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Flight Forum

She's ready to fly

My career in flight training has ended. On December 15, 2004, I passed my checkride and have elevated to the title of private pilot. Three months prior, I enrolled in Medicare, so I am not the age of the average student pilot.

I was very fortunate to own my own airplane, a Piper Warrior, and have a flight instructor in the family. In the preceding years, I had gone through seven CFIs and four flight schools. One of my CFIs was a retired Navy pilot, and all I heard was, "The Navy way is the only way." This CFI only lasted four hours. When he told me I would have to drain the fuel out of one tank before switching, I decided to switch CFIs.

Eventually, I decided to take a chance with a relative and have my son teach me. It's easier to disagree with a nonrelative than it is with a relative, believe me, but it all worked out, and I survived his arduous flight training, and we are still on speaking terms. How many sons do you know who would want to throw their mother out of an aircraft at 4,500 feet just because she thought the rudder pedals were in the airplane to rest weary feet?

My husband, a pilot for more than 40 years, was always available to answer my many questions -- day, night, or in the middle of the night. He is a retired engineer, and I'm sure you can imagine how long it took him to describe the butterfly valve in my carburetor box and its purpose! One of my ground school instructors once told me that a pilot can never have enough aviation books. My bookcase holds four rows of aviation books, and I am still adding to it.

My checkride was the most wonderful experience. My examiner was great. She gave me positive feedback after each maneuver.

As the late Amelia Reid, matriarch of my airport, my dear friend, and first CFI once told me, "You will be a pilot." Thanks to Amelia, my husband, my CFI son, and my other aviation friends for all your encouragement. Fortunately for me and other students my age, the FAA does not have an age limit. If it's your dream to be a pilot, do it.

Theresa Ann Gorman
Los Gatos, California

Why turns around a point?

William Kershner wrote an excellent article on turns around a point (February 2005 AOPA Flight Training). It is a maneuver that is both hard to teach and difficult for the student to perform correctly. Maybe I have the wrong approach, as I always teach it as a pre-solo maneuver. However, as I read FAR 61.87(d)(12) on pre-solo training, ground reference maneuvers are required before the student solos. Am I missing something here?

Jim Atkinson, CFII
Perrysburg, Ohio

William Kershner responds: I've always taught the rec-tangular course and S-turns before solo (introducing them during the briefing in the third or fourth flight, depending on the student's progress). I suggest saving turns around a point for the post-solo flights for reasons cited in the article. This procedure meets the requirements of FAR 61.87 and to me is the best order of intro-ducing ground reference maneuvers. I should have stated more clearly that this was the case, because rectangular courses and S-turns are a must for pre-solo traffic pattern work. -- Ed.

Don't forget the fine print

I read with interest the article "Accident Analysis: The Fine Print" (February 2005 AOPA Flight Training).

We changed our CTAF at the Nevada County Air Park from 123.0 MHz to 122.725 MHz nearly three years ago, and as we still monitor the old frequency, we still have to advise aircraft of the "new" frequency -- at least three or four per month. Also interesting is how many times we have to repeat back (for some pilots) the frequency. Many times they repeat back "122.7" or "122.75," and a few don't even know how to select the 25-kHz spacing on their radios.

Sherm Hanley
Nevada City, California

Exceptions may apply

In "Thin Magenta Line" (February 2005 AOPA Flight Training), Dan Namowitz states that VFR flying in Class A airspace is not authorized, "period."

This is a commonly held misconception. According to paragraph (d) of Part 91.135, air traffic control may authorize a deviation into and through Class A airspace for VFR traffic. There are sailplanes that routinely operate well into Class A airspace upwards of FL400. They do this VFR through prior arrangement with the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center.

Stephen Vook
Wahiawa, Hawaii

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