South Florida Round Robin

The day was supposed to be simple enough. Depart for Gainesville (KGNV), then come back to Miami. Both legs should bring me to just about 6 hours of flying for the day.

We were off the ground before 8am, so I was optimistic about the weather cooperating with us. I was flying with a student (KA) who I signed off for his instrument checkride. He’s one of the stronger students, and a pretty chill guy, so the flight was pretty laid back- until we contacted flight watch to get an update on the Gainesville weather. The forecast was not good. There was a growing line of thunderstorms heading for GNV, and the meteorologists thought it would get there at about the same time we would.

We decided that a diversion to Lakeland would be our best option. The only problem was that we were at 8500ft, and 15nm from the airport- so we did a spiraling descent in order to set up for the RNAV approach to runway 27. Visibility was ~6nm, and while we were still legally VFR, we paid keen attention to the instruments to ensure we kept everything under control.

After an uneventful landing, we opted to go to Venice (VNC) on the west coast. I’d never been there, so I was looking forward to it. By the time we got within about 15nm of Venice, the visibility was much better, but still not terrific. We opted for the RNAV approach to runway 13, which started with a procedure turn at the initial approach fix. Well, we got lazy and half-assed the procedure turn, so wound up going to the final fix at a funny angle. Not surprisingly, Tampa Approach had something to say:

N123, verify you’re on the RNAV approach to runway 13. I see you are a mile left of course.

I had to think quickly:

I’m flying with a new student, and he isn’t very good at it yet. Sorry about that.

Roger. Maintain VFR- frequency change approved. (laughter in the background)

Of course, KA was more than a little upset with my reply, and used his fist to express his displeasure. Whatever- I still thought it was funny.

After Venice, our trip continued down the west coast to Marco Island (MKY). We tried unsuccessfully to reach Fort Myers approach for about half an hour, and did not establish communication until we were abeam RSW at 5500ft. I think the controller just had a bad headset, because the next controller to take the scope had no trouble taking to us. Stranger things have happened I guess.

After an uneventful RNAV approach and landing at Marco Island, we decide to go to Key West, because KA needed to build some more time. However the weather is against us, so a flight directly back to Miami seems to be the safest option.

At 5500ft eastbound, we dodge a few puffy clouds to maintain VFR. The air is cool and smooth. This is the type of flying I like to do. At the end of the day, I flew about 5 hours, saw a new airport, and got to have fun with a friend/student. I like being a CFI.

A day in the life of a CFI

I thought I’d share a day in the life of a CFI.

7:30am Get up and get ready to go. I don’t live too far from the airport, so I have time to relax at home for a while before I leave. I don’t feel like making breakfast today, so I stop and get some fast food on the way to the airport.

9am I get to the airport and find that two students have turned up for the same time slot. While one preflights the plane, I rush around trying to find another instructor to take the other student flying. Not an easy task at 9:08am on a Saturday, but it gets done. The temp is already 33C, and I’m glad I have a Nalgene bottle full of ice with me. It will be mostly melted before the flight ends.

My 9am student isn’t the world’s fastest learner- mostly because he doesn’t seem to study. I schedule him early so I can just get his flight behind me. We take off, and rapidly drift WAY to the left of the extended centerline because he refuses to use rudder. I prompt him to correct the situation by asking “where is the runway relative to the airplane?” He responds by saying “it’s behind us.”

Thank you Captain Obvious! Now what are you going to do about it? My question falls on deaf ears. I take the plane from him before the tower has a chance to call and ask wtf.

11am I’m flying with a student for his second lesson. He isn’t my student, and I’ve been warned that he gets airsick, so I have a sick bag on hand. We depart, and even at this early stage, his control of the airplane is quite good. He makes a few rookie mistakes on the radio and while flying, but that is to be expected. We’re in the air about 40 minutes when he says he needs to et back on the ground.

