6/7 C-152 Lou Lou Turns@point, S-turns, XW Landing. Wind 15kn, gusting 32kn MB
Today was a busy day. I started by meeting Beth and the boys for a visit to the Nelson Co. library and then lunch on the grass outside their beautiful stained-glass KY window.
The a piano lesson for Alex, and one for Conor. I had promised Conor's little brother and sister (Erin & Finn) that we'd have another parade (march around the room to a steady beat, playing on instruments). I figured it would be more fun with Ben and Alex, too, and that way Beth could meet another family taking music lessons. Well, we couldn't find the key to the closet to get the instruments, so it didn't work out quite as well as planned, but it will probably stay in our schedule and we'll be glad we did.
Alex played amazingly (Hold That Tiger) and Conor is coming along great. Good rhythm, good musical sense, technique and independence from both of the boys.
Then either Gabrielle or I mixed up the time of her lesson. I thought she just missed, and didn't call, but they showed up at the next time slot, when Sharon had already started. Rats.
Sharon's lesson was exceptionally good, too. She's doing things she really couldn't do a few months ago--reading, counting & rhythm.
Elizabeth B had a good lesson, and then I zipped out the door to drive to Bowman Field stuck behind slow drivers all the way in Bardstown Rd.
I actually made it on time, barely, and then didn't have to feel bad about coming in at the last minute because Mike was catching a bite to eat, so we took our time and talked about the plan for the lesson--too much wind for touch&go's, so turns around point and S-turns, which were new to me. That was pleasant.
After that, it was a strange lesson in that I did a number of really dorky things (radio, checklists & directions), which really contrasted with an otherwise better-than-usual flying experience. I'm putting all this stuff in this journal entry in for the day I come back to it and figure out what the conflict is. I think Amy's the only one who reads this blog, so that's ok. I'm listing little details because I want to figure out what led to what.
It was hot, 90+ยบ, but not really uncomfortable, except when the doors were closed before takeoff. I pre-flighted the plane quickly, and when Mike came he asked about fuel and oil, I said they were good, and he said "tire pressure?" and I said they look as good as they ever do, which wouldn't be good enough to have on our car. Then (remembering the carbon on the spark plugs the other day) I said something about maybe it was good for me to be flying a cantankerous plane, so if anything was going to go wrong on it, it could happen now. I was thinking about not having experience with engines, so if I'm going to recognize problems, I will probably help to see them now, when there's somebody else to recognize them. For some reason, that hit Mike more seriously than I ever expected. It was like you DON'T SAY THAT, it would, what? be a jinx? Actually, he compared it to making jokes about bouncing on landings in front of the owners of the plane.
Mike got in and said something about sunglasses (he's been joking it's time to get me a pair 'cause all pilots have cool sunglasses) , so I pulled out my "retro" pair. That was kindof fun.
I was doing the checklist out loud, I think, and then at the last item I got ready to call Bowman Ground, which was wrong since I hadn't listened to the ATIS yet, and didn't have what I needed to make the call. Did I actually start to call it? Maybe not.
So--fixed that, called it in, got clearance to taxi, responded OK and remembered what ATC said, then tried to think which runway was 24. Mike couldn't believe it, said if I didn't know that we should just get out of the plane. I just said, "there's a sign," and started to taxi, didn't do it very well (up too close in the seat). We talked about other things on the way out the taxiway--spinach & peanut butter sandwiches, vegetarians, etc. I pulled off to do before-take-off runup, and at some point, MIke took the list and told me he really needed to hear me say each item on the list, and to call off the results. He might have been annoyed, but it's hard to tell. OK. No big deal, right? (That IS the spot where I didn't catch the engine not running well last time.)
Done with that, we're to the last item on the list again, Get Tower Clearance For Takeoff. So, I reach for the mike button to do that, but, we haven't pulled up to the hold short line, so I do that. Then, I'm going to call for the clearance. I press the button, start to talk, and can't remember our ID number. I can't see it because we've got the ailerons turned into the wind and it covers up the number on the dashboard, and I don't think fast enough to find it. So I'm on the radio, saying something like "Bowman Tower, Cessna....ah.... shoot...." and then let go, which is a major no-no. Mike's really embarrassed. I mean really, really. He makes the call, hoping they don't know it was us that made the first one.
Takeoff is fine, heading up to Indiana is good, really fast with a tailwind. I'm flying ok even with lots of wind and gusts, and holding altitude, and mostly holding heading in spite of being bumped off it quite a few times. We do turns around point around the white and blue tower, and Mike says they're good, and we're having a good time. Then S-turns over a road. It's fun. Then slow flight, which I do fine, and we get it to where the plane is in a headwind, not moving over the ground at all. Mike crows, "It's like a helicopter--you believe it?" Then a stall and stall recovery, which is smooth. We talk about judging distances, what we think they are, and what they look like. So that was good.
Next thing, going back to Bowman. I turn over 12-mile island, thinking it's 6-mile island (gotta either find the RED roofs beside it, or check it with downtown Louisville). Besides, can you see the airport? Today was a clear day, and you actually could see the Kaden Tower and the airport from Six-Mile Island, but some days I can't see it from there, so it didn't tip me off when I couldn't. Once we got to Six-Mile Island I did radio ok. We came in on 24 on a long right base, call at 2 miles, aim for the center. Mike actually brought the plane down, big crosswind.
Lists and radio. Mike said something about "that other Maggie was scaring me, and you don't even curse," comparing that to flying pretty well the rest of the time.
"Oh Lord, put a guard over my mouth. Keep watch at the door of my lips."
Still, we were easy and comfortable afterwards, getting a laugh when Tony pointed to a little green Vespa tied to a post besides Mike's motorcycle and saying he traded one for the other, etc. I got out in time to take the long route back to Bardstown (I-65& 245) which got me there in about 50 minutes.
Fr. Bill Medley's 25th anniversary--multiple choirs and dancers. I played flute, and last night at rehearsal I played (mostly improvising) better than I've done in years, if ever. Tonight was almost as good, and people were all talking to me about it, even Frank Z made a point to say something, which I can take as a real compliment.
Weird day. Polar opposites. The highs are high, and the lows are really low.
Oh. And I went into Hawkins this morning to pay for gas with my belt hanging unbuckled. That's an unthinkable social blunder.
I just tried to look up a reference on Wikipedia to an article about RightBrain/LeftBrain function and immaturity that manifests itself when a person is using the non-dominant hemisphere. It's not where I remember it, which might be that it has been removed from the article, since it was in there with a cautionary statement such as "the articile by ___ is not accepted by...." Maybe Google search history can help.
I've spent over an hour poking around on this blog entry, listening to myself ruminate. I had planned to tackle the next chapter in Jeppesen.
Before tomorrow's lesson I need to: Sing that runup checklist. Sing the friggin tail number. Sing the radio calls. Get up with Frank to have time to hit Jeppesen hard.
Tomorrow evening I'm going to hang out with Natalie, and she says she'll help me study. We can do oral from the flashcards.
Whenever I pick it up, I'm having a hard time putting down "Fate is the Hunter." It's an account of an airline / Air Transport Corps pilot before and during WWII.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Donate to Kansas relief
The same company that made the "Nuts" campaign work to save Jericho is and has been contributing to tornado relief in real-life Kansas. Those of us who have been clicking the button to send nuts to CBS find it really easy to click the same button to send donations to Kansas.
Here's the link: http://www.nutsonline.com/jericho-greensburg.html
Here's the link: http://www.nutsonline.com/jericho-greensburg.html
Jericho is back. Nuts did it!
After a sustained and reasonably polite campaign of letter-writing and sending tons of peanuts to CBS, my favorite TV show is resurrected, only 3 weeks after being cancelled.
Hopefully Jake Green will have his chance to take Grandpa's cropduster off the ground, or get his hands on some of those airplanes sitting in the airport. The EMP might have fried the new ones, but I bet any good ole C-150's or C-152's that populate general aviation don't have enough electronics in them to fry.
Anybody who hasn't seen the show should check it out online (click above), or watch for it this summer.
Hopefully Jake Green will have his chance to take Grandpa's cropduster off the ground, or get his hands on some of those airplanes sitting in the airport. The EMP might have fried the new ones, but I bet any good ole C-150's or C-152's that populate general aviation don't have enough electronics in them to fry.
Anybody who hasn't seen the show should check it out online (click above), or watch for it this summer.
landing advice cache
OK. This sounds enough like what I think I'm trying to do to tweak the numbers a little and rehearse it a lot. I kiped it off rec.aviation.student:
Landing: The 'secret' to landing is learning not to try to land (so-to-speak). Here's a winning scenario:
First of all you have been very good about managing your airspeed in the various legs of the pattern. Remember a good landing is VERY much part of a good set-up.
So, there you are,,, abeam of the numbers--carb heat on, throttle to 1700, slowly bleed off the airspeed to the top of the white arc (the flap extension range), one notch of flaps, pitch for 75 knots [and trim to reduce yoke pressures].
Starting to turn to base, add the second notch of flaps in the turn (makes a difference) airspeed to 70 knots.
On final, third notch of flaps, airspeed 65 knots. If you are high on your VASI or PAPI, make a temporary reduction of power till the top of the VASI (for example) is starting to turn pinkish and then add back your 1500 RPM. Always remember power for altitude, pitch for airspeed, don't lower the nose to attempt to maintain the glide slope. Maintain airspeed, and manage altitude with power.
Over the threshold, throttle to idle, at this point look down the runway about the same distance you would if you were driving on the freeway at that speed (using the previous rule).
Round-out height (the point where you transition to flying level over the runway) is about a shoulder or waist length height above the runway (the mains, of course). So, there you are over the runway with power to idle. I don't want you to 'think about trying to land', 'TRY' to continue flying - that is, as you see sink apply a little back pressure for it, more sink,, more backpressure on the yoke. Remember keep trying to fly, you are not *trying* to land.... Soon you should find yourself in a nose high position touching down on the mains, just a split-second after there is a brief warble from the stall horn.
So, maintain a uniform, stabilized approach. Look down the runway the appropriate distance (if you look too close two things will happen; one, you'll be distracted by the ground rush AND also visually misjudge your height above the runway. Land by 'trying not to land' mindset can help you a lot. There is no rush,,, with power at idle (remember we reduced it to idle over the threshold) you WILL touch down,,, don't rush the flare,, you WILL land, beyond a doubt.
Once again, don't worry, it will all come to you and then you will be wondering why you couldn't do it before?....
=========================
Hi Phil
Next time you go out take a felt tipped pen.
Sit on the runway on the numbers - look at the end of the runway - place
a dot on the windshield which aligns with the centre of the end of the
runway.
Go fly.
climb as high as you like - 4000 ft or 9000ft - the higher the better.
Pick a tree - aim for it with the dot on the windshield - at approach
speed. Fly down to it keeping it exactly under the dot and maintaining
approach speed (it is a REALLY good idea to flare before you reach the
tree :))
That exercise will quickly teach you how to maintain approach speed to
an exact point.
That exact point will eventually become your flare point over the runway.
After that, it's just a matter of learning the correct flare height.
Tip - you do that by watching the runway edges in your peripheral vision
- not by looking at the runway.
hope this helps
Give us a progress report,
Tony
--
Indiacharliee...@hotmail.com
Tony Roberts
========================================
Landing: The 'secret' to landing is learning not to try to land (so-to-speak). Here's a winning scenario:
First of all you have been very good about managing your airspeed in the various legs of the pattern. Remember a good landing is VERY much part of a good set-up.
So, there you are,,, abeam of the numbers--carb heat on, throttle to 1700, slowly bleed off the airspeed to the top of the white arc (the flap extension range), one notch of flaps, pitch for 75 knots [and trim to reduce yoke pressures].
Starting to turn to base, add the second notch of flaps in the turn (makes a difference) airspeed to 70 knots.
On final, third notch of flaps, airspeed 65 knots. If you are high on your VASI or PAPI, make a temporary reduction of power till the top of the VASI (for example) is starting to turn pinkish and then add back your 1500 RPM. Always remember power for altitude, pitch for airspeed, don't lower the nose to attempt to maintain the glide slope. Maintain airspeed, and manage altitude with power.
Over the threshold, throttle to idle, at this point look down the runway about the same distance you would if you were driving on the freeway at that speed (using the previous rule).
Round-out height (the point where you transition to flying level over the runway) is about a shoulder or waist length height above the runway (the mains, of course). So, there you are over the runway with power to idle. I don't want you to 'think about trying to land', 'TRY' to continue flying - that is, as you see sink apply a little back pressure for it, more sink,, more backpressure on the yoke. Remember keep trying to fly, you are not *trying* to land.... Soon you should find yourself in a nose high position touching down on the mains, just a split-second after there is a brief warble from the stall horn.
So, maintain a uniform, stabilized approach. Look down the runway the appropriate distance (if you look too close two things will happen; one, you'll be distracted by the ground rush AND also visually misjudge your height above the runway. Land by 'trying not to land' mindset can help you a lot. There is no rush,,, with power at idle (remember we reduced it to idle over the threshold) you WILL touch down,,, don't rush the flare,, you WILL land, beyond a doubt.
Once again, don't worry, it will all come to you and then you will be wondering why you couldn't do it before?
=========================
Hi Phil
Next time you go out take a felt tipped pen.
Sit on the runway on the numbers - look at the end of the runway - place
a dot on the windshield which aligns with the centre of the end of the
runway.
Go fly.
climb as high as you like - 4000 ft or 9000ft - the higher the better.
Pick a tree - aim for it with the dot on the windshield - at approach
speed. Fly down to it keeping it exactly under the dot and maintaining
approach speed (it is a REALLY good idea to flare before you reach the
tree :))
That exercise will quickly teach you how to maintain approach speed to
an exact point.
That exact point will eventually become your flare point over the runway.
After that, it's just a matter of learning the correct flare height.
Tip - you do that by watching the runway edges in your peripheral vision
- not by looking at the runway.
hope this helps
Give us a progress report,
Tony
--
Indiacharliee...@hotmail.com
Tony Roberts
========================================
pilot's logbook
6/6 C-152 N89933 Lou Lou Touch & Go’s 12 1.6 hr. MB
Altitude on takeoff, be sure and get at least Vy at the very beginning, if not, take it to Vx to get out off the end of the runway. Airspeed & altitude are the only things to be looking at until 800 ft.
Keep it square, tight. Consistent descent. Turn base between Kaden Tower and the two cranes. Airspeed on approach 70 or less. Can’t use glide slope for height, because if you came in all the way on it, and had engine trouble, you wouldn’t make it. Can’t break glide slope, either.
Power is usually out at the time the cowl touches the beginning of the runway.
"Wings level." When I pull the nose up, I’m not pulling up straight, maybe, and that banks us to the right.
“How high are we?”
Altitude on takeoff, be sure and get at least Vy at the very beginning, if not, take it to Vx to get out off the end of the runway. Airspeed & altitude are the only things to be looking at until 800 ft.
Keep it square, tight. Consistent descent. Turn base between Kaden Tower and the two cranes. Airspeed on approach 70 or less. Can’t use glide slope for height, because if you came in all the way on it, and had engine trouble, you wouldn’t make it. Can’t break glide slope, either.
Power is usually out at the time the cowl touches the beginning of the runway.
"Wings level." When I pull the nose up, I’m not pulling up straight, maybe, and that banks us to the right.
“How high are we?”
Monday, June 04, 2007
Pilot's logbook
6/4 C-152 N89933 Lou Lou Touch & Go's, XW 13kt, gusting 26kt. #lndg 3 0.6 hr MB
First time I've flown in the evening. The airport was practically deserted. Crazy weather. The KLOU information sounded benign, but actually we had a crosswind and gusts. We did 4 touch & go's, and it was interesting and fun, but probably because I don't have any sense.
That's actually the big question in my mind--am I going to get to where I use good judgment in an airplane?
I went ahead and started the plane without Mike (who had gone back in to make a phone call), which felt brave but it's time. I had the hardest time understanding the ATIS, and must have listened to it 5 or 6 times before I got it, and by that time Mike was back.
I had my seat up too close, which screwed up my taxiing, which is embarrassing, and then when we did runup, and checked the magnetos, I did the first one, noted the rpm drop, and then did the second one, noted the rpm drop and almost registered that the engine didn't sound right, but was moving on (by habit) when Mike says "Did that sound right??"
