From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary

[Blinkz]

Hey guys,
just to let y'all know that I passed my airlaw exam today, managed to get 97%, and the one mistake was stupid! oh well. will have to aim for 100% on the next one. Hopefully the weather will b ok for a lesson tomorrow, introduction to VORs and navaids

[FingersR]

Nice work Binkz!

[Vee One...Rotate]

Blinkz,

Well done sir

V1R

[mazzy1026]

Great work Blinkz - it's a good feeling innit. Put the same effort in for the rest of the exams that you have evidently already put in for Air Law and you will pass them all!

Hoping for solo tomorrow guys - just dont want no wind!

Regards

A very anxious Lee

[Blinkz]

Thanks guys.
Managed a lesson today, was my first time in a different aircraft, a pa28-161 no less, very nice to fly, much smoother/easier to control then my usual tommy, different speeds but got used to that pretty quickly. Did the intro to nav-aids today, my heads still spinning!! I need to sit down and try and figure it all out lol.

Good luck mazzy!! You'll be fine

[Hampshire Hog]

Hi all,

Lesson booked yesterday - too much wind - cancelled again

Now I've booked about 7 in the hope I might get one of them!

HH

[c-bert]

HH

Hope you get some done! I've given up even booking lessons at the mo as I'm waiting for the QXC and I think decent wx across the south is highly unlikely for a while.
How did the MBA go?

[Hampshire Hog]

Hi c-bert,

MBA exam went ok (I think!). Results due just before Christmas (nice present!).

Looks like there's a nice high forecast for the beginning of next week, so here's hoping. (Have spent a good few hours honing my skills on FS9 over the last couple of weeks!)

Are you still confined to flying at weekends? Hopefully we'll get some of that lovely still, clear, winter weather that should allow you to do your QXC soon.

HH

[c-bert]

Well I still work if that is what you mean! The QXC will have to be done on a weekend but I'm back at home now so I can fly evenings, except of course it now gets dark at 4 .
I heard about the high over the weekend but I also hear that because it is coming off the Atlantic it should be bringing lots of stratus with it. As they say, it never rains but its gets bloody cloudy....
Fingers crossed for that weather and your MBA!

[kookabat]

Well the weather's been pretty good recently when I've been booked to do my next nav... but now the aeroplane's gone u/s.
Seems this is the story:
-Aeroplane
-Instructor
-Weather ----> Pick any two of three!


Adam

[mazzy1026]

I'll have some of that P1 please......

I had been checking the weather every single day to get updates on what today’s whether would be like. It appeared that it was due to be calm for the first time in ages. My lesson was booked for the Saturday this time, rather than the usual Sunday. When I woke on Saturday at around 0930 the first thing I did was ring up and check Liverpool ATIS. The one thing I was looking for was the wind, which was 8 kts. A little annoyed again, but not anywhere near as bad as it has been for all my circuit lessons. So I rang up again an hour or so later: “6 kts”. It was slowly going down. By around 1300 it was 1 or 2 kts – on its way to calm (lesson at 1500).

When I got there, it was dead calm. Not a single breeze. I was sat in the lounge waiting around and preparing things, when thee biggest downpour came along. I thought I must be the unluckiest guy on the planet, having wind on every lesson, and now the rain once the wind has gone! *****! I sat there thinking “it aint gonna happen today”. Anyways, my instructor came along and he said we would go in the circuit, and see what happens. The rain had this time completely passed, it was a very quick downpour (one thing going right).

So off we go, the usual checks, power checks, taxi etc and away we are. Circuits were going fine, apart form the haze/fog which was significantly thick (yet another bit of bad luck). We could still see the airfield reasonably well, but there was no clear horizon to the south of the airfield, so that meant on takeoff, crosswind and downwind, we had no horizon (we were using runway 09). Still though, there was nothing too difficult and we had 5 successful circuits. On the taxi way back to the apron, my instructor hit the PTT button:

“Tower, would like to make a request….”
“Go ahead G-SD”
“Would like to send my student on first solo?”
“Approved G-SD”

Well I ****. And that’s exactly what I said to him when he got off the radio. I genuinely thought I wouldn’t be soloing today and that I would have to wait at least another week. At this point every single cell in my body was swimming in adrenalin, I must have had a pint of the stuff pumped in me. I was so bloody excited; fear isn’t the right word, just nerves and happiness throughout. Anyway, aside with the emotional content for now, the taxi back to the apron was the longest taxi ever. When we got there he gave me a small brief about how it would climb quicker and come down slower, he got on with it and just jumped out the aircraft, he has a lot of faith in me and he just let me get on with it.

