An old guy finally learns to fly

Aaaaannnd, I logged on to schedule the plane for a couple of flights this weekend, the weather will be beautiful, down for maintenance. Apparently, it's time for annual, I didn't know. Maybe it won't take long.


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Ok, here is the long story. I will try to make it brief. I had tried on 3 occasions to get my long XC done and the weather would not agree. So Wednesday looks ok, not great, but ok. I check with my instructor, can I go? Yep, you can go. So I get to the airport and check the weather, it's iffy to me. Keep in mind, I have been flying in great weather up until now, every time. Heck, I'm going!

So I call to file my flight plan and the briefer gives me the forecast and its all good till he gets to the home drome. We don't have reporting weather, so he uses the closest class D, about 10 miles. It's like 3400 broken,( remember this is 1 ) the rest of the trip is good, keep that in mind. So I file. I preflight, taxi, do my run up.......radio doesn't seem to be working ( number 2 )......Keep trying to reach the fbo on the Unicom, nothing. So, I start to taxi back. About that time another student enters the pattern to land, I hear him make his call, I ask him if he can hear me, yep, loud and clear. Great, I'm off!

I turn around and do another run up, and I take off. Start my climb and at about 1500 I call up FSS to open my flight plan......they don't have it........no wait, here it is, it had been cancelled, I'll refile it he says. ( that's 3 ) but I say ok. He refiles and activates. So I start my turn to get on course and it is pretty bumpy under some low stuff, I'm at about 2500 and I speculate that they are 3000-3200. That did it, I turned around. I went back and landed. Truth is, I was a little scared. Now, fast forward to today. I had looked online at the schedule to book some time for the weekend, but the plane was down for maintenance. I knew it was due for its annual next month, I just assumed it had gone in early. So today on a whim I called to check. The guy who showed up to fly after me could not get the plane to start, the alternator had quit. Had to have happened when I was flying. Two things, I'm glad I turned around and I'm mad at myself that I didn't notice it wasn't charging. I have to do better with situational awareness. That's my story, flame suit on, fire away.
 
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Long XC done today. I'm glad to have it behind me. I'd like to say I enjoyed it, but it's closer to say I endured it. One hour of hood work, 9 more solo landings at a towered field and requirements are done. So it's checklist prep more or less from here on out.
 
Congrats, Mike! Which of the three routes did you take? Enquiring minds and all that. Is it time to color in another state?
 
dell30rb said:
6:30 AM is a good time for lessons before it gets too hot. Its usually possible to outclimb the haze, heat and bumps here in the South but that requires going to 7-10,000 feet and not practical except on a longer flight (not a short lesson).

Haze, heat and bumps is annoying and I don't know any pilots who enjoy it. Just something you have to deal with for 10-15 minutes on the departure and arrival of each flight as you climb/descend out/in of mechanical turbulence.

For short local flights in the summer, I fly in the morning or evening when the sun is not as strong.
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:yes: +1
 
mikeinbama said:
Ok, here is the long story. I will try to make it brief. I had tried on 3 occasions to get my long XC done and the weather would not agree. So Wednesday looks ok, not great, but ok. I check with my instructor, can I go? Yep, you can go. So I get to the airport and check the weather, it's iffy to me. Keep in mind, I have been flying in great weather up until now, every time. Heck, I'm going!

So I call to file my flight plan and the briefer gives me the forecast and its all good till he gets to the home drome. We don't have reporting weather, so he uses the closest class D, about 10 miles. It's like 3400 broken,( remember this is 1 ) the rest of the trip is good, keep that in mind. So I file. I preflight, taxi, do my run up.......radio doesn't seem to be working ( number 2 )......Keep trying to reach the fbo on the Unicom, nothing. So, I start to taxi back. About that time another student enters the pattern to land, I hear him make his call, I ask him if he can hear me, yep, loud and clear. Great, I'm off!

I turn around and do another run up, and I take off. Start my climb and at about 1500 I call up FSS to open my flight plan......they don't have it........no wait, here it is, it had been cancelled, I'll refile it he says. ( that's 3 ) but I say ok. He refiles and activates. So I start my turn to get on course and it is pretty bumpy under some low stuff, I'm at about 2500 and I speculate that they are 3000-3200. That did it, I turned around. I went back and landed. Truth is, I was a little scared. Now, fast forward to today. I had looked online at the schedule to book some time for the weekend, but the plane was down for maintenance. I knew it was due for its annual next month, I just assumed it had gone in early. So today on a whim I called to check. The guy who showed up to fly after me could not get the plane to start, the alternator had quit. Had to have happened when I was flying. Two things, I'm glad I turned around and I'm mad at myself that I didn't notice it wasn't charging. I have to do better with situational awareness. That's my story, flame suit on, fire away.
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Congrats for landing anyway. Some people just ignore the signs and fly anyway.
 
