Teruo Miyagawa

at Hiratsuka Kanagawa Japan

-- Teruo Miyagawa, January 6, 2002

Happy to hear of your new interest, Phil. I have flown for the fun of it almost as long as I have taken pictures for the same reason. Combining the two can be a real treat, and I almost always take a camera with me when flying to some exotic place 50 miles away... Funny how using an airplane to get there makes it move up the exotic scale... :)
A note of caution -- even high timers like to take somebody along (pilot or non pilot) to yell if something goes wrong while taking pictures. As my flight instructor from 22 years ago told me -- the pilots primary duty is to "fly the airplane". Everything else is a lower priority.
A really cool thing you can do, after you solo and begin the cross-country phase of your training, would be to take pictures of every airport you land at. Conditions permitting (gusty crosswinds probably won't permit) a snap through the windscreen on final approach, and once on the ground, a picture of the tower/terminal/hangars/line shack/whatever would make great keepsakes for you. Have the person who signs your logbook also take a snap of you by the airplane, possibly with some local feature in the background. I have pictures in my archives of once famous aiports I've landed at that aren't there anymore.
Definitely have handy a decent point&shoot loaded with a fresh roll of NPH to give to somebody who can take reasonable pix during and after your first solo. (Which will probably come when you don't expect it.)
Other tips: One or even two UV filters (never without -- Plexiglass passes all UV, and there is a lot once you get above the haze layer!), don't touch the camera to the windows (vibration), fill flash or the cabin will be way dark (it's always bright upstairs), and a wide to normal zoom (24-50 or somesuch).
A word about shooting through the propeller arc -- a prop at 2400 rpm will cover 360 degrees in 1/40 second, thus faster exposures will show one of the blades as an arc: 1/125=120 deg, 1/250=60 deg, 1/500=30 deg -- wait! You're an engineer too. You can do the math!
Also, consider the weight of the camera -- a 2lb projectile can be dangerous during turbulence (not to mention a medium format camera with a big 50mm lens!) Come up with a secure place to stash the camera, or a means of tying it down when not in use. Loose, it's a serious liability and in bumpy air, you won't have time to grab for it as it floats toward your head at high speed! I speak from experience and have the lump on my head to prove it! (Nikon F2-MD, Tokina 2.8/28-80. Ouch.)
And if you ever get the idea to open the window of a Cessna, just make sure the camera strap is secure and around your neck or shoulder...
I imagine though, that most of the precious time you are flying, your instructor will want you to concentrate on the PRIMARY task: Flying the airplane. And rightly so.
A final word. Airshows.
Happy Landings and looking forward to your photo.net Flying Presentation.
Image: Propeller.jpg

-- Joe Shupienis, January 7, 2002

Welcome to a very enjoyable and capital intensive pastime.
Your problems with crosswinds and undercontrol echoed some of my own troubles in learning to fly. A lot of the private pilot curriculum stresses procedures, as opposed to kinesthetics. I had soloed, but still didn't feel like I was getting it.
Reading "Stick and Rudder" helped some, but the best thing I did to advance my flying was a single instructional flight. I was in Northern Washington state for business, with money in my pocket and time to kill, and I went to the airport and took a lesson.
Now, where I learned to fly was a big metro area, with lots of airports and special procedures airspace. This was out in the boonies, relatively speaking. Once we left the airport, the instructor turned off the radio, and had me follow a river as it climbed from the coastal plains, into the foothills of the Cascades.
I learned more about flying from that one instructional flight than perhaps any other. Keeping the ball centered, and a constant altitude as the river bends got tighter and tighter improved my flying beyond all measure.
Two more thoughts: change instructors if you're not making progress in spite of flying twice a week. And take a cross country either upstate or to Martha's Vineyard, and take a sailplane instructional flight NOW. Mistakes you won't even notice, even in the Katana, will be violently obvious in a Blanik or Stemme.

-- Ryan Young, January 15, 2002

If you haven't gone to Oshkosh for the annual EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) airshow, you're missing the greatest event in aviation (http://www.eaa.org/). I am also a pilot, and have 1,200 hours, 800 on twin-engine rotorcraft. My 150hp Super-Cub is being restored and fitted with a towhook release for glider towing. If you like gliding, take a look at the very affordable TST-8 ALPIN DM motorglider (http://www.test.infoline.cz/). Mine should be completed by March this year.
If you want to fly around here, send me an e-mail. Flying (specially soaring gliders) is a spiritual experience. Aerial landscapes and aerial photography is lots of fun (don't get too close!). Enjoy!
Safe Flights,
Hernan

-- Hernan Mapua, January 21, 2002

And when you get tired of flying your propeller airplane you might want to fly a Boeing 767, on a simulator of course! But seriously, MS Flight simulator is a great tool for learning about IFR (Instrument Flying Rules). And when you get hooked up, you might even get tempted trying PIC 767 (Pilot In Command) made by www.WilcoPub.com which even accurately allows you to fly a Boeing 767, even in autopoilot mode using FCS (Flight Computer System).

