Buying your own plane for training

[Merlinspop]

Video of hand-propping a Cub from behind:

https://youtu.be/jwMpfA9n2jY

Boy, the two starts from behind the prop show how little "throw" is needed in certain circumstances. They were barely a bump, and drives home the lessons on treating a prop with respect.

[3Dreaming]

Video of hand-propping a Cub from behind:

https://youtu.be/jwMpfA9n2jY

Boy, the two starts from behind the prop show how little "throw" is needed in certain circumstances. They were barely a bump, and drives home the lessons on treating a prop with respect.

All it takes for a engine that has magnetos with an impulse couplings is to move it that little bit for the coupling spring to release. When it does, it spins the magneto quickly and produces a hot spark. If the fuel air mixture is right it will start and run.

[rcpilot]

Ok, getting back to the topic, no offense. Finally got some flying in yesterday. Schedules and weather were not friendly this week. So we do the usual check ride stuff. soft field takeoff(so, so), slow flight, stalls, turns around a point and short field landings. All are looking pretty good not perfect but passable. Have you ever wondered what people think if they seeing you doing this stuff? My instructor picked a yacht to use for my turns around a point. Just wondering what they'd think we were doing them circling at 1000'. Plan is a couple more "lessons". Some pattern work(I think he wants me to perfect my soft field takeoffs and short field landings). Then we're going to do a mock check ride soup to nuts. If this goes well, then we'll schedule my real check ride. Depending on how far ahead we have to schedule it, we have some lessons before just to make sure I'm ready. So far looks like the weather will cooperate middle of next week so we'll see how it goes.

[3Dreaming]

I would stay away from people and animals when doing low altitude maneuvers.

Good advice. However at 1,000 feet he is twice the distance required by regulation from the yacht.

[JimC]

I think anybody on a yacht is going to think that anyone circling them is just admiring their yacht and are unlikely to object. Low passes overhead would be objectionable.

In that video, Andrew is NOT ready to hand prop at the end. He was making multiple errors both in front of and behind the prop.
On a J3 in front, you do not 'kick' your leg - that's both unstable and unnecessary.
On a J3 in back, you do not lean forward when propping (even with your hand on the door frame). If leaning forward like that and the the left hand slips, you will fall forward into the prop arc. Generally not a good idea.
There were several other safety mistakes as well. What he was doing was bad enough to be scary, and he was attempting to generate way more momentum than is required.
I'm far from an expert, but about 90% of my starts over the last fifty years have been by handpropping, and I don't do it like that.

[JimC]

Worst thing that will happen is that you might get shot at, and being a thousand feet higher than them, they are unlikely to hit you unless they have multiple 50's on board.

[rcpilot]

Not for anything, circling just about anything on Long Island is going to mean flying over someone's house, field or something else. I'll be curious to see what the DPE has me do them over.

[3Dreaming]

Not for anything, circling just about anything on Long Island is going to mean flying over someone's house, field or something else. I'll be curious to see what the DPE has me do them over.

He'll probably tell you to do them and see what you choose. He's not only testing your ability to do the maneuvers, but testing your judgement. He also wants to see if you know which direction to enter them from and the correct altitude, etc.

Just to keep you updated there is no correct direction to enter anymore. The FAA dropped the requirement to enter them downwind.

To expand on what Eyefly said. I have known examiners to tell an applicant to do them around something that is unsafe. They are checking judgement to see if you will tell them no and pick a different spot.

[3Dreaming]

If you enter downwind, that will be your steepest angle of bank. If you enter upwind, the angle of bank may be too steep when you get to the other side. Again, good judgement and safety enters into flying an airplane.

I don't disagree, but was simply pointing out that the FAA no longer requires entry from the downwind side. There for it can be entered from any direction.

[FastEddieB]

I see the Private Pilot ACS does not mention entering downwind for turns about a point*.

But the Airplane Flying Handbook does:

"To enter turns around a point, the airplane should be flown on a downwind heading to one side of the selected point at a distance equal to the desired radius of turn. In a high-wing airplane, the distance from the point must permit the pilot to see the point throughout the maneuver even with the wing lowered in a bank. If the radius is too large, the lowered wing will block the pilot’s view of the point."

As such, I think I'd continue teaching them that way.


*I had to look, but the Private PTS also did not mention entering downwind as a completion standard - I thought it did.

[rcpilot]

Finally got to do some flying yesterday. Hermine had messed the weather up for almost a week. We did the usual stalls and slow flight. My instructor is satisfied I can do them to PTS standards so we're moving on. Today we'll work on ground reference maneuvers, soft and short field takeoffs. If he's happy with that and I get my oil change, we'll look to schedule my check ride.

[rcpilot]

So it looks like it's finally time to put up or shut up. Two lessons this week concentrating on my soft field/short field landings and some cross wind landings today. Oral questioning before, during and after. Everything is looking good. Yesterday my instructor had me sign up for and fill out the IACRA form. He's going to be away till the end of next week with his real job but during that time he's going to work on scheduling my check ride. His plan is to take the DPE up in my plane just to familiarize him with how it handles. Hey, it's and E-LSA and he wants to put the guy at ease. I'll do some solo work while he's away to keep my skills up. Depending on how long it takes to schedule we'll probably have 1 or 2 more lessons. I'll keep everyone posted.

[FastEddieB]

I tell my students that DPE's go into a check ride with the working assumption that you're prepared to pass it. Another professional - your instructor - has so certified.

Basically, don't step on your **** and you'll have a temporary certificate in hand at the end of the ride.

Good luck!

[rcpilot]

My experience is the examiners try to put you at ease. I have always told my students to treat the examiner as if he is a non-pilot and make sure you give him a good pre-flight briefing including use of seatbelts, door, windows, locks, etc. During the flight I like the student to be vocal and say what they are doing and why, etc. Your instructor may disagree or the examiner may disagree, so sort this out at the beginning. Stay safe and be the PIC and you'll get your ticket.

Yes my instructor has told me to do just that. Use my checklists and read out what I'm doing. Besides the seatbelt, etc briefing I'll need to give him the standard this is an experimental aircraft speech. Fortunately, there is a placard on the dash which also points this out(I can refer to it just in case I forget anything).

[hirschr]

Congrats and good luck with the check ride. For what it's worth I did a write up on mine a few years back: http://sportpilottalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3040