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

I'm 27 hours into private pilot training at KHFD and just waiting for the weather to cooperate to get my first solo in. Also in ground school with about 4 weeks left. I'm planning to take the written soon after the class is complete.
 
eyes2sky said:
I'm 27 hours into private pilot training at KHFD and just waiting for the weather to cooperate to get my first solo in. Also in ground school with about 4 weeks left. I'm planning to take the written soon after the class is complete.
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im actually flying there tomorrow morning out of KFRG. tomorrow is supposed to be gorgeous. try to take advantage of the good weather tomorrow if you can.
 
jordane93 said:
im actually flying there tomorrow morning out of KFRG. tomorrow is supposed to be gorgeous. try to take advantage of the good weather tomorrow if you can.
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It does look great for tomorrow, enjoy it! I'm stuck with work tomorrow, next attempt is Sunday.
 
momalley said:
I just got back from HFD for my night XC. Nice view as you takeoff runway 2
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Yeah it is (at least for a small city like HFD). I got to squeeze in some landings a couple weeks ago at twilight and that was cool, until my flaring fell apart with the change in lighting. Got plenty of other things to sort out before I worry about night stuff.
 
My last 4 (!) lessons have been canceled due to weather. Starting to get worried I won't get my checkride done before the end of the year.
 
I passed my written today.....however weather does not look too good for the next 10 days. I need to get my long xc done and then will schedule the DPE....getting there :)
 

  1. I just got back into flight training. after a 5 year hiatus due to being ran over by a drunk on my way to my checkride. was pulling into the airport on my motorcycle when this losser just nails me in this crappy truck he decided to go around me while I was turning.

  • I was ****ed to say the least and my checkguy freaked out. broke my left leg in about 4 places and wear a brace on my left foot. I am going back to basics in a cessna 152 and starting from scratch. the cool part was the faa guy checked up on me in hospital. told him give me time and i would be back. Couldnt help it asked faa guy how was my landing:rofl:
    ​
 
c152roadkill said:

  1. I just got back into flight training. after a 5 year hiatus due to being ran over by a drunk on my way to my checkride. was pulling into the airport on my motorcycle when this losser just nails me in this crappy truck he decided to go around me while I was turning.

  • I was ****ed to say the least and my checkguy freaked out. broke my left leg in about 4 places and wear a brace on my left foot. I am going back to basics in a cessna 152 and starting from scratch. the cool part was the faa guy checked up on me in hospital. told him give me time and i would be back. Couldnt help it asked faa guy how was my landing:rofl:
    ​
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Ouch. Hopefully things go well for you this time. Good Luck!
 
Doing pattern-work today in preparation for my first XC this weekend!
 
NJP_MAN said:
How does POA feel about using pre-made CFI lesson plans for the checkride? I have been typing up as much stuff as possible but I think having some tried and true lesson plans would be effective.
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I crafted mine based on premade lesson plans, but I definitely changed them a good bit.
 
NJP_MAN said:
How does POA feel about using pre-made CFI lesson plans for the checkride? I have been typing up as much stuff as possible but I think having some tried and true lesson plans would be effective.
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I found some really good ones for private and commercial on a website and did a little customizing. Printed them out and had them in binders for checkride.

When the FSDO Inspector asked to see my lesson plans...I showed him what I had come up with and told him that I had copied them from another instructors website (it was open code and OK to download) and tweaked them a little.

His comment was something along the lines of "Good job!...No sense re-inventing the wheel if someone already has one that fits your teaching style" IIRC, we went over one or two plans that he picked out and then moved on to other things.

Mike
 
MikeELP said:
I found some really good ones for private and commercial on a website and did a little customizing. Printed them out and had them in binders for checkride.

When the FSDO Inspector asked to see my lesson plans...I showed him what I had come up with and told him that I had copied them from another instructors website (it was open code and OK to download) and tweaked them a little.

His comment was something along the lines of "Good job!...No sense re-inventing the wheel if someone already has one that fits your teaching style" IIRC, we went over one or two plans that he picked out and then moved on to other things.

Mike
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This is where I'm at right now. I have some I found online and I have also created a good deal of my own just to get a feel of how to make them too. We are sending in my application next week and I will study till the very last minute.
 
I've been trying to get a ball rolling for about 10 years now. Got about 3.5 hours in 2003, had to stop. Taken a few short flights since then, with the most recent being about 2 hours this past summer. All-in-all, I've got just under 10 hours logged in my book since July of 2003 - but I don't really "count" those toward my experience, since it's been so sporadic.

This coming week, I'll be "officially" beginning my path toward the PPL in earnest and hopefully being able to fly a couple times a week. I'm setting a goal for finishing up in 50 hours or less.
 
Good news bad news for me.

Good news - Passed my oral and practical tests on Wednesday :D

Bad news - FBO at the local airport where I was renting is going out of business tomorrow, so no more local rentals for who knows how long. Next closest airport to rent from is about a 45 minute drive each way.
 
