What a way to start training

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maj75

Pre-Flight
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Mark
I showed up at the flight center for my first lesson. Did some ground school and then went out to the plane. Did the pre-flight and the cockpit checklists and was all ready to go. Turned the key and NADA. Welcome to the wonderful world of airplanes. Rescheduled for Saturday. This was a Club plane. I’m a little concerned that the aircraft was on the flight line and that the dead battery wasn’t fixed, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve had more time in the club.
 
maj75 said:
I’m a little concerned that the aircraft was on the flight line and that the dead battery wasn’t fixed, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve had more time in the club.
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Welcome to aviation!! The same issue has happened to me a time or two in our club airplane. Fortunately, my group is pretty responsive to handling maintenance squawks and a replacement battery was quickly obtained and installed.

Do keep in mind that disappointments like this can still be good opportunities to continue the lesson. A good CFI could use the opportunity to do ground training but use the silent cockpit as the classroom for some enhanced chair flying. Help you to develop good flows and muscle memory.
 
I've gone out to my car/lawnmower/motorcycle... and had a dead battery. No one's going to run a battery minder to a plane out on the ramp 24/7. Because guess what happens, the extension cord will wind up in a prop.

Someone probably just left a master switch on. Happened on my commercial checkride. I remember that my *****-o-meter pegged exactly a 0.0. We laughed, we jumped it, and did the check ride. It happens.
 
I drove 2 1/2 hours for a flight and found a fuel leak during my pre-flight. I informed the FBO and then drove 2 1/2 hours back home.
 

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It happens. Likely no one knew the battery was dead, so I wouldn't really hold it against them unless it became a reoccurring issue.
 
Sport Pilot said:
I drove 2 1/2 hours for a flight and found a fuel leak during my pre-flight. I informed the FBO and then drove 2 1/2 hours back home.
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2.5 hours drive time to the airplane... that's some dedication right there.

outta shear curiosity, how far away from the airport (driving time) was you intended destination?
 
midwestpa24 said:
It happens. Likely no one knew the battery was dead, so I wouldn't really hold it against them unless it became a reoccurring issue.
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If it's a recurring issue, everyone's going to be upset... no instructor wants to show up and not get to fly. They're probably already talking to whoever had the plane before you.
 
I had to get a jump for my first IFR lesson. Mechanicals happen and lessons will be cancelled here and there.
 
This is what you deal with when you're flying 30-40-50 year old airplanes. There's a reason your neighbor doesn't drive his '77 Camaro to work every day, right? It's just something you deal with. I had the same kind of experience several times during training and while flying club planes. Dead battery, leaking brake line, blown front strut oil seal, etc.

I love flying a new-ish airplane. Yes, they can absolutely still break. But, in the past 3-1/2 years of flying, there has been exactly ONE time I wasn't able to leave the house, open the hangar, do the preflight and fly. A plug boot had fallen off, found it during run-up and had to go back to the hangar to fix it. It cost me half an hour. Replaced that sucker at the next condition inspection, which cost me a bit under $3.00. Life's good, go fly.
 
Most FBOs have a fee ,if you leave the master on,maybe your club should think about it.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Welcome to aviation!! The same issue has happened to me a time or two in our club airplane. Fortunately, my group is pretty responsive to handling maintenance squawks and a replacement battery was quickly obtained and installed.

Do keep in mind that disappointments like this can still be good opportunities to continue the lesson. A good CFI could use the opportunity to do ground training but use the silent cockpit as the classroom for some enhanced chair flying. Help you to develop good flows and muscle memory.
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We got out of the cockpit because by that time we were cooking. It’s 85 and sunny, here. We did do another hour of ground and chair flying the pattern.
 
Sounds like you didn't do a thorough pre-flight. I know my checklist used to say check lights, flaps and other things, maybe the fuel level then walk around. I have forgotten as it has been so long since I looked at a checklist.
 
EdFred said:
Someone probably just left a master switch on
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The rule at the club here is to leave the beacon on.. the hope is that you'll notice that.. and if not you then someone else on the ramp will before the battery runs down

Landing Fees said:
Sounds like you didn't do a thorough pre-flight
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Thought about that too.. but depending on the plane the flaps may be manual and if the lights are LED there may have been enough current to run the lights
 
Tantalum said:
The rule at the club here is to leave the beacon on.. the hope is that you'll notice that.. and if not you then someone else on the ramp will before the battery runs down


Thought about that too.. but depending on the plane the flaps may be manual and if the lights are LED there may have been enough current to run the lights
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As a CFI I always blame the previous student but I don't see how that really helps in this case. I just really like being consistent.
 
We trained CPL students. If you're going to get a flying job you'd better be prepared to follow checklists. Here is some of the 172N checklist:

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Look at the second-last item on that list. There's no excuse for forgetting a master switch. Killing a battery right flat that way shortens its life enormously. It sulfates the plates beyond what recharging can recover. Batteries cost plenty. Not having and using a checklist is false economy.
 
Landing Fees said:
As a CFI I always blame the previous student but I don't see how that really helps in this case. I just really like being consistent.
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wouldn't you blame the previous CFI since he's responsible for the student?
 
when equipped I flip the stall warning flap to confirm the master is off.

A Cherokee I used to fly had the hobbs hooked to the master. We learned it took 9 hours to drain the battery.
 