"I don't know." I did know--it didn't sound right, but that's what I said.
"What do you mean you don't know? How many times have you done this?" Which is the point.
He says there's carbon on the spark plug--you run the engine real hot to burn it off. He spent some time with throttle on full, moving the mixture in and out, and then had me check it again, but again it was loping when the magneto2 switch was on, so he worked it some more. On the next check it ran normally, so we went back up the list a little and checked the engine running sequence again.
So does adding air to the fuel mixture make it run hotter? I should have asked afterwards, but I had other questions, and I forgot all about it until too late.
Lots of unpredictable wind, beautiful sky, and it would have been great fun to be up playing around.
I never asked before, but we should be at 750 feet to clear the trees on landing. That displaced runway marker is for the trees.
We practiced coming in a (partial?) forward slip, where you turn your ailerons into the wind and use rudder to keep on the center line. There wasn't any bouncing this time, just difficulty with aiming.
I know/knew I was supposed to be holding ailerons into the wind, but it's funny how several times (over the course of the evening) I straightened them up without realizing it.
Mike took the controls during the last takeoff, and said afterwards that he was considering setting us back down. I didn't recognize that we were in any kind of trouble like that. He did say it was wind, not something I did, and that we were going to call it a night.
When we came in, it was on a long final because someone else came in in front of us. After we came down, ATC told us that it was interesting that we'd been moving 160 knots on the downwind leg. Fastest that plane's gone, I bet.
I had questions about the Airspace chapter in the Jeppeson book, so we stayed to talk about that. Controlled (blue) or uncontrolled (magenta)? Class G airspace (except at ground+ level) mostly doesn't exist, not in this part of the country. Class E starts at 1200 feet EXCEPT when it's underneath Class B or C airspace, in which case it's usually 700 feet, but can be different. If you are anywhere, it's controlled or it's Class E. An airport that has a magenta fuzzy outer circle and a blue dashed inner circle is one in which the tower closes at night. When the tower is open, inside the 5-mile blue dashed line is Class D. When it's closed, the 10-mile fuzzy line is the boundary for wait a minute, Class E? Then why a boundary line? Outside the line is Class E. Class-E-uncontrolled-but-still-the-communication-between-pilots??? Rats. What is it?.
The big difference in all this is in knowing what your visibility and cloud avoidance minimums are.
I'm realizing that I need to practice all this information verbally with someone. Maybe I'll hire one of the Perma Herdes. Or Natalie. I'm going to have to do an oral exam, and besides that, I think when I need the information, it needs to be available to the oral (procedural) part of my brain. I say this after talking to Mike about charts. I've said it before. Sometimes, he can ask me about things that I know, even things I've known all my life, and I have to grope to verbalize the answer. (For example, I was deciphering the markings on the chart and said that the altitude of the airport was 700 msl. Altitude? Do airports have altitude? Can you believe I could NOT come up with the word "elevation"?)
Is this related to the judgment issue?
There are two possible explanations for this dichotomy. One is the philosophic/procedural gap, and the relationship to the theory of right-brain left-brain functioning in which a person is functioning in their non-dominant "hemisphere" (which would actually be a non-customary cognitive set) the person behaves/reacts differently, has different knowledge available, even behaves/talks immaturely.
The other possibility is that it's related to my crash-and-burn four/five years ago, and I still haven't come all the way back from it. I should probably delete this.
The other possibility is that I'm making mountains out of molehills and every student pilot goes thru this. It seems possible.
When we came out of Air Center One, the air was calm, and except for a big, lone white cumulonimbus thunderhead to the south, it might have been a different evening.
First time I've flown in the evening. The airport was practically deserted. Crazy weather. The KLOU information sounded benign, but actually we had a crosswind and gusts. We did 4 touch & go's, and it was interesting and fun, but probably because I don't have any sense.
That's actually the big question in my mind--am I going to get to where I use good judgment in an airplane?
I went ahead and started the plane without Mike (who had gone back in to make a phone call), which felt brave but it's time. I had the hardest time understanding the ATIS, and must have listened to it 5 or 6 times before I got it, and by that time Mike was back.
I had my seat up too close, which screwed up my taxiing, which is embarrassing, and then when we did runup, and checked the magnetos, I did the first one, noted the rpm drop, and then did the second one, noted the rpm drop and almost registered that the engine didn't sound right, but was moving on (by habit) when Mike says "Did that sound right??"
"I don't know." I did know--it didn't sound right, but that's what I said.
"What do you mean you don't know? How many times have you done this?" Which is the point.
He says there's carbon on the spark plug--you run the engine real hot to burn it off. He spent some time with throttle on full, moving the mixture in and out, and then had me check it again, but again it was loping when the magneto2 switch was on, so he worked it some more. On the next check it ran normally, so we went back up the list a little and checked the engine running sequence again.
So does adding air to the fuel mixture make it run hotter? I should have asked afterwards, but I had other questions, and I forgot all about it until too late.
Lots of unpredictable wind, beautiful sky
I never asked before, but we should be at 750 feet to clear the trees on landing. That displaced runway marker is for the trees.
We practiced coming in a (partial?) forward slip, where you turn your ailerons into the wind and use rudder to keep on the center line. There wasn't any bouncing this time, just difficulty with aiming.
I know/knew I was supposed to be holding ailerons into the wind, but it's funny how several times (over the course of the evening) I straightened them up without realizing it.
Mike took the controls during the last takeoff, and said afterwards that he was considering setting us back down. I didn't recognize that we were in any kind of trouble like that. He did say it was wind, not something I did, and that we were going to call it a night.
When we came in, it was on a long final because someone else came in in front of us. After we came down, ATC told us that it was interesting that we'd been moving 160 knots on the downwind leg. Fastest that plane's gone, I bet.
I had questions about the Airspace chapter in the Jeppeson book, so we stayed to talk about that. Controlled (blue) or uncontrolled (magenta)? Class G airspace (except at ground+ level) mostly doesn't exist, not in this part of the country. Class E starts at 1200 feet EXCEPT when it's underneath Class B or C airspace, in which case it's usually 700 feet, but can be different. If you are anywhere, it's controlled or it's Class E. An airport that has a magenta fuzzy outer circle and a blue dashed inner circle is one in which the tower closes at night. When the tower is open, inside the 5-mile blue dashed line is Class D. When it's closed, the 10-mile fuzzy line is the boundary for wait a minute, Class E? Then why a boundary line? Outside the line is Class E. Class-E-uncontrolled-but-still-the-communication-between-pilots??? Rats. What is it?.
The big difference in all this is in knowing what your visibility and cloud avoidance minimums are.
I'm realizing that I need to practice all this information verbally with someone. Maybe I'll hire one of the Perma Herdes. Or Natalie. I'm going to have to do an oral exam, and besides that, I think when I need the information, it needs to be available to the oral (procedural) part of my brain. I say this after talking to Mike about charts. I've said it before. Sometimes, he can ask me about things that I know, even things I've known all my life, and I have to grope to verbalize the answer. (For example, I was deciphering the markings on the chart and said that the altitude of the airport was 700 msl. Altitude? Do airports have altitude? Can you believe I could NOT come up with the word "elevation"?)
Is this related to the judgment issue?
There are two possible explanations for this dichotomy. One is the philosophic/procedural gap, and the relationship to the theory of right-brain left-brain functioning in which a person is functioning in their non-dominant "hemisphere" (which would actually be a non-customary cognitive set) the person behaves/reacts differently, has different knowledge available, even behaves/talks immaturely.
The other possibility is that it's related to my crash-and-burn four/five years ago, and I still haven't come all the way back from it. I should probably delete this.
The other possibility is that I'm making mountains out of molehills and every student pilot goes thru this. It seems possible.
When we came out of Air Center One, the air was calm, and except for a big, lone white cumulonimbus thunderhead to the south, it might have been a different evening.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Pilot's logbook
Log 5-31
Runway 6 touch & go. Today Mike did say I was flying a “pretty pattern” and it felt like it. I’m starting to know where I am and what I’m doing. It’s the sense of knowing where I am that makes the difference. I kept on top of altitude and airspeed & direction most of the time. One of the spots I used to miss was that first turn crosswind off the runway. I’d let the airspeed drop way too much without noticing.
I haven’t got that sense for the final approach and landing, yet. We keep talking about it. How high is high? How low is too low over the trees? Airspeed needs to be low coming in. Nose down for the descent, but then, don’t run us into the concrete. Level happens when????? When the airplane tries to drop itself down, (it does something different) that’s when you have to hold the nose up, but gradually (or is that when you bring it level?).
Flying again tomorrow morning.
Runway 6 touch & go. Today Mike did say I was flying a “pretty pattern” and it felt like it. I’m starting to know where I am and what I’m doing. It’s the sense of knowing where I am that makes the difference. I kept on top of altitude and airspeed & direction most of the time. One of the spots I used to miss was that first turn crosswind off the runway. I’d let the airspeed drop way too much without noticing.
I haven’t got that sense for the final approach and landing, yet. We keep talking about it. How high is high? How low is too low over the trees? Airspeed needs to be low coming in. Nose down for the descent, but then, don’t run us into the concrete. Level happens when????? When the airplane tries to drop itself down, (it does something different) that’s when you have to hold the nose up, but gradually (or is that when you bring it level?).
Flying again tomorrow morning.
hands
Yesterday I took my new (reconditioned) David Clark headset to my flying lesson. Afterwards, after we cleaned up the bug spatters from the plane, Mike picked up my headset from the seat where I had set it and carefully wrapped the wires, explaining to me how to do it (not tightly) and that I needed a bag to carry it in, because it's a really good headset.
Seeing the way his hands moved, I had a flashback of Fr. Pat Creed's hands on the Lectionary as he set it out on the ambo the last day he said mass at St. Benedict. It was a day he hadn't expected to have--that last mass with us (or anybody) in a church.
Seeing the way his hands moved, I had a flashback of Fr. Pat Creed's hands on the Lectionary as he set it out on the ambo the last day he said mass at St. Benedict. It was a day he hadn't expected to have--that last mass with us (or anybody) in a church.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/30 C-152 N89933 Lou Lou Touch & Go lndgs:10
Same thing. Consistency.
We used runway 14. Right now I’m at the beginning of that runway, over on the golf course, hoping that someone will start practicing touch-and-go’s here.
.....
I worked thru the first two 1/2 chapters of my J book w. Q&A. Most of it I know. Relief.
Just when I decided to walk back to the car, the wind changed and they started using runway 14 again. Mike's up with somebody, doing T&G.
Same thing. Consistency.
We used runway 14. Right now I’m at the beginning of that runway, over on the golf course, hoping that someone will start practicing touch-and-go’s here.
.....
I worked thru the first two 1/2 chapters of my J book w. Q&A. Most of it I know. Relief.
Just when I decided to walk back to the car, the wind changed and they started using runway 14 again. Mike's up with somebody, doing T&G.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
You say you want a revolution...
Hi,
I just learned about an important issue, and signed a petition about it. The federal government is on the verge of turning over a huge portion of our public airwaves to companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast--who will use them for private enrichment instead of the public good.
These newly available airwaves are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revolutionize Internet access -- beaming high-speed signals to every park bench, coffee shop, workplace, and home in America. Phone and cable companies don't want this competition to their Internet service--they'd rather purchase the airwaves at auction and sit on them.
Benjamin Franklin understood this when he worked to set up the US Postal System in a way that empowered ALL Americans, a revolutionary idea that leaped beyond the status quo of private couriers maintained by aristocracy. This one capability put our young country at a TREMENDOUS advantage both in war and in peace. These opportunities don't come about every day, but there is one now.
You can sign the petition I signed here - urging the government to make sure the public airwaves are used for the public good:
http://civic.moveon.org/airwaves/?r_by=10433-3763547-BjLl_k&rc=confemail
pax,
maggie
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Resurrรฉxi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia:
This is a Gregorian Chant setting of a text from Psalm 138. It's really short, so I'll teach you the words.
One word (or set of words) that you should know before we start are Latin words for "you." Te, tu, tuam, and tua are all versions of the word "you."
Latin words can be found in a different order than English, for instance, "your hand" is "manum tuam."
Resurrรฉxi, "I awake"
et adhuc tecum sum "and you are with me."
posuรญsti "position"
super me "above me, over me, on me."
manum tuam "your hand."
"You place your hand over me"--that's the action, what's the meaning?
"I am protected."?
"I am loved."?
"I am cherished."?
mirรกbilis facta est "what a miraculous fact"
est sciรฉntia tua "is this knowledge of you."
--often translated as: "This knowledge is too wonderful for me."
Is there any better expression of contentment/fulfillment/satisfaction in a reality radiantly new?
Click here to listen.
Resurrรฉxi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia:
posuรญsti super me manum tuam, alleluia:
mirรกbilis facta est sciรฉntia tua, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
One other thing I wanted to tell you about this. Did you wonder where this chant could be found?
In our Church's liturgy, this chant is the Introit (the Entrance Song) for Easter Sunday. I find that delightful.
One word (or set of words) that you should know before we start are Latin words for "you." Te, tu, tuam, and tua are all versions of the word "you."
Latin words can be found in a different order than English, for instance, "your hand" is "manum tuam."
Resurrรฉxi, "I awake"
et adhuc tecum sum "and you are with me."
posuรญsti "position"
super me "above me, over me, on me."
manum tuam "your hand."
"You place your hand over me"--that's the action, what's the meaning?
"I am protected."?
"I am loved."?
"I am cherished."?
mirรกbilis facta est "what a miraculous fact"
est sciรฉntia tua "is this knowledge of you."
--often translated as: "This knowledge is too wonderful for me."
Is there any better expression of contentment/fulfillment/satisfaction in a reality radiantly new?
Click here to listen.
Resurrรฉxi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia:
posuรญsti super me manum tuam, alleluia:
mirรกbilis facta est sciรฉntia tua, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
One other thing I wanted to tell you about this. Did you wonder where this chant could be found?
In our Church's liturgy, this chant is the Introit (the Entrance Song) for Easter Sunday. I find that delightful.
Gospel of John in Catholic Sunday Liturgy
Amy said: my Ruth girls (the bible study group) decided on John, next. Is that your favorite Gospel? If so (or not), why? And-- it would be REALLY cool if I could somehow get (find online? are they all on the other blog?) any of Fr. Pat's John commentary. That would be nice to share.
John's gospel is read on these Sundays:
3 Advent Year B Jn1:6-8, 19-23
Xmas Day C Jn 1:1-18
Holy Family (Jan 1) C Jn 3:1-2, 21-24
2nd Sunday after Christmas Jn 1:1-18
Baptism of the Lord B John 5:1-9
3 Lent A Jn 4:5-42 B Jn2:13-25
4 Lent A Jn 9:1-41 B Jn3:14-21
5 Lent A Jn11:1-45 B Jn 12:20-33
Holy Thursday AB&C Jn 13:1-15
Good Friday AB&C Jn 18:1-19:42
Easter Sunday AB&C Jn20:1-9
2 Easter A Jn 20:19-31 B Jn 20:19-31 C Jn 21:1-19
3 Easter C Jn 21:1-19
4 Easter A Jn 10:1-10 BJn 10:11-18 C Jn 10:27-30
5 Easter A Jn 14:1-12 B Jn 15:1-18 C Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
6 Easter A Jn 14:15-21 B Jn 15:99-17 C Jn 14:23-29
7 Easter A Jn 17:1-11a B Jn15;6-27; 16;12-15 C Jn 17:20-26
Pentecost A Jn 20:19-23 B Jn 15:26-27;16:12-15 C Jn 14:15-16,
23B-26
Trinity Sunday A Jn 3:16-18 C Jn 16:12-15
Body & Blood of Christ A Jn 6:51-58
In ordinary time:
2nd Sunday OT Year A: Jn1:35-34 Year B:1:35-41 Year C: 2: 1-11
17th Sunday OT Year B:Jn 6:1-15
18 Sunday OT Year B: Jn6:24-35
19 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:41-51
20 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:51-58
21 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:60-69
I haven't got all of Fr Pat's homilies up on the blog. Maybe I'll
start doing it again. It was a worthwhile project. But you can find
them in the books. If you want, I can send you the Word files for the
books, and then you could search and find.
