Dry flying

[ASpilot2be]

How effective do people find it?

With the weather lately I havent gotten a chance to fly lately, and every time I do get to fly I feel like a fumbling idiot. My checklists take twice as long as normal, I have a hard time finding gauges, and switches. So I am trying to find a way to get my checklist flows down.

I am thinking of getting a cockpit poster putting it up on the wall and going through the motions.

Good? Bad? Other ideas?

 

[RWH1986]

I like doing it to memorize my checklists. Really helps me remember the flow actually inside the cockpit instead of just visualizing it in my head.

 

[Number1atNumber2]

Good idea, you'll find yourself doing that quite a bit when you go to training for a sim at an airline/charter op. If you can just sit in a cockpit and do it, that's even better.

Sometimes you just get rusty after not being in the plane for awhile too, so don't beat yourself up.

 

[Oldnotbold]

Always remember and never forget.

Flow and cadence is good. Habits are good. When I come to the control check, my habit is to stop, become very aware of when I move a primary flight control that not only does it move full travel, but that is moves the right direction. My mind sees what it wants to see and tricks to remember become so real that when it is wrong, I see it as right. So I always remember and never forget to stop, become aware and really look and see that they are doing what they are supposed to do. Caught a rebuild test flight that was totally out of rig. Know a guy who crashed in front of us because of it in a Cessna - 195, etc. amazing that is happens but if your lucky like me, it will happen to you and tis best to always remember and never forget to stop and see what you are looking at.

Habit is good until you are suddenly in a Baron with no time... The first time your feet won't do the right thing to steer a Commander. Remember that the habit of stopping is a good habit to have.

YMMV of course. :crazy:

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

I did a lot of wet flying (working on flows in the bathtub.)

 

[Screaming_Emu]

Really really good idea. In addition to flows and checklists and such using it to go through maneuvers helps immensely.

 

[surreal1221]

Excellent idea, and something we emphasized at the flight school I worked at and obviously at a 121 operation.

Essentially, it's a must do activity.

 

[Mabgibai]

I did a lot of wet flying (working on flows in the bathtub.)

LOL at least I'm not the only one that does it. Dry flying as you call it is a good way to keep those flows fresh in your head. It also helps if you have a poster of the cockpit of the type aircraft your using. I used the poster sporty's sent out way back.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I used the poster sporty's sent out way back.

I think I have about 38 of those Cessna 172 posters...every time I moved I ended up with another one.

 

[///AMG]

We call it chairflying and yes it helps, esp if you don't have a proper sim at your disposal (or if it doesnt apply).

 

[SIUav8er]

We call it chairflying and yes it helps, esp if you don't have a proper sim at your disposal (or if it doesnt apply).

Its kinda like masturbating... good practice, but not as good as the real thing!

 

[ASpilot2be]

Sounds like the general consensus is that it is a good idea. I will find a poster and get started.