redozbris Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Wow... Went for my first Flight yesterday, TIF, Darling Downs Aero Club, My compliments to the staff and to the instructor, I honestly thought I would be more petrified than what I was, but it was just like learning how to drive a car! Except in three dimension, hence my problem, I lasted 20 minutes in the air then had to head back, I went the palest shade of white I think I've ever gone, Everthing was okay until we starting doing some banking, the moving in three dimensions really made me quite ill, I hope this phase passes! Now to see how much I retained.. 1. Do a visual check of the plane, check the fuel, and make sure you have enough fuel for you planned. Check the wings, check the drain in the sump (This only makes sense, as the fuel drains down to the engine, and water being heavier than fuel, would fall to the bottom after sitting (I also discovered that avgas and kero used in the jets are two seperate fuels, I thought they where one and the same! This makes sense because I've been reading about the water detecting tablets that they use in jets fuel!) Dont throw your fuel if its contaminated on the grass or tarmac, throw it in the air if you must, and if the fuel is good put it back in the tanks, at $2.00 a litre put it back! 2. Pop the hood and make sure that the engine is still there (always a good start!), make a visual inspection of the motor, I discovered that the engine in the piper (I might add, being the large lad that I am, I was very claustraphobic in this little little littttllle plane) 3. Listen to your instructor, he blurted out 300 things I should remember, and of which I dont remember a lot now... :) ... though at the time it all made sense. 4. Now the bottom of the rudder pedals are used to stear on the ground, and the top are used to move the rudder in flight, I didnt quite get this while I was processing flight ( :biggrin: ) I kept on hitting the bottom and the banking was not quite as effective... I'll get it, Its a little odd with two pedals in the same pedal and my size 13's.. 4. Lots of buttons where pressed (I exadurate, I suspect there was only 4-8 on the dash press on) turning on the mechanical pump, turning on ohter things, Prop Clear and the engine was on... wow... From Prep to Prop clear was about 3 minutes! (Pity we had to wait for nearly an hour and a half for the weather to clear...!) There was also some priming and pumps and I am sure I've forgotten lots of other things 5. Release the park break, I am sorry if your reading this instructor, when I returned and went inside and then collapsed on the couch, my instructor wanted to put some more fuel into warrior, I sat on the couch feeling very green, watching my instructor pull on this small small plane, then a thought washed over him that I had pulled on the brake, I do the same thing in all the work cars and with my wifes car, I pulled it on a little to hard, he had to get into the plane and heave on it to unlock it! Sorry 'bout that! 6. And we're off, down the apron onto the taxi way, using the pedals, keep your hands off the yoke as well, it doesnt do anything on the ground mark... sorry, cant break the habit quite yet, as umm, you expect the thing in front of your to help move, but it doesnt! 7. STOP at a line, forgotten what the line was, but inside the club there was lots of notes and posters about stopping BEFORE the line. Hit the radio TX Button and announce what your upto, and have a listen to see if anyone is doing anything landing or taking off etc etc, people who are landing have right of way at all times... 8. Roll down to the staging area/run up area, and have a look at the windsock, see where the wind is coming from and point the prop into the wind, put the brake on, put the throttle wide open, make sure the mixture is Rich, and turn off one of the set of ignitions for the engine, if it stalls and dies, well the plane is stuffed, get out and push it back, thankfully when we put it onto 2 (I suspect that is the second set, which means it turns off the first two cylnders) It then should drop some revolutions, and shouldnt stall, if its all good, turn it back to all cyl ders, drop the throttle so you take off at a million knots, release the brake, and off we go. 9. Pull up at the end of the runway before the line, It got a little hazy here, the adrenalin was running rather high and I was feeling a little, I suspect that the instructor was on the foot brakes, we throttled up, got into the green on the air speed indicator, and then pulled back and up we went... Wow the first time that I have ever taken off under my own means... with a lot of help... 10. Up we went, at this stage, I was not processing things very quckly, what a rush, lots of bumps, lots of shifting and dropping. First thing I noticed that I was that the beast was always pulling to the left, My instructor mentioned that I was one of only a few people that noticed this, and told me to compensate for the problem, I naturally pushed the wrong rudder, hey its just me, I quickly pushed the other peddle, not as hard as I should, his voice came accross the tx stating that I should press harder otherwise nothing would happen... 10a. We did some gliding, I honestly didnt know you could idle the engine and float around, I would expect that if you didnt keep your airspeed up you would stall (Not quite knowing what would happen if we stalled, I was listening very intently as the ground was coming up very very quickly, well to me anyway, I remeber stairing at the altimiter and then looking at the world around me, and thinking that we where at 1500ft, I could swear we where about the land on some poor farmers shed, blue with a yellow set of gutters, if your reading this or you are a pilot, sorry for the 'buzz'), Point the nose down, gravity takes over, oh and set the flaps to full to give you some controlled drag!, you speed up, pull up and try to fly straight, you slow down, i suspect if you put the flaps back to 1/2, this wouldnt happen so quickly, I can see this would help in getting your backside down to terrafirma in the event of an emergency... Wow... lots of things happening.... 