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Old 16th Jan 2012, 15:37
  #19 (permalink)  
NazgulAir
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Europe
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Just like S88 appears to do, I wanted to do "holiday trips" with my PPL from the word go.

After getting my PPL at 56hrs and pottering about for a few hours more, it was time for my big summer vacation flying trip. I found a private owner with an underused plane, got checked out, bought a block of hours and flew away. I had just 77 hours TT.

Two weeks, five countries and 22 flight hours later, I returned a different pilot. You never know what it is like to be "the sole operator responsible" until you have been at some small airstrip away from all support and have to make decisions. It is one thing to read about it and prepare yourself for it, it's quite another thing to experience it. It's a challenge for a low-time pilot, but very doable and a wonderful milestone in a flying career.

People who stay under the wings of their flight organisation may never have to refuel, top up oil, remove birds nests from under the cowling, inflate soft tyres, or do a hundred other little things that go with owning an aircraft.
When you're away on your trip you have the keys, there is no one who tells you that this is not a good day for flying, no one who will check up on you doing the right thing. Going away on a trip is a fledgling chick venturing away from mother's wings, an important step in taking full responsibility for your flying. When you are ready, go for it!
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