Flying from the right seat

[sky37d]

Okay, but is it really that hard to land from the right seat?
I'm thinking of doing some training for my wife. To get her comfortable, I thought I would put her where she can see all the controls. That would mean that I have to fly from the right seat, and is it really that difficult?

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Okay, but is it really that hard to land from the right seat?
I'm thinking of doing some training for my wife. To get her comfortable, I thought I would put her where she can see all the controls. That would mean that I have to fly from the right seat, and is it really that difficult?

You are an MEI and have never sat in the right seat? How does that work?

 

[sky37d]

Because it's my plane. And MEI means Multi Engine, Instrument. No CFI associated with that.
Back to the question. How hard is it to fly from the right seat. I was thinking of just going out and doing some take off's and landings, by my self.

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Because it's my plane. And MEI means Multi Engine, Instrument. No CFI associated with that.
Back to the question. How hard is it to fly from the right seat. I was thinking of just going out and doing some take off's and landings, by my self.

My apologizes. When I see MEI I automatically think Multi Engine Instructor. Flying from the right seat is kind of like learning how to drive from the right side. You have to get comfortable moving your viewpoints and holding the yoke with your right hand and using your left hand for other operations. When I started my CFI training I found myself taxing left of the centerline and landing on the left side of the runway. I would suggest going up a couple times with someone sitting left seat just incase. After a couple landings you should get the hang of it. I had the hardest time with cross wind landings from the right seat

 

[sky37d]

Thanks.
I have wondered about that.
I have a couple of friends who fly the same kind of plane I do, and perhaps I can get one of them to fly with me. I live on a 2700' grass strip. Take off's are no problem, most of the time, but landing is always a challenge.

Okay, next question.
Can I be a CFI ME, or would I have to learn to fly 172's again?

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Thanks.
I have wondered about that.
I have a couple of friends who fly the same kind of plane I do, and perhaps I can get one of them to fly with me. I live on a 2700' grass strip. Take off's are no problem, most of the time, but landing is always a challenge.

Okay, next question.
Can I be a CFI ME, or would I have to learn to fly 172's again?

To be an MEI there would be no reason for you to fly a ASEL.

 

[flyer172r]

No requirement that you do an initial CFI in a single-engine airplane. Out of curiosity, are you only planning on teaching multi students? Or are you planning on doing the single engine CFI later? No big deal, just curious why you don't want the single engine CFI.

 

[hydroflyer]

Something that has worked for myself and students in the past on steep turns was to look out the window about 30-45 degrees ahead of the airplane, scanning the horizon and using the peripheral vision to make control inputs. Seems strange, but just give it a try on a few and see if it works. One advantage was it did keep you from overshooting your roll out point as you would see it coming rather than say "there it goes."

 

[nosehair]

Because it's my plane. And MEI means Multi Engine, Instrument. No CFI associated with that.

....just a quick tip. In the rest of the aviation world, in normal aviationspeak, MEI means Mult-Engine Instructor.

 

[Catbert]

....just a quick tip. In the rest of the aviation world, in normal aviationspeak, MEI means Mult-Engine Instructor.

Seconded.

 

[nosehair]

Okay, next question.
Can I be a CFI ME, or would I have to learn to fly 172's again?

Yes, you can be an MEI only. You don't ever have to get into a single again.

 

[sky37d]

No requirement that you do an initial CFI in a single-engine airplane. Out of curiosity, are you only planning on teaching multi students? Or are you planning on doing the single engine CFI later? No big deal, just curious why you don't want the single engine CFI.

No, not single engine. I don't own one, and don't want to fly one. I suppose if I was interested in furthering my aviation career, I would do that. However, I don't have an aviation career, and can't afford one.

Also, I have fond and not so fond memories of my various instructors, when I was taking initial lessons. I think that if I were to do any instructing, it would be a the ME level, since the first time some kid tried to kill me, I'd probably open the door, and throw him out.

A guy I knew was taking lessons at the same time, and during stall training, managed to put the 152 into a spin. The instructor recovered, they went back to do stalls again, and he spun it again.

I figure the ME students have gotten over that kind of stuff. And during ME training, the instructor demonstrates VMC, but never actually do it, and don't let the student come close to it. Much safer.

 

[nosehair]

I figure the ME students have gotten over that kind of stuff. And during ME training, the instructor demonstrates VMC, but never actually do it, and don't let the student come close to it. Much safer.

Well, acutually, you're right...I mean if you put a "most" in there..most of them have gotten over it. But that's the thrill of instructing. You never know what he/she will do. Shop around. Lots of horrow stories of wrong engine cuts, wrong and strong rudder inputs...they're still kids, ya know.
And you really do have to get to Vmc in training. It's on the PTS, ya know.

 

[sky37d]

Well, acutually, you're right...I mean if you put a "most" in there..most of them have gotten over it. But that's the thrill of instructing. You never know what he/she will do. Shop around. Lots of horrow stories of wrong engine cuts, wrong and strong rudder inputs...they're still kids, ya know.
And you really do have to get to Vmc in training. It's on the PTS, ya know.

A long time ago, the DPE would actually cut the engine, not just zero thrust. One of the stories I heard, when I was doing my ME, was that the DPE cut an engine right after take off, and the examinee cut and feathered the other one.

No survivors.

Oh, you are right about VMC, I forgot, but it's done at lots of altitude, so plenty of room for recovery.

 

[sky37d]

Okay,
The REAL reason I want to fly from the right seat is this.
I do a goodly amount of formation flying, and we have tons of still pictures, air to air. Lately, we've started doing video. Normally a 2 ship formation, and I am not normally the lead, so my videographer sits behind me. Not the best location, since the strut gets in the way.
If I can fly, land, and fly formation from the right seat, then my videographer can sit in the left seat and get much better shots. In the first video we made, none of my guys stuff made it into the video.
This is what I mean.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5663049676668412789&q=cessna+skymaster