Originally Posted by
Ajax BU
Thanks for the response, and yes I have changed flight school. I really feel that I wasted so much time and money at the older one. I changed from a 141 to a 61 school and the instructors are so much nicer (they actually care about the students here) and the planes are much better. At this school I can ask any instructor a question without being told "why the [f-word] should I answer you?" which actually did happen at the other school.
The one down side to this school is that we don't have frascas available, so I have been trying to do whatever I can in the Microsoft simulator with a vacuum failure. I have noticed that my compass turns and my holding pattern entries have become horrible since I was at the 141 school, but I think two years away from instrument flying will do that to you.
I don't think my scan is my problem, though. I do very well until we do partial panel. I was thinking about making flash cards to help familiarize myself with the compass errors again. By this I mean, -30 for 360, -20 for 030, -10 for 060, 0 for 090...+30 for 180 etc. These are for my latitude though, I do know that depending on your location these can change.
In my opinion, trying to gauge compass error to roll out of a turn on a heading is a bad idea, except to teach one time so a student can roll very roughly out on a proper heading if they forget to start a timer. I'd never have someone turn to a 60 degree heading using a mag compass.
You should be timing all turns partial panel. It's much, much more precise. Again, just my opinion. Is your school making you do this sort of thing without timing?