Vectors To Final

Today we performed a progress check flight for 1.3 hours, where I perform just about every maneuver that we have gone over to-date. I did a bit better holding altitude today, but I busted through my assigned altitude one time when my scan was too slack. My steep turns are slowly improving as well, I had at least 180 degrees of excellent steep turn at one point. :) It had been almost 2 weeks since my last flight, so I wasn't too disappointed with my performance (Charles had to cancel a flight just before I went to NY). Next lesson we plan to get into the really cool stuff: nav instruments, starting with using the VOR in an IFR environment.

Today Charles and I went up for 1.1 hours of instruction in 99A. We worked on a number of maneuvers, focusing on dealing with unusual attitudes. We did a 360 steep turn to the right and to the left. I improved on those from my last flight, but still had some altitude oscillations I need to work out. We then went on to some slow flight: 50kt flight in a clean config and 45kt flight in a landing config. The slow flight really had me scanning fast, and double checking that airspeed a good bit. We performed power-on and power-off stalls and did some unusual attitude work (with full and partial panel). For the unusual attitudes we did them with Charles flying the plane and with me flying the plane with my eyes closed. In the last one I did with my eyes closed I had us in a 50 degree bank when I was supposed to be performing a standard rate turn. Charles had me recover at about that time.

We went out in some so-so weather today to get another 0.8 hours of IFR training done. We did some work on copying clearances as well as performing steep turns under the hood. I didn't do great on either subject, just OK. My steep turns had problems with altitude not being held properly and my clearance delivery practice could use some more radio work (we just did "virtual" radio work today). There were some significant clouds coming in from the south while we were up today, so we cut the lesson a bit short in order to get on the ground before they rolled in.

Today Charles and I did 1.1 hours of IFR training in 99A. We mainly practiced using the magnetic compass in order to show me about the various errors it has during maneuvers. We performed some timed turns using the mag compass in order to increase roll-out accuracy. The winds around 2500ft were significant, but steady. My landing was fairly acceptable, in general they are getting more predictable, but I have not had to land in a bad crosswind recently.

Today Charles and I went over some of the preflight stuff once more, as a refresher, and reviewed the basics of instrument flight (straight and level, standard rate turns, ... ). This was after I wrestled with the hood for a bit, quickly deciding that I like the foggles better. I had hoped the hood would block more of the outside world than the foggles, but it didn't and was harder to manage. The new things we looked at were: constant rate climbs and descents, constant rate and airspeed climbs and descents, doing each of those while turning, and timed turns. The two most challenging aspects of today's flight were the constant airspeed and rate climbs and descents, and trying to time turns while doing those. I felt almost overwhelmed, especially in the latter task. But that is the point: to push my ability to manage multiple variables at once, since parts of IFR flights have many simultaneous tasks, such as climbing turns while listening to ATC and having passengers ask quest...

Saw this link online yesterday: the "oops" list .

I worked with Charles Tucker for the first time today starting on my Instrument Training. Today's lesson focused on using the instruments to maintain straight and level flight as well as constant speed climbs and descents. We also combined a couple of turns with a climb or descent. At the very end of the lesson Charles simulated a vacuum failure by covering up the attitude and heading indicators. That caused me to struggle a bit with maintaining my heading, but only by 10 degrees for a minute or so. The air was nice and calm, which helped me a good bit. From time to time I was able to maintain straight and level on the right numbers for 20 seconds at a time! :) My landing left much be desired, mainly because I was doing a pattern that Charles got me to change, due to noise restrictions - I just did a bad job of adapting. Hopefully I can perform a bit better on that VFR aspect next time.