First Private Pilot Lesson - Crop Duster

[laurencen]

its a hoot, I trained on the 152, recall my first time solo, got the all clear to take off and wile climbing was told to maintain runway heading, well after a short time most landmarks were disappearing, was glad to get the call for a 180, it was a great feeling to do the first solo, that was 30 years ago, after getting the private licence I flew the 172 for a few years, mostly just flying around the area enjoying the freedom, when we built our house 15 years ago I plowed a grass strip and purchased the Piper Cherokee 140, for me its summer flying, I enjoy a sunday morning, have a coffee and go fly for a couple hours

 

[Gary Fowler]

I did a few hours in my instructor 152 but after taking off on a solo run one day and found that the rudder cables were extremely slack, had to return to base. The instructor found some cable clamps that were loose and the cables were just about to come out.
I paid a couple of dollars per hour more for a nice 172 for the remainder of my flights to get my license. The day I was scheduled for my flight exam, the FBO informed me that my 172 had been sold and I had to fly a Piper 140 for my exam. I had never flown a low wing plane before and got a 1/2 hour of flying time so the instructor could sign off on me flying that plane. Luckily I passed my flight exam without any problems. I still prefer high wing planes to the low wing ones. The high wings allow more ground visibility and they are generally much cooler in the summer due to the high wing shading the canopy.

 

[WVBill]

Got my Private Pilot license the summer after I graduated high school. 1965. First few hours in a Cessna 140 tail dragger. $4.80 an hour wet plus $5.00 an hour for the instructor. Soloed in a C150. Flew when I had the time and money during college. Joined the Navy and went to Pensacola for flight training. Soloed in a T34 in 1970. Then with the Vitenam war drawing down, the Navy RIFed a bunch of us student pilots so I became a Naval Flight Officer and flew as crew for 21 years.

 

[ray66v]

What did I read one time. "The only time you have to much fuel in your plane is if its on fire."

One day, when I had rented a 172, to practice for my private pilot license, the owner of the Flight school, asked me to fly owner of the airplane, and another CFI, back to their airport while I had the plane out. He said, If I did, the hour of rental would be waived. I of course took the deal.

The CFI who was flying with me, asked about fuel. I told him, I had checked, and there was plenty. We were only 10 or 12 gallons from being full. He said, "fill it up, you can't have too much fuel!" I reluctantly complied. Reluctantly, because the airport we were at, was surrounded by trees, and it was summer. What did I know. The flight was still within the limitations of the aircraft.

I started down the runway, and pulled it off the ground at my usual speed. (as a student, I failed to increase my take off speed to compensate for the weight of a back seat passenger, and a heavy airplane). Anxious to get higher than the trees, I tried to gain altitude. But, I realized we were not climbing well. And, the trees were getting bigger. I did know enough, to know my only option was to push the nose down, and gain speed. Which still seemed like a bad idea, but, I did it. I was able to clear the trees when we got there, (just not by a lot).

The CFI, who remained remarkably silent through the entire thing, turned to me afterward, and said, "If you ever do that to me again, I'll kill you". To which I replied, "You can never have too much fuel, right?", remembering the extra weight, he insisted I add.

Yes, you can have too much fuel.

We later owned a 172 with extended range tanks. In the summer with full tanks, it's fair to say it was not a rocket ship. So, we almost never filled it up.

 

[PILOON]

Oddly enough I have about 4000 hrs, flew a multitude of AC , Luscombs, C170, C172, T-craft, Mooney, C180, C182, Aero Commander, C180's, C 210, C120, Aircoup, Stinson, etc etc but NEVER even I hr in a Cessna 150!

I have handled many others that could no be logged as well.

Must admit that some of the early AC were designed for midgets, or so it seemed.

My most favorite of all was my C170B (a 172 with a tail wheel).
I had it highly upgraded it to a late model 172 like configuration, IFR (it not me). I did not fly it, I wore it!
It sported late C172 seats, Cleveland wheels & brakes, new interior, C 210 ram horn control wheels.
I also logged some hours on skis with it, (fun)
I took it across Canada and over many states.
Every mod was certified.