Hank, I went 1a9-CSG-LGC-SCD-1a9. Yes, it's time to color another state :)


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Sounds like you had a nice tour of the whole state, and lapped into Georgia too.

Congrats for get tin' her done! You're in the short rows now . .
 
Almost 36 hours and today was the first time I attempted cross wind landings. Wind was 320@10G15 and I was landing runway 3. I know that isn't much for the pros around here, but it was pretty interesting to me. I had a blast and by the time I was on 9 or 10, I was having fun. My instructor said that that was the last thing he needed to show me and it is check ride prep from here on out. He said I should be ready very soon.


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Awesome! Coming along nicely.

I have my short solo XC tomorrow if weather cooperates. Did .6 hours of actual instrument flying yesterday which was crazy intense. Way harder than the foggles. I have about .5 or so of instrument time left, then its just perfect maneuvers to PTS and schedule the check ride.

-Brian
 
Short XC solo complete! XC hours are done. Night time hours are done. About .5 or so left of instrument, then just practice to standards. 39 hours in. Getting excited!

-Brian
 
Checkride scheduled for December 8. I should have about 52 or so hours by then. I think I can fly it ok, I hope I can cram all the knowledge in my pea brain by then.
 
mikeinbama said:
Checkride scheduled for December 8. I should have about 52 or so hours by then. I think I can fly it ok, I hope I can cram all the knowledge in my pea brain by then.
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Keep it up Mike. Almost there. Try to go solo a couple times before your exam. Run through the list - stalls, steep turns, maneuvers, short-field/soft-field landings and take offs. Was fortunate that there was another untowered airport (8000+ foot runway) 5 mins from my home airfield (3200 foot). Great for full stop short/softfield landings without having to spend time for taxi-back. Land, set flaps, check flaps are up, take off. :) If you have one of these around you, go there and do it. BTW - always looks at your flaps if you change them on the ground - I've had two rental C-172s flaps not move! Taking off with 40 degrees probably won't have the expected results.

I just got my PPL earlier this year. This weekend went from KEDU - KRHV - KMRY - KRHV - KEDU yesterday. It's from University Airport (Davis), with a stop to pick up brother in-law in San Jose, and fly to Monterey. I was nervous flying in all those class D and C airspaces and sometimes within the SFO class B veil....as I was taking my checkride. It really is true - a PPL is your license to learn. I studied the airspaces for two days prior to this trip, and making a flight plan - almost as if I was a student. Made a list of frequencies on the flight plan even though I have foreflight and a garmin 430 in the plane.

In the end...I was more nervous than I really needed to be...as I was on my check flight..like everyone else. Just stay calm, enjoy the flight, and you'll still learn something new from the DPE - I did! Even if you don't pass, you'll get it on the next time. They want you to pass.

Anyways. Keep it up, almost there. One thing I did - I didn't fly for 2 months after my checkride due to life. Ended up getting a CFI for an hour to do pattern work at a tower on my first return flight. I highly suggest regular flights after your PPL to keep things fresh!
 
It's hard, but you'll need to relax before then. Fly, fly, fly! Practice, be sharp, read through your test prep materials. Use postits to mark sections of the FAR/AIM, highlight important sentences. You don't have to know everything, just know how to find it. Just like in real life at work . . .

Hope everything goes well between now and then. Remember to have your son call/email me, even though this weekend isn't looking so hot.
 
Good Luck Mike! If yours is like mine you'll find you over prepare and it's not as bad as you envisioned.
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone. Hank, I will let him know, but like I said, I don't really know when he will have the time. Soon I hope though.


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Best of luck on your checkride tomorrow! You're gonna do great!! :thumbsup:
 
Go Mike!

The weather will improve all week in case it's too iffy tomorrow. You will at least knock out the oral.
 
Well, I wonder if there is a drumroll Icon on here? I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for the results and the write up.:)
 
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Congrats! (from another old guy who just passed a couple weeks ago also)
 
Awesome!!!
Congratulations.

Is that your first Pax in the photo?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Awesome!!!
Congratulations.

Is that your first Pax in the photo?
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Actually no, that is my wife and she was moral support today. She gets motion sick easily so she is waiting on a better day. Today was not the best day to fly. However, my 10 year old loves roller coasters so he was willing. Besides, it is his birthday.
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this is my first passenger.


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Oh man. Making some life long memories today.
Just awesome
 
Way to go, Mike! Glad the weather held for you.

I can now officially say, come give your older boy a ride! Time it right and I'LL drive YOU to lunch!

<now I'm getting hungry . . . >
 
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