Adventures of a new pilot

[francisco collazos]

SO, This past weekend was me and my wife's 2nd wedding anniversary so I wanted to take us out for it. Initally, I was going to fly us to Ocala from Brooksville for lunch and then head to St. Pete. She really wanted to go to St. Augustine and I figured why not but I explained to her that even though the flight is about an Hour, plan on it being the whole day. You know the adage, "Time to spare, go by air". Now realize, that she was the one that really supported and encouraged me to get the PPL so I surprised her by taking us to SGJ for lunch and then back to BKV and a drive to St. Pete for an night cap.

Got to the airport at 9:30am..A couple of newbie things I did from what I can remember. First, Could not get flight following because they were busy. She was much better at seeing airplanes than me. The 180 has a 750 so traffic is visible. I pretty much followed all the checklists which was nice. She actually was impressed watching me "press all the buttons" as she said. The flight was beautiful and not a cloud in the sky. My flight plan took us around the MOA's because I could not get FF. The landing into SGJ was nice but I felt that I could have performed a better downwind to final. The runway (13-31) is very long and has quite a long displaced threshold. There was a pretty good direct crosswind from the right and lets say, it wasn't my best landing.
Now I get paranoid and study the taxi diagrams because I don't want to "be that guy". you know the guy who is causing problems for the controllers. Well it was a simple taxi straight via bravo to the FBO. Sweet!! straight there and then parked. Tipped the guy a couple of bucks and walked into the FBO. I like to throw around my anniversary in case they want to charge me fees. So far so good since i'm 3 for 3 on the landing fees. Got an Uber, went to town and ate lunch. Came back and off we went.

SO this is where it gets interesting. It starts with the controller reading the Atis..She's saying it so quick I can't understand the wind direction. I'm kind of worried because my landing wasn't so hot and the winds on my app are straight crosswind again at 10kt. I call up and ask for taxi for departure. Well the controller has me go one way, then she says...oops sorry, wrong way. Then tells me to cross both runways and i'm here frantically looking at the taxi diagram and comparing the signs on the runway to make sure i'm correct. My wife is excellent and is pointing me where to go. Great!! now for that wind check. BTW, the controller doesn't tell me where to stop. So I am looking at the taxi diagram and looks like B5 is where I should be so I radio to the tower and she says'...yeah that's fine.

Do my run up and everything is fine. Switch over to tower and IDK why i'm a little frazzled but i'm just not hearing everything. Had to hold for incoming traffic, get cleared for depart and left turn out. Well I hear right so I repeat right??? then he says no left turn out.. OK good. Great takeoff, and no issues with the crosswind take off. Now this 180 is climbing at 1300 fpm due to the nice weather here. So on the way back I had put in the flight plan to X60 and home so that I would not have to worry about the MOA. Went ahead and tried FF this time...and finally able to get someone.
While on flight following...I could fly direct so for the life of me I could not get the X60 waypoint deleted from the gps. I finally did like after 15 min. I really don't remember how i even did it. Also lets see.. I kept messing up the frequency. At one point, someone had a very similar call sign so I ended up talking as him. I ended up with a transponder change and the controller told me to go to the prior one. I looked like a complete and felt like a complete newbie. Canceled FF when I had the airport in sight but there was a cessna flying to our right about half a mile out which I think was also radioing in for landing. Me like an idiot called the tower and asked them if they saw the plane next to me. The tower stated he had no radar and if I was worried to do a 360 which is what I did.
Came in for left midfield downwind for rwy 9 and had a great landing. Taxied back to the hanger. Got back to the car at 4pm and off to St Pete we went. Next day went to the pier and did not know that Albert Wittred airport was right there. Spent an hour watching planes take off... Told my wife we are going there next...She is definitely excited!!

 

[TCABM]

Congrats. When things start to feel like they are going to fast on the ground it’s okay to slow down. Curious about the winds and haven’t called to taxi yet? Look for the windsock. Or ask ground for a wind check.

In the air, direct is sometimes generally pointed in the right direction and meandering along. That’s ok.

Go out and do it again. My wife enjoys day trips in the plane but still prefers to pack a steamer trunk for one night away, so we’re working on that part.

