staying at the clubs place

[Pilot16]

Hi,

Now that Ive got the summer holiday on my side, I was hoping to stay at my flying clubs accomodation for a week or so and do as many hours as possible and than come back home.

Sunset is around 9 and the weather seems to be fine.

So just how many hours can I fit in each day with the instructor provided the weather stays good all day?

ur help is appreciated :)

[IRRenewal]

Early on in training, don't count on doing over 1.5 - 2 hours a day. It'll be all you can take in.

Towards the end maybe 4 to 5 a day.

However, don't count on your instructor to be there from 8:00 to 21:00 every time you want him to. Also, although it might be light till late it does not main the school is open or the airfield is licenced (a requirement for ab initio training).

Cheers

[Evo7]

It may be sunset at 9, but the airfield may become unlicenced before then - Goodwood becomes u/l at 6pm, for example. Once it is unlicenced they cannot do ab initio training there.

While you could in theory fly 6 or more hours a day (which is what a FI will do on a good day), I don't think it's a good idea. Speaking personally, I wouldn't get much use from more than 2 or 3 hours training in a day, and would be perfectly happy with a single lesson. Flying takes a lot of concentration, especially when you're learning, and I need to take a break from time to time. Physically I would still be able to fly if I increased the hours, but I would start to get tired, careless and make mistakes - not ideal for learning, and there's no point in paying for the training if you're not making the most of it. It's also a good idea to sit back and think about what you've just done before the next lesson.

So, for what it's worth, I think you should take it easy. Fly a couple of times a day if you can afford to, but enjoy learning - it's a hell of a lot of fun, so there's no need to be in too much of a hurry. :)

[AerBabe]

No point getting tired and making silly mistakes, as Evo7 points out, you'll only lose your self-confidence. Besides, you need time to think and absorb what you're learned, and about what you'll do differently next time.

Fly for a couple of hours, then put your feet up, grab a mug of tea, and watch the aircraft for the rest of the day :)

[Pilot16]

What do you guys think if I fly 1 or 2 hours a week at the week ends? Would the gap be too much and so i might lose what I have learned the last lesson? Or is it alright?

[Evo7]

Sounds fine to me. I take lessons twice a week and find that it works well - ideally would add a third lesson, but there isn't the time. Your airfield will probably be less busy midweek, which is nice when you start off in the circuit, but ultimately being used to the extra weekend traffic will do you good.

If there's a bad spell of weather (if?!? :rolleyes: ) then I notice myself getting a bit rusty after a couple of weeks, but I don't think that flying an hour a week would cause you any problems. I think that less than that is probably too little to be really efficient (i.e. you'll take more than 45 hours), but I know of people who have taken years of lessons once or twice a month and made it in the end. Don't have the patience for that myself.... :)

[djk]

P16,

I would agree on the advice given here, make your first lessons about an hour long as you will get quite tired after them.
When you start doing circuits you can do a couple of hours with a short break in between. 2 solid hours of circuit bashing is very damn tiring.

You'll do longer flights when you start doing x-country & navigation.