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

JasonM said:
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Was just wondering how many active students there are on here and how you guys are making out? Nice knowing others are pushing themselves through the same stuff. Let us know where you are with your training! :D


09/16/2014 Update: I passed my IR Checkride. I am going to gain experience in the system for a year then work on my commercial. Long term goal is CFI. Still a student. :yes:

04/22/2014 Update: I passed my instrument rating written test. Still gaining the required hood time.

02/13/2014 Update: I added High Performance to the logbook in Jan 2014. Still pursuing my instrument rating but the winter weather has kept me from doing much.

11/08/2013 Update: I passed my PPL Checkride in Sept 2013. I am pursuing my instrument rating currently. I hope this thread can stay alive with the status of other students. It is nice reading everyone's progress!





My Original Post:

I'm getting really close to my check ride and have 56 hours so far. I'm guessing i'll have close to 70 hours when I take the tests. Took me a grueling 28 to solo and I have been flying more than required because this stuff is just to dang fun. So much for the 40 hour requirement. :rofl:

I know a few of you are around the same point and others catching up fast. :goofy:
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Rejoining the "active" student status (right after I dig myself out from under the paperwork my professors have buried me under!):cool:
 
Ashlyn Maria said:
Hello! I'm new to PoA, though I've been enjoying this forum for awhile. :) I began ground school in May and flight training in June. Training in a J5 Cub. *real flying* After the first 20 hours, my CFI took off to the airlines so now I'm playing musical CFI's until I find another TW instructor.

Sent from my SM-A515U using Tapatalk
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My dad had a J-5 Piper back in 1945 to 1948. Wonderful memories in that aircraft . We lived on a rural farm with the J-5 being the only reliable mode of transportation. Dad would fly us to the dentist in the next county over west.
House with leaky roof ,no indoor plumbing, no electricity . But We had an airplane ! :)
 
Southpaw said:
My dad had a J-5 Piper back in 1945 to 1948. Wonderful memories in that aircraft . We lived on a rural farm with the J-5 being the only reliable mode of transportation. Dad would fly us to the dentist in the next county over west.
House with leaky roof ,no indoor plumbing, no electricity . But We had an airplane ! :)
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I love it!

Sent from my SM-A515U using Tapatalk
 
Just had my first solo on Wednesday at 25 hours! The weather was uncertain but it ended up clearing up so I did two laps of the pattern with the instructor and he asked if I was ready. I’d be lying if I wasn’t a tad nervous but knew I was ready and had about 20 good landings with him in my two previous lessons. Dropped him off at the FBO and let tower know I was going up solo and taxied out. The worst part was the takeoff runway was opposite the FBO so I had about 8500’ of taxi time to think about it. On takeoff it hit me what I was about to do. But I just did what I was trained to do and had the best landing I’ve ever done on my first lap around. Did three landings total and was super happy my wife got to catch the landings on video. Today was going to be my second flight solo but the weather changed drastically so I will be going up the 182 in the first pic to get some real IFR experience!

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Update on commercial progress. Got back into the groove last week with a new instructor (my previous instructor got a job flying jets!).

Two flights, one to show off maneuvers, one to work on landings:

First flight included steep turns (first set was okish, but he suggested a different place to look and the second set were spot on), chandelles (nice), lazy 8s (quite good), steep spiral (messy! Didn't hold speed.) and 8s on pylons. Then a few landings, short field, power off 180. He said, "You don't need me to ride along to practice. Just call me when you want to prep for the ride.". Since I hand' done any practice since June, I'll take it.

Second flight was already scheduled so I had him go ahead and ride along while I did power off 180s. 13 landings later, I had managed 2 just about perfect ones back to back (then a go around to shrink my head back to normal...) and probably 5 passable ones.

I'm scheduled to do an Aviation Seminar test prep Zoom class this weekend and need to schedule my written for next week.

John
 
Update on my progress. I have been actively training now for just over 14 months. PPL in October 2020, Instrument in December 2020, Commercial in June 2021, CFI in October 2021, and training for Commercial multi add-on which I will take in November. What a ride! 330 hours total time so far and loving every minute of it. I wish I had started all of this sooner!
 
Grinding through the Sheppeard IR prep. So.Much.Material.
 
