First PPL foray

[modelman]

Still waiting for my brown wallet to arrive from CAA,so I am thinking about my first 'independent' flight.
Thought at first I would just have local bimble with my son over the house/school etc for him to get some pics but thought that a bit 'tame'.
I have a mind to fly from Cov to Duxford,have look around the museum and back well before dark.
Doesn't seem too challenging I'm sure to a lot of people but suits me ok.
I have read the airfield info for Dux but is there any other advice on offer?
Thanks in advance
MM

[oscarmike]

Looks like a nice straightforward trip to me - decent landmarks to navigate by.

My advice to you as a newly qualified PPL is to take it slowly.

The trip you are proposing is quite straightforward, and flying out of Coventry you will be used to full ATC.

However, it is a fair distance, and it would be easy to drift off course if winds aloft don't turn out to be as forecast.

Duxford is quite close to the Stansted zone however - just be careful not to bust it.

Other than that - enjoy! The museum at Duxford is fascinating, and when I last went there I was lucky enough to see one of the resident Hurricanes in flight.

Have to say it is more ambitious than my first foray as a newbie PPL, which was from Wellesbourne to Leicester, with my wife and daughter on board.

Some people may advise you to fly solo for a while before you start taking passengers, but as long as they are properly briefed not to distract you at inappropriate times in practice it shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck and happy landings! :ok:

[Hansard]

Duxford has parallel hard and grass runways so it's worth having a plan and remembering that you can ask for your preference if it's not offered.

[modelman]

Thanks for the responses so far.
It's Thursday and no licence yet:bored: .If it doesn't come this weekend,my next flight will be with an instructor as I feel it will be too long since last flying.Will use it as a check ride in a 172 (all work in 150/152's so far).
I have always really enjoyed the nav part of flying (mind you,I've not been lost yet........).Not wishing to initiate another GPS based debate,I will be taking one along as a backup to my carefully planned ( I hope!) plog.
My passenger son (14) will be practising his nav skills as he has done a fair bit of flying with the Air Cadets ( and for free,lucky lad).

Still,2 more postal deliveries to go this week,so I may be lucky.

MM

[Whirlybird]

Be careful. Days are very short at this time of year. Leave Coventry early, to allow for any holdups or other problems. Also, if it's a clear day, you'll be flying back west in the afternoon....almost straight into a low sun, which is uncomfortable and makes navigation difficult. And if you do get temporarily lost, not being able to see much when heading west will make things even harder....plus the pressure of knowing that it'll be dark soon. I'm not saying don't do it, but bear these things in mind.

[Lister Noble]

Everyone is different,but my instructor advised me to have a couple of hours on my own doing about one hour trips enjoying my new found freedom,then take passengers.
My first two passengers were both very experienced pilots,third my wife,fourth a student.
I now have around 25 hrs total solo but have not landed away on my own apart from my QXC's etc.
I'm happy bimbling around East Anglia in the Cub,and will land away when the weather is good and days longer.
Lister:)

[Whirlybird]

On reflection, I think you're taking on a bit much for a first flight after getting your PPL. I always reckon ONE challenge at a time is a good idea. You're going to a new airfield, with your first passenger, in possibly challenging conditions (short day, low sun etc). That's two or three challenges. It means you're likely to be slightly overloaded, with not enough spare capacity if anything goes wrong. I'd suggest doing a local flight, then next time taking up a passenger, then after that going to Duxford....or some version of that anyway.

I had a couple of minor mishaps in the early days, and if I look back, it was always due to trying to run before I could walk very well. :(

[oscarmike]

Have to say I agree with Whirly on second thoughts.

As I got my PPL in January I was also very keen to show off my new skills to passengers.

However, I had forgotten that on my second or third flight as a newbie PPL with passengers, I hit a snow flurry - only for a few minutes - but it was VERY disorientating.

Softly softly, as my old instructor used to day...... :ok:

As Whirly says, one challenge is OK, two is pushing your luck, three...... forget it!

[modelman]

Thanks for all the responses so far.Still no licence but 1 post delivery to go this week.Wx not looking too clever tomorrow either:{
On the advice of others,I will probably lower the bar a little for my first outing(s).Seem like a trip to DUX best left for the spring/summer
For the last leg of my QXC I flew from Conington back to Cov.May try that as it is not too close to CAS and I have done it before and have flown in that general area a few times.Thought it was a nice little place,easy to spot from the air and a decent hard rwy.I seem to remember that I could see Draycote Water when I was abeam Corby which I found very comforting on my return.I think I found my QXC the most satisfying part of my training-I even started to enjoy it at one point!
Will get that refresher with my FI though first.

MM

[modelman]

As the weather was better than I expected,I decided to get checked in a 4 seater (C172)today.Got a thorough workout with an FI that included stalls with/without flap,a PFL,steep turns,a flapless t&g,normal t&g and a glide approach to land.I was quite chuffed with myself as I did ok,because I haven't flown for 3 weeks I felt a little rusty.
When I got home,the postie had brought my licence:)

Out of interest,can anyone tell me if my 3 t&g's qualify under the 3 t/o and landings 90 day rule?

MM

[Rod1]

Yes 3 t & g count

Rod1