 

[Zeldman]

A couple of newbie things I did from what I can remember.

Sounds like a normal flight to me. Just don't let ATC rush you, if you miss something just come back with ''repeat (missing part) please.

My wife... prefers to pack a steamer trunk for one night away,

She must be related to my wife...

 

[Sundancer]

Ah, U did fine. . .if your GPS vendor has a simluator (Garmin does) down load it and goof around with features or functions you don't use a lot (or at all!). Man, we ALL get taxi-itis at unfamiliar airports - "wait, is that Alpha 1, or is that . . .?" - FF has taxiways geo referenced, if that helps.

I was into an unfamiliar last week, uncontrolled, but with three runways and "winds calm" - studied that diagram a bit before I launched. . .

 

[Terry M - 3CK (Chicago)]

@Sundancer do you need an upgraded subscription to get geo referenced taxi diagrams? Do they automatically pop up or do you pull them up?

@francisco collazos awesome write up. Thank you for sharing. Can I ask - what did you tip the line guy for? Did he fuel the plane or tie it down or . . . I never know when to tip in aviation (and other situations).

What is the second pair of sunglasses for?

I think you did a great job. Pressure of flying with the wife. You were likely a little fatigued after the flight there and lunch. The more you do it the more comfortable you'll be.

Sounds like a great anniversary. My wife has 0 interest in flying with me and views it as all for me. No benefit to her.
You're blessed! Enjoy and blue skies. Happy anniversary.

 

[francisco collazos]

I have the pro version of FF so the diagrams pop up when you land. I did spend some time referencing the diagram but the ramp on SGJ is long and oddly shaped so there was that. I think I tipped the guy like $5 and he parked me;I didn't get any fuel but I imagine these guys make a lot of money. Also might go a long way for any help. The sunglasses, well it's an annoyance for me because I can't find the right ones. I think I was borrowing my wife's because hers aern't polarized and i'm too cheap to buy another pair.
I do agree with you that flying is exhausting in that there really is a lot to know. I am horrible at cardinal directions and numbers so it took me a long time to get comfortable with that. Jacksonville ATC were great and in no way were they disrespectful towards me. I know it takes practice and I will work on that but to be honest i'm not nearly as bad as some people out there. Once at Ocala there was a young man on the radio that was not giving the controllers correct position info. At one point the tower told them that they were flying across the departure end of the runway and they were to immediately turn. I never want to be that guy.
Yes, my wife is fantastic and to be honest if it wasn't for her I would not have been able to get my license. She's the one that got me a discovery flight for my birthday one year. I got home and she said that she had never seen me so happy in my life. I said ...not true.. our wedding day but she eyerolled that one. At one point I wanted to quit due to a poor CFI but she was the one that pushed me to finish. She's very special so my gift to her was a 20x10ft greenhouse that I built for her. She's the best!!!

 

[Sundancer]

You have a great attitude, wanting to get and stay competent/proficient. Most (not all, of course) controllers are at least professional, and many are willing to be patient when time allows. When they hear you trying to do the right thing, to cooperate, you're almost always gonna get the benefit the doubt. ATC can see the big picture - we have a very limited view of it; on the other hand, their "office" isn't moving and they can't see your workload - they have the macro, you have the micro - if you're jammed, let 'em know - just getting a 360 can give you time to get your ducks in a row.

 

[Half Fast]

Very nice! Wx has been beautiful the last several days. I went up Friday and just flew for a couple of hours, followed US27 up to Leesburg, went over to the FL west coast and just did some sightseeing. At 4500' over Lake Apopka I could look west and see the Crystal River cooling towers; who needs GPS when you can see the entire state?

Was that Orlando who was too busy for FF? I've always had a good experience with the Jax controllers. Orlando ATC is 50/50 or less, but I know they're working very busy airspace. For some reason, Tampa Approach seems to have a radio dead spot across the middle of the state, around the Brooksville area for example, and I can't hear them if I'm under 5000'.

 

[Oldmanb777]

Sounds great! Some good comments as well. Since your wife is well on board with flying, have her do a pinch hitter course. There are so many good reasons for doing that, I can't list them all. But start with..... if something happens to you, she will know how to ask for help and be able to save your, and her life as well as anybody else under your responsibility as PIC. Then there is always the total enjoyment of sharing your flying with the most important person in your life, and their enjoyment of the world of aviation.
Anway, glad your on your way to some great flying.

