Training to solo and beyond

[Russ]

Query.........is it the "norm" to solo students in the training craft ( ultralites and trikes )......just a handfull of gyro instructors, actually send off students in the trainer machine, generally the student is soloed in the students own gyro.

 

Cost of full insurances for gyros is next to impossible to get, if it's used as a trainer especially. Hence no soloing in the trainer.

 

Was interested to hear your methods in this F/Wing training to solo.........and beyond. ( my limited knowledge re trikes, appears they too don't solo in the trainer.....mostly )

 

thanks.........russ

 

 

[foxy]

hey russ,

 

i don't really know much about gyro/trike training, but at the fixed wing school i train at, and others i've seen, they usually have aircraft that is owned by the school, or is on hire to the school specifically for the purpose of training. the students go solo in the training aircraft. personally i think putting the student into a different aircraft for their solo is a bit beyond my understanding- even if the aircraft is the same as the one they've trained in. every aircraft is different, and have their own vices.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Yeh Russ, thats what i have heared here over the years. Ie- Solo in own a/c. Best wait until the trike guys read your thread.BallPoint or David etc.They will know.

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

Query.........is it the "norm" to solo students in the training craft ( ultralites and trikes )......just a handfull of gyro instructors, actually send off students in the trainer machine, generally the student is soloed in the students own gyro.Cost of full insurances for gyros is next to impossible to get, if it's used as a trainer especially. Hence no soloing in the trainer.

Was interested to hear your methods in this F/Wing training to solo.........and beyond. ( my limited knowledge re trikes, appears they too don't solo in the trainer.....mostly )

 

Russ, you've raised an interesting point and covered one of the most pertinent points in relation to Trikes, and I'd summise Gyro's. That's Insurance!- Their are very limited options for insuring this end of the flight training spectrum, and even less for supervised training for commercial gain.

 

We are able to extend our insurance covereage to supervised solo but not private hire, and this therefore limits the training students access to our aircraft for extended recreational flying without heading down the private purchase path.

 

Knowing this up front, we make sure we understand our students reasons for wanting to fly trikes and they generally have an idea in relation to the limited nature for private use. Many want to go on to purchase their own machines, or have already purchased as in one case at present; and this has happened successfully with many of our students- a good used trike can be purchase for $15-30k

 

The other lesser known issue is every schools dilemma of the commercial realities of dual training needs for pre- solo. This is what pays the bills and keeps us going and with only limited resources, most schools gear the business activities to getting bums in seats under training.

 

The final point I'd like to mention is that post solo supervised training is a very important part of a pilot's learning experience. After the solo monkey is off your back is often the best time to do some higher learning( excuse pun!) and have your instructor as a fellow pilot share the vast wealth of knowledge that can ony be acquired once you have the basics tucked away. This will extend your access to training aircraft and more importantly give you skill sets that will serve you very well in any of your future flying. It may even equip you to make better purchase decisions when and if the time comes.

 

None of this should put you off enjoying what is one of the purest forms of powered flight- nothing in aviation is free, but with triking it's all about pure fun, now with great performance as well, and lot's of recreational flying at a very affordable cost - after all isn't that what it's all about?

 

Hope this helps...

[Guest davidh10]

...The final point I'd like to mention is that post solo supervised training is a very important part of a pilot's learning experience. After the solo monkey is off your back is often the best time to do some higher learning( excuse pun!) and have your instructor as a fellow pilot share the vast wealth of knowledge that can ony be acquired once you have the basics tucked away. This will extend your access to training aircraft and more importantly give you skill sets that will serve you very well in any of your future flying. It may even equip you to make better purchase decisions when and if the time comes.

 

None of this should put you off enjoying what is one of the purest forms of powered flight- nothing in aviation is free, but with triking it's all about pure fun, now with great performance as well, and lot's of recreational flying at a very affordable cost - after all isn't that what it's all about?

 

Hope this helps...

Could not agree more.

 

My solo was a single circuit at the end of the hour lesson, with the instructor watching from beside the runway. As we flew the down wind leg, he said "Are you ready to do a solo circuit?". I responded "I think so." He replied "No. You must be sure you are ready." I said "Yes." We landed and backtracked, then he got out and I did my solo circuit. After that, back with the instructor again to learn more, get skills up to the level required for the Pilot Certificate and then to complete Navs. By the time of my last two Navs, I had bought my own trike, so did those in my own aircraft.

 

I'm pretty sure the school aircraft are not insured, but all the students go solo in them unless they have their own aircraft, and that seems to be a minority. Mine isn't insured either, and as an ex school aircraft there's lots of trike pilots got their wings in it (tonight's landing was number 1990).

 

This thread begs the question: If the CFI isn't confident enough to send the student solo in the school aircraft, then maybe the student isn't actually ready or at least the CFI isn't completely convinced!

 

[Russ]

All but 2....3 times have i not sent student solo in my trainer. When i know 100% he will return my ship unscathed.........that's when i send em solo. That fact alone cements the students belief, that they can really pilot. First solo is done without any notice to student, we do a couple of circuits, tell them to land short on final circuit coz i need a leak, hop out, then tell em to go solo there and now. Pull out me handheld radio while they is on takeoff roll, let em know i'm there with them...........lift off, get to circuit height, then i start yapping to them.......enjoy,enjoy your flight, circuit do straight and levals above ground 1...2 metres......do not land. After 3...4 circuits, then tell em to land whenever they wish, all this while, telling them ENJOY your flite. your'e looking great from here. Never ever failed me.

 

Can recall a chap some yrs back, we were training out west, late......and i mean late one arvo i sent him solo........same scinareo as above......pulled out me handheld, made contact, gave orders etc...............then me handheld cut out..........shyte. So he's doing them circuits, i notice a storm cell rolling in over nearby mountain ranges.........bugger, race out onto the strip waving me arms for him to LAND, he waves back grinning from ear to ear, and continues another curcuit, next time round i'm now in the middle of his flite path, madly flapping me arms to LAND.........all this while this storm cell is getting reeeeel close, winds are really picking up by now.................i'm now panicking.......next time round his intention was apparent to me, he was going to land..............by now the winds were 90 degrees to the strip.........O no.......shyte. Can see him battling to get everything sorted for touchdown, but it ain't working.........i'm in the next stage of panic.......then the guy powers on, and races past me....yip he knew it was time for plan B.......goes around and then comes in dead set into wind across the strip, puts it down 90 degrees to the runway.......sweet as. I race over to help manage the blades to stop them, after we get em sorted, could'nt shut the bugger up, he was stoked.............i was "winding down"..........added 10yrs to me life that day.............moments we have and remember em yrs later.

 

 

[willatodd]

thanks for starting here russ i been thinking it for a while being a gyro student and all!!! drives me mad, looking to convert to RA now i think it will be the easiest way to get in the air

 

 

[Riley]

Great story Russ. Very much enjoyed your description of an "Oh Shyte" situation, (and we've all had them). cheers Riley

 

 

[farri]

[ If the CFI isn't confident enough to send the student solo in the school aircraft, then maybe the student isn't actually ready or at least the CFI isn't completely convinced!Therefore the student shouldn`t go solo in any aircraft.

 

Frank.

[Russ]

Will ol mate...........when you hear i'm up and running again, take aweeks break, get up here.....will have you soloing sweet as. ( might even have a bed for you )

 

Frank...................ditto to you ( enter the "dark side".........it's more fun )

 

 

[willatodd]

carefull russ i might just hold you to that