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

Finally passed the rest of my checkride (pattern & landings) on the 14th!
Now, thinking about where to go next, like most newbies.
It felt a bit odd to go to the airport to fly today, without having that clear goal of ‘pass the test’ in mind. I guess I need to learn how to *enjoy* flying.
 
So I've been doing pattern work for the past few lessons. Over the holidays, my primary CFI was out of town and I did my first landings with an alternate CFI at my flight school. After the first couple of "figuring it out" landings, I did really well with all the remaining landings. Fast forward a bit and my landings with my primary CFI are just getting worse and worse. More go-arounds each lesson, more inconsistent airspeeds, ballooning, overcorrecting, etc. Overall, just sloppier and sloppier with each one. The more I analyze what I am doing wrong, the more it seems I do wrong. It's as if I was better when I was oblivious to what I was doing and just doing it mindlessly. I'm going to go back up with the alternate CFI next weekend to see if I do any better--maybe the way he teaches it just works better for me. I'm sure I'll get past this, but the regression is annoying.
 
Did my first solo XC today! PDK to FGU. That was such a cool experience - really can't wait to go out and do the long one now. People were right - the first solo is fun, but your first solo XC is 10x the rush.
 
My first solo XC I hit turbulence and bounced my head off the roof of the cockpit. Hey, I guess these seat belts should actually be tightened... noted.

Currently working on IFR. Very pleased with how much new stuff there is to learn, it's certainly keeping me busy and the amount of proficiency in "just handling the plane" needed to deal with navs, approaches, comms and such is quite a bit more than I expected. I like it.

A few months ago I did some tailwheel training in a cub and it was my first time on grass strips. Had a blast. Did some acro training in 2020 also, that was a ton of fun too. Had I unlimited money, I'd do a lot more of each (especially acro). Looking at picking up a seaplane rating in the next month or two. So much to do, so much to do...
 
1st solo yesterday.

2 T&Gs with instructor, and not a single plane in the pattern. Drop the instructor off at the ramp gate, and before I am through the first downwind to base turn, there are 6 other planes in the pattern, to include 3 Cirrus' that want to fly the pattern at 110 kts and do touch and go's. It seemed like ATC was telling them to slow down at every other call. :raspberry:

Oh well. I got in 2 full stops and 2 go-arounds (of course the winds picked up...why wouldn't they?)before deciding I was mentally exhausted and going back to the ramp. It was fun! Looking fwd to next time! :happydance:
 
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Still needing to complete my night stuff but i have been working on checkride prep. Studying for the oral and working on getting my maneuvers well within specs.
Weather has sucked and work has been busy but hope to get this stuff wrapped up this year.
 
starting over with my sport pilot training on Tuesday as long as the weather hold out. this will be my third re-start and hopefully my last.
 
My husband got has his ticket for a few years and wanted me to get mine, but I like to do things in my own time. Ha ha. The time is now. We have our own plane, an RV9 and I’m trying to get my ticket (in a 172) so I can fly our plane. 5 lessons in! Go go!


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I played hooky from work today and went flying with my CFI. Not only was today my first day flying *my* plane (yay!!) but today was also my first solo!! I also had some delicious Mexican food for lunch, not that that has anything to do with flying...
 
Congrats! This thread seems to have gone a bit dead.

I’m up to about 16 hours now. Solo should happen next week as long as it doesn’t rain. :D
 
Student, 10 hours in, no idea what I'm doing, but I'm enjoying it. Have 12 hours planned a week, will go for PPL at end of month. Extremely bored.
 
I got to go flying again yesterday. Very sunny and very bumpy! Checkride prep stuff. I practiced VOR tracking, with foggles and without, did some unusual attitude stuff, and a few quick stalls to make sure I still knew how. I ended with two soft field landings. For whatever reason, I think that one is going to be my nemesis. I can do a soft-short combo, but I just can't seem to do a nice soft field on its own.

The unusual attitudes were fun, though. I'd been worried I'd be a little queasy doing them, but I was perfectly fine and they didn't bother me at all. The funny thing is, my CFI forgets I'm wearing the foggles, so I did a stall while wearing them, and it's fascinating how much more you feel when you can't see outside.
 
Day 1 of IR intensive at CRAFT in North Charleston. New airplane (DA-40NG) and new instructor... I just hope I can remember enough to pass the oral (and yes, I’m studying!). Check ride next Monday. Yikes!
 
