My flight lessons
- Thread starter Richard_Allred
- Start date
Richard_Allred
Member
Very scenic place to fly!
Richard_Allred
Member
I love the scenery!
I met Peter Steinmetz about 2 years ago here at the Afton, Wyoming airport and talked to him about how to become a pilot. I began working towards my goal in August of 2023 and I have since completed the Sporty's Learn to Fly course and passed the Private Pilot Airplane written test. I have my student pilot certificate and my medical certificate as well. I am now working on my flight lessons and I look forward to the incredible experience of my first solo.
I emailed Peter a few months ago about my progress and he told me about this forum. I have enjoyed it a lot. I have found a lot of good information here on Flyers Forum and I like to read what other people have to say about flying.
I am very grateful for Peter helping me know how to get started working towards my pilot license and I hope to achieve my goal within the next few months.
Richard_Allred
Member
I took my second flight lesson 2 days ago in the Citabria. I practiced slow flight, steep turns, and a box pattern around the airport. I am still not very good at the rudder, and my patterns around the airport are terrible. I overshoot my turns quite a bit on my pattern. I have not done any takeoffs yet but my instructor said that he will have me do the takeoff on my next lesson.
I got a little distracted talking about something else while I was doing the box pattern and my instructor reminded me to keep my focus on flying the plane. That is something we talked about after my lesson and he said you can be distracted on something else and suddenly realize you've lost a lot of altitude unintentionally.
My instructor said I will be practicing stalls on my next lesson as well.
I got a little distracted talking about something else while I was doing the box pattern and my instructor reminded me to keep my focus on flying the plane. That is something we talked about after my lesson and he said you can be distracted on something else and suddenly realize you've lost a lot of altitude unintentionally.
My instructor said I will be practicing stalls on my next lesson as well.
Richard_Allred
Member
I have 21.2 hours so far but I have not done my solo yet. I still need to perfect my landings.
The flight school got another plane a month and a half ago. I have been doing my lessons mostly in it. N64307 has a 180 hp conversion and it has significantly better climb performance than N1088U. N64307 was in an accident in 2002 but was repaired. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/297145
I have been doing my lessons in Pinedale the past few weeks because that is where we were working. Pinedale has been a challenge for me because of the wind and how bumpy it is compared to Afton. Afton hardly ever is windy. Another thing about Afton is there is several other references to use for the traffic pattern other than the runway such as a road about 1/2 mile parallel to the runway, etc., and the fact that the valley is so square that it is easy to use the mountains to turn 90 degrees onto each leg of the pattern. So in Pinedale it was good practice on judging my turns, etc.
My instructor says he likes Afton but he hates it. He likes how there is not much wind in Afton but he doesn't like all the references that are so easy for students to use as a crutch for the traffic pattern.
A week ago we flew from Pinedale to Big Piney and did a landing there, and I was not at all prepared for how much wind was there. There was about 30 knots of wind and my instructor had to help me out a lot with the controls on that landing. So we didn't do any more landings there, and just practiced box patterns around the runway, which was good practice for me in that wind.
My instructor goes to Pinedale on Sundays and Monday so I was having about week between lessons.
I am back in Afton now and will be doing my next lesson on Tuesday. I want to solo soon so I need to work hard to get there. My instructor said I am getting closer but I am not ready yet.
One of the times we were doing a touch and go I put flaps up, trim set for takeoff, carb heat cold, full power, and as we were gaining speed I looked back down to make sure I got everything and I pushed the mixture in full rich thinking it was something I had missed, but right when I did it I realized my mistake. My instructor fixed it for me and we continued the takeoff. I said that was the first time I had done that. He said there's a first time for everything, just don't do it again. He told me if I am ever not sure of something like that again to just pull the power and abort the takeoff.
The flight school got another plane a month and a half ago. I have been doing my lessons mostly in it. N64307 has a 180 hp conversion and it has significantly better climb performance than N1088U. N64307 was in an accident in 2002 but was repaired. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/297145
I have been doing my lessons in Pinedale the past few weeks because that is where we were working. Pinedale has been a challenge for me because of the wind and how bumpy it is compared to Afton. Afton hardly ever is windy. Another thing about Afton is there is several other references to use for the traffic pattern other than the runway such as a road about 1/2 mile parallel to the runway, etc., and the fact that the valley is so square that it is easy to use the mountains to turn 90 degrees onto each leg of the pattern. So in Pinedale it was good practice on judging my turns, etc.
