Flight Training Lesson #2-May 1, 2010

As I write these posts on my flying experiences I wonder and hope I am not giving too much information. The intent here is to provide background that would be of necessary interest that hopefully helps anyone understand what I am experiencing. Unless you are sitting in the cockpit with yoke in hand, 5,000 feet in the air, it could be hard to understand.

Before I begin I think it would be helpful to explain something that I realized early on. When on the ground whether in a car or plane you have a stability supported by the ground and wheels. You turn left or right, speed up or slow down but you do not roll over, fly into the air or go end over end unless you do something stupid. When you take off and begin flying you become subject to movement around three different axis that you/I have before now not experienced and must begin to understand and manage.

If you draw a line through the center of gravity (CG) of the plane from nose to tail you have the longitudinal axis. If you "roll" about this axis you would see a motion that might look like a spiraling football. If you draw a line through the CG from wing tip to wing tip you have the lateral axis. If you "pitch" about this axis you would look like a football that has been kicked and is traveling end over end. If you draw a line vertically through the CG you have the vertical axis. If you "yaw" about this axis you would look like a spinning top. In flight you use the "aileron" on the trailing edge of each each wing to control the roll along the longitudinal axis which provides lateral stability and is controlled by moving the yoke left or right. You use the "elevator" (horizontal control surface at the rear of the fuselage and controlled by moving the yoke forward and back) to control the pitch along the lateral axis which provides longitudinal stability. Lastly, you use the "rudder" (above the elevator and controlled by feet on the rudder pedals) to control the yaw along the vertical axis that provides directional stability. As you visualize these control surfaces and the movement they cause when input is provided, hopefully you can also understand the coordination that is necessary to maintain S&L flight, climbs, descents and turns. Add to this the need to maintain appropriate power settings, visual reference to the horizon, scanning the airspace for traffic, scanning the instruments to confirm flight attitudes, listening to the radio then hopefully you can get a small taste of the management necessary to perform flight operations. Throw in a little rough air for excitement and the challenge for a new student pilot is something that only time and experience behind the yoke and a good CFI can help with.

The second flight lesson objective explained during the preflight briefing is to become familiar with and practice "Pitch for Airspeed-Power for Altitude". This is an important concept to understand. It takes some rewiring as your brain wants to say pitch up to go up and more power obviously means go faster. I have read about this and have had it explained to me and I absolutely understand it. One book explains it as "At any pitch attitude, the amount of power used will determine whether the airplane will climb, descend, or remain at that attitude." Of course if you are in a descent pitch, more power will only make you descend faster. So, power here just makes you lose altitude faster or slower. In level flight or in a pitch up attitude, a plane can be made to climb, descend, or maintain altitude depending on the power used. If you wish to maintain level flight, descend or climb but go faster or slower then a combination of pitch and power is necessary. Hopefully this makes some sense and the concept of "Pitch for airspeed - power for altitude" is a little more visual. Who am I to try and explain this concept? Valid question. By trying to explain this concept I am trying to reinforce it within myself. From all that I have read, this concept is a very important one to grasp, maintain and utilize.

The fuel truck is not available today so after completing the pre-flight inspection and start-up checklist we taxi from ramp 4 to fuel. This is not much different than pulling up to a gas pump except you have about fifteen feet of wing to be aware of as you approach the pump. One there and shutting down, you need to chock wheels, attach the grounding wire before fueling. When fueling you need to be sure that the nozzle rests against the the side of the fuel opening to further ground that devise. It is all about proper grounding. Fueling a C152 is not difficult other than you have to stand on a ladder and be careful to listen for the sound of being near full so as to not overfill. Once fueling is complete you need to again check both tanks and fuel strainer for any contamination. If none is found, you are good to go. There is something reassuring about having 24.5 gallons of usable fuel capacity before heading out for training. Completion of the fueling process earns me .25 hours of ground instruction for my log book.

My take off today was acceptable but not pretty. I am still getting used to watching what I am doing while trying to verify gauge readings that are registering appropriate readings. What if they are not? Abort the take off per the emergency briefings we go over each time during the run-up checklist. It is all good today and David is always there to help. There is some breeze again today which makes for a bit of a bumpy ride but I am getting used to this and know that some day I will have calm conditions. Once up and out past the end of the runway I experience the wonder of flight again, the beauty of the terrain around Grass Valley and the Sutter Buttes as I work to maintain my heading and climb pitch attitude. I complete the 1000' checklist before turning north the the training area.

