Trying to Fly ~ Looking for you all to help guide me!

Grab yourself your favorite beverage and find a comfortable seat! This is my first post to the forum therefore I feel it is necessary to introduce myself and describe my ambitions and why they came to be.

As my username suggest, my name is Bradley Coleman. On June 16th of this year I will be a 21-year-old that was raised in West Virginia. I am currently a full time student at West Virginia University as a first semester sophomore, studying Management Information Systems. Also I am a member of the Communications Flt. in the 130th Air National Guard as a Cyber Surety troop. My interest in aviation has developed through my fathers career as a pilot in the USAF. While I remember his pilot training in Texas to a certain extent, I don't remember much more than seeing him study stacks of 3" three-ring-binders every evening. After serving Active Duty up to E-6 as a crew chief and having my oldest brother in England, and my twin and I in South Carolina he applied to be a pilot in his home state of W.Va. He returned to fly C-130s until a few years ago when he was transferred to a different mission. Due to our colorblindness, my oldest brother and I could not apply for pilot slots to follow in our fathers footsteps. After years of dreaming of going up myself one day, I discovered the EAA. More specifically experimentals and homebuilders! I fell in love with the pietenpol air camper and I've committed myself to building my own. Before you get too excited, I haven't started yet. I'm a person who does ridiculously large amounts of research before I start moving pennies around. Ultimately I've decided to pursue getting my pilots license to fly LSA's.

So I've came to the EAA forums in seek of guidance counselors throughout the entire process (from finding an instructor to building and flying by you all in the skies.)

This said, please assume that I know nothing about the process and fill me in! While I'm always heckling my father, he can't answer all of my questions and certainly not when it comes to the private sector. While he's still flying for the AF and flying for United Airlines, he doesn't know much about this category of flying.

So! Step 1) Find a flight school.

Thanks for reading! I hope to get to know some of you more and developing some great friendships! I look forward to reading your comments!

Not sure I can offer much but Morgantown is a great little airport. We've stopped in there many a time for fuel or lunch or even when we got weathered in. Cute little winery/distillery right off the field there as well. As far as finding a school/instructor, it's off best to sit down and spend a lesson with a prospective instructor to see how it goes. Remember, YOU ARE THE ONE PAYING FOR THIS. Don't waste times in situations you don't feel are worth what you are paying.

You're in luck. There's a flight school at the Morgantown airport: https://www.flyrsa.com/ .

The color blindness could be an issue. Maybe not for Sport Pilot or under the new medical reform rules, I don't know. I've heard there are degrees of color blindness and some people are able to get a medical certificate in spite of it. I would say don't apply for a medical certificate or student certificate until you first have a consultation with an Aviation Medical Examiner to find out if you would pass. Again, don't apply till you know you will pass. You can fly as a Sport Pilot without a Medical Certificate, but not if you had the last one denied.

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Originally Posted by dougbush

You're in luck. There's a flight school at the Morgantown airport: https://www.flyrsa.com/ .

The color blindness could be an issue. Maybe not for Sport Pilot or under the new medical reform rules, I don't know. I've heard there are degrees of color blindness and some people are able to get a medical certificate in spite of it. I would say don't apply for a medical certificate or student certificate until you first have a consultation with an Aviation Medical Examiner to find out if you would pass. Again, don't apply till you know you will pass. You can fly as a Sport Pilot without a Medical Certificate, but not if you had the last one denied.

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Yes, I was really hoping to completely avoid that. Also through what I've read, it seems like it's not required to get an LSA cert.

Thanks so much for replying at such a late time!


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A lot would depend on your exact form of colorblindness. The first step would to have (outside of an actual medical application), have a good AME (Dr. Bruce Chien in Peoria, IL is one of the ones who has a lot of experience with this). He uses several different sets of plates that are acceptable to the FAA and tests the vision in what he calls his "thermonuclear chamber" which is really the vestibule to his office that is completely flooded with natural sunlight which makes the plates easier than the average office fluorescent lighting. If you can't pass the plates he has a few acceptable alternate tests you might pass.

I'm pretty sure, this is one of the cases where all is not lost if you take the test. You won't be denied a medical if you are colorblind, it will just be restricted to day and no light gun signals. It wouldn't bar sport pilot. The last ditch is the FAA SODA test where they shoot light gun signals at you from the control tower and see if you can correctly identify them (most tower controllers during slack times will be glad to send you some signals for practice). They also will ask you color questions about things on a sectional, but there are enough other clues that you can answer those even if you had totally monochromatic vision.

