Documenting every hour

Alex your videos are not bad at all. Your instructor is top notch. In the hour 10 vlog, your instructor told you he was going to show you a trick on keeping things square but that got edited out. I think I know what the "trick" was but for someone who is trying to learn how to fly, they will never know. I don't know your end game or goal in your vlogging but I'd hope it would be to show others the process of flying the airplane rather than your accomplishments on getting your private pilot's certificate.
 
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Timbeck2 said:
Alex your videos are not bad at all. Your instructor is top notch. In the hour 10 vlog, your instructor told you he was going to show you a trick on keeping things square but that got edited out. I think I know what the "trick" was but for someone who is trying to learn how to fly, they will never know. I don't know your end game or goal in your vlogging but I'd hope it would be to show others the process of flying the airplane rather than your accomplishments on getting your private pilot's certificate.
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vlogging is just my hobby -
 
Got it but posting on media is more than just vlogging. You asked for suggestions, I just gave you one. I'll rephrase my original post:

For someone watching your videos who wants to learn from them, don't edit out the things your instructor shows you because they can be very beneficial to others. How's that?

Keep up the good work.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Got it but posting on media is more than just vlogging. You asked for suggestions, I just gave you one. I'll rephrase my original post:

For someone watching your videos who wants to learn from them, don't edit out the things your instructor shows you because they can be very beneficial to others. How's that?

Keep up the good work.
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understand - thanks for the input @Timbeck2
 
I can't view your videos now, work is blocking whatever you use to host them. As far as who I am watching when I can't be up flying myself, I find myself watching Steveo1kinevo the most, followed by flight chops, Guido Warnecke, MzeroA, and Backcountry aviation. Some people on here are saying they don't like watching longer videos. As a student pilot if I have a lot of spare time, I will find myself watching other student pilot videos to learn from and try to evaluate them myself. I plan on filming with 1 camera when I get to solo to be able to re-watch and evaluate.
 
AlexEdit said:
I am expecting each flight to be around 35 to 40 minutes because I will edit out a lot of the ground and a lot of the cruising that doesn't add any learning to the flight.
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I thought hour 8 was great. Keep up the good work! Nice editing to keep it flowing.
 
AlexEdit said:
Hi All -
I am brand new to this forum and glad I found it.
I am a student pilot and looking to read more and learn more from other experiences.

I am documenting every single hour of my journey and posting it on youtube on a weekly basis. Hopefully this will help me get better and help others as well.

So, what are the top 5 things I should work the hardest on?

Currently on hour 11.

Thanks

Alex -
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You say in the hour 8 video that you started and stopped a couple of times in attempting to get your Private Cert., so, is the hour 8 total time including the previous instructors/attempts?
 
Alex, I enjoyed the videos. Great job editing and it's helpful for those of us in the same position as you! Keep it up
 
GrahamC said:
Except for the fact that it looks like his instructor doesn't like to use his shoulder harness. *tisk tisk*
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I don't think there is one, the straps on the left seater are from some type of gopro chest rig.
 
Hmm. That's interesting. I don't know enough about older Pipers to know if any were built sans shoulder harness. I'll have to do some poking around.
 
Perhaps the instructor just prefers to be "thrown clear" in the event of an accident.
 
So long as you're not messing with the cameras during the flight, I don't see any downside to what you're doing. Are other people apt to watch that much video? Perhaps not, but if you find the video documentation valuable and the review provides dividends, so be it.

My only other concern would be whether you find your mind drifting to your video setup while you're flying, thus reducing your ability to focus on the task at hand. In particular this would concern me when you're flying solo, which is coming up rather soon now.

I cranked out most of my private pilots before the age of GoPro, but I remember being asked about bringing cameras and such, particularly on solo cross-countries. My answer was no - don't bring, don't use. Just focus on the task at hand. "You can take all the pictures you want when you're on your own ticket," I'd say. So don't let this be a distraction for you -- before, during, or after your instructional flights.

Otherwise, have fun.
 
AlexEdit said:
Here is hour 9 video - at this point I still only had 3 cameras. From hour 11 on there will be more. You're creative criticism would be greatly appreciated.

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I watched the rest of these, I like 'em. I think the length is fine. There isn't dead time, its the 10 minutes of straight and level that makes these type of video's hard to watch. I found yours kept my interest. I like the new wing mount angle, you can see straight ahead in the far left of the frame.
 
