My Trial Flight Experience + Yours
 

Hello,
I thought I would create a thread on my amazing experience yesterday, I will try and keep it short so I dont bore you. Yesterday I finally had my trial flight with RVAC (Morrabbin), to sort out as many unknowns I had in my alotted time. Ever since I went on a family holiday last year (christmas '06), I have been fasinated with planes. So it was great just to get to the school and do it, instead of always thinking about it. The school was fantastic making the day extremely enjoyable, not just for me but my parents. I would defiantly encourage anyone to do their trial flight with RVAC.

I thank my instructor, Andrew very much he was great to me. I decided I would like to take the c152 up, to get the real feel of what it would be like to do my training. The trial flight was in fact Effects of controls. We took of on three five right. He allowed me to rotate the aircraft and climb, it was amazing. We then went to the training area and did the lesson. I couldn't help but to look out the window occasionaly and try to take in this new world. Feeling the aircraft was great, knowing I had control of the aircraft was a real buzz. I even got to radio atc for landing.
We landed on three five right, with a slight crosswind. The air up there was a little bumpy, but I guess that is due to the hotter conditions.

Everything that happened after the turn into Second avenue, was amazing just the atmosphere of everything. Although I wish I wasn't as nervous at the start of the lesson, I did start to relax towards the end. It still hasn't set in yet, I don't think it will for a few more days. Yesterday was a big day for me, it was the best day in my life so far.

I have briefly explained my day yesterday, as I just felt like I needed to express myself on this forum. I could have said so much more, it was truly amazing. May I ask for your experiences of your first flight/lesson at a school? How you felt etc

Thank you for reading.

My TIF 18 July 96 with Jim Drinnan in 7GCBC VH-MIF - a TIF in MIF (never realised that before!)

Did a couple of loops and some aileron rolls, and a couple of ccts. My log book says 0.7 hrs but it was longer. However IIRC it seemed to go by in about 2 minutes!

Instantly hooked; I knew I'd found the flying school I had been looking for.

TIF
 

Yeah, same experience, different a/c & instructor - RRW, 23 Oct 2005. Flew a loop and was instantly hooked. Been flying with them ever since and took my first passenger up last month.

:ok:

Hello wwejosh,

Glad you enjoyed your TIF and welcome to the PPRuNes forums, i did my TIF at the RVAC in '89 in a clapped out old Cherokee.

On the day though it was the best aircraft a fella could ask for! i still remember the excitement today of being told "your controls".

Be careful tough, flying is a financially draining drug! it costs a fortune to maintain and it will occupy your every waking moment.

Your in good company and not alone, if perhaps i may a quote from Leonardo Da Vinci;

"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Happy Landings!

28 Years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.

wwejosh, very glad you enjoyed it and I hope you are able to turn this beginning into a lifetime of Aviation memories. For me it has taken me all around the world, given me a professtion, passtimes (Aerobatics and Gliding), and a lifetime of experiences, friends and memories.

One small point therefore- I take it your recent holiday was somewhere where there were no mountains, hence your facination with PLANES- that it led to an interest in AEROPLANES is great.:ok:

All the best and welcome to a larger world.

RVAC
 

Congrats on the TIF :D and good luck with your flying, wherever it may take you!

Just a word of caution re. RVAC. Seems they're catering mostly to overseas cadets and some long-standing club members. They certainly tried to have me over a barrel and after having suffered two of the worst instructors ever for a while :yuk:, I made my way to another school, which was a great idea!

I can just recommend to talk to several schools at Moorabbin, and search the postings here, you'll get a good idea on where to go and which schools to avoid..

Welcome aboard!
 

Wait until your first solo :ok:

And then wait until you SEND your first solo:ok:

Then your first day when you dont have to do it anymore:ok:

Get outta here!

I did a TIF with DDAC in 1966 - that's 40+ years ago.

Can't say I remember it much but must have been good cause I kept do'in it!

Dr :8

Gawd FTDK, don't tell me you have flown DDQ?

May the force be with you!
 

FTDK.........

