Will Samurai Husky Solo?

[bonal]

My solo x country I used flight planning with charts an E6B compass wind corrections based on flight planning my 8 day clock and mark 1 eye ball. Comm is needed for controlled space. One of the best skills for VFR flight is the ability to identify land marks when looking out the window. Flying in northern CA you have mountain tops that can be seen from hundreds of miles away making position finding a snap.

[Samurai Husky]

You're right, 7600.

I like that mnemonic 

For all flights over 25nm we have been using the lean assist to get best power. Works really well, in this plane its so easy as it marks off all of the different temps i.e. First peak, last peak and then tells you what you are leaned for such as best power best Eco etc.

flying in Cali I think is pretty easy. If you get lost, just head west an you will find the ocean; then follow the coast  either north or south an you will eventually hit monetary or San Francisco. From there it's easy. If you are out east there are several major mountains like mount Diablo, mt Shasta etc. the middle south of the state is all farms, just find hwy 5 an follow that.

personally I think that not utilizing the technology you have available is backwards. It's like saying you should use a typewriter instead of a computer because it will make you a better speller... There will be a time where I will want to test myself and abilities, but I think it's better to do that after you gain experience. Why complicate things if it's not necessary? We'll see how it goes, if I feel confident and not nervous then I might consider dimming the screen an using a map

now using auto pilot I think would be too much of a crutch; but to all their own I guess.

[Danb]

To this day having all the duplication in the cirrus models I still carry a hand held radio,hand GPS now an iPad etc.  I Figure if it can go wrong it will, similar to me having an engine fire on my first solo attempt.

[Dave Colangelo]

6 hours ago, Samurai Husky said:

personally I think that not utilizing the technology you have available is backwards. It's like saying you should use a typewriter instead of a computer because it will make you a better speller... There will be a time where I will want to test myself and abilities, but I think it's better to do that after you gain experience. Why complicate things if it's not necessary? 

This can be a dangerous way of thinking as it encompasses thoughts like "why do I need to know how to hand fly in IMC when I have auto pilot" or "why do I need to know how to navigate when I have GPS" or even "why do I need to know the rules when I can cary the FAR around on my iPad". The fact is that its very much necessary, assuming its not can lead you down the road of being blind sided by an accident that can be fixed simply. 

 

6 hours ago, Samurai Husky said:

If you get lost, just head west an you will find the ocean; then follow the coast  either north or south an you will eventually hit monetary or San Francisco. From there it's easy.

Im not sure where you are flying but this can get you into hot (well freezing) water fast. In the real world do you have enough fuel to "head west until you find the ocean"? maintaining situational awareness is key at all times being lost should not be something you draw out as that draws down your fuel fast.   

 

6 hours ago, Samurai Husky said:

We'll see how it goes, if I feel confident and not nervous then I might consider dimming the screen an using a map

Are you not using only maps currently? You should really check the PTS, you will need to demonstrate dead reckoning as well as all other forms of basic VFR navigation on your check ride to my knowledge (and understanding) you can not use GPS on your check ride the way the regulations stand now (at least I could not use it on my check ride 6 months ago).  

[Guest Mike261]

3 minutes ago, Dave Colangelo said:

This can be a dangerous way of thinking as it encompasses thoughts like "why do I need to know how to hand fly in IMC when I have auto pilot" or "why do I need to know how to navigate when I have GPS" or even "why do I need to know the rules when I can cary the FAR around on my iPad". The fact is that its very much necessary, assuming its not can lead you down the road of being blind sided by an accident that can be fixed simply. 

 

Im not sure where you are flying but this can get you into hot (well freezing) water fast. In the real world do you have enough fuel to "head west until you find the ocean"? maintaining situational awareness is key at all times being lost should not be something you draw out as that draws down your fuel fast.   

 

Are you not using only maps currently? You should really check the PTS, you will need to demonstrate dead reckoning as well as all other forms of basic VFR navigation on your check ride to my knowledge (and understanding) you can not use GPS on your check ride the way the regulations stand now (at least I could not use it on my check ride 6 months ago).  

It is true...not using available technology is backward. 

I your computer fails you it is a pain in the ass, and your spelling may suffer. If the technology in the aircraft fails you, it is incumbent on the pilot in command to be able to finish the flight in a safe fashion. Pilots can't let technology become a crutch. Many believe that JFK junior was relying on his auto pilot to get him out to the island in questionable weather on many occasions when he didn't have the skills to do it on his own...auto pilot failed and he suffered the consequences of VMC into IMC...while this is an extreme example it illustrates how dependency on automation can backfire.

