CPO : A Pilot in Training : This is my Journey

jimbilly said:
Student pilot here, so grain of salt included with this post...
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Just to clarify a slip is used to rapidly reduce your altitude. If from my sight picture I know I'm a bit high and can't correct it with just throttling out... well I go around... but if I didn't want to go around I could slip it a few to lose some altitude. If you are slipping on a cross wind landing to try to game the wind push then you're it wrong, feel the plane out and make the adjustments on approach.

Dancing is referring to the use of rudder pedals. You're moving your feet back and forth so much it's as if you are 'dancing'. Personally the use of rudders wasn't something I really got decent on until maybe hour 75. I remember the landing where it was a cross wind and I rode on one main for a bit using my rudder to keep center-line until the other main came down.
 
Okie, maybe I'm confused or you are or I'm just confusing you. I was referring to a forward slip when talking about CPO's video. I was referring to a side slip or at least attempted side slip when talking about my landing adventures. (The typical cross wind correction technique) I guess the one where the crosswind faded ended up being an unintentional forward slip. I wasn't trying to use it to get down.
 
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Okay I see what you're saying now. I thought you were saying you were forward slipping your crosswind landings which seems like a mess.
 
So...yeah...jimbilly...you are correct. My forward slip was to the stops on the rudder. It was much more than I guess you can see in the video at first glance. Either way...it was pushed as far sideways that it would go with that configuration and wind conditions.
 
CPO Flight Lesson 5 : C152 Steep Turns, Slow Flight, Stalls, Simulated Instrument

Video is 45 minutes long. I accidentally ended up with a bunch of dead space at the end...so it appears to be much longer on the YouTube timer. I'll fix it later when I have some time.

Do you like this wider angle view from the back?

 
Steep turns always interesting. My first ones had me oogling that we could be banked that steep and still have enough lift to be airborne.
 
cipio said:
. Do you like this wider angle view from the back?
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For seeing the attitude of the plane, definitely, yes. Very nice.
I think what I "want" would actually require two cameras, and professional-level editing to combine the two images: one camera focused on (and properly exposing) the full instrument panel, and a second camera looking out the windshield (and properly exposing) for the exterior view. At some point in the distant past, I saw a video with one camera that had a neutral-density filter over the upper half of the lens, so as not to overexpose the exterior view, but it still wasn't perfect (and wouldn't be good for flights other than those in bright sunshine / mid-day variety, without adjusting the ND filter).
 
Tip regarding turns in a high wing: I like to clear the airspace I am headed into before actually going there, while maneuvering or training. That means that if I am about to turn right, I lift the right wing momentarily by raising it in a quick roll of about 20 degrees, with the nose always pointing forward (using the rudder to keep it there). I take a careful look-see under the raised wing, and immediately lower it to a coordinated 20-30 degrees bank into the desired turn. This "pre clearing" maneuver takes a couple of extra seconds, but gives me confidence there is nobody hiding behind the high wing before I turn in that direction. It's not super popular with passengers, for obvious reasons, but instructors don't mind it, and it adds to my peace of mind (and maybe longevity) in a high wing.
 
RotorDude said:
Tip regarding turns in a high wing: I like to clear the airspace I am headed into before actually going there, while maneuvering or training. That means that if I am about to turn right, I lift the right wing momentarily by raising it in a quick roll of about 20 degrees, with the nose always pointing forward (using the rudder to keep it there). I take a careful look-see under the raised wing, and immediately lower it to a coordinated 20-30 degrees bank into the desired turn. This "pre clearing" maneuver takes a couple of extra seconds, but gives me confidence there is nobody hiding behind the high wing before I turn in that direction. It's not super popular with passengers, for obvious reasons, but instructors don't mind it, and it adds to my peace of mind (and maybe longevity) in a high wing.
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I do the same thing before a clearing turn if it's been awhile since we checked the airspace around us.
 
cipio said:
I do the same thing before a clearing turn if it's been awhile since we checked the airspace around us.
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Well, if you agree with the concept, you need to do it before any turn, not just a clearing turn. In fact, I sometimes do it even when straight and level in busy airspace, and of course when traffic is being called out by ATC. One big disadvantage a high wing has over a low wing is those big blind spots around 9 and 3 o'clock high, so compensating for it can't hurt.
 
