Flying Lessons ?

[F=MA]

Airline Transport Pilot (multi-engine land)
Commercial Pilot (single-engine land)
Certificated Flight Instructor - Instrument Airplane & Multi-Engine Airplane

I have accumulated about 9000 hours of flight time. I've performed, or supervised, about 5000 takeoffs & landings.

I've taught dozens of people how to fly, and been an instructor pilot for the freight/charter operation I worked for in Northern Michigan.

I've flown U.S. Mail in every weather condition imaginable.

I've had to do a high speed low pass to scare a bear off a runway.

I once spent a half hour holding to get into an airport while the pilot ahead of me who was in over his head allowed his incompetence to kill himself and a passenger.

I've seen ice acretion on the wings of a Baron one night reach four and a half inches.

One night while carrying mail into Grand Rapids, I kept the Chieftain at 10,000 feet until I got my final turn to intercept the instrument approach course six miles from the airport. Extending gear, flaps, and performing an aggressive slip, the airplane and I fell from the sky at 4000 feet per minute as the severe icing conditions in the clouds packed three inches of ice on the unprotected surfaces of the airplane. Flying freight is far more fun than flying passengers.

I've physically fought to keep a Cessna 150 on the ground in the middle of a microburst. The pilot in the 152 just behind me wasn't as proficient. That combination of aluminum and human being ended up upside down 100 yards behind me. Pilot mostly unhurt - aircraft totaled.

I've flown fire patrol for the U.S. Forestry Service.

I've flown traffic watch for radio stations in N.W. Arkansas.

I've experienced St. Elmo's fire that words just can't describe.

I've hit a goose during takeoff in a jet at 400' above ground.

I've transported famous people, infamous people, and people who think they're famous.

I've been screamed at for not carrying Cokie Robert's bags (not by her or anyone in her party).

I have safely transported well over 100,000 passengers during my career to date.

I once flew 3500 baby chickens from Birmingham to Miami. Almost lost them upon arrival because there was no one to pick them up and the temperature on the ramp at MIA at 9 a.m. was 110 degrees farenheit.

I once flew one passenger, ninteen cats, and two dogs from Beaver Island, Michigan to Pickens, Georgia. Not nice house cats...nasty wild cats that would claw you if you got close enough to their cage.

I once had a total electrical failure in a Cessna 172...at night. I got to fly the last two hundred miles pitch black, using only a flashlight held in my mouth, a map on my lap, and eyes looking outside to try to keep my bearings as I made my diversion to the only airport I knew of that would have a lighted runway available.

I've blown a tire on a Saturday night at Chicago's O'Hare international while flying a Baron in to pick up a passenger. Good luck finding a mechanic on Saturday night on Labor Day weekend.

The things I have seen and done in airplanes...the stories I can tell...

Take your friend up on the offer at your earliest opportunity. Bring lots of money.

 

[F=MA]

So the question is, do light planes react the same way?

Yes...only faster.

 

[hyhflo]

My one and only ultra-brief aircraft "piloting" experience was a C-130E, STARTING at ~30,000' somewhere over Costa Rica way back ~'64.

I was a loadmaster, but had taken and passed the USAF officers qualifying exam and the pilot and nav. tech. exams. The pilot told me to try flying the bird, giving me lots of encouragement by stating that he didn't think I could do anything wrong enough that he couldn't recover before we hit the ground.

Main thing I learned is that all the control surface moves require a "double move". To turn left, I was pretty surprised to discover that you don't simply turn the wheel to the left and hold it there until the turn is completed. Oh, nooo, the damn wing just keeps on climbing. You must crank it to the left and then return it to neutral (or nearly neutral). Same thing with a climb. Can't just hold the wheel back, gotta return to neutral or the nose just keeps on going up. Pull back, push to neutral, then at new altitude push forward, return to neutral, etc.

So here we are, ~20 Marines in the back, and the ZERO time loadmaster is flying all over the sky like a drunken bumblebee.

So the question is, do light planes react the same way?

the rabbit had me laughing in tears
now flying like a drunken bumblebee i need to pee..

 

[AJAY]

Main thing I learned is that all the control surface moves require a "double move". To turn left, I was pretty surprised to discover that you don't simply turn the wheel to the left and hold it there until the turn is completed. Oh, nooo, the damn wing just keeps on climbing. You must crank it to the left and then return it to neutral (or nearly neutral). Same thing with a climb. Can't just hold the wheel back, gotta return to neutral or the nose just keeps on going up. Pull back, push to neutral, then at new altitude push forward, return to neutral, etc.

So here we are, ~20 Marines in the back, and the ZERO time loadmaster is flying all over the sky like a drunken bumblebee.

So the question is, do light planes react the same way?

Funny story Benesesso. All dynamic machines we pilot (airplanes, motorcycles, cars, busses, etc.) require some level of learned reaction to operate smoothly. Some, like your C130, take more to control than others. But in learning to operate them, we do the necessary control automatically. You want to turn left on your Busa? You actually turn right first (push on the left bar) to initiate the turn, then you let the front end come around. As you lean in further, you start to turn out to keep the bike from leaning over further. Some bikes need a lot of pressure to hold them up in a turn. Some are very neutral.

Airplanes are the same way. All high-wing Cessnas lose so much lift in a turn that you can easily lose 200 feet during the turn. To compensate, you learn to gently pull back in the turn and you do it automatically. Every time a Cessna pilot flies my Mooney, they gain a 100 or 200 feet making a turn because they pull back on the yoke when they don't need to. I think airplanes definitely take more control awareness than other vehicles, but it all becomes automatic with a little practice.

