Hello,
I am Ben Coulthard, this is a PPL diary, I'm not sure if this forum needs another PPL diary but its as much for me to get my thoughts down and if its any use to anyone then you are very welcome.
I wanted to learn to fly helicopters about 5 years ago, however ££££ was limited and the idea never got off the ground. Pardon the pun.
Here I am 18 months after starting my own business and things are going well. I started looking into the idea again, however helicopters just are not affordable to buy after your PPLH. After treating my brother to a 21st birthday present 1 hour trial lesson the decision was made to do the good old regular PPL for myself and fullfil an ambition.
My 1st lesson was last Saturday, April 29th 2006, booked a 2 hour slot for midday.
On the morning of the lesson I called the school for a weather check. All was well and I headed off to the school early giving myself good time to get there, dropped the Mrs at the shopping mall en route and arrived at the school with 30 mins to spare.
After a coffee and a PFP(pre flight pee) I met my instructor. He took me into the flight briefing room and we had a little chat. Told him I'd flown radio controlled planes and helis and he realised I knew what all the controls did. His next words were "well you know all that bollocks so lets go fly". I'm not sure that's what I wanted to hear but away we went.
I then did the pre-flight checks outside and in, which everything seemed fine to a newb.
Next I found myself sat in the pilots seat, amazingly calm to my suprise, but sat on the left(thought we drove right hand drive in UK) half a steering wheel and all the clocks were wrong!! After being assured this left hand drive stuff is normal we continued. With all systems go. We fired up a few more checks and started to taxi, TAXIING good god these things don't handle on the ground.
After a few strange cornering manouvers we got to the end of the runway in 1 piece. The next hour or so went quickly, time flies whan your having fun and when you fly too!!
The controls seemed fairly natural to me, apart from the crazy taxiing there were no suprises. We flew a few basic moves and all went as well as could be hoped for a 1st lesson, untill, my instructor got on the radio requesting to land, he's pointing ahead to me and saying line yourself up with the runway. WHAT RUNWAY? I can't see it, I felt stupid, he's pointing and I can't see, after about a minute I realise he's not pointing so far into the distance and the runway has some great big lights and its right under my nose
IDIOT!!
Lesson 2
Wednesday 3rd May, Went to the airfield midday to talk about the possibility of hiring a plane i buy back to the school (before the flood starts i've decided against this) and realised it was such a nice day that i should stay for a lesson. None were available until 1830 so I got comfy with a few magazines and a coffee.
1815 I went out to check the plane over with my new gotten cessna 150/152 checklist feeling all pilot like. Nothing found untoward except low fuel. Waited for fuel 10 mins and away we go.
I was suprised how much i remembered from the 1st lesson, take off and climb with no assistance and spent the next hour climbing and descending. For some reason I can't seem to get it in my stupid head that when exiting a climb its Attitude, Power, Trim, I keep doing P.A.T. like you do at all other times. Little things confuse little minds.
All went well except for the landing. 70kts he tells me 3 stages af flaps. But I wasn't paying attention to the ASI and at 65kts we were descending too fast.
DROPPED LIKE A BRICK!!!! glad it wasn't my plane. Nothing damaged on further inspection. PHEW!!
So now my hours total 2.9. I found a great 50% share for sale at another airfield so I decided to shoot over this morning and check out the flying school. Luckily they had a slot at 1200 and I booked it.
As usual I arrived with 30 mins to spare, the guy who is selling the 50% was there with the other 50% owner, they were planning to fly somewhere scenic. Had a quick chat and went to tell the school I was available. They gave me the 1st bad news of the day, unknowingly the instructor had booked another pupil in and my lesson was delayed until 1330
. Never mind
happens.
I had a good chat with the guy selling the plane and watched them plot a route, which at my level of training just confused me, but was interesting to watch.
1330 came and so did the instructor, we had a 10 min chat about what i'd done already and we set off towards the plane. Half way there he says "nothing personal but what do you weigh" I reply "16 and a half stone".
OH DEAR 2nd bad news of the day 16 and half stone pupil and 15 and a half stone instructor = 2 fatties that are not flying today.
Apologies were offered and accepted all round. Still at 2.9 hours then!
If I've learned anything from my 1st few hours its;
1: There is lots of planning and preparation in flying and if you are not the sort of person who likes doing this then flying is not for you.
2: Gravity gets you down or in my case not even up. If you are a fatty you need a thin instructor, think about it in advance.
3: Buy some good shades, my regular sunglasses are dark enough but the lenses are just 2 small so when i'm flying I look like a nodding dog looking down to the guages all the time.
4: Be prepared for delays and cancellations for whatever unforseen reason.
That's about it for now, I'm going to go tuck into my slim fast (fly quick) shake. Now I have to consider if I should learn in a bigger aircraft and stand the expense or get a slimmer instructor
.
good luck people and enjoy flying
Ben