Training Received – Page 3

24th March 2012 DIfferences

Piper Arrow differences training

A faster aircraft The club fleet includes a Piper Arrow – a step up from the Warriors I learnt on and normally fly. This has a more powerful engine (180bhp instead of 160), retractable undercarriage (much less drag, so goes faster) and a variable prop (more efficient, so also goes faster). These features enable a cruising speed of around 150mph (approx 130 knots) with similar fuel consumption. It also has

18th September 2011 IMC Rating

Passed the IMC Skills Test

After 6 months of training and having completed the full IMC syllabus twice (at different flying schools), I was getting to the stage where I just wanted to finish this off. Weather initially looked dubious The weather at home wasn’t good – dark clouds and impending rain. A quick look at the weather report for Oxford showed winds from the North – giving me some concern that the airport would

17th September 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #16: Exam prep and ILS approach

The plan for today was to finish it all off. I’d booked a lesson with EB first, followed by a slot after lunchbreak with an examiner to conduct the IMC skills test. To say I was apprehensive at this stage would be putting it mildly. The weather forecast indicated winds of 15 gusting 25 from the south west – a crosswind for the normal runway which would be outside aircraft

3rd September 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #15: Practice Approach completion

The plan for today – instrument approach signoff My target today was to get signoff on an instrument approach. I’ve done quite a few of these, and have been lucky enough at Lyneham to have had the opportunity of PAR (Precision Approach Radar – a talkdown by ATC typically only available at military airfields) as well as SRA, NDB and ILS methods. The only type I haven’t done is GPS,

29th August 2011 IMC Rating / solo

Some solo IMC practice

…with a safety pilot of course! After Saturday’s full day landaway, today’s Bank Holiday Monday flight was intended to be a shorter local flight focussed on IMC practice. I didn’t want to have a full lesson with an instructor so instead had arranged to make a local flight with another club member (Dave). He would act as safety pilot on our flight from Kemble. Kemble was fairly busy – it

20th August 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #14: More holds and practice approach

After a summer holiday break, it was back for more IMC training at Oxford. After an early (6:30am) start, I had two separate slots booked for 9 and 1:30. I had a few problems with the car in the morning (faulty suspension meant I had to swap to our other vehicle) so despite originally setting off in good time was a few minutes late getting there. As it happened, the 10:30 slot

31st July 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #13: Unlucky for some

The plan for an NDB approach Today the plan was to do an NDB approach. When sitting the IMC skills test, you can either do 2 different approaches in the exam itself, or have one previously signed off by an instructor. Although I had done a number of approaches at Lyneham, none had formally been signed off in this way. This would also be my first approach at Oxford, so

30th July 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #12: More Revision

Another IMC training day in Oxford Following on from an earlier session at Pilot Flight Training in Oxford, I spent all day there and had a couple of training flights to continue brushing up my IMC skills and prepare for a retest. It was fairly clear that my instructor wanted to go through the syllabus and ensure I was up to scratch on everything. Today, we’d cover holds in the

10th July 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day #11: Back to basics

Another new flying school With weekend flying no longer available from Lyneham and more IMC training required, I chose Pilot Flight Training at Oxford to bring me up to scratch. With comprehensive instrument approach facilities, training school with PA28s (which I’m used to) and reasonable prices, this seemed a good choice. The downside being a 90 minute car trip each way. It wasn’t an easy decision and I serious considered

16th June 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Tracking and ILS

Rush, Rush, Rush This evening’s flight was a bit of a rush. I managed to leave work on time and got to the club shortly after 6pm, to find Roger was in the air with his previous student and looked to be running a little late. I took the time to check the wind, note down the ATIS and calculate headings with the whizz wheel in preparation for ADF tracking and an