redozbris

I thought I would pose a question to everyone out there not just us students, 'What is in your flight bag?' what do you take with you for just a day in circuits, a day out within 50nm, and a day over the horizon (or several!) I'll start the ball rolling 1. My Trusty flight bag (Jeppensen Aviator Bag, thanks to my loving wife) 2. Torch 3. ERSA 4. All My Maps and a Map Holder, which in turn protects my Log book (VNC,VTC etc PCA, I was doing a theroy course and I though even though I am not near this stage yet, keeping at least one current map handy doesnt hurt, WAC's etc etc) 5. Various Pens and Pencils and other stationary.. 6. Note Books 7. My headset 8. My Icom Handheld 9. Whatever Text Book I am currently reading 10. Ipad and Charger 11. E6B and Nav Equipment (again for a training course I completed earlier this year) 12. Clipboard 13. POH for my Tecnam 14. Water bottle and snack food hidden away... 15. My license Holder (GA and RA) 16. Some airsick Bags, never know. 17. Fuel Sampler 18. red

Bugger ... 24 and under! Sounds like a great scheme!

Howdy BallPoint and Mazda :) I am going to be there bright and early on sunday at YCAB (Around 8am), have to get the tax done on saturday, so I can get some more spending money to go around in rectangles ;) Its all about a positive attitude, and keeping at it, I know I'm going to get it wrong some of the time, I just have to work at it, and really think about what I am doing, I find when I'm in robot mode, I tend to not pay any attention to whats going on, and just fly without thinking, last week was the first week in a while I improvised and tryed what I've been told over and over and actually got the aircraft on the ground. More reading and more practice !! And if anyone feels the need to donate $140,000 for my very own brand new CTLS, I wouldnt say no...! Thanks everyone for your kind words, another 2 hours on sunday this week and away we go!

Oh and yes, I am waiting for the day that they start fiddling with things in the cockpit while I'm trying to do my checks... hence one of the reasons why I am so overly thorough with my preflights, being slightly mistrusting of instructors I am just waiting for the missing fuel cap, the rag in the exhaust pipe, the Altimter wound past 10000 feet all those kinds of cruel things...

