Life since my checkride in October - next things...

jbrinker

jbrinker

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Aug 28, 2015
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Auburn, NY
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Jbrinker
Passed the PPL checkride back in October. Winter hasn't been very good for flying around here this year, but I've logged about 10h since.

Joined East Hill Flying Club in Ithaca, NY (KITH). Just finished up the mandatory 4-hour checkout in their 172's. Waiting for some decent weather and work schedule to coincide so I can take some friends and family for some sightseeing rides.

Also took possession of my grandfathers old Acrosport II biplane in November, and have that (apart) in a rented hanger for the winter. Plans are to do a fuselage recover and any needed maintenance over the summer. I hope to fly it at the end of the summer/fall 2018.

East Hill has a Citabria. I plan to get some tailwheel time in that and get my endorsement. I know it's not the same as a biplane, but it's what I have for tailwheel at this time.

Also thinking of starting up IFR. My old noodle was pretty stressed with PPL, but apparently I can retain things and did a pretty good job. IFR seems like a LOT of work, but seems like it also opens up a lot of possibilities and will improve my flying in general. East Hill has a certified simulator, so I can log some time there as well and maybe save some $AMUs.

Looking for any advice/opinions on:

- Best way to start out IFR - I was thinking of buying Rob Marchado's book (I really liked his PPL book). East Hill is a part 141 school, so they use the Jeppeson Stuff. I just wanted to start reading and getting this stuff in my noggin ahead of time if I can.

- Any advice on tailwheel transition. I found the Cherokee (PA28-140/160) transition to C172 a pretty much non-event. After about 5 landings I had it down. (C172 definitely glides better, but flies more like an SUV compared to the cherokee).

Glad to be back on POA - haven't had any time at all for it lately.
 
There is a little bit more to a TW transition than transitioning between two tricycle trainers. You have to think differently. It may take more than the 4 hours for the 172 but it may not.

I see they have an older Citabria 7 ECA with the oleo landing gear. Never flown one but have flown Aeronca Champs and Chiefs and they are pretty honest, tame airplanes.
 
ZeroPapaGolf said:
Wow, that’s robbery to require 4 hours in a 172.
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Yeah, well, it is what it is. It also counts for a BFR - of course I dont need one of those since I just got my plastic back in October... I think I can get WINGS credit though, so I will ask for that. Being a 141 school, they have a whole 3-lesson syllabus for new member checkout.

On the bright side, I feel comfortable in teh 172 now, and even learned a thing or two :)

I think it was just about as thorough as my PPL checkride.

There is a little bit more to a TW transition than transitioning between two tricycle trainers. You have to think differently. It may take more than the 4 hours for the 172 but it may not.
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I figured it would take a bit. Since they require 10 hours for signoff to fly the tailwheel solo, I bet they require 10 hours for transition. I have another option, its just not as convenient - J3 cub up at Oswego KFZY. Probably wind up costing less, but take more time to do (travel especially).

I would say to go get some good x-country time before you start on a IR.
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I plan on that this spring. Going to do some 2-3 hour trips. First one I want to do is up to the adirondacks. Might plan a weekend down to VA Beach, or some other east coast beach destination.
 
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Excellent short book. A classic really.

http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilot...MIg4SK6o-m2QIVmLXACh3VswDkEAQYASABEgLDgPD_BwE



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I’m only a bit further along so good to hear your positive approach and desire to keep learning.

I got about 75 hrs post PPL before I started on additional endorsements. Mostly due to time money etc but in hindsight the experience made learning more systems much easier.

Complex was relatively easy and useful.

Tailwheel was hard, but probably the best rudimentary training ever. I went from PA28 series to a 7ECA. Rick Durden’s book The Thinking Pilots Flight Manual is good and has a TW chapter. You have enough experience now for that book to make sense.

I got some aerobatics basics, would like more but hard to find instructors.

Working on IR now. Experience really makes this one easier but is still a hard rating. I bought a lot of books, personally found most of them lousy (esp the Inst Flying Handbook), but the Jeppesen Instrument Commercial: Guided Flight Discovery is simply outstanding. if you can get it in softcover it’s a real gem and you could start reading now.

I sim a lot to sharpen skills and practice IFR routines, but finding now that is beginning to frustrate me due to different avionics especially GPS, creating more taxing learning than helping with IR fundamentals.

Good luck and always keep learning.
 
A couple of thoughts:

1. You really haven't done much flying since passing your private checkride. I wouldn't be so quick to jump into instrument training. You need 50 hours of PIC cross country, work on getting that time and just enjoy flying a little. Once you have 35 or maybe 40 hours of cross country under your belt then I'd start looking into the instrument rating.

2. As has been mentioned already, tailwheel training and learning to takeoff and land a conventional gear airplane is going to be more challenging than flying a 172 or Cherokee. Tailwheel flying is not hard nor magical but conventional gear airplanes are generally less forgiving to poor takeoff and landing techniques. The Citabria will also have more adverse yaw than you're likely used to, so you're going to need to learn what your feet are used for. Getting a tailwheel endorsement may not take too many hours but getting tailwheel proficient may be another matter. The more proficient and current you are in the Citabria will make the transition into the biplane easier.

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the flying you're doing. I think a lot of people get obsessed with training and seeking more certificates and ratings and forget about what brought them to flying in the first place. Slow down and enjoy the journey along the way.
 
@mondtster well said, couldn’t agree more.

It’s so true that the TW endorsement is relatively easy but being proficient takes much more time.

