swinger_006
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- Joined
- May 23, 2008
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Prepare for a long, epic post from an overly excited, young and hungry cub student.
So, after a couple ground sessions went up in Cub 38834 yesterday to practice climbs, st./level, and descents.
First off was learning the checklist and walkaround procedures. Everything seemed straight forward. Eventually we get to "Drain fuel sump." My instructor reaches under the control panel for the little tube running down to the floor. "You see, you just pull up on this..." and some fuel came spitting out from under the cowling.
OK, so apparently I thought "pull up on this" meant the tube itself, not the sump valve. Yank, pop, accompanied by the instructor saying "no wait, don't-" and now I'm holding the sump tube in my hand, having extracted it from the fuselage.
:-[ errr, oops....so, now I get an extra fun add-on to my lesson, a field trip three hangars down to the nice men at maintenance. Luckily, it's a simple fix of replacing the zip-tie that was holding the tube in, but I promise my instructor to try to learn everything else about the cub without actually dismantling it. ;D
Taxi practice. I zig and zag about the taxiway and runup pad like a drunk lemur. I don't think the thick-soled athletic shoes helped much, since it's hard to feel the rudder pedals or the heel brakes. As a result of this, I overcontrolled the rudder/tailwheel a bit; my strategy for brakes seemed to be stomp around with my heels until we weren't moving any more. Note: wear thinner soled shoes next time. Even so, my instructor says I did better than I thought I did on the ground, and I hope practice will make this better.
Got off the runway by myself this time, albeit a bit wobbly, and felt a lot more confident in the air. Pitch, Power, Rudder, Trim, Repeat. Like washing hair. I was told in one 1 hour flight session I covered what it takes most students to get in 2 or 3 hours. Luckily, this trend seems to continue in the ground sessions too, probably because I am lucky to have lots of study time inbetween.
I'm really excited about flying, especially in the cub. I'm really considering changing from sport pilot to private, though I would need to find the money. Either way, I want to pursue my ratings up to CFI. The course is crystallizing. I only regret that at a certain point, I'm going to have to transition out of the cub. But I plan to stay current on it either way.
So, after a couple ground sessions went up in Cub 38834 yesterday to practice climbs, st./level, and descents.
First off was learning the checklist and walkaround procedures. Everything seemed straight forward. Eventually we get to "Drain fuel sump." My instructor reaches under the control panel for the little tube running down to the floor. "You see, you just pull up on this..." and some fuel came spitting out from under the cowling.
OK, so apparently I thought "pull up on this" meant the tube itself, not the sump valve. Yank, pop, accompanied by the instructor saying "no wait, don't-" and now I'm holding the sump tube in my hand, having extracted it from the fuselage.
:-[ errr, oops....so, now I get an extra fun add-on to my lesson, a field trip three hangars down to the nice men at maintenance. Luckily, it's a simple fix of replacing the zip-tie that was holding the tube in, but I promise my instructor to try to learn everything else about the cub without actually dismantling it. ;D
Taxi practice. I zig and zag about the taxiway and runup pad like a drunk lemur. I don't think the thick-soled athletic shoes helped much, since it's hard to feel the rudder pedals or the heel brakes. As a result of this, I overcontrolled the rudder/tailwheel a bit; my strategy for brakes seemed to be stomp around with my heels until we weren't moving any more. Note: wear thinner soled shoes next time. Even so, my instructor says I did better than I thought I did on the ground, and I hope practice will make this better.
Got off the runway by myself this time, albeit a bit wobbly, and felt a lot more confident in the air. Pitch, Power, Rudder, Trim, Repeat. Like washing hair. I was told in one 1 hour flight session I covered what it takes most students to get in 2 or 3 hours. Luckily, this trend seems to continue in the ground sessions too, probably because I am lucky to have lots of study time inbetween.
I'm really excited about flying, especially in the cub. I'm really considering changing from sport pilot to private, though I would need to find the money. Either way, I want to pursue my ratings up to CFI. The course is crystallizing. I only regret that at a certain point, I'm going to have to transition out of the cub. But I plan to stay current on it either way.