Just unearthed logbook #1 out in the shed.........my TIF was on 6th December 1966 at RVAC in a PA28. I must have enjoyed it too, 'cos I kept at it till a couple of years back. :}

But Tin's right...........the first day that I didn't need to do it anymore was probably as good as the first day I started flying I reckon.

And the memories of (mostly) bloody good times over the years, with a lot of bloody good fun people are enough to make me glad that flying's what I chose to do for a job! :D

I wouldn't have had it any other way, and now that I've retired, PPRuNe helps to keep the memories alive. :ok:

Had a PPL in 1964
Thunk me first ride was in a topdressing C180 ......w00t !

Geez tin..........

A PPL in '64........let's see.........I've just had my 41st 21st birthday, so that'd have to make you getting near to about 40+ (or so) 21st birthdays as well, wouldn't it? :8

No one cares SIUYA .....http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/c021.gif

Calm down tin.............

It get's better after the 40th 21st...........I think :ooh:

:) Oh thank you, there have been highlights....my mate (American) very close to my 38th 21st shook my hand saying "Well go have fun,you paid for the gas" as he hopped off the wing of his P-51 D.

Roger where are you mate?

Tinpis............that's a bit of a worry mate, because there's a (subtle) difference between someone saying to you:

AND

Would you care to errrr........elaborate before we all start talking (more) about you behind your back? :ooh:

"Gawd FTDK, don't tell me you have flown DDQ?"

Don't have the rego in my log book but quite likely it was DDQ.

Flew C172 DDN around Xmas 1972 also.

Dr :8

Oh....I see what you mean.....he handed me the keys to his Ford pickup truck http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/laughatu.gifhttp://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/auto.gif

http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/avion.gifWe did have fun in his hairyplane tho ..quarter of a century ago now....:{

I did mine at DDAC too. Was one of the PA38's though. Too many "DD's" to remember which one though. I threw up in my lap so went for a second try on another day and did some circuits which I loved. Would have been a lot cheaper to stick with the sentiments of the first TIF. I see DDAC have just got a new (2005) C172 with G1000 - good on them.

RI

Tin,
Re your first flight, did it look a bit like this one?
http://www.skywagons.org/gallery/alb...p1127_0033.jpg

Hey wwejosh!

Sounds fantastic, welcome to our world!

My first flight at the controls was 18 years ago and I still remember like it was yesterday :ok:

Just one word of advice from someone with a teeny bit of experience: don't be so quick to choose a training establishment based on one flight. :)

It sounds like it was such an exciting, exhilerating experience for you, that you probably would recommend ME if I had been the one to take you up... you get my drift?!

So, look around, ask questions, and spend your money wisely. ;)

And most important... HAVE FUN!!! :ok:



Tinpis - so DID or didn't you fly a P51-D?!!!!!:eek:

KC Yep..had photties too once ..but they went missing in the same album I had the ones of the naked barmaid from Kununurra....:{:(

I didn't do a TIF.

1985, Casey Airfield, Berwick Vic. I rolled up for an interview (subsidised flying, so they didn't take any old walk-up) and the CFI talked to me about why I wanted to fly and all that sort of thing. As it turned out the next booking in C150 VH-TDX was canceled. Did I want to take my first lesson now? I took that as meaning I had been accepted.

Getting your mitts on the stick for the first time is a buzz replaced only by the first solo flight. Since my solo, nothing I have ever done has equalled that feeling of taxiing back to the apron having brought TDX home with all bits still attached.

So well done, wwejosh, and welcome to aviation.

Walrus

And I was just going to say, wait til your first naked bar lady in Kununurra. Oh man the places you will surely go.

Enjoy and have fun with it. The flying that is! AWwWW heck and the naked lady.

Tin - oh man how EXCITING!!! (The P51, not the barmaid...) :\

Oh, I TOTALLY agree with the First Solo comment! :D

Doesn't necessarily matter if the bits are still attached but in the wrong PLACE, does it...?! :E



"Hmmmm?" Says the instructor, scratching his head. "I'm fairly certain the nose wheel was BELOW the engine cowling when she took off?":rolleyes:

And I was just going to say, wait til your first naked bar lady in Kununurra. Oh man the places you will surely go.