As I approach the training area, I am working on finalizing the instruction to climb and maintain 5000'. Once at altitude I level off and work the mixture for proper setting, turn out lean until RPM drop then three turns rich. the air quality today not perfect but the view none the less is alway good. Early spring and everything is still green as we fly over the fast flowing South Yuba River and the covered bridge at Bridgeport, located within the South Yuba River State Park. Sight seeing over, time to work.

I spent the time today working on pitch for airspeed and power for altitude. I maneuver to different altitudes while maintaining different airspeeds. I get used to descending, climbing while using the appropriate combinations of pitch and power and making adjustments as needed. For a new pilot, at least me, this is a challenge. I know what to do but it is just not intuitive yet. I think about it before I do it. I know in time this will become second nature. I continue to work on this while on a heading back to the airport. On the downwind leg David takes the controls and talks me through the approach and landing while completing the appropriate checklists. The landing procedures go by so fast as I view and listen that it is hard to even remember what we did. Once on the ground we taxi back to hanger to complete the lesson for today. Upon shut down I again think to myself, that was fun!

Training Begins - Flight Lesson #1

The day had finally arrived, April 24, 2010! I not only get to fly but begin learning to fly and on a regular basis. I have studied all winter long just to create a foundation of knowledge and awareness to BEGIN LEARNING. Before I go further I must make an introduction of the person aforementioned as the CFI or my CFI. I have chosen to fly with David. David has been encouraging, supportive and available as I have researched learning to fly. This process could have be much more daunting if not for the connection I made early on with David. During and after the intro flight I knew that David is not only be a good flight instructor but good for me. I'm feeling good about it and I think he is too.

I meet David at 2 PM. I had been calling into the AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) to see what the weather might have in store. Particularly I was interested in what the winds would be like and from what direction. It was good see David again even though we had had not seen each other in months. We began with some administrative housekeeping items like medical/license verification, birth certificate and review of my home study information. In return I received the private pilot requirements for various elements I would learn in dual/solo training. Then FAA minimum is 40 hours with the national average being 60-70 hours. I also received homework, a copy of the pre-solo written test. This is an open book test to complete before the day that I might make this first solo journey. Lastly we go over the pre-flight briefing for the lesson of the day. Todays lesson is "Attitude + Power = Performance". Makes sense right? You cannot go uphill in a car without more power and when you go downhill you ease off on the power. As you travel long stretches of flat road you choose a power setting that is right for the situation while being economical, a cruise. We will be practicing this in straight and level flight, while climbing, descending, and making left and right turns. We go over the various power settings used for each of the elements we will do today. Lastly we talk about the horizon and how to judge where it is. This is important because your pitch attitudes for climbing, descending and S&L flight are in reference to where the horizon is. The horizon is not peaks and ridges but a place in the distance where the earth begins to curve away.

Time to fly! Pre-flight inspection had been completed. Once in the plane and buckled up, David begins to walk me through the start up checklist. Checklists are used for and during all aspects of the flight from beginning to end. They are useful tools and very important. Follow the checklists and you are developing good habits from the beginning. I learn how to follow the checklists, what and where to find the checklist items and vocalize each item as I do so ending with " xxxx checklist complete". We move on to the taxi checklist and complete. David explains how to start the taxi, stay on the line and where we are going. What is different today from the intro flight is that I am handling the throttle while making the taxi. Right off the bat new wiring is taking place. We are used to adding power with our feet and steering with our hands. Here it is the opposite. Added to that, the power is added by pushing the throttle in and reducing by pulling it out. All equipment I have ever operated that has had hand throttles like this is the opposite. To help understand this David says think of operating the throttle in the direction you want to go. Again, this makes sense. I make the taxi to the run-up area but you can imagine how I was trying to get used to the throttle difference and yes, I was trying to steer with my hands too. Guess what? It did not work. I am sure this will change as the new wires get connected and muscle memory and practice takes hold.