That’s all I need to hear. I firewall the throttle and go directly to the airport. He starts to feel a bit better, and so I let him fly the approach down from about 2000ft. Somewhere around 200ft, he starts to get sick again, so I have to land. As we vacate the runway, he uses the sick bag. Was my landing really that bad?!?

As we taxi to the ramp, he says he’d like to fly with me instead of his regular instructor because I’m more patient. I wouldn’t mind flying with him, but out of professional courtesy, I tell him to stick to his regular CFI. If he still has a problem after a few hours, we’ll see what can be worked out. Overall, a fun lesson.

1pm I’m doing ground with 4 student pilots. I’m trying to teach them how to read sectional charts. This sort of thing is best done with a small group. With one student, it’s just boring, and with too many students, it gets out of hand. I like doing groundschool every now and again. I get to revise a topic, and even get to learn something new once in a while. Fun times.

3pm brings the 5th student I’ve endorsed for solo flight. Last time we met, I introduced specialty landings, and today I finished that lesson, and went over everything else he’s learned so far. He does everything pretty well despite not having done the maneuvers in several weeks. He’ll be doing cross country flights in a few weeks.

He’s already thinking about his instrument rating. I suggest doing it under part 61 instead of part 141. Even though the part 141 route will make me more money, I explained to him why I think part 61 is the better choice. He doesn’t have to decide right away- he’s still got several weeks.

5pm This guy is getting ready to be my 6th solo student. He’s just turned 17, and is my 2nd youngest student. He’s very dedicated, but today he’s not really feeling the flying bug, and I can sense it. It so happens that after spending all day in the heat, I’m not too excited to go sit in a hot airplane either. The heat really wears you down. I cancel my 5pm and 7pm flights, and head home early.

Tomorrow’s going to be pretty similar, but with a different set of students.

I've dotted both i's

I finally did it. I took another checkride, and now the FAA allows me to teach instrument students. Preparing for my CFII (or “double I” as it’s usually referred to) didn’t take as long as my initial CFI, but it was still fun nevertheless. I’m glad to finally have it, as it breaks the monotony of VFR lessons, and expands my student base. I get the feeling I’ll prefer teaching instrument flying- it seems so much more like actual flying.

I already have an instrument student, who we'll call KA. He already completed all the requirements, but never got around to doing the checkride, so I’m doing a few flights with him and getting him ready for the oral exam. He’s a good student- he’ll actually study when I tell him to study. We’re aiming to do his checkride next week. He will be my first signoff. Let’s hope he does well.

Business is picking up a bit. Tomorrow I'm doing 5 lessons with different students. They're all at different stages, so it should be pretty fun.

1. send a fourth student for his first solo (we'll call him AM)
2. instrument approaches with KA
3. landings with CT
4. stalls and slow flight with AC (he's new- just learned straight & level last week)
5. basic instrument work with EP (not "real" instrument flying- he's only doing his private)

Who knows better?

Back in my day, things were different…

That was the comment more than one CFI made today when we heard about a situation concerning one student. The student in question is enrolled in my school’s private pilot course. Earlier in his training, he got fed up with CFI#1 because the CFI didn’t think he was ready to solo. The student changed instructors because he disagreed with the instructor’s judgment that he was not ready to solo. The student moved on to CFI#2, and eventually did his solo flight.

Said student has progressed to the cross-country phase of his training, and is getting ready for his solo cross-country flight. CFI#2 doesn’t think he’s quite ready for a solo cross-country flight. The student disagrees. He has an impressive 31.3 hours of experience- ranging from flights in the local traffic pattern, to three or so hours of cross country flying with CFI#2. He calls on this experience to determine that his CFI (whose solo cross country time exceeds the student’s total time) is incorrect, and that he is indeed ready to solo.

So today, after much angst, he has moved on to CFI#3, who he hopes will allow him to go on his solo cross-country flight. Now, when I was in his shoes, there were surely times when I disagreed with my CFI, but good sense prevailed, and I realized that if my CFI didn’t think I was ready for something, there was probably a valid reason. It never once occurred to me that I should actually change CFI’s because I never got my way.