I’d offer a perspective to your comment about just enjoying the flying- which again totally agree. For me, it’s been hard to find a community to enjoy it with, and boring holes in the sky doesn’t excite me. Learning more about the art, becoming more proficient, precise and confident through endorsements and the IR have kept the joy in it.
 
I'm about to finish my IR ground school and looking to take my written in the next few weeks. The content isn't very difficult for me, but I also think my cross country experience has helped a TON. I only have about 130 total hours, but I've had my PPL for a full year, flew 80 hours in that year, and flew a long cross country from Ohio to Virginia to Georgia and back up to Ohio over Christmas that had me go into the DC SFRA, deal with mountain weather patterns (or hill weather for west coasters), real experience in low/marginal VFR, planning fuel stops with no kidding alternates just in case, and flying in/under the Atlanta Bravo.

I would very highly recommend to anybody to have one big (10+ hour) cross country under their belt while using FF before starting their instrument training. It helps put a lot of things into perspective. Maybe plan to use that certified sim next winter when the weather sucks again? lol With that being said, there are a couple guys doing this 141 ground school with me who either just finished their PPL or are still waiting to get their checkride in. Do what makes sense, and if just pushing through and staying in student mode makes sense then go for it!
 
Thanks everyone for perspective and the various reading/training recommendations.

After some thought, I think I will spend some time having fun. I have a couple shortish XCs I'd like to do (2-3hr). That will get me some more real experience in the system. I also am going to start tailwheel training and shelve the IFR stuff for the summer. My earlier goals were to get my PPL, become proficient (I.e. not have issues with reasonable XCs and fun burger runs/breakfasts etc) and learn TW so when it's ready I can eventually fly that biplane!

To become proficient in TW will take time (I was under no illusion that 10 hrs would be enough). So I think that's my next training goal. TW for the summer and "have some fun" with the 172 and go some places. Maybe start IFR over the winter (the school uses the Jeppeson guided series.)

Thinking a trip out to cape cod or somewhere nearby would be a fun weekend for myself and the wife this summer.... She loves beaches and I love seafood...
 
jbrinker said:
Thanks everyone for perspective and the various reading/training recommendations.

After some thought, I think I will spend some time having fun. I have a couple shortish XCs I'd like to do (2-3hr). That will get me some more real experience in the system. I also am going to start tailwheel training and shelve the IFR stuff for the summer. My earlier goals were to get my PPL, become proficient (I.e. not have issues with reasonable XCs and fun burger runs/breakfasts etc) and learn TW so when it's ready I can eventually fly that biplane!

To become proficient in TW will take time (I was under no illusion that 10 hrs would be enough). So I think that's my next training goal. TW for the summer and "have some fun" with the 172 and go some places. Maybe start IFR over the winter (the school uses the Jeppeson guided series.)

Thinking a trip out to cape cod or somewhere nearby would be a fun weekend for myself and the wife this summer.... She loves beaches and I love seafood...
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I think someone mentioned flight following and using it on your flights. Excellent advice as you'll be talking more on the radio with ATC and that will help you when you do go for the Instrument Rating. Have fun!
 
Fly around some. And I wouldn't worry about the tailwheel just yet. Recovering a biplane is a pretty big job, and is likely to take you awhile, especially if you have normal life stuff like job, spouse, spawn, house and all that.
 
jbrinker said:
Thanks everyone for perspective and the various reading/training recommendations.

After some thought, I think I will spend some time having fun. I have a couple shortish XCs I'd like to do (2-3hr). That will get me some more real experience in the system. I also am going to start tailwheel training and shelve the IFR stuff for the summer. My earlier goals were to get my PPL, become proficient (I.e. not have issues with reasonable XCs and fun burger runs/breakfasts etc) and learn TW so when it's ready I can eventually fly that biplane!

To become proficient in TW will take time (I was under no illusion that 10 hrs would be enough). So I think that's my next training goal. TW for the summer and "have some fun" with the 172 and go some places. Maybe start IFR over the winter (the school uses the Jeppeson guided series.)

Thinking a trip out to cape cod or somewhere nearby would be a fun weekend for myself and the wife this summer.... She loves beaches and I love seafood...
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Come up to 0NY0 and let me know when you’re planning on getting here. Don’t plan for much earlier than the last of April, though... maybe early May. Lots of snow on that runway, and it looks like it will be there for a while. :)
 
Just got back from a week in FL with the family. Beautiful weather here in NY today, was going to go fly the 172 but have had a splitting headache all day. IMSAFE and all that, decided to bag it. Did my basic med course on AOPA instead. :)

@Lachlan I might just take you up on that come spring and dry weather. Only rub is the flying club I'm in has pretty strict rules about grass strips. Maybe once signed off I can take the cub from Oswego ....

Anyone have suggestions for a weekend trip down to cape cod? Looks like a number of interesting airports. Thinking if I can get my wife to go it would be fun. I've only been out on the cape once in my life so not too familiar at all.
 
@steingar - The biplane is overall in OK shape. Only recover needed right now is the rudder/fin/turtledeck. Horizontal tail and wings are in good shape, and the whole front is aluminum sheet. God only knows what else I may find, but per other advice, I'm going to draw the line someplace and get it back in the air before taking on a "restoration" project. Really want to get it flying by end of the summer. Weather has been so nice around here lately I'm getting itching for spring...
 
I would skip the tailwheel until your bipe is about ready to fly. You want to get that endorsement, then really hammer the training home by flying a lot in the immediate months after getting it. For a newly acquired skill, taking a break of anything more than a few weeks will set you back considerably.
 
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