My Recreation Aviation Flight Training Diary

[billwoodmason]

Great read Eric, you have a gift for written communication it seems - keep it up.

 

 

[J170 Owner]

I'm impressed with your diary - I wish some of the reports I read at work were as detailed!

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. The last couple of write-ups were a bit rushed and rough as a result, but I wanted to get them out there. I am severely time constrained at present, but intend to go back and clean them up a bit. I hope they are of use or entertaining to readers. I decided I would present my experiences warts and all (the good and the bad).

 

Today I completed my first solo nav and it was fantastic. Reasonably simple from Goulburn to Cowra return, but I had a ball and didn't manage to get lost. I also had the pleasure afterwards to hitch a back seat ride in a Warrior with another student doing his second dual nav from Goulburn to Canberra to Wagga Wagga, back to Goulburn. I followed the plan and located position on the chart as we went, so much easier when you don't have to steer at the same time.

 

Then I burned heaps more circuits and I think it is starting to come together, well until I mess it up as I am sure I will. Next week I am scheduled to do a second solo nav to unknown parts, my instructor has not told me where yet.

 

 

 

[robinsm]

Go Eric, enjoy the freedom, now you know.

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Flight Lesson 51 - First Solo Navigation Exercise – Goulburn – Cowra - Goulburn – 24 Nov 2012 - (2.3 hours – Total 61.5 hours)

 

For this week’s lesson, I had hoped I would be doing my 3rd dual navigation exercise with my instructor to Moruya and Wollongong. This nav ex had been postponed quite a few times due to weather and later because my instructor had been away on her honeymoon.

 

I rang my instructor on the evening before to confirm my lesson. However Teraya said she thought I was ready to do my first solo navigation exercise instead. “Where do you want me to go?” I asked. “I would like to you go to Cowra” she said. “Do you want me to fly to a way point on the way back” I asked, “No, just keep it simple for your first solo nav. Prepare a flight plan this evening and I will check it in the morning before your flight” she said. ..........................

 

 

[eightyknots]

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. The last couple of write-ups were a bit rushed and rough as a result, but I wanted to get them out there. I am severely time constrained at present, but intend to go back and clean them up a bit. I hope they are of use or entertaining to readers. I decided I would present my experiences warts and all (the good and the bad).Today I completed my first solo nav and it was fantastic. Reasonably simple from Goulburn to Cowra return, but I had a ball and didn't manage to get lost. I also had the pleasure afterwards to hitch a back seat ride in a Warrior with another student doing his second dual nav from Goulburn to Canberra to Wagga Wagga, back to Goulburn. I followed the plan and located position on the chart as we went, so much easier when you don't have to steer at the same time.

 

Then I burned heaps more circuits and I think it is starting to come together, well until I mess it up as I am sure I will. Next week I am scheduled to do a second solo nav to unknown parts, my instructor has not told me where yet.

 

[ATTACH=full]19802[/ATTACH]

Keep up the reports: they're a great read. Thank you EMcC.

 

 

[ayavner]

Keep up the reports: they're a great read. Thank you EMcC.

New nickname for Eric - E=MC2!!

 

 

[Roy Wales]

Great stuff Eric. Your committment will encourage many a new flyer in your wake.

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Latest Update

 

Flight Lesson 52 - Second Solo Navigation Exercise – Goulburn – Bathurst (Ben Chifley Dam) – Orange - Goulburn – 08 Dec 2012 - (3.0 hours – Total 66.8 hours)

 

 

[eightyknots]

But my instructor had cancelled my booking and rescheduled her calendar knowing my aircraft was grounded. Could I still do my solo nav ex flight at short notice?

read more at https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-4Rw0WdHM2JT1hBN2NHblJvSm8

I don't see any entries beyond 24 November 2012.

 

Great stuff Eric. Your committment will encourage many a new flyer in your wake.

Just be careful of Eric's wake turbulence .

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

I don't see any entries beyond 24 November 2012.

Sorry, you may have clicked on an old link which I have now deleted. Lesson 52 on 8 Dec is on page 163. Eric

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Flight Lesson 53 - Dual Navigation Exercise – Goulburn – Wollongong – Mittagong - Goulburn – 22 Dec 2012 - (1.7 hours – Total 68.5 hours)

 

Last week’s navigation lesson was cancelled due to high wind and showers of rain. This week’s lesson looked more promising the evening before when I got the weather forecast from the Airservices NAIPS web site. Originally my lesson was to be at 1630, but my instructor emailed me the day before and asked if I wanted to do a 1030 slot instead. I jumped at the chance because the weather forecast was looking better in the morning than in the afternoon, when low cloud and showers were forecast for the coast and Wollongong area. My nav for this lesson was to be a dual nav ex with my instructor from Goulburn to Wollongong to Mittagong and back to Goulburn., although I fully suspected Teraya to throw in a diversion.

