.Evan.

Congratulations Pradeep! Hopefully I'll be joining you in the ranks of pilots in a week or two! I'm really looking forward to it - it must be a good feeling!

 

 

Whoa! That guy was really going at it!

 

There's no need for movements like that during the hold off - maybe a little bit left and right here and there to keep the wings level from the gusts, but a slow and steady rearward motion is all that is needed. If you find that you may have ballooned slightly (not a big balloon - that requires a different approach), freeze your rearward motion and wait for the aircraft to resume it's sink. Remember, for normal landings you are trying to make the aircraft fly straight and level just above the runway for as long as you can. Eventually the angle of attack/drag increases as speed decreases and the aircraft will eventually settle on to the runway itself. "Pumping the stick" as my instructor calls it can lead to bad outcomes.

 

 

My thought is that I need to get the best teaching, and then I can get certified on other aircraft later.

Very good advice.

 

The quality of the instructor is very important to your overall development as a professional* pilot.

 

*by professional, I mean your attitude and approach to your flying is always of the highest standard, regardless whether you are getting paid for it or not.

 

 

First was in the R44 around Cradle Mountain area -

Am very jealous right now!!

 

 

Bugger! If only I wasn't working this Easter...It would have been perfect - very little deviation needed to stop in Ballarat from Cobden!

 

Good luck Woody!

 

 

If you ever visit Ballarat, I'll ride shotgun with ya!

 

 

Congratulations!

 

 

Golly, mate! I wish I were closer to your location. I'd be a regular.Good luck.

Yeah, me too!

 

 

One Icon A-5 for me, please!

 

 

Hey Jack, I wish I had the opportunity at your age. I had to wait until double that to begin!

 

Keep up the good work, and as CFICare said, let us know how you're going.

 

 

When you 'flare' you coffe cup when putting it down on the bench

Haha! I do that with my dog when I place her on the ground... I make sure she lands on the rear mains first, then carefully put the nose down!

 

 

It's all good experience! Of course, up until now I have always had an instructor with me to handle the interactions with RPT :big_grin:

It would be good experience. Good for future times when you are flying into a new busy airport by yourself! It'll seem easy then.

 

 

Wow, I'm glad that Ballarat doesn't have much RPT traffic! It's confusing enough with just students flying around!

 

 

Congratulations! As a recent soloist too, it is still very clear in my memory! Did you get around to mid-downwind before it really struck you?

 

 

Hey Eighty,

 

Hopefully some time in the next few days! I have a 'mock test' tomorrow, then an hour solo to sharpen up on whatever I need - then the big day!

 

 

...Scan for other aircraft... Whilst driving on the highway!

 

 

Listen to your airport of choice on liveatc.net while you monitor the traffic on flightradar24.com

Oh, the internet is amazing!! Now I have another way of wasting many more hours!

 

Thanks Acky!

 

 

Thanks David! Let me know what you think when you receive your copy of PF...

 

 

Thanks Allegro! Fingers crossed I knock this over soon!

 

 

I swear a 230 would look good in my hangar!

*sigh* They sure do look good!

 

 

Evan,Since you've passed around your story to friends, family, etc. have you had anyone say they'd like to try flying?

Unfortunately not, Burbles! Fortunately there are quite a few friends that were keen even before the article. I'm looking forward to a) being able to rent the plane any day of the week (not just flying school days) and b) finally to share flying with people (other than my instructor!).

 

I have a mock flying test on Saturday, then one hour solo to rehearse whatever needs sharpening up and it's on to the big test! *Cue ominous music*

 

 

On the days where I've flown in strong winds, I've had to 'drive it in' with plenty of throttle - sometimes even up to 2200 RPM on the worst days! I've not so far experienced what you've described, however some days when there is strong thermals on mid/late finals I have had to really work to get the plane to sink.

 

 

If I think the strength is marginal for the x-wind limit of the aircraft, I slip it all the way down, that way you will know early if you don't have enough rudder to complete the landing safely.

Makes sense... Well said Rod.

 

 

I'm still learning the ropes on crosswind landings so hopefully these opinions will help me. So far, I've done the crab and align method with... lets say "interesting" results.

Check out this video Owi, produced by AOPA. It's one of the best I've seen so far discussing both approaches to crosswind landing techniques.

 

 

Good luck with the rest of your training!

 

 

Point Cook Air Museum, Melbourne

+1 for Point Cook!

 

There is also an Aviation Museum in Ballarat.