Well folks, it is time to report entering another phase of my return to the air. After a disastrous lesson last week when I resembles a spastic retard with a gross neurological impairment, this week's lesson started out with five reasonably controlled landings. After the last one of these, my instructor tells me to stop the plane next to the lunch trailer, as he wanted to get out. After a cautionary summary of what not to do, he allowed me to take his airplane to the end of the runway and attempt to fly it all by me lonesome. We have all heard (and some have experienced) the improved performance when the right seat does NOT contain a flight instructor, but, this Ultralight stuff is something else! I was at pattern altitude before I reached the end of the runway!!

The first attempt at landing without the instructor shouting "right rudder...right rudder" into the intercom resulted in slight bounce at a slight angle, from which I recovered enough to get it on the ground in one piece. I leave the runway and taxi back to where the instructor is waiting and signalling me to kill the engine. Surprise! He is satisfied with the landing (I apparently felt more than he was able to see) and suggests only that I carry a bit more airspeed "over the fence" and tells me to try it again.

The next two landings are poetry in motion! They looked good, they felt good and I am really happy with myself. I pull up after the last one, expecting my instructor to rejoin me as it is time for the lesson to end. But, he says, "Those last two were so pretty I want you to do it twice more - on me. No charge for the extra time - just make them as pretty". WOW! I am feeling great! and so exactly as he says....two greasers! and it is a great day.

To celebrate, he asks me if I have ever experienced a true dead stick landing. I say - "No. Practice emergency landings with the power at idle, but never a true dead stick" He asks, "Would you like to?" and I'm feeling so good that I say "Sure!" He says take up up to 1500 feet and I'll take the airplane. Right after declaring "My plane" he reached for the ignition switch and - bloop - dead silence - only wind. He slows the plane down to 50 mph (so the prop stops turning) and establishes a best glide - a 45 degree turn to the right and we are lined up for a 45 degree approach to the end of the runway. I take the helmet off so I can experience the full effect and we are floating through the air with no sound other than the wind -- Another 45 degree right turn about 50 feet off the deck and we are lined up with the runway and land with only a slight bounce. Start the engine and taxi to the hanger. Life is GOOD!!!

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,SB9DV, 20:27z, 09-08-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:27z, 09-09-02
    • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,SB9DV, 22:11z, 09-09-02
    • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,AlanParkinson, 00:15z, 09-10-02
      • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:05z, 09-10-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,bcline, 22:42z, 09-08-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:27z, 09-09-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,James, 17:10z, 09-09-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:05z, 09-10-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,TD, 19:59z, 09-09-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:06z, 09-10-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,Ben_Chiu, 20:36z, 09-09-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:06z, 09-10-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,vgbaron, 05:50z, 09-10-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,PaulCroft, 07:06z, 09-10-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 13:06z, 09-10-02
    • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,PaulCroft, 06:10z, 09-13-02
      • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 16:08z, 09-13-02
      • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,AlanParkinson, 17:14z, 09-14-02
• RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,Vulcan, 09:16z, 09-15-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 12:20z, 09-15-02
  • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,vgbaron, 18:57z, 09-15-02
    • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,Vulcan, 01:02z, 09-16-02
    • RE: 2d T Shirt -- Gone!,jerryrosie, 17:36z, 09-17-02

Hey Jerry,

What a great story! <g> Its fantastic to see that you are really in the air again my friend. Takes me back to the FSFORUM days!

Congrats on really coming of age so to speak, as a real world pilot sir! I envy you and so will many of us here!<g>

I'm doing my last night shift here at Heathrow (using the firm's PC!) and then I get 6 days off. What I would not give to try what you have just done!<g>

Hope sincerely that Judy and Margie are well. Great to read that fantastic sign off again my friend.

Keep well and go get that licence! <BG>

cheers,

Lee James

..alias SPEEDBIRD 9 DELTA VICTOR (SB9DV)

Training Captain
Boeing 747-400
British Airways Virtual

Member of the World Flight Team

West Sussex, UK

> Keep well and go get that licence! <BG>

Thanks for the good wishes. I must say that the 'big iron' is OK for long trips but Ultralights are a whole new world - like flying with the birds! You can actually spend your time looking at the world not watching a bunch of gauges and dials....

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Hi Jerry,

>>Thanks for the good wishes. I must say that the 'big
iron' is OK for long trips but Ultralights are a whole new
world - like flying with the birds! You can actually
spend your time looking at the world not watching a bunch
of gauges and dials.... <<

My apologies here. I was not aware that you actually "did" get your PPL - last time were able to talk, you'd stopped it for various reasons I believe. Glad you got it. And now your into Ultralights, wow! <g>

Yes, to some extent your right. Although I don't fly the real thing, I like to watch out of the window too - its very much part of the enjoyment for me even at 35000 feet.

From what I learnt from the 12 hours in the 744 cocpit coming back from Japan, in the Summer of 2000, the guys up there do too, as much as they can.

The front office with the best views in the house!

Take care,

Lee James

..alias SPEEDBIRD 9 DELTA VICTOR (SB9DV)

Training Captain
Boeing 747-400
British Airways Virtual

Member of the World Flight Team

West Sussex, UK

Hi Jerry,

Great news, keep the reports coming!

> I must say that the 'big iron' is OK for
> long trips but Ultralights are a whole new world - like flying with the
> birds! You can actually spend your time looking at the world not
> watching a bunch of gauges and dials....

I can see you're developing the same feeling I had with the lightweights. I used to love the deadsticks - after one or two forced ones, I soon came to enjoy deliberately shutting down for the peace and quiet. And if you ever get the chance to share a patch of lift with a soaring bird, then you'll know you're REALLY flying.