John's gospel is read on these Sundays:
3 Advent Year B Jn1:6-8, 19-23
Xmas Day C Jn 1:1-18
Holy Family (Jan 1) C Jn 3:1-2, 21-24
2nd Sunday after Christmas Jn 1:1-18
Baptism of the Lord B John 5:1-9
3 Lent A Jn 4:5-42 B Jn2:13-25
4 Lent A Jn 9:1-41 B Jn3:14-21
5 Lent A Jn11:1-45 B Jn 12:20-33
Holy Thursday AB&C Jn 13:1-15
Good Friday AB&C Jn 18:1-19:42
Easter Sunday AB&C Jn20:1-9
2 Easter A Jn 20:19-31 B Jn 20:19-31 C Jn 21:1-19
3 Easter C Jn 21:1-19
4 Easter A Jn 10:1-10 BJn 10:11-18 C Jn 10:27-30
5 Easter A Jn 14:1-12 B Jn 15:1-18 C Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
6 Easter A Jn 14:15-21 B Jn 15:99-17 C Jn 14:23-29
7 Easter A Jn 17:1-11a B Jn15;6-27; 16;12-15 C Jn 17:20-26
Pentecost A Jn 20:19-23 B Jn 15:26-27;16:12-15 C Jn 14:15-16,
23B-26
Trinity Sunday A Jn 3:16-18 C Jn 16:12-15
Body & Blood of Christ A Jn 6:51-58
In ordinary time:
2nd Sunday OT Year A: Jn1:35-34 Year B:1:35-41 Year C: 2: 1-11
17th Sunday OT Year B:Jn 6:1-15
18 Sunday OT Year B: Jn6:24-35
19 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:41-51
20 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:51-58
21 Sunday OT Year B Jn6:60-69
I haven't got all of Fr Pat's homilies up on the blog. Maybe I'll
start doing it again. It was a worthwhile project. But you can find
them in the books. If you want, I can send you the Word files for the
books, and then you could search and find.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Talent Show at Active Day
Active Day Bardstown, 1013 Grande Dr. Contact person: Pam
All of us (including residents) had "knock, knock" jokes to tell between performances. We had song sheets for sing-along, and sang Kumbaya with motions.
Sharon--My Country tis of Thee, Kubayah--Kumbaya, sleeping, crying, praying, shouting, singing.
Gabrielle--Fur Elise
Gabrielle & Martha-- My Favorite Things
Conor-- Ants, Kittens
[Charlotte--The Laughing Chimpanzee]
Alex--Forest Drums, Firefly
Carrie--Heart& Soul, Snake Charmer, Tomorrow
Lauren -- The Mermaid, Over the Rainbow, *Skip to my Lou, *Leftover Popcorn.
[Elizabeth B.--Allegro (duet)]
[Kelsie--Russian Dance, Lightly Row*, Forest Drums]
[Maggie--Ashokan Farewell, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead]
[Anastasia--My Heart Will Go On]
Ezra--Scarborough Fair & Cossack Ride
Taylor--Minuet in G Minor, Blues Improv
[Megan--Candle on the Water or When You Wish Upon a Star]
Katie--Mama Mia
[]=didn't make it. It may have been the confusion over the location. I thought everyone understood.
Rented an electric piano from the Doo Wop Shop. They gave me a card for 1/2 off next time. (Also, they have a nice little Selmer piccolo that they'll turn loose of for $300.)
All of us (including residents) had "knock, knock" jokes to tell between performances. We had song sheets for sing-along, and sang Kumbaya with motions.
Sharon--My Country tis of Thee, Kubayah--Kumbaya, sleeping, crying, praying, shouting, singing.
Gabrielle--Fur Elise
Gabrielle & Martha-- My Favorite Things
Conor-- Ants, Kittens
[Charlotte--The Laughing Chimpanzee]
Alex--Forest Drums, Firefly
Carrie--Heart& Soul, Snake Charmer, Tomorrow
Lauren -- The Mermaid, Over the Rainbow, *Skip to my Lou, *Leftover Popcorn.
[Elizabeth B.--Allegro (duet)]
[Kelsie--Russian Dance, Lightly Row*, Forest Drums]
[Maggie--Ashokan Farewell, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead]
[Anastasia--My Heart Will Go On]
Ezra--Scarborough Fair & Cossack Ride
Taylor--Minuet in G Minor, Blues Improv
[Megan--Candle on the Water or When You Wish Upon a Star]
Katie--Mama Mia
[]=didn't make it. It may have been the confusion over the location. I thought everyone understood.
Rented an electric piano from the Doo Wop Shop. They gave me a card for 1/2 off next time. (Also, they have a nice little Selmer piccolo that they'll turn loose of for $300.)
Friday, May 25, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/25 C-152 N69011 LOU LOU Touch & go’s—xw #ldg 9 MB
Mike says it takes a solid 5 hrs practice on landings, and we’re half-way into it, and doing ok.
Takeoffs are right.
Airspeed. Watch always. Sometimes (only on landings) I’ll need to adjust the airspeed and I take it the wrong way. Mike counted 5 times.
Landing: it’s all judgment. Angles. Timing. Finesse.
Martha played the organ for Bach/Gounod Ave Maria at a wedding at St. Catherine tonight. I played flute. She also played the closing song (Joyful, Joyful) with choir. It was just fine. In fact, it was more than fine, as she found out at the reception afterwards. Sometimes, things are just right, and this was one of them--for the bride & groom, the guests, the choir, the priest and everyone. So, this is a big step for Martha.
I keep looking at all the issues that have affected my adult students in the past. Even though we usually have a good time, and even though they always know more and are often more motivated than younger students, the adults have less success. It's partly physical, but not predictably so. Martha and I (and Sharon) exhibit some of the same unwanted behavior in trying to learn, for them the piano, for me, flying. Well, we should have done all this when we were 16, but we didn't, and now it's just a little harder. My point is, we're gonna make it.
I gave Mike a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I'm curious what he thinks about it. He IS serious about his motorcycling and his instructing, so there ought to be a lot there for him. That book changed the world, so I'm sure it can't read to younger people the way it read to us 30 years ago. We'll see.
-------
Thinking: I know I read and practiced that for shallow turns (30ยบ or less), once the bank is set, you're supposed to be able to neutralize the ailerons and the airplane is supposed to hold that bank until you cancel it out with an opposing bank. That's not what I've been doing. Why not? Because it doesn't really work that way? I'm going to pay more attention to that in the airport traffic pattern. Maybe I can get it consistent. Consistent would be nice.
Also, I'm wondering about using trim for the descent in the landing pattern. It helped me make sense of steep turns. The good thing is it would probably shape up my landings to something more consistent. The bad thing is that it would make for opposite controlling moves, and besides that, why not just fly the plane?
I don't have another flying session 'til Wednesday of next week. I could call Bowman Tower and see whether they take visitors. That would undoubtedly be instructive.
Whenever I'm driving the car, I try to be conscious of that Vy correction problem. Actually, I aim the car for Vx, which happens to be 55, and be aware of what I would have to do to correct the current speed, which involves matching pressure on the accelerator with pressure on the yoke/steeringwheel. Problem is, the speedometer dial runs the other direction, ie going up the LH side of the dial instead of coming down the RH side as the airspeed indicator does. This could cause more trouble than it solves unless I manage to think the direction of the dial "around" instead of "up" or "down."
Alex (my grandson, not the pilot) brought me a little "Flight Training Manual" that he bought at the school book fair. Since it contains exactly the things I'm working on, I agreed to study it this week before I give it back to him.
Mike says it takes a solid 5 hrs practice on landings, and we’re half-way into it, and doing ok.
Takeoffs are right.
Airspeed. Watch always. Sometimes (only on landings) I’ll need to adjust the airspeed and I take it the wrong way. Mike counted 5 times.
Landing: it’s all judgment. Angles. Timing. Finesse.
Martha played the organ for Bach/Gounod Ave Maria at a wedding at St. Catherine tonight. I played flute. She also played the closing song (Joyful, Joyful) with choir. It was just fine. In fact, it was more than fine, as she found out at the reception afterwards. Sometimes, things are just right, and this was one of them--for the bride & groom, the guests, the choir, the priest and everyone. So, this is a big step for Martha.
I keep looking at all the issues that have affected my adult students in the past. Even though we usually have a good time, and even though they always know more and are often more motivated than younger students, the adults have less success. It's partly physical, but not predictably so. Martha and I (and Sharon) exhibit some of the same unwanted behavior in trying to learn, for them the piano, for me, flying. Well, we should have done all this when we were 16, but we didn't, and now it's just a little harder. My point is, we're gonna make it.
I gave Mike a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I'm curious what he thinks about it. He IS serious about his motorcycling and his instructing, so there ought to be a lot there for him. That book changed the world, so I'm sure it can't read to younger people the way it read to us 30 years ago. We'll see.
-------
Thinking: I know I read and practiced that for shallow turns (30ยบ or less), once the bank is set, you're supposed to be able to neutralize the ailerons and the airplane is supposed to hold that bank until you cancel it out with an opposing bank. That's not what I've been doing. Why not? Because it doesn't really work that way? I'm going to pay more attention to that in the airport traffic pattern. Maybe I can get it consistent. Consistent would be nice.
Also, I'm wondering about using trim for the descent in the landing pattern. It helped me make sense of steep turns. The good thing is it would probably shape up my landings to something more consistent. The bad thing is that it would make for opposite controlling moves, and besides that, why not just fly the plane?
I don't have another flying session 'til Wednesday of next week. I could call Bowman Tower and see whether they take visitors. That would undoubtedly be instructive.
Whenever I'm driving the car, I try to be conscious of that Vy correction problem. Actually, I aim the car for Vx, which happens to be 55, and be aware of what I would have to do to correct the current speed, which involves matching pressure on the accelerator with pressure on the yoke/steeringwheel. Problem is, the speedometer dial runs the other direction, ie going up the LH side of the dial instead of coming down the RH side as the airspeed indicator does. This could cause more trouble than it solves unless I manage to think the direction of the dial "around" instead of "up" or "down."
Alex (my grandson, not the pilot) brought me a little "Flight Training Manual" that he bought at the school book fair. Since it contains exactly the things I'm working on, I agreed to study it this week before I give it back to him.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/12 C-152 N89933 LOU JVY LOU Steep turns, touch&go’s. #LDG 10. 1.8 hr MB.
N89933 is held together with wire & such. Seems harder to steer. I always feel like I’m yanking her to get her to move, and then having to yank back after we go too far. I’d take her in a heartbeat if someone gave her to me, though. Kinda like a sweet old cow. Bessie.
I planned to do a lot more reading aloud the altitude, airspeed and heading. (I did, but at some point forgot about it. It’s probably a good thing for me to keep on doing.)
“professional" vs. "within limits.”
Takeoff: Something was not right. What? Oh, yeah. Two fingers on the throttle for takeoff.
Steep turns worked.
Slow flight and stall ok.
Clark County Airport for touch&go‘s.
Takeoff. Full power, rotate @ 50, (but this plane doesn’t want to go until 55 or higher). Climb at Vy to 800 ft. I have trouble keeping the wings level (why?) and keeping us on the runway heading. Can’t see it until it’s wrong.
Climbing 20ยบ turn, hold it to 500 fpm.
Climbing turn to downwind, take it to 1400 ft. Level off, then power back to cruise setting.
Abeam of runway numbers, power back to 1600 rpm. Carb heat on. Check airspeed for range, then first notch of flaps. Level flight. (?)
Turn base, begin descent, power back, second notch flaps. 500 ft per minute descent.
Turn final, line up with runway.
I still tend to flare a early, and then when I’m bringing her nose up, I can feel the spot at which it needs to be more, but in getting past that resistance, I’m likely to bring it too far, so it’s one extreme or the other.
A couple of touchdowns were really smooth, like they’re supposed to be. Also some 7’s and a couple of 5’s.
Mike’s Dad’s name is Don.
N89933 is held together with wire & such. Seems harder to steer. I always feel like I’m yanking her to get her to move, and then having to yank back after we go too far. I’d take her in a heartbeat if someone gave her to me, though. Kinda like a sweet old cow. Bessie.
I planned to do a lot more reading aloud the altitude, airspeed and heading. (I did, but at some point forgot about it. It’s probably a good thing for me to keep on doing.)
“professional" vs. "within limits.”
Takeoff: Something was not right. What? Oh, yeah. Two fingers on the throttle for takeoff.
Steep turns worked.
Slow flight and stall ok.
Clark County Airport for touch&go‘s.
Takeoff. Full power, rotate @ 50, (but this plane doesn’t want to go until 55 or higher). Climb at Vy to 800 ft. I have trouble keeping the wings level (why?) and keeping us on the runway heading. Can’t see it until it’s wrong.
Climbing 20ยบ turn, hold it to 500 fpm.
Climbing turn to downwind, take it to 1400 ft. Level off, then power back to cruise setting.
Abeam of runway numbers, power back to 1600 rpm. Carb heat on. Check airspeed for range, then first notch of flaps. Level flight. (?)
Turn base, begin descent, power back, second notch flaps. 500 ft per minute descent.
Turn final, line up with runway.
I still tend to flare a early, and then when I’m bringing her nose up, I can feel the spot at which it needs to be more, but in getting past that resistance, I’m likely to bring it too far, so it’s one extreme or the other.
A couple of touchdowns were really smooth, like they’re supposed to be. Also some 7’s and a couple of 5’s.
Mike’s Dad’s name is Don.
Monday, May 21, 2007
brainstorm aviation camp
If I were setting up a field-trip day or aviation "camp," what activities could be part of this?
Ride in the plane. (Girl Scouts can't do it, cf. SafetyWise)
Where is money available? Arts showcase people charge what?
History: the building at Bowman Field. Storyteller.
Arithmetic/math Compass degrees. Read them. Wind is coming from (direction). What direction will you take to fly with it (tailwind)? Reciprocal: ie. heading plus or minus 180ยบ. Math: associative property: figure 200ยบ, then back 20ยบ is the same as figuring +/- 180ยบ.
Airfoil activity.
"Handbook" Wild Wings Fly Your Own Micro Plane Flight Manual by Joseph Casalese Scholastic (Tangerine Press) ISBN 0-439-84315-4
AOPA Wings Training Video "Say Intentions": Fly a Flight Simulator thru various emergency sitations, with emphasis on using Air Traffic Control's Flight Assist.
Spatial awareness
Compass directions, cardinal and numerical
Aircraft ID
associate each letter of the alphabet with a photo
drawing ie. (on the left side of the brain, art attack)
Just Think: Design airport aircraft home for yourself aviation school
Morse Code and AlphaBravoCharlie
EISH & TMO
MOrse code on letter shapes
practice with partner
write and say
Twinkle, Twinkle
Engines: Lawn mower
Technology user
Bring your own flight simulator game day
Ride in the plane. (Girl Scouts can't do it, cf. SafetyWise)
Where is money available? Arts showcase people charge what?
History: the building at Bowman Field. Storyteller.
Arithmetic/math Compass degrees. Read them. Wind is coming from (direction). What direction will you take to fly with it (tailwind)? Reciprocal: ie. heading plus or minus 180ยบ. Math: associative property: figure 200ยบ, then back 20ยบ is the same as figuring +/- 180ยบ.
Airfoil activity.
"Handbook" Wild Wings Fly Your Own Micro Plane Flight Manual by Joseph Casalese Scholastic (Tangerine Press) ISBN 0-439-84315-4
AOPA Wings Training Video "Say Intentions": Fly a Flight Simulator thru various emergency sitations, with emphasis on using Air Traffic Control's Flight Assist.
Spatial awareness
Compass directions, cardinal and numerical
Aircraft ID
associate each letter of the alphabet with a photo
drawing ie. (on the left side of the brain, art attack)
Just Think: Design airport aircraft home for yourself aviation school
Morse Code and AlphaBravoCharlie
EISH & TMO
MOrse code on letter shapes
practice with partner
write and say
Twinkle, Twinkle
Engines: Lawn mower
Technology user
Bring your own flight simulator game day
pilot's logbook
5/12 C-152 N89933 LOU (Madison) LOU. Climbs, turns, trim steep turns, touch and go's #ldg 4 1.9 hr MB
Lots of 5th-gradish-looking kids out back. Hap's was having a field trip airplane ride day. Mike says $59 a pop.
Before:
straight and level:
takeoff
landings. Hold nose up maybe 2 seconds after main wheels touchdown.
