Rusty Pilot Confessions

[paul330]

I have the best part of 20,000 hours over 40 years flying military fast-jets and widebody transports. But I hadn't flown light aircraft for 35 years. It took me 5 hours of instruction to get comfortable with everything before I did my revalidation check so don't feel bad!

Over the next 18 months or so, I flew 30 hours getting my hand back in and some dual in a RV-10; only then did I feel OK to do my own first flight and test flying. Even then, in retrospect, my recent experience level in light aircraft was barely adequate ..........

[JustRich44]

Don,

I'm in the same boat as you. In 1991 I was sent to do my part in Desert Storm. Prior to leaving I was an active flight instructor in the Darmstadt Military Flying Club. I spent 5 months in Saudi Arabia only to come home to find out that the club president was under criminal investigation for misappropriation of funds. I chose not to return to flying there and vowed I'd get started when I returned to the US in January 1992. As would be expected life got in the way of my passion. I left the military in 1993. I promised my wife that I would let her pursue her career so I put my dreams of flying for a living on hold. I maintained my medical and flight instructor certificate for years until, after deep soul searching that I would not return to flight instructing so I let it expire. In 2000 I bought a RV7 quickbuild and started it. Not long after starting I divorced my wife and sold that kit. Years down the road while helping a friend build his RV7 I decided it was time start building my own. Now that I'm mostly complete...that last 5%. I'm wanting to get back into flying.

A lot has changed since 1991. I've been in the cockpit over the years, but that was not as PIC and I didn't have any of the responsibility or currency of a regular pilot. I've been offered by two CFI friends to do the Parker P51 sign-off. I've chosen not to do that. Maybe its old age and experience, but I don't want to jeopardize my safety and the safety of others just get back into the air. I attended a AOPA Rusty Pilot seminar recently and it really lit a fire inside me to get back in the cockpit. My personal plan was to attend a Private Pilot ground school. Those courses teach the fundamentals of what is necessary to be a pilot. Then I was going to search for a mature in age flight instructor that would be willing to help me polish off the heavy rust on my skills. I may not need those things, but right now my confidence in my abilities is pretty low.

On top of it all I've never flown a tail-wheel airplane. I've thought about buying an inexpensive tail dragger just for the experience, but that seems like it may be a little extreme. I definitely plan on getting one of the guys that teach RV7 transition to get me up to speed before I fly my own. I'll also, ask the friend that I help build his RV7 to do the initial test flite on mine.

I'm really excited about returning to flying. I'm just not sure where to start. If anyone has suggestions I'm open and will consider all.

Rich

[bruceh]

I stopped flying back in 1991 after my son was born. Always wanted to build an airplane, so I got started in 2008 on my RV-9A. I hadn't been flying much at all in the previous 23 years. During my final assembly at the airport I joined a club, got through the BFR in around 4 hours, then rented for another 10. The hardest part for me was just talking on the radio again. I did 7 hours of transition training locally and that really helped. We did a lot of airport hopping which got me familiar with the local airspace, and a lot of takeoffs/landings.

I really felt comfortable for the first flight, but my first flight was only about 20 minutes. Go around on the first landing attempt (just too high and too fast), but got her down on the second landing. The excitement of the the first flight really overshadowed the nerves. The next dozen flights were much more nerves every time, wondering what might go wrong. After Phase 1, I really wasn't comfortable until I had over 100 hours on the airplane. I really enjoy pattern work and always aim to get better and better with my landings and airmanship. Landings now are the least of my worries. Don't force it and always tell yourself you can go around.

Flying around SoCal, I always get flight following any time I'm headed towards LA. At first it was pretty intimidating to talk to Approach. Practice, practice, practice! Now it is routine. Yesterday flying back from Cable, we were steered around active parachuting sites and a bunch of traffic. Keep your eyes open!

[Tankerpilot75]

Since others are commenting on their return to flying I thought I would add my two cents. In 2014 a good friend helped me back into the air by renting me his F33 Bonanza and getting me lined up with an instructor. His insurance company required 20 hours of instruction before flying solo.

