Any GA Pilots or CFI's Here?

[Leah]

I am wanting to get my private pilot's certification and could use some information. I have driven the VX so long by pulling back on the steering wheel that I thought I'd better get into something that actually left the ground. (How I wish the VX had wings!) Anyone have Sporty's Private Pilot's lessons on DVD and want to sell it?.

[Heraclid]

That's great and I wish ya the very best! Wish I could help more with your question but I'm sorry to say I can't. I'm fascinated with helicopters and would (one of these days... grrrr) love to pursue the private pilot for "fling-wings". Chalk it up to too much "Airwolf" as a kid, I guess. That started it, then when I rode in one the obsession it got worse, and then flying one set the hook. :-)

[Leah]

If I had the money, I'd be working on getting my rotary wing certification instead, but I'll take what ever will get me off the ground! :)

[Heraclid]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Lots of people go the fixed wing route first and then get their helicopter add-on rating for that reason. I had a terrific instructor by the name of Dave Brookes (got a corporate gig flying Learjets now) down in Stuart who took me up a few times, but at $160 an hour it was more about seeing for sure that I wanted to do it than trying to see it through to completion, because it's gonna be a while.

[Leah]

I'll tell you a secret my mom told me. It has provided an amazing amount of revenue in the form of goods and services at little or no charge. This secret has been in our family for generations and is traditionally handed down to the female when she reaches the age of maturity - which varies according to the individual. This secret is very possibly going to get me my flying lessons for little of no outlay of cash. Are you ready?

It's free to ask.

Yep. It's that simple. I asked the CFI if I could possibly do any work for him that might go toward paying for my flight lessons. It was free to ask. He thought about it for a while and said, Yes! So, if all goes well, I'll be flying for the time it takes to answer the phone and take messages!!!

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Leah
I am wanting to get my private pilot's certification and could use some information.

Leah,

You will be surprised on the video and books you can find at your public library and the best part is that it is free. Your flight school also has all these videos to check out to their students.


My humble recommendation is that
since you are starting to learn how to fly then I recommend you stay away from those books, video etc... Get your training with your CFI and stict to that. You will need routine training that will not confuse you with other information that can hurt you on your studying and possible check ride. . There is a lot of FAA regs, Check lists, procedures and calculations that you will be learning. Flying is the easy part. If you start to learn from different sources at the beginning of your learning curve then this could lead to confusion and more money spent.

Just my humble opinion and from past experience I have seen a lot of students spend their hard earned cash only to have to quit before finishing because Funds ran out. I know you will be trying to get flight training for free and KUDOS but make sure you have the CFI layout a plan out before your flight training. Also before the check ride you will need to take the PVT Pilot exam. You can start studying for this while you are training. Depending on your Check ride there is a time limit for when the PVT exam is good for until you need to take it again if you haven't taken the check ride.


Sorry.. I rant more than I should. Your CFI will explain everything to you.

Good Luck and Happy flying!

[Leah]

azskyrider, sounds like you're a pilot! Thank you for the information. I knew this would be the place to go for info. I appreciate the heads up on the CDs and books. (Can you imagine my embarrassment at not having thought of the library? Me. The 'it's free to ask' lady!) I certainly don't need to confuse myself any more than I already am. My introductory flight will be the deciding factor, of course, but I do hope to get certified. I joined AOPA and took their Virtual Medical Exam. I also subscribed for their six months (for free) Flight Training magazine. My CFI doesn't have a school as yet. He is opening the school just as soon as he gets his new Cessna ready to go. My only problem with the Cessna is that it looks nothing like a VehiCROSS. Poor planning, if you ask me. :)

Oh, and can you tell me what FBO stands for. I see it everywhere but can't find the definition.

[azskyrider]

Leah,

Fixed Base Operator.

Cheers,

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Leah
azskyrider, sounds like you're a pilot! Thank you for the information.
Hello Leah,

Yes I am a pilot. Tomcat is also a pilot. Maybe he will chime in here today.