When he shut the door I felt like the most isolated person in the world. Totally alone with nowhere to turn. The thing is though, at this point I thought I would be trembling, but I wasn’t. It was simply overwhelming excited ness. So I done a quick magneto check, got the ATIS and put in the call. Because I was so used to mainly using rw27 I took the airfield chart out the back of my knee board just to make sure I was clear about the taxi ways at the 09 end. I think at this point I had a strange repetitive condition. I kept looking at the chart just to make sure I had read it right, Echo the Foxtrot coming back in, Echo then Foxtrot. I must have looked at it 20 times, even though I knew what I was looking at, don’t ask me why! So I was told to taxi to Echo, which is a backtrack (not on the runway) of pretty much the entire length of the runway. Again, this felt like 10 years, rolling down there, not too slow, not too fast. Keep the nose on the yellow line, don’t panic, you’ll be coming back down here in 15 mins (hopefully)! So I got to Echo and waited 10 mins, there were a few aircraft coming in so this wait felt (again) like light years. I kept putting carb heat on every couple of mins (again, probably doing it too much – was just making sure!)

So I heard a call on the radio:

“After the landing Cessna, line up and wait G-Sierra (crackle)”

(I 90% knew it was me and thought I would reply after a few seconds with the read back and the full call sign – he never came back so it confirmed it was me he was talking to – ok so maybe I should have confirmed properly!)

When the aircraft landed, I was to make doubly sure:

“Lining up to wait G-SD”
“G-SD”

As soon as I heard that I knew this was it. Lined up and waited for the call, which then came in:

“G-SD cleared takeoff not above 1500……………..”
“Cleared takeoff G-SD”.

Putting on full power was amazing, knowing that as soon as those back wheels leave the ground, I am all alone and must make a successful flight. Looking at the right hand seat and seeing it empty other than for a few charts, was the strangest feeling in the world. You all know the feeling! I got to 500 feet a lot quicker due to our weight being less, so when I turned crosswind, I extended it for about 30 seconds, to get a good distance from the runway for the downwind. So I put the downwind call in and was told to report ready for base. Before I reported base, I was given traffic information and told I would be number two to a Cessna on final, I immediately spotted the Cessna and reported visual and number 2. Seen it land, then I became number one – I was again alone - in the circuit! I turned onto base and was made up with the flight so far. I remember my instructor saying it would come down slower, so I started the descent ever so slightly early – which turned out to be the correct decision. Full flaps and started turn to final. I remember a friend of mine (who is a Nav in the RAF) saying to me: “think of a song for your first solo”. Well, I thought if I do that I will probably forget to use the radio – so I never sung to myself…….yet! I put the final call in and then started singing out loud – I am crazy yes but I was just so happy to be doing this and I had set up on a good approach.

I couldn’t have been any happier with the landing, straight down the centre line and no ballooning or floating like I had done previously. It went so well I am just over the moon. I put the call in to taxi back and ATC congratulated me on completion. I must say that the help I received that day was excellent and the chap in the tower was great. I thanked them properly on my way into the apron. I was made up. I saw my instructor pointing to me to where to park, and the last hurdle now was not hitting another aircraft (how annoying would that be after a successful solo, to hit an aircraft on the ground….) And before you say it, no I never hit nothing! Done a quick shutdown and was greeted by my instructor with a handshake. I told him how it went and made my way back to the office.

Well, I will spare any more emotional descriptions if I can but I am now the happiest guy on earth. This has to be number one so far in the best day of your life book. And like you lot all said to me, I couldn’t get the smile off my face! I got a great bottle of champagne with a personal label on it, which I think I will keep and not drink (even though I wanted to) – thanks to LFS and my instructor for having faith in me. If I may quote myself from earlier posts, I never even thought of getting this far, but here I am, my first P1 SELF post of 20 mins in my logbook! And thank you once again to all the people in here that give me confidence and positive vibes – THANKS!

Until the next solo circuit session,

A very very happy

Lee

[magpienja]

Congatulation lee well done sounds like it was perfect.

Nick.

[Vee One...Rotate]

Excellent read Lee. I was feeling some of the excitement/nerves just reading it!

Fantastic job

Well done. Better get started notching up that P1 time, eh!?

V1R

[Blinkz]

Congrats mate!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you. Great feeling isn't it? Just when you look over and see that empty seat. My solo (in gliders) I just got to the top of the launch and shout yea!!!!!

Sounds like you did a great job of it, I've always been told that ur first solo landing will always be your best, because your concentrating so much!

It was a gorgeous day up here too, but I've got a cold so decieded to sit it out

Congrats again mate

[Happyeater]

Magic Lee. What an experience, so pleased that it went so well for you. Great stuff.

What was your song btw?

Paul

[Milt]

mazzy

There were many of us mentally flying with you on your first solo.
Well done and walk tall!

How did Del do it back in 1913 without any dual instruction?

You have seen the account of his first flight in a Caudron wing warper at Hendon. Well the following is Del's account, from copious diary entries, of his close equivalent to your solo. The surrounding incidents help set the scene of those early days of aviation.

THE BREVET

Continuing from Del's first/solo flight in a Caudron at Hendon in 1913.

Immediately after his return to Hendon Del's thoughts and plans were thrown into near chaos by circumstances over which he had no influence and that seemed to put his entire future in jeopardy.

