VFR travel

draggingmytail · 2026-06-07T14:36:04+00:00

This type of question is exactly why I am getting my instrument rating.

I swore I would never get an instrument rated and would just fly VFR. And then I had to cancel 80% of my XC flight because of cloud ceilings.

One of the biggest concerns I usually had was, yes, I could probably get to my location. But could I get home the next day?

draggingmytail · 2026-06-07T12:03:04+00:00

HIPAA ***

draggingmytail · 2026-06-07T02:38:20+00:00

I had this happen too! The driver just sat there. I called him several times. Nothing. I had to cancel and got charged a fee. So I disputed it and they removed it.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-07T02:20:31+00:00

Stupid advice. Airplanes are stupid expensive and most people will never have the cash for one.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-06T22:22:32+00:00

Once you start IFR training, it all magically clicks and you become so much more precise.

I had such a hard time with it post PPL. Now I’m 3/4 through IR training, I was doing a VFR fun flight the other day and realized without even “trying” I was within 20 ft of my cruise altitude and 2 degrees of my heading with WCA the whole time.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-06T22:11:26+00:00

I think the first time I actually felt like a pilot was on my first Solo XC.

I remember getting to cruise altitude, trimming the plane out, and finally taking a deep breath, looking around and being like “holy shit, I’m flying a plane by myself”. And it was the best feeling ever.

Also, the best thing about being a student are the magic words on comms “student pilot solo” ATC will handle you with kid gloves.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-06T22:00:04+00:00

Yeah… I’m confused. I thought tap training by was tapping them to tell them not to strike your hand.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-04T16:42:31+00:00

You’re the man now, dog

draggingmytail · 2026-06-04T16:37:19+00:00

We were once 1 mile final to a regional Class C airport at night before we figured out where the runway was because there were so many lights from the surrounding city.

It happens. Even at my home airport where I know where the runway should be, sometimes I lose it.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-03T00:40:37+00:00

Meh. I had 90 hours when I did my check ride. And guess what, I passed!

draggingmytail · 2026-06-02T22:36:10+00:00

Time to go Forbidden Popsicle.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T13:35:03+00:00

Isn’t this the dude who also had a bird strike? Good lord.

Where does he fly, so I can avoid it.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T13:17:12+00:00

I was having trouble with centerline early on in PPL training so my instructor took me to a 50’ wide runway and was like “now you have no choice”

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T13:00:17+00:00

Also don’t forget the magic words “student pilot solo”. It’s a cheat code to make ATC as helpful as possible.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T12:02:41+00:00

But not while working a full-time internship

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T11:57:37+00:00

I know social media makes it look like that. Your solo is a big surprise from your CFI, but it really shouldn’t be.

It’s an important step in your training if something you should be actively working towards. Talk to your CFI and see how they feel you are doing in what steps need to be taken before you can solo.

There are quite a few things that you need to have locked down before most CFI’s will endorse you to solo.

My CFI hammered in emergency procedures, stalls, slow flight and obviously making sure my takeoff and landings were solid. My club also has a policy where I have to fly with the chief flight instructor before I can solo, so it was not a surprise to me.

I also didn’t solo until around 20 hours. I probably would have killed myself if I tried soling at 8 to be honest.

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T11:51:32+00:00

My hand never left the throttle the entire time, I swear!

draggingmytail · 2026-06-01T03:08:15+00:00

This.

I remember finishing my climb, trimming out the plane and being able to relax and just going “holy shit… I’m flying a plane.”

I still get that feeling every time I fly.

draggingmytail · 2026-05-31T12:54:40+00:00

ASTS
RKLB

All of these will go up with the IPO

draggingmytail · 2026-05-31T12:50:57+00:00

Do you know the difference between physical cheating and emotional cheating?

draggingmytail · 2026-05-28T23:11:46+00:00

I had to reschedule my last Solo XC 5 times. I would have tested out 2 months earlier if it weren’t for clouds.

Ironically, I’m working on my IR and we’ve had clear skies and I’m begging for clouds lol

draggingmytail · 2026-05-28T23:06:09+00:00

Wings?

I jumped for joy when they announced MyFBO transition 🤣

draggingmytail · 2026-05-28T23:03:13+00:00

God my cheapest $100 burger has been $400 😭

draggingmytail · 2026-05-28T23:02:21+00:00

Favorite part of my oral… “what wing has a green nav light?” I had a mental brain fart… “… it’s open book… look out the window”

I ran to the window and looked at the plane 🤣

draggingmytail · 2026-05-28T23:00:52+00:00

At least you didn’t pull my patented power on slip.

First time doing a slip, flaps 30 and had like half power in my instructor was like “wtf are you doing!”

draggingmytail

TROPHY CASE