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Using LiveATC as a learning tool

Wednesday, April 24th, 2013

Learning to fly encompasses trying to master a broad range of new skills and tasks. While some pilots want nothing more than to be able to fly solo on a weekend afternoon or fly from one small airport to another, others want to reap the full benefit of what flying can bring.

A big part of maximizing that benefit is learning how to utilize air traffic control (ATC). Recall that if you are working toward your private certificate, you are required to have at least a minimal interaction with the controllers on the other end of the radio.

There are a number of good sources that you can use to learn the proper phraseology and techniques for radio communication. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) is probably the most convenient place to start, but it isn’t necessarily the best learning tool. Other books have been written, and over the years, radio communication software for computers has sprung up. While I haven’t used one of these personally, I have no doubt that they are quite good given the advances in computing power these days.

But there is another source that exists. It isn’t structured and it doesn’t allow you to respond to commands per se, but it will help you. The source is the website LiveATC.net. LiveATC is just that: It’s a live feed from facilities all over the country, and you select which frequency at which airport you want to monitor.

If you are still new to the ATC world, remember the order in which you talk to controllers: clearance delivery, ground control, the tower proper, departure control, center, approach, the tower again, and then ground again. In slow periods, the same controller may function in multiple roles (ground and tower or approach and departure), so you may recognize the same voice answering to different requests.

At major airports, you will do well to focus on one frequency for a while, the busiest being approach and departure. If you start with something on the ground, you might be able to follow a specific flight for a while.

While you cannot actually participate in Live ATC, you can learn how the cadence and process works. You’ll also realize that even the best pilots and controllers make mistakes, and even the most harried controllers have a sense of humor (try a YouTube search for a bad day at JFK). LiveATC can be a great learning tool, especially from the comfort of your living room, for understanding the processes and language of busy airspace. In spite of the machine-gun chatter, you’ll find that there really is order in the chaos and it isn’t as difficult as it seems.

Another feature that is very cool about LiveATC is that you can download clips to your computer. That means that after you fly (there is a time limit) you can pull down all of your own transmissions and save them.

Check it out at varying times of the day, and choose a few airports when you know the weather is good and when you know the weather is bad. You will get a good feel for the on-the-go adaptations that need to be made as conditions constantly change. Then, after you have flown, download your own transmissions and see how you stack up!—Chip Wright

Tags: FAR/AIM, LiveATC, radio communications, student pilot
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Photo of the Day: Stearman with stripes

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

There’s something about a Stearman, and when you add in a snappy paint scheme like this one has, you’ve got a real winner. This Stearman was photographed over Lake Geneva in 2007. If you had been able to attend any of the 23 annual National Biplane Association fly-ins, you would’ve been able to see many beautiful examples of these fine aircraft. Sadly, the expo held its last event in 2009. Editor Mike Collins wrote about it, and you can read the article online.—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: biplane, Lake Geneva, Mike Collins, National Biplane Association, Stearman, taildragger, tube and fabric
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Photo of the Day: AOPA’s Sweeps Debonair at Sun ‘n Fun

Thursday, April 11th, 2013

Longtime AOPA members know this, but sometimes our Flight Training readers are shocked to learn that, yes, AOPA does give away airplanes from time to time. The airplane in this photo (shot by Mike Collins) is our 1963 Beechcraft Debonair B33. Sometimes called a “Baby Bonanza,” the Debonair is a great airplane all by itself, but once we’re finished the top-to-bottom refurbishment, the winner of this airplane will have a spectacular ride.

Editor at Large Tom Horne is in charge of the AOPA Debonair Sweeps project, and he has posted numerous updates on the work done so far on the Sweepstakes Blog, which you can read here. He also writes updates in AOPA Pilot; even if you don’t receive that magazine as part of your membership, you can still read those updates by selecting back issues on in the members-only section of AOPA Online.

Go to the Sweepstakes Home page for complete rules. If you’re a full AOPA member, you’re automatically entered to win.—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: AOPA Sweepstakes, Beechcraft, Bonanza, Debonair Sweepstakes, Florida, Lakeland, Mike Collins, Photo of the Day, Sun 'n Fun, Tom Horne
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Handling a failed checkride

Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

For any training that you complete as a pilot, you will be evaluated on a checkride. The ride represents the culmination of a lot of hard work on the part of both you and your instructor. People are often their own worst critics, and it must be part of a pilot’s DNA to get that characteristic in double doses. Whenever pilots get ready to take a checkride, it seems that they begin to develop a lot of doubt and concern about how prepared they are.