11. After flying around for what felt like a good 30 minutes (I was later told I was in the air for no more than 15 minutes!) we started on the banking, the first one was okay, for some reason, even when I am in cars, bikes, boats anything, a left turn is always easier than a right turn/bank, I've never understood why, something I have to work on...... After the third or forth bank, that was It I was done... stick a fork in a thats it... I'm finished... Turned to the boss, and said thats it, can we head back, I sensed he knew this, as after the forth bank, we where pointed back towards home base, and I could see the black strip off in the distance... Sweating and feeling quite ill... Some words of wisdom from the flight instructor, dont worry mate, its not that your a woose, its just that your not used to it, I get the same way on boats, I replied rather weakly, Same here... lets get out of the air.. 12. After some more fiddling with some knobs, a check of the airspace, a TX to the outside letting them know we are heading in, I wanted to try to land, my brain had switched off and was in idle... I needed to get back... This is something that I couldnt understand, we seemed to be aiming for the grass before the start of the runway, my initial thoughts where that we where going to land flat on the grass not the tarmac, though the brain kicked back in and stated the pilot knows what he is doing, let him fly it ;) Dont remember the shut down procedure, all I remember was (and this only makes sense) is that you turn the mixture from rich to lean, and let the bugger stall out, this way you've cleared out whatever fuel is in the lines.... 13. On the ground, did a quick cut accross from the runway, to the grass, to the hangar area, and we done... Shook the mans hand got a photo, and we're done... 30 minutes later after watching another victim take off, and several cups of water later and some kind words from my wife, we where on our way back to brisbane... Got home 6 hours later, after we went to the markets, went to the wivenhoe dam, and did some shopping, I wasnt feeling well all afternoon, feeling much better know though... Experience 8/10 if I didnt punk out when I was feeling ill it would have been great, I've got a feeling the mixture of altitude, adrenalin, and my normal ability to get motion sickness by looking at a moving object sabotaged it ... Debrief, I might hit them up and see if we can get a bigger aircraft rather than these warriors for real training, damn the extra fee's, or it could just be just like my instructor said, your going to get sick for the first few hours, if you get over it stick in there, you've got the drive for it... and what I said myself was, if I dont I wont make it.... :) Doing it all again this saturday... stay tuned.... Red... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 wait until you fly in a drifter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest burbles1 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 You don't get any bigger than a Warrior for initial training! Sounds like the TIF made quite an impression on you. There's only one cure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 TIF plus. Don't think of going for a bigger plane unless you cannot fit in this one physically. Banking throws a lot of people at first. You are already in an anxious state on your first flight, and nothing more than moderate turns might be the idea for a while. A TIF is not meant to be an experience where you are expected to remember everything or be able to do anything on your own. Some people who have flown model aeroplanes /sims.etc, can jump in and fly the thing almost from day one. Everyone is different and the speed that you learn initially is not the total indicator of the quality of the final product. For the queeziness, don't over eat prior. Try a warm ginger drink and don't wear a tight collar or have too much clothing on and have air vents open. Try to relax, trust the plane and the pilot and don't tilt your head over during turns. Keep at it . Good luck .Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 redozbris, Good stuff, keep us informed on the progress.................................................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Good on you Mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redozbris Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Thats what I think caused my problems, I was turning my head instinctivly through the turns, I think the scanning was causing the problem :) Will find out next weekend ;) Thanks all.. Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redozbris Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 RE: Drifters! I just looked that up... wow! That is small...!