Howdy all, I started my Private Pilot Training this past June, The reason I decided to fly is because of my boss, he is 87 loves to fly, cant any longer and I want him to be able to go flying until we can't lift him in the plane. So Ive kinda been on the fast track since he is 87 haha. I've been stuck at 35 hrs the past month due to a training accident that took the life of two great people here in San Antonio. It freaked out my young fantastic instructor (21yrs old) and put all operations on hold at the Flight School. Since it was one of our instructors, and it was my instructors mentor of sorts. He had done all his training with him, from private to CFII, and now he is dead. Very tough for him. Since this time he has gotten better and just interviewed to fly for the airlines so he is offer to flight training. So I had to seek out another instructor, but at least I can now fly my own airplane in my instruction. I have ONE question, JUST HOW DAMN HARD is the check ride?? Terry
My perspective of the check ride was easy mainly because the chief instructor was so hard on me for the pre-check ride. A good DPE makes the entire experience more of a casual event where you are taking them up for a little flight and they mention tasks here and there. Most important thing on oral is don't BS answers, if you don't know, admit it and start looking the answer up in whichever resource is appropriate. The right answer through a resource is better than a half answer off top of your head. For the flight if you get the plane out of the PTS limits don't give up on it, most important that you identified you are out and try to get it back in. Same thing with landings, OK to go around, but once you touch make sure the soft landings are soft and the short landings are short.
I realize that anything that I have to offer from 60+ years ago relating to my check ride is irrelavent now but I will mention it as a counterpoint. I had to do power on stalls (stick in the gut) without spinning, 720's left and 720's right going through the propwash each time, precision spins 2 /12 right and 2 left, three forced landings inserted into other elements of the test and one went to within 10 feet of the terrain in a stubble corn field, eights on pylon with a crosswind, pylon eights with a crosswind, rectangular course in a crosswind, and three power off spot landings within 50 feet of the numbers. My last spot landing was made into the face of a thunder storm coming at us from the other end of the field and I encountered a 180 deg. wind shift at about 50 feet off the ground and had to walk the airplane down with rudder only. We hit like an ashcan thrown off a truck and I veered off the runway into the grass and came back onto it. Got chewed out by the examiner for leaving the runway. I later was told that the examiner told my instructor that I did a hell of a good job getting the airplane down but I never personally heard it from anybody. I had to get some additional instruction in " accuracy landings " before I got my ticket. Switches
I failed to mention that I, too, was run over rough shod by my instructor before my check ride and the ride was easy becuse of it. Switches
Between 1973 and 1975 I ran the world's largest Ag Pilot training school. I'd enjoy discussing it over a beer or two someday if you really think it is a great gig.
One of my efforts to depict an earlier crop duster. Was done for a calendar. Switches Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great work - do you need an agent? I know you get great personal satisfaction out of your work, but do you know what you are missing by not getting your work out in front of folks? Not my business - I know, but I think I know what I'm talking about here.
Thank you, Roy. All I have is prints of my earlier work but I'm working on three new aviation pieces. Funny, I have tried to break away from aviation stuff to seascapes, landscapes, etc. and had a bit of success last summer at art fairs BUT to my surprise, most of the prints that sold were of aviation subjects. Funnier yet was the fact that most of the buyers were little ladies who wanted certain subjects because thier husband or sons flew them. I'm trying to work up a web site and go that route because the many art fairs are so physically and financially demanding. I have quite an inventory of subjects but it costs a bundle to get digital reproductions. Hopefully I'll have a web site before too long but in the meantime it is fun to share on Av-Chat with the fliers therein. By the way, I enjoy your posts, you have had your fingers in a lot of things re flying. Switches
The website is a good idea as far as getting exposure to the existing aviation art market, but I still have some ideas I want to discuss with you next time I get a chance to sit down with you out in Seattle - new grandbaby due any day now! Maybe I'll see you sooner than you think!
My latest work helping folks acquire, use (legally), and sell airplanes is a blast. Yesterday I helped a client sell his King Air 350 and replace it with a 400A BeechJet. Sounds easier than it was. The other day a client looked over across the table after we concluded a deal and said "I think next time I'll buy a nuclear submarine. . . . that's the only thing that could be more complicated!"
Hello All from Georgia. New to the forum. Started to get my PPL back in 2004. I logged 23 hours with two solo days and had passed my written. The day before my dual CC, my 4th instructor in 3 months was offered his airline job. 1st instructor got pregnant, so she took time off. #2 got fired by the Flight School. #3 was an interim until I was assigned #4. All taught different and with very little consistency. I finally got fed up, left the school and hired a local instructor through our Local EAA Chapter. Of course, like a lot of folks, finances got in the way shortly after that. So, I've been logging "0" time since then. I have gotten the itch again and will start back up slowly this time. My Dad has a Piper Tomahawk, so plane rental is easy. I just need to find the time to spend with the instructor and get used to that "Trauma-Hawk." Scary little bird with you're used to flying a very docile airplane like they had at the Flight School. Hope to pass around ideas and learn from others while here. **D**
I'm sure there are some folks here with some Tomahawk experience. The T-Hawk had just come out 20 years or so ago when I pretty much quit flying regularly. Good Luck - and hang in there this time!
The late Art Scholl told me that he thought that the Tomahawk was a good little airplane for instruction and some mild aerobatics. I have never flown one but I was surprised at his comment. Switches
I have been told by more than a couple insturctors in this area that, if I learn to fly in a Tomahawk, I could fly any of the other training birds with no problems at all. Want to have some serious fun? Go out with a T-hawk pilot and do some simple power off stalls. For those of us with little time or no acrobatic skills, stalls are a wild ride in them. I'm sure high time pilots can tell which wing is going to drop each time, I never have any idea. Depends on the bird's mood, I guess.
I've been around aviation my whole life, and I absolutely have a passion for anything that flies,as well as Ferraris. I have a BA from Embry-Riddle and about 4000 hours in KC-10's from my days in the U.S. Air Force. I sell airplanes now and am hoping to acquire an F430 in the next year or so!
Well then, this ought to be a familiar sight... Welcome aboard. Charlie Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ist nicht bin only der footsnpushin. Das ving twisten und trimin stuff ist anudder causin der stallin und droppin der ving. Heir Switchen und Babblin
I'm an advocate of the Civil Air Patrol. I took that and many more, on a four+ hour USAF KC10 training flight, I arranged for 25 CAP cadets. Many other opportunities are available too.... I got to meet and talk with Thunderbird #3, Nicole Malachowski, she is really something very special, just as a person! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlK4vRw-8Qc (if anyone isn't familiar with her...) Think about it... (Joining that is...) http://www.cap.gov/
Ja! Das ist true zwei...(two) er... Auch! (also) Keepin der vings lebel, ist der vay 2 du it! Vas Dinks du? Der meister mit der moster Herr Charlie
