PPL SKILL TEST PASSED!

[PPLvirgin]

Less than 1 year ago and 48hours later - i have passed my PPL Skill Test - don't think I have ever had a prouder achievment in my life.

Really happy, but at 32......whats next!!!?? Too late for airlines? personally the attraction of being abush pilot(over worked, under paid, but spectacular scenery and warm days apeal) is where my attraction lies lol.

we can all dream, just not sure where it will end!!

[chrisbl]

Well done.


My advice would be to find a flying partner who has just passed and go off have a few adventures and learn together.

[thing]

Good for you mate! It's a bit special isn't it. Now you can tell people who ask you what your hobbies are 'Oh I do a bit of flying you know, doesn't everyone?' :) Never had any other ambition myself other than to enjoy flying and visit places but if you have the dream then go for it. Do you fly from Tollerton?

[PPLvirgin]

Sounds good Chrisbl,

not so sure on to new mavericks in the air together at the start. but the idea of it sounds good. deffo keen on some adventures.

the wife is already keen on flying to skegness for fish n chips - thats an expensive supper lol.

only 25k people have a PPL in UK, and it has one of the highest attrition rates of people just letting their licenses lapse with the first 24months.

might be harder to find that partner i'm thinking.

T

[PPLvirgin]

Yes thing, deffo special. I have had many hobbies and had many adventures, but this definately takes it to new heights.

whilst on my skill test i had th surreal moment of flying past the red arrows on doing some training with loops and smoke on/off etc...
if was very difficult to concentrate on making sure i navigated to my diversion location lol... very special indeed!

[thing]

the wife is already keen on flying to skegness for fish n chips

People slate Skeg (it's actually Ingoldmells where the airfield is) but it's 15 minutes walk to the front and fish n chips paradise. Well worth a visit. I take my grandson with his bucket and spade. He makes sandcastles and I scoff fish n chips on the sand. Magic.

[PPLvirgin]

Lol i have a 2.5 yr old girl thing so i think it could easily be a great way of hitting a number of coasts etc... just on whim to hit a coast wither it be eastern cost or southern cost of england or maybe further lol.

just gotta find a plane now.

i have certainly learnt how t handle short runways, i fly out of netherthorpe EGNF which is the shortest licensed or even unlicensed runway in the UK if memory serves me right.

[Straighten Up]

Congratulations. I know exactly how you feel. Passed mine in May last year, currently out in California hour building. Just nudged over 100hrs this week. I'm 30 and haven't ruled out a career in the airlines but enjoy hand flying so much I'm keen to instruct and then maybe TP a bit. I'd love to get a king air biz job at my local airfield but I know that's a big ask.

Today I tried to fly from Long beach to Vegas - forecasts were good - but ended up diverting to Laughlin because of a dust storm and 30kt crosswinds at Henderson that popped up whilst I was en route. And you know what I love it. I landed in a 12g20kt 40deg off of runway heading. It was scary as hell - and I'll downplay it to the OH - but I landed it, learnt something (for 1 forecasts are almost pointless in this part of the country), and am looking forward to flying over the Grand Canyon tomorrow. The freedom that little piece of paper gives you is priceless!

1 thing I would suggest is to do an IMC rating. I did mine before I came and the additional flight time with an instructor and learning the procedures for instrument flight and let downs is well worth it. Even if not valid overseas it is a good backup if you get inadvertent IMC as I did recently with this damn marine layer. I'd rather live and get cited for being in IMC than not know what to do!

Enjoy it!

[chillindan]

Well done on passing!! I am at the start of my learning to fly journey and will hopefully be joining you all later this year!!

[localflighteast]

Congrats :ok::ok:

[thing]

1 thing I would suggest is to do an IMC rating.

I'll second that, best add on you can do. Do it now if you have the money while your mind is still in training mode.

[Localiser]

Congratulations. Well done! :ok:

[Ampage]

Aerobatics. That's next ;)

[GGR155]

Special day! Well done mate.......

[PPLvirgin]

Love the post Straighten up!

so your english? from where?

what made you move to us, just to hour build or something else? whats your target before you come back?

Vegas is like my second home, been 5 times in last few years, do quite well on the poker front.

My aim is to do the IMC, gotta enjoy 25hrs of time to build and then will do IMC i think.
Even now, i know i have passed but know that my knowledge and experienced is seriously limited and know there is a hell of a lot more to learn.

[PPLvirgin]

Ampage Deffo.

I want to buy a plane that allows me to tour but also can handle some good level aerobatics. I thirve on that kind of stuff.

I have a bike and have done parachuting so all that on the edge, limit stuff is great. Its a different angle in a plane, you need to respect the situation and surroundings butbeing able to pull of gracefull, daring moves safely and smoothly sounds like an exciting place to start lol!!

Tris

[PPLvirgin]

thankns for ll the well wishing peeps.

what was really special - I made it to skegness, was on my way back, on my final divert to a disused airport about 20 nww of netherthorpe, flying over scampton matx -
on my way to divert, a mile to my south at my height of 2000 feet were the red arrors practising with smoke on and off lol.

unreal, it was awesome, still making the day even more special, it was amazing to watch, although i knew i still needed to make my second destination which thankfully i did but must admit, did worry about whether i got too distracted at one point lol.:8:D

[Straighten Up]

Trained at Stapleford. Just in US hour building. You only need 10hrs P1 plus the 15 hrs (min) dual for the IMC. you can even take your skills test before you have the p1 hours, you just need the hours before you apply for the rating.

[Mach Jump]

flying over scampton matx -
on my way to divert, a mile to my south at my height of 2000 feet were the red arrors practising with smoke on and off lol.:eek:

Just for the sake of your Examiner's reputation, I'm sure you really meant '...around Scampton MATZ...', and '...five miles south...';)

Well done on passing your test. :)


MJ:ok:

[PPLvirgin]

erm no not really my friend. It was through scampton matz i saw then, had clearance from Waddington to fly at my altitude and direction. scampton was closed, so i assume they used this location for that reason.

i got clearance, your def rugth though i should have said if felt like a mile, more likely 5 but at times they seemed to get very close, within a mile on some as i saw the planes very clearly - almost airshow clearness.

still whilst i can only project, would not have had it any other way, it was very special!!!!