What are we watching? Horizon and key indicators. get used to tracking them.
We flew a new (to us) plane today. We messed up the cabin air thingies, couldn't get them back in to work right after they fell out.
Keeping on course on takeoff. Wings level. Vy. Oil pressure.
Anytime we're climbing more than 100 ft., use full power.
Rudder is making sense now.
Steep turns: Move quickly into 30ยบ turn, add lots of nose-up trim while going the rest of the way to 45ยบ. Keep the horizon in sight always. Let the trim hold it. Keep flying the plane for gusts and such. Cross-check horizon, altimeter, bank indicator, horizon, altimeter, bank indicator... On rollout, use lots of nose-down pressure, keep horizon in sight, get level then re-trim.
Landing. Don't flare too soon.
I need to find a close park so I can go there right afterwards and process all this stuff. Maybe Seneca Park.
Lots of 5th-gradish-looking kids out back. Hap's was having a field trip airplane ride day. Mike says $59 a pop.
Before:
straight and level:
takeoff
landings. Hold nose up maybe 2 seconds after main wheels touchdown.
What are we watching? Horizon and key indicators. get used to tracking them.
We flew a new (to us) plane today. We messed up the cabin air thingies, couldn't get them back in to work right after they fell out.
Keeping on course on takeoff. Wings level. Vy. Oil pressure.
Anytime we're climbing more than 100 ft., use full power.
Rudder is making sense now.
Steep turns: Move quickly into 30ยบ turn, add lots of nose-up trim while going the rest of the way to 45ยบ. Keep the horizon in sight always. Let the trim hold it. Keep flying the plane for gusts and such. Cross-check horizon, altimeter, bank indicator, horizon, altimeter, bank indicator... On rollout, use lots of nose-down pressure, keep horizon in sight, get level then re-trim.
Landing. Don't flare too soon.
I need to find a close park so I can go there right afterwards and process all this stuff. Maybe Seneca Park.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Amelia has a job.
Amelia has a job. She has gone to live with a wonderful woman who has limited mobility and needs help with things that Amelia can do. The woman knows how to train service dogs, and she is teaching Amelia to be that for her. All of us who know Amelia know that Amelia has to be thrilled. She has always, always wanted to help, but didn't have a niche that she could fill in that way. Now she does.
You go, girl!
Friday, May 18, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/18 C-152 N69011 Lou Lou. Steep turns, slow flight, stalls, Vx, Vy, power-off glide, xw landings. 1.4 hr.
What was better? Mike says taxiing. Radio.
My flying stinks. Constantly behind the game. Can't seem to do anything without losing/gaining altitude or something else, and after that goes on for a while, I get to where I have to consciously process the numbers and the direction of the needles on the gauges, which puts me impossibly behind. I won't let myself get emotionally frustrated, but I think I spent most of today pulling myself away from that frustration threshold to neutral and trying to center up again.
I thought I would have the slow flight/ stall recovery concepts & motions down, but even that was way off. At one point I practically had us in a spin, and I was just supposed to be going into slow flight. I think.
Re-hashing afterwards, Mike asked what I was looking at. I was definitely inside the plane most of today. He said it needs to be 75% out the window with just cross-checks, maybe put a marker on the windshield. Monday I'll bring a library dot to stick on the windshield at 10ยบ.
* Need to study/prepare differently, whatever, so that when I need an answer it comes fast.
This stuff is hard, but not this hard. What's the deal? It sure makes me appreciate when I get in the car and drive it, or when I sit down at the piano and it just does what I want, which almost seems to have been better here lately.
(Hmm...maybe there's a battle for control going on. The driving and piano skills are fighting to hold their territory, so they're getting better, and they won't share with the flying patterns that are trying to make use of them. Is this related to not being able to play Stars and Stripes on the piccolo last week? OK, it's a little too far out, but I'm leaving it in my notes here for future reference.)
What was better? Mike says taxiing. Radio.
My flying stinks. Constantly behind the game. Can't seem to do anything without losing/gaining altitude or something else, and after that goes on for a while, I get to where I have to consciously process the numbers and the direction of the needles on the gauges, which puts me impossibly behind. I won't let myself get emotionally frustrated, but I think I spent most of today pulling myself away from that frustration threshold to neutral and trying to center up again.
I thought I would have the slow flight/ stall recovery concepts & motions down, but even that was way off. At one point I practically had us in a spin, and I was just supposed to be going into slow flight. I think.
Re-hashing afterwards, Mike asked what I was looking at. I was definitely inside the plane most of today. He said it needs to be 75% out the window with just cross-checks, maybe put a marker on the windshield. Monday I'll bring a library dot to stick on the windshield at 10ยบ.
* Need to study/prepare differently, whatever, so that when I need an answer it comes fast.
This stuff is hard, but not this hard. What's the deal? It sure makes me appreciate when I get in the car and drive it, or when I sit down at the piano and it just does what I want, which almost seems to have been better here lately.
(Hmm...maybe there's a battle for control going on. The driving and piano skills are fighting to hold their territory, so they're getting better, and they won't share with the flying patterns that are trying to make use of them. Is this related to not being able to play Stars and Stripes on the piccolo last week? OK, it's a little too far out, but I'm leaving it in my notes here for future reference.)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Video: Ups and Downs of Takeoffs and Landings
It's important that pilots learn the basics of takeoffs and landings. This includes knowing when to abort an attempt and go around for another try, as well as how to recover from a bounced landing. This 65-minute video from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation is chock full of examples.
pilot's logbook
5/15/07 C-152 N69011 LOU LOU XW T/O, stalls, steep turns, unusual attitudes, slow flight, landings. 1 landing, 1.4 hr
*20ยบ bank on departure & final. Rudder & coordination. The four forces. Serious DRAG. (grin)
Did I know I have to take a written test? I said yes, but I was thinking about the big one. There's something written for pre-solo and I don't know what it is. Better find out.
*Write down ATIS info.
Just before takeoff, Mike pointed to a bird headed straight up the runway in front of us, flying in place in the headwind.
Hazy, climbed to 5500 feet to get above haze, higher than I remember being. 30ยบ turns using outside horizon, one of the neatest things I've ever done. It stuck with me all day. Even up above the haze, there were a few really small scattered clouds.
trim
slow flight
stalls
*need to be able to do the setup faster for stall recovery & slow flight
If we’re going to do slow flight, go on and start flaps down once we reach 85 knots.
Stall recovery: full power, coordinate, relax controls somewhat at the very beginning of the stall recovery (but not nose down, either.) Repeat 2x.
Unusual attitudes: "Close your eyes, I'll change things, then you fix them." First time, I thought he meant fix it all without opening my eyes. It was interesting to do that. Mike thought it was funny, but actually I'd like to try it that way some more. Mike could probably do any of these maneuvers with his eyes closed. I wonder whether he's tried.
* “right base to runway 24.” reciprocal
Study: Forces of flight. Airports.
*20ยบ bank on departure & final. Rudder & coordination. The four forces. Serious DRAG. (grin)
Did I know I have to take a written test? I said yes, but I was thinking about the big one. There's something written for pre-solo and I don't know what it is. Better find out.
*Write down ATIS info.
Just before takeoff, Mike pointed to a bird headed straight up the runway in front of us, flying in place in the headwind.
Hazy, climbed to 5500 feet to get above haze, higher than I remember being. 30ยบ turns using outside horizon, one of the neatest things I've ever done. It stuck with me all day. Even up above the haze, there were a few really small scattered clouds.
trim
slow flight
stalls
*need to be able to do the setup faster for stall recovery & slow flight
If we’re going to do slow flight, go on and start flaps down once we reach 85 knots.
Stall recovery: full power, coordinate, relax controls somewhat at the very beginning of the stall recovery (but not nose down, either.) Repeat 2x.
Unusual attitudes: "Close your eyes, I'll change things, then you fix them." First time, I thought he meant fix it all without opening my eyes. It was interesting to do that. Mike thought it was funny, but actually I'd like to try it that way some more. Mike could probably do any of these maneuvers with his eyes closed. I wonder whether he's tried.
* “right base to runway 24.” reciprocal
Study: Forces of flight. Airports.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/13 C-152 N69011 LOU LOU Pilotage, T/O, XW Landings, ER Procedures 1.6 hr
MIke said why didn't we take a break, just go looking around and have some fun.
We took off north over Indiana, looking at landmarks. Headed up I-64 and Hwy150, then went looking for the farm. It took a while to find it. I don't know the name of the road we take to get there. We went over Mike's house on Borden Rd. Then we went to Borden Reservoir, didn't see the farm, turned around and went back to the lake and found it. Kevin's conservation borders are beautiful. Smooth & classy.
Looking for places to make an emergency landing, practice coming in to final there.
Climbing from a low altitude, you can't see what's in front of you, look to the left, then bank somewhat left,
Lost my altitude at least three times just toodling around. No reason for that.
Deems Lake. "Let's do a 360ยบ turn over the lake, here." I flew around the lake, but didn't even think to make it 360ยบ.
preflight. draft
What next?
Preflight/Cleanup/ ???
Left-brain / right-brain --> procedural/philosophic -->Small-motor skills / lg-motor skills --> calibrate out-the-window motor control and sensation with bank indicator and pitch indicator motor control and sensation. -->Fly maneuvers concentrating on horizon and ground input, airspeed and altimeter.
MIke said why didn't we take a break, just go looking around and have some fun.
We took off north over Indiana, looking at landmarks. Headed up I-64 and Hwy150, then went looking for the farm. It took a while to find it. I don't know the name of the road we take to get there. We went over Mike's house on Borden Rd. Then we went to Borden Reservoir, didn't see the farm, turned around and went back to the lake and found it. Kevin's conservation borders are beautiful. Smooth & classy.
Looking for places to make an emergency landing, practice coming in to final there.
Climbing from a low altitude, you can't see what's in front of you, look to the left, then bank somewhat left,
Lost my altitude at least three times just toodling around. No reason for that.
Deems Lake. "Let's do a 360ยบ turn over the lake, here." I flew around the lake, but didn't even think to make it 360ยบ.
preflight. draft
What next?
Preflight/Cleanup/ ???
Left-brain / right-brain --> procedural/philosophic -->Small-motor skills / lg-motor skills --> calibrate out-the-window motor control and sensation with bank indicator and pitch indicator motor control and sensation. -->Fly maneuvers concentrating on horizon and ground input, airspeed and altimeter.
pilot's logbook
5/12 C-152 LOU JVY LOU Stalls, Power-off stalls, slow flight, Rudder Control, Touch & Go's 7 landings, 1.5 hr
Not coordinated
Still losing altitude
Moving into landing flare too early
Frank came to Bowman Field today, and was waiting at the fence when we came in.
draft
Not coordinated
Still losing altitude
Moving into landing flare too early
Frank came to Bowman Field today, and was waiting at the fence when we came in.
draft
Friday, May 11, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/11 C-152 N69011 LOU JVY LOU. Steep turns, slow flight, power-off stalls, touch-and-go's, pattern entry. #landings: 13, 2.0 hr.
I had thought about what we have been doing, and if my flight maneuvers were still as klutzy/frustrating as the last couple of times, I was ready to suggest taking a break, letting the "large motor skills" settle in by just flying somewhere heads-up (i.e. finding the farm), and then moving back into the "small motor skills" of slow flight, stalls & recovery next time.
The good news is we didn't have to. Things are starting to kick in. We did enough touch-and-go's at Clark County Airport for the sequence to smooth out so instead of concentrating so hard on WHAT I was supposed to be doing, I was able to be sensitive to HOW I was doing it.
Mike called two of the landings really good. He said the others were passable, I wasn't scaring him or anything, so I take that as a compliment.
Coming back to Bowman Field, when we were high coming up on Six-Mile Island, Mike asked me what we could do about it. I put us into a sideslip, which we've done once before. The difference this time was that, even though I ran it past Mike how it was to be done, I didn't feel uncertain about moving right into it. Great fun. "All you people down there in your cars, eat your hearts out!"
When we got back in to Air CenterOne, Mike tossed out to the others, "Guess who's landing the plane?" That felt good.
Long way to go, still, but I'm glad I didn't have to pull out plan B.
I had thought about what we have been doing, and if my flight maneuvers were still as klutzy/frustrating as the last couple of times, I was ready to suggest taking a break, letting the "large motor skills" settle in by just flying somewhere heads-up (i.e. finding the farm), and then moving back into the "small motor skills" of slow flight, stalls & recovery next time.
The good news is we didn't have to. Things are starting to kick in. We did enough touch-and-go's at Clark County Airport for the sequence to smooth out so instead of concentrating so hard on WHAT I was supposed to be doing, I was able to be sensitive to HOW I was doing it.
Mike called two of the landings really good. He said the others were passable, I wasn't scaring him or anything, so I take that as a compliment.
Coming back to Bowman Field, when we were high coming up on Six-Mile Island, Mike asked me what we could do about it. I put us into a sideslip, which we've done once before. The difference this time was that, even though I ran it past Mike how it was to be done, I didn't feel uncertain about moving right into it. Great fun. "All you people down there in your cars, eat your hearts out!"
When we got back in to Air CenterOne, Mike tossed out to the others, "Guess who's landing the plane?" That felt good.
Long way to go, still, but I'm glad I didn't have to pull out plan B.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
pilot's logbook
5/10 C-152 N69011. Lou to Lou. Stalls, slowflight, spins, pattern entry, landing. 1.5 hr
I need a lot of practice or something. I've signed up for a number of days in a row, hoping consistency might help. Mike says he has time to do that. He started out today by saying we need to do something to get these sequences and concepts and answers down, if it means trying to do a different style of learning or whatever. That's pretty direct.
Along with rehashing today's maneuvers, my thoughts keep spinning off into teaching & learning.
I trust (with Mike's assurance) that I will learn to fly, and I actually expect that I will learn to do it very well. There's a possibility that I won't, but it's not the most likely. Is it going to take me longer than an 18-year-old kid? Probably.
The experience is making me a heckuva lot better teacher. Part of it is just the awareness that comes of being on the receiving end. Another part is being with a good teacher. Teachers spend entirely too much on their own. How often do we get to soak up another's expertise and technique? Piano lessons and choir are benefitting from this.
Mike's got a name for what he does, "progressive (something)", and he just keeps taking you thru things, talking all the time, showing, explaining, doing the part of that needs to be done from his side of the plane, while expecting that you will take over more and more of it all. (Remember the comparison of taking someone on the interstate to teach them how to stop a car? How else could it be done?)
There's never anything personally negative in any of the interaction. Things are right, or they are not right, or they are noticed or not noticed, but I don't hear irritation or frustration in Mike's voice. His constancy really helps me keep from being blocked by frustration and helps me just refocus or go for the mental reach or whatever it is, because I do not like being inept. Not at all.
Still, today he was pretty direct. ..."You HAVE TO be able to move fast, multitask, keep flying the plane, hold your altitude, get these directions, finish the job." "We just went thru the ground." "Don't touch that!," etc. etc.
I'm noticing:
Mimetic cognition --
procedural knowledge--maneuvers & routines
the everpresent checklists lists (a mimetic version of knowledge encoding)
constant generativity. Mike doesn't seem to get tired of pointing and touching THIS and THIS and THIS as he talks.
Philosophic cognition --
Jeppesen & FAA book, test, emphasis on a complex yet defined set of information that is not to be challenged but mastered. (Inhaled? Drowned in?).
So there are these TWO HUGE NEW sets of patterns going down--the DOING and the heaps of INFORMATION that come into play with each action. It's a real crunch of being between the rock of rote/ritual and the hard place of needing to do fast accurate evaluation and judgment.
For instance, Mike asked me a relatively simple procedural question "How do we set up a stall?" (something that I have read, practiced, thought about, put on flashcards), yet I found myself practially paralyzed and having no response to give, whether verbal or in action. If I were on the receiving end of that type of behavior, I doubt that any judgment I would make as to what it "meant" would be correct. What is going on there?
Probably similar to the concept of two sides of the brain. One side may have the answer, but if the other is overly dominant at the time, it may not have access to that answer. I think that is partially what is going on with me, but it's not L & R hemispheres that are competing. I think it's a tug-of-war betwen mimetic (esp. procedural) cognition vs. the philosophic cognitive level.
Since mythic cognition stands evolutionarily and developmentally between the two, is mythic cognition the go-between? the arbiter?
