Students can log only time with an instructor
I have two questions for which I can't seem to find answers. I'd sure appreciate your help. First, I'm a student pilot and want to know if it's legal for me to fly left seat with my friend or his dad (both are private pilots) on recreational trips. Second, if that is legal, am I allowed to log left or right seat time? (They would of course be in the opposite seat.)
Thanks,
Frank
Greetings Frank:
Since you're a student pilot, there must be an appropriately rated pilot on board who is willing and qualified to act as pilot in command. Technically, it makes no difference whether the PIC sits in the right or the left seat, as long as that PIC can exercise his or her duties, as appropriate, from that seat. In other words, if there are no brakes on the right side of the airplane, then it's doubtful that the PIC can properly exercise these duties (sorry, the Fred Flintstone braking system won't work in these instances).
However, I would advise against anyone flying from the right seat unless the person doing so has at least flown with an instructor and become sufficiently familiar with the perceptual differences from that seat. The federal aviation regulations don't require a right-seat familiarization/checkout flight, but it's a very wise thing to have.
If your friend or his dad acts as PIC from the right seat, he can let you fly the airplane if he so chooses. But I'd again advise caution. Letting a nonpilot fly in cruise flight isn't risky as long as the person flying doesn't keep saying, "Hey, wanna see something neat?" Letting this same person land an airplane is an altogether different animal. To do this safely takes education, skill, and practice at understanding and anticipating a student pilot's behavior in an airplane. This is what flight instructors are trained to do. Unless your friend or his father has been trained in this area, I'd suggest that they fly the airplane during the critical parts of the flight. But see the paragraph above about being competent to do it from the right seat. Things can be really different from the right side of the airplane, especially since it calls for most people to be using their non-dominant hand to manipulate the throttle.
Finally, there's absolutely no possible way you can log the time as a student pilot when flying with someone who isn't an appropriately rated flight instructor.
Transponder troubles
Dear Rod:
I am an older pilot and have managed to fly safely in busy airspace for 20 years. There is one error that I seem to repeat. After takeoff, I notice I've forgotten to switch the transponder from standby to squawk mode.
I have been thinking about why I often "forget" to switch the transponder. I thought that it might be the last thing I needed to do before departure. Then I realized that it is not the last thing I do, or even the next to last thing I do.
The "next to last thing" I do is take a look at the final approach path to ensure no airplane is on final. Then I advance the throttle and roll on to the runway, check the gauges, and go to full throttle for takeoff.
If I had a mechanical lever connected between the throttle and the transponder switch that pushed the switch from STBY to ALT when the throttle was pushed fully forward, my problem would go away. Since this is impractical, I need to find a mental solution.
Since I always find that I have put the transponder in standby mode--with the proper code dialed in--I am wondering what action I can take to ensure I lift off with the transponder switched to ALT mode?
Thank you,
Name Withheld
Greetings NW:
You wouldn't be the first person (older or younger) to forget to switch the transponder to "ALT" mode prior to takeoff. Just ask ATC! There is a nice little memory cue I use to prevent this from happening to me. Right after I receive my takeoff clearance and just before takeoff, I make it a habit to say, "Lights, camera, action." Lights represents the landing light (I turn it on in the airport environment to assist in collision avoidance); camera reminds me to turn on the transponder (it's as if ATC sees me with the camera of their radar); and action means takeoff.
Of course, this means I turn the transponder to "ALT" while I'm still on the ground and taxiing onto the runway. You don't want to wait until you're airborne to activate the transponder. There are too many things happening during the takeoff roll that could distract you and keep you from activating the transponder during this time.
Which way do I turn?
Dear Rod:
When instructed by the tower to execute a 360-degree turn on downwind, is the turn made to the right or left?
Sincerely,
Conrad
Greetings Conrad:
First, if ATC asks for a 360 on the downwind and states the direction of the turn, then do it in that direction. If ATC asks for a 360 while on the downwind leg but doesn't state the direction of turn, then it's often best to do so to the outside, not inside of the pattern. Doing a 360 on the inside of the pattern might be considered an "unexpected maneuver" by anyone behind you on the downwind leg and could conflict with traffic that's either going around or already established on the downwind or crosswind legs of the pattern.
For instance, pilots expect to see airplanes coming at them from the outside of the pattern on the 45-degree approach during pattern entry. Making a turn to the outside of the pattern means you'll return to the pattern from this direction, which is where pilots downwind would normally expect to see approaching airplanes. When you make a turn toward the inside of the pattern, it's normally to begin base leg. Making a 360 on the inside of the pattern is something that most pilots wouldn't expect to see. Instead, they expect to see you turn base, then turn final and land. What a surprise it will be for everyone when you reenter the downwind leg from the inside of the pattern.
Now, there is nothing that says making the 360 inside the pattern is illegal, but it's something that pilots wouldn't expect and for that reason alone it's best to make these turns outside of the pattern.
Now, whatever you do, don't do a 360 in the vertical direction, otherwise known as a loop. That would really be an unexpected maneuver.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot since 1970 and a CFI since 1973, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site.
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