(Should have gotten back to you all sooner, I've already put up my weekly thoughs and reflections on my facebook back for my 8 friends/relatives that I keep in contact with! I find it helps me to put it down on paper (so to speak) so i can go over it all!) Howdy all, well survived another 2 hours, my regular instructor was busy for the day so had a great english gent for the day, the CFI of the local microlight school, I just cant master the art of talking to myself, I find it very very distracting, its something that I will have to work on. So yes, slightly modified circuits again, I've been shown by several instructors now that you never turn before 500 feet, so in inference I turn just after 500 feet and start climbing, the instructor made a good point, it doesnt really matter where you turn (as long as its before 1000 feet!) but it really depends on the aircraft, the day, the wind etc etc etc, so we tried some slightly different circuits, and I found I was getting to 1000 feet easier, Right foot isnt going to sleep as much as the past few weeks, but its still looking down at the slip ball every so often as I can see/feel that we're not flying straight or moving in the way It should be, the whole concept of flying into the wind in circuit is a little strange, as we had a mild southerly wind, and having to point the nose a little more into the wind so we're not flying off course, is a little odd, I didnt do it for the downwind leg on one loop, and found myself getting close to the end of the runway without even noticing, I find being the spam in the can, I try to fix my glide problems by pulling back slightly and moving from 55knts to 50knts, never a good thing, but I'm starting to notice the changes and fix it without to much thought, but it does require a glance at the ASI to make sure everything is as expected.. The throttle in my tecnam is giving me all kinds of hell, doing a power off glide for the approach I pull the power when abeam, trim, fly the aircraft level, dont descend, wait for flap speed, and pull out first stage of flaps, this is all good, problem is that when turning base, even though the power is pulled out, usually late base I notice that the engine isnt quite idling, there is 2200rpm in the system, so you pull it again, and then it comes good, mostly, something else to keep in the back of my mind, that and the flaps, my instructors all say they need two things to teach me, a stick thats labelled FLAPS the other labelled right Rudder... But I am getting there... The glides have been Very high for the last few hours, usually around 600 feet on final, not adapting to the situation, because of unknowns I believe, is a problem, we fixed up some of the problems, I extended downwind a little, (Funny story, The place I normally make the call for base turn, it dawned on me that If I turned I'll be high, but my brain had already actuated the PTT, and I had talked the words, but I saved a little face, I just indicated that I was Late downwind rather than turning base :) Nice save.. the instructor knew what I was upto though.. mentioned that I shouldnt fly by markers, rather fly the circui by where you need to be.. good advice) Couple of 'Good Student' Landings as it was put, so kind, and some jarrers, only one go around, where we had a bit of discussion on the correct methods and incorrect methods, I've only done two go arounds before, and never really asked for a brief, so my understanding is when you've made the decision get the power in, control the aircraft fly level, not above 500ft agl, trim, flaps, wait until clear of the runway (oh and make a radio call to let people know what your upto) and resume climbout and crosswind etc, It was mentioned that when I levelled off at 500ft agl (540 at ycab), what am I doing?, I asked for a little silence because getting the bloody trim back on the tecnam is well, hard work, trying to put forward pressure on the stick, fighting it at high speed, keeping it below 60knts, pulling the flaps and flying the aircraft, is well hard work, he mentioned just let the aircraft climb, I was always told as a YOU MUST DO rule, is to never break 500ftagl and when you're clear of the runway you can then proceed with your takeoff profile... just different ways that different people fly I think... Couple of the landings where going to be less than desirable, but I got there in the end, on climb out, it was mentioned that they didnt look like they where going to make it, one set I was actually shown how to do some S Turns to help bleed of some of my extra height, something that I've never done before, that was very exciting, as the instructor mentioned it allows for 'Grin' factor, to do some turns to help bleed off height, I know you could always side slip it down, but I'm not there yet, I like the S turns as it keeps you centred on the world ahead of you, and as long as you keep the nose down in the turns, the speed doesnt bleed off, and it helps increase the distance to the strip, and decreases your height... Couple of the landings where good, I just remembered to keep using my feet, still a little worried about pulling the controls back on landing, my brain still re-inforces if you pull the controls back that abruptly your going to stall the aircraft, but being at such a low speed, and soo close to the ground, this is desirable.. its just a matter of getting the spam in the can to do what is desirable... So yes, starting to come together, I enjoyed the company of the new instructor, He's way to cool for me! One of the first times that I've actually had a chat in flight, really helps you relax and takes your mind of some of the more demanding things, and keeps you centred... Oh.. And I was filling out the my logbook, and the local CT Distributer asked me through the CFI/FI if I wanted to go for a flight in there new demonstrator... I didnt even have time to fill out the book properly, (bad I know), We went for a 1 and a bit hour run around from caboolture to caloundra inland and back to caboolture via glasshouse... The first time that I've ever actually gone for a flight, and the most fun I've had in an aircraft ever, though I didnt get to fly, just sitting there admiring all the very pretty playstations in the dash, and the world around us was very neat! So yes, back again this weekend for another 2 hours... With some more concerted effort on my part I am sure I'll get there... Currently reading a plethora of books on the subject, always helps to get another group of peoples experiences... Red

I might just have to go to both :) Now to convince my loving wife to trundle along with me... I even thing I'm booked in for a lesson on the sunday, so if you see bad take offs and landings in 3789 its just me.. :)

I am getting the hang of it, slowly, there are no more adjustments for me in the tecnam sadly, the super echo out at boonah was a much better fit, (but not by much), but I like the club atmosphere of caboolture. Its just one thing that I have to keep doing is just bob the head down, it seems to work a lot better, and when i need to level off, this is helped in the tecnam as the glide approach is noseish down, which helps me see whats going on as I reference... As with the windscreen marks, I read that, I feel that If I grow dependent on them now, its going to be another thing to learn, and my understanding of them is that you focus through the mark on the windscreen to a point on the ground, I am never going to say its a good or bad thing for anyone, whatever you can do to help, I feel its not for me, as I believe that I'll spend a lot of time focussing on the marks rather than the big picture, just my thoughts... but thanks for the idea, would be interested to know if anyone else has used them and what there thoughts are...