RotorDude said:
Well, if you agree with the concept, you need to do it before any turn, not just a clearing turn. In fact, I sometimes do it even when straight and level in busy airspace, and of course when traffic is being called out by ATC. One big disadvantage a high wing has over a low wing is those big blind spots around 9 and 3 o'clock high, so compensating for it can't hurt.
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Agreed. I don't do it every time yet...but I bet I do it about 50-75% of the time, usually I remember to do it when we turn after doing a non-turning exercise. If we've been doing turning maneuvers, I tend to not do it for each individual turn....not necessarily because I don't think it's a good idea.
 
cipio said:
Agreed. I don't do it every time yet...but I bet I do it about 50-75% of the time, usually I remember to do it when we turn after doing a non-turning exercise. If we've been doing turning maneuvers, I tend to not do it for each individual turn....not necessarily because I don't think it's a good idea.
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I agree that it can become impractical to do it every time, but after a while it can be the equivalent of looking both ways before crossing the street. Passengers definitely don't like it, and when IFR/VMC it's a distraction, so we need to strike a reasonable balance, like everything else in life.
 
I like the wide angle much better. Keep these videos coming. I feel like you're getting so much more value from your lessons by recording them. I forget a lot of mine after a few days off. It's a good memory jogger for me to watch yours. Thanks
 
CPO Flight Lesson 6 : C152 Steep Turns, Slow Flight, Stalls, Turn Around a Point, Sim Inst , Sim Eng Outs

In this video, we did a lot of review and practice of previously learned maneuvers. However, we did start to dive more into emergency (engine-out) procedures. I also did short field takeoffs during this lesson.

I see a lot of things I can do better in this video. I also keep forgetting to close my non-towered radio transmissions properly. I have many years of using a radio where I didn't have that extra bit of information tagged on the end, so I just have to force myself to get out of former habits.

I've been posting this info at the end of the videos, but here is where I am at right now in my training (I imagine most of you don't actually watch the video to the very end):

Logbook Totals:

ASEL Dual: 8.4 hrs
Simulated Instrument: 0.4 hrs
Landings: 12

We did talk about the path forward with regard to my first solo. My AME appt is next Friday, so I should be able to get that out of the way. I've "learned" everything I need for the solo...now I just need to practice. My CFI said that she generally likes to see her students get about 30-40 landings in before the solo...that's probably about where I'll be by the time I get my medical and student license....so I think everything is tracking nice. The next lesson (which has already occurred) was just a pattern lesson with about 7 more landings....so it's actually going by pretty fast now. Let's just hope the weather holds.

 
Looking good!

One little thing, more of a thing that I find annoying.

Before you take the runway you are saying "...... will be taking runway 10 for takeoff" however, instead of it being a heads up, you are actually taking the runway right after that radio call.

Since you are taking the runway right after you say that. I think you should say "..... taking runway 10 for takeoff"

I was taught to give a radio call prior to taking the runway as a heads up. It would be something like this.

1. Do my run-up, then make this call "tipton traffic, 788 Mike will be departing runway 10 momentarily" (this is good because it give traffic in the area a heads up and a chance to respond while you taxi up to the hold short line.

2. make this type of call prior to actually taking the runway. "tipton traffic, 788 Mike, rolling on(or taking) runway 10, right down wind departure to the west(or closed traffic etc)."

I like to let people know whats going on the best I can and give more opportunity for someone to respond.

Aside from that, you are progressing well! :)
 
I figured you would have your IR by now. ;)

Being honest, Closing in on 300 hours and I hate steep turns. Give me stalls any day.
I dislike pulling Gs in a plane. I have done the aerobatic ride and what not but locking into that groove in a turn makes me uncomfortable. Mentally, I know the plane is not going to break apart but those turns for whatever reason make me sweat.
 
You appear to be landing it on your own well.
Solo may be on the horizon
 
warthog1984 said:
SixPapaCharlie said:
I figured you would have your IR by now. ;)

Being honest, Closing in on 300 hours and I hate steep turns. Give me stalls any day.
I dislike pulling Gs in a plane.
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Add 200rpm and a couple rolls of up trim and the Gs go away.
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There is no way to maintain altitude and not increase G force, regardless of what you do with power or trim.

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jesse said:
There is no way to maintain altitude and not increase G force, regardless of what you do with power or trim.

