So, student pilots.. Who are we and where do we stand?

mmaclauchlan said:
I did it! I flew my solo yesterday at 7.7 hours! The flight itself was like any other (awesome), but it was WEIRD walking out to the plane alone... Getting in alone... Closing the canopy without someone next to me. Once I picked up the checklist it was back to business and the nerves went away. Had a blast!
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I didn't have to walk to the plane alone. My instructor just got out of the plane after he was satisfied with my landings for that session.
 
RingLaserGyroSandwich said:
My checkride is next weekend. I was weathered out last weekend and this weekend, so last chance for me to practice is the day before, but with my luck there will be an F5 tornado over the airport all day. I did simulator training in IMC today as the first lesson for my instruments course in the meantime... it was challenging but I performed pretty well so I anticipate I'll have no trouble with the "hooded" portion of the checkride. He can even make me go partial panel if he wants.

I was provided a scenario to perform the flight planning for, which I took care of today. I had to be pretty careful with fuel planning since a Cessna-152 can't carry much weight and my "friend Jim" is pretty heavy. Without a tailwind (per today's weather) we probably would have needed to land somewhere in the middle to refuel...
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Was able to complete the oral today, but had to discontinue because the weather wasn't good enough to go do the flight portion of the exam. Rescheduled for next weekend. I was very prepared, so I didn't have much difficulty with the questions.
 
RingLaserGyroSandwich said:
Was able to complete the oral today, but had to discontinue because the weather wasn't good enough to go do the flight portion of the exam. Rescheduled for next weekend. I was very prepared, so I didn't have much difficulty with the questions.
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Weather cooperated and I passed the practical portion of the private pilot checkride. I'll have to fit a $200 burger somewhere into my schedule alongside instruments training I'm now starting.

The checkride would have been a bit easier if the heading indicator was actually working, but what can you do.
 
RingLaserGyroSandwich said:
Weather cooperated and I passed the practical portion of the private pilot checkride. I'll have to fit a $200 burger somewhere into my schedule alongside instruments training I'm now starting.

The checkride would have been a bit easier if the heading indicator was actually working, but what can you do.
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Congrats!
 
Did the Aviation Seminars IR weekend course this weekend. I think I’m ready. I remember more than I thought. It was a good refresher with good test tips in it. I hope to take the written this week.

Sample tests 93+

Update: Scheduled for the written at 9AM 3/19. Results (good or bad) to follow.
 
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Just passed my EMB-145 type / ATP; been waiting 40 years for this moment. It was like learning to fly all over again and I can't imagine what challenges await on IOE.
 
Just started flying at the beginning of this year. I currently have about 10 hours had to move to another flight school due to aircraft availability and instructor availability. I am looking forward to getting my written test done and soloing soon.
 
Some more firsts.. First cancellation due to weather.. I was hoping I could at least get one flight in the book before the unpredictable Upstate NY weather reared it's ugly head. First Lesson, Take 2, coming up this Friday.
 
I've set a meeting with a CFII for next Wednesday (3 April) to go over my log book and see what I need to finish. We've discussed doing a series of long weekends as an intensive to finish up. To prepare, I went through my logbook and got all the totals caught up. Apparently I stopped totaling pages in 2008. :oops: Nice thing is, I've been using MyFlightBook so I was able to export my log into an excel spreadsheet and add the total lines at the page boundaries so I didn't have to do all the math. I found a 1 hour error in the pages where I was totaling which I corrected with a not on the first non-totaled page. I found a few errors between MyFlightBook and my paper log. I had a couple of flights that showed up twice in MyFlightBook. At any rate, I'm ready to discuss. I have to go through and sign my log book on each page now...

John
 
I am entirely new to flying. I always wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid, but some rough experiences on a few commercial flights, they kinda scared me out of the idea. Recently, a long road trip to see family took that fear out of me. Interstate travel is horrible, not going to get any better. I decided driving long distances is dumb and I was going to learn to fly and buy a plan or rent one when needed.

Starting asap.
 
