Thanks for the support, not looking forward to the exam, have a phobia about them from school days. Fingers crossed.

I have feared exams since high school, so it is with a huge sigh of relief that the PPL theory exam is now done and dusted, oh! and passed. It seems crazy how phobias from years ago resurface, even with 35 years of life experience under the belt. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Maule,(in reality it's my frustration with my lack of skill, not the aeroplane) kinda like two steps forward and one step back, still wonder if I have done the right thing sometimes, then I come on here and watch some videos for inspiration. Winter is a windy time here, so have had a fair bit of xwind. On a navex the other day one of the strips had a pretty gnarly xwind, around 10kts @ 40degrees and I messed up badly , the instructor took over and wheel landed, which is something I don't seem to have had enough training in, so will endeavor to practice practice practice. Have three navexs completed out of the seven, and loved flying cross country. The patroller doors are fantastic for sightseeing, and reading from ground to map. At one stage we had 150kts gs with a tail wind, plan at 120kts, this thing really hoots along.
I don't have a JPI so was wondering how to lean the io540 off instruments, one instructor said to lean back two graduations from peak egt, which got me back to around 9.5 to 10 gallons, the other said that was to lean and to just lean back to 11 or 12 gallons an hour preferably 12. This was at around 4500' to 5500' ,23 sq. They both seem to end up fairly similar do the numbers sound ok?
I am learning the analogue way of nav and back it up with the GPS, it's all good fun even if it does get busy with frequency changes and instructor diversions. I hope only two more commutes, the next one is to have a couple more navs and a solo nav or two, then hopefully one more for PPL and the trip home.
First solo pic
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E1.JPG

Open cut gold mine I saw on a Nav
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E0.JPG

I used to lean pretty aggressively . On the ground I would lean to a point that I got no more than taxi power. This keeps the plugs clean, and prevents you fom being able to take off with a lean mix. I used to cruise at 22 squared to save a little fuel. At that low power setting I would lean to peak. At higher power I would lean until I saw a drop in MP, and richen just a little. On different days this might be 1-200 degrees F rich of peak.

Congratulations. You hit the nail on the head when saying a go around is always possible. Don't ever be afraid or embarrassed to do one when the stars just don't line up right.

Nothing worth doing is easy. A trike would have been easier - but you will be a far better pilot in the end there is little doubt. Keep at it - don't cut your fuel close and go around till you like what you see and feel. Keep posting here about your progress.

ozy wrote:I have feared exams since high school, so it is with a huge sigh of relief that the PPL theory exam is now done and dusted, oh! and passed. It seems crazy how phobias from years ago resurface, even with 35 years of life experience under the belt. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Maule,(in reality it's my frustration with my lack of skill, not the aeroplane) kinda like two steps forward and one step back, still wonder if I have done the right thing sometimes, then I come on here and watch some videos for inspiration. Winter is a windy time here, so have had a fair bit of xwind. On a navex the other day one of the strips had a pretty gnarly xwind, around 10kts @ 40degrees and I messed up badly , the instructor took over and wheel landed, which is something I don't seem to have had enough training in, so will endeavor to practice practice practice. Have three navexs completed out of the seven, and loved flying cross country. The patroller doors are fantastic for sightseeing, and reading from ground to map. At one stage we had 150kts gs with a tail wind, plan at 120kts, this thing really hoots along.
I don't have a JPI so was wondering how to lean the io540 off instruments, one instructor said to lean back two graduations from peak egt, which got me back to around 9.5 to 10 gallons, the other said that was to lean and to just lean back to 11 or 12 gallons an hour preferably 12. This was at around 4500' to 5500' ,23 sq. They both seem to end up fairly similar do the numbers sound ok?
I am learning the analogue way of nav and back it up with the GPS, it's all good fun even if it does get busy with frequency changes and instructor diversions. I hope only two more commutes, the next one is to have a couple more navs and a solo nav or two, then hopefully one more for PPL and the trip home.
First solo pic
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E1.JPG

