I took and passed my Stage 1 Instrument check today. I’ve proved that I can fly around without visual reference to the outside world. I can, under the hood, perform basic flight maneuvers, stalls, steep turns and slow flight. I can also fly with various instruments covered up– i.e., without an attitude indicator (artificial horizon) or a directional gyro. Which means I can also do compass turns (turning with a magnetic compass is something of an art and a real pain in the butt). I had a little trouble maintaining altitude, but I kept it within +/- 100 feet, which…
Well, I never thought he’d be able to do it, but Zach has gotten me through Stage 1 in less than one week. I started on Saturday and it’s Friday. He signed me off for my stage check on this morning at 10am or so. Now I just get to wait around for them to call me. Fortunately, the timing of this stage check won’t really affect me too much, since I can start flying stage 2 before I finish stage 1 this time. Stage 2 is all in the simulators. They’re not very good simulators, just some basic flight…
I’ve flown 4.1 hours today. I think my brain is fried. Completely fried. But, I’ve now completed lessons 1-8, which leaves one to be flown tomorrow morning at 8am, and then I’m signed off for my stage check, which if any luck will be Saturday. If so, Zach will have completed his goal of first stage in one week. There’s absolutely no way to describe the sort of brain frying that learning to fly instruments can cause, particularly if you overdose. After I pass the stage check, it’s on the simulators. I flew two localizer approaches today. I did. Me.…
My instrument instructor, Zack, is convinced that I’m going to get my instrument rating in three weeks, starting a couple of days ago. I think he’s probably off his rocker, but I’m willing to do my part in making that happen. I think 4 weeks, best case scenario, but that it will be longer. But maybe not. We’ll see. Which means I need to study. I left ground school a few minutes early today so I could fly around 10:30. I did pretty good today. Instrument flying is all about small corrections and scanning. Flying solely by reference to six…
I showed up for Instrument groundschool today. Someone should have told me that it was starting on Monday, I would have showed up then. It might have made things simpler. Oh well. Instrument flying is a pretty weird thing when you think about. Staring at a bunch of needles that are supposed to tell you where you are and where you’re going. Stage 1 of instrument training is basic attitudes. This is where I learn basic flying all over again. Flying straight and level, turns, climbs and descents. Only this time I can stare at the instruments all I want,…