Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
9th Class - The Beast
I was restless the entire day because I was really looking forward to getting up into the sky. It has been a week since I last flew. Today I got booked onto Cherokee 2902S ("02 Sierra"). It is a 180 horsepower plane. As expected, I would be flying the traffic pattern to redeem myself from past humiliation and improve my landings. But redeem myself I could not. Compared to 777VP, 02 Sierra was a beast. It climbed incredibly fast and I had less time to react. I barely had a Crosswind leg. It was Upwind then flying in an arc into Downwind....
Monday, April 21, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Bear Talk
I am slowly but surely morphing into a crustacean. A good sign. According to my doctor whom I visited last night under my make-shift burqa. He prescribed me some bazooka anti-viral medicine to squelch the virus's war path, albeit with a $231 price tag for 30 pills.
Talking to Santa Monica Ground is easy. The difficulty starts when I am up in the air and need to communicate with Air Traffic Control ("ATC"). Thus far, Chris has handled all the bear talk. I call it bear talk because it is often incomprehensible. To me at least. The voices sound artificially deep and the conversation riddled with code. I just listen in with my mouth ajar looking all confused. Whenever ATC barks out to look out for nearby traffic I always whip my head about, usually in the wrong direction, and squint hard. I can barely track down the moving airplane much less identify its make. Malibu, Katana, etc...they all look like zooming bugs in the air.
I spent today reading Rod's Radio Communications chapter, hoping to put together a list of common phrases I would use. Radio talk or avspeak takes practice like anything esle. However, Rod's chapter focused mostly on radio operations and not the actual phrases themselves. I need to just listen in and considered purchasing a Very High Frequency ("VHF") radio. However, I found out that VHF transmissions are "line of sight." To receive live air traffic talk I cannot have any building obstructing the transmission between my radio and the tower. I thus settled for listening via liveatc.net but the only Class D airport in the area that broadcasts its transmissions online is El Monte Airport (KEMT). Well, something was better than nothing. So Buh Bye Mariah! Hello El Monte ATC!
Talking to Santa Monica Ground is easy. The difficulty starts when I am up in the air and need to communicate with Air Traffic Control ("ATC"). Thus far, Chris has handled all the bear talk. I call it bear talk because it is often incomprehensible. To me at least. The voices sound artificially deep and the conversation riddled with code. I just listen in with my mouth ajar looking all confused. Whenever ATC barks out to look out for nearby traffic I always whip my head about, usually in the wrong direction, and squint hard. I can barely track down the moving airplane much less identify its make. Malibu, Katana, etc...they all look like zooming bugs in the air.
I spent today reading Rod's Radio Communications chapter, hoping to put together a list of common phrases I would use. Radio talk or avspeak takes practice like anything esle. However, Rod's chapter focused mostly on radio operations and not the actual phrases themselves. I need to just listen in and considered purchasing a Very High Frequency ("VHF") radio. However, I found out that VHF transmissions are "line of sight." To receive live air traffic talk I cannot have any building obstructing the transmission between my radio and the tower. I thus settled for listening via liveatc.net but the only Class D airport in the area that broadcasts its transmissions online is El Monte Airport (KEMT). Well, something was better than nothing. So Buh Bye Mariah! Hello El Monte ATC!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Chicken Pox
I have chicken pox. Unbelievable. What makes this worse was I actually was on a date when the Galapagos islands started blossoming across my forehead, unbeknownst to me. Unbelievable. Considering how I am one big mobile blister I guess this will render me unable to fly for at least two weeks. Wah!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
6th Class - Tightening It Up
Today's weather was confusing. It wasn't one of those perky sunny days where you'd rush out to go flying. Neither was it one of those lazy cloudy days where you'd curl up in bed and just read. It was one of those hazy loony bin days where you actually have to contemplate on what to do.
I arrived at Proteus armed with new information. I never foresaw the day when reading about Engines and Electrical Equipment would make me feel better. But it did. I felt so beaten down by the last couple of classes that I actually gravitated towards technical reading to revive my battered self-confidence.
Today Chris and I spent almost two hours practicing the traffic pattern. The airport was extremely busy as it was the weekend and the Young American Eagles organization were taking kids up for rides along the Pacific Palisades. I had to hold short at the runway quite a bit waiting my turn before take off or fly two to four miles further on the Downwind leg before I could turn into Base.
I ran through the pattern five times but only landed technically four times. One of the landings I had to take off again because I could not land the plane. I cringe just in recalling the details. I somehow bounced the main gear off the tarmac and the momentum launched the plane back up in the air with its nose still pointed up. Chris added power and we took off again. I redeemed myself in my final landing where I handled everything including the rudder. Until now Chris had worked the rudders during the landings. I almost landed the plane all by myself except for the trailing edge of Chris's right pinkie resting on the yoke. Almost.
Aside from the landings, I think I got better with each round of practice. My climbs and descents are better although my turns are still overly dramatic. Procedure wise I think I feel more comfortable with each leg of the pattern. My bear talk with Santa Monica Ground (Note: Not Air) is coming along too. At the end of the day, I felt better and am looking forward to the next class.
Flight Time: 1 hr 48 mins
I arrived at Proteus armed with new information. I never foresaw the day when reading about Engines and Electrical Equipment would make me feel better. But it did. I felt so beaten down by the last couple of classes that I actually gravitated towards technical reading to revive my battered self-confidence.
