First O-flight

[Extremepredjudice]

Ok, sooo I am going for my first O-flight saturday.
Isn't there a ground handling course I need?

Anyway, check my checklist, and see if I need anything else, or give me sage advice(like don't crash)...
•BDUS, w/ squadron t-shirt
•cap id
•capf60
•water
•sunscreen
•gum
•camera

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

P.s. Talk about a CAP filled weekend: friday I have to present colors at a football game
Saturday: O-flight+color guard practice
Sunday:CAP NIMS tests...

[Thrashed]

Be safety current. See eServices online safety course if needed.
Aircraft ground handling is amgood idea too, but I don't think it's
Required since you are escorted by a SM. You can take it online anyway. It's easy.

[Al Sayre]

Try to borrow a headset if one isn't available in the aircraft.
Get a set of disposable earplugs just in case.  You can find them in the hunting section at Wal-mart for about $1.00.
Couple of gallon size Ziplock bags just in case...

[EMT-83]

Review Syllabus 6 for Powered Flights.

[titanII]

Gallon Ziploc bag with zip-style closure. Just in case, for air sickness.

[vento]

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

In this case, get regular sun glasses. Most transitions won't work within the cockpit and you WILL suffer without one (unless it is a cloudy VFR day).

[davidsinn]

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

In this case, get regular sun glasses. Most transitions won't work within the cockpit and you WILL suffer without one (unless it is a cloudy VFR day).

Really? The plexi is UV opaque?

[Al Sayre]

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

In this case, get regular sun glasses. Most transitions won't work within the cockpit and you WILL suffer without one (unless it is a cloudy VFR day).

+1 
I wear transitions lenses as well, but as a pilot, when I fly I usually wear a set of clip-ons (flip-up type) on my regular glasses.  The glare from the white cowling tires your eyes out pretty quickly, and the clip-ons help prevent unnecessary eye strain.

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Gallon Ziploc bag with zip-style closure. Just in case, for air sickness.

I usually put about a cup of kitty litter in the bag along with a few paper towels.  The kitty litter to absorb the liquid and paper towels to:
a.  If the user can get them out in time - clean up afterwards.
b.  If not, they help hide the mess.

If all else fails, use your hat.

[EMT-83]

Why does every thread of this type turn to air-sickness? The vast majority of cadets never have a problem.

[jeders]

Why does every thread of this type turn to air-sickness? The vast majority of cadets never have a problem.

Because of the one or two cadets (or seniors) that do get sick and end up puking on the back of the pilot's head. Forewarned is forearmed.

[vento]

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

In this case, get regular sun glasses. Most transitions won't work within the cockpit and you WILL suffer without one (unless it is a cloudy VFR day).

Really? The plexi is UV opaque?

I am just speaking from personal experience. Most modern (newer) transitions are activated by UV and/or the wavelength of the light. But it just doesn't give enough protection as it doesn't go dark enough for most aircrew members and can be really painful after a while. I suppose there are people out there who have higher tolerance to bright lights, but for me I switch to sunglasses with prescription if I have to drive or fly and I love my transitions when doing everything else.

[davidsinn]

Note:I neglected sunglasses cause my glasses are transitions.

In this case, get regular sun glasses. Most transitions won't work within the cockpit and you WILL suffer without one (unless it is a cloudy VFR day).

Really? The plexi is UV opaque?

Most modern (newer) transitions are activated by UV and/or the wavelength of the light. But it just doesn't give enough protection as it doesn't go dark enough for most aircrew members and can be really painful after a while.

Gotcha. My wife used to have transitions and still wore clip ons over them. When she got her new glasses she decided to just forgo the transitions and only use clip ons.

[SarDragon]

Transitions: they have always been UV activated. Today's materials work better, and there is a greater change from light to dark. The transition also happens faster at most temperatures. Mine don't work well in my car, because my windows filter UV very well, so the glare factor is still there. I use clip-ons, when I remember to take them out to the truck.

Airsickness: I use quart bags, and leave a paper towel inside. It's more manageable than kitty litter, and soaks up the mess about as well. Gallon bags, IMHO, are overkill.

