Skidz flight training confessions

[skidz]

Wow. It's been a while since I've posted anything in here. I had a break in training for about a month for personal reasons. Anyway, I'm back and I thought I'd bring this thread back from the dead with an update. I just got done with my FAA written, I didn't have time to really prepare for it as I normally would, but nevertheless I passed it and that's all that matters. I have few rides scheduled next week to prepare for a checkride and hopefully I can get on with the commercial training. There has been some positive movement at the flight school about VA. It looks like they finally might be able to be approved. That means I should get 60% of my money back soon. This money would really make it easier for me to keep going and it would shorten this already long enough time I'm taking to get everything done. Well, I'll keep ya'll informed about everything, take care everyone, have safe blue skies,
Love,

Skidz

[SeatClutcher]

Have you thought of maybe starting a blog (on a blog site)?

[skidz]

Originally Posted by SeatClutcher

Have you thought of maybe starting a blog (on a blog site)?

No. Just kidding, well, yeah I guess I might to that, do you have any recommendations as to which one to go to?

[skidz]

Last week I got back into the saddle again and I propped up my shiny Cessna 172 SP into the sky couple times but boy I gotta tellya last night I just sucked. The air was somewhat turbulent and it was hard to keep the headings and altitudes, but I still think that I can't really blame it all on the rough air, I think I just plain sucked yesterday. We went to do a LOC approach to Hammond and then a GPS to Slidell. I just kept falling behind, I had the situational awareness, but I felt I couldn't fly worth of damn. Well, I hope I'll get to have my better days, I got another lesson on wednesday and we'll see how it goes. I'm supposed to be preparing for the checkride, but I still feel I have to get my ducks in line before I do it.

[pilot4500]

Originally Posted by skidz

Last week I got back into the saddle again and I propped up my shiny Cessna 172 SP into the sky couple times but boy I gotta tellya last night I just sucked. The air was somewhat turbulent and it was hard to keep the headings and altitudes, but I still think that I can't really blame it all on the rough air, I think I just plain sucked yesterday. We went to do a LOC approach to Hammond and then a GPS to Slidell. I just kept falling behind, I had the situational awareness, but I felt I couldn't fly worth of damn. Well, I hope I'll get to have my better days, I got another lesson on wednesday and we'll see how it goes. I'm supposed to be preparing for the checkride, but I still feel I have to get my ducks in line before I do it.

We all have bad days like that during training. During my flight training, I can remember having days where it seemed like I just couldn't do anything right. It will get better. Try to relax, stay focused, and always try to be at least 3 steps ahead of the airplane.

[taseal]

Originally Posted by skidz

No. Just kidding, well, yeah I guess I might to that, do you have any recommendations as to which one to go to?

I use blogspot

I haven't updated it in a looong time though

http://fl030tofl410.blogspot.com/

oh and, wait til you do NDB apporoaches. I can't stand those lol.

in time, you magically get used to them though, I honestly have no clue how I did. lol

[skidz]

Originally Posted by taseal

I use blogspot

I haven't updated it in a looong time though

http://fl030tofl410.blogspot.com/

oh and, wait til you do NDB apporoaches. I can't stand those lol.

in time, you magically get used to them though, I honestly have no clue how I did. lol

I've done a few NDB approaches with the airplane that had an ADF, since that airplane has gone I haven't done any. It wasn't a big deal, they just make it more complicated than it really is.

[skidz]

I am really stuck, I'm experiencing set back after set back, it's not funny. My original plan was to knock off this thing in couple months and I'm running strong the 6th month now...grrrrrrr Is there anyone else here working on the instrument rating for 6 months?? I just need to hear it. I am completely ready for the check ride, the thing is that the flight school, work, weather and all kinds of stuff always come in my way. Anyway, I just needed to vent here this time. The way it seems right now I might be doing a checkride in couple weeks and I'll be flying few more times to reinforce the learned material.

