Initial flying lessons

[Speedbird744]

After taking a trial lesson in flying, I'd like to know what the next couple of hours will include, eg.handling skills, navigation?
How many hours will it be until you simulate "engine failure after takeoff"? Or your own first landing?
Thanks

[icemaiden]

from memory, the next few lessons consist of practicing manouvers - keeping the ac straight and level, then turning, take off and landing and building up your confidence and skills at handling. Then you practice circuits (take off and follow a circular route overhead the airfield, then land. again and again and again...)and stalling (-if your lucky spinning).

Normally you start to "follow through" - put your hands on the controls and feel what the instructor is doing on approach and landing early on and, depending on how your lessons progress you will start landing on your own in a few hours.

Before you can take your solo flight you will cover forced landings and engine failures including after take off - normally this is done later when your handling is more confident and anyway, when your dual the instructors should be well positioned to take control.

Navigation is the next stage of training so you only really cover the basics before your solo, but its a good idea to show some initiative and have a good look at the map and keep an idea in your head of where you are. My initial flying was with the military who generally teach navigation from day one, but at a flying school I was told just to concentrate on the flying (says a lot about my flying!!)

Good luck, hope you enjoy it, Im sure a lot of people will have some useful information for you.....

[Barry Fields]

Don't know about over there but down here (Australia) the GFPT takes you along the folowing route:

Effects of Controls
Straight & Level
Climbing & Descending
Turning
Stalling
Circuits
Circuit Emergencies
Crosswind T & L's
Short Field T & L's
Advanced Stalling & Incipient Spins
Forced Landings
Sideslipping
Advanced Turns & Spirals
Ditching
Fire Emergency Proceedures
Basic Instrument Flying

And a few other bits and pieces.

Would'nt imagine there'd be too much difference in the UK.

The GFPT is the General Flying Progress Test which is about half way to a PPL, and allows you to take non paying passengers (ie: friends) for flights in the training area.

[G SXTY]

Yep, as has been said, your next few hours will cover straight & level flight and explore the effects of the flying controls, as well climbing, descending and turns. In other words, basic handling.

You'll gradually hear less 'I have control' from your instructor, and will start doing more work on approaches / landings & the radio.

Once your instructor is happy with your basic flying skills, you'll move onto circuit bashing in preparation for 1st solo. Thats when things like EFATO & flapless / glide approaches will come in).

Enjoy!

[PPRuNe Dispatcher]

After some prompting from two of the other admins I have been writing up my experiences as I learn to fly.

Sometime over the next few days I'll start a thread entitled "PPRuNe Dispatcher learns to fly" which will give some idea of what I'm going through!

--Mik