My week of flight training - Review of events

[3Dreaming]

There is nothing wrong with doing more than is required. I see many instructor have their sport pilot students make a 3 leg cross country, because they think it is required when it is not. The landing back at your home airport should absolutely count as one of the required landing points. It always has for other pilot ratings.

For the private pilot the traditional long cross country has always been 3 legs just like you made. The distance requirement are longer though. However the regulation requires 3 stops instead of 2. If the same logic was applied to the private pilot everybody would have to do a 4 leg cross country instead of a 3 leg.

From 61.109,
(ii) One solo cross country flight of 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations; and

[3Dreaming]

An advantage (or disadvantage) to doing it the way Cluemeister did is you never get far from home. If something happens, or weather is worse than expected, you can always head for home and be there quickly.

I don't see the way he did it as being an advantage or disadvantage, either way it excedes the minimum requirements as called out in the regulations. As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

My original post was because I was curious if the extra stop on his cross country was another example of a CFI not understanding the regulations. I have seen that before, because they are trying to relate the training to what they use for a private pilot.

As for not getting to far from home we can make a cross country from here that fulfills the requirements of the regulation and never get more than 22nm from home. It requires 4 legs with the longest being 33nm.

[designrs]

Almost forgot:

35.6 Total hours

28.9 w/instructor
6.7 solo

Very nice progress!

[Cluemeister]

Thank you Richard, it's been an interesting and exciting 3 months!

[3Dreaming]

The OBVIOUS advantage is, as I said, the student never gets far from home. The OBVIOUS disadvantage is, as I said, the student never gets far from home. This response has nothing to do with the requirements or exceeding the requirements. It's an observation on my part, not a response to your post.

You really need to chill out, and let go of the animosity you have for me. It is not a good think for either you or the forum.

I was not challenging your statement, I was simply adding my own personal observations related to what you said. The comments were made in a civil manner and directly related to the topic at hand. You have no valid reason to be upset with the fact that I quoted you.

this is a open forum of which we both are members, we are often going to be commenting on the same topics because of similar backgrounds. Because of this our paths are undoubtedly going to cross. Sometimes I may have something to add, and sometimes I may not. Sometimes I may agree with you and sometimes I may not. If I feel I have something to say I am going to say it. You are certainly free to do the same thing.

[cynamonb]

Its a requirement.

1. 2 hours cross-country flight training.

2. One solo cross-country flight of at least 75 nautical miles total distance with a full-stop landing at a minimum of two points and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 25 nautical miles between takeoff and landing locations.

[3Dreaming]

Its a requirement.

1. 2 hours cross-country flight training.

2. One solo cross-country flight of at least 75 nautical miles total distance with a full-stop landing at a minimum of two points and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 25 nautical miles between takeoff and landing locations.

I'm not quite sure what your referring to, but I think we are all in agreement that you need items 1 and 2 that you listed.

[3Dreaming]

As I stated, the advantage is you never get far from home. If you have a problem or the weather is worse than planned, you can get back to your home airport quickly. The disadvantage that I eluded to but did not state is you are barely out of sight of your home airport. You may not acquire the self-confidence you would with a flight that takes you farther away from your home airport. This is just speculation on my part.

I don't necessarily disagree, but I'm kind of in the middle of it being an advantage or disadvantage. I guess it really just comes down to the individual student as to which one it is.

[Cluemeister]

Well, that was interesting.

I was swamped at work all week, so finally called yesterday to reserve the Skycatcher for Saturday. I ask about availability, and it's an awkward silence.

"We're moving the planes tomorrow, so the Skycatcher won't be here."

"WHAT???"

This FBO has another location in Florida, so I said "are you moving the plane to Florida?" He says "let me call you back."

I'm wondering is the plane not getting rental revenue, is it needed for another school, or what? He calls back and says "Did you know that our 5 years as FBO ends today, and the city awarded a different company the new contract for this airport?"

It was public knowledge, but I knew nothing about it. Yikes! So I said, where's the plane going? And he mentioned another airport about 30 minutes to the west. "Can I reserve it?" "Sure" he says.

So I'm meeting my new CFI at the new airport in the old Skycatcher tomorrow morning at 8 am. I am not signed off for solo at this airport, so I'm guessing we'll cover that at least!

[Half Fast]

Glad it worked out.

Have you talked to the new FBO and do you know if they'll have an LSA also? Might be handy to have a couple of options so close by.

