Is there a right way to change the runway?

I'm stubborn...very stubborn.


I flew into a non-towered airport today with two runways. It was mid-morning, so the wind had shifted at some point from calm to out of the south. The runways were 10/28, 18/36. Winds shifting between 170 and 200 at 6-7 knots. There were a couple other airplanes in the pattern for 1-0, and I imagine they had been there for the past hour or so since they were using that runway. And here I come, out of the Northeast, looking to set my struggling student up with the fewest worries. No tower, calmer winds, and so on. We set up the way we should for runway 1-8, calling inbound, saying our intentions to cross mid-field and enter back on a right 45.

One of the instructors already there jumps on and tells me "a couple aircraft are already using 1-0".

What do I do? Of course this had to be on an off-day, a day I'm not in the greatest of moods (a whole blog could be made into why no one should fly in a bad mood!)...So I reply "Winds are at 1-8-0, at 7 knots, I'm trying to switch it up to the more favorable runway"...and I bluntly add in, "go back to [insert home airport here] airport and get your crosswind practice there!" Shouldn't have said that, I know, but again...not off to a great start for the day.

"The wind is barely noticeable, you'll be okay."

Now we're attacking my skills? "Just trying to teach my student right, trying to use the right runway."

Eventually the couple of planes switched over and continued on as if nothing happened.

So I have a question today...did I take the right action?

I could have easily entered the pattern for runway 1-0 and dealt with the light crosswind/tailwind and gone on with the day. But at what point do we say there needs to be a change? Winds were forecast to be out of the south for the entire day, so at what point does someone finally say "let's make a change!"

Whether my actions were right or wrong (disclaimer: I'm still learning, as everyone should be, especially when it comes to flying!), should someone be met with an angry voice on the other side of the mic? Is that really constructive? I guess with every "family" there are going to be confrontations, I'm just sad to hear it when everyone is learning. My student, his student, everyone.

I've had the reverse happen to me. Being at an airport, winds changing, and someone else coming in and changing to the new runway. It's inconvenient, yes, but since when is an inconvenience a bad thing in aviation? Only when you don't accommodate for it?

Please, opinions are welcome, I'm open to new or better ways to handle situations! We are only able to make decisions to the extent of our experience, training, and the experience of others!

And to brighten my day (and hopefully yours), here's a photo that I added to my Instagram account (took it off the coast of Florida). I just discovered Instagram, and I'm going to sound like an advertiser here but it's pretty much amazing. Share photos, search and browse through other's photos - My excitement will probably wear off, after all I did just learn about it yesterday! :)

To more learning experiences!

Up in the Air

Why the Rules?

Astounded. Frustrated. Concerned. So many feelings running through my brain, and yet not one of them could I verbalize! What is there to do when the person whose life is entrusted to me calls the rules stupid?

Just as I think I can call myself an "experienced" instructor, I get a wake up call! Nothing really prepared me for what I heard...I don't think anyone [insert at my experience level here] could really be PREPARED for it. Perhaps out of stress from his impending checkride or perhaps out of honesty, my student exclaimed in the middle of our pre-checkride ground session, "These rules are stupid! Why do I need to know these rules? I did not study for my driver's test, why do I need to study these rules for flying? What about the Pilot Operating Handbook? What is this? Why do I need this chart, and why do people need to know this?! I do not even know the horsepower of my car..." and so on.

It is one of the most frustrating experiences - to sit there and look at someone with the desire to scream at them, to yell something, anything that would make them see the light and not being able to. Not able to form the sentences nor the words needed to convey the important response.

This is my best attempt to answer:

On a light note, if you lived where I live right now, you'd know that the remark about the driver's license test/rules doesn't mean much. Half the people don't have a license and the other half seem like they neither like driving nor spend much time doing it...perhaps myself included?! ;)

Yes, driving has it's rules and often the importance of following these rules is undervalued. They of course should be followed, but to stay on topic...

Most, if not ALL Federal Aviation Regulations (the "rules" as my student so eloquently put it) relate directly to safety! To make it perfectly simple (and how I wish I could have put it for my student), not following the rules will kill you! In addition, knowing them and ignoring them is just as much of a problem as not knowing them. It scares me, more so saddens me, to think of the people that do not respect the rules. The rules are there for a reason, and they were created from the blood of others. They would not be there otherwise.

