1.8 hours in the log book.   Finished online King ground school course and am starting the practice tests.

Two weeks after starting my flight training, I suffered a sports-related injury to my leg.  It will be at least four weeks before I am back in the left seat, maybe more.  I have taken advantage of my downtime to finish the ground school course.  I need get my written done and do IACRA.  I was starting my Medexpress before my injury, and that has now become more complicated but my doc has dealt with pilots before and says it should be okay.

I have flown quite a bit with a friend so the four basic maneuvers have been pretty easy.  I have one landing under my belt.  Steering the airplane on the ground using the pedals takes some getting used to, particularly at speed (takeoff and landing).  I have been flying an Archer for flight training.

Student pilots, check-in!

39.6 hours in a Diamond DA-20

40 hours flying a T6 simulator learning IFR/instrument approaches

Need to finish my PPL

I have flown a DA40 from the right seat.  Those Diamonds are fun aircraft to fly.  Very responsive and I love the stick.

I also have a bunch of FSX simulator time.  Because visibility is so limited in the sim, I too have used it for learning instrument flight.  It was really beneficial to me.

I can't wait to get back in the airplane and have all of my paperwork done.  Then I can schedule large blocks of time and start knocking out the hours and learning to fly.

I am almost done with my PPL. Just need my damn checkride.

Scheduling is a bitch and now Sun n Fun shuts down all training for the week so I have to wait at least another week for brush-up flights before my Checkride.

The sims they trained us on were mock T6 cockpits with all the correct avionics and had a 180 degree screen.  It was part of the military training.  Flying all sort of different approaches and emergencies mixed in for good measure .  It was pretty neat

Like this one

Wow, that is awesome!  Are you a UAV pilot in the military?

Yes
<see avatar

Yeah, that was my first clue.  

Have you gotten your medical yet OP?  I always recommend that early on....just in case.  If you plan on doing it as a career I recommend making sure you meet first class minimums as well.  Good luck

My CFI wanted me to have a couple of hours in the log book before getting my medical.

I was in the process of doing that and completing my Medexpress when ... my medical situation got more complex.

But this is nothing but a speed bump. My doctor assured me that it should not be a problem on my medical.

Which doctor...your MD or the FAA, things that are not a concern to any normal Dr can/will ground you with the FAA.  Feel free to im me if you would like.

Thanks, check your IM.

Any other student pilots out there?

Not a student per the FAA's definition, but defiantly feel like one, currently going from Private Glider Pilot to Single Engine Land. I'm a transitioning pilot.
Started flying in the Cessna 150 a few months back and Solo'd at 5 hours/4 lessons. Glider flight experience definatly helped, and getting used to a yoke instead of stick was easier than I thought. And of course glider pilots are 100% rudder too, so no issue with lazy feet.

Currently doing a bit of solo work here and there to boost confidence before joining back up with the instructor for hood work, cross country, ect.

Learning the landing flare has been my hardest obstacle so far. A glider you land pretty much flat and you can see the runway. No so much in the 150.

I hope to knock it out this summer. I am glad I have my glider experience as it is with a club and with them I know the friendly side of aviation. The flight school for powered is nice, and so are the people, but there is no place like a soaring club for learning to fly.
https://youtu.be/NMcizx1bluM

This reeks of USAFA.

No, not sure what their program consists of

Hey, what the hell. I guess I qualify for this thread now. Just today I completed my 2nd checkride of 4 for A320 training. Switching from the 757/767 category to the scarebus for seniority's sake. I'd almost forgotten how much I hate the schoolhouse. 2 more weeks, 6 deadheads, 2 checkrides, and innumerable beers to go and I'll be back on the line.

At the end of it I'll finally be able to give a completely honest assessment of what's better, Boeing or Airbus. I think it's gonna be close.

I really wish I would have pursued my childhood dreams of becoming a pilot. Have a family now and doubt it would work all that well having a wife and kid at home.

Maybe someday I can at least pursue a PPL. Just seems like it would be pretty expensive.

Can't wait for you to settle the debate once and for all!  LOL

My first flight in a 757 was a couple of weeks ago.  From everything that I've read, it seems like the 757 is a great performing airplane.

I presume all of your checkrides are in sims?  Otherwise are they with an instructor in a jet full of pax?

Yeah, they're all sims. Initially it's in CPTs (cockpit procedures trainers) for a week, then it's to the sims for two more weeks. Once we pass all the stage checks we're good to start the IOE (initial online experience). That's when we start flying the actual planes for the first time with a line check airman that makes sure we're doing things right. As much as the schoolhouse tries to make training as realistic as possible, there's always real world differences. The check airmen help smooth that transition and show you how the plane actually flies, unlike what the sim is attempting to replicate. The real aircraft always, and I mean always, fly soooo much nicer than the sims. They feel wonderful.

either of you fly from kgtb?