Open cut gold mine I saw on a Nav
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E0.JPG

Hey ozy: I was just like you when it comes to learning how to fly the 235HP Maule. I thought I made a mistake buying it when my instructor save me from a ground loop. I had 100 hours in 152 172 s. when I got the Maule. I have been the type of guy who can operate anything with a motor and controls. The M7 235 humbled me, FOR A SHORT TIME! It took 1 year 180 hr. to be comfortable at 2 years 400hr I was confident and safe. Now it is part of my body. Keep after it! NEVER STOP FLYING TILL YOUR STOPPED!
Cheers...Rob

Thanks fellas, it's not an option to opt out, the Mrs would give me such a hard time about quitting and pissing money up the wall, that I may as well become a monk, because not much of anything would be coming my way for quite a while
All your encouragement and advice is greatly appreciated, your personal anecdotes and experiences extend the aviation kinship to another continent.
It will be nice to get her close to home so I can build the hours to feel comfortable, and just go and jump in her without the whole 1000km commute rigmarole.
Hope the shoulder is healing ok Rob, need you flying to get some more videos, will hopefully be able to contribute to them in the near future, if I can figure out how to make,edit and post them.

Today I had a quantum leap in my journey in understanding this aircraft, as well as the mind set in the pilots seat. I was at a nav brief for a couple of hours, the forecast was for winds to increase up to 25 to 30 knots. After finishing the brief and the instructor left, ( I'm solo and they are happy for me to do ccts anytime) I went out and took off with the intention of doing a half hour of ccts, before the predicted wind hit in the next hour or two. The wind was 0-2knots variable on the twr report, so off I went. On the second lap it started to get a bit bumpy, by the time I did another touch and go it had gone mad, the sock was standing straight out and the wind was now 90 degrees from the left, to the paved rwy, s#@&. I was being bounced around good time on down wind, base and final. Have you ever been in an argument with two people that are just arrogant, and shout and yell to get their point across, well the wind and the plane were both against me and winning in my mind. On the first landing attempt I was a cowering beaten man and they won, I went around. On the second attempt something clicked, I knew that it was going to get stronger the longer I stayed up, and I took control,( many on BCP have echoed, tell it what to do, anticipate) in benign conditions I thought I was telling it what to do, on that first attempt they bashed me. This time I was much more aggressive and determined, feet flying, yolk dancing, I put it down without even a bounce, rolled in full aileron and braked to a crawl. On taxiing off the strip the twr called 18 knots direct xwind to approaching inbound aircraft,(glad he didn't tell me that on downwind, he knows I'm a beginner) as I taxied past the mechanics shop they all gave me a big thumbs up, they were having lunch watching me, probably thinking we're gonna make a few dollars here. I got out of the plane and actually hugged it, I felt like it had been a team effort, I just had to be the boss.
In retrospect I should not have gone up, and under the stress of fear and apprehension, I totally forgot to consider or ask for clearance for the cross strip that would have cut down my xwind component considerably, dumb, but under the stress of the moment I became totally focused on the strip I was using. Huge leap right there with how I will now manage my thought process in the pilots seat in the future.
I love this flying thing we do, and was lucky in how it turned out. My skill envelope was pushed to the edge and I can have a little smile to myself that my skill set was more capable than I would have believed before. That said I am in no way bursting with over confidence, my team mate still scares me a little.