Your flight training will be lots of fun. Please allow me to offer another tip. A plane is very sensitive to movements. Remember to make small controlled movements and be patient, like driving with a bowl of soup in your car. If you turn to sharp or make abrupt movements then you will spill it all over the seats. So think that way. SMOOOOOTHHH.. is the name of the game. And also don't forget RULE #1 which is "trust" your INSTRUMENTS with the exception of your fuel Gauge. NEVER ever, ever, and EVER trust your fuel gauge so never make sure the distance you are flying allows you to get to your destination with less than a ¼ tank of gas. Always check your tank manually.Be safe and plan a refueling stop along your trip. Like I said. Flying is the easy part. Planning is very time consuming and a necessity which needs to be checked, and checked again with great sincerity. Remember that there are no gas stations or safety pullouts like you do in the city. You will have to rely on Fuel burn, map plotting, and take into account wind direction. Also don't forget that it is not as easy as point and shoot like you are driving. Flying you will rely more on your instruments for ground tracking to your destination and correct for wind. So even though your nose is pointed off center to the direction you will be flying you will actually be moving at a track to your destination. A lot of students make the mistake of thinking like driving. Point the tires straight and it will go there. In the Air you need to look outside for aircraft avoidance and ground obstruction and use your instruments to actually fly the plane to direction you want to go. Keep these thought in your mind so when you start your training you will start off with good habits. Oh, one more thing in turbulence weather try to let the plane bounce a bit. So don’t try to fight it. DON’T have a death grip on the controls because if you do then plane will bounce around even MORE.

Ranting again. Sorry. Your instructor will inform you.

Cheers,

P.S. I recommend Flight Training Mag. They are the best that I have come across.

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Leah
I joined AOPA and took their Virtual Medical Exam.

Leah,

It just hit me . Virtual Medical Exam?

A medical needs to be done by a Certified FAA approved doctor. Depending on the class level of medical exam you are having done then the test will be different. Don't be fooled as it will be illegal for you to fly with out your instructor if you don't have one. At your level you will need the basic Medical exam which is sorta like a basic check up. But again it has to be done by a FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration) approved Doctor. You can get this list of doctors ( and insurance does not cover the costs) through your FBO.

Cheers,

[tomcat837]

Originally posted by azskyrider
Hello Leah,

Yes I am a pilot. Tomcat is also a pilot. Maybe he will chime in here today.

Your flight training will be lots of fun. Please allow me to offer another tip. A plane is very sensitive to movements. Remember to make small controlled movements and be patient, like driving with a bowl of soup in your car. If you turn to sharp or make abrupt movements then you will spill it all over the seats. So think that way. SMOOOOOTHHH.. is the name of the game. And also don't forget RULE #1 which is "trust" your INSTRUMENTS with the exception of your fuel Gauge. NEVER ever, ever, and EVER trust your fuel gauge so never make sure the distance you are flying allows you to get to your destination with less than a ¼ tank of gas. Always check your tank manually.Be safe and plan a refueling stop along your trip. Like I said. Flying is the easy part. Planning is very time consuming and a necessity which needs to be checked, and checked again with great sincerity. Remember that there are no gas stations or safety pullouts like you do in the city. You will have to rely on Fuel burn, map plotting, and take into account wind direction. Also don't forget that it is not as easy as point and shoot like you are driving. Flying you will rely more on your instruments for ground tracking to your destination and correct for wind. So even though your nose is pointed off center to the direction you will be flying you will actually be moving at a track to your destination. A lot of students make the mistake of thinking like driving. Point the tires straight and it will go there. In the Air you need to look outside for aircraft avoidance and ground obstruction and use your instruments to actually fly the plane to direction you want to go. Keep these thought in your mind so when you start your training you will start off with good habits. Oh, one more thing in turbulence weather try to let the plane bounce a bit. So don’t try to fight it. DON’T have a death grip on the controls because if you do then plane will bounce around even MORE.

Ranting again. Sorry. Your instructor will inform you.

Cheers,

P.S. I recommend Flight Training Mag. They are the best that I have come across.

Tomcat? A pilot? I'm not sure you were talking about me, unless there is another Tomcat, sorry I am not a pilot. I am however, an air traffic controller.

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by tomcat837
Tomcat? A pilot? I'm not sure you were talking about me, unless there is another Tomcat, sorry I am not a pilot. I am however, an air traffic controller.

Sorry, now I am :confused: I know there is another pilot on the Forum. Oh well..:rolleyes:

[PeteVX]

Leah,

I dont know very much about flying and might be a little off track here but have you tried the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) ?

I train a search and rescue dog and we work with CAP from time to time, they fly us and our dogs to search sites and we also do downed aircraft drills, locating aircraft and searching for survivors etc. Reason i mention it is i know that CAP owns the planes but everyone works like us on a volenteer basis. It might be worth checking to see if you can work with and learn something from them, see if they have any flight training programs.

Everyone i've met and worked with at the minnesota CAP has been great.

Good luck to you!