I don't have a lot of in depth knowledge on the level of my color deficiency but I can clearly see the differences between a red and green traffic light. However, I cannot distinguish red and green on, lets say, maps (lines, dots etc.( next to brown)) and PowerPoints over a projection. I can talk about my colorblindness all day and never clearly express how I see things to my audience. So I'll spare you of that experience.
My motivation to pursue just an LSA cert., has more to do with money and time constraints than anything else.

I will be creating a Youtube channel that will allow everyone to follow up on my build and training progress! The plans for the Pietenpol are due to be delivered on Wednesday 03/01/2017. After that it will be a matter of purchasing bits and pieces when I have the necessary funds to get the work done. To help aid in this I have set up a GoFundMe campaign for anyone that is feeling generous to help! https://www.gofundme.com/2q9pcrg Even the smallest donations help and will be greatly appreciated! I'm looking forward to getting this build started!

Bradley,

I can recommend going for the First Class medical with a SODA if required. I struggled with the standard color chart for several years before I gave in to the recommendations of applying for the SODA. I now have no color restrictions and never need to look at the color chart. Post #5 is spot on. You will not need any of this for the Sport Pilot but if you can pass the required test now you will have that paperwork in the bank for future use if you ever wanted or needed it. Get it while you are young.

Do the tower light gun as a practice test. I did it on the ramp and then was called back to do it in flight for a commercial certificate. Can you guess what color I was given on final. I could have passes the test without being able to see the tower. That was years ago. I expect it would be more difficult today but I still have the letter in my file.

I had 30 years with United and love LS and UL. Wish we could fly together. Enjoy it.

PS, tell your dad he should check into the light stuff and find out what he has been missing for the several decades.

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Originally Posted by jedi

I can recommend going for the First Class medical with a SODA if required. I struggled with the standard color chart for several years before I gave in to the recommendations of applying for the SODA. I now have no color restrictions and never need to look at the color chart. Post #5 is spot on. You will not need any of this for the Sport Pilot but if you can pass the required test now you will have that paperwork in the bank for future use if you ever wanted or needed it. Get it while you are young.

Do the tower light gun as a practice test. I did it on the ramp and then was called back to do it in flight for a commercial certificate. Can you guess what color I was given on final. I could have passes the test without being able to see the tower. That was years ago. I expect it would be more difficult today but I still have the letter in my file.

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Thank you for the comment. I had never even thought about doing it while I have youth on my side!
Some good news; I am close to locking in an instructor! He's a retired AF general that my father introduced me to. He just happened to be one of the few around that is qualified for an LSA!
I still need to shake hands and talk with him to figure out if he'd be willing to help me out.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by jedi

Bradley,

I can recommend going for the First Class medical with a SODA if required. I struggled with the standard color chart for several years before I gave in to the recommendations of applying for the SODA. I now have no color restrictions and never need to look at the color chart. Post #5 is spot on. You will not need any of this for the Sport Pilot but if you can pass the required test now you will have that paperwork in the bank for future use if you ever wanted or needed it. Get it while you are young.

Do the tower light gun as a practice test. I did it on the ramp and then was called back to do it in flight for a commercial certificate. Can you guess what color I was given on final. I could have passes the test without being able to see the tower. That was years ago. I expect it would be more difficult today but I still have the letter in my file.

I had 30 years with United and love LS and UL. Wish we could fly together. Enjoy it.

PS, tell your dad he should check into the light stuff and find out what he has been missing for the several decades.

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(Just saw the last bit of your comment)
I will let him know! He's just now rolling into his 2 year mark, but he's been on military leave since he completed the United flight training and expects to do so until he hits about the 3 year mark.
So he's expecting to retired from the AF relatively soon!
(Fly the Friendly Skies!)


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A good piece of advice that was given to me and I'll pass on to you, study the books first. A lot of people stress out over the FAA written test but there are many great resources out there, including free ones, that will help you pass. Once you pass the written it will help ease your mind and you can focus more on the flying aspect. I personally studied just the Gleim Private Pilot Handbook and then the Gleim FAA Knowledge Test book. Before I took the written I went online and found some free practice tests. Once I felt I was confident I could pass I went in and took the test.