 

Edited - Rev 1 - 29 Dec 12

 

read more at https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-4Rw0WdHM2JMlBlaEJTM05PUlk

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Solo practice session – Circuits and Mini-Nav – 9 Feb 2013 - (2.3 hours - Instructional hours 53.3 / Total 79.1 hours)

 

My navigation endorsement test was scheduled for 3PM. I have been waiting for this since before Xmas, but due to unavailability of my instructor and poor weather, I was unable to book a test until now. My Instructor, Teraya said the test would take between 2-3 hours depending on where we would go. Teraya had not told me where we would be going previously, but I suspected it might be Wollongong as we had made several plans previously for a dual nav exercise, but due to weather were never able to achieve it. The weather at Goulburn has been terrible over the last 12 months, as least on Saturdays when my lessons are scheduled. Usually it becomes too windy, and if not windy, then the cloud is too low, or it rains. It has been very frustrating.....................

 

Read more at : https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-4Rw0WdHM2JamhyaGp6RXRndDA/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

[ayavner]

Eric mate all I can say is hang in there... i can TOTALLY relate, and it is very frustrating when you are at a place in your life where you finally have the time and money (and discipline) to dedicate to your dream, only to have the rug yanked out time and time again due to weather or instructor conflicts... for awhile I felt like it wasn't so much 20+ hours, as 1 hour 20+ times...

 

I am sure it gets better, but as I am in the same boat I guess we'll have to wait and see!

 

My nav to YWOL was supposed to have been last weekend too! Hopefully once summer is past things will calm down a bit weather-wise...

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Attachment E – Introducing my Jabiru J170-C and taking it for a spin (no not that sort of spin)

 

I thought I might introduce my Jabiru J170-C aircraft and take you for a spin in it (not the sort that we are not allowed to do).

 

 

My Jabiru J170-C 24-7021 at Goulburn Airport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Jabiru J170-C is a factory built 2 seat Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) ultralight aircraft of monocoque construction using composite materials (aka plastic fantastic), built in Bundaberg, Australia. It has a 4 cylinder 2,200 cc four stroke air cooled 85hp engine with a direct propeller drive. It has two in-wing fuel tanks with a total of 135 litres and with a fuel burn rate in cruise of about 15 litres an hour. It has an endurance of 9 hours (to empty) flying at 100 knots (185 kilometres per hour) at 75% power giving a fuel empty range of around 900 nautical miles (1665 kms). It weighs 323 Kg empty and has a maximum takeoff weight of 600kg. So with full fuel tanks that leaves 180kg for pilot passenger and baggage. It can fly up to 10,000 feet and is certified to fly over towns and cities (as a certified 24 series LSA). ...........................................

 

Read more at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-4Rw0WdHM2JUXVEUElxZ3JhYXM/edit?usp=sharing (scroll down to Attachment E - page 185)

 

 

[ayavner]

Nice write up Eric! I am training also in the 170C and it is exactly as you describe!

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Solo practice sessions – Circuits – 16 Feb 2013 - (2.0 hours - Instructional hours = 53.3 / Total = 80.1 hours)

 

My instructor was not able to juggle her commitments to accommodate me this weekend for a nav test, but it would not have happened anyway, as the weather was not conducive to a nav ex yet again................

 

Read more at:

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-4Rw0WdHM2JVUVqT1g5RHd1U1E/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Wooo Hooo again !!!!!

 

Today it finally happened. I went for my navigation endorsement test and after 2 hours and throwing in the requisite in-flight diversions, my instructor said that she was satisfied that I passed. We flew from Goulburn to (almost) Harden, then a diversion to (almost) Young, then another diversion to Boorowa, and back to Goulburn.

 

I was very apprehensive initially but when we got airborne I started to relax and I managed to do most things right, at least enough to pass. I felt pretty good about my flying today.

 

I thank my instructor for giving up her day off to take me flying.