 

[texasclouds]

Every flight you will learn something and make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Develop processes to prevent them from occurring again.

Keep up the good work!

 

[francisco collazos]

Thanks guys... I really want to go to arcadia for taco tuesday. I do a lot of flying to the north of the state but very little east and south. I think that's my next plan of action. I'd like to fly to Venice, Winter havel and of course lakeland for Sun n fun
I need 50hr for my IFR XC so far i'm at 25hr. JUst curious if the XC hours prior to the PPL count as the total XC or is it 50hr after getting PPL.

 

[Half Fast]

Thanks guys... I really want to go to arcadia for taco tuesday. I do a lot of flying to the north of the state but very little east and south. I think that's my next plan of action. I'd like to fly to Venice, Winter havel and of course lakeland for Sun n fun
I need 50hr for my IFR XC so far i'm at 25hr. JUst curious if the XC hours prior to the PPL count as the total XC or is it 50hr after getting PPL.

Winter Haven is my home drome. If you drop in, give me a heads up and maybe we can grab a cup of coffee or something.

Arcadia is a nice little airport, and usually has cheap fuel. I’ve stopped there a few times, but it’s only about 20 minutes from Winter Haven so I don’t make a special trip.

 

[AlphaMike]

Thanks guys... I really want to go to arcadia for taco tuesday. I do a lot of flying to the north of the state but very little east and south. I think that's my next plan of action. I'd like to fly to Venice, Winter havel and of course lakeland for Sun n fun
I need 50hr for my IFR XC so far i'm at 25hr. JUst curious if the XC hours prior to the PPL count as the total XC or is it 50hr after getting PPL.

All XC hours count as long as you are PIC.

 

[Juan Vallejo]

Nice to read about your experiences, I'm also a new pilot and try to stay proficient, bringing any victim I meant passenger willing to tag along, flying from Tamiami. Do you rent the 182?.

Down here I haven't found many models to rent, or a 172 or a 172.

Usually take my son with me and un like the airlines he always get a window seat.

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

Tipping the line guy... I worked the line a couple of years, would not expect or get a tip unless I loaded bags or did something extra. On the other hand, as a pilot, I tipped a line guy at Willow Run when he brought our rental car to the airplane, loaded bags, and handed us cold bottles of water on a hot day.

 

[unsafervguy]

Thanks guys... I really want to go to arcadia for taco tuesday. I do a lot of flying to the north of the state but very little east and south. I think that's my next plan of action. I'd like to fly to Venice, Winter havel and of course lakeland for Sun n fun
I need 50hr for my IFR XC so far i'm at 25hr. JUst curious if the XC hours prior to the PPL count as the total XC or is it 50hr after getting PPL.

do taco tuesday, it a fun time. shelly has good fuel prices for taco tuesday.

 

[Twin_Flyer]

Great write up. Just keep flying and things will get easier. You did a great job dealing with everything…

 

[francisco collazos]

So me and my friend decided to go to Winter Haven (KGIF) for lunch because I heard that restaurant was good. Got to the airport and had a nice view of a chinook landing and taxiing into the national guard. Of course like always we had to get gas so off we went to the fuel farm. After getting gas, I headed towards the taxiway and normally I will do a runup on the side of the fuel farm prior to the taxiway but I noticed this skyhawk was pulling in. No worries i'll do it near the runway end.

So while we were taxiing the tower was reading the riot act to the skyhawk that had just pulled into the fuel farm. The poor guy, from what I can tell was on a solo out of Orlando and had inadvertently entered the wrong pattern. On top of that the guy also decided to taxi throughout the airport without clearance. The tower did very well in explaining what he had done as well as letting the guy know that if someone had been on the opposite downwind it could have been a disaster. They were calling his school to figure out what was going on. I will say the tower was fairly nice to the guy and explained that they knew he needed to learn but really needed more training.