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 drifters have been a popular training aircraft for a while. starting with a small aircraft has advantages, slower circuit speeds is one. Going from a Drifter to a Jabiru 160 seems like luxury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 RE: Drifters!I just looked that up... wow! That is small...!!! They are small, they are also a strong aircraft, even if they dont look like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirsty Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Well done mate. Don't worry about the airsickness. I was a bit crook after my first flight but no issues since. I also get seasick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudestcon Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Well done mate. Don't worry about the airsickness. I was a bit crook after my first flight but no issues since. I also get seasick. Ditto. What I found was get your mind of the sickness sensation and fill it with doing stuff like flying the aircraft. That way your body knows what is to come because you do the control inputs, therefore no surprises - well almost:) I'm glad you enjoyed it and you are going back for more. It will get better motion sickness wise. Pud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aussie carl Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Awsome and very entertaining description of your TIF Red, Having recently just done a couple I can relate. Hope you get over the motion sickness thing. TIF plus.Some people who have flown model aeroplanes /sims.etc, can jump in and fly the thing almost from day one. Nev. I have been flying RC planes and helis for a good ten years regularly and I am told I will probably pick up flying full size relativly easy. BUT This assumpion does concen me a little, Why ! Well I also instruct both RC Fixed and rotary winged models and from the students I have had it is the full sized aircraft pilots that struggle with RC and most never seem to master the art, crash regularly and have more arivals than landings. What I do wish is that I could understand why long hr comercial pilots struggle so I can help them to learn RC better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirsty Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Yeah I'm not sure if that is correct. I went from "real" flying to RC and picked it up OK but many others where I fly didn't/can't. I reckon the two are totally different really. You may learn what the control surfaces do and that will help in the real aircraft but other than that I don't think there is any real relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Toally87 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Dude you were flying straight over my house, how good is the feeling, DDAC are nice people, i intend to fly with them later on, i'm just doing a tail wheel conversion in a drifter out at dalby at the moment with Don Cramer, he's a great bloke and a very competent instructor if you'd like to try the lighter side of things. Toally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Carl, I think it is a case of their previous experience working against them with R/C . Most people fly simulators (Even if with motion) better, if they haven't done a lot of "real" flying recently. Simulator instructors fly the sim well because at the end of the day it is only a game and you learn the little tweeks and fiddles to make it get there. Things that wouldn't really work well with the real thing. I have had personal experience with R/C flyers and I think it is because they do have a good knowledge of the way a plane flys and how the controls work. (initially) There is no guarantee that the "kickstart" is a continuing process and at say 15-20 hours the advantage may be non existant. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relfy Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 So, would RC pilots who go full size be the best pilots in the universe? :cool_shades: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aussie carl Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Norm please read the above posts again. Paying special attention to my last sentace in post No 13. My apologies for being hard to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit12 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I learnt to fly with DDAC - who was your instructor? Great bunch there, it was a great experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Red; In my first few lessons, when looking almost straight down, out the side to look for forced landing sites, I started getting a bit queasy too. Not as badly as you experienced, but it could have been if I hadn't stopped and looked out the front to the horizon for a few minutes. Now it does not bother me. The same is likely for you, in that after some more flights, it will be less of an issue, until it goes away. Don't think about it. Just concentrate on flying. Our bodies tend to do what we think about, so think about a successfully enjoyable flight. Don't think "I must try not to get airsick" because that puts the airsick thought into your mind. You will learn more about that approach in Human Factors, a bit later in your training. Have fun and enjoy your training. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redozbris Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Howdy once again, Second Trial Flight at a Differnt School ( I had hoped to get onto another school more quickly that 1 month, but work committments, and my loving partner keep me busy (only had to move 4 Cubic meters of Soil and Bark last weekend, but at least thats all done with for 6 months and I can continue on with something that I enjoy doing!) Went to archerfield, met a nice instructor fellow, and Jumped into a Cesna 150, I thought there would be more room, as they are physically larger aircraft, but now that I think about it, larger aircraft, means heaver, means bigger wings (not all the time, but you get the idea) yada yada yada, again pushed up night and snug with the instructor. First thing is OMG, EVEN MORE BUTTONS, and the preliminary's where skipped, as they where done earlier the day, and the little plane had already been up in the air a few times that day, Would have loved to have kicked the tires and looked around the outside, drain some fuel, have a gas bag about what goes where and so on and so forth, but not to be, after a safety briefing, and an introduction to all the lovely gagues and dials that where in front of me, we called to archerfield ATC and off we went, the instructor mentioned that I was driving like a drunk sailor, and