LEARNING TO FLY - THE FIRST STEP
TFC
provides introductory rides to anyone interested in flying. For a nominal $59
charge we'll put you in the left seat with a certified flight instructor and let
you fly the airplane. WHAT BETTER WAY TO DECIDE IF FLYING IS FOR YOU?
Look in any community college catalog and you'll see they charge at least
double this for a nothing more than a short ride. Contact our chief flight
instructor or any officer to take advantage of this offer.
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SPECIAL INFORMATION
FOR NON RESIDENT ALIENS
Beginning late 2004, the
Transportation Security Administration initiated rules for citizenship
validation and alien registration prior to the beginning of flight
training. These rules apply to everyone
that begins flight training in TFC aircraft for Private or Instrument
ratings. For a guide to these TSA
requirements, please see: http://www.aopa.org/tsa_rule
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 FALL GROUND SCHOOL INFORMATION
Registration is Sept 11; Classes to be conducted at Texins Activity Center on TI's North Campus - LBJ & Central
Our fall ground school for the private pilot knowledge exam will begin with registration on Thursday, Sept 11. The fall course will be conducted at the Texins Activity Center on TI's North Campus, with clases running on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The classes and reivew session will complete the week of Nov 11.
The Texins Activity Center is located at the far north end of the TI Campus located at the northeast corner of Central Expressway (US 75) and LBJ Freeway (I-635).
From US 75, take the Midpark Exit. Turn into the TI Campus and go through security; you'll need to show a photo ID. Midpark becomes Drive F going east on the TI Campus. Turn left / north at the first intersection onto Drive C (that runs north/south). Turn right / east on Drive K which goes in front of the Activity Center. Park in the lot to your right.
From TI Boulevard, enter the campus at Drive C traveling west. You will need to show a photo ID. Continue west until you see the corner of the North Building ahead and to your left. Turn right / north onto Drive C. Turn right / east on Drive K which goes in front of the Activity Center. Park in the lot to your right.
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To download the information sheet for the TFC Spring Ground School, please click here.
REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE A PILOT'S
LICENSE
The FAA
minimums required for receiving a PRIVATE pilot's license are:
- 20 hours dual
- Primary Training
- 3 hours dual cross country (XC)
- 3 hours of night flight
- 1 night XC flight of at least 100 NM
- 10 hours solo
- 5 hours solo XC
- 10 hours dual and/or solo
Notes:
These are wall clock hours and not tachometer
hours.
The above requirements are not mutually exclusive. For
example, a 2 hr cross country flight at night with your instructor would count
in four different categories (total time, dual, dual XC, & night). With
careful planning it would be possible to qualify for the FAA check ride with
exactly 40 hours of flight. In practice we find it takes closer to 60 hours
total.
A flight is considered cross country when the straight
line distance between the take-off airport and the destination airport is
greater than or equal to 50 nautical miles.
The night flight requirements are somewhat optional.
That is, if you do not meet these requirements at the time of your checkride, you will be restricted to daytime flights only.
There are
two different meters in the aircraft to measure "hours", however each
measures time in a different way. Time measured by these two meters is referred
to as either "Tach Time", or "Hobbs time".
Time measured by the Hobbs meter
is the actual elapsed wall clock time that the aircraft engine has been
operating. Time measured using this system is no different than looking at your
watch when you start the engine and again when you shut it off, and taking the
difference.
Time measured by the tachometer (ie. Tach Time) is based on a meter which is similar to the
odometer in your car. But instead of measuring rotations of the wheels (miles)
it measures rotations (RPM) of the propeller. It has been calibrated so that
during cruise flight when one hour has elapsed on the meter, one hour of wall
clock time will also have passed (ie. at cruise RPM tach time will equal Hobbs time). However, when power is reduced for descent or taxiing tach time runs slowly. In a primary trainer aircraft you
usually use only .8 tach hours for each Hobbs hour you fly (.9 for the a/c in our x-country fleet).
WHY TFC CHARGES USING THE TACHOMETER
HOUR
The Flying
Club has traditionally charged by the tach hour in
the interest of promoting good power selection techniques. When you fly a plane
at a commercial flight school, it costs the same if you run the engine at
maximum throttle or if you reduce to recommended cruise RPM and lean the
mixture for maximum efficiency and minimum engine wear. When you fly a club
plane you reduce the clock rate when you reduce power, and within reasonable
limits that helps both the member and the club.
Restated, the advantage to our members is that during shorter training
flights (which most of your flying time is while learning to fly) you can save
as much as 20% per hour when using the Tach Hour
system. The advantage for the club is that members are motivated to fly the airplanes at best efficiency during longer flights at cruise speed.
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