Always Learning

I had heard the RV–12 is aerodynamically slippery and a challenge for first-timers to slow down in the traffic pattern, so I was happily receiving a checkout from a flight instructor. Just as I experienced on this flight, you may find your well-honed proficiency in the airplane you are currently flying doesn’t always translate to a different make and model. Procedures can be subtly—or drastically—different. There is a lot to learn during the typical one-hour checkout flight.

I discovered the benefits of transition training early in my flying career. Eighty-five percent of my primary flight training was in a Cessna 150. Unfortunately, I graduated from college and moved just before I finished my training, so I spent the final few hours prepping for my private pilot checkride in a Piper Warrior. Ultimately, that was an invaluable lesson for me: I had a chance to see how two very different airplanes flew, and I quickly learned that with the proper training I could be comfortable in both. I would encourage students to consider flying several kinds of airplanes during their primary training (high wing and low wing, for example) to experience the differences for themselves.

It’s easy to get overloaded with information during checkout flights—sometimes to the point of degrading your performance as pilot in command. You may spend hours studying the pilot’s operating handbook and the avionics manuals, but once you’re in the aircraft you may initially struggle to find controls or instruments you are looking for—particularly if you are transitioning from steam gauges to a glass panel. Even taxiing to the runway at an unfamiliar towered airport can become a challenge if you are getting distracted by your well-intentioned instructor offering a constant stream of advice and information.

It helps to force yourself to slow down, be intentional, and really absorb the differences between this new airplane and your regular ride—starting with the checklists. Use your instructor as a resource to help you become comfortable. Ask for clarification if you are unsure how something works or for the best procedures to follow. At the end of the checkout, you should feel confident to safely take this bird up on your own. It’s OK if it takes several training sessions in the new airplane before getting checked out—especially if it is more complex or powerful than what you’re used to. Over time, practice and repetition will enable you to start flying the aircraft with precision.

What continued to elude me on the RV–12 checkout was learning how to get that super-clean airplane to descend when I wanted it to on final approach in calm wind conditions. Evidently, I’m used to flying some pretty draggy airplanes. My instructor suggested pulling the power back as soon as I turned downwind and performing a forward slip on final, even with full flaps. Her advice worked perfectly.

What I love about learning to fly a new airplane is that it adds to your bag of tricks, skills that can ultimately be applied to every type of aircraft you fly in the future. Not only is learning to fly a different airplane fun—it will make you a better pilot.