Today Chris and I spent almost two hours practicing the traffic pattern. The airport was extremely busy as it was the weekend and the Young American Eagles organization were taking kids up for rides along the Pacific Palisades. I had to hold short at the runway quite a bit waiting my turn before take off or fly two to four miles further on the Downwind leg before I could turn into Base.
I ran through the pattern five times but only landed technically four times. One of the landings I had to take off again because I could not land the plane. I cringe just in recalling the details. I somehow bounced the main gear off the tarmac and the momentum launched the plane back up in the air with its nose still pointed up. Chris added power and we took off again. I redeemed myself in my final landing where I handled everything including the rudder. Until now Chris had worked the rudders during the landings. I almost landed the plane all by myself except for the trailing edge of Chris's right pinkie resting on the yoke. Almost.
Aside from the landings, I think I got better with each round of practice. My climbs and descents are better although my turns are still overly dramatic. Procedure wise I think I feel more comfortable with each leg of the pattern. My bear talk with Santa Monica Ground (Note: Not Air) is coming along too. At the end of the day, I felt better and am looking forward to the next class.
Flight Time: 1 hr 48 mins
Thursday, April 3, 2008
5th Class - The Dementors
It was late Thursday afternoon and the sky looked a bit cloudy. We practiced the pattern once at SMO before hiking up to Simi Valley to steer clear of the clouds. I botched that landing as I came in way too high. The PAPI was screaming white on all four! Chris took over and yawed the plane to the right to create drag. This slowed down the plane and allowed it time to descend onto the runway. We did a touch and go and headed towards the shoreline.
We traveled up the Malibu coast and then flew over the mountains. It was an incredibly beautiful view and like a calming additive, it melted away the day's stress. This is worth it. My brain cells did not die in vain from all this flying drama. Chris snapped me out of my reverie by reminding me to look out for nearby traffic.
At Simi Valley, we played pretend with highway 118 because it sat straight as a ruler, mimicking a runway. Although we never landed and flew at an minimum altitude of 1400 MSL. We practiced the pattern a few times before heading back to Santa Monica. As we approached, Santa Monica was blanketed by a thick layer of clouds. Despite the stunning view created by the setting sun with its golden fingers splayed across the sky, the fact remained that we needed to fly through the clouds to get down. Gone is the notion that clouds are these cuddly forms that Care Bears live in. Clouds are now threatening characters and must be avoided when flying VFR. Chris took over and flew IFR after getting cleared by ATC. When we dipped into the clouds I stopped breathing. There was zero visibility and I could feel the cloud wisps lick at our windows and swirl around the plane. It felt a tad eerie as it was also getting dark. I looked over at Chris and he sat there cool as a cucumber. No biggie. I was ready for a Dementor to jump out at me anytime and if you have no idea what A Dementor is shame on you!
After almost a minute, we finally emerged from the underbelly of the clouds and I saw the city lights flicker below me. Phew! The cloud ceiling hovered around 1200 feet and was descending quickly. We approached SMO and there was not much traffic. We landed and I cannot honestly remember how it went. Must be the usual with Chris's paws running the yoke, throttle and rudder. Sigh! I must improve my landings!
Flight Time: 1 hr 30 mins
We traveled up the Malibu coast and then flew over the mountains. It was an incredibly beautiful view and like a calming additive, it melted away the day's stress. This is worth it. My brain cells did not die in vain from all this flying drama. Chris snapped me out of my reverie by reminding me to look out for nearby traffic.
At Simi Valley, we played pretend with highway 118 because it sat straight as a ruler, mimicking a runway. Although we never landed and flew at an minimum altitude of 1400 MSL. We practiced the pattern a few times before heading back to Santa Monica. As we approached, Santa Monica was blanketed by a thick layer of clouds. Despite the stunning view created by the setting sun with its golden fingers splayed across the sky, the fact remained that we needed to fly through the clouds to get down. Gone is the notion that clouds are these cuddly forms that Care Bears live in. Clouds are now threatening characters and must be avoided when flying VFR. Chris took over and flew IFR after getting cleared by ATC. When we dipped into the clouds I stopped breathing. There was zero visibility and I could feel the cloud wisps lick at our windows and swirl around the plane. It felt a tad eerie as it was also getting dark. I looked over at Chris and he sat there cool as a cucumber. No biggie. I was ready for a Dementor to jump out at me anytime and if you have no idea what A Dementor is shame on you!
After almost a minute, we finally emerged from the underbelly of the clouds and I saw the city lights flicker below me. Phew! The cloud ceiling hovered around 1200 feet and was descending quickly. We approached SMO and there was not much traffic. We landed and I cannot honestly remember how it went. Must be the usual with Chris's paws running the yoke, throttle and rudder. Sigh! I must improve my landings!
Flight Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Thursday, March 27, 2008
3rd Class - Traffic Pattern
Today Chris attacked me with THE traffic pattern. This is before I had fully digested my Lawry's 9 oz prime rib from lunch. I realized that I needed protein prior to each flying lesson 'cause the process just killed too many brain cells. I was also jet-lagged from my recent trip to Japan and ran 40 minutes late. So as you can imagine I arrived not only protein-rich but completely frazzled.
The pattern was splashed across the drawing board in an elaborate drawing not unlike a battle plan. The pattern is a rectangular shaped pathway of which the airport runway represents one of the legs. General aviation pilots need to fly along this pathway in order to take off from and land at airports. This makes sense because it creates order. The pattern reflects and tests the key maneuvers in flying. Take offs, climbs, leveling off, turns, descents and landings. A good measure of whether I am ready to solo is when I have mastered flying in the pattern with him.
