do you have? Don't tell kids to solo low time. It is a stupid thing to do.

[Muckmaw1]

Ummm wait, no one told me I'm a natural....

The best thing I've gotten so far is I make excellent approaches, but I think he meant with the female instructor...

BTW, Female Flight Instructor at my school: Face of Britney Spears, Dumper of Rosie O'Donnell...so close...and yet...

I learn Foward Slip next week.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by Muckmaw1
Was anyone else scared to solo?

I think I can speak for the rest of the FDB's on this - not scared at all.

[Dago]

Habu,

Before I answer your questions, how about answering mine?

BTW Habu, please point out my dangerous advice.  

Please answer this previously asked question, or reply that you made up an untrue accusation.

regards,

dago