The BEST thing your CFI taught you?

Basic template for calling up any ATC: "tell them who you are, where you are, and what you want to do."
 
Timbeck2 said:
As a controller for over 25 years...I agree with that one. Whatever infraction it was, both parties already know about it. If we really want to get in touch with a pilot, all we need is the N number and we have that already. I know I'm going to get some push back on this one but I speak the truth.
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I'd respectfully disagree. Many times I've waited for the phone call and based on the demeanor of the caller I've thrown the paper away as opposed to filling the pilot deviation and letting FSDO run it's course. If you are respectful, explain how/why the infraction may have happened, and apologize, usually that wins a no harm/no foul for me. If you don't call, it gets filed 100% of the time.

*Disclaimer: This is how I and most my co-workers operate at the large TRACON I work at. Can't speak for everyone. Also, if your infraction results in a NMAC or a severe loss in separation then it is out of my hands no matter what.
 
While flying across the Blue Ridge Mtns with a whopping 7 hrs or so, wind pops a wing up to what seemed to me to be over 90 deg. (Now, I bet it was around 30-45 deg.) As I'm sitting there in shock at what just happened, he's sitting back, arms crossed, laughing and said "Well, fix it." "Oh, yeah..... " One of the best things I've ever learned, if it ain't right, fix it.
 
Pitch for airspeed, power for altitude in the approach. "If you pitch up, you die"

Forget all this AoA indicator nonsense. That stuck with me.
 
My first CFI (he flew BF 109's in the '40's) told me never go anywhere your mind hasn't reached yet. Sometimes hard to understand him with a thick German accent but was always calm with a warped sense of humor.
 
denverpilot said:
Did you mean Vmc and not blue line? The story makes more sense that way. In which case, yeah, reduce power if directional control is being lost but otherwise hang on to it. You need all you've got with one windmilling at idle until it becomes controllability problem, then you need aircraft control more.
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Nah, Nate - I meant Blue Line. I was just two hours in to the Seneca, and didn't yet know how stable the plane would be even as low as 90mph on one engine. Plus, as I pulled power back, it was even more docile - I just didn't know it yet. The instructor did, and he was cool as a cucumber the whole time.

The check ride was this morning - with a *much* higher workload than any of the training. Happy to report that I passed, and I'm now hunting for another 15 hours Multi PIC so I can go take my MEI ride.
 
whereisrandall said:
Nah, Nate - I meant Blue Line. I was just two hours in to the Seneca, and didn't yet know how stable the plane would be even as low as 90mph on one engine. Plus, as I pulled power back, it was even more docile - I just didn't know it yet. The instructor did, and he was cool as a cucumber the whole time.

The check ride was this morning - with a *much* higher workload than any of the training. Happy to report that I passed, and I'm now hunting for another 15 hours Multi PIC so I can go take my MEI ride.
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Cool. Congrats!

My day went like this... file IFR to Kansas... airplane battery too low to start... call FSS and cancel flight plan... spend the next three hours charging the battery and starting the airplane to get it happy again. :-(
 
Trying to think back to my primary instructor. About the only thing that I can remember is that whenever I did something good he said "good enough for any girl I know" and we moved onto the next thing.
 
MetalCloud said:
Pitch for airspeed, power for altitude in the approach. "If you pitch up, you die"

Forget all this AoA indicator nonsense. That stuck with me.
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Forgive the question, but that last part? I know I'm just missing what you mean on the last line there.
When pitching for airspeed you pitch (relatively, lightly) up when you need a little less speed, down(ish) when you need a little more.

Since it ends with "you die" I got curious about what "if you pitch up, you die" is referring to in context?
 
LongRoadBob said:
Forgive the question, but that last part? I know I'm just missing what you mean on the last line there.
When pitching for airspeed you pitch (relatively, lightly) up when you need a little less speed, down(ish) when you need a little more.