Today they switched me over to Cherokee 777VP. Its 150 horsepower engine makes it fly like a slug. Because the pilot seat is on the left side of the airplane, the pattern begins to the left, thus keeping the runway visible from the left window. So it is all left turns and I suffer from Left-Turn-Phobia. For the first six months after arriving in LA, I could not make left handed turns unless there was a stop sign or a traffic light. I would turn right and right until I found a light. Indeed. I AM The Asian Female Driver!
Take offs are easy compared to landings. Knock on wood. Although I constantly forget to tap the right rudder to reduce the left yawing tendencies of the plane during climbs. No wonder I kept "going" to the left and compensating by working the ailerons just led to more wobbling.
As I climbed and hit Lincoln Blvd I turned left into the Crosswind leg. Chris reminded me to keep the airport in sight at all times and watch my bank angle. My eyes would constantly dive towards the instruments seeking guidance when that very thing laid right outside. My wing should now lie perpendicular to the runway which it was not. Soon after I had to turn again into the Downwind leg and reached an altitude of 1400 MSL. My wings should now lie parallel to the runway which again it was not. I tried to adjust but it was too late.
Before you know it I was "abeam" to my target landing spot and needed to start my descent. This is when everything happened in rapid fire motion. I whipped out the pre-landing checklist to ensure that my plane was in landing condition. I then dropped power to 1500 RMP and laid down the first set of flaps. Turning into base leg, the second set of flaps came in and during the final approach the final set of flaps followed. With each set of flaps, the nose of the plane would pitch up and my arm would ache from holding it down to keep our descent. Chris had control of the power and rudder and told me to focus on handling the yoke. Thank goodness for Chris we landed the plane. He yet again rescued me when we broke the glide. This is when I always run into trouble. I have trouble gently setting the main gear down by holding the nose up ever so slightly. I would do something funky like jerk the yoke back too much or too soon. Sigh! My excuses are endless.
I've learned that subtlety is key and there lies the secret in discovering the art of flying. Due to time constraints I only practiced the pattern one more time. The result was not memorable and I feel a bit hopeless at this point.
Flight Time: 36 mins
The pattern was splashed across the drawing board in an elaborate drawing not unlike a battle plan. The pattern is a rectangular shaped pathway of which the airport runway represents one of the legs. General aviation pilots need to fly along this pathway in order to take off from and land at airports. This makes sense because it creates order. The pattern reflects and tests the key maneuvers in flying. Take offs, climbs, leveling off, turns, descents and landings. A good measure of whether I am ready to solo is when I have mastered flying in the pattern with him.
Today they switched me over to Cherokee 777VP. Its 150 horsepower engine makes it fly like a slug. Because the pilot seat is on the left side of the airplane, the pattern begins to the left, thus keeping the runway visible from the left window. So it is all left turns and I suffer from Left-Turn-Phobia. For the first six months after arriving in LA, I could not make left handed turns unless there was a stop sign or a traffic light. I would turn right and right until I found a light. Indeed. I AM The Asian Female Driver!
Take offs are easy compared to landings. Knock on wood. Although I constantly forget to tap the right rudder to reduce the left yawing tendencies of the plane during climbs. No wonder I kept "going" to the left and compensating by working the ailerons just led to more wobbling.
As I climbed and hit Lincoln Blvd I turned left into the Crosswind leg. Chris reminded me to keep the airport in sight at all times and watch my bank angle. My eyes would constantly dive towards the instruments seeking guidance when that very thing laid right outside. My wing should now lie perpendicular to the runway which it was not. Soon after I had to turn again into the Downwind leg and reached an altitude of 1400 MSL. My wings should now lie parallel to the runway which again it was not. I tried to adjust but it was too late.
Before you know it I was "abeam" to my target landing spot and needed to start my descent. This is when everything happened in rapid fire motion. I whipped out the pre-landing checklist to ensure that my plane was in landing condition. I then dropped power to 1500 RMP and laid down the first set of flaps. Turning into base leg, the second set of flaps came in and during the final approach the final set of flaps followed. With each set of flaps, the nose of the plane would pitch up and my arm would ache from holding it down to keep our descent. Chris had control of the power and rudder and told me to focus on handling the yoke. Thank goodness for Chris we landed the plane. He yet again rescued me when we broke the glide. This is when I always run into trouble. I have trouble gently setting the main gear down by holding the nose up ever so slightly. I would do something funky like jerk the yoke back too much or too soon. Sigh! My excuses are endless.
I've learned that subtlety is key and there lies the secret in discovering the art of flying. Due to time constraints I only practiced the pattern one more time. The result was not memorable and I feel a bit hopeless at this point.
Flight Time: 36 mins
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
2nd Class - Airplane Oil
Today during the pre-flight check I learned how to add airplane oil. So far everyone has been so polite and encouraging, insisting that there are no stupid questions. I may ask all I want. Well, there are stupid questions. In fact, there are ones so stupid that they are beyond moronic. Just like how someone says, "It is not you. It is me!" Translation. It is you, you dumb ass! So today I asked what you change airplane oil with? It is airplane oil, you dumb ass!