 

The adrenalin is still flowing and I haven't come down just yet. Eric

 

 

[Compulsion]

Congratulations Eric. Well done. It is a great feeling to get it all finished. I am pushing myself flying into new airfields I haven't visited before. As a lot of better people than myself have said " it is a license to learn" Safe flying.

 

 

[robinsm]

Congratulations Eric, well done!!! There will be no holding you back now that there are no distance limits. It was a great day for flying at YGLB today.

 

 

[Piet Fil]

Good work Eric, it's a good feeling isn't it. I have found that a side benefit of all the flying assessments is that I am now taking any assessment I have to do (just got my medium rigid licence) in a much calmer less stressful mode. I think it's attributable to the flying the plane first to the best of our ability and accepting the outcome of the assessment as a secondary outcome. Anyway enjoy your newly earned freedom. Well done

 

Phil

 

 

[mothra]

Congrats Eric, I've been following and feeling your pain. Can't wait to get back and finish my xc.

 

 

[ayavner]

Congrats Eric!!! That is great to hear~! Hopefully i'll be in your footsteps some day soon, and your diary and this thread will have been a big part of getting me there!

 

so what's next??

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Flight Lesson 55 - Navigation Endorsement Test – Goulburn – Harden – Young - Goulburn – 10 Mar 13 - (2.0 hours - Instructional hours = 53.3 / Total = 85.4 hours)

 

Today was scheduled to be my navigation endorsement test. My navigation endorsement test had been deferred several times since late January due to poor weather for navigation exercises. I have been filling in time when the weather has been good for local flying by doing circuits and some mini-nav exercises. Yesterday I managed to do a solo navigation exercise to Harden and Crookwell for practice and this increased my confidence.

 

I was hopeful the weather would be OK today and based on the reasonably weather yesterday, it was looking good.

 

Last week, because the weather had been different in different locations around Goulburn, Teraya had asked me to plan for two trips today and a decision would be made on the day. One was to be our long term plan to Wollongong, then Mittagong and back. But just in case the weather was not good in that direction, the other was to be from Goulburn to Harden and Young, and back to Goulburn. So I prepared both flight plans. The weather forecast the evening before was for some low cloud around Bowral and on the coast, but the weather to the west looked a better forecast.

 

After I arrived at the airport, Teraya asked me to get a weather update and then to choose which plan I would like to fly for the nav test. I checked the weather and the forecast had improved for both to the east and the west. Because I had not been successful with weather towards Wollongong previously, and I had flown part of the trip west the day before for practice, I asked Teraya if we could do the nav ex to Harden & Young and she agreed. I also asked her if we would be doing a landing at Young, and her response was that I should plan for a landing. From the tone of her voice however, I was doubtful that we would actually be doing a landing at Young as I expected that Teraya would throw in a diversion. ...................

 

read more at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-4Rw0WdHM2JTjJVNjAtUC1qTDA/edit?usp=sharing

 

This is the end of my recreational flight training diary. Keeping this diary has helped me remember my training experiences so I can revisit what I have been instructed to do. I am sure I will continue to refer to it in the future.

 

Although this is the end of my diary, it is just the beginning of my flying experience and journey to become a better pilot.

 

I hope my diary has been informative and useful to others.

 

Happy and Safe Flying.

 

Eric McCandless

 

 

[mjmacklin]

Latest UpdateFlight Lesson 53 - Dual Navigation Exercise – Goulburn – Wollongong – Mittagong - Goulburn – 22 Dec 2012 - (1.7 hours – Total 68.5 hours)

 

Last week’s navigation lesson was cancelled due to high wind and showers of rain. This week’s lesson looked more promising the evening before when I got the weather forecast from the Airservices NAIPS web site. Originally my lesson was to be at 1630, but my instructor emailed me the day before and asked if I wanted to do a 1030 slot instead. I jumped at the chance because the weather forecast was looking better in the morning than in the afternoon, when low cloud and showers were forecast for the coast and Wollongong area. My nav for this lesson was to be a dual nav ex with my instructor from Goulburn to Wollongong to Mittagong and back to Goulburn., although I fully suspected Teraya to throw in a diversion.

 

Edited - Rev 1 - 29 Dec 12.

 

read more at https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-4Rw0WdHM2JMlBlaEJTM05PUlk

 

+++++++++++++

 

02 May 2012 - I thought I would share my recreation aviation flight training diary.

Hi................ I'm really interested in reading your training diary, but this link doesnt appear to be working?

Many Thanks .... Michael