It should be a point of pride for all pilots to be able to demonstrate mastery of the machine without all the technology, it should also be part of your go-no go decisions. For the instrument pilot the confidence that he/she could execute the flight plan and shoot an approach without an autopilot or geo referenced maps and plates should absolutely be a factor in the decision to start the flight. Can I fly the airplane partial panel?

For the VFR pilot he/she must know that he is ready for the unexpected. Am I ahead of the airplane? Do i have the time to always be considering a landing spot, or am i too busy flying the airplane to devote any attention to scouting out landing areas whilst I'm flying along? Do i have a plan if the engine shits out at 500AGL on takeoff?

A pilot can fly the airplane in its raw form, without all the bells and whistles...and it may be the difference between life and death. The technology does not make you a better pilot, only stick and rudder skills and the basic aeronautical knowledge from your primary training and recurrent training do that. Knowing how to use the technology does reduce your workload and give you quicker situational awareness, but if you gloss over basic skills and use the technology to fill in the gaps you are asking for trouble. If you don't have a firm grasp of the basics and the machine doing the basics for you fails, now you have a problem.

Eschew all the easy pushbutton stuff until you know you can do it on your own...it will serve you well.

Mike

 

[Raptor05121]

21 hours ago, Samurai Husky said:

 

We had a guy this weekend that had a radio out. It was interesting to hear the towers response. After about 10mins the guy got his radio to kind of work, but it was really bad and full of static. What he didnt do was set his transponder for 7700; I also think he missed all of the light signals. 

7600 is comms failure, and the point is moot if youre in the local pattern

[Samurai Husky]

" There will be a time where I will want to test myself and abilities, but I think it's better to do that after you gain experience. Why complicate things if it's not necessary? "

Is what i said.... Why do people only pick up on what they want to read? The point i was making was that its probably not the best idea to overly complicate your first XC solo. Like someone else said "There is nothing like the "I might be lost" feeling your first time away from your familiar area by yourself". ; I think that thinking is even more dangerous than to just fly with whats available; As a first time XC you are going to be busy with flight following, looking for traffic, reading over traffic patterns, TPA's, frequencies etc; why make things worse by then saying 'now use the paper map'? To me thats like asking for accident. That doesnt mean that I am not prepared to take over if the time and place comes, but it also doesnt mean that i should intentionally turn off my MFD and fly dead reckoning either. 

[Marcopolo]

Theres a whole lot of confusion going on here....

Turning off your PFD or MFD is exactly what most people on here are saying.  I think folks on here want you to feel the "I might be lost" feeling, and I agree.  You need to fly pilotage and dead reckoning from the begining or you'll never fully learn or appreciate it.  Put the flight plan into the panel and dim it fully out of sight, fly with the backup steam gauges and the paper chart with the bright highlighter line on it during your first x-country while you have the comfort of your instructor sitting next to you, and maybe everytime during your PPL training.  You will not be able to use the auto pilot or the gps or the ipad as initial reference source during the checkride.  You can usually use them to validate decisions made, but not to make those decisions.  My check-ride was in Jan 2016, i had to make the deversion decision based on the paper chart and my expected location, after turning for my diversion airport and telling the DPE my heading to the airport with wind correction and expected fuel I could then turn the garmin 530 to direct that airport to validate heading and distance.  The "I might be lost" feeling is absolutely neccessary!

Edited May 16, 2016 by Marcopolo

[Marcopolo]

I dare to guess that this is yet another reason folks on here don't want to rate the Cirrus SR20 as the greatest aircraft for primary training, you'll tend to use the feature functionality inharrent to the airplane and unless instructed otherwise you may miss some of the "legacy" piloting skills.  I tend to think your instructor will set the proper levels of aviating, navigating and communicating when the time comes and what tools to use for each.  I'm not, by any means, an instructor and am only doing as others have done on here, and that's to state my experiences and maybe add some opinion mixed with factual undertones.  Most of us on here have been where you are, we all survived and got the "ticket to learn" in the end, you will too!

