Author Topic: R U A Real Pilot (Read 2595 times)

Flossy · « **Reply #75 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:14:21 AM »

My husband, Zeb (Bob in RL) took his PPL in 1988, finally realising an ambition he had had for many years. I don't have any piloting experience at all apart from online in AH and formerly AW. I spend my days sitting behind a desk working as a Secretary.

-pjk-- · « **Reply #76 on:** March 27, 2005, 02:24:46 PM »

Real and real...;-)

+300 hours total, 210 hours aerobatics(maybe 600-700 aerobatic "sorties").
Started long time ago, but had 3 years off, now 3rd year back on business after plane(Pitts S1-SS) rebuilding. When i started aerobatics, i had 72 year old teacher who has over 500 hours in 109G..... He is still alive, but nowadays around 83-85 years old, living 2 km`s from my home.

puujiikoo

airbumba · « **Reply #77 on:** March 27, 2005, 04:10:56 PM »

When I was first taking my PPL, my usual instructor, ( a great story on his own, i'll tell someday), was away on vacation and I had a rookie fresh off the board rookie instructor.

Well we were coming into the circuit via the crosswind leg in a 172. He had control. We were a little high and a little fast, he noses down for the downwind leg does a sharp 40 deg. turn with throttle down to enter downwind at proper alt. All goes fine, for us.

We hear over the radio another instructor prepaired for takeoff warn us that we just struck an ultralight...I didn't hear anything, nor did the instructor. When we land this dude with his JClarkes still on his head, wire dangling and a bloodied up face starts chasing around the instructor....it woulda been freakin hillarious , if it weren't so serious.

So i come to the aid of my instructor and ground the angry dude till he relaxes. It turns out we didn't hit him, but missed him by maybe a couple of feet. When my instructor nosed down during the turn, the ultralight was at proper alt and already on the downwind leg, oops. So the ultralight cops a facefull of dirty air , does two rolls, regains control just in time to pull up and do a slam landing in the grass strip adjacent to the tarmac. Busted up his plane , and his nose, so ya know why the dude was so mad. And I might add, if that ultralight guy wasn't 10 times the pilot my instructor was, this would have been a fatal accident.

Needless to say, that instructor had to find a new school to instruct at.

I bet that ultralight dude is just happy he doesn't have to sit in the big Officers Club in the sky and tell the story of how his pilot days came to an end by the 'propwash' from a Cessna 172.

~~fellow fliers, stay safe.~~

CAP1 · « **Reply #78 on:** March 27, 2005, 07:44:23 PM »

<<>>>>

Well, this emphasizes what the CFI's from CAP have been workin with me on.....I've had my PPL for about 2 years, but the CAP guys won't turn me loose to solo in their 172's yet.......I've been flying with them for a few months now and am finding out all that my previous CFI DIDN'T teach me. And he was CFI, CFII, multi engine, and rotorwing too. Next time i'd listen to friends better.
The above mentioned way to enter the patern is one of the most dangerous ways to enter. We always enter from the 45 degree angel, and NEVER enter above pattern alt. The above is also the exact scenario that Bob used as an example. Using the 45 entry, you can see the entire downwind leg, the crosswind and the base.....and its very easy to check the 45 for the wrong runway...which saved us from a close call a couple of weeks ago as the active was 08, and there was an archer on 45 for 26 at VAY.
Anyway, for those still working towards your PPL........if you're REMOTLY in doubt of what your CFI is teaching, try another......I wish i had.........in a few months, i've learned more than in the previous 3 years of flight. Best part is my crosswind landings......never was good at em, as AGAIN, my previous CFI would cancel out on windy days.......now crosswinds are smooth and pretty.

Anyway, safe flying all!!!!!
john

RTR · « **Reply #79 on:** March 28, 2005, 09:50:58 AM »

Wow, Airbumba.

It always amazes me that we have low time pilots who instruct. These guys aren't even comfortable with their own abilities yet really.

A question though. Was the ultra light NORDO?

RTR

airbumba · « **Reply #80 on:** March 28, 2005, 10:56:49 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by RTR
Wow, Airbumba.

It always amazes me that we have low time pilots who instruct. These guys aren't even comfortable with their own abilities yet really.

