lessons

[ashjames]

I'm gonna have flying lessons starting late january/febuary, and I was just wondering if any one had any advice or interesting stories to tell.

[Flock1]

Ashjames,

Not sure whether you're on about PPL or CPL etc lessons, and so I'll just assume PPL. Perhaps you'd be wiser posting this question on the private forum, as you might get a better responce there...

Anyway, for what it's worth, the PPL is a hearty mixture of amazing highs and depressing lows:

The good bits are the sence of worth, the first solo (amazing feeling), finding your way to a different airfield by yourself, and passing the skills test. The view is amazing, and you will make new friends.

The bad bits are personal to different people. For me, I became despondant when trying to learn to land. I also found navigation difficult at first. And speaking on the radio - that continued to blight my progress throughout the whole course. Also, something that you will realise very quickly, is that the UK weather is NOT your friend. It will hamper you throughout your training - especially during the winter months, and you will have many cancelled lessons.

However, it is well worth it in the end.

Flock1

[Send Clowns]

Listen to your instructor, do what he tells you and buy him beer. Mostly the last of these :p

Best advice: work hard but enjoy it. Straight-forward path to a successful PPL, but not always easy to follow. The course is unlikely to demand anything of which you are not capable, but it is by no means easy.

Don't get down if your instructor tells you what you are doing wrong or could be doing better all the time. We all do that. I, and many others would also be praising you when you did it well / better than last time, though some are curmudgeonly sods and won't do this. If you are not happy, talk to the CFI about a change of instructor (even if he is the CFI, he shouldn't be offended as instructor/student incompatibility is an accepted problem). If it is your fault (you wil know, if you are honest) then work harder!

[T1000]

The best bit of the PPL has to be when you take your first solo..
Youll need to expect:

-aircraft taking off like a rocket without the extra weight
-getting to downwind before gradually realising your all alone
-talking/singing Top Gun songs to yourself
-ATC giving you a congratualtions when you land the damn thing

On mine ATC warned all pilots in the area of first solo pilot, got some 'good lucks' and a guy already on Final had to go around to let me through...king of the world

T1000