Plane Conversations

Randy Harmon is Owner of Wings of Eagles Flight School, in Nashville, Tennessee.  He is a Certificated Flight Instructor CFII, CSIP, AGI, a retired Lieutenant Colonel with the United States Air Force and former Nashville Future 50 business owner. 

Here Randy tells us about the beginnings of flight training:

The phone call or the office visit goes like this:

New customer: “I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to fly, but just as I was about to begin lessons, I moved away/got a job/began a family, etc, now I still don’t have much time.  My children have moved out or I’m just tired of all the hassles of flying commercially and I still want to see if flying is something I can do.”

Two questions that everyone asks are: “How much does it cost?” and “How long does it take?”

Having trained pilots in the Nashville, Tennessee, area since 1997, and having flown both as a civilian and Air Force aviator since 1977, I can say with confidence that, in our market, it costs anywhere from $7,500 to over $19,000.  Those costs depend on two things: 1. the type of airplane you chose to train in, and 2. the time each week you chose to train.   I offer a spreadsheet that breaks down all the costs of training, including some that are often overlooked, such as the purchase price of a headset, kneeboard, and the cost of not only the flight examiner, but also the aircraft rental time for the check ride.

As for how long it takes, I tell new customers that if they train (both ground and flight) for six hours each week, then they can get their private pilot’s license in four to five months.  If they devote nine hours each week to training, then they can have it in less than three months.  If they train five days a week, they can have it within 30 days.  And, as with learning any new skill, it requires consistency.

The next questions usually revolve around scheduling, training materials, and instructor-customer relationships.  Any flight school or Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) should emphasize safety and customer-centered scheduling.  Training should follow a written syllabus and every lesson should end with an assignment for the next lesson.  Your instructor should ask you, the customer, how you learn best.  Some people need to read and study via a text book, some rely upon computer-based applications, and others need the “tell me, show me” approach.  We all learn differently and a good instructor should adapt to your style.

Most instructors I’ve dealt with are very dedicated, but even then, sometimes personalities clash.  If you are in a flight school environment, you should let your instructor or the chief instructor know that you’d like to experience another training style.  Your training should be enjoyable, after all, it is your money.  Most of my personal students have flown with almost all of the instructors at my flight school.  Each instructor brings a different teaching style to training, but we all teach to the same standards.  It then just becomes a matter of what techniques best fit your learning style.  At our school we share techniques frequently and formally at monthly CFI meetings.

For your next step, call a local flight school and schedule your introductory flight lesson.  A great resource for finding one is www.aopa.org.   Or you can contact us at www.jwnwings.comand we’d be glad to share the experience of flight with you and answer any questions you may have.

In my next post, we will discuss aircraft purchase or rental…..what’s right for you?

Lt Col Randy Harmon, USAF (Ret)

www.jwnwings.com

www.harmonyaircharter.com

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With a new year ahead, it seems a majority of us are reflecting on the past year, and perhaps deciding to make some changes in our lives.  Whether the change involves exercising more, quitting a bad habit, or something more life changing, like starting a family or new job, one thing is certain, change can be daunting, and downright scary for some.  What does this have to do with my learning to fly, you ask?

My last blog was about waiting - having patience.  I was not able to fly because of poor weather conditions, my aircraft being in maintenance, and my plans to spent three wonderful weeks on vacation in my homeland of Australia.  This blog is about CHANGE - quite fitting considering it’s the beginning of a new year, and I’m already making some changes in my personal life.  What’s one more, right?

So, the Cessna 152 went down for maintenance – an engine overhaul to be exact.  This left me without an aircraft to fly.  So the questions I have to answer are: do I wait the possible weeks it takes for engine overhaul, or do I change aircraft?  I have the option to change from the Cessna 152 to a Diamond Katana (DA20).  The aircraft are quite different – one high-winged, the other low-winged.  One has a yoke, the other a stick.  The different cockpit, and overall feel of the airplane.  Honestly, I was really disappointed that I was unable to solo in the 152 before I left for my vacation in Australia; but, I’m now quite excited at the prospect of switching aircraft.  Flying a different airplane altogether will be a great challenge.  I’ve never really been afraid of change; so (no surprise), I’m making the chage and I’m really excited about it.

However, this means I will have to learn a new Pilot Operating Handbook, DA20 aircraft speeds, instrument panel, how to land with a completely different view of the runway.  One thing won’t change:I will still have to rub elbows with Kirk.  It’s a tiny trainer!

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful, it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident, it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.  So, to those reading this blog, I encourage you to embrace change in your life.  Because one thing is certain, change is inevitable.

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The last two weeks, I’ve been tested.  Tested in what it takes to be a pilot.  Not so much on the “determination” side of things, or the ability to think quickly, having a certain amount of co-ordination, or willingness to study.  No, I am being tested on patience! 