Pete

[Joe_Black]

Lots of good advice here, but since it looks as if you've already found an instructor you should use the materials and course outline they recommend. That way you'll be on the same page and they'll be better able to address your questions as they'll know what your studying. I grew up next to an airport where the FBO was a Cessna Flight Center and they have always used the Jeppesen line of materials. When I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University the flight course materials were also Jeppesen. The stuff from Sporty's or King are good later on for refresher info and such. I've always been a private pilot since deciding to fly for fun rather than profit and am finally about to tackle an IFR rating, so it'll be back under the hood with a CFI soon.

If you've joined AOPA be sure to take advantage of their member services. Great organization and the people there are ready to help, so use what your membership provides.

You'll certainly enjoy it, just don't get too wrapped up in the bookwork. I've seen a lot of new students get overwhelmed with the technical aspects of flying before they even got off the ground! Just get in the cockpit and fly. Fall in love with what flying is, then you can tackle the books. That way you'll have the best motivation of all, the desire to get that ear-to-ear grin back on your face!;Do;

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Joe_Black
When I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University the flight course materials were also Jeppesen. The stuff from Sporty's or King are good later on for refresher info and such.

Joe,

Same point I was stating. So you are from Embry riddle. There is one in Prescott,AZ and Florida. You probably went to Florida but if not which class did you grad from!

[Leah]

Originally posted by azskyrider
Virtual Medical Exam?

The VME is simply to give one an idea of what to expect at the doctor's office and also what to expect from the FAA tests. It explains what the testing questions are about, what is acceptable in regards to medication, and what is an absolute no go. It isn't in any way a legal, or genuine medical exam. Fortunately, my husband is in the Air Force so my medical will cost me nothing out of pocket and the doctors on base do flight medicals all day long. :)

Also, thank you SO much for the tips. I am very excited to have an insider's view and thrilled that I don't need Sporty's or King's after all. Anything I can learn before I leave the ground will be a huge help. Please, rant away! And any more of those practical bowl-of-soup-in-the-lap tips you can come up with are absorbable to my brain! That was an inspired example.

Pete: What a great idea! I was actually wanting to learn to fly for the purpose of search and rescue since I am a volunteer with Mossy Head fire/rescue. I was wondering how I was going to be able to make use of my new certification and you have just answered that question. I will start my research immediately!

Joe_Black: Thank you for the encouragement. Do you know, I was actually already overwhelmed with the technical aspect?! I really needed to hear that and will take your advice to heart. I am also hoping to get my IFR rating as well, so let me know how that goes for you, please.

Re Embry Riddle: Is that the same Embry Riddle that is in Niceville Florida/Eglin AFB? Cause, that's where I am...or near. My husband is stationed at Eglin.

Thank you, again, everyone!

[Heraclid]

A plane is very sensitive to movements. Remember to make small controlled movements and be patient, like driving with a bowl of soup in your car. If you turn to sharp or make abrupt movements then you will spill it all over the seats. So think that way. SMOOOOOTHHH.. is the name of the game.

I don't know how a plane feels, but man is that ever true in a helicopter! I'd start to pitch the nose down and would move to correct it and we were instantly looking like we were going for an Immelmann maneuver, nose way high. I'd start to yaw left or right and would give it a little pedal to compensate and I'd spin the thing all the way around. Then I'd try to correct that and whip it back the other way too far. Plus the R-22 is a more complex helicopter to get the hang of than most, which is why many like to say that once you can handle one you can fly most any helicopter. Interestingly, when it came to keeping it pointed the right direction, it felt much better at altitude than down just over the ground, because you are so much more sensitive to every little movement down low because you have so many points of reference. You can also get so high that it gets freaky because you lose so much of that perspective that you can feel like you are not moving.

[Heraclid]

Joe attended Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, FL.

If you ever go for a helicopter rating, it's hard to beat HAI (Helicopter Adventures Inc.) in Titusville. They offer training in both the Robinson R-22 and the Schweizer 300CB. Quantum Helicopters in Chandler, AZ is also excellent, as is Sierra Academy (Concord, CA, I believe). Mazzei Flying Services in Fresno, CA is primarily a fixed wing operation but also has a great reputation for rotary wing instruction. It's important to find the right one for you and go there, wherever there is.

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Heraclid
I don't know how a plane feels, but .... Interestingly, when it came to keeping it pointed the right direction,.it felt much better at altitude than down just over the ground, because you are so much more sensitive to every little movement down low because you have so many points of reference.

