Learning to fly

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

apparently, according to my radio station there is 4 to 1 odds that it will snow in england and 2 to 1 ods it will snow in scotland

[Simon Roberts]

Peter Savage wrote (see)

apparently, according to my radio station there is 4 to 1 odds that it will snow in england and 2 to 1 ods it will snow in scotland

Meant to be sunny here but 2 degrees.

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

i meant on christmas day how the hell could i forget to put that in

 hopefully i will finally get a chance to fly a plane off snow!

[andy watson]

Well, a strange day all round.

Crisp, clear and still- a perfect day for flying- except for one thing.  It was still very snowy where I live, and the day started with a lovely walk across the local golf course through a couple of inches of snow with the dog.  It was obvious that the flying field would still be snow covered, and I nearly weakened and went Christmas shopping with the better half.  Fortunately my pathological hatred of Manchester shopping- especially in the run up to Christmas was too much to consider, and I sent her on her way.  In the end I decided to run down to Bury, since the weather had cleared a couple of days ago in Oldham (where I work), so I figured it was worth taking a chance.  Anyway I got there about 12 to be told there was an examiner there!!!  Well sort of, he had just nipped over to the heli patch to do a test there.

Oh bugger.

I've not flown in weeks, not read the handbook in months, and not had a go at the practise questions in forever!!

So I quickly fueled up for a practice flight before he got back.  It was fine, but a bit bumpy- especially on the elevator which I was struggling to keep smooth.  What I couldn't get right were the figure 8's.  I have no idea why I seem to find them so difficult.  I can do a nice circle.  I can do a nice turn.  I try do a figure 8 and I seem to bank too steeply, tighten the circles up too small and can't seem to get it smooth at all.  Soon I'm swearing like a trooper and getting frustrated.  Perfect landing.

Refuel with nitro and nicotine and it's up for another.  Again I am seeming to be a bit twitchy on the elevator.  Warren, who is accompanying me asks if I have dual rates dialled in.  Yes I tell him.  The flight was better than the first, but he asks for a go and declares the plane a bit twitchy and says I need expo dialled in.  I am reluctant to change the tx settings when my next flight might be under exam conditions, but after more poor figure 8's and another perfect landing we have a look at the transmitter.

[andy watson]

Well, what an idiot I feel.

I have had dual rates set in for the last few months, and when I fly I use SMART as a checklist.  Of course R=rates; and I check them every time.  Except somewhere between putting them in and now I have got the switch setting back to front in my head.  I've been flying without them for the last couple of months at least!!!  We add some expo in as well.  So for the last few months I have been carefully checking that I have been turning off my dual rates!!

Still no sign of the examiner, so more nitro and a fag and off we go again.

The plane feels horribly sluggish and unresponsive now.  It takes a few minutes to get used to the much bigger stick movements.  At first I struggle as I have to start my turns earlier and stop them earlier to give the plane more time to respond; but after a while I get used to it and the flying is much smoother.  Another go at 8's is better, but not as good as I wanted- maybe I am setting my own standards too high.  Another perfect landing!

Warren has to go, and there is still no sign of the examiner, so I get refuelled (obviously another fag), so Gerry takes me up.  Gerry has taken me up before, and he is a bit of a character.  The last times he has shouted instructions- left, right, up, down etc- this time he was very different telling me the manoevre he wanted me to perform and leaving me to do it- then critiquing my technique.  I don't know if he has been for teaching lessons, but it was much more helpful.  Unfortunately the manoevre he wanted me to keep doing was a loop!!   In fairness it was good fun, and a nice break from the relentless figure 8's, but I was getting a bit grumpy because I couldn't see how it was going to help me pass the exam.  When he told me to take it up as high as I could I asked him why and he said he wanted me to do a spin!!  I revolted and told him I needed to practise my test manoevres- and he told me a spin was in the test .  Fortunately I overuled him and told him I needed to do 8's.  In fairness I enjoyed the loops- the rest of the perfect flying weather had been completely stressful and unenjoyable as I tried to prepare for the test.  Once again they weren't perfect, and I didn't think they were good enough, but he seemed to think they were.  Another perfect landing.