No CFI is going to solo a student before he or she is ready because the student’s safety is our main concern. If a student thinks he knows better than the CFI, why waste the CFI’s time? Why not just sign his own logbook?

First day of Summer

I don’t care what the calendar says, Summer started today. I had four flights scheduled today, but I only flew once. The reason- weather. Today was hot and humid. All the afternoon flights were canceled because of rain and thunderstorms. That’s an absolutely standard Summer day down here in South Florida. This lovely summer weather will continue till oh…October/November. Only six months to go…

My first solo pt.2

“Be there before 7am” I told him, but as usual, it fell on deaf ears and he was late for his solo. I told him the plan was to do a few patterns with me, and if he was still up to speed, I’d send him for his solo. Now that he was late, I told him the solo may not happen since we may run out of time. Nonetheless, we get airborne, and I look keenly for any mistakes he could make. There’s a company 152 in the pattern doing circuits also. My student does 3 circuits with minimal input from me. I think he’s ready.


I request a full stop landing so I can get out of the airplane, and we’re cleared to land. Just then the 152 calls ready for circuits- her first solo flight. Nice- two first solos will be in the pattern at once- just what the controllers wanted at 8am.


We taxi to the nearest ramp, I sign the paperwork, and tell him to do 3 full stop landings. “Pretend I’m right beside you, and fly just the way we trained.” I grab my radio and jump out of the airplane. I see the 152 on downwind, and wonder if it was really smart to put two newbs in the pattern at once.


I listen keenly as he calls for taxi clearance, then departure clearance- this time adding “first student solo” to the request. I can’t help but smile, because he’s doing it perfectly- no mistakes so far. He gets takeoff clearance, and starts the roll. I hope he’s keeping the plane on the centerline. I note that he’s forgotten to turn on the strobes and landing lights, but that sin can be forgiven.


I watch as he does his first landing. A little slow on final, but safe enough. He vacates the runway as the 152 is taxiing by me for her third circuit. They are actually talking to each other on the frequency. The other instructor and I look at each other in disbelief- “who the hell taught him that?” I say out loud. We’ll need to have a chat when I get back in the airplane.


The 152 does her final circuit and contacts ground. Instead of coming to pick up her CFI, she taxis back to her normal parking spot on the other side of the field. I can’t bloody believe it. She left her CFI to walk across the airport to the flight school. I’m not about to have that happen to me, so I call the tower and ask them to make sure he comes back to pick me up after his last circuit.


He does his third safe landing, and taxis to the ramp to pick me up. When I opened the door, he was grinning from ear to ear, already telling me about how it was the coolest thing he’d ever done. We request taxi back to our usual parking spot- smiling all the way. My student- because he’s excited. I’m smiling because I’m so bloody proud of him. He’s come a looooong way since that first flight.


We get back to the flight school, and I start the first solo ceremony by writing on the back of his shirt, and making the first entry in the PIC column of his logbook. For today, his name will be “Captain”. I’m proud as a peacock for the rest of the day. My student did his first solo. My first student. My first solo.

My first solo pt.1

Well, not my first solo, but my first student’s first solo. When I gave him his first lesson, I had barely been a CFI for 3 weeks. He was unbelievably excited to start his flight training, and couldn’t wait to fly. I was terrified. How was I supposed to teach somebody to become a pilot? Where would I start? It would have been one thing to have a commercial candidate as a student- (s)he would already know how to fly. With this guy I’d have to give him the knowledge required to be a safe, competent pilot. How could I do that when I’m still learning?


Fast forward to today, when I have a few more hours in the “dual given” column of my logbook. I’ve flown with a few students, and have a bit more confidence in my ability to teach. We’ve done a lot of flight and ground training, and I think he’s ready to solo- my first solo student.