To defend myself I must say that prior to coming to Los Angeles in 2005, I lived in Singapore, Boston, Tokyo and New York, cities with great public transportation systems. My driver's license sole purpose was to get me a drink. Talks about engines, cylinders or horsepower will only draw blank stares from me. The same kind that a man levels upon you when presented with Black vs. Very Black mascaras. It is sad really sad. To put an end to my mechanical illiteracy I ordered Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook as soon as I got home. Am considering getting Cars for Dummies too.
Today we again flew along the Malibu coast and practiced climbs, descents and turns! In the climbs, we reviewed the steps of leveling off of a climb. Similarly, I practiced leveling off of a descent. And flying straight and level flight sounds easy but it is not. It is confusing when your horizon changes e.g. from the straight line of the ocean's edge to the zigzagging outline of the Santa Monica mountain ranges. I have a tendency to pitch up. Chris kept reminding me to keep my eyes outside of the cockpit. But it is human nature to keep looking at the instruments because it made me feel safe. However, I was reminded that there exists a lag in the instrument readings and they are not always accurate. Relying on the instruments at this stage will prevent me from "bonding" with the plane and developing my mojo. So like my weighing scale I am only allowed to look at the instruments every so often.
We also practiced turns and did plenty of them at varying bank angles. The air being much smoother today made it easier. Chris gave me a quick review of the Heading Indicator and would call out various headings for me to turn into. I kept forgetting to look in that direction outside of the window prior to turning towards it. Again I would turn using the Heading Indicator. I also failed many times to check my bank angle via the wings. It was basically one screw up piled up right after another!
Not that things could get anymore frustrating, Chris declared that he was going to demostrate a stall. From what I have heard of them I would rather go to the gynecologist's office. Stalls basically mean that the wings of the plane have exceeded its critical angle of attack and as such lost its lift. The plane nose dives and your head hits the roof of the cockpit. Not pleasant sounding at all. But surprisingly, Juliette Whiskey refused to stall so I escaped unscathed. Phew! Onto the next subject please (I know that I will need to revisit this in the future as I need to know how to recover from a stall)
Landing today was one word: Horrible As Hell. Alright. That was three words. I came in swaying right and left and Chris who had control of the rudder and power had to take over off the yoke when we broke the glide 'cause I basically veered the plane towards the right and we landed with a loud thud. It was so horrible that everything feels like a haze right now. I am so sorry Juliette Whiskey!
Flight Time: 1 hr 30 mins
To defend myself I must say that prior to coming to Los Angeles in 2005, I lived in Singapore, Boston, Tokyo and New York, cities with great public transportation systems. My driver's license sole purpose was to get me a drink. Talks about engines, cylinders or horsepower will only draw blank stares from me. The same kind that a man levels upon you when presented with Black vs. Very Black mascaras. It is sad really sad. To put an end to my mechanical illiteracy I ordered Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook as soon as I got home. Am considering getting Cars for Dummies too.
Today we again flew along the Malibu coast and practiced climbs, descents and turns! In the climbs, we reviewed the steps of leveling off of a climb. Similarly, I practiced leveling off of a descent. And flying straight and level flight sounds easy but it is not. It is confusing when your horizon changes e.g. from the straight line of the ocean's edge to the zigzagging outline of the Santa Monica mountain ranges. I have a tendency to pitch up. Chris kept reminding me to keep my eyes outside of the cockpit. But it is human nature to keep looking at the instruments because it made me feel safe. However, I was reminded that there exists a lag in the instrument readings and they are not always accurate. Relying on the instruments at this stage will prevent me from "bonding" with the plane and developing my mojo. So like my weighing scale I am only allowed to look at the instruments every so often.
We also practiced turns and did plenty of them at varying bank angles. The air being much smoother today made it easier. Chris gave me a quick review of the Heading Indicator and would call out various headings for me to turn into. I kept forgetting to look in that direction outside of the window prior to turning towards it. Again I would turn using the Heading Indicator. I also failed many times to check my bank angle via the wings. It was basically one screw up piled up right after another!
Not that things could get anymore frustrating, Chris declared that he was going to demostrate a stall. From what I have heard of them I would rather go to the gynecologist's office. Stalls basically mean that the wings of the plane have exceeded its critical angle of attack and as such lost its lift. The plane nose dives and your head hits the roof of the cockpit. Not pleasant sounding at all. But surprisingly, Juliette Whiskey refused to stall so I escaped unscathed. Phew! Onto the next subject please (I know that I will need to revisit this in the future as I need to know how to recover from a stall)
Landing today was one word: Horrible As Hell. Alright. That was three words. I came in swaying right and left and Chris who had control of the rudder and power had to take over off the yoke when we broke the glide 'cause I basically veered the plane towards the right and we landed with a loud thud. It was so horrible that everything feels like a haze right now. I am so sorry Juliette Whiskey!
Flight Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Sunday, March 9, 2008
1st Class - Wonder Boy
Today marked my first official class. The day I went for my demo class with Justice Aviation, my mom's blood pressure shot up to 159. She highly disapproves of my new sport. So far it has worked with using eharmony as my alibi. But what do I say for a Sunday morning 9:00 a.m. lesson? Farmer's market.
I woke up this morning to a foggy looking sky. I made a mental note to schedule future classes in the afternoon to allow time for the fog to burn out. I still headed over to the flight school to get some ground work done.
