Lesson 23: Logging actual
07/25/2007 Filed in: Flying
Wednesday - 7/25/07
Note to FAA or anyone with the power to fine, penalize, revoke, suspend, annoy, or, in any way, antagonize a student pilot and/or his instructor:
The following writeup contains only the representations of perceived events, on the day in question, of a student pilot of highly questionable recollection. Moreover, the events described herein may be, in whole or part, a complete misrepresentation of the actual events as they occurred for the express purpose of providing entertainment to the reader. It could be fact; it could be fiction. I do not recall. Any attempts to extract information from any involved party will likely only exacerbate the cognitive recall shortcomings described above.
With that out of the way.... howdy yall!
Sorry for the delay, but we're back in action finally. I have a lot of catching up to do with lessons, so you'll have to bear with me as I drudge through writeups of some rather uninteresting lessons. Further, some of them will have to be shortened to simply the highlight reel for the sake of my keyboard's longevity.
Today I'm flying with CFI2 again, in hopes of knocking out most of what's left on my hood work requirements. Apparently CFI2 takes his charge very seriously because immediately after the runup and taxi to the hold short line he hands me the foggles.
I give him my very best, thoroughly rehearsed, "WTF" look and he's having none of it.
Me: So what... I use the heading indicator?
CFI2: Yep. And accept any rudder inputs I give you.
Me: No doubt.
I am *never* doing this for real. Will not happen. Mark it down, I said it today, but I will never need to be anywhere so badly that I'll takeoff an airplane in 0/0. Unless Van Halen reunites. Oh wait!
So with trembling hands I gently nudge the throttle forward and, somehow, eventually find the strength to give it all she's got.
The heading indicator shows I'm drifting left (I think) so I push right and feel some help from the right seat. I think I'm to the point now where it's mildly annoying when a CFI gives me control input without asking first, but not today. It's all I can do to sit tight and pray for Vr.
After liftoff, I get lots of headings and such from CFI2, all of which I manage pretty easily.
CFI2: I'm actually dodging clouds with these vectors. We went through a little one.
Me: Oh, cool, so I can log some actual. <Note: I was kidding>
CFI2: No, the correct answer is we were 500/1000/2000 feet away from clouds at all times.
Me: Roger that!
This continues for a while and then CFI2 requests and receives the controls.
CFI2: Put your head down and close your eyes.
Yay, unusual attitudes! I *really* like doing these for some reason. I think the deal is that without the foggles on, there's very little question I'd have an involuntary bowel cleansing if I actually watched what was happening. With the glasses on, however, I'm able to get the kinesthetic sensation of being on a roller coaster without the horrifying reality of seeing myself rocketing towards a hillside in a 125 horsepower lawn dart.
So CFI2 starts by giving me the usual business of left and right and up and down and maybe a barrel roll or two. It's about this time that I feel him do a negative 12G pushover. The katana doesn't have a G-meter, but you'll have to trust me on this one. There are some further gyrations and then...
CFI2: Recover!
I look up and find a very gentle, very easy to recover unusual attitude. Hell, I'll say it... I'm disappointed!
CFI2: That was my way of dive-bombing through a cloud so you couldn't see it
Me: <laughs>
After a few more vectors, I'm instructed to pull off the glasses. When I do so I find we're essentially flying in formation with another katana just ahead of us.
CFI2: Just follow him into Murfreesboro.
So, let's recap. I'm more than a little disoriented, my inner ear has packed up and gone on strike, I have no clue where we are, and I'm now close enough to another airplane to check the pilot's prostate. Oh, and I'm on a 45 for the downwind to an airport at which I've never landed. Ok, sounds fair.
So I slow up and give the katana some room and then proceed to land normally. As I get on final, CFI2 reminds me that one of his pet peeves is for me to pull the power to idle only to later have to add some. I admit it, I'm not smooth yet.
CFI2: Ok, you pulled power back. Now the engine has quit on you, because one of these days, it will.
Me: Hrm. Ok.
I immediately put up the landing flaps to just takeoff flaps and proceed as normal. As I get closer to the runway, it's clear I'm way high so I put in the landing flaps again and begin to slip. I'm still 100 feet in the air as I cross the numbers. I'm finally ready to touchdown about halfway down the runway.
CFI2: Go around.
We discuss after that point that it's ok to reduce the power, but be a whole lot smoother about it, and be really, really sure you can make the runway.
CFI2: Why did you pull up the landing flaps?
Me: To reduce drag.