David instructs me while demonstrating how to enter and position the plane in the run-up area. The run-up area is the place at the head of the active runway you plan to use for T/O and landing. It is here where you run and complete your run-up checklist, complete a 360 degree turn to clear the airspace in all directions before heading to the hold short line. After completing the checklist items and clearing the airspace, we self announce our intentions to depart on runway 25 to the west and I proceed to line up on the center line of the runway.
The moment of truth arrives. What I do is a combination of what I have read and the instruction given. With left hand on the yoke and right hand on the throttle, I go to full power (over 3-4 seconds) while verifying the carburetor heat is off, checking that the gauges are in the green, that the tachometer shows full power rpm and that the airspeed is alive and coming up to the rotation speed for today of 65 knots. Did I mention that the oil temp/pressure gauges are located below the yoke in front of my right knee? I do all of this to the best off my fledgling ability while David walks me through verbally what I am executing. This very helpful. While I am doing all of this I am focused as well on keeping the the plane on the center line with appropriate rudder control. If you were to add chewing gum at this point I would likely be in trouble! At 65 knots I begin the rotation to lift off the runway by easing the yoke back. More, more, a little more, and we are off. Climb pitch and maintain runway heading. Runway heading is practically right at the Sutter Buttes. Nevada County Airport is a mountain top airport. As you pass over the end of the runway it drops away dramatically as you begin to pass over the town of Grass Valley. As we rise it becomes apparent that the winds, while right down the runway, are somewhere around 6-10 knots. This makes things interesting. The wind causes the plane to move around more than it would if it were calm. This is an interesting way for me to start my first flight lesson as I try to hold heading and climb pitch. It may be interesting but I am not concerned. We are still climbing and David is reassuring me as well. This is springtime in Grass Valley. If I can learn to fly in this then I can fly in calm conditions. Choppy and bumpy though it may be, I am flying and it is FUN!

We proceed northwest to the Brownsville area and practice appropriate power settings and pitch attitudes for basic flight maneuvers. We go over where the horizon is and how to position the nose of the plane above, on or below depending on whether we are flying S&L, climbing or descending. I choose a fastener in front of me on the engine cowling as a visual reference I will use to assist me now and in the future to position on the horizon.

After the practice session we head back to the airport. We fly south to a point where we can begin a turn to a 45 degree angle to enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg parallel to the runway. David takes over at this point and talks through the procedure for descent to pattern altitude of 4,200', reducing airspeed, applying flaps, turning on the base leg, final leg and where to aim for a landing. It all went by so fast. I know it is in my head but I do not remember the visual. The landing was one to emulate. We get off the active runway and complete the after landing checklist. We taxi back to the hanger and are done with the first flight lesson. We debrief and David enters my first logbook entry. Including the intro flight, I now have 2.1 hours. Time now to go home and re-read the lesson objectives I just completed in hopes of reinforcing the memory. What a blast!

One More Hurdle

You can actually start flight training without a medical certificate and student licence but it is advisable to get this out of the way before hand. If something should prevent you from qualifying for the medical then any training would be for just good fun.

In my case I was applying for a 3rd class medical. If you pass the medical you will receive the medical and student licence at the same time. Normally you visit an AME (aviation medical examiner). This is a doctor, most seem to be pilots, who are certified by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to conduct the medical exam and if all is well, well, I am not sure what happens. All of the normal things one might think are real important like eyes, ears, heart, etc are important but it is the unexpected thing that I did not think about. About three years ago I had a Melanoma cancer removed from my shoulder. Not all that unusual since my skin says that I really should be living in the highlands of Scotland. Fortunately, it was detected early and required only a cut and monitor program for five years. In this case the AME must "defer" to the FAA. I received a letter from the FAA with a list of required information to provide. I had to have my doc send this information within thirty days to the FAA for verification. Once the FAA verified that I did meet their medical qualifications, a 3rd class medical and student licence was issued. All in all the process took about six weeks. Not bad all things considered.

Bottom line is that if you really wish to pursue the goal of obtaining a private pilots certificate, complete your medical well in advance of the time you plan to begin actual flight training. The certificates are good for two years if over fifty. Being proactive is the way to go.