A question though. Was the ultra light NORDO?

RTR

No, he had a set. In the meeting with the MOT, the ulra light said he made the required call on the MF for that uncontrolled airport at the 5 mile radius. But there was a disagreement as to whether he made a second call when entering the start of his downwind leg.

I never heard a call, but it was only my 5th hour of flying, and I wasn't PIC, so I mighta missed it for sure. He was so slow, that if the only call made was way out there at 5 miles, it woulda been quite bit before I was paying attention, remember I'm supposed to be the rookie here, not the instructor. Since then I was tought to pay attention from wayyyy out when coming into an uncontrolled airport.

I also think language played a role. Quite a few misshaps in Quebec airspace around uncontrolled fields, due to the fact that most pilots speak french when flying . The ulralight was a french speaking guy, and my instructor was Sri Lankan, with a heavy accent. I don't think the ulralight heard , or understood his call about entering via crosswind, nor would he have expected us at our alt and speed.

And yes, too many instructors are just there for their 'hours' and itching to go onto bigger better things, when they should be solely concentrating on 'teaching' us newbie's, who just want a PPL and want to learn properly. I hope he isn't flying heavies in Sri Lanka now, yikes.(wonder if i can check that?).

That ultralight was a cool little thing. The type with a pusher prop and two dudes can sit side by side, and the doors can come off. I don't know the name of it, but it survived that hard, hard landing kinda intact. He dug into the dirt and I think he had a roll out of 10 ft. on that landing. I'm surprised he didn't bust his back.

Kegger26 · « **Reply #81 on:** March 28, 2005, 11:23:46 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by RTR
Wow, Airbumba.

It always amazes me that we have low time pilots who instruct. These guys aren't even comfortable with their own abilities yet really.

A question though. Was the ultra light NORDO?

RTR

Most of the time those guys are only doing the CFI thing so they can build time. Those type of pilots are on the airline path. That is why you have three hundred hour pilots sitting right seat as a CFI. Most of these guys cant even get insurance on an airplane if they owned one with so few hours...it is sad really.

DAVENRINO · « **Reply #82 on:** March 28, 2005, 02:10:17 PM »

I was once a 400 hour wonder CFI and I learned way more about flying that first year instructing than the day I started the job, BUT I was a good instructor. I ended up with a CFI Airplane - Instrument- Single & Multi, and CFI Helicopter - Instrument. I did burn out on instructing that year with over 1200 hours of mostly advanced instruction as the Korean vets were losing their VA flight school benefits. The most fun was giving aerobatic instruction in a Great Lakes replica ( open cockpit Biplane complete with flying helmet and goggles). Now, 17,000 hours later I have no desire to ever instruct again and have let my CFI ratings expire.

TwrATM · « **Reply #83 on:** March 28, 2005, 04:03:43 PM »

Air traffic Controller and now Air Traffic Manager for the past 23 years, started out in the Air Force and am currently at the home of the F4U Corsair, Bridgeport Connecticut (BDR).

I am also a student pilot, have been since 1998...lol, started my training in Athens Georgia (AHN) am finally finishing up in the next month or so at BDR. Started in the C-150, C-172 and PA-28 and now completing my training in the Grumman Tiger AA-5 (Wolfala started my training here before he moved to California). It seems ATC takes up too much of my time and I miss flying for a month or more and have to back-track to catch up to the learning curve again. In the time I have been flying me and a friend of mine restored a 1969 M-20C which we took to Sun & Fun in Florida, got some instruction in an R-44 helicopter, right seat time in a Citation C-550, aerobatic instruction in a Pitts S-2, and an hour flight in a B-17 (the 909). I fly any chance I can get.

I also feel that all Controllers should have a private pilots license, it has improved my ATC techniques immensely.

BTW, anyone near Connecticut that wants to see the Corsairs come home should check out this site...http://www.veteranssalute.org. We are going to have 9 F4U's come home to BDR June 3rd-5th.

TwrATM
Rob

snak · « **Reply #84 on:** March 28, 2005, 04:52:40 PM »

I have SEL IFR - about 500 hours - and was working on my Commercial and CFI when I discovered Confirmed Kill. My interest in real time flying went down hill from there.