Can "Top Gun," "Fate is the Hunter," "Wind, Sand and Stars," and Jake Green of Jericho bridge the gap? Mike is usually surprised when I ask him to just show me something. I want him to run the procedure so I can see and feel it smoothly, capably, well done. Imitation is the substance of social patterns of value, and identification/admiration is the glue. Gotta have it--the Right Stuff.
............
Mike spent a year getting his private pilot license, back in high school, but it really all came together for him in his Instrument classes.
I need a lot of practice or something. I've signed up for a number of days in a row, hoping consistency might help. Mike says he has time to do that. He started out today by saying we need to do something to get these sequences and concepts and answers down, if it means trying to do a different style of learning or whatever. That's pretty direct.
Along with rehashing today's maneuvers, my thoughts keep spinning off into teaching & learning.
I trust (with Mike's assurance) that I will learn to fly, and I actually expect that I will learn to do it very well. There's a possibility that I won't, but it's not the most likely. Is it going to take me longer than an 18-year-old kid? Probably.
The experience is making me a heckuva lot better teacher. Part of it is just the awareness that comes of being on the receiving end. Another part is being with a good teacher. Teachers spend entirely too much on their own. How often do we get to soak up another's expertise and technique? Piano lessons and choir are benefitting from this.
Mike's got a name for what he does, "progressive (something)", and he just keeps taking you thru things, talking all the time, showing, explaining, doing the part of that needs to be done from his side of the plane, while expecting that you will take over more and more of it all. (Remember the comparison of taking someone on the interstate to teach them how to stop a car? How else could it be done?)
There's never anything personally negative in any of the interaction. Things are right, or they are not right, or they are noticed or not noticed, but I don't hear irritation or frustration in Mike's voice. His constancy really helps me keep from being blocked by frustration and helps me just refocus or go for the mental reach or whatever it is, because I do not like being inept. Not at all.
Still, today he was pretty direct. ..."You HAVE TO be able to move fast, multitask, keep flying the plane, hold your altitude, get these directions, finish the job." "We just went thru the ground." "Don't touch that!," etc. etc.
I'm noticing:
Mimetic cognition --
procedural knowledge--maneuvers & routines
the everpresent checklists lists (a mimetic version of knowledge encoding)
constant generativity. Mike doesn't seem to get tired of pointing and touching THIS and THIS and THIS as he talks.
Philosophic cognition --
Jeppesen & FAA book, test, emphasis on a complex yet defined set of information that is not to be challenged but mastered. (Inhaled? Drowned in?)
So there are these TWO HUGE NEW sets of patterns going down--the DOING and the heaps of INFORMATION that come into play with each action. It's a real crunch of being between the rock of rote/ritual and the hard place of needing to do fast accurate evaluation and judgment.
For instance, Mike asked me a relatively simple procedural question "How do we set up a stall?" (something that I have read, practiced, thought about, put on flashcards), yet I found myself practially paralyzed and having no response to give, whether verbal or in action. If I were on the receiving end of that type of behavior, I doubt that any judgment I would make as to what it "meant" would be correct. What is going on there?
Probably similar to the concept of two sides of the brain. One side may have the answer, but if the other is overly dominant at the time, it may not have access to that answer. I think that is partially what is going on with me, but it's not L & R hemispheres that are competing. I think it's a tug-of-war betwen mimetic (esp. procedural) cognition vs. the philosophic cognitive level.
Since mythic cognition stands evolutionarily and developmentally between the two, is mythic cognition the go-between? the arbiter?
Can "Top Gun," "Fate is the Hunter," "Wind, Sand and Stars," and Jake Green of Jericho bridge the gap? Mike is usually surprised when I ask him to just show me something. I want him to run the procedure so I can see and feel it smoothly, capably, well done. Imitation is the substance of social patterns of value, and identification/admiration is the glue. Gotta have it--the Right Stuff.
............
Mike spent a year getting his private pilot license, back in high school, but it really all came together for him in his Instrument classes.
Jericho
Jericho is answering war with war with its neighbor town, New Bern. I'm glad I'll get to re-watch the installment without commercials. They hack it up too badly.
One really refreshing aspect of this ongoing entertainment is its ability to consider that the terrorism of today's world is not just some outside force, some "other" people who hate us for our freedoms, or whatever. This show continuously explores the possibility that "we have met the enemy, and he is us" and the reality that the black and white of good and evil are situational conflicts of values, needs and perceptions.
("Johnston Green, right? Last year you came to New Bern and placed fourth in the bass fishing competition. I came in second."--enemy truck driver being held at gunpoint by the former mayor of Jericho.)
The other issue that glares at us all througout this series is our society's saturation with guns and the Old West concept that a gun makes all the difference. It does. But think. Remember when Jake was pinned under the truck and couldn't reach his gun? The power of that scene had us all rooting for him to reach it. But suppose he had? My guess is that he would not have been around to finish the story for Jericho. The gun was out of reach and that changed the equation. He had to find a different course of action, and he did.
There's a deer outside my window. I'm trying to see what she's eating. Dandelions, yes. Prairie Coneflowers, no. I guess I need to chase her away, beautiful as she is. She might be the one who's been sleeping in the new grass right beside my vegetable garden.
"For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?"--Kahlil Gibran
One really refreshing aspect of this ongoing entertainment is its ability to consider that the terrorism of today's world is not just some outside force, some "other" people who hate us for our freedoms, or whatever. This show continuously explores the possibility that "we have met the enemy, and he is us" and the reality that the black and white of good and evil are situational conflicts of values, needs and perceptions.
("Johnston Green, right? Last year you came to New Bern and placed fourth in the bass fishing competition. I came in second."--enemy truck driver being held at gunpoint by the former mayor of Jericho.)
The other issue that glares at us all througout this series is our society's saturation with guns and the Old West concept that a gun makes all the difference. It does. But think. Remember when Jake was pinned under the truck and couldn't reach his gun? The power of that scene had us all rooting for him to reach it. But suppose he had? My guess is that he would not have been around to finish the story for Jericho. The gun was out of reach and that changed the equation. He had to find a different course of action, and he did.
There's a deer outside my window. I'm trying to see what she's eating. Dandelions, yes. Prairie Coneflowers, no. I guess I need to chase her away, beautiful as she is. She might be the one who's been sleeping in the new grass right beside my vegetable garden.
"For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?"--Kahlil Gibran
pilot's logbook
5/9/07 C152 N69011. Lou to Lou. Stalls, Slowflight, Slips, T/O, Landing 1.4 hr
I talked to Tony during pre-flight. He used to be an engineer--worked there for years, waiting for 5:00 so he could go flying. He asked me if there was anything he could do to make it better for me. Asked me if I was considering this as a second career, says for most people flying is a second, or something done just for the fun of it. Interesting that he said that, since I spent the past day wrestling with the question in a practical way. Kellie called me about Pat B's brother's funeral (a day and a half in advance), but I had a lesson scheduled. I couldn't get hold of Mike to rearrange, and didn't want to leave him hanging, or anybody who counts on the income, so I decided to say no. When I actually saw Mike, he pretty much encouraged me to go ahead and plan to be at the funeral. Long story short, Kellie got someone from Etown to do it, and, you know what? That's ok. That's not my life anymore, and it hasn't been for at least three years, and maybe this is permission to let go. These drag-on parish contacts are not real. I like them when they happen, and they pay well, but there's always this guilt that I'm not doing the real work. I put on the persona, but I really miss being the persona. Why even go there? Someday I'll be too old to fly, and Frank will be retired, and all that stuff will still be there for us. If it's right, maybe we'll find it together.
I had this imaginary conversation with Mike this morning. About how prayer could actually be as exciting/compelling/fulfilling as good flying. I remember that to be true, but God is not on my shoulder connecting me to the universe with music and prayer anymore.
There's something familiar, though, about that gorgeous river and earth below and a tangible sky opening its secrets to me/us through tiny touches of fingertip on 011's controls.
Why do we practice slow flight? precision flying with reduced effectiveness of controls;
hold heading. hold altitude. hold airspeed at 45 knots or less ...
Altitude is primarily enabled with power.
Airspeed is primarily enabled with pitch.
Carburator ice. Top Gun.
Sat in the plane and talked afterwards. Learning to fly safely & well & with precision vs. passing the test. Need answers. Feedback.
Jeppesen Private Pilot Maneuvers.
Really good session. Really good. I lucked out with this instructor.
I talked to Tony during pre-flight. He used to be an engineer--worked there for years, waiting for 5:00 so he could go flying. He asked me if there was anything he could do to make it better for me. Asked me if I was considering this as a second career, says for most people flying is a second, or something done just for the fun of it. Interesting that he said that, since I spent the past day wrestling with the question in a practical way. Kellie called me about Pat B's brother's funeral (a day and a half in advance), but I had a lesson scheduled. I couldn't get hold of Mike to rearrange, and didn't want to leave him hanging, or anybody who counts on the income, so I decided to say no. When I actually saw Mike, he pretty much encouraged me to go ahead and plan to be at the funeral. Long story short, Kellie got someone from Etown to do it, and, you know what? That's ok. That's not my life anymore, and it hasn't been for at least three years, and maybe this is permission to let go. These drag-on parish contacts are not real. I like them when they happen, and they pay well, but there's always this guilt that I'm not doing the real work. I put on the persona, but I really miss being the persona. Why even go there? Someday I'll be too old to fly, and Frank will be retired, and all that stuff will still be there for us. If it's right, maybe we'll find it together.
I had this imaginary conversation with Mike this morning. About how prayer could actually be as exciting/compelling/fulfilling as good flying. I remember that to be true, but God is not on my shoulder connecting me to the universe with music and prayer anymore.
There's something familiar, though, about that gorgeous river and earth below and a tangible sky opening its secrets to me/us through tiny touches of fingertip on 011's controls.
Why do we practice slow flight? precision flying with reduced effectiveness of controls;
hold heading. hold altitude. hold airspeed at 45 knots or less ...
Altitude is primarily enabled with power.
Airspeed is primarily enabled with pitch.
Carburator ice. Top Gun.
Sat in the plane and talked afterwards. Learning to fly safely & well & with precision vs. passing the test. Need answers. Feedback.
Jeppesen Private Pilot Maneuvers.
Really good session. Really good. I lucked out with this instructor.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Alex in Alaska
Amy and I have a friend who flies cargo and hunters and who-knows-what around Alaska. That's Alex on the left in the first picture. I asked him about the dog in the picture and he said:
"The dog in the pictures is my Border Collie 'Whitney' who has been on quite a few flights, and has logged probably over 100 hours."
pilot's logbook
5/7
Touch & Go’s, steep turns, pattern entry 1.5 hr
I apologized to Mike for trying to crack a joke about bouncing the airplane to the owners. He agreed it wasn't the best idea. On the good side, he said, no, I didn’t come in on the front wheel the other day.
We did touch and go at Bowman Field. I haven’t got it yet. I understand the pattern, what we’re supposed to do, but I’m not judging distances and I feel like I'm in somebody else's body, or using somebody else's brain. Maybe no brain. Airspeed! Can you see how high we are? Airspeed. Too far out. Need to stay parallel, can't be angling out. What's wrong with this picture? Nose down. Airspeed. Nose down. Nose down. Airspeed. Airspeed!
After that we went out and did some 360ยบ steep turns. My angles and holding-altitude stink.
Coming back, Mike just said “OK, take us back to Bowman,” and I turned us around in the right direction, (small successes, what?) but I wasn’t sure what island we were over. Mike asks me does it look like six miles from Louisville? and I'm thinking Beats me, what does six miles look like? Turns out it was twelve-mile island--the long skinny one. I remember what downtown Louisville looked like from there, so maybe I can use that snapshot to say "10 miles away" (not twelve, the river curves).
MIke says doing this is like wanting to teach someone how to stop a car, but taking them onto the interstate to practice it. We're moving at 100 mph, and the plane and the setup are different every time around, so you just have to keep doing it until it clicks. He asked me if I’d been anywhere with Barry, the more time in a plane the better, and also said a flight simulator is helpful, don't I have one?
I have an old one on the Amiga, which isn’t running but has joysticks, and I have one on this macbook, but no joystick or input device and I really need to swap the hard drive out to use it anyway. Theresa has a yoke attachment. I’m going to stop by and pick it up, and maybe it will work with one of my machines.
----------
Nope. It looks great, but it connects via gameport, and we need USB, and there don't seem to be adapters that will work.
----------
Well, this is a depressing post, but it wasn't exactly a depressing lesson. Humbling. Not depressing. There were good things.
??????
It was a beautiful day, even if cloudy. I LIKE where we go and what we do. I can't wait to be competent to handle the plane and to be sightseeing and exploring. I want to explore the limits of the movement of flying, and I want to explore that whole world that you connect to from there. I like it. (Carmel told me this morning that a friend of hers says flying is like a drug addiction. It's all you want to do, nothing else matters, and then you hit a plateau, be ready for it.)
Back to good things:
I notice that I used to feel somewhat on the verge of motion sickness a lot of the time. That seems to be gone. That whole uneasy feeling of height, of being somewhere you don't belong, is gone, too.
Hey, I did check the METAR this morning and correctly predict what runway they were going to have us use. There was probably a small handful of little things that I was smoother at than last time. Til Wednesday.
I'm going to try again to digest that weather chapter.
Touch & Go’s, steep turns, pattern entry 1.5 hr
I apologized to Mike for trying to crack a joke about bouncing the airplane to the owners. He agreed it wasn't the best idea. On the good side, he said, no, I didn’t come in on the front wheel the other day.
We did touch and go at Bowman Field. I haven’t got it yet. I understand the pattern, what we’re supposed to do, but I’m not judging distances and I feel like I'm in somebody else's body, or using somebody else's brain. Maybe no brain. Airspeed! Can you see how high we are? Airspeed. Too far out. Need to stay parallel, can't be angling out. What's wrong with this picture? Nose down. Airspeed. Nose down. Nose down. Airspeed. Airspeed!
After that we went out and did some 360ยบ steep turns. My angles and holding-altitude stink.
Coming back, Mike just said “OK, take us back to Bowman,” and I turned us around in the right direction, (small successes, what?) but I wasn’t sure what island we were over. Mike asks me does it look like six miles from Louisville? and I'm thinking Beats me, what does six miles look like? Turns out it was twelve-mile island--the long skinny one. I remember what downtown Louisville looked like from there, so maybe I can use that snapshot to say "10 miles away" (not twelve, the river curves).
MIke says doing this is like wanting to teach someone how to stop a car, but taking them onto the interstate to practice it. We're moving at 100 mph, and the plane and the setup are different every time around, so you just have to keep doing it until it clicks. He asked me if I’d been anywhere with Barry, the more time in a plane the better, and also said a flight simulator is helpful, don't I have one?
I have an old one on the Amiga, which isn’t running but has joysticks, and I have one on this macbook, but no joystick or input device and I really need to swap the hard drive out to use it anyway. Theresa has a yoke attachment. I’m going to stop by and pick it up, and maybe it will work with one of my machines.
----------
Nope. It looks great, but it connects via gameport, and we need USB, and there don't seem to be adapters that will work.
----------
Well, this is a depressing post, but it wasn't exactly a depressing lesson. Humbling. Not depressing. There were good things.
??????
It was a beautiful day, even if cloudy. I LIKE where we go and what we do. I can't wait to be competent to handle the plane and to be sightseeing and exploring. I want to explore the limits of the movement of flying, and I want to explore that whole world that you connect to from there. I like it. (Carmel told me this morning that a friend of hers says flying is like a drug addiction. It's all you want to do, nothing else matters, and then you hit a plateau, be ready for it.)
Back to good things:
I notice that I used to feel somewhat on the verge of motion sickness a lot of the time. That seems to be gone. That whole uneasy feeling of height, of being somewhere you don't belong, is gone, too.
Hey, I did check the METAR this morning and correctly predict what runway they were going to have us use. There was probably a small handful of little things that I was smoother at than last time. Til Wednesday.