My instructor says he likes Afton but he hates it. He likes how there is not much wind in Afton but he doesn't like all the references that are so easy for students to use as a crutch for the traffic pattern.
A week ago we flew from Pinedale to Big Piney and did a landing there, and I was not at all prepared for how much wind was there. There was about 30 knots of wind and my instructor had to help me out a lot with the controls on that landing. So we didn't do any more landings there, and just practiced box patterns around the runway, which was good practice for me in that wind.
My instructor goes to Pinedale on Sundays and Monday so I was having about week between lessons.
I am back in Afton now and will be doing my next lesson on Tuesday. I want to solo soon so I need to work hard to get there. My instructor said I am getting closer but I am not ready yet.
One of the times we were doing a touch and go I put flaps up, trim set for takeoff, carb heat cold, full power, and as we were gaining speed I looked back down to make sure I got everything and I pushed the mixture in full rich thinking it was something I had missed, but right when I did it I realized my mistake. My instructor fixed it for me and we continued the takeoff. I said that was the first time I had done that. He said there's a first time for everything, just don't do it again. He told me if I am ever not sure of something like that again to just pull the power and abort the takeoff.
Attachments
Richard_Allred
Member
One thing I am interested in is how many hours other pilots had when they did their first solo.
Richard_Allred
Member
Another thing I still need to perfect is steep turns. I am not holding altitude very good in my steep turns, and sometimes I go too steep or not steep enough on the bank.
One of my landings we were coming in right over the runway and were in too low an energy state or something like that and my instructor told me to add power so I pushed the throttle in too fast and the engine did not give any power. So he took over the controls and pulled the throttle back, then advanced it slower so it would give power, and we and we had a hard landing. I said to him on the climb out that when he said add power I was going to go around. But he said we were in too low an energy state to go around, and he wanted power in to change a landing that would break the gear into just a hard landing.
I know the amount of hours I have when I solo doesn't really matter. The only reason I care about it is because the longer it takes me the more money it costs me. But that really should not matter to me because more instruction is better, and the fact is flying is expensive and I am not able to change that so I just as well enjoy it.
The most challenging part of the landing for me has been the approach. My last lesson in Pinedale I undershot the turn to final every time, I have not been very precise on my approach speed either. I may be being just too critical myself because I have done alright in Afton before. Pinedale is definitely more challenging and Landon said Afton is better because the wind is generally calm and it is less bumpy here.
Learning to fly has been challenging for me, but it has been very enjoyable. I can't think of anything else I would enjoy more.
One of my landings we were coming in right over the runway and were in too low an energy state or something like that and my instructor told me to add power so I pushed the throttle in too fast and the engine did not give any power. So he took over the controls and pulled the throttle back, then advanced it slower so it would give power, and we and we had a hard landing. I said to him on the climb out that when he said add power I was going to go around. But he said we were in too low an energy state to go around, and he wanted power in to change a landing that would break the gear into just a hard landing.
I know the amount of hours I have when I solo doesn't really matter. The only reason I care about it is because the longer it takes me the more money it costs me. But that really should not matter to me because more instruction is better, and the fact is flying is expensive and I am not able to change that so I just as well enjoy it.
The most challenging part of the landing for me has been the approach. My last lesson in Pinedale I undershot the turn to final every time, I have not been very precise on my approach speed either. I may be being just too critical myself because I have done alright in Afton before. Pinedale is definitely more challenging and Landon said Afton is better because the wind is generally calm and it is less bumpy here.
Learning to fly has been challenging for me, but it has been very enjoyable. I can't think of anything else I would enjoy more.
I had about 20 hours in single engine airplane when I soloed in 2010. However, I had accumulated roughly 12 hours (41 landings) in gliders in 2008. I had spent the summer of 2008 learning in gliders and the instructor felt I was resdy to solo on the next weekend. But her full time job as a veternarian took her to an out of town vet symposium and a substitute instructor I'd never flown with reviewed my airwork in three tow flights the next weekend but there wasn't time to launch for a solo that day. Weather intruded the next couple weekends and then the gliding season ended (this was near Eugene Oregon.) So I never soloed in gliders and resumed flight training in airplanes in 2010.