[Cluemeister]

Met my new instructor at 2A0 today. I flew with him once when I got back from Florida when I had 10 hours. He's been flying for 40 years since he was a teenager. Nice guy, very smart and experienced.

The main goal for me was to get me signed off for solo here at this new airport. We preflight, and put fuel in the plane. Winds are calm, as it's still early in the morning. He says let's go up.

We head out to the practice area. He says "Give me some steep turns. I would like a left turn 360, but keep going make it 720." I do a clearing turn, pick my heading, and then turn left. Did ok to good, but I busted 100' once. Arrrgh!! On the second 360, I felt a bump, and wondered what it was. "That's your wake." Oh, I had read about it, but not experienced it. Rolled out 20 degrees prior, and rolled right into the right turn. Full 360. Rolled back out. He seemed pretty happy.

"How slow can you fly this?" I said, well I'll do my best. Carb heat out, 1500 rpm, in the white, pull flaps, down to 50 knots. adjust throttle and pitch a little. He said "Let's do another notch of flaps and fly slower." Second notch, and down to 45 knots. Stall horn squealing like an alley cat. "Turn to a south heading." Gently I turn and hold until south. I thought that was pretty good, not great, but good.

"Let's do a power off stall." - I made sure I spoke out loud what I was doing, as I figured he would be able to catch a mistake easier that way, and it keeps me calmer. Carb heat out, back to 1500, in the white, pull first notch, smoothly pitch up, reduce to idle, keep wings level and nose straight, keep pulling, nose breaks, nose below horizon, carb heat and throttle in, accelerate to Vx, climb at Vx, and then climb at Vy, flaps to 0. Ok, did that one ok as well.

Back to the airport for a few touch and goes. Enter the pattern, come in, and landing is not very good. He says it was ok, not bad at all. He said let's get the pattern established. 70-65-60 was what I was taught in the Skycatcher. He said let's do that. I get abeam, pull carb heat, back to 1700, hold altitude, and pull flaps in the white. Nose down and hold 70. Turn base, go to 65-70, and pull second notch. Turn final and adjust throttle and pitch as needed. This airport has 800' pattern altitude, and I'm used to 1,000. I don't like being so low! I am much better set up this time, and come in very gently. But oops, I flared too high. Settled nicely though and landing was good. He said I adjusted well from my too high flare.

A few more touch and goes, and one full stop so I can adjust my seat. For some reason I am too scrunched up to the pedals.

We take off again, and I announce and turn to cross wind. Just as I finish the turn, he pulls carb heat and throttle and says "what do you plan to do?"

First time I have been surprised by an simulated engine out, so I said we are turning back, we are above 500 feet. We turn back, and I come in a little high. Skycatcher floats nicely. Pull two notches of flaps, and gently land down. Yeah!

We call it a day, and review. I need to tighten up my numbers, specifically holding the altitude on turns, and tighten my pattern numbers. He said that I was very solid on the controls, and had good control of the aircraft.

I got signed off for solo at this airport, plus I am signed off for traveling back and forth to my old airport!

I still need to get any solo xc trips signed off by him the day of the flight.

All in all, a great day. Some days you can't seem to do anything right, and then other days you can see and feel the progress. Today was one of the good ones.

[Cluemeister]

Have you talked to the new FBO and do you know if they'll have an LSA also? Might be handy to have a couple of options so close by.

There apparently was some behind the scenes negotiating to keep the flight school there, but it didn't happen. The new FBO has no flight school at this location. That may change, and i'll keep my eye on it.

Unless the plane gets moved far away, I can live with it being just a little further from me, which is just under an hour. My backup to my backup plan is Nashville. There is a Skycatcher there.

[Cluemeister]

Back out this morning for pattern work and landings.

So the plan today was to setup properly in the pattern so I wasn't making a bunch of corrections on final, and then on final the plan was to think about transitioning to slow flight above the runway instead of landing.

Wow, what a difference. 7 landings, no bounces. Not all award winners, but mentally I was much more relaxed, and the landings much more solid.

Progress!

37.6 Total hours

29.9 w/instructor
7.7 solo

[rcpilot]

Nice. I'm jealous. You're well ahead of me, but I'm trying to catch up.

[Cluemeister]

Thanks to you and others mentioning the slow flight concept, rcpilot. That was one factor that really changed my mindset.