Handling IFR clearances on the fly
I'm a CFII and curious about how you teach your students to handle revised IFR clearances while en route. Sometimes it's very difficult for a student to fly the airplane while copying the new routing, reviewing it for suitability, and accepting it. This is especially true if, as part of the clearance, they're instructed to fly from their present position to a VOR or intersection with which they're not familiar, thus requiring them to hunt it down on the en route chart. Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Ms. Tally
Greetings Ms. Tally:
There's nothing more useful to an instrument pilot than saying the words Stand by at the appropriate time. ATC has no idea of how busy you are in the airplane. That's why controllers rely on the pilot to tell them when he or she's ready to accept a clearance. Saying, "Stand by" has saved my students many headaches over the years and certainly diminished purchases of the highly prized aspirin tablet often taken after IFR training flights. Saying "Stand by, you're number one for the callback" works on controllers too, but it might motivate them to issue you a holding pattern. Just kidding on that one.
If ATC clears you to an intersection or VOR and you don't know precisely where it is on the chart and need time to find it, then ask for an initial vector toward that location. At least this gets you headed in the right direction and gives you time to hunt down the intersection or navaid on the chart.
Did you close your flight plan?
Dear Rod:
I recently forgot to close my flight plan while on a VFR flight. I called the flight service station a few days later and apologized profusely. Fortunately I didn't get in trouble because they called the tower-controlled airport at which I landed and confirmed that I had arrived safely. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep from forgetting to close a VFR flight plan?
Sincerely,
Kent
Greetings Kent:
I'm sure some frustrated comedians are responding to your question by saying, "Yeah, I've got an idea for you. Don't file a flight plan." Well, that's not funny (in my professional opinion). I'm happy that you file a flight plan. It's cheap insurance, and I wish more pilots did it. While there are a lot of little tricks that work well to remind you, here's the best one on my list. Before you depart, call yourself on your cell phone or home phone and leave yourself a message to close the flight plan. Since most folks check their phone messages frequently -- especially after having been out of touch for the duration of a flight -- it's a good reminder to close your flight plan when you land.
A solo gone awry
Dear Rod:
I've loved flying for as long as I can remember. Now, I just don't know if I have what it takes to continue. I had a perfect solo opportunity today and screwed it up. I feel terrible because I placed all the blame on the flight school and none on myself. I made two terrible landings and during the last one, turned off the runway too fast and put too much force onto the right main landing gear. The airplane is now on a slant and needs to be fixed. I have been flying for more than 35 hours and can't even land properly. I love flying, but I just don't think that I could be a good pilot. I just don't know what to do anymore.
John
Dear John:
Here's how I want you to think about your situation: You made a mistake. Making mistakes is part of learning.
First, keep in mind that you're only dealing with bent metal. No one was injured. It's just metal that was bent, and that's all it is. There's no gosh darn reason to make more of the situation than that. So when you talk with the flight school or your CFI, make sure you remind them that you're only dealing with bent metal here and nothing more.
Second, you're going to feel bad because you have a conscience as well as a certain amount of pride. If you didn't feel bad, then I'd feel bad for you because you wouldn't care about the consequences of your actions. So prepare to feel bad for as long as you need to, but not one bit longer. This is what healthy human beings do.
Third, maybe nobody was to blame. Your inexperience and an unexpected situation might have ganged up on you. That's why they call it a "mistake." From it, you will learn what you didn't know or didn't think to do in the moment. Remember, the reason you have insurance is to take care of mistakes such as this. This is not a situation where the FAA or NTSB has to be notified, so it's not as though you committed a federal offense.
Fourth, in these situations the outcome usually evolves in one of two ways. Either you and the flight school will get stuck on the Who's to blame game, or you and the flight school will work on getting you back in the air again. A mistake doesn't require blame; it just requires a commitment to improving. If you have that, my guess is that the flight school will be more than willing to work with you. Believe me, you are not the first student who's pranged a plane while learning.
Which brings me to point five: Some of the very best pilots I know have bent smaller airplanes and are now flying for major airlines. Sure, it's better not to bend an airplane, and bending one is certainly not a requirement for greatness as a pilot, but mistakes happen. When they do, you can either use the experience to convince yourself that you should never set foot in an airplane again, or you can use the experience as a focal point in your memory to motivate you to be the best pilot that you can be.
That's what several of my friends did when they landed gear up, clipped a light while taxiing, and so on. People make mistakes, as you did. But it doesn't necessarily mean that you or anyone else shouldn't fly. There's a reason why you had trouble landing. I'm not sure what it is, but I do know that the problem likely can be solved with a little effort and commitment to improve. If you have the commitment and are willing to make the effort, and you love flying as you say you do, you will fly. And probably be darn good at it, too.
I encourage you to get this straightened out in your head right away, then march proudly back into the FBO and say, "I want to fly." Remember, it's only bent metal.
Good luck, and happy flying!
Too tall to fly?
Dear Rod,
I am six feet, five and one-half inches tall. Is this going to be a problem? Which training aircraft would be suitable for me? It would be a huge disappointment if I cannot fulfill this life ambition of mine because I'm too tall to fly.
Dr. B. Dunn
Greetings Dr. B. Dunn:
Perhaps an open-cockpit biplane would best suit you. This, however, isn't a good option. So the first thing you've got to do is lay off the Geri-tall and cut down on those bamboo vitamin supplements. Believe me, you're not too tall to fly. Find a Cessna 172 or Piper Warrior with vertically adjustable seats. This should do it for you.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot since 1970 and a CFI since 1974, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site.
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