You're doing OK - do a search on "average time to solo private pilot" and you'll see it varies with student and instructor and you are in the ball park relative to other students. It can be frustrating, and it is pointless for me to say don't worry about it, but I'll say it anyway: don't worry about the hours.
Richard_Allred
Member
This is the website of the flight school I am using. https://www.flywyo.com/home-page
My CFI has been a great instructor and I have enjoyed flying with him.
He had his engine quit when he was over the ocean in New Jersey and he had to make an emergency landing on a bridge.
He has trained more than 15 students for their private pilot license.
My goal is to become a commercial pilot and be a flight instructor, maybe some day a corporate pilot.
My CFI has been a great instructor and I have enjoyed flying with him.
He had his engine quit when he was over the ocean in New Jersey and he had to make an emergency landing on a bridge.
My goal is to become a commercial pilot and be a flight instructor, maybe some day a corporate pilot.
Last edited:
My modest advice (I'm not a CFI - just a low time pilot):
Make sure the trim setting is near the takeoff trim setting when you are abeam the end of the runway on downwind. After reducing throttle to about 1600 RPM it will thereafter slow to about 1500 RPM. I have found that the RPM setting is less critical than assuring the trim is set to takeoff trim. Because at takeoff trim setting your main flight controls during landing are the throttle to adjust the descent rate and aileron control to control bank and direction (with appropriate rudder.) Fingertip control to move the aileron but don't push or pull on the elevator control (until the flare.) It is difficult to put much pressure on the elevator when you hold the yoke only by the thumb and index on your left hand, but can still control ailerons, which I think makes speed control easier. Then, as you lower the flaps the speed on the plane will drop to desired speeds (often near book suggestions) - no need to touch the trim. Throttle is your main tool since elevator messes with your speed. Lastly, on go-arounds your trim is already where it should be.
All in my very humble opinion.
Of course if you already do something like this then I think it is just a matter of time and practice to get better landings.
Make sure the trim setting is near the takeoff trim setting when you are abeam the end of the runway on downwind. After reducing throttle to about 1600 RPM it will thereafter slow to about 1500 RPM. I have found that the RPM setting is less critical than assuring the trim is set to takeoff trim. Because at takeoff trim setting your main flight controls during landing are the throttle to adjust the descent rate and aileron control to control bank and direction (with appropriate rudder.) Fingertip control to move the aileron but don't push or pull on the elevator control (until the flare.) It is difficult to put much pressure on the elevator when you hold the yoke only by the thumb and index on your left hand, but can still control ailerons, which I think makes speed control easier. Then, as you lower the flaps the speed on the plane will drop to desired speeds (often near book suggestions) - no need to touch the trim. Throttle is your main tool since elevator messes with your speed. Lastly, on go-arounds your trim is already where it should be.
All in my very humble opinion.
Of course if you already do something like this then I think it is just a matter of time and practice to get better landings.
Richard_Allred
Member
The way my instructor has been having me do it is after the before landing checklist is complete when I am a beam the intended touchdown point of the runway I reduce power to 1800 rpm (which does drop down to about 1700 by the time I turn base), hold the nose up until I am below 100, I extend flaps 10 degrees, trim and descend at 90 until the touchdown point is 45 degrees behind me, then I turn base, go 20 degrees flaps, 80 on the speed. Then I turn final, go full flaps, 70 on the speed, set the trim for 70, powering for altitude and pitching for airspeed to maintain my correct glide path to the aiming point. With N64307 he had me reduce power to 1600 on downwind before the wheel fairings were taken off, but after they were removed he has me use 1800 rpm. Now this has been challenging for me because there is so much going on.
When he had me simulate an engine failure on downwind I go carb heat hot, power idle, 78 on the speed, and keep the same speed all the way to the runway and do a flaps up landing, and it was so much easier than my regular approach.
I will say that N64307 is more nose heavy than N1088U because of the 180 hp Superhawk conversion heavier motor, so maybe that is why I have to adjust the trim more, I don't know. When I am on downwind and I reduce power, add flaps, and pitch for 90 it requires about a reel back on the trim to be trimmed out for 90. When I turn final, go full flaps, and 70 on the speed then I have to adjust the trim about two reels forward to be trimmed out for 70.