I'm going to try again to digest that weather chapter.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Saturday, May 05, 2007
pilot's logbook
Touch & Go's .9hr
I had an appointment this morning to get my eyes checked (annual) and got contacts instead of updating my glasses. I had a heck of a time putting them in (which is why I haven't been wearing them all these years), but couldn't believe how they absolutely disappear once you get them in. Can't feel them at all, just see distance. I can't get bifocal contacts (something to do with astigmatism in one eye) so the rub is that when I'm wearing them, I can see well at a distance (and so much better looking around) but to read a sheet of paper in my hand or music on the piano or the computer screen, I have to wear reading glasses. We'll see how this goes. I was hoping it might fix my problem with seeing the music at HNB, but it doesn't look as if it will. I might just wear them for flying. I do like them a lot for being outside.
Low ceiling. Would have cancelled, but it's ok for touch-and-go, which is fine with me. First we talked a little about weather, then about landing pattern airspeeds and such.
Then I asked how anyone could ever afford to rent a plane for a trip. Turns out you don't pay by the hour, but by the time flown--for instance, you would likely have the plane for 7 days, but you only pay for the hours it flies. Alternatively, there are some places (for instance, someone in Lexington) where you rent for a flat fee and your gas. So it is possible.
Today's touch & go:
Rotate at 50kt, climb at 67kt to 800 ft, turn (shallow bank) crosswind to continue. Continue at 67kt to pattern altitude (1300 ft) after downwind turn. When you reach altitude, bring the nose down first, then adjust the power back (something like 2200 rpm).
Abeam of the runway (85kt max) add carb heat, 10ยบ flaps, nose down, adjust throttle back. Go for 500 fpm descent at 60 knots. Turn base (shallow bank, keep descending), add 10ยบ flaps, nose down, throttle back. Airspeed 60kn. Turn final, line up with the center of the runway, add 10ยบ flaps, nose down, power back, 60kn, adjust glide path according to the lights, throttle back to idle after passing trees.
At one wingtip length above ground, level out. At a few inches above ground (ha!) bring the nose up, hold it there, and let the plane settle itself down. Bouncing not preferable.
To go round again, carb heat in, full throttle.
I just explained all this to Frank, and didn't have to stop and think at all. Mike says it will be different when we're not dodging Derby Day traffic and can just do it over and over.
The blimp was right there, and planes coming and going from Churchill Downs to pick up their signs (advertising).
There was a parking lot FULL of small (well, I guess that's relative) jets. We wondered if piloting one of them for the rich and famous folks would be neat or if it would be like being a bus driver where you spend a lot of time cleaning up after the partiers have gone. Mike says he'd do it anyway, no hesitation there.
What else? When you follow a jet in, you come in higher and land past the place where he landed so that you don't hit his wake.
When I got out of the plane, I remembered that I was wearing contacts, which I had completely forgotten, so that seems to have checked out ok.
I didn't space out on the radio this time, not that I did much radio, either.
Very enjoyable session.
Questions for next time:
How much "nose-up" are we supposed to have at touchdown? Have I been way under? Or just a little? Did I land on the front wheel?
Why was I wobbling on final approach? It happened most of the time. Mike says it's weird. He and I may not be seeing "center of the runway" as the same position, other than that I can't think of anything.
(Unrelated to touch and go) I want to see (feel) if it flies straight with one wing raised and rudder to hold on course (as in clearing before manuevering). I think I need to revisit rudder in general.
I had an appointment this morning to get my eyes checked (annual) and got contacts instead of updating my glasses. I had a heck of a time putting them in (which is why I haven't been wearing them all these years), but couldn't believe how they absolutely disappear once you get them in. Can't feel them at all, just see distance. I can't get bifocal contacts (something to do with astigmatism in one eye) so the rub is that when I'm wearing them, I can see well at a distance (and so much better looking around) but to read a sheet of paper in my hand or music on the piano or the computer screen, I have to wear reading glasses. We'll see how this goes. I was hoping it might fix my problem with seeing the music at HNB, but it doesn't look as if it will. I might just wear them for flying. I do like them a lot for being outside.
Low ceiling. Would have cancelled, but it's ok for touch-and-go, which is fine with me. First we talked a little about weather, then about landing pattern airspeeds and such.
Then I asked how anyone could ever afford to rent a plane for a trip. Turns out you don't pay by the hour, but by the time flown--for instance, you would likely have the plane for 7 days, but you only pay for the hours it flies. Alternatively, there are some places (for instance, someone in Lexington) where you rent for a flat fee and your gas. So it is possible.
Today's touch & go:
Rotate at 50kt, climb at 67kt to 800 ft, turn (shallow bank) crosswind to continue. Continue at 67kt to pattern altitude (1300 ft) after downwind turn. When you reach altitude, bring the nose down first, then adjust the power back (something like 2200 rpm).
Abeam of the runway (85kt max) add carb heat, 10ยบ flaps, nose down, adjust throttle back. Go for 500 fpm descent at 60 knots. Turn base (shallow bank, keep descending), add 10ยบ flaps, nose down, throttle back. Airspeed 60kn. Turn final, line up with the center of the runway, add 10ยบ flaps, nose down, power back, 60kn, adjust glide path according to the lights, throttle back to idle after passing trees.
At one wingtip length above ground, level out. At a few inches above ground (ha!) bring the nose up, hold it there, and let the plane settle itself down. Bouncing not preferable.
To go round again, carb heat in, full throttle.
I just explained all this to Frank, and didn't have to stop and think at all. Mike says it will be different when we're not dodging Derby Day traffic and can just do it over and over.
The blimp was right there, and planes coming and going from Churchill Downs to pick up their signs (advertising).
There was a parking lot FULL of small (well, I guess that's relative) jets. We wondered if piloting one of them for the rich and famous folks would be neat or if it would be like being a bus driver where you spend a lot of time cleaning up after the partiers have gone. Mike says he'd do it anyway, no hesitation there.
What else? When you follow a jet in, you come in higher and land past the place where he landed so that you don't hit his wake.
When I got out of the plane, I remembered that I was wearing contacts, which I had completely forgotten, so that seems to have checked out ok.
I didn't space out on the radio this time, not that I did much radio, either.
Very enjoyable session.
Questions for next time:
How much "nose-up" are we supposed to have at touchdown? Have I been way under? Or just a little? Did I land on the front wheel?
Why was I wobbling on final approach? It happened most of the time. Mike says it's weird. He and I may not be seeing "center of the runway" as the same position, other than that I can't think of anything.
(Unrelated to touch and go) I want to see (feel) if it flies straight with one wing raised and rudder to hold on course (as in clearing before manuevering). I think I need to revisit rudder in general.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
pilot's logbook
Taxiing, Steep turns, stalls, spin awareness, recovery, touch-and-go 1.7 hr
Clark County airport
Clark County airport
Log 5-31
Runway 6 touch & go. Today Mike did say I was flying a “pretty pattern” and it felt like it. I’m starting to know where I am and what I’m doing. It’s the sense of knowing where I am that makes the difference. I kept on top of altitude and airspeed & direction most of the time. One of the spots I used to miss was that first turn crosswind off the runway. I’d let the airspeed drop way too much without noticing.
I haven’t got that sense for the final approach and landing, yet. We keep talking about it. How high is high? How low is too low over the trees? Airspeed needs to be low coming in. Nose down for the descent, but then, don’t run us into the concrete. Level happens when????? When the airplane tries to drop itself down, (it does something different) that’s when you have to hold the nose up, but gradually (or is that when you bring it level?).
Flying again tomorrow morning.
Runway 6 touch & go. Today Mike did say I was flying a “pretty pattern” and it felt like it. I’m starting to know where I am and what I’m doing. It’s the sense of knowing where I am that makes the difference. I kept on top of altitude and airspeed & direction most of the time. One of the spots I used to miss was that first turn crosswind off the runway. I’d let the airspeed drop way too much without noticing.
I haven’t got that sense for the final approach and landing, yet. We keep talking about it. How high is high? How low is too low over the trees? Airspeed needs to be low coming in. Nose down for the descent, but then, don’t run us into the concrete. Level happens when????? When the airplane tries to drop itself down, (it does something different) that’s when you have to hold the nose up, but gradually (or is that when you bring it level?).
Flying again tomorrow morning.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
pilot's logbook
Taxiing, T/O, climbs, Vx, Vy, Stalls, Spin Awareness, Recovery, Landing
1.4 hr
Felt good today. A good portion of the time I just did what I wanted/needed to do, without all the brain interference. (Actually, there's still plenty that I'm leaving out, especially traffic awareness, tower communication, etc., but as far as the plane goes, I was at least connected to it.) Another lesson tomorrow morning. That will be three days in a row, which seems to help.
I asked about the throttle, and I checked it out. When it's on the ground, if you pull it all the way back, it might lope a little and you'd want to push it in a bit. In the air, all the way back is all the way back. The propeller still turns because of wind.
Brakes. Next time there's nobody around I'm going to play with the brakes some more.
I cut in on somebody on the radio.
Takeoff. We talked thru it before hand. Get clearance, full power, rotate at 50kn, using right rudder. Climb at 67kn (Vy). At about 800 ft, turn to N. Climb to 1700 until we cross the road (Indiana side of the river) 44? Then climb to 3000 or whatever.
Mike didn't touch anything on takeoff today.
Cruise rpm = 2200.
climb at full throttle.
Stall (simulated stall on landing): Flaps down. Pull the throttle ALL the way back. Hold the nose up. Pull hard to get it to stall.
As soon as the plane bucks, go full throttle, flaps up one notch, nose down to level. Check airspeed rise (needle going down). When it is, add another notch flaps, then check again. Last notch flaps.
Spin awareness. OK.
Turn around a point. Much better today. 2500 ft, "Wingtip length." I was able to keep an eye on altitude & airspeed while doing it. AND I didn't get queasy. At all.
Landing. It's coming along.
Mike says we'll do some touch and go at Clark County. After solo, I will go out to practice area and just practice (no steep turns), and find my way back. Then he and I will go together to different airports, and then I'll go there myself. Lexington, Bowling Green.
Bought a checksheet for the C152.
1.4 hr
Felt good today. A good portion of the time I just did what I wanted/needed to do, without all the brain interference. (Actually, there's still plenty that I'm leaving out, especially traffic awareness, tower communication, etc., but as far as the plane goes, I was at least connected to it.) Another lesson tomorrow morning. That will be three days in a row, which seems to help.
I asked about the throttle, and I checked it out. When it's on the ground, if you pull it all the way back, it might lope a little and you'd want to push it in a bit. In the air, all the way back is all the way back. The propeller still turns because of wind.
Brakes. Next time there's nobody around I'm going to play with the brakes some more.
I cut in on somebody on the radio.
Takeoff. We talked thru it before hand. Get clearance, full power, rotate at 50kn, using right rudder. Climb at 67kn (Vy). At about 800 ft, turn to N. Climb to 1700 until we cross the road (Indiana side of the river) 44? Then climb to 3000 or whatever.
Mike didn't touch anything on takeoff today.
Cruise rpm = 2200.
climb at full throttle.
Stall (simulated stall on landing): Flaps down. Pull the throttle ALL the way back. Hold the nose up. Pull hard to get it to stall.
As soon as the plane bucks, go full throttle, flaps up one notch, nose down to level. Check airspeed rise (needle going down). When it is, add another notch flaps, then check again. Last notch flaps.
Spin awareness. OK.
Turn around a point. Much better today. 2500 ft, "Wingtip length." I was able to keep an eye on altitude & airspeed while doing it. AND I didn't get queasy. At all.
Landing. It's coming along.
Mike says we'll do some touch and go at Clark County. After solo, I will go out to practice area and just practice (no steep turns), and find my way back. Then he and I will go together to different airports, and then I'll go there myself. Lexington, Bowling Green.
Bought a checksheet for the C152.
Monday, April 30, 2007
pilot's logbook
Taxiing, T/O, 360ยบ turns, stalls, spin awareness, turn around point. 1.5 hr.
Turn around a point. 1500 AGL
bank + bank -
fastest slowest
*
no bank

Enter with tailwind from here. The steepest turn will be first.
======================================
Rudder?
At lower airspeed and high torque, such as takeoff, right rudder is needed to counteract propellor.
On takeoff, right rudder is needed.
V(r) (rotation) = 50
V(x) (best angle)= 55
V(y) (best rate) = 67
==================
Angle of attack
Angle of incidence
Relative wind
=====================
Power off stall
1. Power off
2. Nose level / hold altitude
3. Full flaps
4. Ailerons neutral / hold heading
5. Coordinate rudder
6. Buffet / recover
Stall recovery:
feel buffeting, horn goes off
1. full power, take off 10ยบ flaps, nose level.
2. verify airspeed increase.
3. 10ยบ (next notch) flaps.
4. verify airspeed.
=====================
LH Spin
Neutralize ailerons
full right (opposite) rudder
gradually pull up
gradually bring up power
========================
No flaps on takeoff.
Spin messes up the heading indicator. Reset.
Keeping traffic in sight. Have to.
Ignition MAKE SURE IT IS ACTUALLY OFF!!!!!!!! LOOK!
Questions for next time:
Airport map & runway markings not magnetic north but corrected (true) north? How are the heading indicator and compass set?
At some point, Mike was "suggesting," "Maggie, fly the plane!" When was that? Takeoff?
Talk thru takeoff.
Clearance. (no flaps). Full power. Right rudder, ailerons into crosswind as needed. Rotate at 50 kn. V(y) is 67. If taking off 240, at some point hang a right toward the north. Stay below 1200? 1700? until we cross the road. What road? Then climb to whatever.
[Ken R. in Holy Name Band is a pilot. He says he flew for about 12 years. That'll give us something to talk about.]
Turn around a point. 1500 AGL
bank + bank -
fastest slowest
*
no bank

Enter with tailwind from here. The steepest turn will be first.
======================================
Rudder?
At lower airspeed and high torque, such as takeoff, right rudder is needed to counteract propellor.
On takeoff, right rudder is needed.
V(r) (rotation) = 50
V(x) (best angle)= 55
V(y) (best rate) = 67
==================
Angle of attack
Angle of incidence
Relative wind
=====================
Power off stall
1. Power off
2. Nose level / hold altitude
3. Full flaps
4. Ailerons neutral / hold heading
5. Coordinate rudder
6. Buffet / recover
Stall recovery:
feel buffeting, horn goes off
1. full power, take off 10ยบ flaps, nose level.
2. verify airspeed increase.
3. 10ยบ (next notch) flaps.
4. verify airspeed.
=====================
LH Spin
Neutralize ailerons
full right (opposite) rudder
gradually pull up
gradually bring up power
========================
No flaps on takeoff.
Spin messes up the heading indicator. Reset.
Keeping traffic in sight. Have to.
Ignition MAKE SURE IT IS ACTUALLY OFF!!!!!!!! LOOK!
Questions for next time:
Airport map & runway markings not magnetic north but corrected (true) north? How are the heading indicator and compass set?
At some point, Mike was "suggesting," "Maggie, fly the plane!" When was that? Takeoff?
Talk thru takeoff.
Clearance. (no flaps). Full power. Right rudder, ailerons into crosswind as needed. Rotate at 50 kn. V(y) is 67. If taking off 240, at some point hang a right toward the north. Stay below 1200? 1700? until we cross the road. What road? Then climb to whatever.
[Ken R. in Holy Name Band is a pilot. He says he flew for about 12 years. That'll give us something to talk about.]
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Macbook
Yet another surprising use for the macbook. Already it has become my audio recorder for choir: just open it up, run Sound Studio and press record. The recording can last for several hours, so I can set it up well before mass and catch the whole thing. No more waiting until the last moment to start and then forgetting to do it, no more transferring from minidisk to computer. The quality of the built-in mic is plenty good enough for my needs, which is to review what we're doing in choir.
Now it's a scanner, too. Not perfect, as you can see, but it will work in a pinch. I'll have to do a little processing, but not too much. Sharon would like an easier arrangement of this song, Your Only Son. I've got what I need to make it.
Friday, April 27, 2007
pilot's logbook
I'm reading Saint Exupery (from Alex). That man positively floods you with his passion and love for flying and life. What could be better?
No flying here today. Rain. Low ceiling. I signed up with Mike for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Maybe I can get up to speed on some of the basics if I can just manage to work on it regularly. Tonight I'm reading and re-teaching myself Centigrade to Fahrenheit conversion and 360-degree compass headings and such. And signing up a few more piano students to help pay for this adventure.
I've certainly never felt so supported and encouraged as I do now. I've been dumbfounded at the people who have just come out from nowhere to make sure that all goes well. Everybody should feel like this!