Alan

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> Great news, keep the reports coming!

Thanks for the encouragement all along the way. I expect the next report will be the announcement of my USUA "pilots license". Not really a license issued by the FAA, but an acknowledgement by US Ultralight Association that I have met their requirements of three hours solo flight with a minimum of 25 solo landings and passing of a written test and a check ride by one of their Advanced Flight Instructors. Something I'm shooting for anyway....

> I can see you're developing the same feeling I had with the
> lightweights. I used to love the deadsticks - after one or two forced
> ones, I soon came to enjoy deliberately shutting down for the peace and
> quiet. And if you ever get the chance to share a patch of lift with a
> soaring bird, then you'll know you're REALLY flying.

And Roger that! This stuff could very well become addictive....in fact I do think I'm experiencing withdrawal and I don't fly again until Saturday. We are tentatively talking about a short cross country from my 'training air park' to my my 'home airfield'. Looking forward to it. Plan to do a couple of stalls, for refresher, on the way (which is also different, Stalls used to scare the sh** out of me in a GA airplane, but are actually fun in an Ultralight.) I think the difference is the added visibility available in an ULight....

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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What? He took the whole shirt? We used to cut off the tails of shirts after first solo. Either that or a dunk in ice water in a barrel.

Whatever, that's great Jerry! It's one of the best feelings in the world, isn't it?

Fly safe!

Bill

> What? He took the whole shirt? We used to cut off the tails of shirts
> after first solo. Either that or a dunk in ice water in a barrel.

Yep. Took the whole thing and wrote the pertinent details on it and hung it on the wall. I don't even have the tailless shirt to display on MY wall

> Whatever, that's great Jerry! It's one of the best feelings in the
> world, isn't it?

You betcha! And even though it is my second 'first solo' it felt just as good as the first one Actually even more so 'cause controlling these 'little birds' is much more a 'seat of the pants' experience and less a 'follow the cookbook' operation.

> Fly safe!

Thank you, kind Sir. And you take good care of yourself... (Stay away from Mexican Food for a while....;o)

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Hi Jerry,

Way to go my man You want a new T-Shirt sending <LOL>

Regards,

James (CONman) Anderson
*** The plane in front is a Boeing ***

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Thanks, James. Appreciate the good wishes....

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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You know, if you had just posted your tale in rhyme, it would have been a....

wait for it...

poetic license.

BaDUMP-BUMP-shsssssh

"TD - Virtual FAA investigators are on line 2, AGAIN!!!"

> BaDUMP-BUMP-shsssssh
>

Grooooannnn..........

<]:¬)

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Congrats, Jerry!

Well done!

Ben

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Thanks, Ben. Looking forward to many many days of good living!! Just need to get in a couple of hours of tail dragger time....

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Hey Jerry -

Congrats! I can still remember my first solo and that was 50 years ago!

Enjoy!

Vic

Of All the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

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Hi Jerry

I'm delighted for you, and green with envy <g>. Many congrats.

Paul Croft
10 miles SE of Heathrow (EGLL)

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> I'm delighted for you, and green with envy <g>. Many congrats.

Thanks for the good wishes. And I'd like to invite you to try it also. Without all the legal restrictions of a PPL, the ability to fly an ultralight is within everyone's reach....

Awaiting your report of your first lesson.......

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Hi Jerry

>> I'd like to invite you to try it also. Without all the legal restrictions of a PPL, the ability to fly an ultralight is within everyone's reach.... <<

Until you wrote this it hadn't occurred to me. As it is, I've been spending some time checking out the websites and making one or two discreet enquiries. No promises mind, but who knows ...

Paul Croft
10 miles SE of Heathrow (EGLL)

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> Until you wrote this it hadn't occurred to me. As it is, I've been
> spending some time checking out the websites and making one or two
> discreet enquiries. No promises mind, but who knows ...

I just now noticed you are typing to us from the old country <G> so I really don't know what the legal requirements are for UltraLights over there on your side of the pond. But, since you have already started the research, please keep us posted. It is a whole 'nother kind of flying - and it IS fun!!

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Hi Paul,

> Until you wrote this it hadn't occurred to me. As it is, I've been
> spending some time checking out the websites and making one or two
> discreet enquiries. No promises mind, but who knows ...

Another convert? Actually, this side of the pond it's not quite as de-restricted as the US, but still easier and cheaper than conventional aircraft, and without doubt the best way to fly!

Alan

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Congrats Jerry and thanks for sharing your exploits with us.

As Lee said a lot of us will be going green with envy.

Your description of your last lesson reminded me of 4-5 years ago when I attempted gliding again after a one week course in the UK some 30 years ago.
Despite numerous launches over some months I never did the 'feel' back and disposable income does not allow me to keep trying.

After that dead stick approach now you know why glider pilots enjoy it so much

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> After that dead stick approach now you know why glider pilots enjoy it
> so much

Yep - there is a real challenge of the skill to 'get it right the first time' knowing that you can't "add just a bit of power" to extend the glide so you don't land short of the runway

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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Read an interesting statistic about glider pilots in WWII. Averaghe life expectancy was 17 seconds!

Wow.

Vic

> After that dead stick approach now you know why glider pilots enjoy it
> so much
Read an interesting statistic about glider pilots in WWII. Averaghe life expectancy was 17 seconds!

Of All the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

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I guess that was mainly due to the less than successful Market Garden operation, the anniversary of which is this weekend, I think.

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> Read an interesting statistic about glider pilots in WWII. Averaghe
> life expectancy was 17 seconds!

Sounds like a final from about 3000 feet......

***Reality - The refuge of those who can't handle simulation***
Cheers, Jerry (N94)

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