[Danb]

I have to thank S.H. for the entertainment of his thread, the recommendations fringe on hilarious, especially for us old folks when an over the ear headset was high tech, the advent of north star avionics was a distant expensive dream and carrying an extra flashlite was redundancy. A straight ruler , red pencil, watch and crumpled sectional was our means to navigate this wonderful universe of ours. Trying to get a station on the ADF was a neat thrill. Flying hasn't changed just some of our technology beyond the Jetsons have changed. My dream of flying was started watching sky King and his cool twin. I think our quest for independence still lies above oh, never mind the complicated sky's filled with presidential TFRs and those packed stadiums throw in a couple nuclear generating plants to stay clear of, but the freedom is still alive. It still feels like a dream, whisking and dancing around the white skies, now why complicate this thing, just go out and fly, enjoy think of all those nice folks envious of you. Just have fun, stay safe and thank god you have the chance of a lifetime to do what many wish they could.

Sorry for that.

 

[carusoam]

Hmmmm, did I say that?

1) I am not any authority to recommend what to have or not use while learning to fly.

2) I soloed in the last millennium.

3) There is nothing like that 'I might be lost' feeling.  It is followed by the 'I might be in controlled airspace' feeling.

4) There are many ways to avoid getting lost.  Have one and a spare.  I use WingX on two different portable battery powered devices with an extra plug.

5) I am not recommending seeking out that lost feeling.  I was thinking... do everything you can to avoid it.

6) once you have that feeling, it is really easy to pay for an internal GPS option on the next electronic device you buy....

7) Your CFI probably has rules for what you can and can't use during the training exercise.

8) There is so much to know.  The reasons for it are all gruesome.

9) Sam, both writing and reading/understanding is not an easy task.  Sometimes, it may require writing it in a different way a second time.  Don't be afraid to go with 'say again?'

10) Try to get the feeling we are all on the same team.  Expect that some differences will come from age, and area of the country/world, and writing skill.  It takes additional confidence just to write in a public space, and extra skill when writing to be properly understood.  Some forgiving always works when you read something that seems harsh.

This is stuff I mostly learned here.

Best regards,

-a-

[DXB]

Enough idle  chit chat  ...I thought today was the day expected to address the question posed in this thread... did SH solo yet?

Then we can transition to a new "will SH pass his PPL checkride?" thread...

[Wakeup]

23 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Having a GPS on your first solo cross country is like cheating. There is nothing like the "I might be lost" feeling your first time away from your familiar area by yourself. I didn't get into any trouble, but I had some "are you sure  that is lake x" moments.

I remember buzzing a few water towers in my day to make sure I was on course.  You will never forget your first cross country. I look back and realize how lucky I am to be alive flying poorly maintained C-150. I have enjoyed this thread.  Thanks.  

[Samurai Husky]

Yea, it came off as 'you need to earn your stripes, so go get lost and find your way back'  Being in the tech field i am very much going to lean towards the technology side of things. I am not discounting contingency plans, or needing to know certain things, but to me things like dead reckoning is very much the last item on the list. After all, its called 'dead' reckoning for a reason. 

Depending how you look at it, you can either say that this is the best era to be alive in for GA, or the worst. The best because we now have all of these awesome tools available to us that make decision making much more forgiving. Its a lot more comforting to be able to look at a screen an know exactly where you are, how far you have to go, how much fuel you used and how much fuel you have left. In the event of a problem, you can easily find out exactly what course of action you need to take in a very short amount of time. 

You could also say its not the worst in that the amount of rules and regulations that one now much follow is literally the size of an encyclopedia, greatly diminishing ones freedom. You also are opening up GA to people that otherwise would not be in GA, those that want to fly for practical reasons less than for the pure enjoyment of it. This opens up the sky to what i have heard called as 'skytards' or those pilots that do just the minimum to be legal and never improving or expanding their capabilities or knowledge.  

@DXB

It was postponed again; I went out to do the solo check ride on Saturday and there was 1 cumulus cloud hanging over each training area at 3500ft. The bay was crystal clear, but cant do maneuvers in the class bravo

So the check ride is scheduled for Tomorrow at 4pm PST; After that if i pass then there is some paper work and the next time out with my CFI he will either give me the green light or postpone it. From there its more of a weather thing, how my landings look that day, stress levels etc. 

After that i am cleared for 2 airports; After X hours we will start expanding that to more airports. I imagine there will be a CFI followup check every X number of hours leading up to PPL. 

Simultaneously we will be doing more night flight, XC and the last parts of ground. 

 

[Dave Colangelo]

48 minutes ago, Samurai Husky said:

I am not discounting contingency plans, or needing to know certain things, but to me things like dead reckoning is very much the last item on the list. After all, its called 'dead' reckoning for a reason. 