You have several options on how to go about it, you can go through a flight school and take their ground school course, you can take an online course, or you can study the books the old fashion way like I did. The flight school option might be more expensive but if they have a set schedule where you show up and study that may help avoid procrastinating. The online courses are a great option and break everything down into sections with videos to help and a quiz at the end of each section to ensure you are learning. My dad took the Gleim online Sport Pilot Course and he really liked it. There are other companies that offer it too that I'm sure are just as good. I believe with this option you do not need a CFI to sign off to take the FAA written as you are endorsed by Gleim. Your last option is just to sit down with an old fashion book and read. You must dedicate time and not put off reading it. With this option you will need to get a CFI to sign off on you so you can take the FAA written. Everyone is different so go with the way you think you will learn the best.

Good luck! If you have any questions feel free to ask and many of us will be glad to help. I took the written last year and I'm hoping to finish up my license pretty soon here so everything is still fresh in my mind.

Flight schools generally are more expensive that hooking up with a compatible CFI for lessons using a club rental plane. But flight schools may have simulators which can save plane rental costs, so I'd look into both options.
I'd have a tentative schedule of flights and their anticipated progress goals so you are not just wasting money with plain repitition. Each student will progress at different rates so the schedule isn't locked in beforehand but should be close. I'd sit down with the CFI initially and determine personal rapport and get a list of pilots the CFI trained and speak with them about his technique/would they use him again.
Good luck.
Bob H

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Originally Posted by falcon21

A good piece of advice that was given to me and I'll pass on to you, study the books first. A lot of people stress out over the FAA written test but there are many great resources out there, including free ones, that will help you pass. Once you pass the written it will help ease your mind and you can focus more on the flying aspect. I personally studied just the Gleim Private Pilot Handbook and then the Gleim FAA Knowledge Test book. Before I took the written I went online and found some free practice tests. Once I felt I was confident I could pass I went in and took the test.

You have several options on how to go about it, you can go through a flight school and take their ground school course, you can take an online course, or you can study the books the old fashion way like I did. The flight school option might be more expensive but if they have a set schedule where you show up and study that may help avoid procrastinating. The online courses are a great option and break everything down into sections with videos to help and a quiz at the end of each section to ensure you are learning. My dad took the Gleim online Sport Pilot Course and he really liked it. There are other companies that offer it too that I'm sure are just as good. I believe with this option you do not need a CFI to sign off to take the FAA written as you are endorsed by Gleim. Your last option is just to sit down with an old fashion book and read. You must dedicate time and not put off reading it. With this option you will need to get a CFI to sign off on you so you can take the FAA written. Everyone is different so go with the way you think you will learn the best.

Good luck! If you have any questions feel free to ask and many of us will be glad to help. I took the written last year and I'm hoping to finish up my license pretty soon here so everything is still fresh in my mind.

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I will certainly be looking in Gleim! I haven't got to sit down and speak to my potential instructor yet but when I do I will see how he takes the idea of book study ground training for him.


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Good news everyone!
I received the plans for the Pietenpol today!
I will be studying these in depth before ordering any supplies or building materials.


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Bradley, you have gotten a lot of great replies. I have 100 hours of twin stick to date and have nearly mastered my take-offs and landings now in my Piper colt PA20/22 taildragger. I have read the FAR-AIM, Jeppesen course, many study aids @ the .gov sites, and ASA courses till I am nearly blind. LOTS more on U-tube. Join EAA and AOPA, they are great sources too. Keep pushing the learning in till you can pass the mock exams on the internet @ 90% or better. If I can do it at 65 years old, you can too.

I would check with EAA and/or AOPA to see exaclty what FAA requires for color vision,then go to optomotrist to get eyes checked to see if you can meet whatever waiver there is. Dont go to AME to take test first that you might fail.
If you can get past the color part, ( my guess is that there is a waiver for that) and are otherwise healthy you might take the medical for Class II or even I, never hurts to have that and when it expires you just drop to the next class.
LSA is fine, BUT its a bit like being the place kicker on the football team. If you have the time, 3or 4 months, and money,$8000 or so, I suggest getting a full private pilot license and being able to fly a 172 etc with no restirictions.
You can always then check out in a LSA plane easily if you want later.
Dont let anyone tell you that the private is hard or that you need to limit to LSA. Only real limit is time money moslty money.
Your Gen. who instructs is more likely than not to be familar with 172 types than Light sport anyway. The type of plane is not the most important part, your desire to learn ( you probably have this ) and how good the CFI is are more important.

As for passing the written test any college student should do it in a breeze. I made 98 and that was from book study, it is about as hard as a junior high school course.
By far the best, easiest, quickest way to study and pass written test is one of the online COMPUTER INTERACTIVE courses from King Schools or maybe Sportys.
Not as cheap as books which you might evenn borrow or find at library but computer is much more direct and saves time. Just take the practice tests and youll know when you are ready for the FAA written.