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Incorrect! As long as the vertical lift component = gravity, you can maintain a 10, 30, or 60 degree bank at 1G.

While the Tangent plot is a good concept to show the total lift vs vertical lift, it only is strictly controlling if you pull through the turn.
 
warthog1984 said:
Incorrect! As long as the vertical lift component = gravity, you can maintain a 10, 30, or 60 degree bank at 1G.

While the Tangent plot is a good concept to show the total lift vs vertical lift, it only is strictly controlling if you pull through the turn.
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Uh..what?

<insert a bunch of technical counter points I'm too tired to type>

How about you come show me how to perform a constant 60 degree bank in an airplane, while maintaining a constant altitude, and 1G..and I'll..uhh..buy you a beer..and spend the rest of the night in a terribly depressed state questioning everything I know about the world.
 
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Steep turns are fun. Never bothered me. 60 (-1 for the pedantic) is more fun than 45.
 
Here's the cloudahoy debrief of that turn around a point from the lesson 6 video. I actually did better than I thought. The 360s are too fast and tight to show up. I am finding that cloudahoy with my cell phone just doesn't have the speed/accuracy to work that well. Anyway...the house right in the middle of the circle was the one I was turning around...

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And for fun...here's the cloudahoy debrief from lesson #7 (which you haven't seen yet). I was beating up the pattern....and as you can see, with the gps accuracy, cloudahoy isn't super helpful here, unless you like abstract art. ;-)

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I like steep turns but always in the back of my mind is, "a plane can stall at any speed" yada yada yada...
 
CPO,
Did you notice you both called left base on lesson 6, landing #3. You were right base. She set you up on that one. :)

Thanks for posting these.
 
DFH65 said:
I like steep turns but always in the back of my mind is, "a plane can stall at any speed" yada yada yada...
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You know, it's very true that you can make the airplane stall at any speed (well, up to Va -- you might break it before you stall it above that). Or any attitude.

But what isn't true is that it does it without warning. Sometimes the warning might be relatively brief, as in a strongly slipping stall, but there is always SOME warning. Even leaving out the annoying stall warning.

Do some more stalls, including in a steep turn, so you can feel what they feel like. Hint: it's gonna require some biceps, even in a 172 and even if you trim for the turn.

And you do this at thousands of feet AGL just in case you do ignore all that and screw up. Learn to recover instinctively so that is just not a factor. Stalls do not need to be scary.

Honestly, you're at much more risk of stalling doing normal turns in slow flight.

If you want to see what these airplanes can REALLY do, ask your instructor to demonstrate a canyon turn. 80 knots, 10 flaps, 60 deg bank, full power, pull 'till the stall warning goes off. Steep turns are for wimps….
 
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My instructor did that to demonstrate accelerated stalls. It was fun.

As far as cloud ahoy, that's weird. Mine always showed all the ground track stuff perfectly with a very occasional jog in the wrong direction. Nothing that extreme though. Maybe try an external GPS receiver?
 
jimbilly said:
CPO,
Did you notice you both called left base on lesson 6, landing #3. You were right base. She set you up on that one. :)

Thanks for posting these.
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Ha! I never even caught that. I said exactly what she told me too! haha! It's quite confusing without that tho...since R/W 10 is right hand traffic and R/W 28 is left hand traffic. Every day it seems to switch back and forth for us!
 
Going in for my medical exam today... wish me luck!
 
Whew! HUGE weight lifted...

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It was easy...very easy. But...only because I was prepared.
I had all of the medical records he needed to see, including the most important - a letter from my primary care physician stating that I was in good health and experiencing no adverse side effects from medications or previous surgical procedures.
 

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Yup. that could have been a show stopper. Glad all went well! Continue on.....
 
CPO Flight Lesson 7 : C152 Pattern Work, Engine Outs, Go Arounds

 
Walboy said:
CPO,

You're doing great! I bet you are your flight instructor's dream student. At this pace you'll be a private pilot by fourth of July.

Keep up the good work!
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Thanks, Walboy. I bet it takes me longer than July, but if it works out that would be fantastic!
 
Looks like you are progressing nicely on your training. You'll solo in no time!
 
I love these videos. They remind me so much of my primary training.

You're doing really well.... You study and prepare and it shows...
 
damn dude you are well on your way to solo.
Whats the over under on CPO's solo Hour?

I say lesson 10
 
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