Hi all. New to PoA and flying. Working on my PPL. Just crossed 20 hours and soloed yesterday. I’ve been passionate about aviation all my life but limited to simulators until now. Happy to be really flying now!!
 
kaiser said:
Hi all. New to PoA and flying. Working on my PPL. Just crossed 20 hours and soloed yesterday. I’ve been passionate about aviation all my life but limited to simulators until now. Happy to be really flying now!!
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Congrats on the solo!
 
Going to do my first cross country flight today. As long as my instructor feels comfortable after the flight, l will be cleared to go wherever (within reason...) solo. I cannot begin to fathom that freedom.
 
presolo - only 8.8 hours. Already passed ground test. Couple of hours in a cessna 172 and now in a Sport B19. Have a couple of questions regarding weight and balance in the sport if any pilots are out there willing to help. Here are the specs. Latest weight and balance shows weight of 1532 lbs, 108.38 CG, Max weight of 2150. Looking in the POH for serial # after MB-481 (which this one is) - Arms are Front Seats - fwd position 105/aft position 112 - rear seats 142 - baggage 142 - fuel 117. I weigh 210 and CFI weighs 165, normally 30 or 40 gallons of fuel and assuming 5-10 lbs of rear seat/baggage I don't see how this thing balances. I know its a simple task and I'm pretty sure I'm doing it correctly. CFI is looking into it but I wanted some feedback from other pilots to verify If im right or wrong. I just don't think its safe for me to be flying. I've got Foreflight and have added all the information for fwd and aft limits - fwd 111.4 @ 2150/107.8 @1800/ 106.6 @1500 and aft 118.1@2150/118.3@1800/117.3@1532. No matter what type of situation I put into foreflight it doesn't balance for me. I've also done it manually and same result - always fwd of envelope. Am I doing something wrong or do you agree that I shouldn't be flying in this thing
 
Scored an 82 on the knowledge test this morning. Happy because I passed but disappointed that I didn’t score higher. I’ve been making 90+ on practice test for the last 2 weeks and even took one this morning and made a 92. Still happy though. Another step behind me.
 
30 hours private student, here. Post solo, but can't quite get the weather to cooperate for the dual x-country. Scheduled that again for this Sunday, but of course rain is in the forecast. Oh well. At least I have been able to head out to the practice area to practice maneuvers - did steep turns, s-turns, turns around a point again this past weekend.

I have also gotten really really good about doing nav logs and performance sheets for the x-country.... then throwing them in the trash because the weather grounds me lol.

Honestly, I'm already getting checkride jitters. I pass the practice written tests with 95% or better each one and I study the questions all the time on my phone (sporty's has a really good app). But after reading all the horror stories about checkrides and getting failed for little things... I'm nervous. Guess I need to calm down and just stick with the cirriculum and get to the checkride when it's time.
 
henrique silva said:
presolo - only 8.8 hours. Already passed ground test. Couple of hours in a cessna 172 and now in a Sport B19. Have a couple of questions regarding weight and balance in the sport if any pilots are out there willing to help. Here are the specs. Latest weight and balance shows weight of 1532 lbs, 108.38 CG, Max weight of 2150. Looking in the POH for serial # after MB-481 (which this one is) - Arms are Front Seats - fwd position 105/aft position 112 - rear seats 142 - baggage 142 - fuel 117. I weigh 210 and CFI weighs 165, normally 30 or 40 gallons of fuel and assuming 5-10 lbs of rear seat/baggage I don't see how this thing balances. I know its a simple task and I'm pretty sure I'm doing it correctly. CFI is looking into it but I wanted some feedback from other pilots to verify If im right or wrong. I just don't think its safe for me to be flying. I've got Foreflight and have added all the information for fwd and aft limits - fwd 111.4 @ 2150/107.8 @1800/ 106.6 @1500 and aft 118.1@2150/118.3@1800/117.3@1532. No matter what type of situation I put into foreflight it doesn't balance for me. I've also done it manually and same result - always fwd of envelope. Am I doing something wrong or do you agree that I shouldn't be flying in this thing
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I'm perplexed by these numbers as well. With you and CFI in front, even with the seats all the way back, I don't see how this could work.
I can make it work with ONLY you in the front, flying solo. Then the red dot drops below the blue line, putting you in range.
So yeah. Is there a typo somewhere?
CG_screenshot.png
 
