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Earning My Wings:

a video blog about learning to fly


Hours flown: 31.5
Days since I started: 263
Cost to date: 4,766.80


*price includes ground instruction, flight instruction, books and supplies
About
This video blog is an ongoing, live journal of my experience learning to fly. As I earn my sport pilot certificate, I will share the entire training experience with you—the ups and downs and everything in between. I will be posting videos from each flight and invite you to ask questions and write comments. read more…

Wednesday, June 24
By Brady Lane at 8:00 PM     
Flight log to date  Hours flown: 31.5  |  Days since I started: 253  | Cost: $4,766.80  

I am on the homestretch of my training, so now I am focusing on areas where I need a little more practice.

Short field landings have been hard for me to do consistently, but I'm starting to get it.  The FAA Practical Test Standards (PTS) say a sport pilot must be able to touch down at or within 200 feet beyond a specified point.  Right now I can do it one out of every three tries or so, but I'm getting more consistent with practice. 

The Remos G3 loves to fly and I'm still getting used to how much it floats in ground effect.  The advice left on this blog is really helping me get it - especially the tip to aim at the beginning of the runway, so once I flare I'll touch down on the numbers (my aiming point).  I'm also learning it's OK for these to not be super-smooth landings.  I naturally want to make smooth landings, but it's more important on short field landings to put it down on the aiming point.

Over the course of my trianing, Jason and I have become good friends.  Which makes me curious—how many of you became friends with your instructor during the process of learning to fly?  Have you kept in touch?


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Tuesday, June 23
By Brady Lane at 5:00 PM     
Flight log to date  Hours flown: 30.5  |  Days since I started: 252  | Cost: $4,631.80  

It was in the high 90s in Oshkosh today and well over 100 degrees inside the cockpit.  Even though I grew up in Texas, I'm not used to those temperatures anymore. 

I knew the heat would have an effect on airplane performance, but I underestimated the effect it would have on me as a pilot - both physically and mentally.

Toward the end of the lesson I started making mistakes I don't normally make.   I was drenched in sweat, mentally sluggish and physically exhausted, so after an hour I finally admitted to myself it was time to call it quits for the day.

It was a good lesson for me to learn my personal tolerances.

This was the first time I've flown in these temperatures and I wasn't used to it.  I'm sure those of you who fly in warmer climates are a little more acclimated to it, but it was a tough flight for me.

I'd be interested to hear some of your experiences flying in temperatures different than what you normally fly in.  How was the flying different?  Did it affect you physically/mentally?  I will definitely drink more water before trying to fly in those temperatures again.


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Saturday, June 13
By Brady Lane at 10:30 AM     
Flight log to date  Hours flown: 29.2  |  Days since I started: 242  | Cost: $4,456.30  

In my last couple flights I noticed the Remos flies noticeably different without a passenger so I wanted to go up to practice, practice, practice some more solo landings.

The weather was absolutely beautiful and it was also International Young Eagles Day, so the airport was quite a bit busier than when I normally fly during the week.  It was a great feeling to know that even though the airport was heavy with traffic, I was comfortable with the workload. 

This is also a great example of one of the many unexpected lessons, those real-life experiences, I've encountered in my training that have helped me become a better pilot.  Sometimes the best lessons are the ones you can't plan for.

None of my landings today were great, but none were bad either.  They all could've been better.  By the end of the day I felt I had a much better feel for landing the Remos without a passenger. 

So what's left?  Below are the requirements I have to complete for a sport pilot certificate.  All that remains is one more hour of solo flight and some flight time with Jason to review for the checkride. I'm on the homestretch and I'm getting excited! 

__√__ 20 hours of flight time including:

__√__ 15 hours of dual instruction

_____  5 hours of solo flight time

__√__ 2 hours of cross-country dual instruction

__√__ 10 takeoffs and landings to a full stop involving traffic pattern

__√__ a solo cross-country flight over 75 miles with full stop landings at two points with one leg longer than 25 nautical miles

__√__ ground training from instructor or home course

__√__ FAA knowledge test

_____  3 hours of dual test preparation with instructor in the preceding 60 days of practical test

_____  CHECKRIDE! (FAA practical test)


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Friday, June 12
By Brady Lane at 11:30 AM     
Flight log to date  Hours flown: 28.3  |  Days since I started: 241  | Cost: $4,334.80  

I was more nervous before this flight than any others up to now.  Leaving Oshkosh for the first time with no one else in the plane is a big milestone, and to be honest, downright nerve racking.

Those nerves were good though, because it made me study the sectional chart all afternoon the day before my flight.  I also made sure to read every bit of information available about the airports and runways I'd be landing at.

With the fuel topped off and practically no winds, I took off for my first airport—Portage (C47) about 50 miles away. 

It was an awesome feeling when I spotted my first airport from the air and an even better feeling when I landed at it.  After navigating and landing at my second airport, Dodge Country (UNU), I headed home.

map

As soon as I cleared Runway 9 back at Oshkosh, I was overcome with adrenaline and excitement.  At that moment, I remember feeling like a real pilot for the first time.

I'm curious if this is the point in other student pilots' training when they first feel like a real pilot.  I know there are numerous benchmarks in the training process—but this one was a great one for me.


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Thursday, June 11
By Brady Lane at 1:00 PM     
Flight log to date  Hours flown: 26.3  |  Days since I started: 240  | Cost: $4,136.80  

I've only soloed once before and it was five months ago, so in many ways this felt like a first solo all over again. 

The first time you solo, there is a lot of attention and celebration, but the second time, there will likely be nobody watching (most times not even your instructor).   

The fact that nobody is keeping an eye on you is an interesting feeling — a great feeling of responsibility.

Do other student pilots have this same feeling the first time you fly with no one else watching?  

Even though it's been a while, I knew what to expect.  Or at least I thought I did.  I remember the plane climbing faster and the amazing view from being able to see out the entire right window, but there was one thing on landing I didn't notice on my first solo.  You can really feel ground effect on landing.  In fact, you have to prepare for it, because without the extra weight of a passenger the plane just wants to float about 5 ft. above the runway for a long time.  I started to get the hang of it by the third landing, but also realized that the plane flies and lands quite a bit different without a passenger.

I mention in the video there was a temporary flight restriction just a couple miles north of Oshkosh for President Obama's visit to the area.   I checked right before our flight to make sure I had the latest information.  Here is a PDF of the TFR.

map

Even though there wasn't a crowd gathered at my second solo I was just as thrilled when I taxied back to the hangar.  And the fact that nobody was watching was strangely a great feeling as well.


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