10 hours into my training, and an in-air emergency!!!

[Guest Johnny]

OK, so it wasn't really an emergency, but I lost my altinator today and ended up shutting down all the electronics until we got back to the FBO to land. I had just finished practicing (with my instructor) my cross-wind takeoffs and landings and we were headed out to our practice area and I was under the hood diligently following his instructions making sure I was on the numbers he asked for... NOTE: he gets really cranking if I don't follow his instructions!!! So while I was just flying away I did a scan of my panel and noticed the little red low-voltage light had just come on. COOL, I thought to myself a "real emergency", I know it wasn't but still good enough to get me thinking of the ground school I had studied. So the instructor had me explain what happened, what I was supposed to be looking for, the ALT-Field breaker popped. I pushed it in my one alloted time and it didn't hold. So he asked me what we needed in the electronics for flight.... NADA! He smiled and we just shut everything down except for the intercom. That was enough to make the light go out. We flew back to the FBO and then turned the radion on about 3 miles out to let everyone know we were inbound and to talk to the Cessna on departure since he was taking off in the direction we were coming in. So that was my excitement for the day.So any way I am still waiting for my medical appeal from the FAA. For those of you who responded to my post about the denied medical for my Type II diabetes. I have called them twice, and sent them and today sent them a new A1C which shows me at 6.6% down from 7% when the original medical report was sent in. They said I am under review right now. So I kindly asked them to pleeeeeeeaaaaaase hurry up because I could solo by next weekend if they passed me! I have been going up every couple of days for my training and everything has been great except I fly really late in the afternoon (15:00 to 17:30) in the HOT Tucson weather... We have been in the 100's and the cockpit is usually around 117 when I open my bird up. So the thermals have been having a field day with me. Makes it kind of hard to hold altitude and heading when you are being pushed around like a roller coaster! I have managed though.Let's talk about density altitude, and power-on stalls. I DON'T LIKE THEM! If there is one thing I have learned in my training is those are two things I don't like about flying! I can't do anything about the high density altitude, but I sure as hell will try and avoid power-on stalls while departing the runway! I promise... ;)Well that's about it for my update! 10+ hours of flight time at the yoke, loving every minute of it and hoping for the best.JohnnyKAVQ

[Guest ba747heavy]

Great to hear your training is going well. Lets hope the FAA gets its multitude of heads of the various orifices they are in and grant you that medical.

[Guest Johnny]

AMEN! Although the nice ladies who answered my calls sounded very sweet and I very much enjoyed flirting with them over the phone... I still need my medical, and my wife didn't quite care for my behavor either! She is funny that way~JohnnyKAVQ

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Regarding your medical--the Sportpilot rule has been sent back to the OMB for final approval. That can open up a lot of flying for many since a drivers license will suffice for meeting medical reqs. Some sport pilot qualified aircraft, like the Jabiru, look exactly like any other GA aircraft and cruise at 100+ kts. I never finished my PPL in part because I felt as I grew older it'd be harder to pass a medical--people in my family live a long time, but we don't age well--and I'm already in my mid 40's. Sportpilot will open that up--and your hours spent learning your craft will qualify you... So don't despair, and keep your reports coming... I think I'll even tear my shirt off when I hear of your successful solo :)Regards,John