Back to Flying - 2
 

I posted a few days ago about how happy I am to be flying again. Up till today my flying was on a buddy cord with a trainer but after about three flights, my trainer said you take this one up and I did. Landings were not all perfect but no harm no foul. I was able to use my computer radio instead of the beginner TX that was on the buddy cord. Controls were much smoother and it helped on landings.

Really on cloud nine today.

RE: Back to Flying - 2
 

Welcome back.

If you are off the budy box in one day, you are way ahead of me. I've been off the cord for a couple years now, but still have some dumb thumbs moments.

Get out and fly, three or four days a week and and at least three flights as day. It won't take long before you are back in the grove again.

Don

RE: Back to Flying - 2
 

Campgems,

I didn't mean to imply that today was my only day on a buddy cord. I have been flying on a cord for about 4 weeks as a refresher as I had not flown for over a year and my new [new to me, very old SSE] plane is a tail dragger and my only esperience was on a trycycle geared plane.

Even after my first solo in early 2008 I still did the dumb thumb thing with many crashes [mostly into trees] but now I stay 3 mistakes high and it prevents alot of catastrophies. I also changed clubs, the new one does not have trees so close to the strip.

RE: Back to Flying - 2
 

Roo Man, when I came back into the hobby, I wore out three instructors before I finally got off the buddy box over about five mounths. You are dong great.

When you quit doing the dumb thumb stuff, you will either be in the Nat's or have quit flying.. I went over a year without a crash and then did a really dumb move and augered in my baby. Istood there and looked down at the TX and realized that I had punched it into the ground, It happens, It's just hareder to accept after a year or so without a crash, but I doubt that you ever getpast the Dumb Thumb stages. I watched a very experienced pilot almost scrape the top off the rudder of his turbine jet makeing a low inverted pass down the runway. He was within a qurater inch or so of a really bad flight, but managed to pull it out. Lively conversations followed.

Idon't know how I would handle trees. Our field has only a barbed wire fence across each end of the runway to worry about , other than the plane eating pond that parallels the runway. Iwent out to my son's last year and their field is lined with trees all around, and no hills to guage your position. I put up a little foamy and had to have one of the club guys take over, I was haveing so much trouble keeping controll. You get used to flying at a location and when things change, so does your skills..

Hang in there.

Don

RE: Back to Flying - 2
 

Campgems,

Having a good trainer is realy critical. My first club had several trainers and you got who ever was at the field that day, it was not a very consistant training program. I remember being very anxious every time I went out and this contributed to my dumb thumbs. My trainer at the new club met me every Monday and coached me through it until he was confident that I could handle the plane alone. It's different when I go to the field now, I am not anxious or nervous like in the past and my confidence is much better. I have learned to concentrate more on my flying and think one or two turns ahead. I still dumb thumb but am usually high enough that it does not create a problem. I was very proud of myself yesterday, when landing I over corrected with the elevator and the plane pulled up and very nearly stalled but I kept my head and lowered the nose and added a little power and was able to fly out of it to go around and land correctly.