It is imperative that you trust your instructor here. If your instructor is telling you that you’re ready, you can be sure that you are (it’s very, very rare that an instructor will send a student for any kind of evaluation if that student is not ready). Likewise, if the instructor is telling that you are not ready, then rest assured that you really do need more practice. Just because you have done a maneuver to the Practical Test Standards once or twice may not matter. It needs to be consistent.

Once you begin a checkride, your nerves should calm down. If they don’t, then just slow down a bit and take your time. Relax. The examiner wants you to pass. More than one has been known to help a bit more than they should, so long as they have overall confidence in the applicant.

But what if you totally blow something? What if you are doing an emergency landing and come up short of the runway? What if you totally screw up an ILS?

The beauty of the system is that you can finish the rest of the tasks that require evaluation, and that’s what you should do. If you know you failed something, or even if you just think you did, then put it behind you and press on. Get as many items done as you can, so that when you are re-examined you can just concentrate on the one or two areas that need to be revisited.

It’s very rare that an examiner will not allow an applicant the opportunity to finish the balance of the ride. If the rest of the ride is stellar, you may get a free pass on something that was otherwise questionable. If you totally blew something, you will have to retrain on it, and go back up. But if you’re lucky, you may be able to finish that day.

I’ve always made it a point to enjoy checkrides. Not everyone can do that, but if you can, you should. It’s a chance to show off your hard-earned skills, and the best examiners will also try to genuinely teach you something.

And there is nothing like having a new certificate in your wallet!—Chip Wright

Tags: checkride, FAA, flight training, pink slip, private pilot
Posted in Aviation Careers, Training advice, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

The March “Since You Asked” poll: Two at a time?

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

In the March issue, we asked digital subscribers whether they have ever tried to train with two instructors at the same time. The question was sparked by a situation in Rod’s column that involved a student pilot who was getting frustrated with the pace of his training. His instructor didn’t want to work weekends, which meant between his own work schedule and weather, he wound up flying only a few times a month. While he enjoyed working with the CFI, he wanted to keep moving forward. The CFI had promised him that he would more time to devote to the student’s training in a month.

It’s generally not a good idea to work with more than one CFI at a time, but I get the sentiment behind the student’s question. Rod said:

“It’s simply too easy for you to become confused when another instructor—one who has different training priorities and methods than your primary instructor—contradicts your previous learning (and yes, there’s a very good chance that this will happen).”

Our poll respondents generally had not flown with more than one CFI at a time, although not quite in the overwhelming numbers I’d predicted. Here are the results:

56 percent had not.
39 percent had.
5 percent had not, but were considering doing just that.

What do you think? And if you’ve flown with more than one instructor (at the same time), I’d love to hear how that turned out for you.—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: CFI, flight instructor, Rod Machado, Since You Asked, student pilot
Posted in Training advice, Uncategorized | 10 Comments »

Photo of the Day: The best CFI in the world

Monday, April 8th, 2013

We often repurpose the photos our photographers take for Flight Training and AOPA Pilot stories so as to get the most bang for the buck. So the guys you see here might have appeared in an article about older students and younger flight instructors; or flying fathers and sons; or just flying for the pure fun of flying.

I used the photo last week to ask the Flight Training Facebook crew to say something nice about their flight instructors, and I didn’t have to ask twice. More than 50 of you responded. Here are some of my favorites:

Dan Simonds: William Bowen at Airwolf in Greenville SC figured out how to push me hard and get out of the way. He didn’t teach me to fly. He made a pilot of me. Many thanks!
Ken Gardner: I have had several instructors throughout my flying time, two stand out the most and for the same reason, both love to fly for the sake of flying, neither was using being a CFI as a means to an end. Ed Martinez out of KSBD and Flabob in Southern CA.and Drew Kemp of Oakland both pass this love onto their students in the most thoughtful and joyful way. Thank you both!
LeeAnn Lloyd Bailey: Patrick J-y Nuytten with San Angelo Flying Enterprise helped not only me, but my husband, brother & nephew earn our tickets! Our motto became Instructor for 40 hours, Friends for Life!
KSJT – Mathis Field Airport, San Angelo, Texas

So there you go, flight instructors; if your earns were burning on Friday, now you know why. Kudos to all the great flight instructors who are changing lives by helping others to realize the dream of flying.—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: CFI, flight instructor, learn to fly, Photo of the Day, student pilot
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Going to Sun ‘n’ Fun?