Congrats on passing the checkride... that sucks that you won't have access to a rental. Maybe someone else will come in and do something or buy up the old FBO's assets.
 
FredFenster said:
Good news bad news for me.

Good news - Passed my oral and practical tests on Wednesday :D

Bad news - FBO at the local airport where I was renting is going out of business tomorrow, so no more local rentals for who knows how long. Next closest airport to rent from is about a 45 minute drive each way.
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A 45 min drive each way would save me a half hour of driving. I'm an hour+ each way to get to an airplane. anyhow.. Congratulations! That's the big part!! :D
 
FredFenster said:
Good news bad news for me.

Good news - Passed my oral and practical tests on Wednesday :D

Bad news - FBO at the local airport where I was renting is going out of business tomorrow, so no more local rentals for who knows how long. Next closest airport to rent from is about a 45 minute drive each way.
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congrats!!
 
fiveoboy01 said:
Congrats on passing the checkride... that sucks that you won't have access to a rental. Maybe someone else will come in and do something or buy up the old FBO's assets.
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Thanks :D

For now the county is taking over the operations, but they don't want anything to do with owning or renting aircraft from the sound of it. The flight instructors here are trying to get another flight school to base one of their aircraft here but nothing has been set yet.



JasonM said:
A 45 min drive each way would save me a half hour of driving. I'm an hour+ each way to get to an airplane. anyhow.. Congratulations! That's the big part!! :D
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I guess I'm spoiled, I live pretty close to the airport. On most of the overhead pictures of the airport you can see my house!
 
Completed my long solo xc this morning. All that's left is a little hood time and check ride prep. CFI is contacting the DPE this evening or tomorrow to schedule.
 
Just completed my solo cross country this morning - was fairly uneventful until I got back to the home airfield and things got a bit bumpy on approach. Unfortunately the hills and trees at my home airfield make it one of the more challenging ones I've landed at. Made it down fine though I was a bit fast - wasn't one of my best landings. Especially with the bumps I need to be careful about get-there-itis.

One thing I do need to work on is my position reporting to ATC. On my initial call for flight following I reported my distance as being much closer to the primary airport they served than I actually was. I was in fact exactly where I thought I was, but I'm still getting used to the sense of distance. Probably wasted a bit of the controller's time looking for me in the wrong place when I was probably still outside their sector - fortunately they weren't too busy.
 
It's helpful to have a ruler marked in NM to place on your sectional for distance reporting. Also the magenta flags can let you give ATC a landmark without any distance information. Use the class C and D distance rings to get an idea of scale... I know my thumb width is 5NM on a sectional.
 
AtlantaFalcons said:
PPL checkride countdown. I passed the written, I'm taking a mock oral on Friday and a mock checkride Flight on Saturday. All my requirements are done and all my maneuvers are in spec. 45.4 hours training so far.

On one hand I can't believe it's here so soon, but on the other hand I really do feel ready. I started training in the beginning of August and it's already December. Bring it on! I can't wait to have my license!
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Good luck. I'm in the same position as you. Stage check on Thursday and schedule the CFI-A
 
FredFenster said:
Good news bad news for me.

Good news - Passed my oral and practical tests on Wednesday :D

Bad news - FBO at the local airport where I was renting is going out of business tomorrow, so no more local rentals for who knows how long. Next closest airport to rent from is about a 45 minute drive each way.
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Congrats on passing the checkride! You got the big investment out of the way. 45 min is a pain, but at least you don't have to start with a new instructor and plane.
 
My luck continues. I've flown exactly one time since my solo a couple weeks ago. Weather was bad the one time I flew and was worse the other times I had scheduled. Weather is great today but the fuel truck is down. I went ahead and added 2 more lessons this week for a total of 4. Hopefully the truck will be ready today so I can squeeze a flight in still.
 
CFII add-on=complete. Now to find the time/money to get my Multi Engine add-on.
 
55 years old and began my training in August fulfilling a life long dream to become a pilot. My dad had a Piper Cub before I was born and flew it last with my mom when she was 7 month pregnant with me. He couldn't afford to fly after I came. My first memory in life was that yellow plane in the garage with the wings off. When I get my license, I plan to go pick him up and take him for a ride. I have about 20 hours so far and just soloed and loving it.
 
48dodge said:
My luck continues. I've flown exactly one time since my solo a couple weeks ago. Weather was bad the one time I flew and was worse the other times I had scheduled. Weather is great today but the fuel truck is down. I went ahead and added 2 more lessons this week for a total of 4. Hopefully the truck will be ready today so I can squeeze a flight in still.
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Well, today was absolutely perfect weather-wise. The front strut decided to give up the ghost, though. I swear if I can't get rid of this black cloud over my head I may need to take up underwater basket weaving. They're going to go ahead and take the 172 over for its annual a few hours early and pick up the 150 that went through a MOH. Not sure if I'll fly the 150, though. Both CFI and I are right around 200lbs each. Hopefully the 172 will be back in action before too long. Really sucks because winds were dead calm for the entire time I had my lesson scheduled this am. Still only 5kts from the S. Conditions are supposed to be the same for the rest of the week, too. Well, we can at least knock out some ground in preparation for XC.
 