I haven’t flown since before Thanksgiving; so, I’m feeling less “Top Gun” and more “Wagon Train.”  Instead of screaming (okay, buzzing) around the skies, I’m just sitting, watching, waiting.  I guess it comes down to what I have written in a previous blog about weather affecting my ability to fly.  But this time, there are other factors involved.  My Cessna 152 has been in maintenance for its annual inspection.  My instructor, Kirk, has been on vacation during Thanksgiving break (c’mon!), and the dismal weather meant that the cloud ceiling for even pattern work was too low.  So if you’re thinking of learning to fly, be aware that there will probably be a number of factors that may contribute to a dry spell at some point during your training. 

So, what will I talk about, since I haven’t flown in a couple of weeks?  How about what I’ve done so far and what I have yet to accomplish? For those following my journey, here is a comprehensive list of what’s involved, what is in progress, and what is coming!  (And this will even give you some idea of future blogs!)

Whoa….I just realized I still have a long way to go!  But doesn’t that all sound like such fun?  If you are reading this blog, have wanted to fly, and are thinking more seriously about it, I suggest you take to the sky for an introductory flight.  A great website to visit is http://www.pilotjourney.com/.  They will provide you with all of the information needed to get you started, provide you with a free Learn to Fly Kit, can help you buy an introductory flight lesson, and can hook you up with a flight school anywhere in the country.  There are also all sorts of other cool links, and information available on their website.  I recommend that you take the plunge and do it.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they want to learn to fly, but they never take the first step.  I say, “jump!”  (If you’re in TN go to www.wingsmqy.com and www.jwnwings.com)

So, I know I’ve said it before, my solo IS coming soon.  I’ve been studying like a crazy woman, and that’s the part of this process that is testing my perseverance.  You see, I’m crammer by nature, but I can definitely NOT cram for getting my pilots license.  And as of right now, I think I am ready to take my pre-solo written exam.  Once that is out of the way…look out world, I’ll be taking my first solo flight!  Stay posted!  No really, stay posted….the weather will get better. I promise!

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 I still find the lessons to be so much fun.  My last lessons have been learning how to recover from unusual attitudes (you know, when you drop your pen on the cockpit floor, dig around to get it, and then look up to find your airplane is diving toward the ground with severe right bank!)  My pens will all have ropes, and be around my neck.  But it’s fun, and every lesson brings something new.  Some excellent information about stalls, spins and unusual attitude training can be found at http://www.stallspin.com/resources/Resources.htm.   Spins are an aggravated stall wherein the airplane follows a downward corkscrew path. As the airplane rotates around the vertical axis, the rising wing is less stalled than the descending wing creating a rolling, yawing, and pitching motion.  Here is an intentional spin in a Cessna 152 (with full power entry for some excitement):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knct2ChNT5k

So I’m getting through the lesson plans and still enjoying flying immensely.  I am told I will soon solo, and then we move into the cross country training.  Ahhhh, a fresh bout of “new”!  But my blog on my first solo experience is coming soon.  Stay posted.

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I never really cared so much if rain was in the forecast - it meant a greener and much healthier lawn.  Coming from a state in Australia where long periods of drought occur and water restrictions are so extreme that you can sometimes only wash your windscreen and not your whole car, I was mostly excited for a fresh bout of rain.  But now that I am learning to fly, I’m usually up in the morning looking out of my window, searching for a clear sky.  This brings me to weather while learning to fly.  Pick a good season to learn to fly, if you can - preferably a season where the days are long, clear, and wind-free.  Ok, ok, not entirely possible, and flying in wind is necessary practice, but after ten days of bad weather here in Tennessee, I was praying for some clear skies.  When the first severe clear day arrived, I was back in the left seat.

 I’ve been flying for seven hours now, and I had expected it to get easier.  And, it has, in many respects, but the continual introduction of new information and challenging maneuvers means there is always something going on which needs my constant attention and needs for my head to be in the game.  Now, with the introduction of talking to the tower and to ground control on the radio, my nerves are at an all time high.  I’m sure it’s because I don’t want to sound like an idiot.  Fair enough.  It is a common feeling of anxiety that most pilots I have spoken to have experienced in the beginning; but, like everything with learning to fly, feeling comfortable doing something new comes with repetition and experience.  (Note:  there really is no need to say please and thank you to the tower, no matter how many times your parents told you to growing up!)

 So, I’ve learnt the pre-inspection of the aircraft, going through the checklist (by the way – the checklist is your friend), taxiing out to the hold area, doing the run-up (another pre-flight check on the aircraft), taking off, and landing with only a little assistance from Kirk.  I’m really enjoying doing pattern work, and I think this is mostly because I get to do about seven touch-and-goes in each lesson.  I now look forward to turning from base to final and coming in for a landing, hoping I’ll nail it.  And I’m happy to report that my confidence is growing, as is my skill level.  But I think I may have to go and visit the guys in the tower, take them some Tennessee Tea Cakes, and ask them to have a little patience with my stumbling radio speak.

 Stay posted.