 By this time it was getting late, I was getting cold and there was still no sign of the examiner.  I huddled round the barbeque that someone had set up- no food unfortunately but the warmth kept my hands going.  I can't remember, but I think I had another flight as well, but I can't remember- if I did it was the same as the others- everything was spot on except the figure 8's.

When I said it was getting late, the sun was barely an inch over the horizon- and still no sign of the examiner.  To be honest, I was starting to get quite angry.  It was looking like I had spent the day preparing and worrying, and the bloke has been on the heli field for the whole afternoon until it was dark.  I was going to pack up and was mentally composing a stiff letter to the BMFA when Andy told me the guy still planned to come over.  I decided to bring the car over since I had had to park quite a way off as it was much quieter now than when I arrived.  Obviously by now most people had gone for the day!

[andy watson]

As I was pulling the car round I saw 2 people I didn't recognise walking from the heli patch towards the fixed wing field.  I quickly fuelled up just in case.  By now the sun was going over the horizon and it was getting noticeably darker.  To be honest I expected them to say it was too late and there wasn't time to do it, but when they arrived he said he would do it if I wanted to.  Obviously I agreed!!

He took his time telling me the whole procedure of the test, and all the time I am glancing upwards as the light continued to fade.  If there had been anything other than a perfectly clear sky it would have been too dark. 

So I started on my preflight check.  It's very hard to put yourself back into "first flight of the day mode".  Add into that a desire to hurry it along because of the light and the fact I hadn't refreshed my memory of the "exam full check" and I did make a couple of mistakes- I needed a small hint to check the servo connections to the push rods and that the clevises were secure!  That didn't help settle my nerves.

Worse was to follow.  My engine is always tricky to start- the starter slips on the nose cone because the engine seems to have a lot of compression.  Anyway, after a lot of embarrased squealing eventually it started.  I carried it out and took off!  I did a couple of "trim" circuits- though in truth they were really to trim my nerves- the plane was fine!    Anyway, I did my right hand circuit, and as I flew to the down wind leg I lost sight of my plane as I turned onto the base leg!!  I managed to keep control and on the next one I kept it closer, but it was still difficult to see.  The white wings just didn't show up very well against the darkening sky.  Anyway, I completed my right hand circuit without incident. 

Now the dreaded figure 8s!!  As I did another partial circuit to get into position for them I again lost sight of my plane and had to wrestle to save it!!  Funnily enough my examiner didn't seem unduly concerned, but I was worried that I had failed.  Anyway, I got into position for the 8's and they actually went OK!!  Then the landing, which had been going perfectly all day.............and did again.  In fact the engine was still running (as it had been doing after all my landings that day) which meant I didn't have to fight with the starter again! 

[andy watson]

Another nice take off into the ever increasing darkness for the left hand circuit, and then a simulated dead stick.  Now I haven't mentioned this yet.  In fact if you read back through the blog you might notice I haven't mentioned it anywhere.  There's a very good reason for this- I have never done one!!  Ever.  .  So I throttle back on instruction, and bring it round for a landing.  Well whilst it was the hardest landing of the day it was absolutely fine- although it was about 30 feet further down the field than most of my landings.  That was the flying complete- and apart from the 8's it was my worst flight of the day!!  Worse I realised I hadn't called landing OR dead stick on either of my landings.  The examiner had told me to act as if there were other people flying, and I completely forgot.  I think I helped myself by saying this to the examiner as I returned to the flightline after collecting the model after the dead stick.  He seemed OK that I had known what I should have done, even if I forgot under exam conditions.  I was busy wondering if that was another instant fail!!

The post flight check was straightforwards enough, but then it was time to face the dreaded questions.  Again I was worried about these because although I had prepared as well as I could, that was a few months ago.  I hadn't expected to be taking my A and I had not prepared in a while.  Obviously I was familiar with the questions and regs, but not what I would consider exam prepared.  Maybe being a teacher I expect a more professional approach to exam preparation.  Anyway, the questions were pretty straightforward.  A question about the peg system, one about the flight articles 73 & 74, I can't remember the rest!!

And that was it.  I knew I had done well on the questions, and the flying.  I was worried about the preflight check and the landing calls, but I got the news:

I PASSED MY "A"

We really need a bigger font option!!