Deelee said:
30 hours private student, here. Post solo, but can't quite get the weather to cooperate for the dual x-country. Scheduled that again for this Sunday, but of course rain is in the forecast. Oh well. At least I have been able to head out to the practice area to practice maneuvers - did steep turns, s-turns, turns around a point again this past weekend.

I have also gotten really really good about doing nav logs and performance sheets for the x-country.... then throwing them in the trash because the weather grounds me lol.

Honestly, I'm already getting checkride jitters. I pass the practice written tests with 95% or better each one and I study the questions all the time on my phone (sporty's has a really good app). But after reading all the horror stories about checkrides and getting failed for little things... I'm nervous. Guess I need to calm down and just stick with the cirriculum and get to the checkride when it's time.
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Everyone’s nervous come check ride day. Don’t be concerned the dpe will fail you for a little thing, most won’t. They want to be sure you are a safe pilot and in control of the aircraft. If something starts getting a little off when flying correct it, that is what they are looking for.
 
kath said:
I'm perplexed by these numbers as well. With you and CFI in front, even with the seats all the way back, I don't see how this could work.
I can make it work with ONLY you in the front, flying solo. Then the red dot drops below the blue line, putting you in range.
So yeah. Is there a typo somewhere?
View attachment 73081
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CFI looked into it and agrees. He's getting with the owner of the plane. As for me, I think I'll just go back to the Cessna. Its a shame because the sport was a comfortable, clean plane. Cessna is a school trainer -
 
I met with an Instrument instructor last night. He's capable of doing my intensive IR work. He asked me some questions about technique and advocated some basic changes in how I fly (with sound reasons. He said "You can fly a 172 or Cherokee that way fine, but if you want to move into faster planes you can learn this way and won't have to relearn." And what he suggested made sense to me.) He put me on his simulator (Elite setup with external radio stack, throttle etc.) and had me plan and setup to fly an instrument flight. Then do the radio calls and fly part of it. I'm 1) rusty, 2) was never that good on the radio, 3) that freakin' sim is much more sensitive than the airplane! He agreed and said the sim will reach out and slap you if you're sloppy. Probably good training. Anyway, I've got the pricing, I've got a trip planned for work next week, then we'll see.
 
1RTK1 said:
What was his suggestions for changing your flying technique??
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He advocates using the trim adjustment for climbs and descents in cruise-specifically for flying IFR. His point is a simple adjustment of trim without touching anything else also means you can undo it with a simple adjustment of trim. Once stable on cruise climb airspeed, if I wanted a faster climb rate, then use the throttle.

He asked me how I'd climb from 2000 to 3000 feet. My response was, use the yoke to pitch for cruise climb using the AI for reference, then open the throttle. I commented that for a 1000 climb I wouldn't bother with trim (and that's true, I wouldn't in the 172. If it was climbing from 2000 to 6-8000 I'd trim.)

John
 
Hoping for PPL before my 60th birthday which is a year away. Trouble with training and retaining CFI's. Took a couple years off for medical and citizenship. Restarted training early last year and try to get in two lessons a week but weather here is problematic sometimes. Have a great CFI now and getting close to 70 hours total over about 5 years, but no mention of a solo. Wish me luck.
 
Hi guys... Some time lurker, first time poster!

My flight training story comes in two parts: In college I majored in Aerospace Engineering, and took some flight lessons as well because I had a lot of friends that were in my University's flight program. I solo'ed after only 9 hours and eventually stopped due to funds and putting focus on my engineering track.

This year, after more than 25 years of my first time around, I restarted my lessons and Im currently at 7.5 hours. Im not really counting my 11 hours logged in my old log book and just assuming that Im restarting from scratch.

