First Flying Lesson

[tomtom_91]

I have my first flying lesson on Friday at Biggin Hill what can I expect to happen? Any tips etc would be amazing!

Thanks

Tom

[Rodent1982]

If it's your first ever flight. i.e. a trial flight.

I'd expect you'll be shown around the plane during the walk around with explainations as to what is what etc.

A good talk about the instruments and controls. You'll run through the checklist with the instructor and may be given the opportunity to taxi to the A1 hold or Charlie hold with a stop along charlie to do power checks.

The instructor will handle the radio. You may or may not get to do the take-off. S/he will tell you to apply full throttle. Most likely explain what s/he is looking for as you hurtle down the runway, temperatures and pressures ok, full power, and airspeed is rising. S/he will then tell you to gently pull the control wheel.

Dependent on weather and where you live you may be asked if you'd like to fly over your home, or somewhere else.

You'll be in comms with Tower, then change to Approach on the climb out. Most likely report at Sevenoaks.

For the most part a trial flight is purely for you to get the experience of flight and to see if it really is something you want to do. You'll get to control the plane for the majority of the flight, but it won't be a 'lesson' as such.

Who are you flying with? What time is your lesson booked?

[tomtom_91]

Ill be flying for Biggin, 1800 Friday with Alouette in there cessna 172

Thanks for the reply :)

[Molesworth 1]

Coincidentally I also had my first trial flight with Alouette just under two years ago - although in a Tomahawk rather than a Cessna 172. They flew me to overhead Farnham and back - I think Thames Estuary or Kent were the other alternatives.

I passed my PPL in Sept last year and am going on 100 hours. Learning to fly is great, but I must admit that sometimes during those seemingly endless circuits....:{

[tomtom_91]

Awsome I am praying for good weather aim to do PPL in a year! EEEK! x

[foxmoth]

Rodent1982 seems to have local knowledge so what he says may be correct for the school he flies from, most T/Ls I know of would not have you doing the take off, and there would be a brief on effects of controls (just the basics of this), you would then do this excercise in the air with you doing most of the flying, how much sightseeing vs handling you do would depend on what YOU want to do. If I was instructing on this I would then let you do as much of the approach and landing as possible and have often managed to get the student landing the aircraft on this - usually a better landing than when they come to this as a lesson, probably because they are doing as I tell them rather than trying to sort it for themself!

[worrab]

I guess it depends on whether it's a trial flight or lesson one.

[CaptainKing]

Howzit,

Ya on my trial flight my instructor showed me all the basic stuff and what I'd expect to be doing during the sessions leading to my solo.

Cheers

[tomtom_91]

Awsome thanks guys!

Friday's near lets hope for good weather!

Tom

[pulse1]

tomtom,

In my view the biggest single thing that helps first timers control an aeroplane is to have a very light touch on the controls when learning to fly straight and level and do some gentle turns. Ideally, you should hold the controls with one hand, using finger tips and thumb only.

In a 172 you may need a bit more muscle when you get to t/o and landing but, by the time you get to learning those, you will have grasped the idea of straight & level and gentle turns.

Too many beginners tend to grip the controls too tightly and this actually makes it more difficult.

Have a great flight.

[Rodent1982]

I second the above

[BRL]

Hi Tom and welcome.

Have a look here for more info on what is expected http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/138022-zero-forty-five-my-ppl-diary.html?highlight=ppl+diary

[airgirl]

Hi Tom, glad to hear that you have found the right flying school for you. Have a great time on Friday, I will keep my fingers crossed for you for good weather, my flying was cancelled tonight as pouring with rain and thunderstorms here at Biggin. Enjoy your PPL course and keep us posted on how you get on.

All the best
Nikki