I am actually getting them printed out, my wifes best friend works in a printery :) $40.00 for the set, not to bad! I just cant read books online, I get distracted, and go off and purchase more pilot stuff!

I am keeping my eyes wide open I tell you what, a chap the other week decieded that he would join from the dead side, accross the threshold and pull in behind us the other week, all I saw was a flash of this plane from the left hand side.. Most disturbing, I've moved training to sundays seems to be less traffic, still keeping a VERY close eye outside. With being a student pilot making the radio call is hard, you dont want to sound like an idiot, I know its the wrong attitude, but getting on the ctaf and blabbing out all the wrong things is just asking for a caning from the higher ups, I'm happy the right seat chimes in and keeps a good lookout for me as well, 4 eyes are better than 2...

Anyone heading up to the widebay in august for the airshow?

So essentially, its a judgement call by the PIC to choose the runway that is into the wind (A Legal Judgement Call..) the interesting thing is that where I fly out of there is only 6 degree's between the two runways, I can understand if there is a higher angle between the two runways, but with 6 degree's now that I know that this happens elsewhere, I wont be as suprised if it happens again, just have to keep a good gooood lookout and keep two ears out on the radio (If they ar Tx'ing!)

Isnt this the truth, I was listening to the circuit the other week from the windsock and heard a glider call 5 miles, then downwind, then base, damned if I could see him, only when he was on final and I caught a glint of him with the sun... Plus the couple of gazelles that are painted green, the bi plane that is blue on top and yellow below... the all blue aircraft that seem to pop in and out of the hangers... i mean why do people make it more difficult than what is has to be!!

Sadly even with flaps at full, I cant use my peripheral vision. I may try some flapless landings, I've caught myself at 300ft several times in the last few months with no flaps to retract on takeoff, I really want to master the sight picture and keeping my nose down to keep the right glide speed before I start mucking with it, I am getting there, I've found that if I concentrate and bob my head every so often and dont over think things it all tends to go a little more smoothly... I am tending to undershoot a litle, but thats mainly because I am turning late on base so I tend to be a bit far out, little more power needed to pull myself back in... it all comes with time and finesse... mind you I am doing near flapless landings currently, I am forgetting to put out the second stage of flap, I am spending a lot of time referencing the airfield, and figuring out what is going on on glide, so much so I forget to put the flaps out, but its just a matter of talking it through, which I am not doing, I tend to do it all in my head, and as its stated, if you talk out lound, you slow your mind to the pace of your voice, and you tend to check things through, but being a male, I cant talk, think and aviate at the same time... I will bring this up with my intructor this weekend, just to see if it makes any difference, I would be very interested to see if it does...

Is there something I should know Turbo?

Howdy All, Next question, I wanted to ask, but got sidetracked last week, I was up on the 10th doing my best to imitate a pilot, and it dawned on me after we came back from the training area, and listening to the comms on the way in, that both Runway 06/24 and Runway 12/30 where both being used for Taxi/Takeoff/Landing, by gliders and motorised aircraft alike... After it dawned on the both of us ( I am unsure if the FI was simply testing me ) and seeing aircraft in both circuits, it seemed pruded to climb back out to overfly the airfield and come down on the dead side for landing on runway 24, but there where still people landing runway 30... I have to ask, is this normal, no one seemed to phased by it, what are the rules, what are the requirements? I honestly thought that when coming back in you make your call, 'Caboolture Traffic, Tecnam XXXX, 5 miles to the East, Expect Arrival Airfield XX Minutes Caboolture' and then got closer making a call to request runway in use and winds would be a good idea, rather than coming in 'blind' so to speak... Just a newbie asking questions, just curious about what everyones thoughts are! Mark