Enjoy and have fun with it. The flying that is! AWwWW heck and the naked lady.:p

Quote tin.....KC Yep..had photties too once ..but they went missing in the same album I had the ones of the naked barmaid from Kununurra....


tinne...you must send me a photo of yourself so I can pin it to the wall and bow ....you are now bigger than "Fred Dagg"......in my books!!!!


(will still keep my photo of Fred Dagg,but you will be right next to him.....it doesnt git any better than that mate!!!! )

Shucks....http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/blush2.gif.... ta mate

185skywagon,

Bit hard to read the rego of your post with the Hazelton c180, but was it VH-KAC?

The Baffler:ok:

........."wwejosh".............like all have said in here, welcome to where freedom exists:).........but & there's always a but.
Now seeing as yr green as a blade of grass with this there's some good advice here from the 'oldies' & it's free. I'll add my 2 bobs worth here (20cents for you kid).
Seeing as yr a young boy yet to reach the age of pubity may I suggest that you not drag alone a girlfriend whilst you chase planes for say the next 40 yrs or so.:)
And should you get tied up with one early in yr career as a pilot (silly boy)then secretly put away some money so you can buy her a house & get it out of yr system once & for all............:}trust me the money will be well worth putting aside for that "rainy day".........oh & it will 'rain'...........pilots have an IFR rating not to fly in cloud but to wipe away the tears after the divorce !:}

Kind of kidding there of course...........but then again !:)

I knew an ex AN 737 cpt who had been married 3 times & ended up staying in the transport industry after all 3 cleaned him out & the collapse of AN, as a taxi truck driver!!!!!!:)

You'll love flying it's better than sex, lasts longer but costs about the same !!!!:}

CW:)

Baffler,
The photo is part of John Hopton's extensive collection. From my register info, it was probably BAJ. I have lost the original digital that John sent me.

185.

Remember my first trial flight ('cos I did 2!!) like it was yesterday...

...was 15 at the time and a friend of mine came back from school holidays saying that he was learning to fly...didn't realise that you could start that young so straight away rocked up to a flying school at the local aerodrome...

...D strapped me into a 152 Aerobat and talked me thru starting and taxiing out to the RWY. He also talked me through the takeoff (mind fully blown by this stage 'cos I thought I was doing it all!)...we flew out over the city then descended into (what I found out later was the low flying area) and followed the river at what felt like 20-30 feet...great fun...D then gave me controls and said "have a go...just follow the river"...I remember passing UNDERNEATH a set of high tension lines...a few minutes later we rounded a corner to be confronted with a road bridge at the end of a straight bit of river...as we got closer D took the controls and asked "which span do you want to go UNDER"...can't remember my reply but he pulled up just before the bridge...and I distinctly remember looking in the window of a Newman's bus...reckon I could tell the colour of the driver's eyes!! After that there was no doubt that I would learn to fly!!

Remember my 1st solo too...over 25 years ago now...:eek:

was that before safety regulations came into action? :P

Congratulations wwejosh on taking your first step in what I'm sure be a long and rewarding journey.
Welcome to aviation and thanks for reminding us of the excitement we all felt when we started.
Sounds like the bug has bitten and I wish you all the best.

Cheers Sid :ok:

Hi everyone,
Thanks for taking a look everyone, it was great to hear some stories of your first trial flight. Also would like to thank everyone for their good lucks and encouraging thoughts. I love being able to communicate with industry and am lucky to do so.
Please if you have more thoughts, keep posting.

Thanks very much.

Indeed congratulations wwejosh, I was bitten by the bug very much the same way. The flight itself to holiday destinations was the highlight of the whole holiday!:ok: I took my TIF about a year ago now and am now starting my nav training. Absolutely loving every bit of it! I could easily call my passion for aviation an obsession. And an expensive one at that!:ugh:

Once again congratulations mate!:ok:

I flew DDQ quite a few times ...it currently resides (dismantled) in a hangar at Gladstone after running out of noise on t/o a few years ago.

It was at BK, 1973, in a Victa Airtourer 115 - VH-RQL (ex Royal Qld Aero Club).
I still have a photo of it in my wallet. :)
Believe it's in the Territory now?