I'm also color blind to some extent, what is called "red-green" color blindness--that sounds like what you have. Like you, I have some difficulty with the colors on VFR charts, but no problem with stop lights. Sometimes I can pass the color test; sometimes I can't. The first time I failed it was back in 1972, so I took a "color threshold" test and passed. Another possibility is a light gun test. Then you end up with a "statement of demonstrated ability" or SODA, which pretty much eliminates the need to try to pass it again. I still carry my SODA, although it's pretty beat up, but most of the time I just take the color test and pass enough of it.

Bottom line is that for civilian flying, being color blind is not an impediment, just an annoyance.

Have fun--that's the single most important thing about learning to fly. If you're enjoying it, you'll learn faster and better. You're paying for it, so you don't need an instructor who belittles, who yells, or who mistreats you in any way. There are still some who do that, although mostly they're an anachronism. You want someone who knows the subject, can teach it, and who can adjust to your way of learning. Whether an instructor has been doing it for a long time or a short time isn't nearly as important as someone who really wants to teach.

But you have to do your part, too. When I was instructing, every so often I'd have a student who didn't prepare between lessons. So do your homework. When your instructor tells you to review this or that before the next lesson, do it. The students I had who did their homework progressed much better than those who didn't.

It's a good idea to get the written (knowledge) test out of the way well before you're ready for your checkride (practical). But at the same time, you'll understand the theory a lot easier if you're also flying so that you can apply it.

Try to schedule at least 2 lessons per week. The longer time between lessons, the more you'll forget. But it's also not a good idea to cram too many lessons in each week.

There are several hawkers of written study materials. I'm fond of Kings--they're hoky but really excellent. There are also texts that are worth obtaining. I like the Kershner books. Bob Gardner's books are excellent. And don't forget that the FAA publishes manuals, which are all free and available online: the Airplane Flying Handbook and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, along with the Aeronautical Information Manual, are all essential. They are a bit dry--not what most people would call "page turners", but they're full of necessary information.

Good luck!

Cary

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cary

I'm also color blind to some extent, what is called "red-green" color blindness--that sounds like what you have. Like you, I have some difficulty with the colors on VFR charts, but no problem with stop lights. Sometimes I can pass the color test; sometimes I can't. The first time I failed it was back in 1972, so I took a "color threshold" test and passed. Another possibility is a light gun test. Then you end up with a "statement of demonstrated ability" or SODA, which pretty much eliminates the need to try to pass it again. I still carry my SODA, although it's pretty beat up, but most of the time I just take the color test and pass enough of it.

Bottom line is that for civilian flying, being color blind is not an impediment, just an annoyance.

Have fun--that's the single most important thing about learning to fly. If you're enjoying it, you'll learn faster and better. You're paying for it, so you don't need an instructor who belittles, who yells, or who mistreats you in any way. There are still some who do that, although mostly they're an anachronism. You want someone who knows the subject, can teach it, and who can adjust to your way of learning. Whether an instructor has been doing it for a long time or a short time isn't nearly as important as someone who really wants to teach.

But you have to do your part, too. When I was instructing, every so often I'd have a student who didn't prepare between lessons. So do your homework. When your instructor tells you to review this or that before the next lesson, do it. The students I had who did their homework progressed much better than those who didn't.

It's a good idea to get the written (knowledge) test out of the way well before you're ready for your checkride (practical). But at the same time, you'll understand the theory a lot easier if you're also flying so that you can apply it.

Try to schedule at least 2 lessons per week. The longer time between lessons, the more you'll forget. But it's also not a good idea to cram too many lessons in each week.

There are several hawkers of written study materials. I'm fond of Kings--they're hoky but really excellent. There are also texts that are worth obtaining. I like the Kershner books. Bob Gardner's books are excellent. And don't forget that the FAA publishes manuals, which are all free and available online: the Airplane Flying Handbook and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, along with the Aeronautical Information Manual, are all essential. They are a bit dry--not what most people would call "page turners", but they're full of necessary information.

Good luck!

Cary

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Thanks for the comment! It reminded me to update this post!
I've found an instructor (who is also colorblind) and has been a tremendously helpful!
I've actually got a team of people trying to see if I can apply for a pilot slot at my base if I get color corrective glasses and I'm able to pass the flight exam with them. So we've talked to multiple doctors and things seem positive right now!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much but I'm happy to even get this small sliver of hope!


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Time for an update? How you doing Bradley?