I think in retrospect the test was very fair.  It really isn't designed to catch you out in any way.  Obviously it is easy to say afterwards, but it isn't worth getting stressed about- which I totally did all day!!   The examiner did everything he could to put me at my ease, and I think it is fair to say his attitude was that he was looking for me to pass, rather than looking for ways to fail me.

Anyway- in case you thought I was exagerating about the dark- here is me half frozen, getting my certificate about half an hour after my test!!

[Simon Roberts]

Well done Andy   Really pleased for you, hoping to follow in your foot steps soon.

[Tim Mackey]

[Stephen Grigg]

That Timbo hes such a card, well done Andy,Havent had the bottle to do my A yet

[flytilbroke]

It's a FIX. Was his name JIM ?

Nice one Andy

[David E]

Much belated congratulations Andy! I just came across this thread, and as someone looking to start learning fixed wing flying, it was encouraging reading!

[Shrek]

Hi Andy

 

Keep it up all that hard work is worth it I past my 'A' 4 weeks ago and am now using my trainer ( wot trainer) to do mild arobatics loop's roll's stall turns and flying inverted all good fun.

I hope to move on to my new toy in about 3-4 weeks a weston uk mini hype.

 

All the best Shrek

[Stephen Grigg]

Just refound this thread Andy and as im struggling a bit with my flying it once again has helped me,I realise how much practise I needand the guys at the field tell me you often go backwards before you go forwards again.I believe its lacking in confidence thats my problem,My models for some reason semm to suffer with more side thrust than others even though they have the same model.I think im over correcting on take off,I watched 1 guy tonight he gave full throttle and didnt even have his fingers on the left stick until ha had taken off and was ready to throttle back.Thanks for the revision hopefully onwards and upwards

[Terry Gunner]

Can anybody suggest flight training in or around the brands hatch area please

[andy watson]

Well a minor update, since people seem to keep tripping up over the thread!

 

My flying has definately gone backwards over the winter-surely due to a lack of practise.  I stuck with the jumper for the occasional flight until a couple of months ago, but have now mothballed it and bought a blackhorse travel air.  A lovely low wing trainer.  It's incredible how it gives you encouragement to throw it around, but landings are a lot more of a handful.  I haven't really flown it often enough to work out why it is different yet, and what I have to do to reliably touch gently down.

 

I have had a couple of full days flying yesterday and today.  Yesterday I managed to rip out the undercarriage overshooting the landing strip into the long grass when I really knew going round again was the right thing to do.  Today I broke the prop dropping 3 feet short.  So my landings are perfect +/- 50 feet!!!  Actually they aren't.  My Jumper drifted down to a gentle touchdown.  This needs flying in, as it seems to bounce pretty nicely when I do hit the field!

 

On the plus side my rolls, stall turns, Immelman turns, dives and a few others I have either made up or don't know the name of have all improved!

 

I'm sure the landings will sort themselves out soon enough.  Have fun.

[Stephen Grigg]

Well done Andy, I try to watch every take off and every landing seeing how everyone else does it and it is helping me.IM sticking with my trainer for now

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[andy watson]

Lost the depth perception for a moment, unfortunately it was the wrong moment!!

 

The thing is out patch is pretty long, so there's no need to try bring it down at the fringe, but for some reason everyone does!

 

You are right on the practicing low passes/touch and goes- I haven't got a feel for the glide angle of the plane yet.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Stephen Grigg]

Ihope its not at the flying field when he takes out anyone else who is flying at the time You slopers are an  aggresive bunch arent you

[dale turner]

Hello all, i am very new to the hobby to and think it is very difficult to learn but very rewarding every time you complete a manoeuvre. Fair play to all instructors without you guy's i wouldn't be were i am today and i'm sure i be a good few quid out of pocket. I am at a stage where i'm doing my touch and go's so i know what you are going through mate,keep up the good work Andy and keep us posted.

 

 

cheer's

 

dale.

[Ross Clarkson]

Just read this for the first time all the way through.

 

Excellent thread which i wish i had discovered sooner. It makes awesome reading.

 

Well done Andy, can't wait for the B Cert blog!!