My friends-many of them are pilots too-tell me that this isn't normal. I just feel more comfortable with others around me. Is there anything wrong with wanting to fly with others instead of alone?
Sincerely,
Barb
Dear Barb,
I can understand why your friends are concerned, but I think their worry is probably misplaced. Consider this: The purpose of solo flight isn't really to give the flight instructor a rest-even though he or she may need it. Solo flights help students build confidence and self reliance. Therefore, if you've met the FAA's minimum solo requirement for private pilot certification, it's reasonable to assume that you have the necessary mettle to fly by yourself if you really want to.
Some people, however, don't like flying by themselves. They much prefer sharing aviation with others. For these folks, the choice is simple: Fly with others or don't fly. Of course, I'd rather have them fly with others than not fly at all.
I know several senior aviators who worry about becoming ill or incapacitated while they are airborne. While this hasn't happened to them, they worry about it, nevertheless. So they take another pilot along with them to ease their worry. This doesn't reflect on the quality of their piloting skills; it just means they want one less thing to worry about.
In my opinion, your desire to fly with others is perfectly normal behavior. Don't let it keep you from enjoying aviation.
Rod
Seeing Over The Cowling
Dear Rod,
I'm five feet, three inches tall and have about 36 hours of flying time, but still haven't soloed yet because I'm having a lot of trouble with landings. I'm flying a 1973 model Cessna 150, and I can't see much over the panel during the landing flare.
My instructor flatly refuses to let me use cushions. He says that this is an artificial crutch, and I may have to fly an airplane without cushions someday. Is he right? What should I say to him?
Sincerely,
Tina
Dear Tina,
If you're five feet, three inches tall and you're flying that model Cessna 150 without any extra cushions, then you must be one heck of an instrument pilot. I can't imagine how you could know when to flare unless you called the tower and asked for a pull-back-now alert.
Learning to flare means knowing where the runway is. So please go get yourself some cushions now-lots of them. Perch yourself high enough in the cockpit so that your eye level is just a little below the top left corner of the window.
I've often found that shorter students need a thick seat-back cushion to keep them sufficiently close to the rudder pedals as well as a chair seat cushion to help them see over the cowling. I've even had a student who needed to wear thick-heeled shoes just to reach the pedals.
As far as cushions being a crutch, well, they are a crutch. But so are eyeglasses, and I've never heard an instructor say, "Hey, let's get those glasses off, buddy. You're not practicing landings in my cockpit while you're wearing those things."
As far as having to fly without cushions one day, here's the solution to this problem: Don't fly without them (treat them the same way you would eyeglasses).
Rod
Turning With Trim
Dear Rod,
What do you think about letting my students use trim while they're practicing doing steep turns? I'm not so sure it's a good idea, but there seems to be a lot of heated disagreement between flight instructors at our school on this issue.
Thanks,
Bill
Greetings Bill,
Interesting question. Here's one way to think about it. First, consider the real purpose behind practicing steep turns. It's a maneuver that demonstrates the relationship between four things: bank, airspeed, load factor, and stall.
The maneuver ultimately shows students how a quick change in direction occurs at a price-a closer proximity to stall.
The increase in the apparent weight of the airplane (load factor) and the heavy elevator force are symptomatic of movement toward the critical angle of attack. You want the student to associate heavy stick forces with a decrease in the margin between flying and stalling. Eliminating the heavy stick forces by using trim deprives the pilot of this important cue.
Besides, a steep turn is a transient condition that doesn't require long periods of muscle exertion. You don't spend hours in a steep turn (if you do, make sure to wear a neck brace or have heavily starched collars).
Trimming during steep turns can be important if the student lacks the muscle to keep the airplane at a constant altitude with the higher control forces of such turns. (I've had it happen with a petite female student in a Cessna 182.)
The reality, though, is that even petite students must be able to hold altitude in a steep turn to pass a checkride. So, trim if necessary; if not, a little biceps action isn't likely to hurt anyone.
Rod
Doing The Rudder Dance
Dear Rod,
Do you have any secrets for getting my 16-year-old primary student to use the rudder? I can't get this youngster to work his feet.
Concerned,
Frank
Dear Frank,
Isn't it amazing that a 16-year-old can dance up a storm all night long but will treat a rudder pedal like a Claymore landmine?
Try this. As a general rule, if you want to improve an aspect of a behavior, then isolate that aspect for repetition. Have your student work only the rudders (nothing else) while you work the ailerons, elevator, and throttle.
Start from straight-and-level flight, then enter slow flight, then return to straight-and-level flight. The student's job is to keep the nose pointed straight ahead at all times, using only his feet.
Do the same thing for turns. Roll into and out of right and left turns, having him apply the appropriate amount of rudder. After a few practice sessions even Michael Jackson will be proud of his footwork.
Rod
Rod Machado is the national CFI spokesman for AOPA Flight Training and a noted aviation humorist.