When I was first learning to fly I used to have a "competition" with a classmate in my ground school. We sat right next to each other and always compared our scores on our tests (he always seemed to do better!). He usually had a score in the high 90s, a very bright, smart young kid...he apparently "knew his stuff." He went out one December night, on a night I vividly remember as blizzard-like, and went flying (some of us already had our licenses before attending this ground school). The next day in class he was not there and we all found out from the professor that he had gone flying the previous night - both him and a buddy of his were killed. What happened? This smart, knowledgeable classmate had killed himself. He would have been the last person I expected that to happen to. He knew the rules, he knew what they meant....why did he go? He couldn't have gone...

But it did happen to him, and it can happen to anyone with or without the knowledge of the rules. With this knowledge there needs to be respect, and by respecting the rules one respects flying, and when one respect's flying, one respects his own life and that of those who would fly with him.

I wish I had a good answer for every question - I know it will come with experience. Until then...

Flying can kill, but in my opinion a respect for ourselves and what we do is the #1 antidote. Knowing and following the rules is all part of it.

Fly safely,
Up in the Air

Long Time

When times are tough, there's not much more you can do than put your head down and push forward. I haven't been able to write because I haven't had anything to write about. I haven't taught since September, life throws its curve balls and its fast balls, and everything in between. This time will pass, just as everything else will, and hopefully we all get back to what we consider normal.

The same goes for your flight training. There will be bumps in the road. They may make you want to quit. EVERYONE goes through it, don't think you're the only one. With time they work out, but not by themselves. The completion rate for someone who begins their flight training is not great, partly due to a lack of drive. A person hits that tough time, they can't get their landings down, the cross country planning is too complicated, whatever it might be...and they quit. It really is sad. At the same time, the flight instructor is sometimes just as much to blame. They didn't get an outside opinion, they didn't get another flight instructor to help their student out with landings, they didn't come up with a better way to teach cross country planning. All too often what happens to the student happens to the flight instructor. They hit a pot hole in the road, and don't change their flat tire. All they need to do is work at it. I don't want to come off as perfect, I'm far from it. I'm learning more each day. The important lesson here is to work through it. Exhaust all your possible resources.

Students, when you hit a plateau and you feel like quitting, do what it takes to keep working at your goal. There was a reason you began your flight training, and there's a reason you should finish. If you feel your instructor is doing you a disservice, let them know. Be kind about it, while they could be the one that just doesn't care, they could just as easily be the one who doesn't know what to do. While flying is supposed to be our "forte", we really don't know everything. Your understanding in this matter will make the whole situation much more bearable. In the end, if it isn't working out, switch instructors. I don't suggest switching from instructor to instructor - it really is most beneficial to stay with one. Yet, if it's needed, it's needed, and much can't be done about that.

Instructors, put the work into it. You're planning on moving on to an airline? Can you live with the disservice you do your students by not putting the effort they rightly deserve? If you're reading this, you probably do care, but it's still something to think about. I have to...every time I don't feel like preparing for a lesson, or I feel like "winging" it (no pun intended), I have to think about my student. They're putting in the effort (there are students who need to be spoon-fed) to show up everyday and they're paying me to guide them.


I hope to be back with more stories, more often, in the near future. Until then, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Up in the Air

Fix the Attitude

What do I feel is a major deterrent in whether or not a person will begin their flight training and finish? Attitude. Not just the attitude of the person learning to fly, although that is extremely important, but I'm talking about the influences around the person. The pilots he/she comes into contact with whenever they are at the airport. As much as working behind a desk stinks compared to flying, it still never ceases to open my eyes. And while I sit and wait for what seems an endless amount of time, I can't help but analyze attitudes - my own and that of others.

So maybe you can tell me: what is it with all pilots? Why do we walk around with a chip on our shoulder? It's like we walk around projecting the fact that we're so much better than everyone else, and that no one should dare to contest that. I can't seem to figure out why I instantly don't like 90% of pilots I come across. Is it the fact that I am just like them, and therefore think I'm better? Or am I one of the few with a better attitude. I honestly can't say.

