DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 Hey poteroo, I'll keep your suggestions in mind :) Thanks. I've only had 6 lessons so far, so I'm still surprised I'm being trusted to preflight at all!
motzartmerv Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Hi, The preflight check seems to carry different weight depending on where you train.. Its a shame, because its probably one of the most important things we do.. Alot of people (instructors) get complaicant with this check.. And that attitude is very contageous.. I wont go as far as saying you need to change schools.. But, if you have concerns, then get your instructor to take you through it again, and again, and again, untill your happy that you know exactly what your looking at... You do need to know how to do one properly before licence issue as you can sighn an aircraft out after you get your ticket.. I like to teach that a preflight should be meticulous, methodical and thourough.. I liken it to going into a trance state, where you use ALL of your sences (ecce[t taste) to preflight.. Listen, touch it, move it, look at it, listen to it and smell it... As time goes by you will become very atune to how things look feel etc... ask your passengers/ family etc to stop talking and focus on what your doing.. and save any questions untill after your finished.. cheers
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 I definitely don't intend to ever get complacent about it! I like the idea of the whole 'using every sense' thing...I'm sure you could find a way to fit taste in as well ;) Next lesson I'm going to ask him to take me through the check again. After that, I'll see how I go with it :)
motzartmerv Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Yes, ive tried to fit taste in, but people dont like you licking their aeroplanes.... Thats the go, talk to your instructor.. Your relationship with your instructor should be one of complete clarity.. You should feel able to ask any question, and feel confident he/ she will answer or point you to the place to find the answer.. The preflight ritual, and the importance you place on it is something that will stay with you for the rest of your flying life, so its important to have it nailed well before your let loose... cheers
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 You sort of have to lick it when you suck on the stall indicator (or is that just a Jab thing?)....
motzartmerv Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Yes, suck, dont blow, its just a figure of speach.
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 So I'm getting good training in then? ;) (Ok, stopping before I get banned too...)
turboplanner Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Had a look at your blog, you'll do well with that attention to detail, so don't be too hard on yourself.
turboplanner Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Oh, and by the way I need to warn you about Moza....too late!
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 Cheers turboplanner And thanks for the warning, even if it was slightly late :) I'll just have to do my best to not let Moza corrupt me...
farri Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Wow, me doing it alone makes me think for myself, and it's actually giving me confidence. :) DS, Make sure you`re instructor has shown you everything you need to do,don`t be frightened to ask questions and whenever you do the preflight inspection,always start with the frame of mind that there`s something wrong with the aircraft and you need to find what it is,this way you will realy be focused and be pleased when you find everything is OK. Cheers, Frank.
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 You're welcome to try your best Moza ;) Frank, that's a good way of thinking (expecting stuff to be wrong then being pleased when it's not), I'll try that next time. Cheers :)
motzartmerv Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Dark, my appolagies, i just realised your a girl.. I didnt mean anything by my comment... slightly embarassed i am..
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 Ahaha, I was actually waiting for you to notice Moza... No need to apologise, I got a good laugh out of your post. I can hold my own so don't worry about me! :)
Tracktop Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Hi Your instructor may be leaving you to do the preflight by yourself to allow you to get your routine established. All the advice I have received and as stated above is get rid of interruptions and distractions while doing you preflight. If your instructor is there then you can get distracted asking questions and disrupt your routine. My guess is he has already shown you what to do and look for?. Mine used to leave me to it and look totally disinterested in what I was doing, but was he always watching out of the corner of his eye or from a distance or from around the corner. When he was really satisfied with my performance only then did he really go away and do other things. Ray
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 Yeah, I think that is probably exactly his plan. I think that if he was there I'd fall into the trap of checking if I was doing the right thing, rather than getting on and doing it. The only distraction I have to deal with now is making sure I don't get in the way of anyone else's prop! (not that I'm close enough to, happily). I did have my suspicions that he was probably watching me out of the window while I did it, and I'm sure he probably is. Overall, I am glad he's leaving me to do it 'alone' because it really is making me more confident and feel more like a 'pilot' rather than some random who turns up occasionally to learn stuff about flying (if that makes any sense). So, yeah, I assume if I was doing something totally wrong or missing something really important, he'd be telling me (since I'm sure he must be checking up on me while I'm doing it, even if he is pretending to hide). But I'm thinking I'll still ask him to go through a full preflight with me just to check what I'm doing.
turboplanner Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 After five or six hours there's nothing woring with asking him to critique your pre-flight and doing it with commentary - just in case he really is reading a book. Then you know 100% your sequence is correct. Motzart I don't believe a word you said, except the serious advice.
DarkSarcasm Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 So you're a skeptic and don't believe Moza's apology? :P Do you think, as part of learning how to be an instructor, they have to practice how to look uninterested but also watch at the same time? Just think of it - "Lesson 4: appropriate instructor facial expressions". That could also include how to not look completely terrified at things some students do...
turboplanner Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Just trying to get a bite out of him, but I think he's gone for the night - very focussed CFI ith a lot of home truths, but we won't tell him that. Don't tell anyone.
motzartmerv Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 No, not gone, just distracted by the TV.. Im not givin up any secrets re the instructor training.. but i will say they do teach us to turn the other cheek.... Turbz.. 2 things, 1.your too kind....and... 2.you'll keeep.....
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