Heraclid,

I have flown some hours in a copter.I believe the reason the copter flys more UNSTABLE at low alt. would be caused by the vertical thrusts hitting the ground. The farther your blade thrust is away from a solid object (ground surface) the more constant and equal your thrust will be at all perimeter of the copter making it feel more stable to slight changes in pitch or yaw.

Closer to the ground the helicopter is much more sensitive to pitch or yaw because more lift can be produced on one side than the other causing the copter to feel very finiky.

I guess I am just a little confused on your "points of reference"

[Joe_Black]

Yep, went to the original ERAU campus at Daytona although didn't graduate. Saw a FedEx flight application (they and UPS have the BEST of EVERYTHING!) and realized I wasn't Joe Jet-fighter and flying should be an enjoyable hobby rather than a stressful job.

In any case, most of my time is in Cessnas like the 172 and 177. Been working off-n-on for my tailwheel rating in the venerable Cub. Make the opportunity to get some Cub time! Now that's flying!;Do; Also got about 30 hours in rotary-wing, namely the Hughes 300. Definitely a challenge, but mostly in hover and translational flight. Forward flight is pretty much like fixed wing. The other modes require a great deal of cyclic and throttle jockeying to maintain thrust and power loads. Of course many of the newer birds have FADEC and if you've got the bucks for turbine, well lets just say power usually isn't an issue.

Actually thought about getting a Sikorsky S-55 a few years back that I stumbled across. Sweet deal, nice bird, but the H-34 is my real favorite. Several hulls in Orlando, but I fortunately didn't sink my $$$ in that or I'd never be in the VX family and still running the '88 Trooper.

Wow, all this flying talk is getting me real anxious to get my bi-annual wrapped up!;pg;

[Leah]

My training will be in the Cessna 172. What can I expect from that one?

[Joe_Black]

If it's rigged well you'll find it to be like driving a truck. I did most of my primary in a 150 Aerobat, which although a bit tight for my 6'3" frame was peppy and nimble. When I finished up my primary training it was in a 152 and you could tell Cessna took a lot of the fun out of the original 150. The 172 is, of course, a larger & heavier aircraft. So it responds a bit slower, rides a little smoother, but does have quite a bit more room. Oh, one hint you'll definitely want is to make sure your seat is firmly locked in once you've got it adjusted. You'd get quite a surprise if it popped out of lock during a departure climb! They are very prone to do that in the older aircraft.

Really though, just enjoy yourself and think of expectations from aircraft once you start building your own catalog of experience. When I first started I didn't care, I just wanted to fly! It could've been the ugliest, nastiest bird on the ramp, I just wanted to go! The Cessna will give you a good, stable platform to build your foundation. When you try other aircraft later on you'll start to find out things you may or may not care for, like aggressive stall behavior.

When I was a kid we had a friend with a Piper Cherokee 150 and would fly all over Florida. I loved that airplane. Well, the first FBO I trained at got one just like it. We took it out for my training session and were doing some stall work and I discovered its desire to REALLY drop a wing during stalls. I didn't like that! Good learning experience, but I still didn't like it. Back to the Cessna. In defense though, they also had a Piper Warrior II which flew like a dream. Of course it had a very different wing and was essentially a slightly larger version of the Cherokee.

Another positive thing about Cessna for training is the landing gear. With most high-wing aircraft you've got big, wide spring-steel gear legs that are very forgiving. Low wing aircraft have short stubby struts that aren't (unless of the trailing-link type found on Commanders). There's a couple big training outfits here in Florida that use Piper aircaft and I guarantee almost every one has gear damage in their logs. As a matter of fact, I can think of two incidents with them involving gear failure that made local news in the past few years. One day you'll be making a landing and will happen to look down at your mains and be quite surprised how much movement is going on! LOL!

Keep us posted with your progress, it'll be nice to follow along the excitement. Get your VX on the ramp and send some photos with the 172!

[Randy]

I am also a pilot and currently looking to buy a two-place (side-by-side) sports plane in the next few months. I have the King Schools course on computer interactive DVD format and would be willing to sell it. I paid $279 for it two years ago. I made a 94 on the written test and then passed the FAA check ride with no problems. It is a very good course.

I'll sell it for 50%. Let me know.

Good flying,

Randy Barlow
866-575-4515

[Leah]

Joe Black, thank you for the information and encouragement. I will definitely get a shot of the VX next to the Cessna if I'm allowed.

Randy, I will ask my husband. That sounds like a great price! Thank you!