No flying here today. Rain. Low ceiling. I signed up with Mike for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Maybe I can get up to speed on some of the basics if I can just manage to work on it regularly. Tonight I'm reading and re-teaching myself Centigrade to Fahrenheit conversion and 360-degree compass headings and such. And signing up a few more piano students to help pay for this adventure.
I've certainly never felt so supported and encouraged as I do now. I've been dumbfounded at the people who have just come out from nowhere to make sure that all goes well. Everybody should feel like this!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
3 packages in the mail
I received a marvelous package from Alex R. this morning. He sent books and photos. The books are "The Proficient Pilot," by Barry Schiff, "Fate is the Hunter," by Ernest K. Gann, "Rod Machado's Plane Talk," and "Wind, Sand and Stars," by Antione de Saint Exupery. As I wrote back to Alex, I've been grinning ear-to-ear ever since I opened the box. I headed off to work with SaintExupery in my day planner, and I admit to reading it it church.
Alex's photos are his own--flying a B-17, a P-51 Mustang, and most of all his regular job--flying the C-46 in Alaska. I've got them playing on my iMac right now.
My second box was my $25 copy of the Jeppesen "Private Pilot Manual." Mike recommends it, and I can give Barry's back to him. I can see why they like it. I actually feel as if I understand the mechanical sections, so it's got to be good.
The third package was music for all the beginning piano students I'm signing up. Funny thing, all the students I inherited from Amy have been girls. These new kids are all boys. I think I'll schedule summer lessons kindof like they do the flying lessons. It might be a better way to handle all the unpredictability of summer so I won't end up tied down for hours when people don't show up. I'm applying some of the other non-flying things I picked up from Mike and am amazed at how well it works. I think I was in a rut and I'm waking up from it.
If Mike hadn't been wearing his salesman hat when I wandered into Air Center One looking for ground school, I wonder where I would be now? Maybe just somewhere else, but likely I would have let the whole flying thing fizzle out instead of jumping (falling) in.
I'm behind in my notes. Hopefully I'll get last lesson jotted down before I go tomorrow. Hopefuly the weather and karma will cooperate. Hopefully tomorrow is the day that I discover some of my venerable synapses and neurons have started cross-wiring themselves for their new duties.
Alex's photos are his own--flying a B-17, a P-51 Mustang, and most of all his regular job--flying the C-46 in Alaska. I've got them playing on my iMac right now.
My second box was my $25 copy of the Jeppesen "Private Pilot Manual." Mike recommends it, and I can give Barry's back to him. I can see why they like it. I actually feel as if I understand the mechanical sections, so it's got to be good.
The third package was music for all the beginning piano students I'm signing up. Funny thing, all the students I inherited from Amy have been girls. These new kids are all boys. I think I'll schedule summer lessons kindof like they do the flying lessons. It might be a better way to handle all the unpredictability of summer so I won't end up tied down for hours when people don't show up. I'm applying some of the other non-flying things I picked up from Mike and am amazed at how well it works. I think I was in a rut and I'm waking up from it.
If Mike hadn't been wearing his salesman hat when I wandered into Air Center One looking for ground school, I wonder where I would be now? Maybe just somewhere else, but likely I would have let the whole flying thing fizzle out instead of jumping (falling) in.
I'm behind in my notes. Hopefully I'll get last lesson jotted down before I go tomorrow. Hopefuly the weather and karma will cooperate. Hopefully tomorrow is the day that I discover some of my venerable synapses and neurons have started cross-wiring themselves for their new duties.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
pilot's logbook
XW T/O, Landings, steep turns. Turns around a point. Wind correction.
(I'm making these notes way too late. It's actually Thursday night the 26th. Gotta do better, maybe before I go anywhere else after the lesson.)
* I made sure my hair was our of the way of the headset, and that made a big difference.
* Better control of the plane today. At least one of the 360 degree turns was right on. There wasn't a clear horizon line, so I watched the inside controls a more, but I'm looking forward to a clear day.
* It does help that I figured out that to hold a particular airspeed you nose down to make the needle go down and pull up to make the needle go up (on the right hand side of the dial where I am anyway). Along with that, Mike says the actual airspeed doesn't matter that much as long as it's within a range. (pretty much in the green)(?)
* Joy! I suddenly understood how easy it can be to keep track of the wind direction by looking at the numbers on the heading indicator. If the wind is from 180 deg, you just see how 180 relates to the graphic of the airplane. (Mike's scratching his head here. Actually, he doesn't give much away in the way of reactions. Maybe being a CFI teaches you to be really laid back.)
* When we were talking about avoiding other traffic, Mike told me about his friend Chris (who I actually met when I was at Clark Co. Airport with Barry last week.) He complimented Chris, saying he was an excellent pilot. I think I asked him in what way, and Mike said Chris was the kind of person who really knows everthing there is to know about piloting, and if you ask him a question he doesn't know the answer to, he'll dig until he finds it.
* Mike says he (Mike) is different. He's ok with saying "I don't know," he'd rather be flying the planes. I like that.
* Thank goodness I hadn't eaten breakfast. We were considering setting down at Clark County. Annoying.
* Insight after the fact: that cockpit is really small. It's way too easy to be in somebody else's space and not realize it.
Like the picture of our plane? Google has everything.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Alex
Know what I'm doing right now? I went to Google images and dragged every image of an altimeter I could find over to a word processor page, and spread them all out so that I can practice reading the damn thing. Maybe even just finding it.
Ah, give it another week. <grin>
Ah, give it another week. <grin>
Saturday, April 21, 2007
pilot's logbook
AM: Barry sent me a volunteer opportunity. Go help out at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation booth for Day-Before-Thunder-Over-Louisville. I met Carol & Mike Brady, Bonnie, Annette (works at Air National Guard), Laura (from Ohio), Lee (pilots the big green plane that they all came in), J___, piloted the Huey I rode in, Leia (works for nursing homes, Jim Shaeffer (part owner of planes and/or other at Air Center One), and a lot of other people whose names have already slipped out of my head.
We had a great spot to watch the air show (probably a complete rehearsal for Thunder). F-16, A-10 Warthog/Thunderbird?, P-38? Thunderbird?, Navy Seals. The AAHF had Hueys, Cobras and Apaches. Riding in the Huey was amazingly smooth.
Lesson with Mike:
Taxiing, climbs, descents, steep turns, stalls, slow flight, landing.
When I came in, Mike was upstairs with a student, and Dane asked me whether I wanted to go ahead and preflight the C152. OK. I had plenty of time to do it, because Dane forgot to tell Mike that I was there, and he was waiting inside for me. oops.
I'm glad it worked out that way. I felt like I knew what I was doing for the most part, and the things I didn't know were:
Fuel strainer (pull the white gizmo beside the oil checker, while reaching underneath to check the gas that comes out.)
Carborator air filter (down under the nose, check it for debris)
Avionics cooling fan (still don't know about that one)
Avionics off. Switch (down or up? It's the silver toggle switch that's not marked)
So, that's one section of this stuff that I feel confident about. It's not this big confusing list anymore.
Flying was more difficult than it should have been. I wasn't "multitasking" well at all. Half the time the flight instruments seem like they work backwards of what I expect (direction-wise). And while I don't have any problem with nose up=pull back, nosedown=push forward, adding one more step, ie. "hold airspeed at 70 knots" means I'm watching the airspeed indicator and forgetting how this chain of thought works to keep it correct. (Figuring this out, to bring the needle down, take the nose down. This only works on the right side of the dial, but if I get the moves there, I'll have it.). Now, if I could just do the same for the altimeter. It doesn't speak to me yet. Maybe some altimeter flash cards. If it works to teach 6-year-olds how to tell time, it might work for me.
I kept losing altitude on my turns, and coming out of them late. Think about how far 100 feet is from the ground, and then think how easily you lose that much in the air. Mind-boggling. I hadn't thought of that until Mike mentioned it.
At one point, Mike asked me whether I was scared of what might happen so he showed me a little more what the plane will or won't do. I don't think I'm scared. I just don't feel it yet, and I'm used to doing things by feel. Also being good at whatever I do. Talk about being out of your comfort zone!
Even though I was using Barry's headset, I was still having problems hearing thru it. We ended up ditching the headsets and just shouting. I'm going to check prices on the David Clark headsets and the AvComm200.
I asked about when you decide to use the throttle to make a difference in altitude, and when you use pitch. Ans: big changes (more than a couple of hundred feet) probably raise or lower the RPM. We did a sideslip. That's cool.
Looking back at this, it almost looks like it wasn't a good lesson. But actually, it was. Even though it took me most of the evening to get in the groove at all, I felt a lot less uptight. (I give Mike a lot of credit --he handles that well.) I scheduled three lessons next week. Mon Wed & Fri, all in the morning. Maybe that will be enough to get us over this particular hump. After that, it will just be fun.
Frank and I talked about all this. He was being really convincing that he not only doesn't mind me doing all this, but really, really, wants me to do it and do it well.
We had a great spot to watch the air show (probably a complete rehearsal for Thunder). F-16, A-10 Warthog/Thunderbird?, P-38? Thunderbird?, Navy Seals. The AAHF had Hueys, Cobras and Apaches. Riding in the Huey was amazingly smooth.
Lesson with Mike:
Taxiing, climbs, descents, steep turns, stalls, slow flight, landing.
When I came in, Mike was upstairs with a student, and Dane asked me whether I wanted to go ahead and preflight the C152. OK. I had plenty of time to do it, because Dane forgot to tell Mike that I was there, and he was waiting inside for me. oops.
I'm glad it worked out that way. I felt like I knew what I was doing for the most part, and the things I didn't know were:
Fuel strainer (pull the white gizmo beside the oil checker, while reaching underneath to check the gas that comes out.)
Carborator air filter (down under the nose, check it for debris)
Avionics cooling fan (still don't know about that one)
Avionics off. Switch (down or up? It's the silver toggle switch that's not marked)
So, that's one section of this stuff that I feel confident about. It's not this big confusing list anymore.
Flying was more difficult than it should have been. I wasn't "multitasking" well at all. Half the time the flight instruments seem like they work backwards of what I expect (direction-wise). And while I don't have any problem with nose up=pull back, nosedown=push forward, adding one more step, ie. "hold airspeed at 70 knots" means I'm watching the airspeed indicator and forgetting how this chain of thought works to keep it correct. (Figuring this out, to bring the needle down, take the nose down. This only works on the right side of the dial, but if I get the moves there, I'll have it.
I kept losing altitude on my turns, and coming out of them late. Think about how far 100 feet is from the ground, and then think how easily you lose that much in the air. Mind-boggling. I hadn't thought of that until Mike mentioned it.
At one point, Mike asked me whether I was scared of what might happen so he showed me a little more what the plane will or won't do. I don't think I'm scared. I just don't feel it yet, and I'm used to doing things by feel. Also being good at whatever I do. Talk about being out of your comfort zone!
Even though I was using Barry's headset, I was still having problems hearing thru it. We ended up ditching the headsets and just shouting. I'm going to check prices on the David Clark headsets and the AvComm200.
I asked about when you decide to use the throttle to make a difference in altitude, and when you use pitch. Ans: big changes (more than a couple of hundred feet) probably raise or lower the RPM. We did a sideslip. That's cool.
Looking back at this, it almost looks like it wasn't a good lesson. But actually, it was. Even though it took me most of the evening to get in the groove at all, I felt a lot less uptight. (I give Mike a lot of credit --he handles that well.) I scheduled three lessons next week. Mon Wed & Fri, all in the morning. Maybe that will be enough to get us over this particular hump. After that, it will just be fun.
Frank and I talked about all this. He was being really convincing that he not only doesn't mind me doing all this, but really, really, wants me to do it and do it well.
Monday, April 16, 2007
pilot's logbook
I spent this morning with Carmel and her friend, Steve, who is a tree farmer in Henry County. Carmel wants to know more about managing the timber at the farm. Sounds good to me.
Flying lesson # 4.
Taxiing, climbs, descents, XW, T/O, landing, steep turns, wind correction, pilotage.
First we talked about landing. Mike gave me the V airspeed info for our C152. I went out to do the exterior check. There actually was something in the gas--it looked like worms in the tester. Mike says oil. I also had a hard time seeing the gas level in the wing tanks, and that's because there wasn't much in there.
"Bowman Ground, Cessna 69011 at Air Central One information Victor to depart runway 32. " Something like that. What?
Takeoff with a cross-wind: hold ailerons all the way into the wind on the runway. Let them level gradually on (before?) rotation. More attempts at straight-and-level, climbing and descending, medium turns and steep turns, setting the trim correctly. It was a beautiful day. Mike had me glide, and we made an attempt at a run-through for an emergency landing in a field. I practiced following a road, having to crab the plane into the wind to do it. Coming back, he had me figure out how to get home, and it's really hard to see the airports. But there are two breaks in the trees, and one was Bowman and one was Standiford.
As we were coming in, there was another plane near us, and I understood the radio telling us that, but I never saw him. Mike did, eventually, and he was right under us. Gotta work on that!
Good session. I was bushed at the end of it. Mike did say one thing that made sense. What if he were trying to learn the flute, and had spent 5 hours at it? How far along would he be? That's telling.
I want to remember to print off the info for that pilot kit and take it to Mike.
Also it occurs to me that all the time we were practicing using headings, I guess with the wind, we weren't actually moving in the direction of the compass. I'll ask Mike about that. Also, I want to spend a little more time just watching Mike fly. He's good.I know how my brain works. I'll soak it up more smoothly if I do that.
During the night the Standiford Field traffic woke me up. They must have been flying base right over our house, one jet every two minutes, for at least a half-hour. Then it stopped.
Flying lesson # 4.
Taxiing, climbs, descents, XW, T/O, landing, steep turns, wind correction, pilotage.
First we talked about landing. Mike gave me the V airspeed info for our C152. I went out to do the exterior check. There actually was something in the gas--it looked like worms in the tester. Mike says oil. I also had a hard time seeing the gas level in the wing tanks, and that's because there wasn't much in there.
"Bowman Ground, Cessna 69011 at Air Central One information Victor to depart runway 32. " Something like that. What?
Takeoff with a cross-wind: hold ailerons all the way into the wind on the runway. Let them level gradually on (before?) rotation. More attempts at straight-and-level, climbing and descending, medium turns and steep turns, setting the trim correctly. It was a beautiful day. Mike had me glide, and we made an attempt at a run-through for an emergency landing in a field. I practiced following a road, having to crab the plane into the wind to do it. Coming back, he had me figure out how to get home, and it's really hard to see the airports. But there are two breaks in the trees, and one was Bowman and one was Standiford.
As we were coming in, there was another plane near us, and I understood the radio telling us that, but I never saw him. Mike did, eventually, and he was right under us. Gotta work on that!
Good session. I was bushed at the end of it. Mike did say one thing that made sense. What if he were trying to learn the flute, and had spent 5 hours at it? How far along would he be? That's telling.
I want to remember to print off the info for that pilot kit and take it to Mike.
Also it occurs to me that all the time we were practicing using headings, I guess with the wind, we weren't actually moving in the direction of the compass. I'll ask Mike about that. Also, I want to spend a little more time just watching Mike fly. He's good.I know how my brain works. I'll soak it up more smoothly if I do that.
During the night the Standiford Field traffic woke me up. They must have been flying base right over our house, one jet every two minutes, for at least a half-hour. Then it stopped.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Southern Indiana Airports
Barry invited me to go flying. He has a beautiful plane, a blue and white 1972 Piper Cherokee 140E.
I met him behind Hap's at Clark County Airport on one of the first nice sunny warmish days we've had for a while. Lots of people had the same idea. We flew to Seymour Airport where he was checking on some Civil Air Patrol planes that are in for maintenance.
Next we flew to Madison Airport. I didn't know these neat places existed. Barry introduced me to at least a dozen interesting people. There was lots to watch, listen to, and talk about.
I met him behind Hap's at Clark County Airport on one of the first nice sunny warmish days we've had for a while. Lots of people had the same idea. We flew to Seymour Airport where he was checking on some Civil Air Patrol planes that are in for maintenance.
Next we flew to Madison Airport. I didn't know these neat places existed. Barry introduced me to at least a dozen interesting people. There was lots to watch, listen to, and talk about.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Jericho
A storm came through and knocked out the internet and cable just about the time Jericho was supposed to come on. Rats!