CFI2: Ok, so why didn't you put them back in sooner?
Me: Good question.
In a real engine out scenario, you can bet on two things.
1) I'll be high on final.
2) I'll make the runway.
What I have to work on now is adding:
3) Not smacking into trees or falling off the inevitable cliff at the end of the runway.
I'm working on it.
After a couple of landings at MBT, we flew back to Smyrna, landed, debriefed and off I went.
Logged: 1.3
Actual: 0.0
Comments
hm
Senior Member
Registered: May 2004
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 2337
I've always wondered where the "takeoff under the hood" exercise came from. Does this correspond to any real-life operation? I'm certainly not going to take off on a runway by reference solely to the heading indicator, that's ridiculous. And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
I can imagine, maybe, getting the student to drop on the hood immediately after liftoff, or just drop the pretense of an HI-based takeoff roll, and have the CFI do the takeoff, and hand the controls over to the hooded student at 5 or 10 AGL or something.
-harry
Brian_TII
Member
Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 47
You should try the 0/0 landing... ehh... Good write up and congrats, it sounds like you're doing great.
WesJones
Watch this!
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Annapolis, MD
Posts: 2251
I did a few 0/0 take-offs when working on my instrument ticket with PIC. It made a 100' wide runway at BWI feel narrow. I asked the same question "Why would we practice this?" My CFII's answer "To show you that it can be done and because it's something that you can legally do flying part 91. And to instill a sense of how much pucker is involved so you won't try it for real."
I can't imagine why you'd want to leave a runway you can't turn around and land on if needs be.
Wes
__________________
Real confidence in the air is bred only by mistakes made and recovered from at a safe altitude, in a safe ship, and seated on a good parachute.
— Rodney H. Jackson, ''A Lesson in Stunting,' Aeronautics magazine, February 1930.
nathan42100
Student Pilot-Lesson 4
Registered: Jul 2007
Location: KHPN
Posts: 178
what is a 0/0 takeoff?
atp46
Senior Member
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Colorado KAPA
Posts: 1203
Zero viz/zero ceiling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
sus_pilot
Going on 16 the other way
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: St. Louis/Omaha
Posts: 2822
Originally posted by hm
I've always wondered where the "takeoff under the hood" exercise came from. Does this correspond to any real-life operation? I'm certainly not going to take off on a runway by reference solely to the heading indicator, that's ridiculous. And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
I can imagine, maybe, getting the student to drop on the hood immediately after liftoff, or just drop the pretense of an HI-based takeoff roll, and have the CFI do the takeoff, and hand the controls over to the hooded student at 5 or 10 AGL or something.
-harry
I wouldn't do it during lessons for the private certificate, but I do while training for the instrument rating. Not only for the reasons Wes enumerated, but also as a confidence builder for the student - showing them that they do have that much control over the aircraft.
I do agree that in the "real world", it is an absurd, high-risk manuever. I make very, very sure that my students understand if there are minimums for commercial operators, than that's certainly good enough for them.
__________________
Anxiety is Nature's way of telling you that you've already goofed up.
It takes real courage to admit you're afraid.
RVM
johnpeace
Senior Member
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: way down yonder in the land of cotton
Posts: 2299
I don't do them in training.
My reasoning is anything we do in training, we do because it's something that might be encountered in the real world.
Joe Instrument Student's entire training experience up to this point follows that reasoning.
I'm not even going to *suggest* that instrument takeoffs are a skill he ought develop.
My CFII's answer "To show you that it can be done and because it's something that you can legally do flying part 91. And to instill a sense of how much pucker is involved so you won't try it for real."
I like this too.
I think it used to be a task in the instrument PTS...is that familiar to anyone?
__________________
Lanier Flight Center
nosehair
Senior Member
Registered: Jun 2005
Location:
Posts: 553
Originally posted by hm
And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
We practice 'forced landings', and other stuff, even lazy 8's, that don't seem to have a practical application.
Taking off with the hood on gives the student the urgency needed to really pay attention to heading control.
Heading Control is the Primary Skill necessary for good instrument flight.
So, even though you think you would never take-off with 0/0, this practice is a skill builder.
...and, if you ever start flying something that is faster than a 55 knot rotation speed, you might notice that 1/4 or 1/2 mile vis becomes practically zero forward vis prior to rotation.
As to the quote above, hm, I always set my HI to the runway number on the runway prior to take-off, and I maintain that precise heading whether by looking down the runway stripe, or at the HI. With a little practice, it becomes second nature.
