And what's wrong with that?
Not everyone wants to sit in a cubicle at INOTECH working for Lumberg...
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Frustrated, airsick, and miserable.
- Thread starter jabrodo
- Start date
And what's wrong with that?
Not everyone wants to sit in a cubicle at INOTECH working for Lumberg...
All that advice is really good. If I can throw something else in from my time in the T-6B, it's this: Master the trim. Jump in an open sim (even if it isn't an OFT) and work on trim solutions. Give yourself random power settings (climbing to this altitude, now descending to this altitude, etc.) and work on the trim until you feel the control stick disappear in your hand. I remember thinking I had things trimmed out until my instructor told me to raise my hands up. It took me awhile to figure out what trimmed controls really feel like (hint: they pretty much feel like nothing). Once I figured it out, my airwork changed radically.
Poor airwork in the pattern gave me trouble all the way up to my solo (a momentous day that I celebrated by overspeeding the landing gear to nearly 200 KIAS).
Also, to piggyback on what wlawr005 said above about working on heading, airspeed and altitude: My airwork permanently improved when I began focusing on the concept of "trading altitude for airspeed." This may be obvious advice, but I made (and still make) an effort to look at those two numbers and come up with a quick assessment: "High/low/level, fast/slow/on speed." The reason it's important to quickly glean that information is because it will dictate a proper correction that will help you not to goon up your airwork. For example, if you're high and fast, you need to reduce power, but if you're low and fast, you can trade off some speed by pulling back on the stick to gain that altitude. If you're on speed and low, you need to add power. When you're really task saturated (or just new to flying), it's a pretty easy mistake to correct an off parameter with the wrong control. "Oh, I'm low? Better add power. Oops, I was already 5 KIAS fast, and now I'm 15 KIAS fast..."
I don't know if any of this rambling block is helpful, but I'm just musing on the very specific issues I had before my contact solo.
EDIT: Ctrl + F all instances of "cyclic," replaced with "stick"
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RiseR 25
Well-Known Member
Point taken. Jabrado don't listen to anything I said. Press hard and don't' give up
Some more trim advice: elevator trim is more or less linked to a certain airspeed. If you're flying a trimmed plane straight and level at 150 knots, and you add power without changing trim, the plane will start climbing at 150 knots (unless you hold the stick in place, completely defeating the purpose of trim). Likewise, if in that same scenario, instead of adding power you decide to leave the power where it is and trim the nose up, you're trimming the plane for a slower airspeed, and the plane will pitch up and slow down. Thinking about it like that helped me early on. After a few more flights, it'll start to come more naturally.
Like AYB said, try to chair-fly some common scenarios and how you'll need to adjust the trim. I'm getting ready to level off from my initial climbout; I need nose-down trim to go from climb to level and some left rudder because of the reduction in power. Okay, now ATC just cleared me to climb up into the working area; I'll need some nose-up trim to start the climb and some right rudder to counteract the power.
Remember, use trim to reduce the control pressures:
DO: Hold onto the stick/rudder and trim until the controls are neutralized. You'll hold your altitude much better and spend less time chasing the trim.
DON'T: Let go of the stick/rudder and trim until the plane goes where you want it to go. Don't let the plane fly you, keep it under positive control, and strive to be as close to your altitude as humanly possible.
I had an FPC back in C4204 in Primary. Try not to think about your previous flights. The shot's downrange, there's nothing you can do to change the past. The only thing to focus on now is knocking out the brief and showing the Skipper you want to be here.
Best of luck to you man, let us know how it goes.
Like AYB said, try to chair-fly some common scenarios and how you'll need to adjust the trim. I'm getting ready to level off from my initial climbout; I need nose-down trim to go from climb to level and some left rudder because of the reduction in power. Okay, now ATC just cleared me to climb up into the working area; I'll need some nose-up trim to start the climb and some right rudder to counteract the power.
Remember, use trim to reduce the control pressures:
DO: Hold onto the stick/rudder and trim until the controls are neutralized. You'll hold your altitude much better and spend less time chasing the trim.
DON'T: Let go of the stick/rudder and trim until the plane goes where you want it to go. Don't let the plane fly you, keep it under positive control, and strive to be as close to your altitude as humanly possible.
I had an FPC back in C4204 in Primary. Try not to think about your previous flights. The shot's downrange, there's nothing you can do to change the past. The only thing to focus on now is knocking out the brief and showing the Skipper you want to be here.
Best of luck to you man, let us know how it goes.
Daspyp
Member
This guy has the right idea. Alright, I lurk around on air warriors every now and then and I happened to notice this thread. So story time... I am a snfo DOR from 2014. Navy simply wasn't me, I lost my love for flying, started doing terrible, and therefore all lost all motivation. I said the three magic letters and the Navy showed me door out 2 months later. Do I regret it? Kinda. I really did at first (wasn't able to sleep for a few months) then I got over it after I started flying on my own dime and found that dream again. You've got a sweet gig, plus you get paid to do it. I suggest pushing on. Look , Bob Hoover (read about him) said it best in that nobody was born to fly; Hell, he had airsickness too. Flying is a learned skill, and yes, you do see those people that seem to be naturals. Trust me, they're human just like you and will run into issues. Everybody does. Do your best and if that doesn't work then it is what it is. However, its definitely not the end of a flying career if you don't want it to be. There's a million and one ways to skin a cat. For instance I went back home, worked line service at a local airport, busted my ass studying, and payed for my ratings. Now I fly aerial survey all over the country and every now and then right seat in a King Air to build time. Hang out with your flight school buddies, find a CFI (like at the place in Pensacola that rents the cubs), go buzz around and find that motivation. Remember, job wise its super rough on the outside so keep fighting until you get wings or you're shown the door.