Day 1 in the books. 2 hours of sim time (Red Bird g-1000, DA-40) going over buttonology, tracking VORs. Then 2.3 hours of flight time. Tracking VORs, landing (3 t&gs) then the ILS 33 at KCHS. DA-40NG is nice. Flatter sight picture than 172 at landing, and over the fence at 75KIA but power management is slick and the plane flies very well other than keeping it from climbing when you don’t want to to.
After 14 months off, I did ok, even by my standards. CFI was very encouraging. On to VOR approaches tomorrow.
 
Finally did some night flying! I loved it so much! Its amazing how dark it gets out there. I got 8 takeoffs and full stop landings. A couple were smooth but a couple i had to fight the illusion of being too low and had to fight the urge to gain altitude. Next up is my night cross country and will get the night requirements completed. I really want to keep flying at night because not only was the air so smooth and the lights were so pretty but it made me feel like a real pilot lol. The lack of visual clues made me realize everything i have learned has built a great foundation and made me comfortable in performing the required tasks. Always learning but having a blast!
 
Brand new student pilot here. I have approximately 39 years of experience as a pilot on Microsoft Flight Simulator. A few weeks ago I decided that the aviation world could benefit from all of the wisdom I've collected, but I guess I have to take some classes first, and then go up into the sky in a real plane with an instructor.

I have approximately 2 hours of ground school coursework under my belt so far. I just can't believe the FAA won't accept the 39 years of credit I worked so hard to earn.
 
Checking in here, flying out of KFRG with 24 hours under my belt (+1.3 solo time!) about to go into my first night flight this evening, and getting ready to take the knowledge test after making my way through Sporty's online ground school & multiple practice tests
 
I'm using the Sporty's online course too, for ground school. It's pretty good, I think and hope.
 
Sudburian said:
Brand new student pilot here. I have approximately 39 years of experience as a pilot on Microsoft Flight Simulator. A few weeks ago I decided that the aviation world could benefit from all of the wisdom I've collected, but I guess I have to take some classes first, and then go up into the sky in a real plane with an instructor.

I have approximately 2 hours of ground school coursework under my belt so far. I just can't believe the FAA won't accept the 39 years of credit I worked so hard to earn.
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You should write up a post after you get to solo, comparing what you learn in the plane and how it contrasts with the sim world that you are familiar with. I never really got into sims. I tried a couple demo versions on my low end PC and found it was way harder to control than the real plane and gave up on it. Maybe its different with 'good' controls? Anyway I'd be interested in your perspective on real vs sim after you get
some hours. I wonder if your instructor will have to cover up your instruments to get you to stop staring at them.

Good luck with your training, enjoy it!
 
That's an interesting idea, thanks! I might do just that on this forum. I am a moderately hard-core simmer, having literally played the game since 1982 when my dad bought the original version for me. I have a pretty nice set-up and can play the latest version with a pretty good degree of realism, including the Virtual Reality headset (which is amazing). Frankly, it's the latest version that prompted me to finally pull the trigger.

I am wary of the simulation having a bad influence on me, but hopefully not much. If you treat the simulation seriously instead of just a game, you could in theory develop some very bad habits. Who needs checklists, for example? Flying into bad weather, what's the big deal? Sharp turns, no sweat. But I don't think that will actually be a problem. The simulation is part of my overall interest in aviation. All of the time I have read and learned about aviation--outside of the sim--has put a pretty good fear into my belly of the importance of safety. Nothing will be more important to me as I progress through my training than safety.
 
AndRotate said:
I played hooky from work today and went flying with my CFI. Not only was today my first day flying *my* plane (yay!!) but today was also my first solo!! I also had some delicious Mexican food for lunch, not that that has anything to do with flying...
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congrats on the mexican food! and other stuff as well......
 
At 58 years old, I am a student pilot again. My 22 year old son decided to add a Commercial Rating to his SEL / IR and I thought "why not" and I decided to do it too.

I passed the written exam last month, got my logged cross countries / night landings out of the way, and now have started taking lessons with my CFI on the maneuvers. Absolutely having the time of my life. I would recommend getting this rating to any old timer like me even if you have no intention of going through with a 2nd class medical and flying for pay. It just is alot of fun to actually get back in the education system again.

Besides, you can't let your kids get ahead of you.
 
Day 2: 2.1 hours in the sim shooting approaches to practice handling theG1000 and improve my scan. Then 2.8 hours in the plane. 5 approaches at 3 different airports plus t&g followed by missed approach and hold. CFI is still handling the radio though I’m catching most of the calls and setting up comms, xpondr turning etc.