I will be training under Chris, my new CFI, and he is a mere 24 years of age. First the 19 year old CEO and now a 24 year old CFI. I did not feel like grandma at this point. I AM grandma! How is he going to get me to shut up and listen? With his ferocious looking uni-brow? But then again, they do call him "wonderboy" around here. We shall see.
While we waited for the fog to burn out, Chris gave me a METAR tutorial. A METAR is a surface observation of the weather from the airport taken at the end of each hour. It relays information about the wind direction, wind speed, visibility, weather/sky conditions, etc. Basically information that will determine whether you can fly under Visual Flight Rules ("VFR").
By 10:00 a.m., visibility had improved significantly and we can finally go flying. I literally flew out of the classroom but my excitement was soon torpedoed by the extremely detailed pre-flight checklist. I spent the next half hour crab-walking around the plane lifting, prodding, pulling on various parts of its body while learning the correct vocabulary. My head began throbbing in the cockpit when I death-stared the dials that death-stared right back at me. Chris patiently reviewed gauges purpose. I had done this before but now I have to actually memorize. There is a ton of information to learn and it can feel a bit overwhelming. I guess this explains why the drop out rate runs as high as 70%.
Next my CFI proudly announced that I will be communicating with the air traffic controllers today. I choked. To show me that he was serious, he quickly jotted down a script and handed it me. He told me that there exists a formula with talking to the air traffic controllers and it goes as follows:
1. Tell them who you are
2. Tell them where you are
3. Tell them what you want to do
4. Repeat their instructions back at them.
5. NO YAPPING!
I rehearsed the lines a few time, pushed the little button found on top of the left handle of the yoke and blurted it out as quickly as I could. They repeated something back at me and I jerked my head towards Chris with woeful pleading eyes screaming RESCUE ME. He did and got us cleared to taxi up to the run-up area.
I wore flats today hoping that it'll improve my control of the rudder pedals but the plane still snake danced up to the run-up area. It is thus not the shoes. It really IS me. We went through the Run-Up check and Before Take Off check and I was later instructed to communicate with Santa Monica Tower to request for clearance to take off. This time I did not fudge. I do not know why they make me so nervous.
To be finished....
Flight Time: 1 hr
I woke up this morning to a foggy looking sky. I made a mental note to schedule future classes in the afternoon to allow time for the fog to burn out. I still headed over to the flight school to get some ground work done.
I will be training under Chris, my new CFI, and he is a mere 24 years of age. First the 19 year old CEO and now a 24 year old CFI. I did not feel like grandma at this point. I AM grandma! How is he going to get me to shut up and listen? With his ferocious looking uni-brow? But then again, they do call him "wonderboy" around here. We shall see.
While we waited for the fog to burn out, Chris gave me a METAR tutorial. A METAR is a surface observation of the weather from the airport taken at the end of each hour. It relays information about the wind direction, wind speed, visibility, weather/sky conditions, etc. Basically information that will determine whether you can fly under Visual Flight Rules ("VFR").
By 10:00 a.m., visibility had improved significantly and we can finally go flying. I literally flew out of the classroom but my excitement was soon torpedoed by the extremely detailed pre-flight checklist. I spent the next half hour crab-walking around the plane lifting, prodding, pulling on various parts of its body while learning the correct vocabulary. My head began throbbing in the cockpit when I death-stared the dials that death-stared right back at me. Chris patiently reviewed gauges purpose. I had done this before but now I have to actually memorize. There is a ton of information to learn and it can feel a bit overwhelming. I guess this explains why the drop out rate runs as high as 70%.
Next my CFI proudly announced that I will be communicating with the air traffic controllers today. I choked. To show me that he was serious, he quickly jotted down a script and handed it me. He told me that there exists a formula with talking to the air traffic controllers and it goes as follows:
1. Tell them who you are
2. Tell them where you are
3. Tell them what you want to do
4. Repeat their instructions back at them.
5. NO YAPPING!
I rehearsed the lines a few time, pushed the little button found on top of the left handle of the yoke and blurted it out as quickly as I could. They repeated something back at me and I jerked my head towards Chris with woeful pleading eyes screaming RESCUE ME. He did and got us cleared to taxi up to the run-up area.
I wore flats today hoping that it'll improve my control of the rudder pedals but the plane still snake danced up to the run-up area. It is thus not the shoes. It really IS me. We went through the Run-Up check and Before Take Off check and I was later instructed to communicate with Santa Monica Tower to request for clearance to take off. This time I did not fudge. I do not know why they make me so nervous.
To be finished....
Flight Time: 1 hr
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Intro Flight on a Piper Cherokee
After my demo flight on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, I quickly scheduled another demo flight with Proteus Air Services. They only train in Piper planes. The idea was to try out a low wing plane and check out another school before making a final decision. I scheduled it for Friday afternoon, February 28, 2008. Unfortunately, the fog rolled in and it had to be canceled. I kept trying and finally hit upon good weather today.
Remember the 19 year old CEO at Proteus? Well, he is not really the CEO. I found out that it was a joke and actually did the demo flight with the owner himself who has a bucket load of flight hours under his belt. My CFI, the owner, skipped the pre-flight check as he had done it already and wanted to get me up in the air as soon as possible. He wanted to focus more on the flying experience itself.
With the memory of the Cessna 172 - Garmin 1000 still fresh on my mind, the Piper Cherokee was certainly rustic looking in comparison. It could use a fresh coat of paint and had this tacky red velvet interior. But for some odd reason I was glad that the mechanical gauges were back. Seriously, aren't I suppose to start from the basics anyway? Her name is Juliette Whiskey for 400JW and is not entirely shabby with a 180 horsepower engine.
