What aircraft to fly??

[mules83]

I never understood why so many people get wrapped up about flying a low-wing vs high wing. I flew both on the civilian side before flight school, but probably had more time in a low wing. Yes, I know there are some aerodynamic differences, but really, it's not that big a deal.

I have had my share of high and low wing flying so here is my couple of words. One thing that I didnt like about flying low wing a/c is I always sat what seemed to be too low. In high wing a/c, i could alway see the whole cowling and in low wing, i could barely see it. (im 6'2") Low wing a/c also tended to float more than high wing a/c. I did a alot of instruction in a PA28 (fixed gear) and if you came in 10 kts fast, you would float down most of the runway (it was only 2700ish feet long). During cruise though, it tended to be more stable and more comfortable flying on xcountries. Also, I always hated checking the underside of low wing a/c, such a pain to get down and peek under the wing at the gear.

High wing a/c are more fun for joy flying (better for sight-seeing), are better for training (students can look down and see runway better/points for manv., etc.) and tended to have a better foward view.

These are just my opioions so take it as is.

I started API with 300 hrs ASEL (150 hrs of which was actual Instrument)

How in the heck was half of your total time all actual. I belive you, just i want to know where you did your flying and how bad was the weather. I agree with what you said. Good gouge from someone who has gone through it.

 

[bunk22]

Has anyone here had any aerobatics experience before getting into the Navy training system? I'm curious whether or not it has helped/hurt any student aviators...

A good friend of mine did, at least I believe he did. He had around 1,800hrs prior to starting Primary back in 96. Under the old grading system, he finished with something around 95-100 aboves. Commodore's List with Distinction (both primary and advanced) and still fly's F-18's with the Corps. He simply smoked the program.

 

[mules83]

Has anyone here had any aerobatics experience before getting into the Navy training system? I'm curious whether or not it has helped/hurt any student aviators...

I personally would do some acro training just to get a feel for how being upside down feels and how 6g's feel and how a outside spin feels(only do that once, trust me). I would think you would want to do it so when you do it for the navy, it wont be a surprise and you can concetrate on how to get out of it; not saying 'oh wow, this is awesome.' Other than just a intro to that kind of stuff, I would be careful of someone teaching you wrong and than having a hard time in navy flight training learning it the right way. But thats the risk with all general aviation flying. You have to learn the navy way which is usually different from your local part 61 billy bob FBO.

my 2 pesos

 

[Gatordev]

Mules, mules, mules. We're not circus performers. It's "aero"batics.

I would agree that's a good experience to feel what it's like when things are upside down. I just wouldn't get too frustrated when you come back feeling like crap and think that maybe military flying isn't for you. Going up and doing aerobatics and going up and doing FAMs in Primary are two different things, and you get used to the jittery feel of a high(er) performance aircraft compared to a Cessna. Then again, if you go up and do a bunch of aero and get used to it, FAM 1 will be that much easier.

@Chuck:

Yeah, I have a lot of time in a Grumman Traveler, which is like a Cheetah, but w/ 10 less HP. We blew an engine seal one day (thankfully over Tampa Intl) so when they rebuilt the engine, they added a Lycoming mod that gave it an extra 10 HP, so it basically became a Cheetah w/ smaller tailfeathers and the ability to run off of auto fuel. I flew a Tiger in San Dog waiting for the RAG, and wow. I was amazed at what that extra 20 HP did for that light airplane. And there's no other way to fly in Florida in the summer than w/ the Grumman canopy.

 

[Pags]

The only reason I could think that prior aerobatic experience would be good is due to the confidence it gives you in the aircraft, as others have hit on.

Working on pulling 6gs and doing outside spins seems a bit extraneous, since that's much more than you'll do in the 5(7?) or so PA (precision aerobatic) flights you'll have in primary. And those could end up being the last PAs you fly for some time.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Working on pulling 6gs and doing outside spins seems a bit extraneous, since that's much more than you'll do in the 5(7?) or so PA (precision aerobatic) flights you'll have in primary.

Again......if you approach any civilian flight training as such that you think it's going to give you an edge, then I think you are doing it for the wrong reason. If you get into aerobatics and become proficient at them, great. If that's what you enjoy, then I encourage you to learn as much about that type of flying as you can. Just don't sit there thinking you're now a shoe in for jets.

 

[BugDriver]

How in the heck was half of your total time all actual. I belive you, just i want to know where you did your flying and how bad was the weather. I agree with what you said. Good gouge from someone who has gone through it.

Oops. Seattle weather goes IMC a lot, but I should rephrase.

Got my Private at 50 hours out of Boeing Field. Then nearly killed myself at 90 hours with "get-home-itis" trying to race an oncoming cold front back to a non-towered airport (I was scud-running under 700' overcast following headlights on the freeway for navigation by the time it was over). The old guy at the FBO met me at [his] plane, watched me climb out of the cockpit drenched with sweat and shaking, and then he just laughed and said, "I bet you won't do that again!"

Best flying lesson I've ever had.

Decided right then that I really didn't want to fly again without knowing how to make ALL the navigational instruments in the cockpit work for me. Got my instrument ticket about 70 hours later, then never flew anything but an IFR flight plan after that. So the remainder of my civilian instrument time was ~150 hours of flying SIDS, STARS, and approaches from takeoff to landing.

As for actual IMC, my logbook shows only 50 hours before API. Thanks for the catch.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Decided right then that I really didn't want to fly again without knowing how to make ALL the navigational instruments in the cockpit work for me. Got my instrument ticket about 70 hours later, then never flew anything but an IFR flight plan after that.

So was that a treatment of the symptom or the cause?

 

[BugDriver]

So was that a treatment of the symptom or the cause?

Thing is, without the rating, the VOR needles don't do you much good if the clouds force you down below the minimum reception altitude -- and you're a teenager with an invincibility complex to boot.

 

[mules83]

Im with the FAA, send your certificate to the below address for termination for unsafe flying.

Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591



Im joking for the ones who dont get it. I have done my fair share of alligator searching in FL from the air. Its amazing how high they can jump out of the water at a passing plane. I have a picture, but it isnt uploading for some reason.

 

[Ajax]

I did a little bet of aerobatic training, the G's and being upside down didn't really bother me at all, but maybe that's because I had the "Oh man, this is too cool" mindset, vs. flight school pressure.

So, I guess instrument flying will be a pretty valuable endevour for me to go into during this long ass time before Primary, thanks.

 

[nugget81]

Thanks everyone for the answers about the aerobatics stuff. I asked because I've done a couple of aerobatics courses (not just a couple lessons) and I can't get enough of it - it's too fun!! If I had the money for it I think I'd buy myself a Super Decathlon (aerobatic and tailwheel). But don't worry, I don't think that I'm a shoe-in for jets....I still have to graduate from college first