Since it ends with "you die" I got curious about what "if you pitch up, you die" is referring to in context?
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I'd assume it is referring to stalling at low altitude. If you pitch up for altitude while you are slow(without power) you'd stall, on approach, you don't have room to stall.
 
exncsurfer said:
I'd assume it is referring to stalling at low altitude. If you pitch up for altitude while you are slow(without power) you'd stall, on approach, you don't have room to stall.
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That. If you yank back on the stick at short final because you're low (and presumably already slow) then it ends up badly. Keep nose down and add throttle. That took some getting used to during PPL training. But his message was simple, clear, and effective.
 
MetalCloud said:
That. If you yank back on the stick at short final because you're low (and presumably already slow) then it ends up badly. Keep nose down and add throttle. That took some getting used to during PPL training. But his message was simple, clear, and effective.
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Something that took some getting used to for me was being high and fast. You already know that pulling the power can help with the descent, but if you are high and you pull the power and nose down, the net result is the speed doesn't change.

I had to learn to be patient and let it bleed off. Also it was absolutely amazing to me to watch how pitch up and reduced power EVEN if you are high on approach can actually save you. I thought I would fly over the runway, but the speed reduction actually reduced my forward momentum enough to bring the plane down in a hurry.

Now, I'm not talking about pitching up near stall speed, but lets say you are 85 on approach and high, power back and pitch up and slow the plane down. A forward slip works too, but if you are far enough out, you can REALLY change the entire approach.
 
Van Johnston said:
Basic template for calling up any ATC: "tell them who you are, where you are, and what you want to do."
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I like it, but I add a couple. I always say 5 Ws.
Who are you talking to? GTU Tower, this is
Who are you? Cessna XXXX
Where are you? We're 10 to the Southwest
Weather? Inbound with Juliet
What are your intentions? For touch-n-goes.

I was flying with a young man the other day and told him this. I told him to think back to when phones didn't have caller ID. You would call someone and when they answered, you'd say, Hey Tom, this is Jack, because they had no idea who was calling. I looked over he was just looking at me blankly. I smiled and said, "No, phones didn't always have caller ID."
 
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Hey Jack! Long time no talk to!

Yep, there is a whole generation or two that have not experienced life without a mobile phone or caller ID.

Jack, I have been down your way a few times recently. Do you hangar at Taylor?

Doc
 
MBDiagMan said:
Hey Jack! Long time no talk to!

Yep, there is a whole generation or two that have not experienced life without a mobile phone or caller ID.

Jack, I have been down your way a few times recently. Do you hangar at Taylor?

Doc
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Hey Doc. It's been awhile! Yes, I hangar at T74. If you're down this way, let me know. I live 7 minutes from the airport. That or I'll fly out to see you one weekend soon.
 
Lowflynjack said:
I like it, but I add a couple. I always say 5 Ws.
Who are you talking to? GTU Tower, this is
Who are you? Cessna XXXX
Where are you? We're 10 to the Southwest
Weather? Inbound with Juliet
What are your intentions? For touch-n-goes.

I was flying with a young man the other day and told him this. I told him to think back to when phones didn't have caller ID. You would call someone and when they answered, you'd say, Hey Tom, this is Jack, because they had no idea who was calling. I looked over he was just looking at me blankly. I smiled and said, "No, phones didn't always have caller ID."
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Yup, good advice. One other thing I learned about calling is to use your tail number last when acknowledging instructions because (especially in situations where there are lots of numbers), it helps organize your thoughts.

For example:

Approach: Skyhawk 57152, Tampa Approach, Fly Heading 090 vectors for the visual approach runway 14, maintain 2100 until advised by tower, contact tower on frequency 120.1.
Cessna (wrong): Tampa Approach, Skyhawk 57152, fly heading...uh..90, runway 14..uh..say again?
Cessna (right): Fly heading 090, visual runway 14, 2100 until advised, over to tower on 120.1, Skyhawk 57152
 
Caramon13 said:
Something that took some getting used to for me was being high and fast. You already know that pulling the power can help with the descent, but if you are high and you pull the power and nose down, the net result is the speed doesn't change.

I had to learn to be patient and let it bleed off. Also it was absolutely amazing to me to watch how pitch up and reduced power EVEN if you are high on approach can actually save you. I thought I would fly over the runway, but the speed reduction actually reduced my forward momentum enough to bring the plane down in a hurry.