After take off we followed the same flight route as my demo flight with Justice Aviation. I had a feeling that most of the training was done along the Malibu coast as there was less traffic in the area. It was certainly a bumpy ride today especially when we flew passed the canyons where the wind came barreling out of the valleys. I felt my stomach lurch with every bump and grew increasingly nervous as I braced myself for the next bump. I am a teacup person and would never voluntarily board one of those freak free fall rides found at amusement parks. That was when my CFI told me to grab onto his arm and instructed me to watch him. He didn't flinch one bit with any of the bumps. It was like a Shaolin monk stance.
We soon started practicing the basic maneuvers. He wanted me to perk up to my senses and focus on the feel of the plane and how it responds to slight changes in the controls. We ascended, descended, turned right, turned left. Pointed the nose up and down, increased and decreased the power and basically played with the control variables. At one point he even pulled the plug on the engine and the plane just chugged along swaying with the wind. I wanted to throw up. Nevertheless, the idea was to start familiarizing me with the concepts of thrust, lift, drag and weight. I also learned how to trim.
Upon our descent into SMO, it dawned on me that with a low wing plane I could not see below me and thus the tarmac when I land. I still landed with the obvious help of my CFI and it felt a bit trickier but definitely possible. For some odd reason I liked the low-wing plane better. I liked the way it handled and felt more at one with the sky since the wings were not strapped over me. At this point I made the decision to train in a low wing plane.
So with American Flyers out of the picture, the decision was between Justice and Proteus and I picked the latter. I enjoyed my second demo flight more and liked the personalized attention I received from its staff. I can't wait for my first class. Yum!
Remember the 19 year old CEO at Proteus? Well, he is not really the CEO. I found out that it was a joke and actually did the demo flight with the owner himself who has a bucket load of flight hours under his belt. My CFI, the owner, skipped the pre-flight check as he had done it already and wanted to get me up in the air as soon as possible. He wanted to focus more on the flying experience itself.
With the memory of the Cessna 172 - Garmin 1000 still fresh on my mind, the Piper Cherokee was certainly rustic looking in comparison. It could use a fresh coat of paint and had this tacky red velvet interior. But for some odd reason I was glad that the mechanical gauges were back. Seriously, aren't I suppose to start from the basics anyway? Her name is Juliette Whiskey for 400JW and is not entirely shabby with a 180 horsepower engine.
After take off we followed the same flight route as my demo flight with Justice Aviation. I had a feeling that most of the training was done along the Malibu coast as there was less traffic in the area. It was certainly a bumpy ride today especially when we flew passed the canyons where the wind came barreling out of the valleys. I felt my stomach lurch with every bump and grew increasingly nervous as I braced myself for the next bump. I am a teacup person and would never voluntarily board one of those freak free fall rides found at amusement parks. That was when my CFI told me to grab onto his arm and instructed me to watch him. He didn't flinch one bit with any of the bumps. It was like a Shaolin monk stance.
We soon started practicing the basic maneuvers. He wanted me to perk up to my senses and focus on the feel of the plane and how it responds to slight changes in the controls. We ascended, descended, turned right, turned left. Pointed the nose up and down, increased and decreased the power and basically played with the control variables. At one point he even pulled the plug on the engine and the plane just chugged along swaying with the wind. I wanted to throw up. Nevertheless, the idea was to start familiarizing me with the concepts of thrust, lift, drag and weight. I also learned how to trim.
Upon our descent into SMO, it dawned on me that with a low wing plane I could not see below me and thus the tarmac when I land. I still landed with the obvious help of my CFI and it felt a bit trickier but definitely possible. For some odd reason I liked the low-wing plane better. I liked the way it handled and felt more at one with the sky since the wings were not strapped over me. At this point I made the decision to train in a low wing plane.
So with American Flyers out of the picture, the decision was between Justice and Proteus and I picked the latter. I enjoyed my second demo flight more and liked the personalized attention I received from its staff. I can't wait for my first class. Yum!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Intro Flight on a Cessna 172
After a week of rain we finally got some good weather here in So Cal. I scheduled a demo flight with Justice Aviation. Most schools offer these demo flights at deep discounts and in this case $50 to encourage folks like me to give flying a shot.
Justice booked me with a Certified Flight Instructor ("CFI") who was about to leave for NY. I was a bit miffed because finding a good instructor is key and I saw this as an interview. But they did put me in a swanky new Cessna 172 - 180 hp. It had that delicious new car smell and came complete with a Garmin 1000 glass cockpit. Basically a Dior. I smell a seduction scheme unfolding here. In real life I bet this beast costs way more than the advertised $85 an hour for the Cessna 152. But at this point I told myself not to quibble about price and just accept the fact that this endeavour will cost me 714 pedicures!
The lesson began with the pre-flight checklist and I soon realized that it is check-o-rama. One checks at every stage of the flight, from when one walks towards the plane up until one walks away from it at the end. This is serious business. The list is so long that it is written, laminated and bound into menu form. And these are just the documented ones. I am sure it will all get tattooed into my brain at some point but for today my goal is to enjoy myself.
