speed_racer

Good work.. I got the feeling this school might be money hungry as well, so much for the get your pilot cert in 20 hours thing.. im on about 28 to 30 now.. i wish they had the training syllabus up front. if i got abuse from the instructor I would refuse to pay for that lesson.. or if it was light enough I'd just simply tell him to get f***ed. similar to 'f** off you princess' which I have used in the past when the CFI has had 'his' rags... ;)

Thanks Joe. its not too bad at $199 an hour dual, which is something I have found that even the other schools at coldstream, lilydale etc.. have a hard time matching. I do like the foxbats, but tyabb each sunday is a bit too far for me. I have flown down to tooradin for my CTAF lessons before. If only Essendon wasnt so expensive as its just around the corner. :) Id prefer not to fly jab's as its like learning to drive in a 1980's hyundai.. hehe but its just what the schools have

Why would my landing reference be at the OTHER end of the strip? but to answer, its at the beginning.. In the case of landing without brakes, my reference was the asphalt before the piano keys to give as much runway as possible. operating handbook is not in the plane, they do however have a print out of the pre start/taxi/line up checks and also speeds for 'whichever' configuration..

Thanks for this. It pretty much emphasizes what I was thinking.. I was so pissed off at the incident,

Thanks for that, you would only switch off once ur wheels touch down though right? Or before it?

No I normally land with 1 stage and usually approach at 75kts, but given the fact I had full flap (2 stage), I wanted my approach speed as low as possible.. 1 touch and go because initially when I asked for a stop and go, my request was denied as a piper was approaching behind me.

The throttle was on idle which that plane was around 1100-1200 rpm... I noticed the brakes didn't pump up on the downwind checks, hence why i asked for a stop and go (with one stage of flaps and after 5 touch and go's) tried to stop but couldn't so i used that as an exercise to see how I would go on a full stop. Anyway next one round was a full stop without brakes, 2 stages of flap, 60knot descend speed, tailwind and a little balloon to almost stall it just before touch down. I think i executed it pretty well considering... Because the plane was an old POS andthat the tower was warned after my pre solo check that if I didn't respond on the radio it was because there was an issue with the radio but they replaced wiring and they think that should of fixed it, I asked if one of the newer planes was available as i dropped the CFI off, and he said they might be back but do your solo in this plane as you were just checked in it.. Anyway the master cylinder was empty when i checked it after landing and stopping on the grass in front of the clubhouse. So a lesson learnt there..

Hey Joe, Thanks for that. That sounds great. Its a bit more of a hike from the city but certainly worth looking into. I had the opportunity to fly a foxbat and loved it. Felt more like a cessna i flew on a trial as it had the wheel. Cheers, Troy

To follow on in further detail, I used full flap configuration and my approach speed was just on 60 knots, I landed way before the piano keys but found it was only safe to try and turn at the very end of the runway, I possibly could of made the last taxi turn off but didnt incase i rolled it.. In any other day I have done this, I would of been able to pull up on the piano keys but the crosswind turned to a tailwind which meant my IAS was a lot faster ground speed.. But why am i telling you this.. your an experienced pilot and would be able to make that call on your own wouldnt you? ;)

Thanks for that. I checked that as well and couldn't see anything listed in there.. So brake fluid isnt a pre flight procedure.. because we are handed a pre flight checklist that is a A5 sheet, printed and laminated by the school, So I wanted to have a look at the official Jab pre flight checklist to see if there was anything they have forgotten, ok? MozartMerv, Now in relation to your jab manual or laminated sheet the school provided, there is no mention of brake fluid checks.. I appreciate the conversation and advice. but no bitchy attitudes or remarks please.

Thanks. That's the confirmation I wanted. I dont know when the inspection of the school has been done...

motzartmerv, the planes are parked on grass.. so if there is a leak it was undetectable. if the brakes faded, that would be fair enough.. But the fact that it had no brake fluid is very concerning.. its a $10 bottle that could of easily fixed it and its just something that I will now check myself and not rely on the school's check flight list. If anyone has a copy of the pre flight for a jab and could link it to me, i would much appreciate it. thanks heaps!

Thanks for your advice guys. I might have a squizz around at some different schools and see what others will offer RA training within moorabbin. I've always been keen to fly a tecnam but it seems as though you have to drive out to horsham or stawell (in VIC) to fly one of those.