John
 
AndRotate said:
I played hooky from work today and went flying with my CFI. Not only was today my first day flying *my* plane (yay!!) but today was also my first solo!! I also had some delicious Mexican food for lunch, not that that has anything to do with flying...
Click to expand...
Perhaps it has something to do with you “solo”, however...
 
Sudburian said:
That's an interesting idea, thanks! I might do just that on this forum. I am a moderately hard-core simmer, having literally played the game since 1982 when my dad bought the original version for me. I have a pretty nice set-up and can play the latest version with a pretty good degree of realism, including the Virtual Reality headset (which is amazing). Frankly, it's the latest version that prompted me to finally pull the trigger.

I am wary of the simulation having a bad influence on me, but hopefully not much. If you treat the simulation seriously instead of just a game, you could in theory develop some very bad habits. Who needs checklists, for example? Flying into bad weather, what's the big deal? Sharp turns, no sweat. But I don't think that will actually be a problem. The simulation is part of my overall interest in aviation. All of the time I have read and learned about aviation--outside of the sim--has put a pretty good fear into my belly of the importance of safety. Nothing will be more important to me as I progress through my training than safety.
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Hi, I’m new here and in the same boat. Built a high end VR simpit with the best stick/throttle/rudder on the market to celebrate 40 years of flying on PC only to find that....uhh, it really isn’t just like the simulations. Who would have thought, eh? I’ve worn foggles once so far and my flying improved dramatically with them on :D; I’m looking forward to getting my instrument rating.

I’m at eight hours logged flying twice a week out of KHEF, making plans to increase that soon as I’m having the time of my life.
 
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Day 3. Took over radio and flew what will likely be my check ride. VFR to Summerville(KDYB) (where the check ride will take place). Take off, fly the RNAV 24, missed, ILS 23 Z into Lowcountry (KRBW), missed, RNAV 17 at Lowcountry then back to Summerville for the RNAV 06 circling to 24 to land. Then back to Charleston (and fly the ILS 15). CFI said if I fly on Monday like I did yesterday I’ll pass.

landings are still hit or miss. The sight picture is different I want to flare high. Getting better though.
 
I love it and thank you for that. I’m originally from ( PAIK ). See if you can fly there. It’s amazing country.
 
I looked and am sure the area is gorgeous. I definitely will sim-fly there. I recently flew (in about 100 mile increments) from Anchorage to Barrow (proper name now Utqiagvik) in a Cessna 172, so my route was much further east than PAIK. But the scenery is spectacular. Alaska's landscape is literally addictive.

Vince Schuerch said:
I love it and thank you for that. I’m originally from ( PAIK ). See if you can fly there. It’s amazing country.
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Day 4: we flew early today and it was super smooth. VFR to KDYB, full stop. Take off and straight out from 24. Flew the RNAV 06 then circled to 24. Missed then vectors to set up ILS Z 23 into KRBW, missed out to STOAS, RNAV 05 back into KRBW, missed then auto pilot for vectors to the RNAV 24 back into KDBY. Then VFR back to KCHS.

A couple of more hours in the sim doing auto pilot things.

tomorrow we do a 250nm cross country and some ground brush up.

I’m loving the DA-40NG!
 
19 hours in... feel confident yet I still have no idea what I'm doing. Florida flying seems so easy compared to PNW.... and I want to do it in PNW.

And here I am thinking 120k for a 172R is not a bad price.... $550 a month seems like a bargain.
 
Day 5: 250 NM cross country today. KCHS to KCAE via a SID VOR to the VOR A circle arrival. Come out of view limiting device roughly adjacent the numbers for 29 so it’s quick. Mean cross wind but did a decent job. Taxi back, pick up our clearance for KMYR then cleared to take off. Headed to KMYR at 6000 feet with a ground speed of 145-150 Kts. Used the auto pilot to fly the whole route including the whole RNAV 18 into KMYR. That is slick! At DH I kicked the AP off and flew the missed. CFI picked up our clearance on the initial climb out and we flew theV1 airway from there toward KCHS. Asked for the ILS 33 and got it with vectors. About the time we were turned in to pick up the ILS we hear the tower talking of a C-17 coming in with an emergency. They cleared us for the approach but asked to keep speed up. I flew the whole approach at 120 knots. In pretty bumpy air. Made it off the runway before runway 3 intersection.

CFI says I’m ready, take a day off. So rest tomorrow, fly Sunday then check ride Monday morning.
Woohoo!
 
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