Back in the day, I got a ride in a Harvard T6 including a full aerobatic demo of loops, rolls, 8's, Cuban 8's. The guy let me try a few rolls on my own - fun stuff. "Look at your rate of climb indicator..." (We are going down at > 4k per minute) "I suggest that you pull back *gently* of the stick..." This guy also owns a P51 (saw it in his hanger and saw him race it at Reno) - no I cant remember the name of the plane but he gave me a t-shirt

I may have to look in my closet.

My girl friend's father completed 25 missions in B24 and B17's and got rotated back to the states in '42-43 WW2. He was the tail gunner.

I have met 2 people who have survived mid-air collisions. One guy had a plane come up from behind and literally cut his 172 in half just behind the front seats. The 2 people in the back seats died but he and the other passenger in front lived. The S&R folks thought that there was no way anyone survived when they found the wreckage - then they saw him waving at them. He was flying for Fed Ex when I met him 12 years ago.

The other person was a passenger in her father's Bonanza and they had another plane stike the top of their plane with the landing gear -- I seem to recall that it happened at night - been a while since I heard the story. Relatively minor damage - guess they kept flying.

RTR · « **Reply #85 on:** March 28, 2005, 05:26:54 PM »

rgr the no desire to instruct Davenrino.

I too don't have the itch to instruct. Mostly because I can't for the life of me imagine wanting to sit beside someone who is perpetually trying to kill me. (hehe j/k).

Really I don't think I have the patience for it.

RTR

Kegger26 · « **Reply #86 on:** March 28, 2005, 06:01:10 PM »

I enjoy it..I mean there are days when nothing goes right at all, and you just feel like throwing in the towle. But then that day comes along when your student is on the money and you love what you do.
At PDK we have a restaurant called the Downwind. Myself and some of the other instructors eat there pretty much everyday. In the summer time it is great to sit out on the deck and watch some of our former students make touch and goes for an hour or so. It makes you feel good inside. You think back to when they where white knuckling the yoke, scared to death, trying to take it all in. And now look at them. There is a certain level of pride that comes out of it all.
Some times when we find ourselves there with a few of our former students in the air, we make bets on the best landing. We normaly have the "oddball" judge (the instructor that doesnt have a one of there formers in the air at the time) to see who picks up the check. So far on those days I havent had to pay for lunch...

http://downwindrestaurant.com/
If you are ever at PDK check it out. Best damn potato salad in georgia. ^^^

Blue Mako · « **Reply #87 on:** March 28, 2005, 08:54:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by plank
Well, I'll answer it anyway

The same one who dropped us the map is the one whom gave us the wrong map in the first place. The new map included an apology.

And you flew with this guy? LOL

I have a restricted private license (just need to do my navs to get my full license). Trying to get some money together to finish, too busy with a new mortgage atm though. Haven't flown since last June.

TwrATM · « **Reply #88 on:** March 29, 2005, 12:23:24 AM »

Kegger...have you ever flown into AHN? I used to work there from 95-02.

I've been to the Downwind a few times, gotta love that HUGE burger they have there. We have a similar place here at BDR that was the un-official hangout for the Corsair pilots doing the flight tests during the war. Alot of history in that little place....Amelia Earhart signed a prop that was above the fireplace along with all the Corsair pilots, of course that prop up and disappeared...LOL

TwrATM
Rob

Kegger26 · « **Reply #89 on:** March 29, 2005, 08:45:48 AM »

Oh yeah, I have flown into Athens plenty of times. Sometimes I take my students out that way when the airspace around PDK gets alittle to heavy for a new pilot.
I have flown into Bridgeport a few times back when I lived in Maryland. I dont go up that way much anymore. If you ever find yourself heading south, stop at THV. There is a place there called Orville's. Another great place to eat. There burgers arnt that great. But I would kill for a bowl of there chilli.
Just five mins below that is DMW. Another great place to stop and eat. Just off the airport within walking distance is Bullock's Airport Inn. They have pretty good food. The prices are really nice too. You know with all the pilots we have here would could almost start our own hundred dollar hamburger thread.