The Master was off when we unlocked the plane. When we did the preflight, all the lights worked, except for the red beacon on the tail.
 
maj75 said:
I’m a little concerned that the aircraft was on the flight line and that the dead battery wasn’t fixed, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve had more time in the club.
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Really? You don’t suppose that maybe they didn’t know it was dead? This is pretty much a non issue in my book. So you are currently 0/1. Big freakin’ deal! By the time you get there, I wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself at 49/50 in the future or close to it.
 
Landing Fees said:
Sounds like you didn't do a thorough pre-flight. I know my checklist used to say check lights, flaps and other things, maybe the fuel level then walk around. I have forgotten as it has been so long since I looked at a checklist.
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A few times in the aircraft I have flown, the battery had enough power to operate the lights, radios, and other "smaller" electrical consumers. But when the starter was engaged.... barely any movement of prop and that was all the batter had to give.
 
DaleB said:
This is what you deal with when you're flying 30-40-50 year old airplanes.
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Geeez planes that new still have the new plane smell don't they? Hardly broke in at that age :)

Could have been a good lesson opportunity on how to hand prop....
 
Landing Fees said:
Sounds like you didn't do a thorough pre-flight. I know my checklist used to say check lights, flaps and other things, maybe the fuel level then walk around. I have forgotten as it has been so long since I looked at a checklist.
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How thorough a preflight did you do on your first lesson?
 
Lindberg said:
How thorough a preflight did you do on your first lesson?
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It was perfect. Want me to tell you all about it? Lindberg, do you like movies about gladiators? Lindberg, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?
 
AggieMike88 said:
Now that's funny right there.... especially since I know some of the members who are/were in that club.
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Watcha talking about Willis?

It was N15BC. At that time owned and operated by a well established training operation in Burleson.

Oh... you thought it was the six. Nope... the club used tach time and neither plane had functioning hobbs meters.

Swing and a miss.
 
Ravioli said:
you thought it was the six
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The Six was the only Cherokee I had associated with you. I don't recall you sharing details about a different one prior to this thread.
 
maj75 said:
I showed up at the flight center for my first lesson. Did some ground school and then went out to the plane. Did the pre-flight and the cockpit checklists and was all ready to go. Turned the key and NADA. Welcome to the wonderful world of airplanes. Rescheduled for Saturday. This was a Club plane. I’m a little concerned that the aircraft was on the flight line and that the dead battery wasn’t fixed, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve had more time in the club.
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It's all part of aviation training. For example, sometime in the future you may have your own plane. And one morning you'll turn the key and NADA. And you'll curse that it's not a Club plane because you have to spring for the battery out of your lunch money and starve for a month or two.
See. It's all part of the training and preparation of a well rounded pilot. ;)
 
Could have been the starter switch, starter contactor, starter, not necessarily a dead battery, especially since the OP has stated that all the lights worked during preflight. It is what it is. Yeah, Cessna 152 trainer, weakish battery, lots of hot starts by students, wouldn't pop over. Hungry CFI... looked me straight in the eyes and told me I damn well better have the brakes on, then hand propped her. We flew and he got paid.
 
I'd be a happy man if that were the biggest problem. I mean, one could jump start it right?
As I'm finding out, and some have mentioned, these older planes can really put a damper on training.

My club has only one 172 with steam gauges. I'll be asking my CFI if the other C172 with glass panel could be used in a pinch for training, because last summer when finally had good weather and long daylight, the plane was in for service a LOT, not just the maintenance, but many failures that took it out of service for weeks.

How is your situation? Are there more than one that you can train in?
 
DutchRoller said:
Really? You don’t suppose that maybe they didn’t know it was dead? This is pretty much a non issue in my book. So you are currently 0/1. Big freakin’ deal! By the time you get there, I wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself at 49/50 in the future or close to it.
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That was a bit of a terse response to a newb. “Big freakin Deal?” The OP was on his first lesson, he doesn’t know the difference between a little deal and a freakin big deal yet. Understandably, as a new club member and student he might/probably imagined that things were more closely monitored than they usually are, in reality.
 
maj75 said:
I showed up at the flight center for my first lesson. Did some ground school and then went out to the plane. Did the pre-flight and the cockpit checklists and was all ready to go. Turned the key and NADA. Welcome to the wonderful world of airplanes. Rescheduled for Saturday. This was a Club plane. I’m a little concerned that the aircraft was on the flight line and that the dead battery wasn’t fixed, but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve had more time in the club.
Click to expand...
Some days you will show up and the clouds will roll in. Some days you will show up and the instructor will have car problems. Some days you will show up and it just does not feel like a good day to go flying. It is part of the journey that is flying/life. Enjoy the journey.
 
Roughly 80% of new students quit before getting their PPL ticket, for a variety of reasons. Some can't get past the idea of soloing. Many get past the solo and the realization hits that there's a HUGE mountain of information to learn and memorize, written test to pass, harder and more precise flying to do, all out of pocket for plane and instructor, with a possibly arduous oral test and check-ride at the end most likely with some stranger as DPE. And there are some pilots that will encourage you, some that will try to help you past the struggles, the setbacks, your nerves or misgivings. Then there are a hell of a lot that give you the "Tough noogies, I did it so you just suck it up princess." Oh yeah, helpful as hell, LMAO.

Hang in there, it gets better, and then it should get pretty damn wonderful. Or so I hear.
 
When my 172 won't crank I get my jumper cables and boost it off. Then go flying.

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