The Flying Thread

[Tricknology]

So, I prefer to fly much closer to the ground. I'll take my duc or car over wings just about any day. But, I am one of the many voices on the other side of the radio. My sky is over central AZ. If you've ever flown in the vicinity of PRC, FLG, INW, or PHX, I've probably kept an eye on you. Stay safe out there. It may be a big sky, but sometimes it's not big enough

[duc_fan]

So, I prefer to fly much closer to the ground. I'll take my duc or car over wings just about any day. But, I am one of the many voices on the other side of the radio. My sky is over central AZ. If you've ever flown in the vicinity of PRC, FLG, INW, or PHX, I've probably kept an eye on you. Stay safe out there. It may be a big sky, but sometimes it's not big enough

Had my first experience with flight following (Seattle Center) last weekend.  Thanks for the work y'all do.  Keeping us crazy flight nuts in line and away from each other, away from terrain, and out of the weather is a tall order.

I went to Embry-Riddle, which flies out of PRC.  I wasn't a pilot, though... aerospace engineering for me.  If you were doing this prior to 2005, you've probably talked to one or more friends of mine.

I keep watching Airplane Repo on the Discovery Channel and it makes me really want to get my pilots license.

I'd love to own a Cessna 125 Float Plane.

Found out from a friend in Alaska the show is at least partly fake.  They supposedly "repo'd" her friend's plane.  The day after the episode aired, said plane was... well, right where her friend usually keeps it parked.  They also claimed that it was "3 days away from civilization".  Well... it never takes them more than a few hours, and it's accessible by car.

That said... look up your local flight school and call them about taking a "discovery flight".  Usually less than $100, you get to go up for 30 min or so, see some sights, and do a little stick-and-rudder work.  If you're an aviator type, that little taste will have you hooked.

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~
That said... look up your local flight school and call them about taking a "discovery flight".  Usually less than $100, you get to go up for 30 min or so, see some sights, and do a little stick-and-rudder work.  If you're an aviator type, that little taste will have you hooked.

I did that kind of deal, in a glider.

Very fun, and extremely tempting.

But my wallet would have bled to death with that big of a hole in it.

[Skybarney]

I am hot for a sailplane....  Flew hanggliders and paragliders to a total of 3700 hours before I gave it up for a more sane way to make a living.  Someday I will own a self launching sailplane 

I have stories......     

[Cody]

Had my first experience with flight following (Seattle Center) last weekend.  Thanks for the work y'all do.  Keeping us crazy flight nuts in line and away from each other, away from terrain, and out of the weather is a tall order.

I went to Embry-Riddle, which flies out of PRC.  I wasn't a pilot, though... aerospace engineering for me.  If you were doing this prior to 2005, you've probably talked to one or more friends of mine.

That said... look up your local flight school and call them about taking a "discovery flight".  Usually less than $100, you get to go up for 30 min or so, see some sights, and do a little stick-and-rudder work.  If you're an aviator type, that little taste will have you hooked.

<snip>

I am definitely familiar with Embry-Riddle as it is just down 95 in Daytona. Great school. They are now offering a Masters Degree in Drone Flying. They claim the classes are getting larger and the graduates are getting jobs. I am not sure about that. I figure that is a local Police Department owns a drone, they would train their existing staff to fly it. I can't see them bringing in someone from the outside as it would cost less to train an existing employee verse paying someone with a masters in drone flying. Also, lots of ex-military would have drone flying experience.

I am very hesitant to take a "discovery flight" as I think it will get me hooked and I will want more. I tend to get addicted to things very quickly and the wallet can't sustain a pilots license at this point. I have too many other expensive hobbies!

[zach (Slag)]

Two pics from my driveway.

[duc_fan]

Blergh... studying for my FAA Knowledge Exam (Sport Pilot - Airplane).  How do you know when you're ready to jump in and take it?

I could probably pass it right now, no further study.  I'd wager my score would be better than 80% (70% is passing).  I regularly hit 90% or more on the electronic practice exams.  But... I am one of those anal-retentive knowledge types.  I want to pass it with 100%... in part, because it's less stuff to go over with the examiner during the practical test.  That, and I want to make a good impression with the examiner, and walking in with a barely-passing knowledge test is probably not a good way to start things off.

[Skybarney]

^^^You take the test as soon as you can answer all the questions.  I missed one question on my private and two on my commercial ticket.  Both times I put a star next to the question as I knew I did not know it and would rather admit it then guess and be wrong.  It took me about 15 minutes to take each test.  If I may ask what is your study method?

[sno_duc]

Blergh... studying for my FAA Knowledge Exam (Sport Pilot - Airplane).  How do you know when you're ready to jump in and take it?

I could probably pass it right now, no further study.  I'd wager my score would be better than 80% (70% is passing).  I regularly hit 90% or more on the electronic practice exams.  But... I am one of those anal-retentive knowledge types.  I want to pass it with 100%... in part, because it's less stuff to go over with the examiner during the practical test.  That, and I want to make a good impression with the examiner, and walking in with a barely-passing knowledge test is probably not a good way to start things off.

