They call it "coordinated flight" for a reason. Keeping all three of your dimensional axes both correct and somewhat stable is a balancing act I am definitely still learning. In all humility and despite my recent tackle football episode with a Honda, I consider myself a pretty physically coordinated guy. I've always loved and related to machines intimately: bigwheels, cars, bikes, motorcycles, boats, even my lawn mower. But man, I had a real challenge today keeping things nice and smooth. Granted, it was a bit more bumpy than usual. Maybe I'm just being hard on myself.
I think the main problem is yaw, using the rudder, and this evil little ball. The thing is, you don't get to concentrate on just one thing, ever. It's hard to explain precisely what it's like and even harder to do so in a compelling way that will make anybody care. You see, a car really only has one axis of rotation: the vertical. A plane has three. Even more challenging is the fact that while flying you really aren't "connected" to anything (eg., like the road). You're suspended in a fluid medium that can itself move in any direction it chooses at any time. Yes, it does have a mind of its own. So as you try to point up or bank in a particular direction, other forces are messing with your trying to keep things all lined up and nicely balanced. Bastards. The result is sometimes lots of pitching, rolling and yawing back and forth as you try to control the plane and execute a move, then over or under compensate the correct response needed to make things move where you want. If "they" really don't like you, you are quickly reminded that despite millions of years of evolution humans have not really been physically engineered to fly. The inner ear definitely feels like a bit of a design flaw at times.
I think part of the problem may also be that I can't actually grab the controls properly (yes, I need excuses). You fly with your left hand. Mine happens to still be in a cast and gripping the handle firmly with it isn't easy. I'm hoping the x-rays tomorrow will show enough healing so that I can get the damn thing off. Ok, I shouldn't damn it. It's likely kept my hand properly immobilized enough so my bones can heal. But still, it will be nice to actually hold the stick and have a real feel for the plane.
We took up the little 152 again today. Cute plane but I must say the reduced weight and power make it a bit of a challenge when things get a bit more bumpy. For some reason I'm still shy with the throttle too. Who knows why. Today's lesson reviewed external pre-flight and began my learning internal checklists including engine run-up. I know, fascinating. I also attempted to improve my actual flying chops by controlling velocity while maintaining altitude, using flaps, and trying to keep that cursed little inclinometer ball between the lines. We also practiced steering the plane while on the runway (taxiing). It's done with your feet. No hands, mom. Not at all intuitive for anyone used to a steering wheel.
Maybe I've been reading too much Java documentation. The darn things are mind numbing. Go ahead, see for yourself. Word for word more powerful than horse tranquilizers. Last time I was waxing on about this beautiful dance flying is. I guess mamma nature just felt very much like leading today as I tried out some new steps. I am, after all, by comparison just a little boy with two left feet.
I'll close out with some soft plane porn because blogs need pictures, right? I'm pretty sure this is a Long EZ kit, designed by the aviation pioneer Mr. Burt Rutan himself (of Space Ship One fame) back in 1976. People are still making them. Amazing to think of actually building your own plane from a kit.
So that's about it. Flying takes practice and work, surprise surprise. Having blogged about some of my frustrations I feel better and more relaxed. A famous JFK speech is now beginning to play in my head. "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy..."
I think the main problem is yaw, using the rudder, and this evil little ball. The thing is, you don't get to concentrate on just one thing, ever. It's hard to explain precisely what it's like and even harder to do so in a compelling way that will make anybody care. You see, a car really only has one axis of rotation: the vertical. A plane has three. Even more challenging is the fact that while flying you really aren't "connected" to anything (eg., like the road). You're suspended in a fluid medium that can itself move in any direction it chooses at any time. Yes, it does have a mind of its own. So as you try to point up or bank in a particular direction, other forces are messing with your trying to keep things all lined up and nicely balanced. Bastards. The result is sometimes lots of pitching, rolling and yawing back and forth as you try to control the plane and execute a move, then over or under compensate the correct response needed to make things move where you want. If "they" really don't like you, you are quickly reminded that despite millions of years of evolution humans have not really been physically engineered to fly. The inner ear definitely feels like a bit of a design flaw at times.
I think part of the problem may also be that I can't actually grab the controls properly (yes, I need excuses). You fly with your left hand. Mine happens to still be in a cast and gripping the handle firmly with it isn't easy. I'm hoping the x-rays tomorrow will show enough healing so that I can get the damn thing off. Ok, I shouldn't damn it. It's likely kept my hand properly immobilized enough so my bones can heal. But still, it will be nice to actually hold the stick and have a real feel for the plane.
We took up the little 152 again today. Cute plane but I must say the reduced weight and power make it a bit of a challenge when things get a bit more bumpy. For some reason I'm still shy with the throttle too. Who knows why. Today's lesson reviewed external pre-flight and began my learning internal checklists including engine run-up. I know, fascinating. I also attempted to improve my actual flying chops by controlling velocity while maintaining altitude, using flaps, and trying to keep that cursed little inclinometer ball between the lines. We also practiced steering the plane while on the runway (taxiing). It's done with your feet. No hands, mom. Not at all intuitive for anyone used to a steering wheel.
Maybe I've been reading too much Java documentation. The darn things are mind numbing. Go ahead, see for yourself. Word for word more powerful than horse tranquilizers. Last time I was waxing on about this beautiful dance flying is. I guess mamma nature just felt very much like leading today as I tried out some new steps. I am, after all, by comparison just a little boy with two left feet.
I'll close out with some soft plane porn because blogs need pictures, right? I'm pretty sure this is a Long EZ kit, designed by the aviation pioneer Mr. Burt Rutan himself (of Space Ship One fame) back in 1976. People are still making them. Amazing to think of actually building your own plane from a kit.
So that's about it. Flying takes practice and work, surprise surprise. Having blogged about some of my frustrations I feel better and more relaxed. A famous JFK speech is now beginning to play in my head. "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy..."
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