Any GA Pilots or CFI's Here?

[Leah]

Originally posted by azskyrider
Virtual Medical Exam?

The VME is simply to give one an idea of what to expect at the doctor's office and also what to expect from the FAA tests. It explains what the testing questions are about, what is acceptable in regards to medication, and what is an absolute no go. It isn't in any way a legal, or genuine medical exam. Fortunately, my husband is in the Air Force so my medical will cost me nothing out of pocket and the doctors on base do flight medicals all day long.

Also, thank you SO much for the tips. I am very excited to have an insider's view and thrilled that I don't need Sporty's or King's after all. Anything I can learn before I leave the ground will be a huge help. Please, rant away! And any more of those practical bowl-of-soup-in-the-lap tips you can come up with are absorbable to my brain! That was an inspired example.

Pete: What a great idea! I was actually wanting to learn to fly for the purpose of search and rescue since I am a volunteer with Mossy Head fire/rescue. I was wondering how I was going to be able to make use of my new certification and you have just answered that question. I will start my research immediately!

Joe_Black: Thank you for the encouragement. Do you know, I was actually already overwhelmed with the technical aspect?! I really needed to hear that and will take your advice to heart. I am also hoping to get my IFR rating as well, so let me know how that goes for you, please.

Re Embry Riddle: Is that the same Embry Riddle that is in Niceville Florida/Eglin AFB? Cause, that's where I am...or near. My husband is stationed at Eglin.

Thank you, again, everyone!

[Heraclid]

A plane is very sensitive to movements. Remember to make small controlled movements and be patient, like driving with a bowl of soup in your car. If you turn to sharp or make abrupt movements then you will spill it all over the seats. So think that way. SMOOOOOTHHH.. is the name of the game.

I don't know how a plane feels, but man is that ever true in a helicopter! I'd start to pitch the nose down and would move to correct it and we were instantly looking like we were going for an Immelmann maneuver, nose way high. I'd start to yaw left or right and would give it a little pedal to compensate and I'd spin the thing all the way around. Then I'd try to correct that and whip it back the other way too far. Plus the R-22 is a more complex helicopter to get the hang of than most, which is why many like to say that once you can handle one you can fly most any helicopter. Interestingly, when it came to keeping it pointed the right direction, it felt much better at altitude than down just over the ground, because you are so much more sensitive to every little movement down low because you have so many points of reference. You can also get so high that it gets freaky because you lose so much of that perspective that you can feel like you are not moving.

[Heraclid]

Joe attended Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, FL.

If you ever go for a helicopter rating, it's hard to beat HAI (Helicopter Adventures Inc.) in Titusville. They offer training in both the Robinson R-22 and the Schweizer 300CB. Quantum Helicopters in Chandler, AZ is also excellent, as is Sierra Academy (Concord, CA, I believe). Mazzei Flying Services in Fresno, CA is primarily a fixed wing operation but also has a great reputation for rotary wing instruction. It's important to find the right one for you and go there, wherever there is.

[azskyrider]

Originally posted by Heraclid
I don't know how a plane feels, but .... Interestingly, when it came to keeping it pointed the right direction,.it felt much better at altitude than down just over the ground, because you are so much more sensitive to every little movement down low because you have so many points of reference.

Heraclid,

I have flown some hours in a copter.I believe the reason the copter flys more UNSTABLE at low alt. would be caused by the vertical thrusts hitting the ground. The farther your blade thrust is away from a solid object (ground surface) the more constant and equal your thrust will be at all perimeter of the copter making it feel more stable to slight changes in pitch or yaw.

Closer to the ground the helicopter is much more sensitive to pitch or yaw because more lift can be produced on one side than the other causing the copter to feel very finiky.

I guess I am just a little confused on your "points of reference"

[Joe_Black]

Yep, went to the original ERAU campus at Daytona although didn't graduate. Saw a FedEx flight application (they and UPS have the BEST of EVERYTHING!) and realized I wasn't Joe Jet-fighter and flying should be an enjoyable hobby rather than a stressful job.

In any case, most of my time is in Cessnas like the 172 and 177. Been working off-n-on for my tailwheel rating in the venerable Cub. Make the opportunity to get some Cub time! Now that's flying! Also got about 30 hours in rotary-wing, namely the Hughes 300. Definitely a challenge, but mostly in hover and translational flight. Forward flight is pretty much like fixed wing. The other modes require a great deal of cyclic and throttle jockeying to maintain thrust and power loads. Of course many of the newer birds have FADEC and if you've got the bucks for turbine, well lets just say power usually isn't an issue.

Actually thought about getting a Sikorsky S-55 a few years back that I stumbled across. Sweet deal, nice bird, but the H-34 is my real favorite. Several hulls in Orlando, but I fortunately didn't sink my $$$ in that or I'd never be in the VX family and still running the '88 Trooper.

Wow, all this flying talk is getting me real anxious to get my bi-annual wrapped up!;pg;

[Leah]

My training will be in the Cessna 172. What can I expect from that one?

[Joe_Black]

If it's rigged well you'll find it to be like driving a truck. I did most of my primary in a 150 Aerobat, which although a bit tight for my 6'3" frame was peppy and nimble. When I finished up my primary training it was in a 152 and you could tell Cessna took a lot of the fun out of the original 150. The 172 is, of course, a larger & heavier aircraft. So it responds a bit slower, rides a little smoother, but does have quite a bit more room. Oh, one hint you'll definitely want is to make sure your seat is firmly locked in once you've got it adjusted. You'd get quite a surprise if it popped out of lock during a departure climb! They are very prone to do that in the older aircraft.

Really though, just enjoy yourself and think of expectations from aircraft once you start building your own catalog of experience. When I first started I didn't care, I just wanted to fly! It could've been the ugliest, nastiest bird on the ramp, I just wanted to go! The Cessna will give you a good, stable platform to build your foundation. When you try other aircraft later on you'll start to find out things you may or may not care for, like aggressive stall behavior.

When I was a kid we had a friend with a Piper Cherokee 150 and would fly all over Florida. I loved that airplane. Well, the first FBO I trained at got one just like it. We took it out for my training session and were doing some stall work and I discovered its desire to REALLY drop a wing during stalls. I didn't like that! Good learning experience, but I still didn't like it. Back to the Cessna. In defense though, they also had a Piper Warrior II which flew like a dream. Of course it had a very different wing and was essentially a slightly larger version of the Cherokee.

Another positive thing about Cessna for training is the landing gear. With most high-wing aircraft you've got big, wide spring-steel gear legs that are very forgiving. Low wing aircraft have short stubby struts that aren't (unless of the trailing-link type found on Commanders). There's a couple big training outfits here in Florida that use Piper aircaft and I guarantee almost every one has gear damage in their logs. As a matter of fact, I can think of two incidents with them involving gear failure that made local news in the past few years. One day you'll be making a landing and will happen to look down at your mains and be quite surprised how much movement is going on! LOL!

Keep us posted with your progress, it'll be nice to follow along the excitement. Get your VX on the ramp and send some photos with the 172!

[Randy]

I am also a pilot and currently looking to buy a two-place (side-by-side) sports plane in the next few months. I have the King Schools course on computer interactive DVD format and would be willing to sell it. I paid $279 for it two years ago. I made a 94 on the written test and then passed the FAA check ride with no problems. It is a very good course.

I'll sell it for 50%. Let me know.

Good flying,

Randy Barlow
866-575-4515

[Leah]

Joe Black, thank you for the information and encouragement. I will definitely get a shot of the VX next to the Cessna if I'm allowed.

Randy, I will ask my husband. That sounds like a great price! Thank you!