Day 1 (The Day Before)To all, Had to take some time off from flying due to a slowdown in fundage, and some bad weather....BUT I'M BACK.... About $1000 and just 3 weeks to go until BIG test day(hopfully)!!! Yes it's true..I had to take some time off from flying...It wasn't a complete waste of time...I studied for the FAA Written Test which I took yesterday. Passed with flying colors even though I missed 5 questions (got a 90). Three of them I simply missed...Two, however, were ridiculous questions that I shouldn't have missed......(should'a had a 94). I am, however, flying again and VERY close to the end. As long as I don't do anything stupid, I'll be taking my checkride on Dec 10. I have the cost factored down to the penny for exactly what I need to do before the practical test with one exception: I'm taking an aerobatics lesson tomorrow. ******NOTE******** A few weeks ago I was solo practicing "Power On Stalls" (were you climb as much as you can before the plane decides it can climb no more)..During this maneuver you have a high potential for a spin (once stalled, one wings stalls more then another, dropping that wing and starting a spiral towards the earth). Spins are not a good thing, and as a student you are constantly reminded of the dangers of a spin (unless you do the correct procedure in the correct order quickly, you could end up splattered on the ground). We are not allowed to enter spins in the planes I fly because it puts unnecessary strain on the plane, in fact, these planes are very difficult to spin, and the two times we tried to induce a spin (to let me experience what the start of one feels like) we couldn't... Anyway, back to the story. A few weeks ago I was practicing "Power On Stalls" - during the procedure, one wing dropped and began the second step in the spin process...I recognized and stopped it, but left a little shaken...Could I get out of a spin if one really started??? So I decided that I would take an aerobatic session (with a well trained instructor that only does this kind of stuff) and do some spins (In a plane that can take it) just so I have the confidence that I can recover from a spin...and to experience what they are like first hand...Ron (my instructor) put in contact with someone who fit the bill...so I'm a goi'n....after the spins I'll do some loops, barrel rolls and other cool things that I've always wanted to do in a plane. Then it's full speed ahead - on track for my certificate.
Day 2 (The Day After)Today was the big aerobatic day, and as you can read....I survived. What an experience, I learned a whole new side of aviation. First off, I meet my instructor (Nick) in a different location at the airport then normal, "Hanger 7". This hanger is HUGE and filled with all different types of planes, from citation jets, to, well, to citaberias (the one we flew). The hanger experience is different from the normal "Co-op" experience in that at the Co-op, we hang out in the office, look at the flight line for our plane, go to it, hop in, start the engine, and taxi away...with the hanger situation, you have to find your plane, push a bunch of other planes out of the way, and pull yours out of the hanger before you start it. More nuts and bolts type flying. I find our plane, look inside, and I begin to realize what a different experience this will be. The plane seats tandem (one behind the other)...I fly up front with all the instruments, the instructor sits behind (with controls..but no instruments). There are VERY few instruments (1 radio, couple of engine gauges, altimeter, airspeed, but that was pretty much it...The outside of the plane is cloth (as opposed to metal) the spars and internal ribs are wood (as opposed to metal), all the pushrods, and control cables are exposed (as opposed to hidden). The stick was actually a stick, and the throttle was built in to the left side of the plane (not into the console on the right)...all in all, everything was in the wrong place.....This plane is made for stunt flying...not joyriding, or carrying passengers. Next I get a lesson in parachute operation. It's a requirement that all occupants of an aircraft performing "Unusual attitude maneuvers" wear a parachute and be instructed on how to use it...ect.... Then Nick explains (on the ground with a little model plane) in detail what maneuvers we will be doing and how to perform them...spins, barrel rolls, lazy barrel rolls, and loops. The next task is to strap in....Parachute first, then the thigh bet (to keep you in your seat when inverted), lap belt (redundancy) and shoulder belts (these pretty much keep you from moving any direction that the other belts forgot)..at one point I dropped the checklist on the floor of the plane...it took some fancy footwork to get it back in my hands.. One other really big difference I have yet to mention...this plane is a "TailDragger" (or tail wheel plane) meaning, we are leaning back the whole time (on the ground). This makes my least favorite part of flying - taxiing - WORSE!!!..... I told Nick that I was here for the Maneuvers (not to get type rated in the plane) so I didn't have to deal with all that taxing / taildragger crap.. I would just take over once we were airborne.........he didn't buy it... Grrrrrrr So I taxied us over to the runway where my normal instructor (Ron) was just about to go up with another student of his...he looked over and gave alittle wave and a smile...sort of saying "Your in for a treat...he.he.he.he" So, I took off and once airborne - had only a few seconds to get used to the WACKY controls...this plane is WAY more responsive then what I'm used to, when I moved the stick...we were already there. We flew out to the "Aerobatic Box" located right by Magic Mountain, and Nick says "OK...lets spin the plane".... and proceeds to tell me what to do... I, little nervous, say "How 'bout you demonstrate the first one".."Oh, yea...I'll be telling you what to do...don't worry about it." (he re-assures)... following the steps
The right wing dropped, we went briefly inverted, and suddenly we were spinning - I could see the ground spinning around filling the front wind shield...then I hear Nick say...."Ok recover"...following the steps
and gaining a few G's on the pullout...one gauge that we had on this plane that I DON'T have in the other planes I fly - is a "G" meter....we "pulled" 4.5 Gs. A big smile fills my face, and just before I can say "LET'S DO THAT AGAIN!!" Nick says with concern "Are you alright?"....I start laughing... I was afraid of that!!!!!!??? Granted...it's not something I would ever do in a real world situation...but its no worse then a ride at Magic Mountain!! Once again...fear of the unknown strikes. Looking at the altimeter...we had only lost 500 feet (nothing) and we did two rotations!!.... We did a few more spins, and then it was on to the LOOPs!!
It were the barrel rolls that were kind of wacky...You pull some negative G's and because I'm still learning, on one of them we pulled more negative Gs then necessary...that made me a bit "Hot under the collar" which is the first sign of potential illness (to be tacktful)...so we relaxed a few minutes...climbed back up to altitude..then he gave me the controls to do a couple of spins "On my own" and it was back to Burbank...... A great experience, which I think should be mandatory for all student pilots...I might get shocked if it happens to me in a real world situation, but I won't panic....The trick is to relax and go by the book... Once again..another flight novella from Peter I sure love this stuff Peter
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