Which driving habits did you have to fight during flight training?

Pi1otguy

Pi1otguy

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Many of us drove cars before we flew. But driving a car creates subtle habits that don't work well with planes.

Which habits did you or your cfi have to break?
 
When I make a turn while driving I always lean my body into the turn. For the first few hours I couldn't figure out why I kept skidding my turns. Then one day my cfi pushed me upright (relative to the plane) and suddenly my turns were coordinated with ease.
 
Subconsciously steering with the yoke while taxiing.
 
Trying to make taxi turns at too high a speed.
 
Or the other way around. Sometimes I spend too much time looking at the "panel" while driving.

It's easier to get away with this when you're flying.... ;)
 
I've had more trouble going from flying to driving. I get upset when the guy ahead of me pulls through the intersection without even a radio call. And I know he has a radio in the truck. pshhh
 
Not a driving habit, but rather a farming habit.

The tractors I grew up with had throttles that you pulled out to increase RPM. I bought and learned to fly in a straight tail 172 and of course, as with all Cessnas (okay not all) you push the throttle in to increase RPM.

It took me a long time to reverse my muscle memory, especially in emergency situations.
 
timwinters said:
Not a driving habit, but rather a farming habit.

The tractors I grew up with had throttles that you pulled out to increase RPM. I bought and learned to fly in a straight tail 172 and of course, as with all Cessnas (okay not all) you push the throttle in to increase RPM.

It took me a long time to reverse my muscle memory, especially in emergency situations.
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I completely forgot about it until I read this post, but I did the same exact thing for the same reason. I'd mostly gotten over it before I switched over to the Archer with a proper lever throttle.
 
Trying to steer the car with the clutch and gas pedals after a flying lesson.:rolleyes:
 
Wanting to beat my kid over his head when he starts telling me everything I am doing wrong.....
 
Pi1otguy said:
When I make a turn while driving I always lean my body into the turn. For the first few hours I couldn't figure out why I kept skidding my turns. Then one day my cfi pushed me upright (relative to the plane) and suddenly my turns were coordinated with ease.
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*blink* *blink* :yikes:

I... uh... what an interesting concept...
 
Sac Arrow said:
I had to quit drinking.
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It figures you would have a drinking problem.
You%20don%27t%20have%20a%20drinking%20problem.gif


I think like just about everyone, I had to stop steering on the ground with the yoke.

Flipping the bird out the window doesn't work so well, either. :) Unless you're very close.
 
Treating the rudder pedals like bicycle handlebars: push on the right side to go left, etc.
 
Going through the drive thru at McDonald's
 
Started flying first, used my student pilots license as ID for getting my learners permit.
 
Flipping the bird, blowing the horn, and screaming out the window "YOU DUMBASS!". Tiny window in the Piper...
 
Just remember in the plane it's brake for left, gas for right.

When driving the car the goal is to go between the dotted lines not straddling them.
 
flyingron said:
When driving the car the goal is to go between the dotted lines not straddling them.
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I did exactly that when learning how to land! After one lesson of being hammered constantly about the centerline, I was beat. Pulled out of the airport onto the highway and by golly, aimed for the striped centerlines! :D
 
I've driven several cars with a hand throttle. Well you have to pull the throttle out to increase the rpm. Took a little while to work that out of my system
 
flyingron said:
When driving the car the goal is to go between the dotted lines not straddling them.
Click to expand...

This is my biggest issue with my landings. I constantly land just a few feet to the left of the centerline, generally so my instructor can look down and see it right under the right wheel, so he can give me crap for the next traffic pattern.

What impresses him the most is that I land exactly the same distance off-center no matter the winds, be it on 10L or 28R the same day, or with strong cross winds from either direction, doing left or right traffic.

It's on my to-fix for my next solo flight.
 
Timmer said:
This is my biggest issue with my landings. I constantly land just a few feet to the left of the centerline, generally so my instructor can look down and see it right under the right wheel, so he can give me crap for the next traffic pattern.

What impresses him the most is that I land exactly the same distance off-center no matter the winds, be it on 10L or 28R the same day, or with strong cross winds from either direction, doing left or right traffic.

It's on my to-fix for my next solo flight.
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Just repeat "center line, center line, center line, center line, center line" verbally as you're landing over and over and you'll be cured of it in no time.
 
My big problem: driving too fast after flying. The car is so quiet compared to the plane and you're used to landing speeds.....
 
Dad had me flying at age 10.
When I started driving I had to learn not to steer with my feet :D
 
Dr. O said:
Dad had me flying at age 10.
When I started driving I had to learn not to steer with my feet :D
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I love it when I hear things like this, parents who got their children going early in hobbies. My Dad didn't really have any hobbies, so everything I've learned has been on my own once I was out of the house and had the cash to pursue. Good for you!
 
jesse said:
Just repeat "center line, center line, center line, center line, center line" verbally as you're landing over and over and you'll be cured of it in no time.
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I'll give that a shot :)
 
Bill Jennings said:
I love it when I hear things like this, parents who got their children going early in hobbies. My Dad didn't really have any hobbies, so everything I've learned has been on my own once I was out of the house and had the cash to pursue. Good for you!
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That's how I got into flying, also. My Dad flew in the Navy (E-2s) and got his private/CFII after he left when I was born so I grew up in airplanes. My avatar is a picture of when I was finally old enough to reach the controls -- my favorite was a wing-overs, purely by instruments as I couldn't see over the glareshield for a while.

I lost interest in the 90s and my Dad stopped flying then, too. I've never lost the joy of flying, though, and was finally in a position to take lessons last year. I look forward to flying with my Dad as a passenger this time :)
 
Bill Jennings said:
I love it when I hear things like this, parents who got their children going early in hobbies. My Dad didn't really have any hobbies, so everything I've learned has been on my own once I was out of the house and had the cash to pursue. Good for you!
Click to expand...
Same here......I have lots of hobbies, just hope my 2 boys get into some of them
 
I've operated all kinda of things before flying. Motorcycles quads d8 cat, Datsun field pickup at 10, tractors and forklifts. I always figured a plane would be like everything else, unique. My uncle took me flying a little as a kid so I guess that got me used to how to control an airplane.
 
I could fly by myself before I could drive my myself.
 
I of course did the turn thing during taxi, the other one was trying to look into a non existent rear view mirror in my Warrior.

-John
 
Pi1otguy said:
It still bugs me that we have no mirrors.
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Some 150s have a rearview mirror, and I see 182RGs and 210s with mirrors mounted outside to check if the gear is down.

Meanwhile, I drive down the highway going 65 pulling back like mad on the steering wheel and nothing happens. :mad:
 
Timmer said:
That's how I got into flying, also. My Dad flew in the Navy (E-2s) and got his private/CFII after he left when I was born so I grew up in airplanes. My avatar is a picture of when I was finally old enough to reach the controls -- my favorite was a wing-overs, purely by instruments as I couldn't see over the glareshield for a while.

I lost interest in the 90s and my Dad stopped flying then, too. I've never lost the joy of flying, though, and was finally in a position to take lessons last year. I look forward to flying with my Dad as a passenger this time :)
Click to expand...

Avatar approved.
 
ChrisK said:
Avatar approved.
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Thank you :)

My favorite part is my Dad logged all flight training when I was a kid and I am now using the same logbook he started, so I had 5.6 hours when I started my lessons from between the ages of 6-14, with one hour in a 177 and three landings -- I apparently forgot how to land in the 15+ years since then, however ;)
 
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