No I do not

I just got back in the left seat with a CFI again yesterday.  My leg injury resulted in about a 2 1/2 month delay for me but I will be packing in the hours now. My CFI said that we successfully covered about 3-4 lessons worth of material in a 1.3 hour flight. The CFI that I started with changed his scheduled so I switched to a new instructor (both are great) and am now flying out of MSN (I started at RYV).

Good times!

I'm about 30 hours into a Part 141 program, I soloed for the first time this morning, was pretty cool, very exciting, not at all nerve wracking like I had anticipated.

What are the four basic maneuvers? It's been so very long since I went through that!

I remember the Stall, Spin, Roll and Loop.

Straight and level, turns, climbs, and descents.

And I am in an Archer so there will be no spins for me.  At some point during training, I am going to fly a 172 just to feel the difference.  Perhaps we will do some spin training then.

My first solo was 35 years ago yesterday.  22,000 hours in the logbook later, and I’m still a “student” pilot.

I’ve always said if I ever fly a flight, and don’t feel that I’ve learned somthing, It’s time to hang up my spurs.

Good point, and one that applies to life in general.

22,000 hours ... wow, that is awesome!  12 hours a week for 35 years sure adds up!

I have a friend who has his IFR and is within spitting distance of 500.  He is looking forward to that so he can do Angel Flights.

Right now I am just looking forward to that magic 15 (and satisfying my instructor) so I can solo.  I have a lot of work to do before that, but it's all coming together.  The one piece that needs to fall into place is turning off the runway saying to myself "damn, that was a good landing."  But having only done three landings (all of which I walked away from), so I am trying to cut myself some slack!

I spent way too many years at a commuter, flying 800+ hours a year.  It's been a long time, since those first three landings by myself at MSN.  Don't be overly critical of yourself, but remember, you can always learn something, or improve your flying in some way.  Most importantly, enjoy the miracle of flight!

I don't recall the 172 being rated for intentional spins. I did mine in a 152 Aerobat. Fun little plane, but so little power.

Wait a minute, did you imply 15 hours to solo? I thought it was 8.

Did you ever venture over to C29?

I've been there more than once.  Field Morey gave me my CFI initial.  And I earned my only unsat on a check ride there.  A VOR approach on my instrument ride.

Field is an amazing pilot. They funny thing is, every time I'd fly with him in the 152 with more than half tanks, we were legally overweight!
On my first cross country check ride I asked him how many hours a pilot needed before he could take Field's Aerobatic training.
He asked me how many hours I had, I told him idk, 10-11. He taught me loops and rolls right then. (we were in the Aerobat).

The airplane I soloed in was an Aerobat, that got wrecked (the first time) on the grass runway at C29.

I’ve seen that T6 sim at Vance, very cool.  (My youngest went thru UPT there).

Was it N761SS?

N761UA.  Based at MSN, at the Cessna FBO.

Cant really see the airplane, but here it is, 06/14/1983.  My first solo, on my 16th birthday.  Couldn't even drive the car home by myself after.

Too cool! I didn't know they had one there. That was the same year I soloed too!

I could be wrong about the hours required to solo.  I just know that it will take more than 3 half assed landings, which is where I am at.

True, it takes at least 4 half assed ones!

I'll be there in a week!  (We have not gotten to the point of hammering out lots of landings with pattern work, but suspect we are close.)

It is if w/b & cg put it in the utility category.

Yes, but if I recall right, in my POH it said intentional spins were not recommended. Of course my 172 was a 1966 model...

My instructor did tell me that if you loop a 172, the doors pop open.

For the C172M, spins(not Whip Spins) are allowed in utility.  From what I've heard/read, spins are not taught until commercial training, something (could be bullshit) about the FAA not wanting people to get their PPL and go up to show their friends spins without really understanding how to recover in all circumstances.

You’re almost a local! Took a lot of students up to MSN from UGN. Good to hear you’re back, I would’ve paid money to get my students to complete ground school programs before coming in for flight lessons.

As stated, Spins in a C172 are approved only in Utility Category.

Spin training is only required for Flight Instructor Airplane and logged. It is not in the test.

FAA recently clearified that parachutes are not required for CFI Spin training.

Its been more than 20 years since my first flight, and I am still a student.

I just finished ground school and procedures training for my little airline, and now I am waiting on sims. I am more nervous now than I was before my first flight.

I'm sure with your experience you will rock it!

Lets hope. Never stop learning.