While it may be the last item on your list its quite literally the first item on the FAA's list of navigational things you will need to demonstrate on your actual check ride... 

 

Taken directly out of the PTS

 

[Danb]

Dev your awesome!

[Danb]

1 hour ago, Dave Colangelo said:

While it may be the last item on your list its quite literally the first item on the FAA's list of navigational things you will need to demonstrate on your actual check ride... 

 

Taken directly out of the PTS

 

Dave most likely the most important, it's number one for a reason. 

[thinwing]

Well..SH sorry to tell you that because you are training in an technologically advanced airframe ,you were bound to get "turn off the gps/glass or you ain't no real pilot " rants even though what this thread really about is your training in the year 2016 with a well known Palo Alto flying club with some really good equipment.Sure ,it's important to know basic pilotage but for your first solo where you won't leave the pattern...not so much.For what's it worth...on your next flight to Hawaii ,I can guantee the pilots will not be using dead reckoning or pilotage ala Lindbergh while flying oceanic!

[N601RX]

Ask yourself this, with the autopilot off and in bumpy air are you able to maintain heading and altitude while unfolding a map and figuring out where you are as well as figure out a freq to contact someone on because you have flew out of range of your last contact.  It will happen at some point and having to multitask is what gets most people in trouble. 

[Samurai Husky]

@N601RX

Yes... I always hand fly. I dont use the autopilot while training. I keep norcal approach/tower feq in a notebook by my leg at all times; I keep the maps in my flight bag within arms reach. Once we get into the actual XC part of flight training i am sure there will be a lot more 'equipment failures' and map usage. For right now, its been mostly for examples of airspace. 

@thinwing

Thanks man

Thats what i keep trying to get across. Its not that i am avoiding learning it or thinking its useless because of all the modern equipment. What i was saying was that i dont intend on going on a XC solo with my MFD turned off. Done.... Will i have a ipad? yes, iphone? yes? maps? yes. If my MFD fails, im not going to go running to the map in my flight bag, I am going to use the next useful tool at my disposal.. That fails? then the next one, on down the line until my map blows out the window because for some crazy reason I opened the door in flight and now i have to hand fly to a airport by vrf while only using the markers that i have memorized in my head. 

 

[bonal]

Seems I got pulled back into the question and I am still holding out for success for your completion on the end of May. But as for tech vs basic pilotage. Tech is an aid that can reduce work load can help in an emergency etc. but basic skills are what will keep you safe when all else fails. So you want to have all your tech then you will develop the basics that's just backward thinking. I like having my garmin and fore flight magenta lines but all they are doing is confirming what I already know. I can be hundreds of miles from home lose my gps and guess what no problem cause I learned how to navigate using basic skills. And if I really want to get fancy I can triangulate on a couple VORs I can't blame a tech guy for wanting to use tech but you really need to understand how to do it without the tech or your just waiting for trouble.

[Samurai Husky]

Completion? Like PPL completion or solo completion? 

Solo is scheduled for Thursday (now, weather permitting);

I think PPL will be closer to end of June. It depends, my CFI says once you are into solo, thing progress rapidly towards the end. 

We'll see. We went out and did some basic maneuvers today just as prep for tomorrow. The only thing i had some problems with were right steep turns. Left i was on the numbers the whole time, <+/-10ft; Rights, not so much, I dont know why. Ground reference i had no problems circling an object. We had about a 340 15 wind; So it was good enough for square work and S turns... S turns i probably need a little more work on; I wish we had a really long straight road to use, but we only have a rail line of which you can only get 2 turns and your at the end..... Stalls, slow flight all good. 

[bonal]

It was so long ago in the thread I can't recal and don't want to search so I'm thinking it was to solo and if it goes for you this week I'm happy to have lost the pool by you beating my guess. Good luck to you whatever day it comes

[Danb]

Just now, bonal said:

It was so long ago in the thread I can't recal and don't want to search so I'm thinking it was to solo and if it goes for you this week I'm happy to have lost the pool by you beating my guess. Good luck to you whatever day it comes

+1 on good luck S.H.--------it appears your progressing nicely in you flying and your thought processes , now take that baby home. I'm seriously rooting for you to be a rockstar.

[N601RX]

Do you check the GPS NOTAMS to make sure coverage is going to be available before each flight? You could loose your MFD, Ipad and Iphone all at once. Garmin antennas also have a failure mode that blanks out other nearby GPS's.

 

https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWeb/noticesAction.do?queryType=ALLGPS&formatType=DOMESTIC