After that fiasco, off we went and to be honest the airspace was fairly busy. I think we had about five planes in line behind us before we took off. I was a nice flight to GIF and it was the first time I had flown to this airport. So the whole time me and my friend were out looking for the airport. It's funny because you learn very quickly that 6 miles is really not far at all. We were both looking and I was comapring my location on FF when I realized..Hey we are really close!! like 2 o clock time to descend close!!. Made all my calls and the place was busy. It was also hard to see the runway since the airport is surrounded by water. I am used to airports that are cut into woods so you kind of see the runway cutout.

Landed and ate at the restaurant with was very good but compared to the restaurant at X60, pretty much anything is better. On the way out the winds had shifted so me and my friend made it a point to look at the taxiway diagram. I had to taxi to the other runway... made all my calls to get to the other side. I wanted to be as accurate as possible in case there were others around. Its funny but I have noticed when I make calls all of a sudden it's like birds talking. I said something then I hear other calls from other people. One thing I noticed is that FF has a ground frequency for the airport. First time I have seen that. I wasn't quite sure what it was for. I thought maybe to talk while on the ground but I didn't hear anyone.

Off we went to inverness so I could get some XC time in and then back to brooksville. Nice day for flying and always learning!!

 

[francisco collazos]

So flew into Cedar Key yesterday and then off to williston (Rnav 5) and back to brooksville (ILS 9) for practice. This is the first time I flew into cedar key so I was super excited. Did a nice tear drop into left downwind for runway 5 and hit the numbers with plenty of room to spare. My only issue is that I have noticed that I seem to be landing with a side load because the plane tends to want to almost skid to one side and then I will get a sway to the opposite side. Yesterday is was pretty bad and there really was very little wind. I'm not sure if I am subconsciously adding too much rudder of if I am just not controlling the plane while on the ground. Any ideas? The actual landings were nice though. The rest of the flight was great. I really enjoy shooting these approaches and it's a little weird that I really enjoy flying by looking at the instruments. Weirdly enough, I feel more calm by looking at the instruments only.

 

[Lndwarrior]

On my first flight after getting my PPL I took my girlfriend for a ride. She worked in an aviation business and was the reason I got into aviation. So we're taking a 30 minute flight to an airport I knew well. It abuts up against Travis Air Force Base.

Three quarters of the way there - I got lost! Couldn't figure out where I was. Then I started panicking because I was afraid I had entered the Travis AFB airspace. Finally I tuned in two VORs and figured it out.

It was so embarrassing in front of my girlfriend! Didn't help that she knew quite lot of pilots, including a few famous ones... And here I was getting lost 20 minutes from my home airport.

Did I mention this was the San Francisco Bay Area which has landmarks everywhere and so many ways to orient yourself? Only an real idiot could get lost.....

 

[bflynn]

My only issue is that I have noticed that I seem to be landing with a side load because the plane tends to want to almost skid to one side and then I will get a sway to the opposite side. Yesterday is was pretty bad and there really was very little wind. I'm not sure if I am subconsciously adding too much rudder of if I am just not controlling the plane while on the ground. Any ideas?

I presume crosswinds? Get with an instructor and work on crosswind landing technique. Side load is associated with side drift, which comes from poor crosswind technique.

If you want to get good really fast, get some tailwheel training. It will force you to pay attention to drift.

Only an real idiot could get lost.....

Always remember, you said it, not us Welcome to the club.

 

[Half Fast]

On my first flight after getting my PPL I took my girlfriend for a ride. She worked in an aviation business and was the reason I got into aviation. So we're taking a 30 minute flight to an airport I knew well. It abuts up against Travis Air Force Base.

Three quarters of the way there - I got lost! Couldn't figure out where I was. Then I started panicking because I was afraid I had entered the Travis AFB airspace. Finally I tuned in two VORs and figured it out.

It was so embarrassing in front of my girlfriend! Didn't help that she knew quite lot of pilots, including a few famous ones... And here I was getting lost 20 minutes from my home airport.

Did I mention this was the San Francisco Bay Area which has landmarks everywhere and so many ways to orient yourself? Only an real idiot could get lost.....

I assume she quickly realized she could do better.....

 

[ateamer]

Take a flight to Okeechobee, too. Best airport breakfast around, plus probably the cheapest fuel in the state.