By the time we were done with the pre-flight check and powered up the engine, I was ready to GO!!! But first we needed to get to the runway and this was when I was introduced to the rudder peddles. When on the ground, the rudder peddles control the nose gear which directs where the plane is going. I was thus driving with my feet. I basically danced up to the run-up in a slithering pattern and blamed it on the awkwardness of the situation as opposed to my damn heels! Heels are absolutely forbidden here. So are skirts and low risers unless you want your wobbly bits falling out while climbing over or dipping under the plane during the pre-flight check.
For take-off, my CFI put the throttle to full power and off we went shooting down the runway. At a certain point, I was told to gently pull back at the yoke and the next thing I knew we were airborne. Wow. My first take off. We climbed and headed towards the shoreline. And as soon as we hit it, I was instructed to gently turn right and we were soon traveling up the coast. Once we got to the desired altitude, I was told to level the nose of the plane with the horizon and reduce power. While cruising, I felt half-dazed and was not really paying attention to my CFI nor the instruments. I told myself that I'll learn later. Kinda like the I'll-start-tomorrow-diet mentality. My eyes were concentrated on the gorgeous view laid out before and below me. With a high-wing plane, I could see clearly below me...the gleaming blue water, the gia-normous mansions peppering the Malibu coastline, etc. I could not have picked a more beautiful day to do this. I was truly smitten.
Once we reached Point Dume, I was told to turn left and circle around the tip of the peninsular to start our journey back to SMO. When we passed Pacific Palisades and started our descent, that was when my head started to spin. There was so much going on at the same time. The spy talk promptly resumed between my CFI and the SMO tower and my eyes began darting left and right looking for the supposed neighboring planes set against a backdrop of bobbing buildings and moving traffic. I could barely keep track of the instrument readings to note the power level, altitude and vertical speed. And there is the landing pattern that everyone needs to strictly follow. THE tower will punish you for bad behavior. Juvenile crimes will result in them dispensing a number and instructing you to call them. If you commit something extra heinous, there is the imaginary penalty box that the tower will instruct you to fly circles in. This is their version of flogging you publically for subversive behavior. What makes matters worse is the fact that this is all communicated over open airwaves!
Once we entered the pattern, my CFI had control of the power, rudder and yoke. However, he wanted me to "experience" landing so told me to handle the yoke and listen up. As the runway loomed ahead of me, I could barely croak. I gripped the yoke white knuckled and tried to follow his instruction word for word. Having the power lying near idle made me nervous because I had this notion that we needed power in order to move. I could feel the plane sway gently even from the slightest wind movements because the thrust created by the engine was now gone. We were essentially gliding towards the runway. All along the descent we had the plane's nose pointed downwards and when close to the ground, my CFI instructed me to level the nose to bring the plane horizontal and then lift it a tad. All very subtle movements. And low and behold I felt the reassuring thud of the main gear (back wheels) hitting the tarmac, soon followed by the nose gear. I have landed. Unbelievable. I looked over to my CFI beaming him a mega watt smile. Correction. We landed.
Justice booked me with a Certified Flight Instructor ("CFI") who was about to leave for NY. I was a bit miffed because finding a good instructor is key and I saw this as an interview. But they did put me in a swanky new Cessna 172 - 180 hp. It had that delicious new car smell and came complete with a Garmin 1000 glass cockpit. Basically a Dior. I smell a seduction scheme unfolding here. In real life I bet this beast costs way more than the advertised $85 an hour for the Cessna 152. But at this point I told myself not to quibble about price and just accept the fact that this endeavour will cost me 714 pedicures!
The lesson began with the pre-flight checklist and I soon realized that it is check-o-rama. One checks at every stage of the flight, from when one walks towards the plane up until one walks away from it at the end. This is serious business. The list is so long that it is written, laminated and bound into menu form. And these are just the documented ones. I am sure it will all get tattooed into my brain at some point but for today my goal is to enjoy myself.
By the time we were done with the pre-flight check and powered up the engine, I was ready to GO!!! But first we needed to get to the runway and this was when I was introduced to the rudder peddles. When on the ground, the rudder peddles control the nose gear which directs where the plane is going. I was thus driving with my feet. I basically danced up to the run-up in a slithering pattern and blamed it on the awkwardness of the situation as opposed to my damn heels! Heels are absolutely forbidden here. So are skirts and low risers unless you want your wobbly bits falling out while climbing over or dipping under the plane during the pre-flight check.
For take-off, my CFI put the throttle to full power and off we went shooting down the runway. At a certain point, I was told to gently pull back at the yoke and the next thing I knew we were airborne. Wow. My first take off. We climbed and headed towards the shoreline. And as soon as we hit it, I was instructed to gently turn right and we were soon traveling up the coast. Once we got to the desired altitude, I was told to level the nose of the plane with the horizon and reduce power. While cruising, I felt half-dazed and was not really paying attention to my CFI nor the instruments. I told myself that I'll learn later. Kinda like the I'll-start-tomorrow-diet mentality. My eyes were concentrated on the gorgeous view laid out before and below me. With a high-wing plane, I could see clearly below me...the gleaming blue water, the gia-normous mansions peppering the Malibu coastline, etc. I could not have picked a more beautiful day to do this. I was truly smitten.
