EuroFlyer wrote:
But don’t always take an FI with you. They tend to micromanage, they fumble with the controls and avionics, they tune in frequencies and so on, which means you don’t learn it.
During my PPL ab initio training, I learned to push back. Tell them “I’m training for single pilot operations, so please monitor and ensure safety, but let me do it all”. Including if you drop something and have to pick it up, all while flying the plane without autopilot. If they speak of non-essential stuff at the wrong time, tell them “tell me that later”, “wait, first I stabilise the aircraft in cruise / attitude / altitude / …”, do it and then “OK, now I’m listening”. If your FI does not appreciate this kind of behaviour, IMHO change FI.
One of the most helpful FIs I ever flew with actually didn’t touch anything, nor said anything related to the flight during our first navigation flight. She calls that “playing potato sack”. Then, on the way back she became more active and used her observations of the previous flight to decide what needed teaching.
alioth wrote:
That’s not true. We’ve even had video on EuroGA of a light single (a Pawnee) ditching, and it did not end up on its back. In fact there’s several photo sequences and videos online of fixed gear aircraft ditching and not ending up upside down.
Well, a Pawnee is a taildragger, how many tricycle gear airplanes did not roll over? Personally, if I ever have to ditch a retractable airplane, I’ll definitely keep the gear up.
alioth wrote:
there’s several photo sequences and videos online of fixed gear aircraft ditching and not ending up upside downIf done right yes, but how many of us ever train this to do it right under the stress of an actual ditching?
LeSving wrote:
How to increase the riskFly with an aircraft with fixed gear, that for sure will end up upside down
That’s not true. We’ve even had video on EuroGA of a light single (a Pawnee) ditching, and it did not end up on its back. In fact there’s several photo sequences and videos online of fixed gear aircraft ditching and not ending up upside down.
Is there a mentoring programme in Germany like the LAA have here in the UK?
Personally I find that my lack of currency has almost no bearing on my ability to manage the three dimensional part of flying (speed, height and direction) but I lose a lot of confidence in the one dimensional stuff (planning and paperwork).
My ideal flying partner would be great at flight planning and rubbish at aircraft handling!
Mooney_Driver wrote:
You see a lot of people who take up flying young and quit when they marry and have kids to come back once the kids are grown up.
Yup. I was there exactly and took a break for 17 years.
Snoopy wrote:
Good decision MedEWok! Mut zur Feigheit.
Do you have any friend that is experienced and could mentor you on your first further trips?
Doing two or three trips that way can be very positive for your future flying plans.
Patrick wrote:
I think the average currency on euroga is higher than the general average SEP currency. Don’t let that keep you from doing things, like @Mooney_Driver said. You also don’t gain currency by sitting at home and thinking about how uncurrent you are.Come to Texel next weekend for a start.
EuroFlyer wrote:
Relax, I didn’t want to sound cocky, all I’m saying is, in the situation you’re in (which I am still in as well, although the kids are a bit older now), take a smaller plane, and fly more often, to stay in practice ;) Maybe 30 will do. Shift work, two little kids, a sceptical wife (like mine) is a challenge to that and to many people. Yet, you still can do it and gain practice and keep it up. I told my wife flying is what I like, it’s what I need to do to stay happy, and she had to accept it, just as I accept her hobbies. It’s not selfish. There is a life beyond the pampers.
No offence taken. You are certainly right on all accounts, I just wanted to point out that it’s not a lack of will to fly that’s causing me to fly so little. I also don’t take the FIs with me for my comfort but because the rental companies mandate it. Can’t wait to get rid of meddling FIs, they are not exactly helping me to get confident although none of them are really bad at their job.
Good decision MedEWok! Mut zur Feigheit.
Do you have any friend that is experienced and could mentor you on your first further trips?
Doing two or three trips that way can be very positive for your future flying plans.
Very good point Patrick. What we see a lot is people who scrape their 12 hours before their Sep lapses in several days and then are not seen until 24 months later.
We have the internal rule of 3 landings in the last 3 months or you need a check flight with an FI.