The written isn't bad.
I took my oral and practical from a designated examiner (retired 747 captain, got his ticket pre WW II, flew B-17s over Europe), I seriously thought I had failed, he told me to tie the plane down and walked into the office, after securing it I walked in, he was seating before the typewriter, "Here it comes", turns around and hands me my temporary license.

To this day I clearly remember the "engine out" part of the test.
He pulled the mixture and stated " The engine just quit", went thru the check list to no avail (big surprise), then was asked "Where are going to put it?". I picked a field and said "That one", the response was "You'll never make it" (it was really close, he figured I try to fly a normal pattern and come up short), do you know that with full flaps at 50ish knots in a full rudder to the floor cross aileron slip a 152 comes down like a rock (better than 1,500 fpm), he made me ride it down until we cleared the power lines at the edge of the field.

[duc_fan]

SB: My study method isn't one of the "official" programs.  I took ground school through the local FBO, have read all the applicable FARs (plus some extra), and am almost done reading the AIM.  Have not read the PHAK cover-to-cover, but followed along during ground school.  Have read the Practical Test Standards as well (though that's more applicable to the flight portion).  Also been doing quizzes on exams4pilots.com, reviewing subjects I don't know.  I also reviewed the most complete FAA Light Sport test bank I could find (http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/media/lsp.pdf).

I kinda figure the timing for me will be shorter than allowed, but probably longer than 15 minutes... maybe 30-45.  I think you have something like 2 hours to do the 40 questions... I might take a little longer just to double-check myself on the ones requiring plotting and doing time-speed-distance on the E6B.  The majority of them, though, take me seconds to answer.

sno: I'm trying to prepare myself for the "engine-out" part of the practical.  I've been warned the local examiner likes to do it right after you've flown over someplace convenient, like an ag sprayer strip... then after you've gotten yourself all lined up on some random farmer's field, he'll give you the engine back, and on climbout direct your attention to the field you could have conveniently landed at.

My instructor gave me a memorable lesson in keeping the pattern nice and tight when flying a low and slow airplane (my training is in a 1946 J-3 C-65 Cub).  I was on crosswind and turning downwind when he pulled power... I tried to make the crosswind runway, but we had to cheat and add a little power to make it.  Other options were not so appealing... it was all houses, residential roads, and an orchard.  I have kept my patterns much tighter ever since!

[Skybarney]

Duc, go buy a copy of the FAA's Test Prep book.  It is like 20 bucks or so.  Here is the study method.  Go through the entire book with two different color highlighters and mark the all the questions that apply to your future type certificate question in Red (or whatever makes you happy).  The back of the book has all the answers to the questions. So after marking all the questions, go through and mark all the correct answers to each question in yellow (or whatever color makes you happy).  Once all the answers and questions are marked go through and read the entire book a few times reading only the questions and the highlighted right answer.

Reading through the book a few times (mine lived on the toilet) and only reading the highlighted question and the correct highlighted answer (read nothing that is not highlighted!) will create an association between the question and the answer that will help you fly through the computer generated written test.

This will not help you with the FAA oral as they know all about the study method above and will craft the oral to see if you actually know the material or just the answers to the questions.

99% score on my private and 98% on my commercial using this method.......       GOOD LUCK!!!!   WHOO HOOO!!!

[Airborne]

Another pilot checking in here (and skydiver too). I'm now working for the NTSB as an investigator based out of headquaters in Washington DC. Been doing that for the past year now, came from flight test engineering in the Navy (NAVAIR). Been a pilot for about 10 years, own a piper cherokee. Don't do anything stupid or you'll be giving me more work!! Stay safe everyone!!

[duc_fan]

Yeah, I read the reporting requirements in the CFR recently.  I'll be doing my darndest to stay clear of any activity described in that part.

In other news: had a wonderful lesson yesterday.  We did "one-wheel taxi"... flying/driving down the runway on one wheel, using aileron to keep it rolled up on one side, and using rudder to keep it going straight(ish) down the asphalt.  Precision airmanship practice is a LOT of fun, at least in a J-3.

Also went out and did a couple stalls and steep turns.  Man, that airplane is so much fun to just *aviate*.

Speaking of J-3s... this is making me want to buy one and start stretching my air-legs:
http://www.vintageflying.com/index.htm

For something a bit more comfortable and capable, there is a used Sport Cub S2 up at CubCrafters... only $115,000.  (of course, the differences between buying an airplane and buying a motorcycle are that you can finance an airplane for 20 years like a house, and they don't depreciate NEARLY as much as bikes)

[Airborne]

I find that the most experienced pilots seem to always come back to the simplest airplanes. I got my tailwheel done in an Aeronca Champ, basically Aeronca took the J-3 idea and fixed all the little annoyances about the aircraft. Burns 4 gph. Still has heel brakes though. I would love to own either.

I think if you max out a cub crafters cub the price can get close to $300k.

[Skybarney]

Flying Prosser Reservoir near Truckee.  Neat spot because up high the wind crosses the lake.  Down low it often switches 180 degrees and you can come back across the lake with the basket skimming the water, climb up and do it again a few times a morning.