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FWIW: If all else fails think MAT. I was a bean counter before this and somehow I manage to RTB upright with the motor running. Below is how I manage to survive 41 block.
Maintain control: what do I want this beast to do.
Analyse: is it doing what I want? is altitude/airspeed bleeding, staying the same, going up? For Heading in the pattern set your course bug and fly a reference point on the ground and cross check the arrow in the HSI. If its pointing left or right adjust according to FTI. If I keep drifting left, couple clicks on right rudder trim should let me fly straight, then find that ref point and line up again.
Take Action: Technique: pick an Altitude/airspeed before, during and after profile (per the FTI/FWOP instruction for course rules) and then fly outside and crosscheck VSI. up or down means something isn't right. Power should be good because you know your % from the book and adjust according to what you know from the FTI, i.e. power vs. pitch.
Dont overthink it by analyzing first, taking action second and leaving flying the plane for last. Start outside the airplane and work your way into the cockpit. The FTI seems to hit most of the basic flying principles on the head but if you are too caught up thinking about stuff inside the airplane you're going to miss everything outside and snowball your way into thinking you suck.
Maintain control: what do I want this beast to do.
Analyse: is it doing what I want? is altitude/airspeed bleeding, staying the same, going up? For Heading in the pattern set your course bug and fly a reference point on the ground and cross check the arrow in the HSI. If its pointing left or right adjust according to FTI. If I keep drifting left, couple clicks on right rudder trim should let me fly straight, then find that ref point and line up again.
Take Action: Technique: pick an Altitude/airspeed before, during and after profile (per the FTI/FWOP instruction for course rules) and then fly outside and crosscheck VSI. up or down means something isn't right. Power should be good because you know your % from the book and adjust according to what you know from the FTI, i.e. power vs. pitch.
Dont overthink it by analyzing first, taking action second and leaving flying the plane for last. Start outside the airplane and work your way into the cockpit. The FTI seems to hit most of the basic flying principles on the head but if you are too caught up thinking about stuff inside the airplane you're going to miss everything outside and snowball your way into thinking you suck.
Or if in doubt, see below:
When I was in Primary, my two buddies and I had a nice apartment with high vaulted ceilings. Plenty of space, very nice. Nothing on the white walls at all except for this poster, which hung right above the TV.
Moto.
jabrodo
Active Member
An update:
First things first, I passed the FPC, barely. I'm still having some issues with trim, and got a little bit nauseous towards the end of the flight as I was out of medication. Things did start to click on the flight though, and I'm feeling more optimistic.
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm heading back into the sims. If anyone else has any advice on improving basic air work (particularly rudder trim, that damn thing is so sensitive) or any other general tips I'm all ears.
Thanks!
First things first, I passed the FPC, barely. I'm still having some issues with trim, and got a little bit nauseous towards the end of the flight as I was out of medication. Things did start to click on the flight though, and I'm feeling more optimistic.
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm heading back into the sims. If anyone else has any advice on improving basic air work (particularly rudder trim, that damn thing is so sensitive) or any other general tips I'm all ears.
Thanks!
Great to hear you passed. Your trim skills will come with time...we all suck at trim that early on! If I recall, with rudder trim on the T-6B, you've got a toggle switch on your PCL, right? I don't remember ever using my pedals except for spins and aero, for the most part. I know, I know..."something something don't fly with trim"...but the Trim Aid Device (TAD) really kicked ass in that plane. Just keep the ball in your scan a bit and if it starts to wander, throw some of those trim clicks at it and it should be fine.
If you get a chance, I recommend burning some free time in the simulators. As gross as it sounds, I gave up a couple Friday nights because nobody wanted those sim slots.
Congrats. I gave some FPC's as an IP - and, like you, barely passed a FPC as a student - then spent 22 straight years in the cockpit. Barely passing is passing. Drop the hammer and drive forward!
"work on the trim until you feel the control stick disappear in your hand"
Bingo.........that's all it is. I learned to fly when I was 16. Learned in a Piper Tomahawk deathtrap. Trim was a big black wheel between the seats. you just spun it until there was no feel in the yoke. Little corrections...........it's all about little correction.
Bingo.........that's all it is. I learned to fly when I was 16. Learned in a Piper Tomahawk deathtrap. Trim was a big black wheel between the seats. you just spun it until there was no feel in the yoke. Little corrections...........it's all about little correction.
jpnewsome715
The jet-draft guy
Hey man I'm just about to do 4490 so I'm not far ahead of you. I had some issues early on with rudder control at high torque/low airspeed situations like touch and goes and stall recoveries. I would have too little input, then I'd put too much in, then the TAD would kick in and it would be way too much. I'm sure my IP was giggling watching the ball go from side to side.
The TAD is great, but understand it lags about 5-6 seconds behind the engine. I had a long conversation with Lt. Col. Oday over in Simland about it and we worked it out. The key is to look outside the cockpit and keep the nose pointed at the same point on the stall recoveries and touch and goes. Also know that you're going to need a good bit of rudder in the beginning, then slowly let it out as airspeed builds and the TAD catches up.