Below is a Google earth picture of Afton and you can see how everything in the valley is square with the runway, so it was so easy to level out on exactly 90* turns in the traffic pattern, a d there is a road right about 1/2 mile from the runway where the downwind leg is. While I was trying to use the runway for my reference, I did not realize how much I was relying on everything else until I flew in Pinedale and Big Piney and there aren't all those references. So I was way to close on downwind in Pinedale at first and so in trying to fix that I started being way to far out on downwind, which requires a longer base, and then I would undershoot final.
Another thing I was doing was leveling out too soon or too late when I was turning from crosswind to downwind, and downwind to base. After doing that several times I started looking out straight off my wing to find a landmark I should be heading towards when I completed my turn, and that fixed it. My CFI told me that I could use my heading indicator as well to know when to level the wings.
When he had me simulate an engine failure on downwind I go carb heat hot, power idle, 78 on the speed, and keep the same speed all the way to the runway and do a flaps up landing, and it was so much easier than my regular approach.
I will say that N64307 is more nose heavy than N1088U because of the 180 hp Superhawk conversion heavier motor, so maybe that is why I have to adjust the trim more, I don't know. When I am on downwind and I reduce power, add flaps, and pitch for 90 it requires about a reel back on the trim to be trimmed out for 90. When I turn final, go full flaps, and 70 on the speed then I have to adjust the trim about two reels forward to be trimmed out for 70.
Below is a Google earth picture of Afton and you can see how everything in the valley is square with the runway, so it was so easy to level out on exactly 90* turns in the traffic pattern, a d there is a road right about 1/2 mile from the runway where the downwind leg is. While I was trying to use the runway for my reference, I did not realize how much I was relying on everything else until I flew in Pinedale and Big Piney and there aren't all those references. So I was way to close on downwind in Pinedale at first and so in trying to fix that I started being way to far out on downwind, which requires a longer base, and then I would undershoot final.
Another thing I was doing was leveling out too soon or too late when I was turning from crosswind to downwind, and downwind to base. After doing that several times I started looking out straight off my wing to find a landmark I should be heading towards when I completed my turn, and that fixed it. My CFI told me that I could use my heading indicator as well to know when to level the wings.
Attachments
It sure seems you are on the right path with a good instructor.
The only other thing I noticed was that I think you said you were only flying once a week? It can be harder to make progress that way. You might want to consider upping it to 2 or 3 times a week. That can be a bit more efficient overall because you retain more from lesson to lesson.
When I did my commercial helicopter add-on I only flew once a week and it took a lot longer calendar-wise compared to when I did my airplane private.
The only other thing I noticed was that I think you said you were only flying once a week? It can be harder to make progress that way. You might want to consider upping it to 2 or 3 times a week. That can be a bit more efficient overall because you retain more from lesson to lesson.
When I did my commercial helicopter add-on I only flew once a week and it took a lot longer calendar-wise compared to when I did my airplane private.
Richard_Allred
Member
Now that I am back in Afton I plan on doing it every Tuesday and Friday, or something like that, that is more consistent. I am paying for my training with a loan from Flight Training Finance and the terms I agreed to with them is two lessons a week. I can do more than that of course, but I would have to pay for it with cash, not from the loan.
Richard_Allred
Member
How much do you fly helicopters?
Sadly not much. It is virtually impossible to rent them for solo flight. Maybe just a few hours a year since completing my certificate.
Richard_Allred
Member
Richard_Allred
Member
How often does Dog is my copilot fly? Where do they operate out of?
You mean these guys?
Dog Is My Copilot | Flying Them Home
Dog Is My CoPilot (DIMC) has saved thousands of animals' lives. We transport animals from overcrowded shelters to adoption centers where loving families are waiting to adopt a new pet. The organization is a 501c3 approved organization based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
dogcopilot.org
Richard_Allred
Member
Yes I do mean them. Grant Winthrop was asking me if I would like to sit right seat with them on a few flights and so I was wanting to know more about it. I looked at their website but I think I will need to talk to one of their pilots to know if I can. I will ask him more about it.You mean these guys?
If so, seems their "about" web page has some of that info (enough flying to transport 1000 animals a month.)Dog Is My Copilot | Flying Them Home
Dog Is My CoPilot (DIMC) has saved thousands of animals' lives. We transport animals from overcrowded shelters to adoption centers where loving families are waiting to adopt a new pet. The organization is a 501c3 approved organization based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
I just found this on their website that answers some of my question:
Attachments
Last edited:
