seat_of_my_pants
29th Sep 2002, 18:56
Those of you who were at the bash yesterday know that today I had my first flying lesson.
It was the perfect day to fly - you could see for miles and the air was a smooth as as babies bottom so...
I was really quite nervous when I turned up - I had previously had a 30 mins 'taster flight' which was a buzz but didn't give me much to go on as to what a real lesson would be like.
Would I be any good? - would I freak out? would I get air sick? 152's seem very small and fragile close up - I am used to aircraft being big and sturdy - would the thing stay in the air? (especially with me at the controls)
I was introduced to my instructor, and to my shock found out that he was twenty one (that made me feel really old) and looked like he was fresh out of school
We walked out to the aircraft, and he took me through the pre flight check lists and started it up. It felt like sitting on the inside of a lawn mower - when stationery it has it's own perpetual movement.
Taxiing was a little unusual, as steering with your feet is not first nature if you drive cars. All of a sudden we had been cleared for take off and were bombing down the grass strip. I eased back the control yoke (?) and we were up.
What a great feeling.
Leaving the ground the ride became smooth, the movements more natural.
Now I see what is all about.
I won't go into the details of the lesson, because it is still sinking in. What I will say is that I enjoyed every second of it, and I have booked more
I don't know where this path will take me, but something happened today that changed how I look at flying and myself.
So thanks to all (and BR L for making me buy the shots yesterday - you're a sick puppy) for your support, and to all at Redhill who made it a great experience
And my instructor - he was great - but I still feel like an old git
SOMP
It was the perfect day to fly - you could see for miles and the air was a smooth as as babies bottom so...
I was really quite nervous when I turned up - I had previously had a 30 mins 'taster flight' which was a buzz but didn't give me much to go on as to what a real lesson would be like.
Would I be any good? - would I freak out? would I get air sick? 152's seem very small and fragile close up - I am used to aircraft being big and sturdy - would the thing stay in the air? (especially with me at the controls)
I was introduced to my instructor, and to my shock found out that he was twenty one (that made me feel really old) and looked like he was fresh out of school
We walked out to the aircraft, and he took me through the pre flight check lists and started it up. It felt like sitting on the inside of a lawn mower - when stationery it has it's own perpetual movement.
Taxiing was a little unusual, as steering with your feet is not first nature if you drive cars. All of a sudden we had been cleared for take off and were bombing down the grass strip. I eased back the control yoke (?) and we were up.
What a great feeling.
Leaving the ground the ride became smooth, the movements more natural.
Now I see what is all about.
I won't go into the details of the lesson, because it is still sinking in. What I will say is that I enjoyed every second of it, and I have booked more
I don't know where this path will take me, but something happened today that changed how I look at flying and myself.
So thanks to all (and BR L for making me buy the shots yesterday - you're a sick puppy) for your support, and to all at Redhill who made it a great experience
And my instructor - he was great - but I still feel like an old git
SOMP