Comments on: Becoming Low Time Pilot – Strategy update

By: Not Current Anymore !

Not Current Anymore ! — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:01:32 +0000

[...] 12 hours after the 5th of August to renew my SEP. If you want to read more about my strategy, click here, here and [...]

By: Plastic Pilot | New Homebase: Frankfurt

Plastic Pilot | New Homebase: Frankfurt — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:00:40 +0000

[...] you don’t already know, I decided to change job and because of this, I became a low time pilot, and saved my IFR rating for one [...]

By: Plastic Pilot | The 12 Airports Project - Fighting Boredom

Plastic Pilot | The 12 Airports Project - Fighting Boredom — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:01:30 +0000

[...] anywhere but close to realise this project (read here for more), but I still hope to make it one day, as I still hope flying to La Rochelle, Guernsey and to the [...]

By: PlasticPilot

PlasticPilot — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:12:03 +0000

@Peter: thanks a lot for the Saratoga package ! I’ve been looking for one for years but no success until know !

I use sims to keep current in low-time phases, but I usually use ELITE (www.flyelite.ch) more than X-Plane.

Another way to have some “non-loggable” experience for free is to fly as safety pilot or passenger. There’s a lot to learn…

By: Peter Bremer

Peter Bremer — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:44:05 +0000

There is another method to keep somewhat current, it does not count official logbook hours but it helps:

1) Use a good flightsimulator. And with good, I mean good for flight traning. In that sense Microsoft ‘flightsimulator’ is a game, as Microsoft advertises it themselves, and not a simulator.
A good training simulator is X-Plane (http://www.x-plane.com).
For a Piper Saratoga buy the planes from http://www.c74.net/xplane/_piper.html 9only $12.50 for 10+ planes)

2) Join IVAO (http://www.ivao.aero) for live ATC and weather to add realism and increase the workload to a realistic level.

This is the way I solve the money issue.
I will also use it to prepare for a real flying week in June to Annecy/Switzerland.

Kind regards,

Peter.

By: Plastic Pilot | Low Time Pilot Strategy Update - IFR Rating Saved

Plastic Pilot | Low Time Pilot Strategy Update - IFR Rating Saved — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:01:09 +0000

[...] the last months I’ve been a low time pilot (read about the reasons here), and this will continue at least until summer 2008. The strategy I defined is working fine – I [...]

By: pat

pat — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:06:52 +0000

Interesting post, as usual!

I’m in a “fly safe with a limited budget” situation and I agree with you that practicing circuits and short flights help in maintaining good skills.
It may be boring (it used to be when I was forced to do so for hours), but it’s not anymore, for me. I like flying circuits and gliding approaches, especially with a touchy aircraft. It’s quite rewarding to land a taildragger perfectly on a concrete runway with a fair crosswind.

I try to fly cross-country as often as I can, but it’s not as often as I’d like…
I know how frustrating it is to resist to the temptation of burning the family budget in flight-time

Pat, looking forward to the next training session of a nice little aircraft I tried out last week-end!