Getting Started

On the drive home after my intro flight I began the debriefing process of reliving and reviewing what I had just done. I mean I went through the flight from beginning to end. What did we do. How did the plane feel on the ground, in the air and on landing. What forces during the various stages of flight had and effect on the plane and why might that be. I evaluated my response to instruction and to the conditions in which I was at the controls. I asked myself the question, did I enjoy the flight experience enough to begin the process of learning to fly? Enough to see training through to the end with the goal of obtaining a private pilot certificate? From my research I also asked myself was I ready to put in the study time necessary to gain the knowledge of the various aspects of general aviation flying? After working through this for days after the flight and all the while reliving the enjoyment I had actually flying, I decided that absolutely the answer was yes!

I could not begin ground school or flight training at the time but I could surely begin to study in preparation for that eventual time. I had a strong desire to begin reading, learning and understanding why flying was all about. The question was where to begin. I was fortunate to have a friend and pilot who was willing to lend me his set of Jeppeson books. He sent me the Private Pilot Handbook, the companion Maneuvers Handbook and the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook. These were great resources with which to begin. Thank you Glen! My CFI encouraged me to read through the text and answer the questions for each chapter as a record of training. He also made himself available if I had any questions during my studies.

It is a great feeling when the prospects of learning something new comes along. The question is how to find the time while balancing life's other obligations. Beginning in September of 2009, I found an hour or two early in the mornings. I went to the library for 2-4 hour blocks of time when available. I took the time to read during lunch hours. I found the time is there, you just have to see it and do it. In this case I had a strong desire to learn about something that I had always wanted to know more about. It took me about five months to read the text, the maneuvers handbook and most of the FAA Flying Handbook.

There are a lot of options out there for study material. I found the Jeppeson material to be very good. The material is presented in a logical fashion. The major parts include fundamentals of flight, flight operations, aviation weather, performance and navigation and integrating pilot knowledge and skills. Not knowing what I was getting into, I was impressed with the volume and amount of detail presented in each of these parts.

What kind of detail might you learn about? Newton's third law of motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. As the propeller rotates clockwise, the plane has a tendency to rotate counterclockwise. Knowing this, it can be compensated for. How about

P-factor? I know what you are thinking. His/hers involuntary desire to relieve themselves in flight, right? No. Okay, some might say it is pucker factor, right? Wrong again. When flying at a high angle of attack and high power setting, P-factor is most pronounced. In this configuration the descending propeller blade on the right produces more thrust than the ascending blade on the left causing the plane to yaw about the vertical axis. Again, just another thing to be aware of. Of course, thinking about it more, I suppose the former examples could be correct!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning process having increased my knowledge of something that has always been of interest. I also know that this is just the start of the learning process. Now I must take what I have learned and apply it during flight training. If anybody is at all interested in aviation and has had the same desire as I have, I encourage you to take the first step and just start. You will not be disappointed.

Introductory Flight

I do remember making the arrangements to take and intro flight. What I forgot at the time was that the date we selected was September 11, 2009. How ironic that this turned out to be the date of my into flight.

I really had no expectations going into this flight other than I was glad to be going up flying. I had several good conversations before the flight so I felt comfortable with my future CFI. I also knew that the plane he flies and teaches in is a 1979 Cessna 152. A brief research session told me that this is a two seat high wing airplane and that this Cessna model has been around for quite some time and is commonly used for flight training purposes. It is economical and is a good platform to learn in.

I remember arriving at the hanger. The pre-flight had already been done before the plane was rolled out. Before long I found out that I was to enter the plane on the left side. Isn't that the drivers, I mean pilots seat? Why was I getting in on that side? And believe me, there is a way to get in and out efficiently without using parts of the plane you should not use to move your body from the ground to the seat. It does involve folding and unfolding of legs. It is at this time when you understand that you understand nothing about what you are about to do! We have talked about how to find a CFI that is a good fit for flight training. During the intro flight is the time to experience the teaching style, temperate and overall feel of a how future flight training sessions might be like.

