Primary Flight Training-Wrapup, Part 3. Rev. 1

Once certificated by the FAA to operate aircraft with the Private Pilot Certificate, you are theoretically permitted to fly any airplane single engine, land (the ASEL rating) under 12,500 pounds. Any aircraft model other than the one (or ones) you learned on should have a formal checkout with, in America, an FAA Certificated Flight Instructor, or CFI who has flight and teaching experience with that aircraft model. Multi-engine aircraft require more training to gain an airplane multi-engine, land (the AMEL rating). Larger aircraft over 12,500 pounds such as a twin-engine Douglas DC-3 require a Type Certificate endorsement by the FAA from specific instruction and examination (in-flight in-type check ride) before legally flying such aircraft. The above picture shows a representative 1964 Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee aircraft with original paint scheme like the ones I flew during primary ASEL flight training.

After I learned on the Piper PA-28-140 Cherokees, I wanted to checkout in a Cessna 172 four place high wing aircraft, probably the most ubiquitous American light aircraft. A childhood and grade school friend since 1939 in my old neighborhood growing up had married a neighborhood acquaintance who earned his flight ratings in Seminary school and had been a missionary pilot in Alaska. They returned to Minnesota and now in 1966 were operating Northland Aviation at the same airport where I learned to fly. Northland was a Cessna dealer and they had a new 1966 model Cessna 172H Skyhawk, a fancy 172 with more equipment and nicer interior, in November of 1966. I rented the new Skyhawk, N1693F when just 16 operating hours were on it for a one hour dual checkout instruction from the Northland CFI owner on 2 November, 1966, according to my original logbook. I stayed in the airport traffic pattern practicing takeoffs and landings under different conditions, flaps or not, short field landings over imaginary 50 foot obstacle, and soft field landings just like I had learned in the Cherokees. We then left the pattern in that one hour flight to practice stalls and recovery, and slow flight, according to the CFI's logbook entries. I recall the CFI cautioning me to keep a little power in the engine when landing with four aboard, as the aircraft would be heavier than with just the two of us. The adjacent picture is a 1965 Cessna 172G model, very similar to N1693F, the 1966 172H model that I flew.

That 1967 model Cessna Skyhawk had a Continental O-300 145 horsepower six cylinder engine that was very smooth on startup and idle compared with the four cylinder 150 horsepower Lycoming O-320-E2A in the Cherokee 140s. However, that Continental engine was rated for just 1,200 hours time between overhaul, while the Lycoming in the Cherokees was a 2,000 hour TBO-rated engine. In 1968 Cessna changed the 172/Skyhawk engines to a four cylinder Lycoming O-320-E2D of 150 horsepower. This Lycoming engine model has a TBO of 2,000 hours. Another engine change was made in the 1977 C172/Skyhawks to the Lycoming O-320-H2D of 160 horsepower rated for 100 octane fuel. The engine manufacturers predicate the recommended overhaul times on 20 or 40 hours engine operation per month, a rate many private aircraft owners won't meet. It is said that the average non-commercial pilot in America flies about 100 hours or less per year. If flying specific city to city trips, 100 hours can cover some long distances, however. I found flying even 110-120 knot cruise speed aircraft could more than beat automobile driving times by well under half the time. Flying can be far more relaxing than driving. Flying direct point to point provides a time advantage also.

I had only two prior flight instructors and the Skyhawk checkout with a third instructor was refreshing. Each CFI has their own techniques of instruction, as I found out one day when my regular instructor had an unexpected conflict and couldn't keep my flight appointment. Instead, the University of Minnesota's Chief Flight Instructor took me on that dual instruction flight, and knowing my regular instructor, the Chief showed me a new landing technique I had never practiced. I was grateful for that and then realized each flight instructor may have a different perspective and all can impart new knowledge which is valuable. You never stop learning when flying: each flight can be a learning experience because of wind, weather and visibilty variables, to name just three. In higher elevation airports on a hot day, for example, density altitude enters the takeoff distance equation to force calculation as to whether a takeoff is even possible. Safe flying involves many variables, and includes good judgment in possible marginal situations. Good judgment can be sharpened by recent experience.

I continued to rent that Skyhawk for several more Minnesota and Wisconsin flights before moving to California in December, 1966. The University of Minnesota Flight Facilities also had a small fleet of other aircraft at ANE that included a 1964 Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee they purchased used while I was taking flight instruction, a Piper PA-23-150 Apache twin, a Beech 18 twin and a Beech Bonanza. All could be rented by qualified pilots with a U of M connection. I believe the Beech 18 was used to fly the University Regents around the state to various campus meetings. The University's aircraft mechanic that maintained the fleet had a personal Piper J-5 Cub Coupe aircraft. The University owned a large maintenance hangar at ANE adjacent to their flight office and classrooms.

Several reader friends have inquired about my cost of primary flight training in 1965/1966. So, the answer may be of general interest. Understand that the University of Minnesota Flight Facilities were a state educational facility and not a commercial for profit organization. Their Cherokee 140s rented for $9 an hour wet (with fuel provided) solo and $14 an hour wet dual with instructor. So, at the time the flight instructor was paid just $5 an hour (included in the $14 dual hourly rate). My total cost to earn the Private ASEL certificate including Ground School tuition (that included the Kershner Private Pilot Manual), the Third Class Medical exam, a copy of the Federal Air Regulations, a log book, local charts, E6B flight computer and plotter did not exceed $1,000. I did not have to pay for the FAA examiner's time for my Private Flight exam, just the aircraft charges. Today in 2006 total cost realistically to earn the Private in a commercial school and renting a 100 horsepower Cessna 150 (lesser aircraft) would be about $6,000 in California. If a 150 horsepower aircraft such as a Piper Cherokee or a Cessna 172 were rented instead, the cost would be considerably more.

If I had to refuel the aircraft on one of my training cross country flights away from the U of M Flight Facilities the University would reimburse my fuel cost per my actual receipt. My required syllabus long solo cross country was from Anoka County Airport to Redwood Falls, Minnesota Airport to Mason City, Iowa Airport to Rochester, Minnesota Airport (an optional stop which I chose to overfly/bypass) back to Anoka County Airport for my third landing took 40 gallons of fuel of the 50 aboard (48 usable), which at today's price at SZP would cost $154.36 just for the fuel alone. My total flight cost then for the long cross country was just $31.50 wet.

Over the years I also checked out in and/or flew other aircraft models, the Cessna 150F and 150G, the Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee which was my favorite, a Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee owned by a friend in California, a Cessna 140 taildragger and a Mooney M20E Super 21. Other articles may enumerate all the military aircraft I have flown in and all the civil transport models I have flown in, which is quite a list. Some of the foibles of commercial flight and my opinions of some aircraft might make interesting reading, also. Stay tuned.

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Primary Flight Training-Wrapup, Part 3. Rev. 1

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