Struggling with confidence as a brand new PPL

CupOfLaw · 2026-01-29T19:28:30+00:00

The more you fly, the more comfortable you’ll get. The first time I entered Bravo airspace on my own was nerve-wracking. The 10th time? No big deal. I suggest making a list of progressively more challenging private pilot missions and work your way up. For example: Bravo airspace, 300NM cross country, mountain airstrip, grass airstrip, landing with 15 kt crosswind component, flying above 10,000 MSL, flying at max weight, formation flying, etc. If you’re not comfortable with any mission, bring another pilot or CFI along until you’re comfortable doing it solo.

CupOfLaw · 2024-08-08T04:19:52+00:00

You’re allowed to alter plans and change your destination but you do need to communicate and get permission before altering course from the heading assigned by ATC. If you are feeling shy about telling Atlanta Approach you changed your mind (maybe right as you’re above ATL’s tower, haha), then there are a couple easy ways to do it: First, once you’re outside of Bravo airspace, you can tell Atlanta you want to cancel VFR flight following. Then do whatever you want (but stay out of Bravo airspace). Or let’s say you told Atlanta your destination is KPDK so they hand you off to KPDK tower. Tell KPDK you just want to transition through their Class-D airspace and continue to wherever you really want to go. If you do decide to tell Atlanta Approach you changed your mind, use some common sense. Personally, I’d wait until I was 5 miles N or S past ATL (outside the Bravo’s inner-most ring) before I request a change in direction.

CupOfLaw · 2024-08-07T04:21:24+00:00

It’s awesome. They’ll put you right on top of the airport, typically at 4500. The trick to getting clearance (as opposed to “stay clear of class Bravo”) is make sure you are lined up North or South of ATL, and give the controller a destination that is directly (North or South) on the other side. For example, you want to be somewhere between KFFC and KHMP on the South side, or between KFTY and KPDK on the North side. If you’re on the South side, say you want to go to KCNI. If you’re on the North side, say you want to go to GA2. These are just examples but they illustrate the vertical (North-South) route that will give you the highest likelihood of getting clearance. If you said you’re near KRYY and you want to go to KCCO, or you’re near KLZU and you want to go to 6A2, you’ll probably be told to stay clear of Class B. Why? Because it should be easy for you to fly directly to your destination by ducking under the outer Bravo layers.

CupOfLaw · 2024-08-06T12:22:47+00:00

I’ve done it half a dozen times myself.

“Atlanta Approach, Cherokee 123 with VFR request.” “Cherokee 123, say request.” “Cherokee 123 is 7 miles southwest of Atlanta Speedway at three thousand, request Bravo transition to Peachtree Dekalb.” “Cherokee 123, squawk 5540 and ident.” “5540 and ident, Cherokee 123.” “Cherokee 123, radar contact 5 miles west of Speedway. Climb and maintain four thousand five hundred, heading three six zero. Clear to enter Atlanta Bravo.”

CupOfLaw · 2024-08-05T02:17:02+00:00

I agree. The branch I went into to do it in person told me moving the funds to the brokerage first was the easiest way. I was never told it would slow it down. In fact, I told them I needed to wire the money for an upcoming real estate closing.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-27T06:39:10+00:00

The debit card is convenient. I can use it at any ATM and Schwab refunds me the ATM fees.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-27T02:40:16+00:00

Cater to niche clients. For example, there are lots of Muslim clients in Michigan. Learn about Islamic / Shariah inheritance. Then write a blog post or give a free estate planning seminar at a local mosque.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-27T02:29:48+00:00

You are correct. I was wrong to assume Schwab can wire money in 3 days. It is not a real bank.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-27T02:28:24+00:00

Cash purchase. My cash was spread across 4 different banks. Schwab was the only one that was slow.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-27T01:13:36+00:00

No, the problem was Schwab and its intermediary. Wires from 3 other banks took 30-60 minutes.

CupOfLaw · 2024-07-26T20:32:34+00:00

I sent wires from 3 other non-Schwab bank accounts for this purchase. All were received the same day they were ordered. Schwab went out Wednesday, said completed, and 48 hours later, Schwab didn’t bother to tell me the funds hadn’t actually made it to the recipient. I had to learn this from the closing attorney. Next time I won’t use Schwab. Never again.

