Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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.

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