January 2005
Pilot Training
Updates
January 2005
On page links to specific dates:
07Dec,
07
Dec 07: I've decided to start working on my
pilot's license again. I've been getting the itch to fly lately and I
talked with my Dad about how to get back into it. Back in 2005, my
instructor was costing me 40 bucks an hour. I had him for 2 hours a day and I
tried to meet with him three times a week. Doing the math, that was going
to be 240 bucks a week. I didn't have that kind of cash and I wasn't going to
run up that kind of credit card bill, so I stepped away from it. Now,
financially, things haven't changed, I still don't have that kind of cash. But,
after talking with Dad, we've got a way around that. Dad is very
proficient in the Tomahawk. So, I will just keep going up with him and
doing right seat. I will go flying with him as much as possible and work on
getting used to the plane. I can fly and airplane. That's the easy part.
The hard part is landing an airplane. So, we'll work on me getting hours
in the plane with him and when I'm comfortable with it (which I never was when I
was doing it full time and having to pay 40 bucks an hour to get comfortable
with it) then I'll get with an instructor. Now, all I'm doing is paying
for gas and I'm getting used to the airplane. Of course, since I'm not
with an instructor, I'm not logging any hours in my log book, but I'm still in
the plane and that's what matters. By the time I show an instructor I know
what I'm doing and I do my cross-country flights, etc, I'll have my 40 hours in
it with no problem. So, that's where I am after a 2 year break.
Also, if you remember, I took my written FAA test back in 2003 and passed it.
Well, it only has a two year shelf life while you get your ticket. So, as far as
the FAA is concerned, I haven't taken my written now, So, I'll have to do it all
over again. But, instead of worrying about that now, I'm going to concentrate on
flying. Once I get close to taking my check ride, then I'll re-do my
written test. It's going to be slow going this time. Last time, I
had a two year time limit due to taking the written. This time, I'll do it when
I can. Heck, it took my dad 40 years from the time her took his discovery
flight to when he got his ticket, so I'm still way ahead of the power curve.
So, where are we now? Dad has enrolled me in the Aircraft Owners
and Pilot's Association (AOPA) Project Pilot Program. It's a program where
the student pilot is assigned a mentor to help and guide them through their
pilot training. (AOPA
Project Pilot) I get magazines to keep me motivated and there is
online progress of my training. We are also flying as much as our schedule
will allow. We fly this past Sunday. We pre-flighted the airplane
and then we took off from the airport. Once we were airborne and out of
the pattern, he handed it over to me. We flew from Perry to Ft. Valley, up
to Reynolds, then to Roberta and then back to down to Perry. I got us back
into the downwind portion of the pattern and then Dad landed us. It was my first
time behind the yoke in quite awhile, so I didn't practice anything but keeping
my heading and my altitude and, of course, my turns. Next time we go, I'll
probably work on some S-turns, turns about a point, etc. It's a bit
different doing it from the right seat, but it's better than not doing it at
all.
So, there we are. We have a different plan of attack this time since
there is no flight school involved, so we'll see how it goes. You'll be
kept informed right here, like always, so keep visting.
Time in Log Book (Dual): 0 hrs
Time in Log Book (PIC): 0 hrs
Total time: 23.9 hrs
Next flight is scheduled for: ???
Top
Comments or questions?
I'd like to hear from you.
Email to: new_pilot@@wolfpack764.com
(Take out one of the @ signs.)
Instrument Images taken from
Gulf-Coast-Avionics.com