Eastcoastguy
New Member
Avoid Skydivers
things to avoid on solo flights as a student pilot??
- Thread starter FlyBoyJae
- Start date
Ophir
Well-Known Member
I think the advice you have been getting is all saying, "don't think about the thing you shouldn't do. Just do the things you know you should do and the outcome will be great." If you look at aviation from a mission mentality you will see that you will focus on the positive outcome. Of course you will train and plan for contingecies but don't let that get in the way of your solo or student private training.
naunga
New Member
Here's my take:
On your first solo flight don't worry about doing anything, but fly the plane. I looked at my first solo flight as a chance to do nothing, but fly. So I did a couple touch & goes and just flew.
Believe it or not flying the plane without the safety net of an instructor sitting next to you is a different experience.
On subsequent flight I worked on what I felt a) comfortable doing and b) what I thought I needed to work on. So I've done stalls, ground reference manuvers, slips, GPS procs and xwind landings, and a lot of straight and level because holding an altitude and heading within PTS limits without someone constantly telling me to watch my altitude is tough.
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"don't do them stalls and ground ref. manuvers"...
[/ QUOTE ]
If he says don't do them, then don't. Instructors have good reason for placing limitations on solo students. If you feel you want to be able to do these manuvers then talk with him about it and find out the why's of his decision.
[ QUOTE ]
i don't want to just take off, go to the practice area and come back. that seems pointless
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I never thought my flights to just drill holes in the sky were pointless. It still blows my mind that I can go to airport, check out a plane, and fly alone. I was looked at my solo flights to the practice area as mini cross country flights. I was going someplace and then coming back. I used the time to learn the lay of land, so now when my CFI says, "head to this airport" I have a good idea of where to point the nose without having to look at the chart or use the NAV equipment.
Most of all I'd say this: Have fun. When you fly solo take the time to enjoy it and remember why it is you got into flying in the first place. And take this how you like, but if you get up there alone at 6000' and say, "Wow. I got into flying for a career" you've missed the point. Just my opinion.
Later and have fun.
Naunga
On your first solo flight don't worry about doing anything, but fly the plane. I looked at my first solo flight as a chance to do nothing, but fly. So I did a couple touch & goes and just flew.
Believe it or not flying the plane without the safety net of an instructor sitting next to you is a different experience.
On subsequent flight I worked on what I felt a) comfortable doing and b) what I thought I needed to work on. So I've done stalls, ground reference manuvers, slips, GPS procs and xwind landings, and a lot of straight and level because holding an altitude and heading within PTS limits without someone constantly telling me to watch my altitude is tough.
[ QUOTE ]
"don't do them stalls and ground ref. manuvers"...
[/ QUOTE ]
If he says don't do them, then don't. Instructors have good reason for placing limitations on solo students. If you feel you want to be able to do these manuvers then talk with him about it and find out the why's of his decision.
[ QUOTE ]
i don't want to just take off, go to the practice area and come back. that seems pointless
[/ QUOTE ]
I never thought my flights to just drill holes in the sky were pointless. It still blows my mind that I can go to airport, check out a plane, and fly alone. I was looked at my solo flights to the practice area as mini cross country flights. I was going someplace and then coming back. I used the time to learn the lay of land, so now when my CFI says, "head to this airport" I have a good idea of where to point the nose without having to look at the chart or use the NAV equipment.
Most of all I'd say this: Have fun. When you fly solo take the time to enjoy it and remember why it is you got into flying in the first place. And take this how you like, but if you get up there alone at 6000' and say, "Wow. I got into flying for a career" you've missed the point. Just my opinion.
Later and have fun.
Naunga
Hmm, I guess it just depends on what your instructor wants you to do and how you feel. Never do something you aren't comfortable with.
The first time I ventured out ot the paractice area solo, my instructor told me to do everything we had practiced together (except simulated ingine failures and power-on stalls).
So the first time I went to the practice area, I started off with steep turns, slow flight and power-off stalls. Then I descended and did turns around a point and retangular course. As I mentioend before, I feel uneasy while flying low but I found an emergency landing spot, did my ground-reference maneuvers and climed back up to safety.
One point though. I did about 3 sessions of solo flight around the pattern before I went to the practice area. Maybe you should so some pattern work and get comfortable with those landings before leaving the airport area.
I have some tips on what not to do when you do your solo X-countries!
Disclaimer: I am a low time private pilot. The other guys who have posted here probably have far more experience so maybe you shoud listen to them rather than me!
Mahesh
The first time I ventured out ot the paractice area solo, my instructor told me to do everything we had practiced together (except simulated ingine failures and power-on stalls).
So the first time I went to the practice area, I started off with steep turns, slow flight and power-off stalls. Then I descended and did turns around a point and retangular course. As I mentioend before, I feel uneasy while flying low but I found an emergency landing spot, did my ground-reference maneuvers and climed back up to safety.