So, again, I know nothing about what we(I) are about to do. We go through and complete the start-up and taxi checklists. We weave our way out of the ramp 4 hanger area and onto the taxiway. At this point I am invited to take the controls on a very comfortable taxi speed while it is explained how you maintain the yellow stripe down the middle of the taxiway and why. You stay on that line to maintain the best clearance distances from any potential obstructions. It is further explained that you steer with the rudder that is controlled with you feet by pushing on the appropriate rudder pedal. If more control is needed then you can use the toe brakes that are actuated by depressing the top of the rudder pedal for either the left or right brake. This is differential braking. On the way to the run-up area I am invited to practice some small S-turns around the stripe to get the feel of rudder and brake feel and control. Not so bad I think to myself, I can do this. I can at 10 mph. Next I find out that with only my left hand on the yoke and my right hand on my leg, I will be steering on the take-of roll and executing the actual leaving the ground. Whaaat! What a trusting CFI. While going through and completing the run-up checklist I am thinking about how this plane acts going down the runway, just how fast exactly, and what am I suppose to do. We announce our intention to taxi into position for departure on runway 25 to the west. You may be wondering, I was, what am I going to do with my right hand? The idea is to get used to making control input with the yoke while my right hand will be on the throttle during T/O. Fortunately I do no have to concern myself with this today nor do I have to watch the instruments. My job at this point is to listen as instruction is given, steer and rotate. I am thinking stay calm, focus on the centerline, rudder corrections as needed, listen for instruction and enjoy the experience.

The T/O roll went smoothly and the plane handled easier than I had envisioned with very little rudder correction. When it came time to rotate I was amazed at how effortless the feeling was. After reflection I can only describe the feeling as one of a mechanical object that transforms itself from a terrestrial to an avian being when it reaches the point where aerodynamically it not only can fly but wants to fly. It is a feeling that to understand it, has be experienced. It was amazing!

We spent the hour making some turns in both directions, some descents and climbs and combining the turns while climbing and descending. We talked about clearing the turns before initiating them. We also spent time looking down at the South Yuba River, Bridgeport Covered Bridge and Bullards Bar Reservoir. It was a great flight on a warm fall day. I was not sure though who enjoyed the flight more. It is a good sign when your CFI enjoys the experience of flying as much as a new student.

On the way home I keep thinking how much I enjoyed the flight. The flight gave me an opportunity to experience not only the joy of flying again but some hands on experience as well. It did not take me long to decide that learning to fly was something that I not only wanted to do but that the time had come to begin.

Where to Begin

After my Angel Flight experience in August of 2009, I began to search out what, where, how and who. My community is not large but has a decent airport. I started with an internet search and located one flight school. I went to the airport office and looked at the bulletin board for advertisements. I located two individuals who were in the flight training business. I then spoke with staff at the airport office for their thoughts on how to begin this adventure. Nobody had anything negative to say about the service providers in this area. I was told that I could fly with somebody established, in their plane, or I could buy my own plane and hire a flight instructor. Buying a plane with no experience was not an option although I did look just for the heck of it.

Through some friends in town I met with couple of people who are pilots and were very supportive and helpful in sharing their experiences and ideas on how to proceed. Essentially I was on the right track with research but was encouraged to begin reading anything I could to become familiar with flying in general aviation. The internet by far provided huge amounts of information and I began to sort through the plethora of information. There are many resources to research. One organization that I can highly recommend is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). This organization is the major advocacy organization for all things general aviation related. Their website has a tremendous volume of information for anybody at any stage whether a beginner like me or someone with thousands of hours logged. This website is a good place to begin. AOPA offers a six month free membership to new potential members that comes with their monthly Flight Training magazine.

I decided to place calls to the two CFI's (Certified Flight Instructors) that I noted on the bulletin board. This seemed to me to be a situation that would provide a small and perhaps more intimate flight training experience as opposed to a larger flight school. This I thought would also be good way to talk to someone about flight training and perhaps take an introductory flight. I called both individuals. I never heard from one and received a prompt call from the other. I was able to have several good conversations and found that an introductory flight was an option. When you research flight training you will find many references to finding the right person to be your CFI. Why is this important? You will end up spending much time together in close quarters, did you ever own a VW Bug?. As a student you will be under instruction and observation constantly as you learn and focus on accomplishing the lesson objectives while in the air. For obvious reasons you will want to have a CFI who not only is experienced but hopefully enjoys the teaching process and being in the air as much as the new student. As you research you will likely come across the name Rod Machado. Rod writes a column for the AOPA Flight Training magazine and he also has a website called Rod Machado's Aviation Blog. Rod recently wrote a blog called "Finding a Good Flight Instructor" that is worth reading. I am fortunate to have found a good CFI for me rather quickly. We agreed on a date and time to to take an intro flight.