Here is hour 11 - hour 12 is almost edited -
would love your feedback guys! thanks to all those that have provided feedback

 
AlexEdit said:
Here is hour 11 - hour 12 is almost edited -
would love your feedback guys! thanks to all those that have provided feedback

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Looks like fun and you got a little taste of weather without being unsafe. I think the only nitpick I have is that at 10 hours I'd probably not be looking in my lap as the CFI when taxiing, and therefore I wouldn't be distracted from asking you if you had the controls held in the proper position for the winds during taxi. :-)

You had enough wind blowing that those ailerons and elevator should have been locked over in the correct direction and you want that behavior on the ground to become automatic. Look at the windsock or use the ATIS information or AWOS and put them where they need to be and reassess at every turn on the ground.

Looks like you're struggling a bit with airspeed being too fast on final but at 10 hours that's not abnormal. And it's better than too slow. :-)

I think your instructor will focus on that and smoothing up your pattern work and making it all consistent and second nature and then you'll solo. Don't worry about it too much -- he'll make sure you're safe for that before it happens and there's no rush. Lots to learn after solo, so don't make it a huge thing in your head. It's still a day you'll never forget, but don't stress over it. It'll happen when it happens.

Liked that your instructor let you make the mistake with the radios and everyone does it. Even folks with hundreds of hours flying. You recovered just fine and fixed it with him saying very little about it and encouraging you to do it yourself.

Expect as you get more consistent for him to get quieter. He will have to say less and less as you remember what he said before and apply it yourself all the way around the pattern. Just think through every step before it happens and keep thinking ahead and you'll be golden.

All those little items he's rattling off, you'll hear him saying those in your head when he's not there. Centerline, nose on the horizon, pick a spot to stay lined up, turn after you reach X feet, watch for the runway out the side window for alignment, pick another spot to aim at, nose stays on the horizon, speed check, another turn, make sure the wind isn't blowing you into or away from the runway, crab as needed to stay parallel, power back a bit as speed builds as you level off at pattern altitude, etc etc etc.

I know also that you're still in a bit of an overloaded phase, but I'd be working the use of a checklist or at least an out loud memorized items list into the routine. I didn't see a checklist anywhere in the video but I know it's edited and there's cuts to the timeline. Appropriate checklist use is a required ACS item and if you're going to progress through and past the Private rating it'll be required on every checkride from now until you're dead. ;-) Might as well build that checklist muscle now.

All of the above is nitpicks so you have some new challenges and goals. I see nothing bad in the video. Just more things to learn. And that's exactly where you're at. Keep going. Looks like a blast both for you and the instructor. He won't show it, he'll just sit over there and teach, but he's likely having a good time doing it. I saw him sneak a few grins over there. He obviously likes to encourage too.

Instructors are weird. We like it when you make a little mistake and move to correct it. That shows your judgement and skill is growing and we like that part.

That wing camera angle is weird by the way. It makes it hard to see your pitch corrections and relative position of the nose to the runway. You might be better served bringing that camera inside and pointing it at the runway from aircraft center or close. I felt like you were crabbing sideways to the runway when you weren't with the wide angle lens. I couldn't get any feel at all for your coordination of aileron and rudder from that angle.
 
The setup will do you well once you have your private and can actually go somewhere interesting.

As it is, I wouldn't expect many views. If I'm watching an aviation video, 10-15 minutes is about my max and it better be interesting. Usually involving cool scenery, backcountry flying, or the like. Watching primary training is about like watching paint dry.
 
FYI, he has posted up to flight hour 13:


 
I think this is great! Captivating intros, good narration, and a good on-camera interactions between you and the instructor. A lot of customers are walking in my door having watched hours and hours of footage like this, so I can assure you that people who are interested in aviation will certainly watch.

As someone who's been in the PPL training environment for a while, I get enjoyment out of watching other instructors teach. The relationship between you and your instructor is very positive.

With respect to Hour 13, the only thing I would suggest is tuning to an actual ATC frequency or Guard (121.5) when you make a real-world emergency call. There's no guarantee that pilots on the practice area Multicom are going to be available to hear your mayday call.
 
My advice: Worry about learning how to fly and not so much about capturing every last minute of it. I mean, what's the point? To REALLY learn how to fly, or to SHOW people you're learning how to fly? Whatever floats your boat though.
 
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