FIRST SOLO NAV

[Aussie Steve]

some pics from my first solo nav 28 June 08

 

1. Mudgee Terminal

 

2. Aero Club

 

3. Formation on the rim of the Capertee Valley

 

4. Grand Canyon. Blackheath

 

5. Rylstone with Kandos in the background. Capertee valley in the far Background

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[facthunter]

Milestone.

 

Great view from the office. Nev..

 

 

[Guest Decca]

Well done Steve. Awesome scenery! The first photo, apart from the jab, is the building the Mudgee Terminal?

 

Regards, Decca.

 

 

[blueshed]

Nice scenery, how do you keep your mind on the job!

 

Guy:hittinghead:

 

 

[Yenn]

Makes me want to go bushwalking there.

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Well done Steve. Awesome scenery! The first photo, apart from the jab, is the building the Mudgee Terminal?Regards, Decca.

Yes Decca, that is the terminal. No one around but there is a good food vending machine inside and clean toilets.

 

 

[lazerin]

Congrats Steve, great to see you weren't freaking out and had time to take photos! :thumb_up:

 

 

[bushpilot]

Out of interest AS: Who supervised your test? ie where are being taught?

 

What what was the specific task and what aids were you allowed to use?

 

It seems different schools have very different approaches and standards..

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Gday Chris, my CFI supervises, I,m training out of Hayair at Katoomba Airfield.

 

obviously you cant use a GPS, The tasks include time keeping,fuel managment,position monitoring and then all the normal flight managment tasks. There will also be a exam on Meteorology,that is my current study task.

 

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Hey mate well done, you are lucky! That is my favourite place in the world up that way! Did you find the strip up there?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Good job...nice shots...not to be picky, but you are spose to pass that test on nav/met before you do your first solo nav..;)

 

cheers

 

 

[Guest airsick]

not to be picky, but you are spose to pass that test on nav/met before you do your first solo nav..;)cheers

I had the same thought too. I did my PPL then converted so I wasn't sure but in PPL world we had to have all of our theory completed before the solo navs (same with first solo - must complete BAK first). I assumed it was the same in RAA world if you start from the ground up.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yea, its no good learning about it AFTER you've done it, worst case is a student on a solo nav who hasn't done any MET, could fly straight into a towering cumulous. Not lilely but you see my point.

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Point taken Merv. I have done a Met before I did the solo. As part of the old syllabus. But have to still do it for the new final.

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Point taken Merv. I have done a Met before I did the solo. As part of the old syllabus. But have to still do it for the new final.

If you are referring to the current (new) Ops Manual versus the previous one then you don't have to do another exam. If you began training under the old manual/syllabus then you should be fine. Your CFI should be up to speed on this but it might pay to get in touch with RAA to reassure yourself if you have doubts. Or are you talking about something even older?

 

 

[Guest weekendwarrior]

I had the same thought too. I did my PPL then converted so I wasn't sure but in PPL world we had to have all of our theory completed before the solo navs (same with first solo - must complete BAK first). I assumed it was the same in RAA world if you start from the ground up.

Mmm are you sure about that ? Or maybe it has changed ? Agree with you for BAK required before first solo, but I had been trying to do my first nav for a while now (I am still on my GFPT) and it's been delayed for many reasons, mostly crappy weather, but getting my VFR theory (PPLA cyberexam) wasn't a prerequisite to solo nav, my understanding being that it is up to my instructor to decide whether I have reached the adequate level of proficiency as defined in the VFR syllabus. Well if it is required, nobody told me!

 

Well in the end it worked out that I passed my cyberexam and did my first solo nav on the same day anyway... It was just last Sunday, two big boxes ticked !

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Congrrats warrior, good job. Are you flying a warrior?

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Mmm are you sure about that ?

Not as sure as I used to be! I just had a look over the syllabus and it appears you don't even have to have your BAK done before you go solo.

 

Under first solo you need:

 

pass an oral or written examination set by the flying school

 

For first area solo:

 

pass a written examination set by the flying school

 

And for GFPT:

 

pass the Basic Aeronautical Knowledge (BAK) written examination set by the flying school

 

There seems to be some distinction between the three examinations. My guess is that most schools will get you to sit the BAK which would cover off all these requirements. As for the solo nav bit there is no mention of it. You have to have your PPL theory done prior to the flight test but that seems to be it.

 

Well in the end it worked out that I passed my cyberexam and did my first solo nav on the same day anyway... It was just last Sunday, two big boxes ticked !

Congratulations! :)

 

 

[Guest weekendwarrior]

Thank you Merv and Airsick .

 

Yes I am flying PA28, either Warrior or Archer (which is really a Warrior as well, only with a bigger engine). First nav was a pretty uneventful Bankstown to Goulburn and back on the Archer. Easy nav, just keep the Hume Hwy in sight and you just cannot get lost !

 

This said we went there with my instructor a month ago, and we heard and saw another pilot on a Liberty, solo student I assume, coming in for landing just as we were departing downwind. About half an hour later as we were practicing forced landings in Mittagong, we heard him call for help on the radio, he was completely lost with fuel concern. Maybe a diversion practice gone wrong? We spent the next 30 minutes mesmerized, listening to the chat with radar (were still listening once back on the ground in Bankstown!), at first they couldn't get him on radar when he squawked, the transmission was poor so the calls were relayed by another pilot (who is an instructor at my school, and she did an excellent job of it too, keeping him calm). Eventually he was spotted by another pilot in the area and was then safely directed to Camden, and thankfully all ended well.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

yea, ive had a similar experiance in the same area, listening to a guy who was lost.. we offered our assistance but wasn't much we could do. is a bit of a tigery area as you know.

 

cheers