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by skidz

I am really stuck, I'm experiencing set back after set back, it's not funny. My original plan was to knock off this thing in couple months and I'm running strong the 6th month now...grrrrrrr Is there anyone else here working on the instrument rating for 6 months?? I just need to hear it. I am completely ready for the check ride, the thing is that the flight school, work, weather and all kinds of stuff always come in my way. Anyway, I just needed to vent here this time. The way it seems right now I might be doing a checkride in couple weeks and I'll be flying few more times to reinforce the learned material.

Dude everyone has setbacks! I've been working on my CSEL since 2005 and haven't flown since May 2006! Now that I'm getting things situated family wise, I'm getting back into the saddle and get this thing finished up. The Navy was a pain in my azz as well when I was doing my PPL. I was continuously canceling and rescheduling due to operational crap. You'll get there, don't rush it. How's Pam?

[NotCoolEnufToFly]

Originally Posted by H46Bubba

How's Pam?

I'm great!!! We're having a lot of fun. Life is good!!

[skidz]

OK it finally happened and I just received my new temporary certificate with instrument airplane on it on sunday. My checkride was last thursday, the oral went like a charm, lasted about two hours. The DE was real nice, he was mostly talking and explaining everything while occasionally throwing a question or two at me on different things. After the oral part we went out for a ride. We took off, did some unusual attitudes, turns to compass headings and timing, then I was instructed to enter a holding pattern south of Harvey vortac, it was a parallel entry and I got it all nailed. Next thing was to call New Orleans approach and ask for a VOR/DME to Lakefront. So I did the approach and then was given vectors for the ILS at New Orleans Intl. It took us a long way around the Intl for the ILS 10 appch, crossing few different sectors and changing approach freqs but I nailed that one as well. Last thing on the list was GPS 18R back to Lakefront. As we got vectored to the final approach I got sloppy with the Garmin 340 and started tracking the line to the IAF (wipib) instead of activating vectors to finals and just waiting to get established on the final approach course. The controlers figured I was off course and they boxed me in for another approach. This time I started panicking and I've set up the gps track towards FAF (bogly) and started tracking that but that didn't get me anywhere. I know that I was doing things wrong but I didn't want to cheat by looking at the moving map so I took it like a man, I realized I screwed up and I was ready for my pink slip. The DE agreed, he immediatelly said "well, I was ready to bring us back in and you blew it" He said he was really impressed with my flying and was going to pass me, but he felt I should work with the gps and get to know it better before I get myself in a world of trouble some time later after he passed me. So, he gave me a pink slip for that, but he said it's the only thing I screwed up and he said he could re-test me on that any time I'm ready.
I took the remedial instructions the same day with my cfi, took another one the next day and I also spent two days playing the Garmin simulator on my computer to make sure I got that gps nailed. I took the checkride again on Sunday and everything went well.
Moral of the story: make sure you don't overlook certain things that seem easy and unimportant. I felt I knew that gps well, but it took me a darn pink slip to realize that I had no clue how the doggone gps thing works. I learned my lesson. On Sunday, the examiner took some time to show me every little thing about that gps and I was amazed just what it can do if you learn how to work with it. Anyway, that was my story, I hope you enjoyed, I'm ready to go for my commercial now, I'll keep ya'll posted.

[NotCoolEnufToFly]

Congratulations love!

[Qgar]

Hey, CONGRATULATIONS, Oliver!
Glad to hear the little bump in the road didn't get you down....and you learned from it!
Sounds like life is going great for both of you, and I'm very happy to hear that!

(Hi, Pam!!! - )

[sdfcvoh]

Rock and Roll, Brother!!!!!

Put another notch in the logbook, and take it all in. The instrument is a toughie that first time around. Great talking the other day - and once more... Rock and Roll, Brother! Good Job!

[MarkE]

Congrats Oliver!! Great accomplishment.

[bunghole]

Congrats Skiddo! An awesome checkride story. Go figure that your greatest lesson is learned from real experience!