Thanks for the advice guys. No one wants to advise either way so perhaps ill ask a different way, if you were hiring a plane from someone, would you rehire from them if you came across these issues? In terms of checking the brake during taxi, I did.. During my pre solo check it worked not good but about average for a jab.. Even on run up checks, it started to move until i put the brake on one more click.. My lesson learnt here is to include brake fluid in the pre flight, they never mentioned it in the check list I was given.. It was ready for its 50 hour maintenance check too..

Hi all, I'm writing this post to ask for your fellow pilots advice.. I have done 28 hours of flying with 0.5 hours left to complete my solo circuits. I thought this is what I had left to get my solo certificate for my RA licence. However I have been advised by the CFI that I still need to do my training syllabus of prac search and landing, advanced stalls and short field take off and landings. (i have done short field so i need to discuss that with them) My problems I have came across are.. 1. While flying a jabiru J160 (late model) We had a rough running engine while taking off after a glide approach and had to call stopping and put it down on the remaining runway. That was a throughbolt issue with the engine which required a rebuild. 2. While flying solo in the same aircraft a few weeks later I experienced something similar during a touch and go and landed on the remaining runway. This grounded the plane was put down to carby icing and later was advised the planes were running lean and are now richer so only to turn on carby heat when below 2800rpm on base before final and only throttle slowly with 5 to 10 seconds between idle and full rpm during take off. 3. Last weekend I was given one of their older planes and after a pre solo check, I went solo to find during downwind, the brakes didn't pump up as expected, I asked for a stop and go which confirmed while on the ground I had no brakes, so next one i advised the tower of the problem and used full flaps and used every bit of runway hoping to not hit the fence, I successfully landed and slowed it down enough by the end to taxi to the apron. It turned out there was no brake fluid left, during my pre flight checks I did not see any leak from the calipers as they are parked on grass. The CFI's excuse was oh that happens all the time, especially during summer because people ride the brakes and they fade away, I told him its no excuse and brake fade is usually pumped out during the downwind component of the circuit. As a new pilot, this all seems concerning, so my question is, am i being paranoid or should I use a different flying school at moorabbin?

Lol I had the opposite problem, I come in too fast and when i flare i end up floating half way down the runway hehe

Thanks guys, and Av8ta: Contratulations on your solo as well.. it sure is the best feeling, did you get it on video? I was so lucky that the flying school had a gopro mount for Trial Flights so i could shove my gopro on the mount :D

Thanks heaps guys! its def one ticked off the bucket list ;)

The CFI kept checking the weather from Moorabbin ground and said we have a first solo but we just want to check that bad weather isnt here, Moorabbin ground replied 'the rain is already here so you will be right." haha, so the CFI jumped out and i taxied off.. The hardest part of it was to remember the radio calls (and the crosswind during landing..) So I switched over to Tower freq and listened to the 2 planes in front radio calls as they were ready for take off. It felt funny to look over and not see the instructor sitting next to me.. So the take off and landing I thought was pretty good for a first solo :) It felt awesome once i landed, plus tower gave a 8052, a big contratulations on your first solo! hehe I think its the same for everyone but I will remember that first solo flight for the rest of my life.

I found the stalls anti climatic as well.. I havent done advanced stalling yet but I'm learning in a jab 160.. when u drop off the power and pull back until the stall warning goes off.. it didnt drop forward like it was supposed too.. it just started to drop altitude but with the same AoA (falling flat).. Then when u move the stick forward, you pull out.. Perhaps its because the jab's are pretty forgiving in a stall? I was expecting the plane to drop forwards but nope, not within the hour of stall training..

Thanks guys! Thats because racer X and I dont look alike :P

So you guys did the air law n radio without reading anything? i was told its easy but.. wasnt sure it was that easy.. Human Factors was meant to be easy but I was told the course was compulsory to do before the exam, and the course i did was s h i t!! conflicting answers to whats in contrast of the exam (missed out by one question). Anyway I found there is a torrent seed for the 'practice exam' and what do you know, 100% pass the second time :D

Hi Guys, Long time reader, first time poster :P I have my first solo popping up this sunday but in the morning I had to get the Air Law and Radio exams out the way.. so I was on here reading up on the stuff and thought id broadcast a hotel echo lima lima oscar to everyone :D