Friday, April 5th, 2013

If you’re headed to Sun ‘n’ Fun next week, we invite you to join AOPA staff who will be talking about a variety of topics close to your heart—namely flying, how to fly a little cheaper, and how to get started learning to fly.

Wednesday, April 10, 9-11 a.m. Flying Clubs Meet-up and Information Sharing—Forum Room #1

The Flying Club meet-up and information sharing session will be an opportunity for startups and clubs to discuss ways to improve their clubs. Coffee and snacks will be served, and we plan to run a series of short breakout sessions on topics like insurance, marketing, financing, maintenance and starting a new flying club. Adam Smith, Woody Cahall, and Chris Lawler will be moderating the event.

Thursday, April 11, 10-11 a.m.: Adventures Beyond the Pattern—Room #4

You’ve earned your pilot certificate… now what? Join AOPA’s Shannon Yeager for a discussion on creating flying adventures beyond the flight training environment. Learn about things to consider, where to go, and what to do next now that you’re officially the pilot in command.

Thursday, April 11, 11 a.m. to 12 noon: Reduce Your Cost of Flying… the “New” News.—Room #7. Speaker: Woody Cahall

Over the years you have no doubt heard about or attended a seminar about how to reduce the cost of flying. I’ve conducted many of those seminars over the years and those techniques to save a few dollars here and there still work. But, this is a new era and the ability for every pilot to dramatically decrease their cost of flying is at hand. Stop over to the “Reduce Your cost of Flying… the “New” News” Forum and learn what AOPA and individuals are doing to reduce the cost of flying throughout the country.

Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m. to 12 noon: Your Path to Pilothood Learn to Fly!—Room #1. Speaker: Brittney Miculka

Don’t miss this opportunity to get answers to prospective pilots’ most frequently asked questions. Find out how to save time and money, overcome common obstacles, and get access to free student support resources.

Hope to see you there!—AOPA staff

Tags: flight training, Florida, flying clubs, Lakeland, learn to fly, pattern, Sun 'n' Fun Fly-In
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Alaska calling

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

The June issue of Flight Training, going to press this week, is full of great content about the great state of Alaska. Pilots can’t get enough about Alaska (and can’t stop dreaming about going there, flying there, living there, or working there). Maybe it’s because general aviation is so entrenched in the state because there’s almost no other means of transportation for many communities. Maybe it’s the allure of the bush-pilot lifestyle, whatever that may be. Maybe it’s the endless possibilities of where you can land: water, snow, a glacier, gravel. I don’t know; you tell me what it is in the Comments section.

But anyway, as I was saying—Alaska! The photo you see is one I took from the left seat of a modified Cessna 150 in June 2008, somewhere near Juneau. I was midway through a weeklong cruise from Seattle, and I knew that the 12 hours our cruise ship was docked at Juneau was the only window I’d have to do some affordable flying. (Much as I wanted to do a glacier flight, that wasn’t in the budget. But if you can afford one, do it and tell me how it went.) So I went on the Internet, found a flight instructor, called him from Maryland, and scheduled some dual. Two weeks later, he picked me up in downtown Juneau, drove me to the airport, and I had the most memorable 1.3 hours of flying of my life at that point.

The scenery was spectacular. The flight instructor pointed out several little sand bars and gravel strips. We overflew a 1,900-foot gravel strip that from 200 feet looked like a dirt path made by a couple of four-wheelers. For $168, I considered my flight a bargain.

Editor Ian J. Twombly has fond memories of Alaska, too. It’s where he got his seaplane rating–an experience he describes in this 2005 article (see the sidebar, but read all of Katie Writer’s discussion of what’s involved in becoming a bush pilot).

Do you have Alaska dreams? Better yet, do you have Alaska memories? If so, share them in the Comments section. The June issue of Flight Training starts shipping to homes on April 4; digital subscribers will see it a on March 28.—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: Alaska, bush pilot, flight training, floatplane, glacier flights, Juneau, seaplane rating
Posted in Coming up in Flight Training, The places you'll go, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

The February “Since You Asked” poll: 55 hours, no solo

Monday, March 4th, 2013

Whenever I hear about people who log 30 or more hours just to get to solo, it hurts my heart a little. Flying isn’t cheap, and the more time that Hobbs meter racks up, the more a student must be looking at his or her bank balance and starting to wonder, Why am I doing this again?

