Runway 18

It took me a few days to actually get the video together but here it is.  This lesson was pretty much nothing but hood work (instrument reference).  This is practice just in case I find myself in clouds, which is not authorized as a VFR pilot, but could happen.  I worked on scanning my instruments, turns, climbs and decents.  I got to experience a bit of spatial disorientation, which was interesting.  Coming out of a standard rate turn, and after leveling out, it felt like I had a right quartering headwind, when in fact we didn’t.  I kept trying to compensate by crabbing into the wind, which didn’t exist.  That meant I had us in a slight right bank.  The learning point there was to really ensure that I trust my instruments during my scan and DON’T trust my senses.  

I am going back up today for a progress check.  That just means that I’ll be going up with another instructor to verify that I am where I need to be and that I am paired properly with my instructor.  If I pass, which I hope I will (and should), I will move on to the next phase of training, nothing but takeoffs and landings, slowing preparing me for my solo!  I am taking my little brother (who leaves for Army Basic Training on 7 April) up with me on Sunday, so that should be fun.  I hope to have footage from a different angle from Sunday’s flight.

UPDATE: I just finished my progress check flight with another instructor and it went very well.  He immediately put me at ease, telling me exactly what it was we’d be doing in the air.  I must say, he was very hands off, simply stating what it was he wanted me to do and then observing.  We spent less than an hour in the air, going over slow flight, stalls, and some steep turns.  Excellent instructor.  Now on to the next phase tomorrow morning!

~ Brian

Total Hours Logged: 12.0 hours