Wish I still had it! (When I was offered a nice C182F in even trade I could not resist)

 

[flyerdan]

I soloed in a T-Craft, nice fun little plane. It's amazing how much better they perform with only one person. I think everyone should learn in a taildragger, it gives you experience in P-factor, gyroscopic precession, and for the old tube and fabrics, adverse yaw.

 

[ray66v]

I still prefer high wing planes to the low wing ones. The high wings allow more ground visibility and they are generally much cooler in the summer due to the high wing shading the canopy.

Cessna's also don't fall out of the sky, when you pull the power out, like a Piper does. :stirthepot:

 

[TimberHole]

Cessna's also don't fall out of the sky, when you pull the power out, like a Piper does. :stirthepot:

Amen brother. I owned a 200 hp Piper Arrow. On the "flys like" scale that thing came in right between a piece of plywood and a pair of pliers!

 

[ray66v]

Amen brother. I owned a 200 hp Piper Arrow. On the "flys like" scale that thing came in right between a piece of plywood and a pair of pliers!

I'll never forget the first time I flew in an Arrow. We were coming in to land, and I said, "Aren't you a little bit high?" He laughed, and said, "Are you kidding? I'm going to have to add power!"

I was used to doing power off landings at pattern altitude, from the downwind, at midfield, in a 172.:rotfl:

 

[PILOON]

Cessna's also don't fall out of the sky, when you pull the power out, like a Piper does. :stirthepot:

LOL, my 170 engine quit at 5000ft, started with a tap tap sound, went away on left or rt mag but there on both mags.
Noise progressed until from a tap tap it became a heavy louder bang bang so I pulled the throttle at which time it made the loudest kabang and it stopped with the prop perfectly horizontal.
Wife screamed and said we are going to crash.--Oh, crash, well I had a mini motor bike lashed to the rear seat tiedown points so we reached back and donned the 'crash helmets'.
That made us feel better.

Under us was a farmers field that was 6000 ft long so not to worry.
Proceeded to do an actual circuit approach, down wind etc etc and then final but only problem was the AC just would not slow down as usual as it normally would, full flaps + side slips (wife screaming) and me on FSS calling MAYDAY, hey what better time to do so.
FSS kept urging me to dive to restart until I literally told them to shut up.
At the end I finally put her down in the last 1000 ft or so.
Big issue was that the field was recently worked and the wheels sunk in that nice fluffy topsoil, rolled 75 ft and stood on its nose so slowly that we even tried to throw our weight to make it fall backwards. Unfortunately gravity had other ideas and we ended up inverted.

The prop and spinner were not in the slightest way damaged! My luck as if it had stopped vertically we would not have flipped.

I had the insurance check in hand, delivered 2 days later right there in the field! Talk about service.

I dismantled the AC there in the field and with the farmers tractor to help (roped the prop hub to his FEL and he lifted and I lifted the tail and rotated the AC back to upright.
Naturally at this point the wings and empennage had all been removed.
Loaded the AC into a U-Haul and drove my injured bird back to home where I rebuilt it over the winter months.
The accident was in Nov and it was back flying in May with new paint scheme as well.
Oh, more luck was with me as I located an O300D with lower time than the failed engine for only $2000, firewall forward.
After selling off al the undamaged old engine parts (jugs, prop, mufflers, carb etc etc) I actually showed a profit.

In my favor was my knowledge of interchangeable parts, ie lots of the Cessna 100 series share parts with a few simple changes or additions. (ie, small stiffener or extra rivets) ex seats are structurally the same for all 100 series.

LOL, one big frustration was driving home in a U-Haul truck that was locked at 50 MPH, heck it did 50 going downhill.

Oh, and the wife continued to fly with me and that C170B years later got traded even for a C182F also a nice bird.

Hey, I did mention a Tractor so this posting is qualified!