Ones and Zeros

After discussing this with instructor M (who got a kick out of his alias in my blog), we scheduled the simulator again tonight. I’m not looking forward to this, I have a hate vs tepid friendship with that simulator. I was going to say love-hate relationship, but it is nowhere near that warm. Tonight the tepid friendship would become even less warm. But M doesn’t want me to get used to flying the plane without the turn coordinator and that won’t be replaced for a few days yet.

On tonight’s menu was IFR clearances, more BAI (basic attitude instruments) with level flight, turns, and turning climbs and descents. Then we’d do some new things as well. It is key to practice the older stuff though as all this needs to be automatic - like riding a bike. After all there will be navigation, radio traffic and more to deal with later on.

(more…)

Note: I’ve just heard about the Colgan crash in Buffalo. My heart goes out to those affected. It’s too soon to speculate as to causes so I won’t. But I feel the loss for all those involved.

Well, the last two lessons were affected by mechanical problems: the starter and turn coordinator. This one is affected by weather. I’d been watching the weather as a front was coming through. The thing I’m concerned about for are the winds at the lesson time.

(more…)

So, you’ve built something new and wonderful. But when you try it out, there’s a sinking feeling - it doesn’t work like you think it should. No matter, from an high-level view the design and building of software is an incremental process as you gradually approximate your goal. Initially it is through building things, later it is through correcting what you’ve built so far that didn’t work out quite as planned. This stage is debugging. In debugging we play a different role.

Earlier, I said I designed software like a the “master architect” shaping my world. In debugging, I’m exploring that world and finding what doesn’t fit. Usually, the problem is seeing what’s going on. Once I see what’s happening, the solution is usually straightforward. I almost said “trivial”, but that’s not true. It can require a lot of work to rearrange things correctly. But, it’s straightforward in that the path forward is clear.

(more…)

Admin note: In addition to posting about my IFR training, I’m also collecting those posts on a fixed page now. You can see it on the right navigation bar as “IFR Pilot Training”.

Finally instructor M and I get to fly! Today’s flight was out away from the airport about 20 minutes to get clear of traffic and airspace, then my instructor took control of the plane and I put on my foggles. These look like safety glasses, but most of their lens area is frosted over. There’s just enough clear area at the bottom so I can see the panel and instruments. They simulate instrument flying when I can’t see outside the plane.

I followed my instructor’s directions for heading initially, then later for altitude changes too. At one point he reminded me to use standard rate turns (3 degrees per minute) by reference to the turn coordinator. I tried but was banking too much. We decided to check this out and I took off the foggles. At our cruise speed it would normally be about a 15 degree bank to have a standard-rate turn. My T.C. showed a 1/2 standard-rate turn with a 45 degree bank. Clearly, this T.C. wasn’t working correctly. Lately it’s been one mechanical problem per lesson!

(more…)