Oh, and F=ma, respect.

 

[Benesesso]

I got chewed out but good one day as a ground crew loaded a 5,000 lb. box of sand for a practice airdrop. They backed the truck right up to the C-130 rear ramp. The aircraft had either roller conveyors or the new (1964) dual-rail roller system--don't remember which.

Nowthen, the loadmaster is supposed to use either a strong heavy plate that attaches to the end of the ramp, which spans the gap to the truck. It also supports the rear of the aircraft. The alternative is to use an even heavier "milk stool", a beast that the ground crews are supposed to have. This day the ground crew didn't have it, and for whatever reason (probably was tired from being chased by the separated husband of some girl, who failed to understand the marriage was over--damn, I hate when that happens), I didn't use the "truck loading plate", as we called it.

I was also unaware that the rest of the crew had arrived and was standing around on the flight deck, drinking the hot coffee that had been picked up by their hard working but tired loadmaster from the inflight kitchen.

So, as you may have already figured out, when the 5,000 lb. suddenly rolled onto the unsupported ramp, it had a little bit of leverage, because it's a long way from the ramp to the main landing gear. It's also about that far from said gear to the flight deck. A long time ago somebody said "What goes up must come down", and the opposite is also true. The ramp suddenly dropped about a foot, and surprise, hot coffee went flying.

BTW, this wasn't the same crew that let me fly, and it wasn't the first or last time I got chewed out by the captain. But more stories shall have to wait; I've got dinner to eat.

 

[Bosshound]

Good Stuff !!!!!!!!!!! Thank You ALL

 

[Kento-Moto]

My 2 Cents ...

 

[V-Max 2 Busa]

Hey Robert, I had to chuckle just a bit when I read this topic title, I think I've got a little flying experience under my belt now.

 

[Bosshound]

Hey Robert, I had to chuckle just a bit when I read this topic title, I think I've got a little flying experience under my belt now.

Yes you have, But I think you Still Need to Work on Your Landing Skills

 

[Pardini]

Yes you have, But I think you Still Need to Work on Your Landing Skills

Was a good landing, take off was the problem.

Oh and Robert, your too slow to fly.

 

[Tufbusa]

What are you flying Tuf? Why am I not surprised? I've got three grass strips for you to come land on and a cold awaits!

I've been flying since my military days. I owned the Piper Dealership here back in the 80's and flew many airplanes of all shapes sizes and discriptions from the Piper factory in Florida back here to WA.

I currently own a T-210 which I purchased new in 1980 and the only person to fly her in the left seat

But Dude, no one with good sense would ever bail out of a perfectly good airplane! lease:

 

[AJAY]

But Dude, no one with good sense would ever bail out of a perfectly good airplane! lease:

Too true, too true!

Now, in the first 5 minutes of my first aerobatic lesson (Super Decathalon), my instructor said, "In a minute, I'm going to teach you about your parachute, but first I have to teach you something even more important."

"If we ever have to bail, you put your foot here," indicating left foot on the wheel strut, "and your other foot here," indicating right foot on the ledge of the door.

"You grab here," showing my right hand grabbing the tube above the door (or I think it was a tube).

"Now you reach way back and grab my harness here in the center and pull me out of the back seat, because if we're in such a bad situation that we're jumping out of this airplane, there is no way I will be able to pull myself out of the back seat without your help."

I still haven't actually jumped out of an airplane.

 

[F=MA]

I still haven't actually jumped out of an airplane.

Try and keep it that way!

 

[Mr Bogus]

aerobatic guys... egads.... I got a 10 minute ride in a pitts 2b out of Deer valley air park from one of our customers... was not for me... busted blood vessles in my eyes and a stomach that was not very happy at all... not to mention I was scared sensless..

Crop dusters an Bush pilots.... another batch of cowboys

 

[Tufbusa]

Damn Randy, did you use the barf bag?

Wuss!

 

[Mr Bogus]

Damn Randy, did you use the barf bag?

Wuss!

no, did not use either of the bags... but that tiny little plane had amazing performance... wish my belly was up to more

 

[F=MA]

I got chewed out but good one day as a ground crew loaded a 5,000 lb. box of sand for a practice airdrop. They backed the truck right up to the C-130 rear ramp. The aircraft had either roller conveyors or the new (1964) dual-rail roller system--don't remember which.

Nowthen, the loadmaster is supposed to use either a strong heavy plate that attaches to the end of the ramp, which spans the gap to the truck. It also supports the rear of the aircraft. The alternative is to use an even heavier "milk stool", a beast that the ground crews are supposed to have. This day the ground crew didn't have it, and for whatever reason (probably was tired from being chased by the separated husband of some girl, who failed to understand the marriage was over--damn, I hate when that happens), I didn't use the "truck loading plate", as we called it.

I was also unaware that the rest of the crew had arrived and was standing around on the flight deck, drinking the hot coffee that had been picked up by their hard working but tired loadmaster from the inflight kitchen.

So, as you may have already figured out, when the 5,000 lb. suddenly rolled onto the unsupported ramp, it had a little bit of leverage, because it's a long way from the ramp to the main landing gear. It's also about that far from said gear to the flight deck. A long time ago somebody said "What goes up must come down", and the opposite is also true. The ramp suddenly dropped about a foot, and surprise, hot coffee went flying.

BTW, this wasn't the same crew that let me fly, and it wasn't the first or last time I got chewed out by the captain. But more stories shall have to wait; I've got dinner to eat.

Funny story! I'm sure you've seen photographs of 747's standing on their tails due to improper loading.