Now, I'm not talking about pitching up near stall speed, but lets say you are 85 on approach and high, power back and pitch up and slow the plane down. A forward slip works too, but if you are far enough out, you can REALLY change the entire approach.
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Indeed. It's a bit counterintuitive, but it really does take raising the nose up to go down at low airspeed. Just a little. Normal approach speeds (65 KIAS for a normal approach in a 182) are enough to show reverse command.

I try to point that out to the kids when I fly them.
 
Caramon13 said:
Yup, good advice. One other thing I learned about calling is to use your tail number last when acknowledging instructions because (especially in situations where there are lots of numbers), it helps organize your thoughts.
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I agree. It gets important too when they're giving you a direction. "Turn heading 180" If you reply "Turn 180, Cessna XXXX" the first thing they hear is you complying with the direction.
 
exncsurfer said:
I'd assume it is referring to stalling at low altitude. If you pitch up for altitude while you are slow(without power) you'd stall, on approach, you don't have room to stall.
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Ok, thanks. So it already is covered in the first statement but just reminding how not to "save" the situation if low.
 
LongRoadBob said:
Ok, thanks. So it already is covered in the first statement but just reminding how not to "save" the situation if low.
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Yup, if you're low and slow, the thing to do is push the nose down and add power. You gotta do both. If you're fast and low, you can gain a small amount of altitude by raising the nose and slowing down, perfectly legitimately.
 
Caramon13 said:
Approach: Skyhawk 57152, Tampa Approach, Fly Heading 090 vectors for the visual approach runway 14, maintain 2100 until advised by tower, contact tower on frequency 120.1.
Cessna (wrong): Tampa Approach, Skyhawk 57152, fly heading...uh..90, runway 14..uh..say again?
Cessna (right): Fly heading 090, visual runway 14, 2100 until advised, over to tower on 120.1, Skyhawk 57152
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It's not textbook AIM, but you can shorten that even more and it'll still be safe.

"090, visual 14, 2100, tower 120.1, Skyhawk 152."

It does take practice to know when that's helpful and safe, however.

The controller is going to hear everything they needed to hear back and you'd be out of his or her hair about five to ten seconds sooner.

There's some stuff in the example that's probably making the controllers cringe on their required phraseology too. Haha. No biggie.
 
Caramon13 said:
I had to learn to be patient and let it bleed off. Also it was absolutely amazing to me to watch how pitch up and reduced power EVEN if you are high on approach can actually save you. I thought I would fly over the runway, but the speed reduction actually reduced my forward momentum enough to bring the plane down in a hurry.
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Yeah, the classic chop-and-drop. Power back to just above idle and trim for your over-the-fence speed. I do this a lot (on calm days) without having to slip. You just have to be ready for a quick burst of power and/or a little nose down pitch if your speed gets too low. Haven't had a go-around yet (although if I really botched an approach, I would do so without hesitation).
 
1. Fly your own airplane. (you can never tell what the other guy is going to do).
2. It is too rough to fly dual but you can fly solo if you want. ;)
 
This wasn't from any CFI, but my mother used to always warn me......

"Be sure to put on clean underwear in case you get into an accident."

As a kid I could never figure out how clean underwear will help in an accident.....
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Yeah, the classic chop-and-drop. Power back to just above idle and trim for your over-the-fence speed. I do this a lot (on calm days) without having to slip. You just have to be ready for a quick burst of power and/or a little nose down pitch if your speed gets too low. Haven't had a go-around yet (although if I really botched an approach, I would do so without hesitation).
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So I'm just curious. With the chop and drop, wouldn't the sudden drop in temperature be bad for the engine. I guess I was always taught do not reduce power below the green which is what is required for me to chop and drop. Every. Me and then ok in a pinch but concerns me it's it's regular practice.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Yeah, the classic chop-and-drop. Power back to just above idle and trim for your over-the-fence speed. I do this a lot (on calm days) without having to slip. You just have to be ready for a quick burst of power and/or a little nose down pitch if your speed gets too low. Haven't had a go-around yet (although if I really botched an approach, I would do so without hesitation).
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The flip-side of this is that it doesn't work for EVERY plane. @mulligan you might have different requirements and/or approach techniques. I can't imagine a jet doing that either.