I've done some shockers, I'm a little scared about using power to close to the ground, I did a drop from about 2ft, it was a bad thud, the next time around, we where about to do the same thing again, but the instructor jumped on and pushed some power in, and we came in quite nicely.. I'm finding the same problem, keeping the 'Sight' profile up, I am still a little bewildered at whats going on, I an unsure what to be focusing on, but I've got the climb out, the capturing 1000ft (sorry 1040 for me ;)!) can be pretty close, I am usually withing 50 feet either up or below, some last week where 950, so I was 90 out, not to bad, but not that great either, but am getting there... Getting the checks in, I mean anyone can say them, but actually checking them is the hard thing, then with me the biggest problem is that my eye line is well and truly in the roof cavity, so I have to bob down to see the runway, and bobing causes me to move the stick, which upsets the balance of the universe a little ;) If I get the power off at the threshold, and turn at 45 to the threshold, I usually come in nice and neat, if I stuff ass around I usually end up all over the shop... But its just practice practice practice.. I am going to ask the instructors this week if in a few weeks when I've got this under control, If I can start to do some flights without the rpm meter or airspeed indicator, I need to get the sight picture nailed, I actually enjoyed my flying last week for the first time in ages, I stopped chasing the bloody guages and started to look what was going out outside.. lovely day as well... Up on sunday.... if its not raining, if it is, I'll spend 4-8 hours locked in the aircraft making machine gun noises.. no wait, flying... professionaly... with maybe just some machine gun noises later on!!!!

Congratulations!! I hope to be there in a few more hours!

Had a lot more success this last weekend, better weather, clearer head, more rested, and we did a little trip out to the training area to go over some of the basics which I've seemed to have missed/mislearned or just plain forgotten... Not quite hell any more, just purgatory.. but the bright note is that I got 90% on me pre solo exam, suffed up the holding point line markings, for some reason two unbroken lines popped into my head, nope two broken and two unbroken lines... oh well, and a quetsion, that I believe is purely a matter of choice, if your heading out and you see someone that 'looks like they manoevering' to downwind.. what do you do... Me Personally. looking like they are maneoving on downwind, in a high wing aircraft, being 6ft6, in a p92s, is will, hard, and secondly, your climbinging out, your not going to see them in a high wing, I can explain my answer, still doesnt make it right in the answer key though ;) I'll get there! Two hours at a time :) ReD

:) Someone to keep you company hehe

For the air sickness Bananas cure me every time :) And a anti vomit liquid call Emetrol works great as well :) Its mainly potassium (Bananas!) and Sugar!

Thanks guys, got some good news apparently I got 97% on me pre-solo exam, so there is home for me yet ;) Its all about sequences really, I've got most of it in my head, just learning what to look for is the hard thing, and my preservation instict still hasnt dulled to the fact of what I am doing is dangerous, so I tend to pull out early, or level off early, or do things, that will keep me from the ground like killing airspeed by pulling back at the wrong times ;) To all thanks for the pep, its appreciated, I'll get there in the end, I said to the boss from the first flight, It doesnt bother me if it takes me another 10 years to get this right before you issue my certificate, I want to do it safely and confidently ;) ReD

