What??? I was supposed to actually remember all that stuff from the first lesson? I was supposed to do prepwork before showing up? I watched the videos assigned as homework, but this stuff? I missed that memo.
It was there, mind you, just buried under all the other information I thought I was absorbing in the first lesson. And that pretty much set the tone for this second lesson. I spent the entire flight lost between being both behind and ahead of myself at the same time. Behind in that I didn't remember a lot of information from that first flight. Ahead in that I was eager to demonstrate my theoretical knowledge, but without perhaps remembering all the steps involved.
There were some things which were starting to click into a routine, like the preflight inspection. Turn on the power inside and turn on all the lights plus pitot heat. Lower the flaps. Walk around to make sure everything’s illuminated and by the time you get back to where you started from the pitot tube should be warmed up. Turn on the avionics switch and listen for the cooling fan, check fuel levels, and then shut everything back down. Always check the fuel levels early on, because you don't know how long it will take the fuel truck to show up if you need to top off.
Next, the walkaround. You see commercial pilots do this and wonder what they’re looking for. Well, pretty much anything that shouldn’t be there, or things that should but aren’t. You don’t worry about the walkaround while you’re inspecting the lights because otherwise you’re draining the battery unnecessarily. Do that quickly then you can take your time with this. You make sure flight control surfaces are free to move. You check to make sure control cables are secure and connections are good. Check the wheels for damage and brakes for wear. Make sure the access panels have all their screws in tight. Check the engine oil to make sure you have enough. Add a quart if needed. Check the air filter and internal air inlet for obstructions, check the belt for wear, and look for any physical damage to the plane which would cause concern. Lastly, check the fuel for any contaminants and make sure the fuel caps are on tight. Once that’s done, it’s time to untether the airplane, move the wheel chocks (you’ll know if you forget this one), and pull the plane out onto the line to get ready to go. It’s all on the checklist, though it’s easier to just develop a natural flow of things to look at then verify with the checklist in this case.
The inspection is pretty easy to get into a routine because there’s nothing else going on. You can give your full attention to it then move on. Once you’re in the airplane and the prop is spinning, you’re multitasking; always keeping one eye on what the airplane is doing while keeping the other on what you want to be doing next. If you’re the type who has trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, this may present some rough waters for you. I’m not the best multitasker, but a career in journalism has taught me such important life skills as eating while driving, so it can be mastered.
The flight itself was a rough one. Perhaps it was because I was knocked back a bit at the beginning by not being prepared, or forgetting to apply right rudder on take-off and almost running off the left side of the runway, but I felt continually behind the 8-ball the entire time. I felt that I was controlling the airplane, but not necessarily in control of it. A lot of the maneuvers I felt I got more by dumb luck than by skill. We landed (with only a slight improvement in my taxiing skills), and while not discouraged, certainly dwelling in the realization that this was going to be a lot harder than it looks in YouTube videos. I knew I could do better, though, and saw my next flight as an opportunity to prove it.
The inspection is pretty easy to get into a routine because there’s nothing else going on. You can give your full attention to it then move on. Once you’re in the airplane and the prop is spinning, you’re multitasking; always keeping one eye on what the airplane is doing while keeping the other on what you want to be doing next. If you’re the type who has trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, this may present some rough waters for you. I’m not the best multitasker, but a career in journalism has taught me such important life skills as eating while driving, so it can be mastered.
The flight itself was a rough one. Perhaps it was because I was knocked back a bit at the beginning by not being prepared, or forgetting to apply right rudder on take-off and almost running off the left side of the runway, but I felt continually behind the 8-ball the entire time. I felt that I was controlling the airplane, but not necessarily in control of it. A lot of the maneuvers I felt I got more by dumb luck than by skill. We landed (with only a slight improvement in my taxiing skills), and while not discouraged, certainly dwelling in the realization that this was going to be a lot harder than it looks in YouTube videos. I knew I could do better, though, and saw my next flight as an opportunity to prove it.
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