Medical exam
I got my second class medical certificate today. Dr. Glen Stoutt was great fun to talk to. He must love flying, and he sure likes talking to people.
My blood pressure has never been high until the last couple months, when it's crept up a little bit. (Why now?) The second time he took it it was within limits, but I'll have to work on that. Too close for comfort.
I'll have to stop taking phentermine. Hopefully it got me started on the weight loss, and I'll be able to continue.
The eye test was close, too, but it's past time to have my glasses checked. While I'm at it, I probably need to make my current pair into sunglasses, since I don't have any bifocal sunglasses. Or maybe I should get the automatic tint glasses. If I'm wearing sunglasses and need to read something on a chart, will I be able to see it with the tint? Gotta think this one thru, too.
I'm reviewing and reading.
Next lesson I plan to:
Spend as much time as it takes to get the headset right. I'll get with Barry before Monday and take the one he offered to lend me.
Start echoing back to Mike what he has me doing. That way maybe I'll remember more of the details and also get more used to the terminology.
Use better rudder & trim.
Questions:
The handbook goes into a lot of detail for different degrees of turn. It says that for a 30-degree (medium) turn you should use ailerons, elevator and rudder to set the turn, then relax the ailerons and rudder, but hold the elevators. The plane is supposed to hold its bank. Then to get out of the turn, you apply the controls in the opposite direction. I don't think that ever happened when I was doing those 360degree turns. I had to hold the controls the whole time. I think.
Check some of my flash card answers with Mike. Landing procedures, optimum speeds,
Since I only had one lesson this week, maybe I can get in three next week. Debbie just called and said they had made a mistake and underpaid me by $50 a month all year. It's a sign--more practice. I'll have to thank Sherry for the windfall.
My blood pressure has never been high until the last couple months, when it's crept up a little bit. (Why now?) The second time he took it it was within limits, but I'll have to work on that. Too close for comfort.
I'll have to stop taking phentermine. Hopefully it got me started on the weight loss, and I'll be able to continue.
The eye test was close, too, but it's past time to have my glasses checked. While I'm at it, I probably need to make my current pair into sunglasses, since I don't have any bifocal sunglasses. Or maybe I should get the automatic tint glasses. If I'm wearing sunglasses and need to read something on a chart, will I be able to see it with the tint? Gotta think this one thru, too.
I'm reviewing and reading.
Next lesson I plan to:
Spend as much time as it takes to get the headset right. I'll get with Barry before Monday and take the one he offered to lend me.
Start echoing back to Mike what he has me doing. That way maybe I'll remember more of the details and also get more used to the terminology.
Use better rudder & trim.
Questions:
The handbook goes into a lot of detail for different degrees of turn. It says that for a 30-degree (medium) turn you should use ailerons, elevator and rudder to set the turn, then relax the ailerons and rudder, but hold the elevators. The plane is supposed to hold its bank. Then to get out of the turn, you apply the controls in the opposite direction. I don't think that ever happened when I was doing those 360degree turns. I had to hold the controls the whole time. I think.
Check some of my flash card answers with Mike. Landing procedures, optimum speeds,
Since I only had one lesson this week, maybe I can get in three next week. Debbie just called and said they had made a mistake and underpaid me by $50 a month all year. It's a sign--more practice. I'll have to thank Sherry for the windfall.
Monday, April 09, 2007
pilot's logbook
C-152 N69011 LOU LOU Preflight, Taxiing, climbs, descents, straight & level, T/O & landing, steep turns. 1-1/2 hr.
All right! This is possible. Without all the wind of the last two flights, we had an entirely different experience. I was worried. Now I'm not.
Preflight is starting to make sense.
I pretty much followed the yellow line when taxiing, which is a HUGE improvement over last time.
Takeoff makes sense. Mike was telling me what to do, but it doesn't feel difficult. The plane does all the work.
We flew over Indiana today. Lots of practice trying to hold a 30-degree bank and keep level, also practice climbing steadily. It's not steady yet, but at least I'm starting to feel it and to know what it all looks like when it's right. This time I was looking outside for most of the verification, and checking with the instruments. The amount of bank you have to do to show 30 degrees on instruments looks a whole lot more like 45 degrees out the window.
We worked on maintaining airspeed by changing the pitch.
I learned how to set the trim.
At one point, Mike had me take the plane up to 5,000 ft and head back S toward the river, about 15 miles. We pulled the engine back to just idle, so essentially we were gliding. Now THAT was interesting. The plane just hangs there, moving along, doing its thing. Coming back in, Mike had me take the river to 6-Mile Island, then hang a left toward Kaden Tower. Bowman Field is on the right. Now I can't remember how the last turn(s) were. Did I just hang a right and go in? I don't remember.
Looking forward to next Monday!
All right! This is possible. Without all the wind of the last two flights, we had an entirely different experience. I was worried. Now I'm not.
Preflight is starting to make sense.
I pretty much followed the yellow line when taxiing, which is a HUGE improvement over last time.
Takeoff makes sense. Mike was telling me what to do, but it doesn't feel difficult. The plane does all the work.
We flew over Indiana today. Lots of practice trying to hold a 30-degree bank and keep level, also practice climbing steadily. It's not steady yet, but at least I'm starting to feel it and to know what it all looks like when it's right. This time I was looking outside for most of the verification, and checking with the instruments. The amount of bank you have to do to show 30 degrees on instruments looks a whole lot more like 45 degrees out the window.
We worked on maintaining airspeed by changing the pitch.
I learned how to set the trim.
At one point, Mike had me take the plane up to 5,000 ft and head back S toward the river, about 15 miles. We pulled the engine back to just idle, so essentially we were gliding. Now THAT was interesting. The plane just hangs there, moving along, doing its thing. Coming back in, Mike had me take the river to 6-Mile Island, then hang a left toward Kaden Tower. Bowman Field is on the right. Now I can't remember how the last turn(s) were. Did I just hang a right and go in? I don't remember.
Looking forward to next Monday!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Pilot's logbook
4/6 C-152 N69011 LOU LOU Taxiing, Preflight, straight & level, climbs, descents, XW T/O, Landing. 1 hr.
I went up, and it was a beautiful day. Gusty winds, again, but a cloud of snow that Mike had me go into just a little, which was beautiful. But I barely noticed that, because I was so busy torturing that little airplane trying to keep it steady and such.
A number of useful things happened. At one point, Mike complimented me on how I handled a big bump of wind. I told him I didn't do it, the plane did it herself, which was worth noticing.
He had me flying straight-and-level and making turns. At one point he told me it was like we were in a "big parking lot."
That helped. And MIke ran the throttle the whole time, which was better than me doing it. I think I need to get a better sense of what is normal, how the plane sounds and feels when it is right instead of all the individual details and instruments and stuff inside the cockpit being separate and confusing input.
After the lesson, I asked for homework and Mike assigned me to read the FAA chapter on straight-and-level flight and turns, and as soon as I turned to the page, I saw the piece that I've been missing. It's under "Integrated Flight Instruction" on pg. 3-3.
This sounds like what I WANT to be doing, anyway. I'll read and visualize this chapter as much as possible, and then show it to Mike and ask if he'll work on it with me Monday.
I 'm going to go to Google Earth and look at Bowman Field and at the area between there and Shelbyville. I think I'll print a copy and ask Mike to help me mark on it where it is we fly. He told me, but I want to be a lot more clear and set myself things to look for.
Barry sent me an article on how to taxi. I'll read it next. I'm not even going to go into how badly I move that airplane on the ground. It's really humbling.
It's probably good for me as a teacher. We have a story that we sometimes snicker about--when Beth was driving, but hadn't been doing it very long, and she got into the car and said "Gas on the right, brake on the left." Whoever was riding with her about had a cow. Well, that's where I am with these controls. I'm saying aloud: Push in, go forward. Pull back, stop. I'm looking at a directional indicator and asking myself, do I go right or left to get to (whatever heading)? I might see all my piano students in a different light when we start up after spring break.
I'm also determined that if I can make a cranky old pipe organ behave with finesse and class, I can do this, too. Ha!
I went up, and it was a beautiful day. Gusty winds, again, but a cloud of snow that Mike had me go into just a little, which was beautiful. But I barely noticed that, because I was so busy torturing that little airplane trying to keep it steady and such.
A number of useful things happened. At one point, Mike complimented me on how I handled a big bump of wind. I told him I didn't do it, the plane did it herself, which was worth noticing.
He had me flying straight-and-level and making turns. At one point he told me it was like we were in a "big parking lot."
That helped. And MIke ran the throttle the whole time, which was better than me doing it. I think I need to get a better sense of what is normal, how the plane sounds and feels when it is right instead of all the individual details and instruments and stuff inside the cockpit being separate and confusing input.
After the lesson, I asked for homework and Mike assigned me to read the FAA chapter on straight-and-level flight and turns, and as soon as I turned to the page, I saw the piece that I've been missing. It's under "Integrated Flight Instruction" on pg. 3-3.
This means the use of outside references and flight instruments to establish and maintain desired flight attitudes and airplane performance...
The airplane's attitude is established and maintained by positioning the airplane in relation to the natural horizon. At least 90 percent of the pilot's attention should be devoted to this end, along with scanning for other airplanes.
90% of the time, the pilot's attention should be outside the cockpit. No more than 10% of the pilot's attention should be inside the cockpit...
If the airplane's performance, as indicated by flight instruments, indicates a need for correction, a specific amount of correction must be determined, then applied WITH REFERENCE TO THE NATURAL HORIZON. The airplane's attitude and performance are then rechecked by referring to the flight instruments. THE PILOT THEN MAINTAINS THE CORRECTED ATTITUDE BY REFERENCE TO THE NATURAL HORIZON.
The pilot should monitor the airplane's performance by making numerous quick glances at the flight instruments. No more than 10 percent of the pilot's attention should be inside the cockpit. The pilot must develop the skill to instantly focus on the appropriate flight instrument, and then immediately return to outside reference to control the airplane's attitude.
Level flight, at first, is a matter of consciously fixing the relationship of the positions of some portion of the airplane, used as a reference point, with the horizon ... maintain a light grip on the flight controls ... learn to associate the apparent movement of the references with the forces which produce it. ... develop the ability to regulate the change desired in the plane's attitude by the amount and direction of forces applied to the controls without the necessity of
To establish the desired angle of bank,the pilot should use outside visual reference points, as well as the bank indicator on the attitude indicator.
The best outside reference for establishing the degree of bank is the angle formed by ... the lowered wing of high-wing airplanes.
This sounds like what I WANT to be doing, anyway. I'll read and visualize this chapter as much as possible, and then show it to Mike and ask if he'll work on it with me Monday.
I 'm going to go to Google Earth and look at Bowman Field and at the area between there and Shelbyville. I think I'll print a copy and ask Mike to help me mark on it where it is we fly. He told me, but I want to be a lot more clear and set myself things to look for.
Barry sent me an article on how to taxi. I'll read it next. I'm not even going to go into how badly I move that airplane on the ground. It's really humbling.
It's probably good for me as a teacher. We have a story that we sometimes snicker about--when Beth was driving, but hadn't been doing it very long, and she got into the car and said "Gas on the right, brake on the left." Whoever was riding with her about had a cow. Well, that's where I am with these controls. I'm saying aloud: Push in, go forward. Pull back, stop. I'm looking at a directional indicator and asking myself, do I go right or left to get to (whatever heading)? I might see all my piano students in a different light when we start up after spring break.
I'm also determined that if I can make a cranky old pipe organ behave with finesse and class, I can do this, too. Ha!
Friday, April 06, 2007
Jericho--"One Man's Terrorist"
I didn't get to watch Jericho at its regular time, so I got the next edition from iTunes on Thursday. "One Man's Terrorist" was pretty powerful. It came together with the Holy Thursday mass, how it plays out the idea of service, loyalty, conviction, and the conflicts that develop from those values. The other thing that you noticed with this episode was the tension caused by the availablity of weapons and acceptance of violent methods in service of those values. Simply because weapons were available, the situations could, and did, veer into catastrophe at any point.
Very American.
Very American.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Holy Thursday Morning Prayer St. Joe 6:30 AM
This morning Fr. Bill presided at morning prayer. He introduced it beautifully as the beginning of the Triduum. There were about 35 people who came. Sharon and I were doing the song leading. I could tell Sharon was a little nervous about being by herself on the other side of the church, but she did a fine job of starting everyone on that side and keeping them together when we sang antiphonally. I did record, so maybe I'll have something worth keeping.
Practical stuff: We needed more choir. We defaulted to me singing solo and the people in church singing the alternating verses, which is actually ok, but not what we had intended. I recruited Pat and her husband to come on my side and sing tomorrow, and Bill will be there with Sharon, so that should fix it for tomorrow.
Also, I ran over Fr. Bill's reflection by starting the Gospel Canticle. Habit, I guess. How often do I ever attend MP with a priest as the presider? Almost never.
This is just nit-picky stuff to remember in facilitating next year. It was a beautiful service. Someday hopefully someone will want to do it more often than two days of the year. We sing again tomorrow--Good Friday.
Practical stuff: We needed more choir. We defaulted to me singing solo and the people in church singing the alternating verses, which is actually ok, but not what we had intended. I recruited Pat and her husband to come on my side and sing tomorrow, and Bill will be there with Sharon, so that should fix it for tomorrow.
Also, I ran over Fr. Bill's reflection by starting the Gospel Canticle. Habit, I guess. How often do I ever attend MP with a priest as the presider? Almost never.
This is just nit-picky stuff to remember in facilitating next year. It was a beautiful service. Someday hopefully someone will want to do it more often than two days of the year. We sing again tomorrow--Good Friday.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Pilot's logbook
4/4 C-152 LOU LOU Taxiing, Preflight, Straight& Level, Turns (30 degree), T/O & landing, XW
I had my first lesson today. AirCenterOne is located at Bowman Field (KLOU). My instructor is Michael Bingham, CFI.
At first we were going to cancel because the weather was "marginal"-- clouds and gusty winds. I suggested we spend the hour doing Q&A and informational stuff. After I got there, we decided to go up anyway.
Mike walked me thru the pre-flight inspection. Then we got in and I was introduced to the rest of the procedures. Most of it made sense, but there was an awful lot of it. Sensory overload. The Cessna C152 is going to be fun, but actually I didn't feel too much fun today. There's a huge difference between riding and trying to be in a position of understanding and responsibility for what goes on. Also, by the end I was feeling a little green around the gills.
So far, I suck at taxiing. Were we ever on the yellow line? I guess I crossed it several times.
All the moves are things I am not at all used to. To taxi, you drive with your feet (for direction) and one hand on the throttle for speed. Brakes are at the top of the rudder pedals. At first you basically run the machine with one hand on the throttle. That's seemed to be the operative issue from ground to some kind of cruising state, and it gets adjusted a lot during that time. The other hand is on the wheel in charge of ailerons and elevators. I never got any feel for that, either. I'll blame it on the winds. Mike was basically flying and I was messing him up, I think.
I'm learning a lot from Mike, and not just the aviation stuff. He's a real go-getter about the flight instructor business, and that's useful in itself. I should apply his example to my music lessons. I'll have to if I'm going to pay for all this. $176 today.
Some things he does:
* talk it through, talk it through, and keep on talking. What we're doing, why, how it works. I don't know how many times I'll have to hear it all before it clicks, so I'm glad he doesn't just leave it at short explanations.
* he's assertive about getting my business.
Takeoff was about like I expected, but landing surprised me. First of all, how you can ever get in line for that runway (but everyone learns how, right?) Interesting was how slow it felt when we were coming in for final approach. It's like the plane stops and hovers and hangs and then sinks. (I doubt it will seem slow when I have to do it, but that's how it felt today).
We're going up again on Friday.
The owner of Air Center One is Tony, and I met about 8 other pilots and instructors. Do I remember any names? No.
I talked to the people at Bardstown Airfield (Honaker Aviation), also, but I think I'll wait 'til down the road to get in any contact with them. Eventually I'll want to, for proximity and networking, at least.
I also sent an email to (and heard back from) a local person who is willing to be a mentor. His name is Barry, and he looks to be interested and interesting. He flies his plane out of the Clark County Airport, but I think he actually lives in Shepherdsville.
So I'll have local advice to add to Amy's friends Alex and Julie.
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