My instructor was a former military pilot and knew what I needed to focus on which really helped. Like many of the previous comments, the stick and rudder skill set returned first. The harder learning curves were Nav equipment changes, airspace changes, and learning how to manage piston engine and CS prop functions.

Like many military pilots of my generation, I only flew jets in a semi-controlled environment with most of my flying done in a "crew" aircraft. Single pilot VFR and IFR in and out of non-towered airports, VFR flying around Class B and C airspace, "lean vs rich of peak," CS prop management, and GA operations were much slower to build competence in. I still could fly solid instruments, handle challenging crosswinds, and most landings are non-eventful. However, dumb actions still pop up and surprise me.

Any rusty pilot returning to flying needs to commit sufficient resources of time and money to get back safely into the air. A good, experienced instructor is a must.

I bought my RV7A two years ago this next month. The insurance company only required two hours of instruction before solo operations. That was clearly not enough but it was what I got before bringing it home. The next six months were spent learning what I should have learned before solo operations in the RV. Glass cockpit and all the modern avionics in experimental aircraft require time to master. Thank goodness for UTube videos and downloadable avionics manuals.

I also highly recommend studying the "RV Training Syllabus, Lesson Plans, Procedures, Techniques and Handling Characteristics" guide that some wonderful VAF member developed and made available on this forum. That document is truly a "Bible" for RV flying.

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by Tankerpilot75

I also highly recommend studying the "RV Training Syllabus, Lesson Plans, Procedures, Techniques and Handling Characteristics" guide that some wonderful VAF member developed and made available on this forum. That document is truly a "Bible" for RV flying.

Any idea where this might be located at? I checked the safety and the Best of the Best. Could not find it. Sounds like what I've been looking for...

Thank you bringing it up!

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by RV8JD

By "Vac" (Mike Vaccaro). Try here for Version 3.1:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8E...RfcGR3dm8/view

From Post #67 of this thread:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=93661

Thank You! Book marked. Will read. Quick look at the table of contents shows this to be very, very thorough.

Completely over looked the Sticky! Once again Thank you for posting the link.

[Auburntsts]

Don you aren't alone by any stretch--flying is a perishable skill. My IFR skills degrade after just a few weeks of inactivity and my general VFR skills after a few months.

I had a Flight review back in January after a 6-month layoff due to engine issues. I got through it just fine but it certainly wasn't a cake walk.

[Tankerpilot75]

I also highly recommend downloading two Vac "briefings" that provide very useful information. Both can be found near the end of the thread mbauer referred to you.

1. RV Type Performance Academic Briefing
2. RV Type Aerodynamics Academic Briefing

Mr. Vacarro is obviously a very experienced former military instructor pilot and airline pilot. I personally have downloaded his "Guide" and two "Briefings" to the 'iBooks' app on my iPad and refer to them often.

I've also incorporated some of his charts and information into my POH. I've heard plagiarism is a very high form of compliment.

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

Just had a flight review two days ago, and we did all kinds of stuff: aggravated stalls (my term) under the hood and steep turns , ILS to minimums using only the G5, forced landing, all kinds of stuff. Knocked some rust off, even though I'm current, and explored parts of the envelope that I'd not seen in the -9A (although I had in other planes).

And as another poster pointed out, don't forget to review the regs and everything else that has changed since... almost every day, it seems. I've still got to do that.

Ed

PS. There's significant differences in how RVs fly, depending upon long wing / short wing, c.g., fixed pitch or constant speed. Learn how *your* RV flies. Books can be helpful, of course, but books don't fly airplanes. Or crash them.

[sblack]

There is always that guy in the North West, Mike Seager? (might have mangled his name) that has 20,000 hrs of RV instruction under his belt. Hard to imagine a better place to get to know how RVs fly. That guy must have seen every stupid pilot trick in the book and will likely be able to brief you on all the potential mistakes before you make them. And he seems like a really laid back person - perfect for that job.