The Point of the S
by Russ Knize on Mar.04, 2016, under Flight Training
Performed more ground reference maneuvers today. After warming up on the rectangular pattern, we did S turns and turns around a point. The wind was extremely calm, so the maneuvers were greatly simplified. It was actually nice to get the hang of them without the complexity of large wind corrections. He wants to go over them again next time, since correcting for the wind is one of the main points of the maneuver. If I do well, we will start with the pattern work. I suspect we will be doing that for quite a while, since there is a lot to learn and my landings are still not good (hey, I’ve only done 8 so far).
I finally got some video footage of a lesson. The 152 does not have a GoPro mount, so I mounted it to the side window just behind my head. The camera could see the instruments and outside, but it had the door pillar right through the middle and the instruments were way underexposed. I guess two cameras are needed if I want to get both the outside and a good shot of the controls and instruments. Despite that and even though I started the camera a bit late, the video has already proven really helpful. Editing and syncing-in the intercom audio was rather tedious on GoPro’s software. Looking for something better.
March 10th, 2016 on 8:19 am
I can only imagine the level of ‘duh’ moments going through your head during each lesson. I know I would be swimming in them. A LOT to remember at any given moment. But I can also imagine it’s all like learning how drive in some ways. How much do you think about how hard to press the brake to stop? Or turn the wheel to ‘stay on course’? It’s all about the muscle memory except in flying your brain is yet another muscle. 😉
March 17th, 2016 on 11:44 am
Yeah, pretty much. On my discovery flight, my taxiing was quite hysterical. I was all over the place. How hard can steering with your feet possibly be? Well, it’s not just that but also the fact that the nose wheel is connected via springs and those springs seem to vary between planes. Depending how fast to are rolling and what the wind and slipstream are doing in terms of weathervaning, the pressure needed to steer also varies. He said I’d be better by the 3rd lesson and he was right. Somehow it just clicked. The brakes still get me though. My left foot still thinks it’s on a clutch pedal, so braking evenly is tricky for some reason. That bit me on the last flight when we started pattern work. Also in flight, I find I’m needing right pedal when I really shouldn’t. Why? Because my stupid left foot is stomping on the pedal. On every landing I have to consciously manage that left foot to not stomp. Luckily, braking done more with the toes than the feet.