Once we reached Point Dume, I was told to turn left and circle around the tip of the peninsular to start our journey back to SMO. When we passed Pacific Palisades and started our descent, that was when my head started to spin. There was so much going on at the same time. The spy talk promptly resumed between my CFI and the SMO tower and my eyes began darting left and right looking for the supposed neighboring planes set against a backdrop of bobbing buildings and moving traffic. I could barely keep track of the instrument readings to note the power level, altitude and vertical speed. And there is the landing pattern that everyone needs to strictly follow. THE tower will punish you for bad behavior. Juvenile crimes will result in them dispensing a number and instructing you to call them. If you commit something extra heinous, there is the imaginary penalty box that the tower will instruct you to fly circles in. This is their version of flogging you publically for subversive behavior. What makes matters worse is the fact that this is all communicated over open airwaves!
Once we entered the pattern, my CFI had control of the power, rudder and yoke. However, he wanted me to "experience" landing so told me to handle the yoke and listen up. As the runway loomed ahead of me, I could barely croak. I gripped the yoke white knuckled and tried to follow his instruction word for word. Having the power lying near idle made me nervous because I had this notion that we needed power in order to move. I could feel the plane sway gently even from the slightest wind movements because the thrust created by the engine was now gone. We were essentially gliding towards the runway. All along the descent we had the plane's nose pointed downwards and when close to the ground, my CFI instructed me to level the nose to bring the plane horizontal and then lift it a tad. All very subtle movements. And low and behold I felt the reassuring thud of the main gear (back wheels) hitting the tarmac, soon followed by the nose gear. I have landed. Unbelievable. I looked over to my CFI beaming him a mega watt smile. Correction. We landed.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Off to Flight School
The weather has been pretty crappy lately in Southern California. I saw it as a good opportunity to visit the schools without worrying about getting seduced into signing up by the clear blue sky. One never goes shopping in the supermarket when hungry. Same rule applies here. I live close to Santa Monica Airport ("SMO") so I naturally chose it as my home airport. There are four schools located in SMO and they are American Flyers, Proteus Air Services, Justice Aviation and Skyward Aviation. I visited American Flyers and Proteus on the same day that Barney's had its warehouse sale at one of the airport hangars. American Flyers is fancy. It is a national brand and has its own campus building, fleet of Cessna 172 planes, uniformed staff, etc. It is a 141 school which essentially means that the FAA has blessed its curriculum and allows it to graduate students with a minimum of 35 flight hours. Learning how to fly is not cheap. One should allocate approximately 10-13K for the effort. However, for approximately 11K, American Flyers' program only budgets in 35 hours worth of flight time. I like to be conservative and follow the national average of 60 - 70 hours. If you were to compare apples to apples and just look at the rates of the aircraft rentals and instruction cost, they run about 20- 25% above average. Other downsides include the requirement to take a 3 day workshop (I think I can self-study using Sporty's or Kings School), unpersonalized instruction (I like to work with only 1-2 instructors), inflexible time blocs (I'm self-employed so I like to create my own schedule), requirement to take flight simulation class (I don't think I need this 'cause I'm not flying commercial planes). My goal is to get in as much flight time within a 11K budget. This is obviously not a good fit.
My next stop was Proteus Air Services. The school is basically a hut manned by a 19 year old boy whose name card lists him as the CEO. Confidence inspiring indeed. However, after a few minutes of discussion, I realized that this boy was one cool geek. He took me on a tour of the planes and answered every one of my tedious questions. He has flown with an instructor since he was 14 but couldn't get his license until he was 17 years old as mandated by the FAA. I feel like a grandma right now. Proteus has three instructors on staff and prides itself in providing personalized instruction according to your schedule. Its planes are from the Piper Cherokee family which are low-wing. A Cessna has a high-wing which means that I can easily see below me. This might affect the way I land I presume. Eitherways I really don't think it'll make a big difference at this stage of my flight career which is basically non-existent.
My next stop was Proteus Air Services. The school is basically a hut manned by a 19 year old boy whose name card lists him as the CEO. Confidence inspiring indeed. However, after a few minutes of discussion, I realized that this boy was one cool geek. He took me on a tour of the planes and answered every one of my tedious questions. He has flown with an instructor since he was 14 but couldn't get his license until he was 17 years old as mandated by the FAA. I feel like a grandma right now. Proteus has three instructors on staff and prides itself in providing personalized instruction according to your schedule. Its planes are from the Piper Cherokee family which are low-wing. A Cessna has a high-wing which means that I can easily see below me. This might affect the way I land I presume. Eitherways I really don't think it'll make a big difference at this stage of my flight career which is basically non-existent.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Why oh why?
That was the question my mother posed to me when I told her of my intention to learn how to fly. Naturally she was absolutely horrified. When? How? Why? Well, a date, what I now call my five-night blind spot, took me on a plane ride around the LA area and over the mountains. The date didn't linger around but the memory of the ride certainly did. Aside from the stunning view at 5,000 ft high, something about riding in the front seat skimming over earth in such an intimate manner... it is truly a glorious feeling! And this is just gross hazy LA. With the ability to fly a plane the world becomes your backyard. I do love to travel and explore new places. My goals are not ambitious at the moment. It is for my pleasure alone. No commercial aspirations. Just a private pilot license to ferry myself and loved ones along the coast.
So the purpose of this blog is to detail my journey in exploring this desire of mine. I won't say passion yet. Although it'd be an expensive mistake to make should I fall out of love with it. I doubt I would though.
So the purpose of this blog is to detail my journey in exploring this desire of mine. I won't say passion yet. Although it'd be an expensive mistake to make should I fall out of love with it. I doubt I would though.
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