Unusual attitude recovery advice sought

"Eamon McKinley" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

I'm about a week away from taking my instrument checkride, but I'm
lacking in one area I thought would be a breeze. After spending months
practicing holds, approaches & arcs I was double-checking the PTS and
realised that we had not practised unusual attitudes. My CFII told me
they would be no problem and we would cover them before the checkride.
Well, a few days ago we attempted a couple and I totally blew it.
Basically I became so disoriented and uncomfortable during the setup,
I was unable to cope. In each case it was a negatives that got me.
...


What kind of problems do you have in turbulance?

Getting bounced around in the soup is not like in VMC - your eyes and inner
ear are just not going to agree.

How much time in actual IMC do you have? I would give some thought to riding
along with another pilot to see if you can hang in there when the going gets
rough - one wouldn't want to find out that a senstitivy to negitive G causes
you to "blow up" in hard, single pilot, IFR.

Other than that - practice and build tolerance - it can really make a
difference. Bob Hoover taught himself to fly acro as a way to get over
air-sickness.

Note: I am not recommending "learn yourself acrobatics" - yes Bob Hoover was
able to do it, but Bob Hoover is Bob Hoover - you and I ain't.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:01:48 -0400, "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea
Hawk At Wow Way D0t C0m wrote:

"Eamon McKinley" wrote in message
.. .
Hello everyone,

I'm about a week away from taking my instrument checkride, but I'm
lacking in one area I thought would be a breeze. After spending months
practicing holds, approaches & arcs I was double-checking the PTS and
realised that we had not practised unusual attitudes. My CFII told me
they would be no problem and we would cover them before the checkride.
Well, a few days ago we attempted a couple and I totally blew it.
Basically I became so disoriented and uncomfortable during the setup,
I was unable to cope. In each case it was a negatives that got me.
...


What kind of problems do you have in turbulance?


Never had a problem.

Getting bounced around in the soup is not like in VMC - your eyes and inner
ear are just not going to agree.

How much time in actual IMC do you have? I would give some thought to riding
along with another pilot to see if you can hang in there when the going gets
rough - one wouldn't want to find out that a senstitivy to negitive G causes
you to "blow up" in hard, single pilot, IFR.


I have about 5 hours actual.

Other than that - practice and build tolerance - it can really make a
difference. Bob Hoover taught himself to fly acro as a way to get over
air-sickness.


During my primary training I never had a problem with unusual
attitudes. So either I've changed or the CFI is the difference. As I
mentioned in the OP, I think it's a stylistic difference between
CFI's; my current CFI is excellent but for some reason he thinks it's
important to make me uncomfortable during the setup for an unusual
attitude. I want to get good at this stuff but he's freaked me out
twice and now it feels like I've hit a psychological stumbling block.

Note: I am not recommending "learn yourself acrobatics" - yes Bob Hoover was
able to do it, but Bob Hoover is Bob Hoover - you and I ain't.

I was going to do that anyway before this happened.

"Eamon McKinley" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:01:48 -0400, "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea
Hawk At Wow Way D0t C0m wrote:
...


What kind of problems do you have in turbulance?


Never had a problem.


Ok - just had to ask, eh?

...
During my primary training I never had a problem with unusual
attitudes. So either I've changed or the CFI is the difference. As I
mentioned in the OP, I think it's a stylistic difference between
CFI's; my current CFI is excellent but for some reason he thinks it's
important to make me uncomfortable during the setup for an unusual
attitude. I want to get good at this stuff but he's freaked me out
twice and now it feels like I've hit a psychological stumbling block.

I wouldn't be surprised if they set up differently - and this guy just hits
you the wrong way. I will note that my tolerance has gone down with lack of
exposure and age...


Note: I am not recommending "learn yourself acrobatics" - yes Bob Hoover
was
able to do it, but Bob Hoover is Bob Hoover - you and I ain't.

I was going to do that anyway before this happened.

Exposure does build tolerance.


--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:27:14 -0400, "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea
Hawk At Wow Way D0t C0m wrote:

Exposure does build tolerance.

Yes sir. If I ever become a CFI I'm going to start practicing unusual
attitudes nice and early in the student's training rather than a week
before the checkride!

Exposure does build tolerance.

Yes sir. If I ever become a CFI I'm going to start practicing unusual
attitudes nice and early in the student's training rather than a week
before the checkride!

This is another good example of why it's so important to use a good syllabus.
The Jeppesen syllabus I've used includes unusual attitude recovery in lessons
1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 12, and in three stage checks as well.