What I can say is we should all work on our attitude. There is always talk about getting more people to fly, to open the world to those yet to discover the passion that is aviation. I almost feel like we're doing the exact opposite. Who wants to be like someone they feel is arrogant, proud, or belligerent?

The fact that I sit behind the front desk in an FBO gives me a clue into maybe what the world of aviation is like to those who have always been interested but maybe have never taken that next step. Whenever a pilot comes in (this is a usual scenario, there are some exceptions), they assume I know nothing about flying, they have no idea I'm a flight instructor and that I've been around aviation for several years (short but long enough). I cannot say how many times I've been talked down to or been treated in such a demeaning way it felt embarrassing to stare at the person. I don't want this to be a pity party on me, but rather, a wake up call. Stop treating people like they're "oh so lower than thee". They're not. You never know, maybe your impression is the one that will make them decide and say, "hey, aviation is great" or "wow, the people in aviation are stuck up".

So I'll be working on keep my attitude in check, and hopefully we can all do the same.

To first impressions and good attitudes,
Up in the Air

Owning an Airplane

Happy 4th of July to everyone! Hope the long weekend is going well for all and quality time is spent with your families!

My last post was more or less about the benefits of flying. When comparing fuel consumption of an airplane verses a fuel-efficient car, there isn't much of a difference, in fact the costs associated with fuel is virtually equal. Of course, the larger the car, the more gas it eats up, and the same goes for an airplane. Keeping that in mind, think about your budget for a car. You can buy a brand new semi-luxury SUV starting at $35,000 and upwards. A decent Cessna 172 can be bought used (1975ish) for $30,000-$40,000 and of course for more the newer or more "refurbished" you decide to go. Either way, not bad for the reasons I pointed out in my last post. If I was in the market for another car (of course I won't be anytime soon...but I'm paying off student loans), I'd probably go out and buy a used one for $5000 and buy an airplane to go with it.

Now don't use my spontaneity as an excuse to make a rash decision. Sit down and figure out the costs - insurance, upkeep, hangaring, etc...ask around and make a list, try to think of all that is the unexpected.

Looking at insurance, for a private use airplane the insurance can range considerably, so shop around. Using AOPA's aircraft insurance QuikQuote I looked up the cost for a 1970-1979 Cessna 172. It came to $785 annually with the following conditions:

*4 Seats
*Airport State: California
*Not owned in the name of a business
*Not hangared
*Liability Coverage: $1 million each occurrence - $100,000 per passenger sub limit
*Physical (Hull) Damage Coverage: Ground and Flight
*Insured Value: $35,000
*Medical Payments: no selection
*Private Pilot with 100 hours total time and all of that in the same make and model

The more experience and ratings you receive the less that number will become, just as it is with a car. Use the following link to search in your own state and with your own variables: https://www.aopaia.com/quik_insurance.cfm

Again, to get more precise numbers be sure to talk to an insurance company representative, they can factor in much more than you would be able to with a quick calculator.

The other major consideration is maintenance of your airplane. Realize that the older the airplane, just as with an older car, the more you will most likely be paying. But then of course, if it is a well-maintained airplane, and has been over the years, your maintenance headaches will be fewer.

I hope this helps, I'm no expert on the subject of owning an airplane - I firmly believe you have to have either managed many, or been an owner yourself, of which I've been neither. At the least, I hope this points you in the right direction.

Thanks for stopping by,
Up in the Air

To Fly or Not to Fly: The Benefits

To fly or not to fly? If you're me, that's no question at all. I'd fly a plane until the wings flew off...of course, hopefully I'd have a parachute on and a prayer in mind, I'd also have to do it where no FAA guy would find out, and of course I'd have to either have enough fuel on board or refueled many, many, many.........many times, in the air. Why I wouldn't take the time to stop for gas on the ground is a question I can't really answer - maybe it just makes sense, so that's why I wouldn't. But on to the entire point of this....so....