Just passed my ASEL checkride.

There are a lot more than "4 basic maneuvers" lol.  You are going to also learn:

Turns around a point
S turns over a line
Rectangular pattern
Slow flight
Steep turns
Power on (departure) stalls
Power off (approach) stalls
Forward slip right and left
Forward slip to landing
Short field takeoff/landing
Soft field takeoff landing
Emergency procedures, particularly engine out......

That's not to say you are going to master them - but you will learn to do them to the ACS standards.

Do yourself a couple of BIG favors:

1.  Download the ACS and get very familiar with it.  It's a list of all the airmanship requirements, how to do them, and to what standard.  It's the measuring stick your DPE will use when you take your checkride.

2.  Get your written exam out of the way early.  Be sure to study hard because any questions you miss, will be listed on your exam score certificate, and you are required to have additional training in those functional areas and get a sign off on it.  Your DPE will also drill you hard on those things you missed.  

I had 90 hours (25 hours solo) when I took my checkride.  I had so many hours because I started flying with one guy, then had to relocate to a different airport and do a top end on the airplane.  Found another instructor and it took about four flights to break in the rings and get the oil consumption stabilized.  I racked up some hours with that instructor but it wasn't working out so I had to find a more engaged/engaging CFI to fly with, then fly with him a couple times so he could see where I was at, and then start going forward again.  He soloed me after three flights.  Then availability was an issue and I wound up hiring a moonlighting CFI from one of the commercial flight schools to get my night work done.  I've got about 4 hours Hi Perf including an hour in a Great Lakes biplane and 3 hours in a Cherokee 235.  3 hours and two landings in a C172, the rest of my time is in a Cherokee 140/160.

I did my training in the Phoenix area, all our airports are Class D and busy with airline training/big flight schools.  I had to get used to flying in congested and controlled airspace and working the radios immediately.

Good luck with your training!

Great flight today  Winds were 22009G19.  It was more gusty at 3,000'.

We spent time going over power off and power on stalls as a refresher from the last flight as well as slow flight.  This Archer, even when loaded with 4 pax (two adults and two teenage kids, with 40% fuel) just did not want to do a power on stall.  It flies so well.  But it also was sluggish climbing from 3-4K due to the DA (it was hot and humid).  Although we did not adjust the mixture, so that might have something to do with it (that I'm sure will come in cruise training).

We also did ground reference training, which was a blast.  Steep turns around a point.  After a couple of turns, my instructor covered up the altimeter.  We were at 3,000' doing 360 degree turns.  He said turn 360 to the left.  At the end of the turn he took his hand off the altimeter -- it was at 3020'.  He said let's make sure it's not beginners luck and do the same thing to the right.  He took his hand off at the end and it was 3020'.  (I know, I know, why couldn't I have gotten 3000'...?)

Then S turns down a road that was perpendicular to the winds.  It was great learning how to compensate for the gusts, not only in turning performance but also in elevation (gusts under the airplane in a bank cause it to climb, and vice versa).

Then back into the airport, where I knocked off my vector training following ATC's vectors into 21.  We did two touch and goes and then a full stop.  I have only done 6 landings (spread out over 4 months and 4 lessons), and I was rounding out too high.  Although I did a good job aiming at the grass at the end of the runway.  But after a mushy round out, and extended flair, we had a safe touchdown each time.  But I am very eager to get up there and work on landings.  I am shooting for greasers every time!

On one approach to 21 we dialed in the ILS which was a great internal reference to the PAPI lights.  I have hand flown of a number of IMC ILS approaches so that was second nature to me and was much easier than following the lights and 500 fpm descent rate, particularly in the conditions.  I can use that on my check-ride and just might, depending on my visual landings progress.

The game plan going forward is one more time in the practice area where we cement the stalls and other flying skills, then we turn to pattern work and landings.  Flying into the pattern today (at a Class C, with ATC watching me) made me realize how important the maneuvers in the practice area were.  I had to implement that gust and crosswind control in the pattern while maintaining spot-on elevation.  That is stuff that you can't learn in the patter of a busy airport.

My CFI says that there are no limits for solo, but most people solo around 15 hours.  The lowest he has seen has been around 10 hours.  I am hoping to be closer to the 10 hours than the 15, but I have to nail the landings.  That will come in the next week or so.  I am trying to fly as much as I can to stay on top of the training.

I am also trying to appreciate this time in my life, because I will likely never again fly as much in a concentrated time (excepting future IFR training).  So while it is a lot of work (and time in an otherwise busy life), I am loving the fact that I am flying so much and spending so much time around aviation.

I have 4.6 hours in the logbook.