Another newbie...
Hi everybody,
I'm a new PPL student, and thought I'd share some of my experiences (hope you don't mind!).
After around four hours training in 2004, for various reasons flying was stopped. Finally though, I managed to get back up on monday! I didn't quite know what to expect, with a new instructor at a new school so I was slightly nervous.
I was thown into the deep end right away - once we had checked everything, and started up I was told to taxi to the runway. During the 10 minute hold my instructor asked if I had ever taken off (which I hadn't - only pushed throttle and rotated). Never mind he say's, have a go and I'll follow it through. At this point I became slightly nervous, having realised we had a 5 knot (give or take) crosswind. Anyway, I went for it and managed to get into the air, although not quite on the runway heading!
After reaching 2500 ft. we went over the basics, turning left and right, climbing and decending. At the point it became quite clear that I was slightly rusty and it took me a good half an hour to manage to keep the ball in the middle, and not lose height! Evantually got there, but still wasn't of a good standard...
Anyway, instuctor decided to show me/make me do a stall - "just in case". And for me, it was a slight anticlimax! I was expecting this feeling of complete free fall, like a roller coaster but it wasn't too bad at all!
Next he decided to do a simulated engine failure approach into a field which was very good fun, swooping in to a chosen field to what seemed to be a very low altitude.
And that was it - we came back to Newcastle, had to hold for an airliner but then came in to land. Was still a crosswind, which I think had picked up in strength, so instuctor took over before I mucked it up. I believe the 'crab approach' was used.
So overall fantastic. Great to get back in the air but I had one overpowering worry. It's most probably because I'm a newbie, but the vast amount of checking and procedure gave me a slight shock and at the moment it seems as if it'll take an age to learn, especially the R/T! Hopefully with experience it'll get better though!
Cheers all. This thread is very interesting for a newbie like me. Got my next lesson on wednesday - cant wait!
JW.