Lesson 9 – Totally Dejected Again
Had another flying lesson doing circuits
Lessons starting off badly when I took at least 5 minutes to fasten seat belt!. Also I put my instructor in the embarrasing position him having to tell me that 22 is between 21 and 23 (when trying to set the heading indicator) Doh!
Started off by me doing the radio – but as I was absolutely useless had to abandon – so instructor had to take over. Now got a crib sheet so I will practice before next lesson – Saturday
Also I realised I was taxying on the brakes – so must correct next lesson
Runway in use was the opposite direction to what I am used to . (Flight simmers you should try this – not as easy as it sounds) Also thick haze so not a nice clear horizon to work with.
Basically I have 2 main problems
1) When flying I’m usually lost
2) I can’t land
which added together is a bit of a problem
1) Getting Lost I’m getting disorientated very quickly. After we have taken off and make first left hand turn. I lose sense of where the runway is. So it hard to make accurate turn in relation to the runway when you can’t find the damm thing. Coupled with the above – I have no idea of how to use a heading indicator – (I never used a compass as a kid). So I couldn’t make turns onto a heading
2) Landings Out of six attempts none of them were even remotely ok. Approach was all over the place. Rasied the nose of the aircraft far too early and then just came down to earth in a great thud. One attempt was so bad we had to abandon it.
So summing up a long long way to go – wish I could just enjoy the learning experience and not get so dejected when it all goes wrong
Coventry Airport
Christine Smith
01 Dec 2004 16:58
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Tags: Flying
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Steve Rumsby
Yes, I get disoriented easily, also. Fortunately, I do know how to work a compass. Tell me. The heading indicator. On my trial flight I noticed the instructor fiddling with something that I now know was the heading indicator, but he didn't explain what he was doing, or why. What is it, exactly?
I habitually use runway 23 at Coventry, and I know I time some of my turns by landmarks. Must try 05 sometime and see how badly it throws me! Thanks for the suggestion.
My landings have got quite a bit better since I figured out how to use the PAPI. I find out much sooner when things are going horribly wrong, in time to correct rather than abort. Of course, you need to know how to land without a PAPI - if it is broken, say. I'm hoping that with practise I'll get better and be able to do without it. One of the benefits of only flying a sim is that taking your time about the learning process doesn't cost piles of money:-) Although I do concede, having once flown a real aircraft, that I would rather be doing that if I could.
02 Dec 2004, 10:21
martin
li'm learning to fly ultralights in australia. in hour 11. no landings even close. after 2 hours i was trying to do landings. in hour 9 i finally did a few consecutive good ones. hour 10 and 11 useless again. and every lesson i can't do something that was like second nature previously. i don't have trouble spotting the runway crosswind on left hand circuits cos the instructor makes me look at it as i come out of the turn. right hand circuits are harder and i use landmarks as a guide for my heading and turns.
08 Dec 2004, 13:39
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