Note to FAA or anyone with the power to fine, penalize, revoke, suspend, annoy, or, in any way, antagonize a student pilot and/or his instructor:
The following writeup contains only the representations of perceived events, on the day in question, of a student pilot of highly questionable recollection. Moreover, the events described herein may be, in whole or part, a complete misrepresentation of the actual events as they occurred for the express purpose of providing entertainment to the reader. It could be fact; it could be fiction. I do not recall. Any attempts to extract information from any involved party will likely only exacerbate the cognitive recall shortcomings described above.
With that out of the way.... howdy yall!
Sorry for the delay, but we're back in action finally. I have a lot of catching up to do with lessons, so you'll have to bear with me as I drudge through writeups of some rather uninteresting lessons. Further, some of them will have to be shortened to simply the highlight reel for the sake of my keyboard's longevity.
Today I'm flying with CFI2 again, in hopes of knocking out most of what's left on my hood work requirements. Apparently CFI2 takes his charge very seriously because immediately after the runup and taxi to the hold short line he hands me the foggles.
I give him my very best, thoroughly rehearsed, "WTF" look and he's having none of it.
Me: So what... I use the heading indicator?
CFI2: Yep. And accept any rudder inputs I give you.
Me: No doubt.
I am *never* doing this for real. Will not happen. Mark it down, I said it today, but I will never need to be anywhere so badly that I'll takeoff an airplane in 0/0. Unless Van Halen reunites. Oh wait!
So with trembling hands I gently nudge the throttle forward and, somehow, eventually find the strength to give it all she's got.
The heading indicator shows I'm drifting left (I think) so I push right and feel some help from the right seat. I think I'm to the point now where it's mildly annoying when a CFI gives me control input without asking first, but not today. It's all I can do to sit tight and pray for Vr.
After liftoff, I get lots of headings and such from CFI2, all of which I manage pretty easily.
CFI2: I'm actually dodging clouds with these vectors. We went through a little one.
Me: Oh, cool, so I can log some actual. <Note: I was kidding>
CFI2: No, the correct answer is we were 500/1000/2000 feet away from clouds at all times.
Me: Roger that!
This continues for a while and then CFI2 requests and receives the controls.
CFI2: Put your head down and close your eyes.
Yay, unusual attitudes! I *really* like doing these for some reason. I think the deal is that without the foggles on, there's very little question I'd have an involuntary bowel cleansing if I actually watched what was happening. With the glasses on, however, I'm able to get the kinesthetic sensation of being on a roller coaster without the horrifying reality of seeing myself rocketing towards a hillside in a 125 horsepower lawn dart.
So CFI2 starts by giving me the usual business of left and right and up and down and maybe a barrel roll or two. It's about this time that I feel him do a negative 12G pushover. The katana doesn't have a G-meter, but you'll have to trust me on this one. There are some further gyrations and then...
CFI2: Recover!
I look up and find a very gentle, very easy to recover unusual attitude. Hell, I'll say it... I'm disappointed!
CFI2: That was my way of dive-bombing through a cloud so you couldn't see it
Me: <laughs>
After a few more vectors, I'm instructed to pull off the glasses. When I do so I find we're essentially flying in formation with another katana just ahead of us.
CFI2: Just follow him into Murfreesboro.
So, let's recap. I'm more than a little disoriented, my inner ear has packed up and gone on strike, I have no clue where we are, and I'm now close enough to another airplane to check the pilot's prostate. Oh, and I'm on a 45 for the downwind to an airport at which I've never landed. Ok, sounds fair.
So I slow up and give the katana some room and then proceed to land normally. As I get on final, CFI2 reminds me that one of his pet peeves is for me to pull the power to idle only to later have to add some. I admit it, I'm not smooth yet.
CFI2: Ok, you pulled power back. Now the engine has quit on you, because one of these days, it will.
Me: Hrm. Ok.
I immediately put up the landing flaps to just takeoff flaps and proceed as normal. As I get closer to the runway, it's clear I'm way high so I put in the landing flaps again and begin to slip. I'm still 100 feet in the air as I cross the numbers. I'm finally ready to touchdown about halfway down the runway.
CFI2: Go around.
We discuss after that point that it's ok to reduce the power, but be a whole lot smoother about it, and be really, really sure you can make the runway.
CFI2: Why did you pull up the landing flaps?
Me: To reduce drag.
CFI2: Ok, so why didn't you put them back in sooner?