Rod Machado has noted a trend in which student solos seem to be taking longer, and it’s not always attributable to the usual reasons. In his February 2013 “Since You Asked” (“Forever to Solo”), a student pilot whose frustration practically leaks out onto the page asked for advice.

He had 55 hours (the previous 30 to 40 had been spent in the traffic pattern). He said his landings were “pretty much always the same.” He said he tended to flare a bit low, but had never had any landings that were dangerous. “Whenever I mention the fact that I have an excessive amount of presolo hours and I am running out of money to any of the CFIs, my concerns are immediately dismissed. I’ve been told that counting hours is bad and that everyone learns at their own pace. If I press the issue, the CFIs usually get mad.” He walked away from the flight school and wondered if he’d done the right thing.

We asked digital subscribers to put themselves in this student’s shoes. What would you have done?

51 percent would talk to the chief flight instructor.
31 percent would ask another CFI to fly with them and get his or her opinion on their landings.
13 percent would do as the student eventually did—walk away and find another flight school.
4 percent would have done something else entirely.

Of course, we’re only hearing the student’s side, and Rod knows that. In his response, he proposed several possible explanations for why this student has spent such a long time in the pattern, and number one was “[Y]ou might be the problem.”

Assuming there was nothing wrong with the student’s ability to learn at a normal pace, Rod also threw out some other possiblities: The CFI didn’t know how to teach him how to land; or the CFI didn’t know it’s possible to solo someone with normal landing skills in a simple airplane in under 20 hours of flight time; or the CFI doesn’t understand the purpose of the solo.

What would you have done? If this was your experience in private pilot or sport pilot training, what did you do?—Jill W. Tallman

“Since You Asked” polls appear monthly in the digital edition of Flight Training. If you’d like to switch your magazine from paper to digital at no additional charge, go here or call Member Services 800-USA-AOPA weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.

Posted in Uncategorized | 27 Comments »

Chasing the PIN, part II

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

Flight Training Technical Editor Jill Tallman is applying for a personal identification number that will permit her to fly into the Washington, D.C., Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) and land at historic College Park Airport. It’s a three-part procedure involving visits to the FAA, the fingerprinting office at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and the airport within the FRZ.—Ed.

There’s a sort of a rich irony that I, a general aviation pilot, am sitting in a Metro subway car heading to National Airport. My destination this morning is the fingerprinting office at the airport, which is the second step in the process of obtaining a PIN that will allow me to fly to College Park Airport in the Flight Restricted Zone. Ironic, because GA traffic isn’t permitted at National Airport (with certain exceptions—those operators that participate in the DCA Access Standard Security Program may utilize the airoprt). This has been the case since Sept. 11, 2001. But this is where they do the fingerprinting, so here I am.

I get off the Metro and, after a few long hallways and one wrong turn, find my way to the fingerprint and ID office. Here I sign a form that states I have not committed any of a long list of really serious-sounding crimes (including felony assault and treason), and present a check for $27 to a lady behind glass. Then I take my paperwork to another office, where the technician accepts it along with two forms of identification.

She takes a look at my hands and makes a noise I’ve come to recognize when I have to get blood work done and the medical technicians get a look at my small veins. Something’s going to be a problem. She gives me a small amount of a very concentrated hand lotion, which I work into my fingers.

She then places the four fingers of my left hand on the scanning equipment and makes another noise. “Your hands are very dry and your fingers are small,” she says. Well, no argument there. It’s the middle of winter—which means dry skin. I wash my hands constantly because of the amount of cold and flu germs floating around–which means more dry skin. And small fingers? I’m just as God made me, as the saying goes.

Unfortunately, the dry skin means the scanner is having a hard time scanning the lines of my fingers to create a clear enough image. “Haven’t you ever been fingerprinted before?” the technician asks. Well, no. Apparently it’s a more common practice in hiring now, but it certainly wasn’t the norm when I joined the workforce. I don’t tell the tech that I’m so old school I half-expected the fingerprinting process would require me to put my fingers on ink pads.

She perseveres, but tells me candidly that she expects that I might have to come back for a second try. (Don’t worry, folks; if I do, I won’t make this a four-part series.) I’ll need to check in with College Park Airport after I drop off the paperwork to them to see what the verdict is: thumbs up or thumbs down?—Jill W. Tallman

Tags: College Park Airport, fingerprinting, Flight Restricted Zone, Metro, Ronald Reagan National Airport
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