we soon got into a chat about his previous career, I'll get the hang of it, its just not intuitive to drive with your feet... Up we went, staying at around 1000 feet, I pulled a little to sharp on the column, but we got there in the end, off to the towers at mt cootha, avoiding a helicopter, I must admit, there where a HELL of a lot of voices coming through in the general comms chatter (I figured out that there was one for departures on the field, one for field frequency, one for general comms and one for approach) Due to the turbulance, and well, my very very very sad attempts at sending this plane down the apron, and taxing areas, I well, feel, that the instructor didnt want to let me near the rudder, I can understand that, Up in toowoomba the CFI let me have it all and just pressed a little left and right when I was banking a little to hard, but I can understand that the Instructor didnt want me doing anything like this in a heavily populated area, was a little depressed that I couldnt swing through the saddle at the Gap, but thems the breaks. Around the back of mount cootha (I must admit I've lived in brisbane most of my life, and until you see it from the air, it doesnt really gel with you where everything is) Managed to keep the wings level, and at altitude, though this seems to be what I am good at, when we swung around the back of mount cootha, and he called for approach (I've been doing some readying on radios and weather, and managed to pick up (from all of the other chatter (GOD, how do you guys do it, there are so many things happening at the same time, lots of people chatting(not chatting chatting, lots of backwards and fowards with very important information, and the one thing I found very pleasing was that everyone was using there please's and thankyou's, its warming to see in this day and age some of the pleasantries are not lost on some people, but sadly lost of the general population) and lots of information being thrown backwards and fowards) that we where upto the 'I' India/indego revision of the ATIS broadcast for the day, when we left it was only hotel... Learted that I have trouble decending, I like to keep things level, something that I will have to work on I think... just dont like the idea of the buildings getting larger :) they are quite nice the way that they are... far far away... (unlike towoomba, where we where doing some gliding (we didnt even get that, it was more a site seeing trip, but hey, they would get 100's of people in every week wanting to see and play, why should I be any different! Being the quiet and unassuming person that I am, Its better to leave it that way) Learned that anything that deflects air will give you lift, there was a line of tree's before the runway (why there is a row of tree's before the approach leg of a runway has me buggered...) that gave us a boost in the air, then on the other side, it took it away from us, I honestly thought that (at first) that we would have stayed at the same height and would have to push down a little to loose some altitude, but I was wrong (so wrong), we sunk on the other side!, now that I think about it, it makes sense .... Wow.. What educational 30 minutes, lasted the whole 30 minutes... I'm chuffed.. And the good thing, I didnt get ill until we where on the return leg, and it was nothing more than a little upset stomach... so perhaps the combination of ginger tablets, a cooler head, a common area, and perhaps since we didnt do a lot of banking, even though we where being thrown around a lot, made the difference.. Dont know ... know if I can only book a TIF at Redcliffe (There booked out for weeks, must be good weather for flying) I am planning on putting up a blog of my exploits, more to keep myself motivated, perhaps write a book.. ;) ha.. My hats off to all aviators ... what immense pleasure you would derive from this hobby/sport/lifestyle/career... red.. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Using pleases and thank you's while very nice, in conversation, is not standard. R/T. You're only supposed to use standard phraseology for understanding, and to keep everything to a minimum. A "good morning" on first call if things are not busy is OK, or "cheers" when leaving. Frequencies can be very congested, as you have commented. Clarity is everything in Radiotelephony. I'm surprised that please and thank you are being used. People will say I'm being picky and being nice doesn't hurt, but you might be stopping someone from getting a word in. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Quite right Nev. I've also heard that departing from standard phraseology throws some of the overseas students whose English is somewhat scanty.. and we don't need confused pilots in the circuit! Mark; Good to hear you enjoyed the flight and any airsickness feeling was much diminished. I've had two flights in 3-axis aircraft. One in a glider, where the instructor did the rudder work and I just had the stick, while the other was in a Drifter, where I had both. I think it is just different approaches by different instructors to the first few flights and maybe an attempt to not overload you too early :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanzahero Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Something no one picked up on in your original post (number 8)... ...I suspect that is the second set, which means it turns off the first two cylnders) It then should drop some revolutions... It actually cuts power to one set of plugs/magnito to make sure that the other one is working. Most aircraft (possibly all) utilise two sets of spark plugs per cylinder, with each set operated by seperate magnitos. It is a safety redundacy built into the aircraft, as well creating a more efficient mixture burn; which is why the revs drop off a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now