Im New And Lookin For Wisdom :)

[Holloway]

Hi there

Ok, First of all can I say this forum is amazing! there is so pricless information from the horses mouth and was everything I was looking for on the web to get information and some!!

Im trying to start my PPL on Saturday at Manston in Kent. Im 22 and I love flying and so far I have learnt Model Helecopters and im still learning model planes, but last week I went for a trial flight and im hooked!! I relised I could just afford it and this wouldnt be just for now it would be forever and oneday I could maybe buy my own plane.

I wanted to know if anyone had some advice for people like me in the starting stages, and had some words of wisdom and advice to put me on the right tracks with things I should take into account at this stage and read up on etc??

Im really excited and cant wait to be able to fly on my own!

Andrew :) :D

[Lowtimer]

Holloway,

Welcome to the best way yet devised of learning and having fun at the same time.

Yours is a tough question, because in aviation generalisations (including this one!) are something you should be wary of. But at this early stage I hope the following will serve you well.

1. Never be afraid to ask an apparently dumb question. If there's something that gives you a nagging suspicion that you don't really understand it, stop and get an explanation.

2. Learn to listen for little voices that say "something's not quite right". They are potential life savers.

3. Think always about the risk factors you are running, and how they combine. Nothing in life, including getting out of bed, is risk free, so it's not about avoiding risk altogether, it's about assessing and managing risk in an intelligent way. To give a simplistic example, here are a few of the many risk factors that come up in flying: gusty wind, high temperatures, fully loaded aeroplane, short runway, unfamiliar airfield, feeling tired, poor visibility, slippery surfaces. On any given day one of these will probably happen, and as your experience and ability grow, you will be able safely to cope with more. But never let them add up and combine beyond your ability to cope.

4. Accept that there is a great deal of discipline involved, initialy mostly externally applied, but later it increasingly has to e self-discipline.

5. There will be times when you feel you're not making progress, and times when it's easy. This is normal and OK.

6. Prepare to say goodbye to lots of money, and don't even think about flying a full size helicopter until you have completed your fixed wing PPL and / or won the lottery. People here prove the point that the only more expensive and intractable addiction than FW flying is helicopter flying, for those who are susceptible. (Your background suggests you may be.)

That all sounds like a health warning and I don't mean to be negative - for almost all of us this is a source of deep joy and satisfaction in our lives. Have a good time.

[Holloway]

Brillant! thanks for your time! Im not gunna get into helecopters till im rich!!! After i done my PPL ill just fly every fortnight till I make loads of money :)

[KazBird]

Andrew,
Good luck for Saturday and for the whole of your PPL course...
I agree with all Lowtimer's advice... especially never be afraid to ask questions, it's a continual learning process and the instructors at Manston are a good bunch.
I'm flying from Manston on Saturday too so I'll maybe see you there. Look out for the red-headed girl cursing the weather!!
KB

[FlyingForFun]

Good advice from Lowtimer and Kazbird, but they've forgotten the most important thing - Have Fun! :D

There'll be tough times - particularly when you come to try to land - but if you stick with it, you'll get to the good times, like your qualifying cross-country, the day you get your license, and the best of them all - first solo.

I'd imagine you'll have lots of questions as your training progresses. Everyone has different questions, so it's difficult to give general advice, except to never be afraid to ask.

Oh, and one other thing. You say you are going to start on Saturday, but you've already had a trial flight? Well, in that case, you've already started! The trial flight it a lesson in itself, you can log it, and you've probably learnt a load of stuff about attitude flying, how to fly straight and level, what each of the controls do, and so on. So already you're on your way to becoming a pilot!

FFF
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[dublinpilot]

Well my advice is when you finish each lesson, write down the important points that you learnt, and tips you were given. Otherwise you'll probably have forgotten them an hour later.

You will have a very high work load in the cockpit during your training, and this makes it hard to take things in and remember them. So write down what you do remember, and read them again before you go up next time. That way you'll make the most of what you learned already.

Hope that helps.

[Holloway]

Im actually looking forward to the reading and learning for the exams etc, I want to learn as much as I can. Ive watched Dicovery wings for three years now(mainly repeats) and I love flyin. I know how its all works i just need to learn myself how to do it all. Im great with RC Heles and getting good on the RC Planes too.

I have got a hour under my belt, and the instructer let me take off, fly in the air and also I landed the thing!!! couldnt belive it!! he set me up and told me what to do and I landed!! I was gobsmacked!!!

Again thanks for all your advice, its great to read from the people doing it or done it themselfs!