Where do I start... The first aircraft I flew was a foxbat, Nice I could handle that, though the throttle was a little under my leg, but I can work with that, sadly it got sold off, and the new foxbat I dont fit in, I'm 6ft6-7 110kgs, so being a tall bloke, the room needed to haul my frame around is quite large to say the least. So I had to give them away sadly, there is a sob story somewhere here about that, I dont want to give my instructors away, they are top blokes, and I honestly mean that, there is so much in my head that I have to get straight. School 2 sadly wasnt for me, to far away from brisbane, good instructors, just to far away, there aircraft where GREAT, The Sierra was good. School 3 was the same thing, Just to far away, Driving for 1 3/4 hours to get there for a couple of lessons was just killing me, Loved the aircraft and location, just couldnt justify three/four hours on the road for 1-2 hours flight time. School 4 where just drop ins while I was on holidays. School 5 is where I am know. Its been a bit of a slog for me currently, when I first started looking at the start of the year, I was keen on GA, and keen to spend my weekends in Toowoomba (another 2 hour drive from brisbane), the CFI and Staff where great, site was great, aircraft in great condition, prices reasonable for GA, but again, I would have to spend 4-5 hours driving for a couple of hours on site, I toyed with the idea of doing blocks of training, but I simply cant be away from work for that long. I tried GA in brisbane, but Class D Airspace is just scary, not for me, way to much happening for my liking, I like the pace of where I am currently, all you have to worry about it people joining on base and the average piloting skills of red haired wonders.. So thats my story to date... I'm happy where I am, I recently tweeked my flying days from saturday to a sunday to make better use of my time, after working all week, I'm usually a little stuffed on saturdays, this way I can recoup a little and concentrate on what is happening rather than being tired. @CFICare -- the guys I'm with now are great, Wish the aircraft where bigger, but you cant help that, I've got a choice between driving 1 1/2 - 1 1 3/4 hours to boonah for flights in the super echo, or going to caboolture, there both good training schools, and the fi's are easy to get along with, when I am not stuffing people around. @DavidH10 -- This is what I was shown and it seemed to work well for me, Though the turns can get a little uncordinated, but for me I always felt it was just me forgetting 'Right Rudder', its quite odd, my right leg goes to sleep, as I go into 'car mode', because where you up to speed in a car, you dont need a lot to keep it going, you just rest your right clod hopper on the pedal and off you go, this is what I am doing, and it plays havock with me. @Fly-Tornado -- I complety agree with Trim the bugger out, I've actually started to trim just after the downwind turn (just on the turn) as the trim takes a good 4-5 seconds after setting up on climb out, I've always been told, P - A - T Power attitude trim, so on take off, firewall over a period of three seconds, Wait for speed, pull the nose wheel, and the aircraft will seperate on its own accord, with gentle pressure, keep the wings level, and off we go (doing checks etc etc etc), so once the attitude is in, trim, so you can releave the pressure, usually 1 1.5 back on the guage. turn, at 1000 feet turn after looking at the airfield, if your far away or to close, fix it up of course, then I've found if I get the trim sorted out on very early downwind, The stuffing around that I need to do is limited, bumpfishwt (one of the instructors adds WT, I like the idea for Windsock and Threshold, keeps me prompted and paying attention) The other big problem I'm having sadly, and I've only noticed it since I've started to fly, is that when my eyes move away from the front of the aircraft, my hands follow... not since I learned to drive 18 years ago has this happened.. Its quite bizzare.. Something else that suffs me up, especially if I stuff up at late downwind, and forget to pull power and trim back, if I look out the side all of sudden we've got up 50ft because my hands follow my eyes.. Though I must admit that my grip has been a LOT more relaxed of late, when I first started my hands use to grip the yoke/control column like a baseball bat, the guys in caboolture have shown me a much nicer way to fly, they call it the wineglass hold, not being a drinker, I dont know, but I've taken there advice on board, and its making control a little easier.. Thats it from me for now, thanks everyone, I'll get there in the end without a doubt...

hehe.. Already been there done that... I'm just not getting the sight pictures, I've figured out the reason, being over 6ft6-7 and sitting VERY high in the seat, I've got no peripheral vision, my subconscience is seeing the side of the aircraft and nothing outside, as all I am see if I look around, is the top of the doors, so thats the first problem, (That and trying to judge the first few turns is hard, I cant see the bloody airfield :) the second problem is that while I've got 18 or so hours up, only the last 10 have been with the school I am with, the previous hours have been spread over 5 other schools, I've emailed the CFI today and asked if I can go back and go from the start again, and just relearn everything that I've seemed to have missed, I still havent quite got the whole power for speed and pitch thing, because there isnt a lot of time when going downwind, I'm spending a lot of time fighting things.. and running out of times, than and dodging people in the air (a biplane decieded to cut accross the runway from the deadside, to the active side, over the threshold, to pull in behind us... agh) The other thing that I learnt the other day is that you dont lead a turn with rudder, what a suprise to learn this, been doing it for months, no one has picked it up, first flight with a new instructor he asked on the crosswind turn why are you using rudder to lead? Now something else to unlearn and relearn, roll the blasted thing, and then use rudder to control it.. though I've got a feeling everyone has there own method.. Go figure, have never dropped a wing on a take off in 5 weeks, not once, spent the last 4 takeoffs dropping wings on rotation.. Lots of complaints, but I'll get there Just so bloody frustrating, and you cant perform when frustrated... Back to work..

Just a really quick question all, now doing circuits, and not having such a great time, Are there any tips pointers or thoughts from people who have be there and done that? More of a student question than a trainer/instructor question, but all comments welcomed... Frazzled Red..