Slogged and bulldozed up to the 40 hours of hood time, have all of the other requirements. Now just trying to get good enough to get signed off for check ride. I'm aware of how I need to get more polished - but stunned when I think back to when I started this what I'm able to do now, and how hard it was. Take away isn't that this is impossibly hard to do - but rather from my perspective that I've picked up.
 
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I went out to practice power off 180's today. Wind at Sanford (KSFB) were ranging from 6-12 kts and by the end with gusts to 21 and wandered around the compass from 240-270. Runways (at least the mainly used ones) at Sanford are all east-west. 9-27 L, R and C. The instructor I've most recently been working with doesn't like practicing there because usually they are using 9R for pattern work and it's right traffic. But today they were definitely using 27 so I got 27L and left traffic. And had to compensate for the tail/cross/head winds as I negotiated the 180. I did 14 landings all told. One full stop on 27C at the end (shorter taxi to parking) and one short field for practice because there was traffic and I couldn't do the short approach for the power off 180. So 12 attempts (well 13-I went around once when I was still way high with full flaps and an aggressive slip...) of which 6 were good and the last 3 were very good. I still need work to get it right the first time and not have to spend 4-5 landings just getting the feel of it.

I've also gotten through all but one section of Sheppard Air's Commercial written prep. Maybe tonight I'll finish. As any rate I've got a zoom class this weekend with Aviation Seminars for test prep so I expect to schedule the written next week.
 
Congrats! I'm still grinding away with the Sheppard material for my IFR. It definitely works, although the time commitment is big. I am certain I could pass an IFR written today, but my goal is to shrink the number of incorrect answers as much as possible to make the eventual checkride with the DPE a little more managable.
 
Finished all my requirements; now just need to schedule the checkride.
Work is chaotic right now so might schedule around end of year. Been doing solo flights and practicing. Trying to study for oral (thats what im most fearful of).
Hope to finish this phase soon.
 
After passing my commercial single on 27 June, Researched commercial multi engine places and I traveled to Prairie Air Service on 5 October and passed my checkride with 22.6 multi hours on 14 October!
 
Finished the Aviation Seminars commercial written test prep class today. I’ll schedule my written in the morning.

Update: Written is scheduled for Wednesday Nov. 3 at noon. Results when I have time to post them...
 
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jsstevens said:
Finished the Aviation Seminars commercial written test prep class today. I’ll schedule my written in the morning.

Update: Written is scheduled for Wednesday Nov. 3 at noon. Results when I have time to post them...
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I took two practice tests last night and scored an 89, then a 95. Each took an hour.

The real one took just over an hour and I scored a 92.

There were a few questions that were definitely new to me (at least the phrasing). None of the calculation questions were very complicated.

I took this test at the same testing center I took the IR written about 2 1/2 years ago. When I took the IR I got the score on my computer screen and was able to review the questions I'd missed (though not the answer choices). Today I had to exit the test software and go out to the proctor's desk for my score. She clicked through a number of things (maybe my missed questions?) and then printed my result and handed it to me. I'm guessing they're getting more paranoid about the questions getting out. I did have to agree that reproducing the questions in any form including orally would violate my agreement with PSI and they could revoke my test results.

Anyway, one down.
 
IFR Check Ride is finally booked - Dec 20. Two of us from the club are doing the check ride on the same day, so we get to share the flight over to Huntsville. I'm going to be optimistic and say that either one of us will be able to file on the return trip.........................
 
Just finished private less than a month ago, started on instrument a few days ago... on the road to becoming a commercial pilot :)

Honestly feels kinda surreal that I'm legally and physically able to just go fly an airplane whenever I want.
 
Hengelo said:
Grinding through the Sheppeard IR prep. So.Much.Material.
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Can anyone compare /contrast with dauntless software?

does it let you choose quiz size? I’d prefer to have 5 or 10 questions because I’m doing it between meetings or on lunch break

tia
 
Randomskylane said:
Can anyone compare /contrast with dauntless software?

does it let you choose quiz size? I’d prefer to have 5 or 10 questions because I’m doing it between meetings or on lunch break

tia
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I've just been using the Sheppard Commercial test prep. They have a specific approach to the work. You go through all the questions in each subject area looking at correct answers only, then again looking at all answers and picking what you think is correct. Once you've done all the questions that way, you go through them all flagging questions that you miss or are unsure of. Then you drill on those until you've got them. THEN you take full blown 100 question practice tests. That said, the software I used (on my Mac, but I'd assume the iphone of ipad software is the same) will let you stop and resume wherever you are. So I think you can't choose the size of the quiz, but you can simply pick up where you left off.