My student is nervous as hell. He’s trying to delay it, and keeps inventing ways he thinks he’ll mess up. He even asked me to be in the back seat for his solo. I, on the other hand, am not nervous. The kid knows his theory, he can fly well, and his radio-telephony skills are good. I think he’s ready.


A few more experienced instructors find it curious that I’m not nervous. My own CFI instructor even offered to be there (on the day of the first solo) to offer moral support- to me! Maybe I’m just naïve, and I should be anxious; after all, if something bad happens, I’ll be responsible. Nonetheless, I’m confident he’s ready. Per company policy, I’ll be sending him to fly with the chief pilot before sending him solo. That’s a second opinion, to ensure the primary CFI isn’t missing any dangerous habits. I don’t see anything in his flying that would make the chief send him back to me for re-training, so I anticipate my student will have his first solo this week- my first solo.

There’s really no big difference…

…between what this JFK controller did and what flight instructors do every day. When a brand new student pilot keys the mic for the first time, he has no clue what’s going on. Even though we’ve spent time in the classroom talking about radio procedures, the student is so overwhelmed by the situation that he inevitably forgets what to do. The student then looks at the CFI and says “what do I say”. The CFI then says in a slow, deliberate voice “tower, N123, holding short runway 23L, ready for east departure”. For those first few flights, the student is just repeating what the CFI says. That’s all that happened here, the kid just repeated what his dad told him to say. I must also add that he did a much better job than most student pilots I’ve heard- his transmission was clear, intelligible, and he didn’t sound the slightest bit nervous. Maybe it’s in the genes?

My second major problem is with the media. They would have you believe that the child was “controlling” or “directing” traffic. No such thing took place. The child merely made a few radio transmissions. Now I’m not a controller, but I know there’s more to ATC than simply keying the mic. The child was not controlling anything- he wasn’t coordinating runway crossings with the ground controller, he wasn’t coordinating releases with the departure control sector, he wasn’t writing on flightstrips and he wasn’t making any decisions based on separation. That is (some of) what air traffic control entails. Furthermore, the kid made the most basic transmissions- cleared for takeoff, and contact departure. Dad did all the heavy radio work. Are we really going to punish a controller for that?

What should be done? Talking to some controllers, it seems the FAA should thank this guy for inspiring somebody else to become a controller, because there are lots of unhappy controllers out there who wouldn’t mind leaving.

In all seriousness, the guy should get a slap on the wrist. He allowed his son to use the radio when the traffic was light. Everybody involved seemed to have enjoyed it. For all we know, the kid really brightened somebody’s day. I hope the FAA doesn’t cave in to media sensationalism. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Miserable CFI's

This week I was sitting with a few flight instructors as they lamented the fact that they had so few students, and how they wish they made more money. About six of us were sitting around a table, and each man took his turn cursing the industry, and spoke about how it sucked to be a CFI. I decided to break the chain. Yes, I wish I had more students, and by extension more money, but I was happy with my position. They looked at me as if I’d been in the sun too long.

I reminded them that there are tons of CFI’s out there unsuccessfully looking for a job. Yes, we may not fly as much as we want to, but it’s better than sitting at home doing nothing- which is in turn better than working 9-5. As much as I’d like to see my position improve, it’s better than not flying and not getting paid.

I’m not one of those annoyingly over-optimistic persons, but every time I look at my glass as being half empty, I remember the pilots out there who aren’t flying at all, whose glasses are completely empty. I’m happy my glass still has something inside.

Never been a fan of the G1000...

…for initial instrument training, or primary flight training. I’ve heard other instructors talk about it, and I got to experience it for myself recently. I’ve done a few flights with a gentleman who’s a commercial pilot, but hasn’t flown in a bit over a year. He did most of his training in G1000 equipped airplanes, and now he’s flying a “six pack” or “round-dial” airplane with me for a few hours.