A lot has changed in since the last time I flew! Back then I was in an old 152 with all steam gauges and carburetor heat and whatnot. Now I fly a 172S with Garmin G1000 and its a lot more complicated! Noise-canceling headsets vs my old Dave Clarks! iPads and whatnot! I however, am still old school in that I wanna reply on sight-based training as much as possible and not rely on iPads and other technical stuff. I feel like I can move on to those tools after nailing down the basics. There are enough distractions in the new glass cockpit as it is.

Im loving the challenge. I do find that Im a little slower in taking it all in now than I was back then... i dont think I'll be soloing anytime soon - although I dont really care about the hours-to-solo stat (I was determined to do it in under 10 hours when I was young haha!).

Anyways, wanted to share my story.

f.
 
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Welcome to you. So your slower in taking it all in? Let me tell you.... as a 59 yr old, been a student off and on for eight years. Have seventy hours in and still haven't soloed.....but we are getting close. Yesterday was a wonderful day for landings and did my first soft field and then this showed up in my log book. We will get there. See you in the pattern!
 

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Dean Dyke said:
Welcome to you. So your slower in taking it all in? Let me tell you.... as a 59 yr old, been a student off and on for eight years. Have seventy hours in and still haven't soloed.....but we are getting close. Yesterday was a wonderful day for landings and did my first soft field and then this showed up in my log book. We will get there. See you in the pattern!
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Good luck! With patience and perseverance you'll prevail! !!!

f.
 
Dean Dyke said:
Welcome to you. So your slower in taking it all in? Let me tell you.... as a 59 yr old, been a student off and on for eight years. Have seventy hours in and still haven't soloed.....but we are getting close. Yesterday was a wonderful day for landings and did my first soft field and then this showed up in my log book. We will get there. See you in the pattern!
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Hang in there! It only took me 23 years to get my private. :D
 
I'm 2 hours in to my SPL and have a ways to go! Really enjoyed flying in a Piper Cub J3 for my first time up.
 
Great Pic
Jamie Kirk said:
Still haven’t flown with the school or regular CFI due to their planes being down.

Been going up in my plane racking up hours. If this continues I’ll ditch the school and finish in my own plane.

Went up tonight for my first night landings. CFI took me through one of the local canyons at sunset.

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!
 
Guess I'll chime in here - I've been a wanna-be pilot since I was about 10 years old. Joined the USAF at 19 but went into Electronics rather than anything aviation related. Never took advantage of the Aero Clubs as I was too busy doing junior enlisted stuff...then got married and didn't have the $$ to fly...then went back to get my Bachelor's degree so didn't have the time or the $$ to fly, then retired from active duty and got a civilian job. Traded in the first wife for another one, but had two kids to raise so again, didn't have the time or $$ to fly - although I did log a few hours here and there via a friend who was a CFI (former USAF pilot, too) but never got serious about it until about a month and a half ago.

So at age 57 I picked a local flight school, signed up for the ground school and did about 30 hours of classroom and then hit another school that had aircraft and CFIs available - so I'm doing the final prep for my written test and flying when I can - at about 6 hours dual now, but the weather in SC this time of year is problematic, to say the least. Anyhow...I read anything and everything I can about flying now, I think about flying all the time, I dream about flying, and like many others, every time I fly I realize just how much I DON'T know about flying! LOL!!

Like many of y'all here, I've taken a long, circuitous route to where I am but in some ways I think it's going to make me a better pilot than I'd have been if I'd had done this in my 20s. I'm not sure how long it's going to take to knock off this first step (PPL) and what other endorsements or paths I'm going to follow going forward, but so far it's sure been fun.

Finally, thanks to everyone who posts here on these forums - you all are a wealth of information on a variety of subjects and I hope to maybe bump into some of y'all in the future (figuratively speaking, of course).
 
Aced my presolo test and got insurance recommended by my CFI so solo can't be too far right? Can't stop thinking about it.
 
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