John
 
Have not heard of dauntless. For IR written I used both King and GoldMethod. What I liked about Gold was the practice testing removed material you had mastered and drilled on the questions you missed. The King video training was good for teaching concepts. It is portable as it is web based, so yes you can do some drills at lunch / work.
 
Never heard of dauntless but Sheppard definitely lets you do as much as you want in a sitting. Five, fifty, or five hundred questions. I'm pretty much done with it now; doing my written tomorrow am and I am very confident I'll do well.

Sheppard is exhaustive (and exhausting) but I feel extremely well prepared.
 
Wrote my written IFR today; took me about 30 minutes for the first pass and another 20 to check my work.

Scored 97% but thought I’d done better. Ton of credit to the Sheppard material and their online support. Unbeatable value for the money.
 
I went out and did another 10 landings to work 180 power offs. 8 180s, of which 7 (all but the first one) were passing and the last 4 were very nice. I mixed in 2 short field when traffic prevente the short approach. Both were passing. I think I'm getting the hang of this...
 
I've only got 20hrs but I've done my written test and passed. Just bout a 140 with an o-290.
 
I was finally able to do my first solo x-country, and this week weather permitting would be my second one, a bit longer with three landings at different airports.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I feel like a pilot now.
 
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After four months of self-study, practice tests using the ASA 2021 Private Pilot Test Prep, I took my written test on 12/11/2021. Made 97%. I highly recommend finishing out your study regiment using the ASA Prepware. The online practice tests were pretty close to the actual test software in use by PSI. My self-study ground school consisted of reading the Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Airplane Flying Handbook 2021, and ASA's Pilot's Manual 2 - Ground School. I used traditional print for all but the PHAK. I had downloaded a PDF version of it from the FAA website. It didn't take me long to realize how much I dislike studying from a textbook on a tablet. I also made it a point to look up many of the study items in my new paperback copy of 2022 FAR/AIM - just to be familiar with the referenced material.

Two other resources I used to supplement my home schooling were discussions with two long-time pilots at work (during lunch break we had good quiz sessions!) and using my dedicated MicroSoft Flight Simulator X PC with Saitek/Logitech flight yoke/throttle quadrant/rudder pedals. While the "feel" of the controls may be totally unrealistic, being able to actually watch what happens when you change the barometric pressure in the Kohlman window cements what you've just read. The same goes for actually "flying" some of the test questions (VOR specifically). It also helps you to visualize some of the more esoteric questions when asked about how the attitude indicator is used. Understanding the NAV/COM functions of the radio and NDB use can be simulated.

Since the in-laws will be here this week, and part of next - I will be working on my background stuff for the medical. I know that two CACI forms will need statements from treating physicians, and I have those ready. I am trying to schedule a "pre-exam" session with the AME before starting the official exam paperwork. Once that's done, the CFI I think I will be using said he will work with me to get my Student Pilot Certificate. From then, it's off to "Flight School"!

More anecdotal information - I had purchased the ASA CX-3 flight calculator. It sat in the box, ignored until the Thursday before my Saturday test. I really liked using the E6B, but would sometimes be frustrated by not being able to resolve the problem to the same level of accuracy in the textbooks. I also wanted to be able to use the traditional tools lest I be totally lost during the planning session prior to any training mission should the "fancy battery-using gizmo" suffer a simulated failure. Well, I was simply astounded at how much quicker I could solve all of the test questions using that device. I'm sold on it, for sure!
 
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Congratulations, Dry Creek, and best of luck with getting the medical issue worked out!
 
Only had my discovery flight. But I'm looking forward to starting my PPL training soon.
 
exncsurfer said:
Well, I guess that means you had a good discovery flight!
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Absolutely. My wife also wants to do a discovery flight after me and my kid told her how awesome it was. Any suggestions for someone who's about to begin their aviation journey?
 
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