One point though. I did about 3 sessions of solo flight around the pattern before I went to the practice area. Maybe you should so some pattern work and get comfortable with those landings before leaving the airport area.
I have some tips on what not to do when you do your solo X-countries!
Disclaimer: I am a low time private pilot. The other guys who have posted here probably have far more experience so maybe you shoud listen to them rather than me!
Mahesh
aloft
New Member
Just because you're going solo doesn't mean you shouldn't involve your CFI in the flight. I managed to put myself into an inadvertent spin in a 150 on my second solo out of the pattern because I had forgotten how to properly set up for min-controllable airspeed (and also because I hadn't been taught proper rudder use, but that's another story).
In other words, don't just "wing" it because you can; write up a flight profile covering all the maneuvers you'll do and in the order you'll do them, noting entry airspeeds, PTS parameters, etc just to freshen up that info in your mind. Go over your profile with your CFI before you fly so he/she has the opportunity to catch any glaring mistakes. And really, any solo flight by a student should be preceded by a random emergency procedures quiz. My CFIs didn't do this, but the USAF does, and so will I when I become a CFI.
My other word of advice is to keep your head on a swivel and your eyes peeled--especially if you fly in a busy area. With only you aboard, you've cut the probability of detection for other air traffic by more than half. (In fact, it's probably something like a 75% reduction. Why? Experienced pilots aren't as distracted by flying tasks as students and can devote much more time to scanning for traffic).
In other words, don't just "wing" it because you can; write up a flight profile covering all the maneuvers you'll do and in the order you'll do them, noting entry airspeeds, PTS parameters, etc just to freshen up that info in your mind. Go over your profile with your CFI before you fly so he/she has the opportunity to catch any glaring mistakes. And really, any solo flight by a student should be preceded by a random emergency procedures quiz. My CFIs didn't do this, but the USAF does, and so will I when I become a CFI.
My other word of advice is to keep your head on a swivel and your eyes peeled--especially if you fly in a busy area. With only you aboard, you've cut the probability of detection for other air traffic by more than half. (In fact, it's probably something like a 75% reduction. Why? Experienced pilots aren't as distracted by flying tasks as students and can devote much more time to scanning for traffic).
[ QUOTE ]
mahesh, what did you do on your x-c?
[/ QUOTE ]
Well on the first solo X-country (flying into an airport I had never been to), I tried to salvage a poor approach and ended up almost losing control while bouncing on the runway. I really should have gone around after the first boucne. I was too fast and too high. I got lucky with not having a prop-strike or a nose-gear collapse. I was so freaked out I had a mechanic check out the nose wheel strut.
On the second X-country, after the first leg of the round-robin, I took off with the parking brake on. I remember it felt kind of weird while the plane was becoming airborne. I thought it was the wind (it was gusting). I realized after reaching my cruising altitude that I had forgotten to remove the parking brake. The brake on that plane was weak but still, I could have easily missed another checklist item like flaps!
I learned that you should take it slow and be methodical with checklists. When you are in an unfamiliar environment and you are new to something, you can make mistakes very easily.
Mahesh
mahesh, what did you do on your x-c?
[/ QUOTE ]
Well on the first solo X-country (flying into an airport I had never been to), I tried to salvage a poor approach and ended up almost losing control while bouncing on the runway. I really should have gone around after the first boucne. I was too fast and too high. I got lucky with not having a prop-strike or a nose-gear collapse. I was so freaked out I had a mechanic check out the nose wheel strut.
On the second X-country, after the first leg of the round-robin, I took off with the parking brake on. I remember it felt kind of weird while the plane was becoming airborne. I thought it was the wind (it was gusting). I realized after reaching my cruising altitude that I had forgotten to remove the parking brake. The brake on that plane was weak but still, I could have easily missed another checklist item like flaps!
I learned that you should take it slow and be methodical with checklists. When you are in an unfamiliar environment and you are new to something, you can make mistakes very easily.
Mahesh
FlyBoyJae
New Member
well, so i did my solo flights...two of them...one on sat and the other on sun...on the first day, i decided to just stay in the pattern...then on sunday, i went up to practice area at 3500ft...i just reviewed the 4 fundamentals staying around 3500ft to 4000ft...there was one thing that annoyed me...there were few planes going in and out of the area...and they were not radio-ing their positions...a couple of times i was a little surprised to find traffic below me going the opposite way who never reported their intensions nor their positions...that really "pissed me off"!!
but other than that, all went well~~
thanks guys for your help..i will be learning cross country this coming weekend..should be fun and challenging!
but other than that, all went well~~
thanks guys for your help..i will be learning cross country this coming weekend..should be fun and challenging!