This method works well for me in a Cessna or high wing when I'm high and fast, but in the Cherokee hershey-bar wing or Arrow, if you chop the power, you are REALLY going to drop. As a result I carried power all the way to the roundout/flare. It was almost a simultaneous flare/power to idle flow right at the end.

Before I flew the Cherokee I did a lot of reading about accidents during the first 100 hours and one was where the pilots would get down into ground effect and immediately chop power. The plane's nose would drop almost immediately, which made the pilot pitch up, out of ground effect and instead of going around, they try to save it. Plane loses all life and slams down on the mains. Since the fuel tanks are right above the mains, this could be...bad.

Do that in a Cessna and you could probably float down the whole runway or at least half of it. Cherokee's like the one I owned are very nose heavy.
 
Zeldman said:
This wasn't from any CFI, but my mother used to always warn me......

"Be sure to put on clean underwear in case you get into an accident."

As a kid I could never figure out how clean underwear will help in an accident.....
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My underwear may be clean before the accident. ;)
 
jesse said:
Trying to think back to my primary instructor. About the only thing that I can remember is that whenever I did something good he said "good enough for any girl I know" and we moved onto the next thing.
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...ya know this thread was about FLIGHT instruction, right? ;)
 
"No matter what happens up there, keep cool, and have a backup plan" Captain Joe Case.
My dad not my Cfi but by far the most valuable tip I've gotten so far, even if it is common sense.
 
Discussing flaps, he said: "Flaps add both lift and drag. Small amounts of flaps add more lift than drag, large amounts of flaps add more drag than lift"

I've always thought that was a good nugget of knowledge.
 
mulligan said:
So I'm just curious. With the chop and drop, wouldn't the sudden drop in temperature be bad for the engine. I guess I was always taught do not reduce power below the green which is what is required for me to chop and drop. Every. Me and then ok in a pinch but concerns me it's it's regular practice.
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I wouldn't be too concerned because you're already at a low power setting in the pattern. My plane needs only about 1750 rpm to maintain pattern altitude on downwind, 1500 or so as I descend on base, and when I "chop" on final it's going down to 1100 rpm or so.

Caramon13 said:
The flip-side of this is that it doesn't work for EVERY plane. @mulligan you might have different requirements and/or approach techniques. I can't imagine a jet doing that either.

This method works well for me in a Cessna or high wing when I'm high and fast, but in the Cherokee hershey-bar wing or Arrow, if you chop the power, you are REALLY going to drop. As a result I carried power all the way to the roundout/flare. It was almost a simultaneous flare/power to idle flow right at the end.

Before I flew the Cherokee I did a lot of reading about accidents during the first 100 hours and one was where the pilots would get down into ground effect and immediately chop power. The plane's nose would drop almost immediately, which made the pilot pitch up, out of ground effect and instead of going around, they try to save it. Plane loses all life and slams down on the mains. Since the fuel tanks are right above the mains, this could be...bad.

Do that in a Cessna and you could probably float down the whole runway or at least half of it. Cherokee's like the one I owned are very nose heavy.
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So true. Very plane-dependent, and mine's a kite. :)
 
When I was learning to be a CFI, he would have me talk to him as though he was learning to get his private. So on short final, I said put the centerline between your legs. He said to say "feet", not "legs". Doesn't sound good for female students.
 
George Chityat said:
When I was learning to be a CFI, he would have me talk to him as though he was learning to get his private. So on short final, I said put the centerline between your legs. He said to say "feet", not "legs". Doesn't sound good for female students.
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LOL. An excellent point.
 
I'm only about 5 hours into training, so can't offer much, but I liked it when my CFI told me "Fly the plane, don't let the plane fly you".
On a bit of a humorous note, I ran into a guy that's a retired airline pilot, and he told me that a good pilot is someone who has the number of landings equal to the number of takeoffs. Having that ratio one to one is really important!
 
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