Soloed this evening
 

Thanks to the great instruction from Kirk and a few other guys in the club, I soloed this evening on my 10th (total) flight.

Mike, please make that certificate out for "Jeff."

Thanks!

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Great Job!!!! doggscube ..... Jeff.. It does feel good, huh?
Keep up the great work!!

Be safe and have fun!!

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Outstanding! Keep it up!

-Scott

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Congrats Jeff!

Here ya go!

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Very good, Jeff, and welcome aboard!

I'm an instructor, and would like to ask about your training. Could you share with us which of the following you were required to perform? I'm just curious about what other instructors require.

Thanks,
Dave Olson

safety procedures
frequency control
range check
takeoff
landing
figure 8
straight & level flight
loop
roll
recover from inverted
recover from stall
spin recovery
induce stall
induce spin
throttle management (I know that's nebulous, but was it a training topic?)
sideslip
crosswind landing

RE: Soloed this evening
 

No problem, I cut-and-paste your list:

Yes:
safety procedures
frequency control
range check
takeoff
landing
figure 8
straight & level flight
loop
roll
recover from stall
induce stall
induce spin
throttle management (I know that's nebulous, but was it a training topic?)
sideslip
crosswind landing

No:
recover from inverted
spin recovery
induce spin

Some things that were covered that weren't on your list:
Downwind landing
Deadstick landing
Field protocol (maybe under safety as well)

-Jeff

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Congrats, Jeff.

Actually, you DID recover from inverted. :D

First, I showed you the roll, and you were rolling all over the place.

And later, I did roll you inverted when I took over with out you knowing. That "simulated hit" [X(]. So while it's not "formally" listed, I was confident that should you find yourself inverted, you'd be fine.

I don't think you can actually spin that LT-40. Spins are an important part of full scale pilot training, but a mostly moot point in RC trainers, since most of them don't spin unless you really work to do it, if they do it at all. I also don't see it as an issue as far as safety goes. (I've never seen a trainer spin in. I have seen lots of trainers get planted for various other reasons. I have seen several sport planes snap->spin->crash).

Learning spins later, on a more advanced plane is a different story. Basically, I don't think you can learn anything useful about spins with a typical trainer. I put spins in the "intermediate" level, as part of learning how to handle faster, more acrobatic planes.

"Unfortunatly", like many clubs, our "flight training" program ends with being able to fly a trainer around safely. There are lots of guys willing to help people move up and learn to handle more advanced planes and more advanced maneuvers, but it's not required, and there is no "type rating" system.

Honestly, Jeff's a better pilot now than about half the "experienced pilots" at the field (some of whom get my undivided attention when they start up an engine...).

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Thanks, Jeff & Kirk,

It's interesting to swap ideas on these things. Sometimes I don't feel like the job's done, especially when the former student goes for that second plane and hasn't flown anything that will snap in straight, level flight just by pulling too much elevator.

At some point, though, you have to let self-instruction take over. I just hope, at those times, that the basics I've taught were sufficient.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Dave,

I agree. I always have that "job's not really done" feeling, because I know that a guy who just soloed his trainer may not be up to some other kinds of planes, other types of maneuvers, and so on.

I think a big part of learning to fly is getting that "good judgement" thing going and getting exposed to more of the hobby than your trainer.

The student learns along the way that not all planes fly the same, and just because you can handle one type of plane doesn't mean you can handle anything else with out some practice, and that there is a lot to learn beyond the basics that they picked up with the trainer on the buddy box. Hopefully, the student picked up an idea about what is and is not a reasonable plane to get next. And hopefully the student will have a good idea where to go to get help on more advanced topics. (Like most guys, I'm always willing to help on anything, but I don't always have the time, and there are some topics that I'd refer to someone else).

Somewhere along the line, I almost always wind up asking students that are close to soloing what they are thinking about for a second plane. Depending on the answer, and what kind of thing the student really wants to fly, hopefully I can point the student in the right direction to go after soloing.

RE: Soloed this evening
 

You know, I just don't remember exactly what the plane did during that simulated hit. I just remember working the sticks until I got it back. It wasn't a moment of much conscious thought for me, just an instinctive reaction.

I forgot to put on the list that on the solo flight you had me deal with a simulated "My kid snuck into my shop and fiddled with my needle and trims." That plane was all over the place. It took me a little to figure out that it was on purpose!

-Jeff

RE: Soloed this evening
 

I saw your take off, that was a pretty subtle "all over the place". :D

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Scar,

I think you left out something that was important to me and that was simulated deadsticks... I praised my instructor for making me simulate deadsticks and get it on the ground ... getting the feeling of burning off alitutde helped me a bunch! I had some engine problems the next weekend after soloing and those paid off big time!

just my 2 cents

John

RE: Soloed this evening
 

I'm going to start paying attention and make sure I watch any students' solo flights, just to see what happens. I don't remember if you changed the aileron trims but it was definitely rolling left.

It wasn't my takeoff that was so bad, it was that first landing (the first of my two in-the-tall-grass solo flight landings :eek:; the second was my real deadstick landing).

-Jeff

RE: Soloed this evening
 

Well, it's not at all uncommon for the first flight off the buddy box to wind up in the weeds. I don't know why it is, but it seems depth perception goes right out the window with many guys. :D. I don't make too big a deal of it if they hit pretty much where you did. If they miss wildly, or come too far inside or go off the end of the runway, it's more of a concern than winding up a wingspan outside of the edge of the runway.

The trim thing is something I sometimes do, sometimes don't depending on what I know about the student. If it's someone I know has been doing a lot of trimming of their own plane already, then I won't necessarily worry about it later.