Delta Connection Academy

Tim's Air Navigation

This past week, my instructor(s) introduced me to Tim’s Air Nav. You can go to Google & type “tim’s air nav” in the search bar. It’s the first one that comes up on my computer. There are two boxes on the right side where you can select navigation instruments to use. You can select from VOR, HSI, ADF, RMI, and DG. There’s also a plane you control the heading, airspeed, and turn rate. You can also move the transmitters, plane, and add wind. This helped me understand how to do an NDB approach, & helped with situational awareness for all instrument approaches. I also was having some difficulty with multi-tasking. I knew all the procedures, but had a hard time doing them while keeping the correct altitude, heading, & airspeed. Charlie & Travis suggested I try to balance a marble on a binder or something flat with my left hand while I chair fly & complete checklists. I flew much better after that exercise!

Instrument approaches in the multi

Approaches gave me such a hard time in the instrument course, so I expected they would be challenging in the multi as well. Last week, I had my first stage 2 lesson in the multi simulator. Most of the approaches are the same as in the single engine instrument course, there are just a few more items to add to the checklists like landing gear, propellers, & cowl flaps. We also learn how to complete an NDB approach. Like I said, my first lesson using navigation instruments was last week, & I had some difficulty. I knew what procedures to do when, but I was so pre-occupied with flying the sim, that I didn’t get the checklists and actions. There’s so much going on all at the same time, but I’ll get it Monday. This weekend, I’ve spent time writing out procedures, making flashcards to help memorize checklists, and “chair flying.” I’ll backseat another student’s lesson before I have mine in the morning and I think I’ll do much better.

Incentive

Before my first Commercial Stage Check, my fiancé scheduled a trip to come visit me. As it got closer, he was concerned about me not studying while he visited and planned to delay his trip if I didn’t get scheduled before then. I was looking forward to seeing him & I’m sure I studied harder than usual to be sure he came as planned. I was scheduled to take my oral & flight while he was in town, and I did well on the oral & the flight. Maybe you’re extremely motivated on your own, or maybe it will come to you easier, but I definitely benefited from having an incentive to study harder before my stage check. Maybe you’d benefit from an incentive. Maybe you need to take a trip, or celebrate with friends, maybe you have a deadline for your goal or your loan money is running out. Whatever works for you, it’s great to have an incentive or something else to look forward to outside of flying, because we all love flying… The first commercial stage is comprised of mostly new information. Vmc Factors, Critical Engine theories, the multi-engine system and a few regulations are covered. This revision doesn’t even call for Weather or Airspace which made studying a little easier. The next stage is the last one & I’ll need to know everything.