Me: Good question.
In a real engine out scenario, you can bet on two things.
1) I'll be high on final.
2) I'll make the runway.
What I have to work on now is adding:
3) Not smacking into trees or falling off the inevitable cliff at the end of the runway.
I'm working on it.
After a couple of landings at MBT, we flew back to Smyrna, landed, debriefed and off I went.
Logged: 1.3
Actual: 0.0
Comments
hm
Senior Member
Registered: May 2004
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 2337
I've always wondered where the "takeoff under the hood" exercise came from. Does this correspond to any real-life operation? I'm certainly not going to take off on a runway by reference solely to the heading indicator, that's ridiculous. And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
I can imagine, maybe, getting the student to drop on the hood immediately after liftoff, or just drop the pretense of an HI-based takeoff roll, and have the CFI do the takeoff, and hand the controls over to the hooded student at 5 or 10 AGL or something.
-harry
Brian_TII
Member
Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 47
You should try the 0/0 landing... ehh... Good write up and congrats, it sounds like you're doing great.
WesJones
Watch this!
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Annapolis, MD
Posts: 2251
I did a few 0/0 take-offs when working on my instrument ticket with PIC. It made a 100' wide runway at BWI feel narrow. I asked the same question "Why would we practice this?" My CFII's answer "To show you that it can be done and because it's something that you can legally do flying part 91. And to instill a sense of how much pucker is involved so you won't try it for real."
I can't imagine why you'd want to leave a runway you can't turn around and land on if needs be.
Wes
__________________
Real confidence in the air is bred only by mistakes made and recovered from at a safe altitude, in a safe ship, and seated on a good parachute.
— Rodney H. Jackson, ''A Lesson in Stunting,' Aeronautics magazine, February 1930.
nathan42100
Student Pilot-Lesson 4
Registered: Jul 2007
Location: KHPN
Posts: 178
what is a 0/0 takeoff?
atp46
Senior Member
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Colorado KAPA
Posts: 1203
Zero viz/zero ceiling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
sus_pilot
Going on 16 the other way
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: St. Louis/Omaha
Posts: 2822
Originally posted by hm
I've always wondered where the "takeoff under the hood" exercise came from. Does this correspond to any real-life operation? I'm certainly not going to take off on a runway by reference solely to the heading indicator, that's ridiculous. And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
I can imagine, maybe, getting the student to drop on the hood immediately after liftoff, or just drop the pretense of an HI-based takeoff roll, and have the CFI do the takeoff, and hand the controls over to the hooded student at 5 or 10 AGL or something.
-harry
I wouldn't do it during lessons for the private certificate, but I do while training for the instrument rating. Not only for the reasons Wes enumerated, but also as a confidence builder for the student - showing them that they do have that much control over the aircraft.
I do agree that in the "real world", it is an absurd, high-risk manuever. I make very, very sure that my students understand if there are minimums for commercial operators, than that's certainly good enough for them.
__________________
Anxiety is Nature's way of telling you that you've already goofed up.
It takes real courage to admit you're afraid.
RVM
johnpeace
Senior Member
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: way down yonder in the land of cotton
Posts: 2299
I don't do them in training.
My reasoning is anything we do in training, we do because it's something that might be encountered in the real world.
Joe Instrument Student's entire training experience up to this point follows that reasoning.
I'm not even going to *suggest* that instrument takeoffs are a skill he ought develop.
My CFII's answer "To show you that it can be done and because it's something that you can legally do flying part 91. And to instill a sense of how much pucker is involved so you won't try it for real."
I like this too.
I think it used to be a task in the instrument PTS...is that familiar to anyone?
__________________
Lanier Flight Center
nosehair
Senior Member
Registered: Jun 2005
Location:
Posts: 553
Originally posted by hm
And how would you know what heading to use, any way?
We practice 'forced landings', and other stuff, even lazy 8's, that don't seem to have a practical application.
Taking off with the hood on gives the student the urgency needed to really pay attention to heading control.
Heading Control is the Primary Skill necessary for good instrument flight.
So, even though you think you would never take-off with 0/0, this practice is a skill builder.
...and, if you ever start flying something that is faster than a 55 knot rotation speed, you might notice that 1/4 or 1/2 mile vis becomes practically zero forward vis prior to rotation.
As to the quote above, hm, I always set my HI to the runway number on the runway prior to take-off, and I maintain that precise heading whether by looking down the runway stripe, or at the HI. With a little practice, it becomes second nature.