Over the past 4 months I've been learning to fly light aircraft. I've been asked to write up my experiences as encouragement to those PPRuNers who are still to take the first step.... So I hope that at least some of you find my self-indulgent
little memoirs interesting. I'll try to keep them reasonably short... and won't mention every lesson.
First flight - the trial lesson.
After leaving it for far too long the urge was finally too much - I just HAD to fly light aircraft. My grandad died some years ago and he'd left me a little nest egg which would pay for the training - and as he'd spent 27 years in the RAF I like to think he'd have approved of my plans.
I live near to both Blackbushe and White Waltham so am fortunate to have a choice of training schools. After deciding that the Cessna 150s used for training at Blackbushe are just a bit too cosy, and given that the costs are broadly similar, I decided to take a trial lesson in a PA-28 with the West London Aero Club.
On a pleasant sunday evening in May I met up with the instructor. I told him that 10 years ago I'd gone as far as going solo in a flexwing microlight and I'd had some fairly recent lessons in a 3-axis flexwing.
First was a briefing (20 minutes), then a check of the aircraft, a PA-28-140.
After starting the engine, the instructor told me to taxi to the holding point. Jeez.. the rows of aircraft are close! (Actually they're not, it just seemed so at the time...)
The instructor did the takeoff, passed control to me once we were about 500' up and we flew past Reading for an hour's fun. As I was used to being "in the air" the instructor started me off with straight'n'level, climbs,
descends and turns. I found these quite easy as it was a very still evening, the PA-28 is a nice stable aircraft and the instructions were very clear.
Almost time to head back, I'm asked "is there anything else you want to do?"
"Yes, can we try a stall?" so that's what we did, twice! Then it was time to head back, the instructor took the controls for the overhead rejoin which seemed to consist of multiple turns at random and down we came.
Damnit, I'm hooked!
[ 16 December 2001: Message edited by: PPRuNe Dispatcher ]