[Al Sayre]

I recommend the gallon bags not for their holding capacity but more for the size of the opening.  It just easier to ralph into the bigger bag...

[Extremepredjudice]

I don't get Air sick.  

[Pump Scout]

If all else fails, use your hat.

Never thought of that. Had a rough flight a few months back. Rather than let loose all over the interior, I opted to make use of my binocular bag. Functional, but not preferred. I'd never been airsick before... now I take several precautions before taking to the air. 

On the sunglasses topic, not sure what everyone else is running for radio stacks, but I had a heck of a time seeing the orange characters on my last flight. Polarized glasses pretty much blanked out the whole display, had to go without until we were on approach for home. Fortunately, I was too busy to care too much, but it's something worth considering.

[Al Sayre]

I don't get Air sick.  

Never say never...  I know of guys with multiple thousands of hours that got sick on their back seat scanner rides...

[SarDragon]

I'm not sure what your orange characters were, but polarized lenses and LCD displays do not go well together. LCD displays use polarization to turn the image on and off.

[SarDragon]

I don't get Air sick.

Never say never...  I know of guys with multiple thousands of hours that got sick on their back seat scanner rides...

Raises hand, hence the first hand experience with quart bags and paper towels.

[Eclipse]

There are only two types of aircrew - those who have been sick, and those who will.

With that said, eat a decent breakfast (as you normally would), keep yourself hydrated, and your head on a swivel, and you'll be fine.

[titanII]

If all else fails, use your hat.

And let the puke get all over the cockpit? At my Encampment's Blackhawk O-Flights, we were instructed to ralph into our shirts. Gross, I know. But at least  the person throwing up is the only one/thing that gets messy.

[Extremepredjudice]

If all else fails, use your hat.

And let the puke get all over the cockpit? At my Encampment's Blackhawk O-Flights, we were instructed to ralph into our shirts. Gross, I know. But at least  the person throwing up is the only one/thing that gets messy.

I didn't get sick, or feel sick... lotsa fun!!!

[Woodsy]

You didn't? Ha, I was running comms at base... for you guys and a major mission at the same time...  Anyways, I heard the plane needed a cleaning later in the day!

Anyways, how did you like your first O-flight? 

[Extremepredjudice]

Tons of fun! We hit a bunch of turbulence coming up on lake city....

Flying wasn't as easy as I thought. Tons different than cars!  The rudders kept throwing me off....
I think I did pretty good, I had quite a few "perfect" turns (according the the instruments). I just did it slow and steady!

Lots and lots of fires, lake city was almost white out.

The other cadet kept climbing, we hit 4200 feet. 

The pilot's safety brief started with: If I die; you are flying. Sorta brought home the gravity of the situation...

Oh, and sone nice guy showed us his planes, and another guy showed us the flight school.
I need a job to pay for flight training now!!!

[BillB]

What state? I know 7 states with a town named Lake City

[Extremepredjudice]

Guess :p

Florida.

[DC]

Glad you enjoyed your flight. I still vividly remember my first flight in a GA aircraft, my uncle's Piper Navajo, when I was 10. My first CAP O-Flight didn't come until a few years later, but it was still a thrill. Wait until you get to flight 3, it's a blast.

On the issue of airsickness, I've been flying since I was 10, and I've been airsick exactly twice, once while in the back of the aforementioned Piper Navajo during a particularly turbulent approach, and once while in the back of a CAP 172. I managed not to puke in the aircraft both times (lost it after getting out on the ground, thankfully), but it goes to show that no matter how bullet proof you think your stomach is, it can happen. I carry an airsickness bag in my kneeboard now, mostly for passengers, but I know its there on the off chance that I need it.

BDU hats also work reasonably well in a pinch, but for the love of all things holy, use your own. I knew a cadet that got sick on an O-Flight and puked in the hat of the cadet sitting next to him in the back. Talk about nasty...

[mon876]

I was just at one youll need to be current in safety. check e-services for that. you do not need and ground school training. just go there hand htem you id and form 6o, then get in the plane.