He’s a really decent guy, but when it comes to flying the “six pack” airplanes, his situational awareness needs a lot of work. On a recent cross country flight, he had difficulty flying perpendicular to a runway before lining up on final approach. For those familiar with aviation, he couldn’t fly a proper base leg when instructed to do so by tower. He also had some trouble following simple taxi instructions using just the airport signs. I found out that his previous airplanes had G100’s that also had airport diagrams on the screen, so he had become accustomed to following the screen.


Those first two examples MAY possibly be excused because of an unfamiliar airport. There’s no excuse for this last example. He opted to do an ILS approach just for fun, and did a pretty good job of maintaining the assigned heading and altitude (less 100ft for some reason). It all went titts up once on the localizer though. For the uninitiated, the ILS has a localizer beam to keep us on the extended runway centerline, and a glideslope beam to guide us to the proper touchdown spot. In short order, we are 3 dots deflected to the right, and the heading is some 20 degrees left of the front course. What that means is that the instruments show the runway way off to our right, and we’re flying to the left- away from the runway. Our vertical situation is no better. We’re high, and climbing.


I point this out to him, and ask why he has difficulty flying the approach. His answer is that he is unfamiliar with the “round gauge” ILS indication. I’m shocked. The airplane has an absolutely standard ILS indication, and it works just fine.


Now, would he have performed better in a G1000? I hope so. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. If I wasn’t sure before, now I am. The G1000 is an amazing bit of equipment. I love flying it, but it just isn’t suitable for primary or initial instrument training, because students get overly dependent on it. Learn how to fly a standard “six pack”, the move to the G1000. you’ll find it much easier than the other way around.

Night time round robin rescue mission

“Hey Senior Captain, how’d you like to do a flight?”

“Sure. Where to, and when?”

“Ft. Pierce, Ft. Myers and right now”

“Ok, I’ll be there ASAP”

When I get to the airport, I learn that an instructor is stuck in Ft. Pierce (FPR) and two other people are stuck in Ft. Myers (FMY). I have to pick up 3 people in all, and we just won’t fit in a 172, so I have to fly a more capable airplane- the Piper Arrow. I smile to myself, because I know this will be fun. Moreover, part of my route is below VFR weather minima, so I’ll have to file IFR- the smile broadens. The Arrow we have is a pretty impressive airplane. It’s pretty new, has a 200hp engine, and has all the bells and whistles you’d want for IFR, save for weather radar.

I file my flightplan over the phone, and then walk to the airplane in the cool night air. Airplanes like the cold air- they climb well and are more efficient. As I preflight the airplane, my spirits are high. This isn’t another training flight, or just a flight from A to B to build experience. This flight actually has a purpose. There are people waiting on me, and I get to exercise my commercial privileges.

I’m always extra cautious when I’m flying IFR, even more so as a single pilot at night. I try to be more methodical than usual, as an oversight can have serious consequences. I call ground for my clearance, and the controller we jokingly refer to as “Grumpy” tells me that there’s no plan in the system for me, and he suggests I call Miami Radio to re-file. Great- now I know what those pilots feel like when they fly out JFK (sort of). I call Miami Radio and sure enough, they have the flightplan. After verifying the details, I’m told that the tower should have it within 5 minutes. I pass that message to “Grumpy” and tell him that I’d like to taxi in the meantime.

The taxi to the runway is short, and I finish my runup just as “Grumpy” gets me clearance:

“Cleared to FPR via radar vectors to Palm Beach, then as filed. Maintain 2000, expect 7000 ten minutes after departure. Departure frequency xxx.xx, squawk 4763”

I read it back, and complete my final checklists. I contact the tower, and the controller tells me to line up on the runway and await further clearance. I turn on the strobe lights and taxi onto the runway. For a moment, it feels like magic. I see the red beacon reflecting off the wings and the high intensity white strobes reflecting off the runway. They’re flashing in synchrony, and it’s almost hypnotic. I can also see the green and red navigation lights on the runway. In short order, the trance is broken by the tower controller issuing my takeoff clearance. My landing light goes on, and I advance the power. She accelerates rapidly and is off the ground in no time. As I retract the gear, I start smiling again. It’s my first time flying the Arrow solo, and the rate of climb is pretty impressive.