You've heard of aviation, pilots, airlines, air travel and such. Maybe you've been interested in planes. Maybe you've been interested in flying. Maybe you've never had an interest in either or perhaps in something else... You might be thinking flying is too expensive for you, it's an expensive hobby with not much to show in the end. Maybe not. Maybe your family doesn't support the idea, maybe you don't support the idea.

Believe it or not, these are extremely common situations, and I see it nearly every day. I was working just the other day and overheard a conversation on very similar topics (yes, I was eaves-dropping, but sometimes you can't help it in a quiet building, so shhh...). A man who hangars his airplane at the airport, took some acquaintances flying. From the looks of it, they were not close friends, they were friendly with each other of course, but the only reason he seemed to have taken them flying was to show them how much fun it was and to be open to them. At the end of their flight they began talking about both the expenses and the conveniences of flying. It hit home for me. This man did a great job of being realistic about it all, remaining enthusiastic the whole time.

What does it all boil down to? It boils to down to worth. What is flying worth to you? Do you care if you spend and don't receive anything back but the intangible, or are you the type that weighs the costs and benefits - looking for what you will get in return?

For example:

You need to drive somewhere that will take you six hours in a car. In a plane, say a Piper Warrior or Cessna 172 , you can get there in maybe two and a half hours. Not looking at anything else, is this worth it to you?

Lets look at a time table. You have a lunch meeting (business or pleasure, you pick) that will last maybe 2 hours. You're meeting everyone at 11:30am. In a car, you will need to leave at...(any guesses?), hopefully 5:30am...planning on no traffic. Okay, so you make it on time, and everything is wrapped up by 1:30pm. You say your good byes, and after filling up on gas you're on your way again by 2pm. With no traffic , and no stops, you'll be getting hope around 8pm. Long day? I know I would hit the hay after that...but then again, I'm not a morning person. In a plane you might plan on being at the airport by 7:30 to be safe and taking off by 8:30am, giving you half an hour to get from the airport you're arriving at (11:00am arrival) to wherever you need to be. Again lunch is up by 1:30pm and you're on your way to the airport by 2:00pm. You take off by 3:00pm (being conservative) and arrive at your home airport by 5:30 pm. No sooner than you land, you're greeted by your wife or husband when you walk in the door at 6:00pm. Dinner is on the table, and you're hungry! Eat up, then go relax. If you're me, you'd enjoy that - maybe get in a good movie before you're off to bed, because after all, you didn't get up before the sun.

Let's quickly look at finances...Assume you own your airplane, I have never owned an airplane, and don't deal with maintenance and insurance, so that would be something you would have to do your own homework on for now. This is what I do know: My car, if I'm not driving like a maniac, gets about thirty miles per gallon. Lets assume that six hour trip is 360 miles and I drive sixty miles per hour the entire time...that's using twelve gallons of gas one way, and twenty-four gallons round trip. At $3 a gallon, that's $72. I can usually lean out a Piper Warrior to burn six gallons per hour. On a two and a half hour trip that's fifteen gallons. At roughly $4.75 per gallon, round $71.25 up to $72, and it's the exact same fuel cost.

What is time worth to you? If time doesn't matter, how about the fun? What is the enjoyment worth? What is it worth to your family to see you home for dinner? Is it worth maintenance and insurance? You may have another reason to fly, that I haven't thought of just yet. Whatever your reason, think about it - what you come up with may surprise you (or I could be wrong...I admit I sometimes am, okay, I can't admit that but you get my point...I think).

Happy flying, and see you next time.

Yours truly,
Up in the Air

Back in Town

Hi to everyone! I've been gone for a bit...but not much has changed. I know this blog is supposed to be about flight students, flight instructing, and such...but when it takes the Federal Aviation Administration nearly 4 months to still not have my medical application processed, it's hard to have a student. But, I was gone for several weeks, and while not much has changed, there still is a little that has. I am now married, to that wonderful guy who always asks for pictures...so...

We went on a honeymoon to a place very tropical, here are some of my favorite photos. Any guesses as to where it was?

In the meantime, I'll figure something else to talk about for a while, and maybe this is just a way for me to talk about a little more than just flying! Thanks for reading!

Up in the Air