On Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 8:43:08 PM UTC-4, JJJ wrote:
Bruce Hoult;930688 Wrote:
What are you training in now? The same 2-33?

son_of_flubber;930692 Wrote:
I've heard that soloing at an early age makes it easier to take up the
sport later in life. It will be interesting to hear how that works out
for you.

40 years ago, I flew at Sky Sailing, Fremont. That operation is long
gone from Fremont, now operating out of 'Warner Springs'
(https://www.skysailing.com/) in SoCal. I was -this close- ---||--- to
graduating to the SGS 1-26.

I'm training in Grob G-103a's now. I'm finding it a harder plane to fly
than I remember the 2-33's being. I'm wondering if that's really true
or if it's just me. I see evidence that it's BOTH. On the one hand,
I'm 40 years older now, which is known to induce geriatric drag on one's
proficiency acquisition velocity. AND I see training videos on U-tube
showing students on their 1st, 2nd, 3rd lessons seemingly doing better
that I am after approx. 8 hours and 25 flights -- even some videos at MY
club with the same instructors I'm flying with now!

OTOH, a whole lot of people do seem to agree that the Grob 103 is just
harder to learn to fly. The rudder is way stiff, and I'm still getting
a handle on that. (I did get to fly our Grob 103 Acro last week, which
I thought handled rather easier.) I'm just getting the knack of staying
behind the tow plane, whereas 40 years ago I was wake-boxing by flight
#3. (Yes, I still have my old log book!)

I still remember a fair amount from 40 years ago, but as for the
"muscle-memory" for flying, I feel I'm starting from scratch -- probably
for the better, as the Grob handles so differently from the 2-33.

My longer-term fantasies are
1. Fly our 1-26, which I came so close to flying way back then;
2. Fly a 2-32, in which I had my first glider ride as a teen-ager at
Dillingham, Oahu, Hawaii. (There's one at nearby Hollister; also
Williams and Crazy Creek);
3. Fly the ASK-21, of which I've only heard and read good things
(Hollister and Williams have them);
4. Maybe even try getting into glider aerobatics, the better to feed my
growing adrenaline junkie addiction!

-- J. J.
=============================




--
JJJ

First- welcome back. I see a lot of lapsed pilots returning. It is a vast untapped market for our sport.
Second- Try not to be too wrapped up in how fast you progress. Example- If you are not doing air work with good results like consistent roll rates and bank angles with good coordination, you are not likely to fly tow well.
There can be a tendency to try to do everything right away to try to speed up progress, and maybe save time an/or money. Very commonly this results in negative progress. You can't possibly try to master all aspects on each flight because there is too much to absorb.
Third- Try harder! That is a sure way to slow your progress. Just relax and enjoy and don't compare to 40 years ago. You probably were not as good as you thought then.
It will come- have fun!
UH