Before he tells me to contact departure, tower tells me “the instructor just called; he said 25, 25- and you’d know what that means.” I laugh out loud as I switch frequencies. 25/25 refers to the power setting we use in the climb of 25 inches manifold pressure and 2500RPM. He wants me to get there fast, because he wants to go home. I maintain runway heading as I contact Miami Approach, and they soon have me northbound at 3000ft. The controller points out a VFR Seneca 500ft below me and I start looking for the traffic. It helps that I have TIS on board, so I use the large GPS moving map to help locate the traffic. As an afterthought, she clears me to 4000ft, and I set climb power and begin a climb at 104kt, which is some 15kt above the speed for maximum rate of climb. Even so, I’m getting more than 800 feet per minute, and not even trying. Life is good. I look outside and see the strobes flashing and the red beacon illuminating the wings. The air is smooth and the night is peaceful. I truly love my job!

Pretty soon I’m heading northeast at 7000ft with a groundspeed of 125kt, and Palm Beach Approach tells me to join the V3 airway, which runs northbound along Florida’s east coast. A minute later, he tells me that I’ve overshot the airway, and gives me a vector to re-join. What?!? I double check the chart, the VOR and the GPS, and they all say that I’m on the airway. I tell him my instruments show that I’m on the airway, and he doesn’t seem to mind, so I continue on my way. This is the reason I take extra care when preparing for IFR flights. You don’t want a controller to tell you that you’ve deviated from your clearance, as that sort of thing can get the FAA involved- and I try to avoid the FAA much like a demon avoids holy water.

I get closer to FPR and the ATIS indicates that I’ll be landing to the east. I request the ILS for runway 10R, and Miami Center clears me 4000, then 2000ft. Since I’ve got people waiting on me, I leave the power in, and allow the groundspeed to increase to 145kt in the descent. Man, that feels good. With the approach reviewed, and all my radios set, Miami Center gives me a nice tight intercept for the ILS. Once established, I contact tower and get my landing clearance immediately. I look at the “VFR runway” to the left of the main runway. It has its own taxiway, but is not connected to the rest of the airport. Instead it’s used for flight training. A pretty unique sight.

I must have checked the gear down and locked six times on final; I didn’t want to be the guy to land the Arrow with the gear retracted. You get nightmares about that when you first start flying complex airplanes. My landing isn’t bad, but a bit firmer than I’d have liked. As I clear the runway, the controller announces that the tower is closed. I look at my watch and it reads 9pm exactly. I wonder if she was waiting for me…

I locate my stranded colleague and shut down the airplane. I offer him his choice of seats, and he’s comfortable with sitting in the right seat. With the weather checked, we’re on our way to FMY in five minutes. More to come…

I've been away recently for a number of reasons. Primarily because I've been pretty busy. Since my last real update, I've managed to get my commercial single, commercial multi and CFI certificates. The checkrides went smoothly enough, even though I was pretty nervous going into all of them.

I've added a couple more aircraft types to my logbook, including the Piper Arrow, that I used to do my CFI. It's a really sweet airplane, and I plan to do a post about a really fun trip I did recently.

NTSB releases report on Colgan 3407

http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2010/AAR1001.htm

Interesting read. It seems that the final report is going to blame the captain for this one. We can all learn a few lessons from this accident. I disagree with finding #24:

"The pilots’ performance was likely impaired because of fatigue, but the extent of their impairment and the degree to which it contributed to the performance deficiencies that occurred during the flight cannot be conclusively determined."

I'd say the 49 lives lost says a lot about the degree to which fatigue affected performance. Maybe not the biggest factor, but it's way up there.

Been a while

I plan to get back to the blog in a few days. I promise. Watch this space.