This really confuses me, because I can't tell if I made the landing or my instructor helped. Do you have any suggestions on how I can handle this problem?
Sincerely,
Raymond
Greetings Raymond:
First, I'm going to assume your landings aren't so tragic that each could inspire its own country-western song. I've seen a few that might have spawned such titles as You Nearly Blew Out My Life When You Blew Out the Tires or I'm Shedding Tears as Our Plane is Shedding Parts.
Given this assumption, it's unusual for an instructor to keep his or her hands on the controls once you've demonstrated a basic understanding of the landing flare. Hands floating over the controls like vultures hovering over a carcass don't help to inspire confidence, either. It's more common for the instructor to keep his hands resting on his knees (the quick-draw position) during the early phase of your training. This allows him plenty of time to keep a landing from going bad.
I suspect that your instructor is just being extra cautious. While this is often a good thing, it can prevent you from learning properly. Chat with him and say you don't feel you can develop confidence at landing if his hands (or feet) seem to be manipulating the controls.
At the very least, you could strike a deal. At an agreed-upon time in your training (perhaps a specific number of flight hours), his hands are to be retired to his lap.
Use A Hat Trick To Make IFR Simulator Practice More Challenging
Dear Rod:
Do you have any ideas about making IFR flight on my personal computer flight simulator more challenging? I'd like to become more instrument proficient using my flight simulation software, but I'm just flying around without much purpose. Please let me know what you think.
Thank you very much,
No Name, Please
Greetings No Name:
Flying around without a specific purpose has limited value. Yes, it's fun, but your instrument flying skills aren't necessarily being challenged or improved. So try the following. Take 10 or more strips of paper and write ATC approach clearances on the outside of the strips. These should be clearances from a general point in space (any location of your choosing) where you'll begin this exercise. The clearance should begin with a direct clearance to any VOR or NDB (or intersection if you're using GPS). From that intersection, clear yourself via any airway or route to the initial approach fix for an airport. You can even throw in a holding pattern anywhere along the route as part of this exercise. At the end of the clearance, have a statement that reads, "When reaching (name of IAF) open strip for approach clearance." On the inside of the strip, clear yourself for any specific type of instrument approach that can be flown from that IAF. Fold all the strips in half and place them inside a hat. As you begin your flight at the default location, reach into the hat, pull out any clearance, and then fly it. Work with one of your local CFIIs if you're not sure how to properly write these clearances.
To increase the challenge of this exercise, get an additional hat (you'll have to wear more than one for this exercise). On similar strips of paper, write instrument failure commands such as turn coordinator failure, attitude indicator failure, or number one navigation radio failure. Place these inside the second hat. Any time you want to increase the challenge of instrument flying, simulate a random instrument failure by pulling one or more problems (instead of a solution, of course) out of the hat. Simulating instrument failure on a PC screen is easy. Just cover the instrument you're told to fail with a Post-It. Of course, if your simulation device has a random instrument failure mode, then use this method instead.
There are many additional ways to increase the challenge of IFR flight on your PC simulator. You might try flying some of the larger and more complex airplanes available in the software. I personally use the Boeing 737 provided in Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2002 for many of my approaches. The additional speed and complex equipment are wonderful challenges that ultimately help to increase your instrument skill.
Currency Suggestions To Boost Confidence, Too
Dear Rod:
What is the best way to keep instrument current in an airplane? Here in the Northeast, we usually don't get too much usable IFR weather. From November to April, we have that lovely problem of icing in the clouds. Most of my training was done in very marginal VFR conditions or at night. The actual instrument conditions I did get into were lumpy, bumpy, wet cumulus clouds.
Do you have any suggestions for what to practice under the hood to keep the skills sharp? What type of approach gets you the best bang for the buck? How often would you do a partial-panel approach, and would you do unusual-attitude work or leave that to an instructor? Would you recommend doing it in the system or VFR with full approaches?
Thank you very much,
Bob
Greetings Bob:
Yes, icing does make the problem of staying instrument current difficult. And you can't just throw chains on the wings to solve the problem, either. Here's what I recommend.
First, let's make sure everyone understands that you're speaking of the recent instrument experience requirement as defined by FAR 61.57(c), which is often referred to as keeping current. The most efficient way to keep current is to take an IPC (instrument proficiency check) every six months. This works well if you're not able to fly IFR enough to remain current on your own.
While this may keep you legally current, it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll always feel confident with your instrument skills.
Therefore, if you are able to practice instrument flight on your own, I suggest you work on NDB approaches. In my opinion, NDB approaches are challenging because they require more analytical thought than do the typical VOR, LOC, or ILS approach. I'd also recommend NDB holding as well as the practice of intercepting bearings to and from a station.
Holding while using only a single VOR nav radio is also a great exercise. The objective is to challenge the mind while flying the airplane. These exercises will allow you to do both.
Regarding basic instrument maneuvers to increase your proficiency, nothing quite beats the vertical-S. This maneuver requires that you alternatively climb and descend between altitudes (say between 3,200 and 3,700 feet). You can also do this while alternating between headings (say between 180 and 360 degrees). You can select any combination of heading and altitude changes to enhance the challenge.
Finally, your ability to fly approaches and recover from unusual attitudes all while flying partial panel is a must for instrument confidence. I suggest you practice flying instrument approaches using only the turn coordinator, airspeed indicator, altimeter, and magnetic compass.
Unusual attitudes are also a must (I'll assume that you'll only practice these with a CFI or an experienced and capable safety pilot on board). To increase the realism of these unusual attitudes, try keeping the airplane in straight-and-level flight for as long as you can while wearing a view limiting device and keeping your eyes closed. You'll eventually end up in an unusual attitude (especially if the CFI or safety pilot takes the liberty of playing with the trim wheel). This is one of the most effective ways to end up in a self-induced unusual attitude. Begin your recovery when the CFI or safety pilot says to recover.
If you're using a safety pilot in lieu of a CFI, you should predefine the maximum airspeed and bank conditions used to identify the recovery point. It's important to make sure that your safety pilot understands these limits and has the skill and knowledge necessary to prevent the airplane from entering a dangerous attitude.
Of course, for this type of exercise, be sure to choose a competent, capable safety pilot.
While there are many other useful exercises to help you maintain your proficiency, these are a few of the most effective ones I've used over the years. I hope you find them effective, too.
Please e-mail your questions about flight training subjects or situations to "Since You Asked" at [email protected] . Only those questions selected for publication will be answered.
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