-- Ali Taalebi, February 5, 2002

Phil:
Congratulations on your new Diamond Star. I've owned one since October, 2001 and have been pleased with the airplane. Check out the Yahoo discussion group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DiamondAircraft/

-- Steve Chalfin, February 11, 2002

As a former military fighter (F-86 Sabre) pilot (Royal Canadian Air Force) and more recently retired Air Canada captain (DC-9, DC-8, L-1011, B-727 etc)I wanted to echo the remarks of Mike Wager (Jan 02/02) with respect to spin training. Remembering that all spins are not intentionally caused...more likely the result of overcontrolling at low airspeeds..this training should be compulsory. In addition pilots should be well briefed on inverted spins and incipient spins.
Howie Jacobs

-- Howie Jacobs, February 11, 2002

Amen about the spins! I had been flying high wings for many years, and got pretty proficient at spins, etc. Then I got checked out in a V-Bonanza, and took some friends up for a nice afternoon sightseeing flight. After a few tight 720's and some chandelles, they wanted more, so I nosed up, kicked the rudder, opposite wheel, and spun - inverted! Hell, no one ever told me that was normal for a V! Another suggestion: always take a H.E.R.E (human element range extender) bottle, and an extra pair of shorts for those 'unexpected' thrills. Happy flying! Karl

-- Karl Kolbus, February 21, 2002

Gee Karl, how lucky your friends must feel to have a great guy like you doing illegal aerobatics for them in a non-approved airplane. My guess is you are such a great pilot, they'll never know how close they came to getting killed if what you said in your post did indeed happen.
I'm sure you're also aware of the history of V-tail Bonanzas breaking their tails occasionally under normal flight loads. Yes, Lucky indeed, and Smart! Not only doing something illegal and stupid, but not afraid to brag about it on an international public forum. At least you were kind enough to give warning so we can go the other way when we see your fork-tailed doctor killer heading our way.

-- Joe Oliva, February 22, 2002

Incidentally, the comment about Lindbergh is rather irresponsible. I recommend that the editor read Berg's definitive biography. Lindbergh was hardly a saint, but he was also hardly a Nazi or, for that matter, a Nazi sympathizer. He in fact engaged in serious efforts on behalf of the War Department to ascertain the nature of the German war machine and to make plans to counter it.
As for his anti-semitism, his life-long friendships and very close association with people of all stripes -- including Jews -- rather negates the above. He was given to isolationist rhetoric and became active in the anti-war movement before the U.S. became involved and Phil's quotation is quite right. On the other hand, everyone from Roosevelt to Chuchill said the same and, frankly, did far worse. This is not an excuse, but rather to point out that he was, in every way, good and bad, a man of his times. And, in that, he was better and broader-minded than many.

-- george day, May 1, 2002

Seattle Space Needle

After you finish your instrument rating, you may find your VFR skills have deteriorated because the instrument flying gets you accustomed to being led through the system to the end of the runway. (This happens to a lot of folks, often during the first few forays into an uncontrolled field.) If you have enough hours, you might consider adding the commercial rating. It's functionally useless -- you're severely limited on things you can do "for hire" -- but it does present an opportunity for working towards tighter tolerances and becoming smoother in your control.
Another fairly "useless," but amazingly fun thing is the seaplane (technically: Airplane Single-Engine Sea) add-on rating. You can do this in a long weekend, weather permitting, and it will do wonders for your soft-field technique. It will be the only time you'll get 20-30 landings an hour and not seriously bend anything ;-)
I would be curious on comments on the King test preparation. I thought their subject videos (e.g., Stalls and Spins) and the practical test prep were very well done. The Instrument practical prep was done with J.C. Boylles, a DPE and master CFI, and walked you through the entire test from planning to maneuvers.
Jim Carson http://cleanliving.com/flying/

-- Jim Carson, May 2, 2002

Well there's no doubt that when Philip Greenspun gets enthusiastic about something........
Philip, you certainly learn fast.

-- Richard Hamilton, June 10, 2002

Phil learns fast AND he has lots of cash :-) I kept starting the instrument rating and flaking out because I didn't have the $$$$; I live in N California where a 172 costs $90+ per hour. I finally gave up flying a few years ago and drive sailboats now.
Be careful - I think that at 100 hours with an instrument rating you are about peaking out the risk scale. I'm at least happy those first two or three weather scares came for me in VFR (hey - it was 1 mile and clear of clouds!) and not IFR conditions.

-- W Sanders, June 14, 2002

Mazel tov on your instrument rating! No wonder I didn't see you for the promised visit when you first got your plane. When I started flying I was told by an experienced instructor that it takes about 1000 hours to experience most "normal" critical situations.
Most of soaring isn't silent. There is that rush of wind past the skin of the plane. The true silence comes when you pull the nose up and hang there for a couple of seconds -- motionless -- in the sky before you nose over and start hurtling toward the ground. To me, that is an incredible experience.
Remember to keep the greasy side down.

-- Katherine Darges, August 6, 2002

I recently flew across the country in a big Boeing Jet, on the way home from an insurance seminar. Cruising at about 36,000 feet I tried to stare out the tiny window and view the world below me. Sadly, everything was a blur of clouds or farms so coalesced into one miasma that I could discern nothing of interest. Looking back into the shaking belly of the plane - I realized I may as well be under the ocean where the sun don't shine. That's when I realized I wanted to fly small planes. Thanks for providing this resource for me!

-- Jacob J, September 17, 2003

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