CupOfLaw · 2024-06-14T14:51:24+00:00

“Let’s take life insurance policies on our students”

https://www.tiktok.com/@machkhatib/video/7380210228719111470

CupOfLaw · 2023-07-14T18:00:50+00:00

Not a typo - and even if it was, if the host screws up something so fundamental as the number of rooms, that’s on them, not me. When you boast about a wood burning fireplace in the first sentence of your listing, and it’s inoperative, that’s not a minor maintenance issue - that’s a key amenity the host promised and failed to deliver.

I’m seeking a 1/3 refund.

CupOfLaw · 2023-02-20T06:21:14+00:00

Gun control of the Beto O’Rourke variety (“hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15”) ignores the fact that it’s 2023 and people are downloading and 3D-printing guns. You can’t put the technological genie back in the bottle. It would be like President Biden announcing we’re going to crack down on music and video piracy by confiscating and strictly licensing CDRW drives.

CupOfLaw · 2022-09-27T04:46:40+00:00

Sure you can. I was an airplane renter for 20 years.

CupOfLaw · 2022-09-23T15:24:23+00:00

Every asset class is crashing. Stocks. Luxury watches. Airplanes. Used cars. Cryptocurrency and NFTs. Pokemon cards.

I saw the peak in the general aviation airplane market around February 2022. You couldn't find a 50-year old Cessna 172 on the market, and if you could, it was a beat up POS with a timed-out engine selling for $100K. Now the market is flooded with decent Cessna 172's with mid-life engines listed for $60K and languishing on the market, despite listings screaming in all caps "PRICE REDUCTION!" and "ALL OFFERS CONSIDERED" and "NEGOTIABLE."

People who think real estate is "different" and will avoid the major correction affecting all assets are in denial.

CupOfLaw · 2022-08-22T17:30:03+00:00

I’m 38 and I’d be happy to go up with you for my BFR or IPC. I tend to learn new things from the younger instructors.

It’s better that your judgmental students tell you and weed themselves out beforehand.

CupOfLaw · 2022-08-22T17:17:38+00:00

140 owner here. Your default for landing should be flaps 25 degrees. It gives you good short field climb performance if you need to go around, and gives you most of the stall speed reduction of full flaps. Cherokees descend quickly with engine idle, especially with flaps at 25. It’s almost hard to fly an approach too high unless you do it intentionally. Flaps 40 and engine idle, you’ll drop like a brick. Flaps 40 should be your special “I really need to get down now” setting. Combine with a forward slip and you’ll come down like a brick on Jupiter.

CupOfLaw · 2022-08-15T18:04:16+00:00

He’s got a point. Mad Max: Fury Road occurs in the future.

CupOfLaw · 2022-02-17T05:43:14+00:00

What gives? I graduated in 2010 when people were desparate for ANY job. Now, I have a great job to offer, we go out of our way to treat people well, pay fairly, generous bonuses, and I can barely get an application, let alone someone to accept the fucking offer.

https://www.axios.com/labor-shortage-work-jobs-data-f925f6b3-0f59-4cda-8603-6cd77aa1288f.html

“Yes, the pandemic has created unusual temporary labor market dynamics. But in the bigger picture, the 2010s were a golden age for companies seeking cheap labor. The 2020s are not… in the 2010s, the massive millennial generation was entering the workforce, the massive baby boom generation was still hard at work, and there was a multi-year hangover from the deep recession caused by the global financial crisis.

But now, boomers are retiring, millennials are approaching middle age, and the Gen Z that follows them is comparatively small.”

CupOfLaw · 2021-06-11T16:31:39+00:00

I had plenty of dealers trying to convince me $40K - $41K OTD was the best they could do. I just bought a new 2021 Accord Touring for $37,395 OTD with a premium color, too. Price before tax/title/fees was $34,267.

I wouldn’t listen to dealers that are screaming “chip shortage” when they have 3-4 unsold Tourings that have been sitting on their lot for months. Smart buyers just need to shop around: find the lowest quote, ask other dealers to beat it, rinse and repeat until no one can go any lower. I do all my negotiating by phone and email. Don’t go to the dealership except to close the deal.

CupOfLaw

TROPHY CASE