Did my first bush strip today.
Have a bit more time now so I'll add a bit more of the story.
The day was blowing hard from the NW 290/45 @ 5000. Heading out over the range we had 110 indicated, to keep out of the yellow arc, and 75 gs. The plane was jostled around, more than once my backside left the seat. We climbed up to 8,500 where it settled down and the ride was fairly smooth. This was a navx to the bush strips using only a map and a half moon protractor to figure out bearings etc. while in flight. Having done a few navs in the area I kinda had a general idea of where I was going. Over head the strip, which is down in a valley between two escarpments, the wind didn't look so bad on the ground. The first landing was ok and I settled it down on the ground without to much drama. The next one not so good and the instructor saved my ass again. Heavy gusts around 8-10kts with some roll over from trees on short final and I just got a little behind with the control inputs, aaagghh, learning this thing is frustrating. I wouldn't have gone up in the conditions on my own, the instructor thought it a good chance to challenge myself in a bush strip setting. It was also great to see and feel how someone that knows what they're doing landing and controlling the plane in those conditions. On the way home we had 115 IAS and a gs of 180kts it had definitely gotten stronger. The twr reported 28 knots on the ground, this time I used the strip that the wind was blowing down not across, at least I learnt something this week . Hopefully have only a couple of solo navs in good weather to finish as well as 1 1/2 hours of IFR and I can sit my PPL.
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E2.JPG
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... to%7E4.JPG

Just caught up on this thread. Thanks very much for posting the journey. I went up once as a student when it was supposed to be below my solo limit but the wind climbed quickly and I had a similar experience. Landing that one successfully and safely made a huge impression on me that has carried on to the present.

Phew! Yet another commute completed, don't mind the flight down but the train and bus trip part is really wearing me down, on the bright side the instructor said I was ready to sit the PPL flight test. It could have happened this trip but work commitments cut this week short. Have been going through the wheeler training where I land, roll up on the mains with a squeeze of power, then let the tail come down slowly and repeat it a couple of times down the runway, take off and do an 800' circuit roughly about 3 minutes a circuit. Have done two solo navxs and just loved flying away on my own. The first was about an hour and the second was three hours, all the nav was done with a map and compass+direction indicator and timings. The second one was interesting because of diversions around storm cells and having to recalculate my bearing to get the plane back on track. Had to do two landings 50 nautical miles apart, one was tricky with about an 8 kt crosswind thanks to one of the storms. I am taking a positive thought line and am only booking a one way ticket for next week because hopefully I'll be taking Ozy Maule Air back home.

These are called the Blue Mountains west of Sydney

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... CN1823.JPG

Just inland of this wreck is a military installation which I had to contact to get clearance to transit past at 500'. I'll have to go this way to head home. They kept me doing orbits for 10 minutes while FA18s and Sikorsys buzzed around. The area is on a beach called Stockton Bight.

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... CN1805.JPG

Canola fields on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range which divides the coastal plains from the outback

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... CN1813.JPG

One of the pesky storm cells.

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/gallery ... CN1821.JPG

Yaaahoooooo!!! After biting off a huge chunk of meat (ie a tail-dragging Maule to get a PPL in)and chewing like mad, sometimes choking on it regurgitating and chewing harder I have reached the point where I have now acquired the long lusted after PPL. I had my practical exam today, over 3 hours. Two diversions, one through military airspace and one out in the back blocks over tiger country plus many frequency changes, controlled airspace, touch and go's in cross winds at an unfamiliar airport, stalls, some IFR with the hood on, all with the addition of some more grey hair, it's done and dusted. I now have a license to learn as someone on here has said before, a great way to think about it I reckon, puts the flying game into perspective. Thanks to all of you who have followed me along this journey, especially those that have offered encouragement and advice along the way, thanks fellas Fly her home next week as the weather is up to shit and my strip is being used as a dragway over the holiday weekend. Hopefully the next post is on the "Where did you fly today," thread.

Congrats!

yee haw!

You did it man!

Good for you. Keep us posted on your adventures. Maybe I'll make it down under one day and you can show me around. Or should you come to Missouri, USA....be my guest.

Bob

Woo Hoo!! Good on 'ya.

Pretty soon you'll be tugging those guys up in Darling Downs. I'll give you an Oi next time I'm down in Brissie. I'd love to see a Maule flying over some of the best beaches in the whole world.

YB