Why am I learning to fly?

Welcome to my first ever blog. So, why am I learning to fly? Great question. I have been exploring this question and do not have a definitive answer. I can however look back in my life at experiences I have had and believe that nothing to date has turned me off to flying. I believe certainly that the experiences were positive and continued to pique my interest and curiosity.

My first recollection of a flight experience was from about 1962. Our family was moving to Turkey for a couple of years with my fathers job. In those days the flight across the Atlantic was made in the Boeing 707. I remember this as being the transcontinental jet of the day. In our case we flew with Pan American. The old PanAm with the trademark blue globe on the tail. What I remember most was the in flight experience. There were plenty of flight attendants (stewardesses in those days)in their uniforms. Meals were served on real plates and the food was, well, actually real too. Passengers were friendly and had nothing to occupy their time like today with movies and laptops. People actually talked and got acquainted with one another. They also drank and smoked like chimneys. The flight crew were a part of the in flight experience as I never remember the cockpit door being closed. Routinely passengers would stop but and look around and probably shoot the breeze. For a kid like me getting my PanAm wings was truly a highlight. That and the blue plastic flight bag I got as well. Those were the days when people did not even consider pulling anything like high jacking. My recollection was of a time and experience of relaxed civility.

My next significant flight experience was in about 1974. I was in the Navy and stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock, CVA 19. Can you imagine the names we were called in the fleet? This old gal was 1-24 Essex class carriers that was commissioned in early 1944. In 1974 she was more than used up and was nearing the end of her lifespan, 1976. When I got off in 1975 she made one last trip to Vietnam. This was the ship in the photos of the helicopter being pushed over the edge of the flight deck. I was due to be discharged and of course the Navy was being a little nicer than usual in hopes that you may reenlist. Right! I played along and mentioned how I would sure like to try a flight off the carrier. They accommodated my request while transiting from San Diego back to the home port of Alameda. They loaded about a dozen of us in a Grumman S-2 Tracker for the flight. This plane had a stubby fuselage with wings built for lifting and was used for hauling personnel, mail or whatnot. They called them COD flights, carrier on board delivery. I remember that this plane had two huge radial engines. We were seated facing rearward. A little time went by where I could not tell what was going on other than the taxi to the rear end of the flight deck. It was loud. The last thing I remember as the engines came to full power was the pilot saying "brace for take-off". No sooner had that been uttered than we proceeded with the take off roll down the flight deck. Can you imagine the take off roll in approximately 800' x 100' with a large structure (Island) midway down the deck with other planes, personnel and equipment lining the deck? I remember leaving the deck and feeling the sinking sensation before lift overcame weight and we began to rise. Everything from there on was anticlimactic. It was a thrill ride though.

My next flight experience came in the 1980's when I flew with my brother in a Cessna 172. I do not remember much detail. We flew from somewhere in Sacramento to Auburn and back. I remember we stopped and had breakfast. I guess this was an early version of the $100 meal flight.

My last flight experience was about one year ago when I had the opportunity to ride along on an Angel Flight from Nevada County Airport to Santa Rosa and back. Angel Flight is a great organization that provides flights to people with medical conditions that cannot afford commercial flights, have no commercial flight options, do not have the physical stamina to make such a flight or have compromised systems that make commercial flights difficult due to exposure. The organization and pilots who volunteer their time are providing a valuable service. I hope one day to qualify to provide that type of service for those in need. Besides the enjoyment of the ride I do remember nearing Santa Rosa only to find a sea of fog. fortunately the pilot was instrument rated. After descending through the layer, we were lined up right on the center line.

After 56 years my time has come to start a learning process that I had only thought about. If there is one thing I have learned over many years it is that the hardest thing to starting something is to just start. I have resolved to start this adventure with no other expectation than to start. My goal is to complete training but the hard part is over, starting!