48dodge said:
Well, today was absolutely perfect weather-wise. The front strut decided to give up the ghost, though. I swear if I can't get rid of this black cloud over my head I may need to take up underwater basket weaving. They're going to go ahead and take the 172 over for its annual a few hours early and pick up the 150 that went through a MOH. Not sure if I'll fly the 150, though. Both CFI and I are right around 200lbs each. Hopefully the 172 will be back in action before too long. Really sucks because winds were dead calm for the entire time I had my lesson scheduled this am. Still only 5kts from the S. Conditions are supposed to be the same for the rest of the week, too. Well, we can at least knock out some ground in preparation for XC.
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I know the feeling......

medium_schleprock.jpg
 
Fly the 150, eave some fuel behind. Fly whatever you can get your hands on, the variations between all the small trainers are minor.
 
Did a mock oral exam with my CFI today to identify some of my weaker areas. Still waiting for a date from the DPE
 
I went in this morning for ground school and we went up in the 150 instead. Did some basic pilotage a few miles outside of where I've flown before preparing for xc. Found a nothing spot on the sectional and actually went there. CFI and I were both surprised we actually found it. As for the 150, wow that is a small plane! Taxiing was probably the strangest feeling. Since there is no GPS it took me a while to learn to scan gauges. It was much easier to trim. Not sure how much more I'll fly it, but I can see the appeal for solo flyers.
 
If the weather will improve and stay stable I am about three weeks from my checkride. Or so my CFI tells me. I feel like I know so little. He could tell me I have another six months before my checkride and I would be fine with that. There is so much more I want to learn and know... guess that is why there is more training and ratings to go after the PPL.
 
Harvdog said:
Student pilot pursuing my private pilot's. Was ready to solo about 3 months ago but my medical was delayed. Fortunately, I was able to work on other things like short and soft field takeoffs and landings while waiting on the medical. Just solo'ed on Thursday (7/18) at 37 hours. Currently studying for the knowledge exam. Also looking forward to my solo cross country, as well as, night takeoffs and landings.
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What caused your delay? Im being delayed also. Sleep aids are an automatic disqualifier so the AME delayed me. Hoping to get going again soon. Cant solo til I have the student pilot ticket right?
 
JHW said:
no matter how bad you are, there is always someone worse

no matter how good you are, there is always someone who can humble you
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Well, that would be me...I have over 38.5 hours, (18.4 in the traffic pattern), still am not even close to being able to land on my own...I'm starting to become very, very discouraged....I really want to be able to do this but maybe I'm just too old.:mad2:

I'm hoping landings will click with me each time I go but I seem stuck, my base leg can fall apart and sometimes I'm too high or low/fast or slow...when I can fix that then I have trouble and veer to the left when landing, flare too soon, you name it I do it badly. I'll keep trying but I am starting to wonder if there is a point when I should truly ask myself if I need to take up something else...I really want to be able to land!!!!
 
Lumpy Landings said:
Well, that would be me...I have over 38.5 hours, (18.4 in the traffic pattern), still am not even close to being able to land on my own...I'm starting to become very, very discouraged....I really want to be able to do this but maybe I'm just too old.:mad2:

I'm hoping landings will click with me each time I go but I seem stuck, my base leg can fall apart and sometimes I'm too high or low/fast or slow...when I can fix that then I have trouble and veer to the left when landing, flare too soon, you name it I do it badly. I'll keep trying but I am starting to wonder if there is a point when I should truly ask myself if I need to take up something else...I really want to be able to land!!!!
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Lumpy....may I call you Lumpy? I suggest starting a new thread for yourself on this topic so you can get awesome feedback from the peeps of PoA. Also, do a few searches on the forum for prior threads, you'll get a lot of info.
 
Lumpy Landings said:
Well, that would be me...I have over 38.5 hours, (18.4 in the traffic pattern), still am not even close to being able to land on my own...I'm starting to become very, very discouraged....I really want to be able to do this but maybe I'm just too old.:mad2:

I'm hoping landings will click with me each time I go but I seem stuck, my base leg can fall apart and sometimes I'm too high or low/fast or slow...when I can fix that then I have trouble and veer to the left when landing, flare too soon, you name it I do it badly. I'll keep trying but I am starting to wonder if there is a point when I should truly ask myself if I need to take up something else...I really want to be able to land!!!!
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Lumpy, you can do it! How often do you fly?
 
JasonM said:
Lumpy, you can do it! How often do you fly?
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Jason I fly about twice a week, I book blocks of two hours each session and end up with about 3.5 hours of flight time on the Hobbs...I also fear I'm going to wear down my CFI :( when I'm not flying any chance I get I try to "fly in my mind"....not sure if it might help but I hope it might...I start trying to visualize from the downwind leg as soon as when I pull carb heat, reduce RPM,get into the white arc and apply the first 10 degrees of flaps...
 
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