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My office at Corporate Flight Management in Smyrna, TN, overlooks the ramp.  All day long I see corporate jets and smaller aircraft taxi onto the ramp and park right in front of my full-wall glass window – from Cessna 152s, Cirrus SR22s, Citation VIIs, Lear jets, and even an occasional C-130.  It’s hard to look at these beautiful aircraft take off and land every day and not wonder what it’s like to actually do it myself.  And then there are the pilots I am around every day!  The stories I hear, and the passion that exudes from their every pore when they talk about their flying adventures is so fascinating.  Well, it is for me, anyway, having never been around aircraft at all except for the occasional Southwest flight.  After enough of the pilot stories, and my daydreaming gaze at the “girls” on the ramp, I decided one day that it was time to go ahead and experience it for myself.  I blurted out, “I’m going to learn to fly!”  I meant it, but the afterthought came with some hesitation.

Would I be able to do it?  Would the fear overcome me and make me change my mind?  Could I actually land one of these beautiful flying machines?  These are questions that went through my head many times.  But I decided I needed to bite the bullet and take to the sky for an introductory flight and see if it was all I imagined it would be.  CFM owns part of two Wings of Eagles flight schools (www.wingsmqy.com and www.jwnwings.com); so, I really had no excuse.  It was exhilarating!  It’s the very essence of feeling alive, challenging oneself, deciding to do something, and doing it well.  It’s what we all aim to do, whether it is being a parent, a surgeon, a friend or a pilot.  I discovered that I want to be a private pilot, a skilled pilot, and to have the freedom to take to the sky, feeling that exhilaration every time I start that engine.  Holding to that discovery, I booked my first lesson.

Lesson One:

What I’ve learnt is that it is important to find an instructor that you feel comfortable with; after all, you are getting pretty close in the cockpit: rubbing elbows is a common, if not constant, occurrence.  And there is a certain amount of trust that goes along with that.  Kirk, my instructor is a highly skilled and professional pilot with the ability to make me feel at ease.  It also helps that he laughs at my jokes!  But seriously, flying can be dangerous, so being at ease with your instructor and having the ability to ask any question, no matter how stupid you might think it is, is necessary.

Now, if you are like me and haven’t been around aviation before, there is A LOT to learn - acronyms, aeronautics, weather, traffic patterns - and that’s just in the first few hours!  My advice:  read as much as you can in preparation (FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is a good one), and start studying for your written test as soon as you can.  A good online course is www.gleim.com.  It will make the process easier, but more importantly, less daunting.  I will admit that the first couple of times I flew in a small aircraft and witnessed the pilot doing everything involved in landing a plane, I thought to myself, “there’s no way I’ll ever be able to land a plane!”  But now, I’m coming up on five hours of logged time (five lessons) and I have already learnt to taxi, take off, maneuver, and land with minimal assistance.  Now, as expected, landing is the maneuver that requires the most assistance by Kirk.  There was a bit of a hard bump on my last lesson while landing, but it was because I thought I was being assisted more than I actually was!  That instance in itself gives a good lesson - don’t expect your instructor to do all the work, or it will just take longer.  Learning the feel of the airplane can only come by flying it.  And it’s not as hard as you think.  With time comes confidence.  But the coolest thing about having “bumps” along the way is knowing that you are actually doing quite a bit more than you thought you were.  After that lesson, I knew I COULD LAND A PLANE.  I haven’t yet:but I’m on my way.  Stay posted.

www.wingsmqy.com www.jwnwings.com

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Having been born and bred in Australia, I never imagined that I would ever be living my life in Tennessee. But two years ago I made the journey to the United States from Queensland, Australia with the task of starting a new life ahead of me. It was a daunting task, but one I saw as a challenge, and I jumped at it.

I’ve always believed passion is one of the most important things a person can possess, and for me, I have an inner urge to explore and release my creativity. However, I am always eager to add to the list of things I am passionate about. I did add to that list a year and a half ago when I began working for Corporate Flight Management. I had no experience in aviation at all (private jets and corporate jets – these were just aircraft wealthy businessmen and rockstars rode around in, from what I knew). But, having been bitten by the aviation bug and learning firsthand about this industry, I now know the business for what it really is, and I am happily immersed in an industry that I can call fun and exciting. I am constantly being educated about the business of private aircraft charter and management by highly skilled professionals whom I respect and admire. I feel so fortunate to be working beside them on a daily basis.

I was bitten so hard that I am now learning to fly and will soon be a pilot! Amazingly, I am able to explore this beautiful country and release my creativity by having the opportunity to blog about my travel adventures and my experiences as a student of flight. If you have any interest in travel, flying, or just want to know about the fun side of aviation as well as some unique and luxurious travel destinations, then I’m your girl.

In my travel blogs, I will strive to write about the unique, luxurious, and adventuresome destinations I visit in our corporate aircraft, providing stories detailing my experiences at these locations, so you can learn firsthand what they have to offer. These are sometimes going to be destinations that are not easy to get to when flying commercial. The business of general aviation is not about flying rock stars to resorts in private jets but is one in which flying in private aircraft allows the traveler to get to out-of-the-way destinations without having to spend 12 hours and two commercial flights getting there. Your vacation can start when you step onto the aircraft! Whether you are a Cirrus owner, a jet owner, a charter customer, a flight student, or someone who just wants to know, I will share with you the unique places I have experienced, my flight training stories, and maybe some cool tips along the way.

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