Firstly a crisis in the French associations came when Monsieur Deperdussin, the wealthy tycoon, who as an enthusiastic and philanthropic supporter of the struggling aviation industry was involved as an innocent puppet in a share-broking scandal. He was arrested and goaled until at a later date his innocence was established and he was released. The immediate effect at Hendon was that his flying school closed down and the pupils who had paid 100 pounds to learn to fly, could not complete their training. Simultaneously another scandal swept through the Ewan school. It seemed that Mr Ewan had purchased a prize winning Wolseley car at the recent Olympia motor show, (with company funds) and was using it for his own private purposes. He had not previously informed, nor obtained his co_directors agreement, for the payment of 800 pounds for the car, and they felt he had greatly exceeded his authority in the purchase. Some directors therefore obtained a legal writ to seize the car and sell it, but the foxy Ewan got wind of the action and removed and hid the car in London.

Now rumours immediately began to circulate that the Ewan Company was in default of payments and would be sold up. Following the Duperdussin debacle it seemed that Ewan's students, including Del, would likely follow the path of the French company's embryo pilots. It later transpired that one of the major directors, Sir W Ramsay sorted things out, the car was paid for by Ewan and the company resumed normal business.

Had the rumours been laid low at an early stage of the proceedings by a forthright statement from the directors, no damage would have been done as the company was quite financially sound, only the bickering had to be stopped. But to Del, like the other students and staff, it seemed that suddenly his whole world was about to collapse and leave him in England without his brevet.

It was the 22nd December 1913, three days before Christmas. Del felt he must do something quickly about his flying test and not wait until early in the New Year as had been planned. By then rumour had it Ewan would be bankrupt.

Del went to see Ed Beaumann and Frank. He told them that he had to return to Australia as soon as possible and asked them to arrange for him to fly his test immediately, to_day if possible. The weather was fine, Ed and Frank knew he would have no trouble in being successful, so they arranged for two Certificate observers to be available at 3 pm. One was the South African, J F Weston, the other a test pilot with the Handley Page Company Mr E Whitehouse.

To make sure nothing could now go wrong, Del took Ed to lunch, to ensure he would be present at the test and not get preoccupied with his office work. So after lunch they gathered at the aerodrome, and Del was once more briefed on the requirements of the test. He was to take-off, climb to 500 feet then fly level whilst making five figure of 8 turns, close the throttle and volplane in for a landing as close as possible to a white strip of cloth stretched and pegged out on the ground near the centre of the aerodrome. Then he was to repeat the whole exercise a second time.

As Del helped to wheel out the Caudron he noticed that Willows had taken his ungainly dirigible out for one of its rare flights, and now it was floating around close to the aerodrome in a seemingly aimless fashion, constantly changing its location and height. There was no point in waiting for it to be brought down, this was the shortest day of the year, and by four thirty it would be almost dark. Now at 3 o'clock it was both misty and dull.

Del completed his usual check of the aircraft's condition, climbed in and was soon taxying out. He noted that the breeze had picked up a little, also the dirigible was still flying around near the aerodrome boundary. He took off, positioned himself over the middle of the aerodrome and commenced his series of turns, 360 degrees to the left, then one to the right, one to the left and so on.

During his second turn he was distracted to see that the damn gas bag was right on his height and heading towards him. He avoided the unwieldy obstruction, but throughout his entire flight it seemed he was haunted by that airship, forever it seemed to be obstructing his carefully controlled turns. Completing his first series of turns, he landed close to the markers taxied back, again took off and resumed his battle with the dirigible. But now, a little wiser from his first encounter, he was able to watch and plan his circles to avoid coming too close to it. He landed finally, and with immense satisfaction touched down spot on the white marker.

Back at the hangar, Del felt fairly annoyed at having to cope with this cumbersome hindrance to his test flight and vehemently said so as they discussed the flight.

"Oh don't worry Mr Badgery" said Mr. Weston "You coped very well; you have passed your test. I'll see you get your certificate as soon after the Christmas holidays as possible. Meantime you may act as a fully licensed aeroplane pilot".

So Monday 22nd December 1913 really was Del's triumphant day. He would never forget his first circuit of the aerodrome for the wonderful feeling of exalted elation but this day was somehow different. He HAD accomplished what he had set out to do, it seemed so long ago since he sailed out of Sydney harbour heads, his feeling now was not so much of elation but thankfulness that he had at last realised his primary goal. He always knew he would make it, somehow deep inside he had that self assurance but now he had heard the magic words and knew it was a reality.

In response to frantic yells and calls from the aerodrome they went back outside and watched a real pantomime that nearly ended in tragedy. The crew of the dirigible had attempted to land their ungainly monster in the centre of the aerodrome. To do that they had to bring it over the intended point of landing, lower a long rope with an anchor attached stop the motor and at the same time vent a quantity of gas from the airship. This allowed it to sink down until the ground crew could seize the rope and pull it to the hangar.

The breeze by now had increased and in the gathering gloom the ground handlers had missed the rope and the wind blew the semi_deflated gas bag away from the aerodrome and over the eight tracks of the main Midland Railway system. The anchor finally caught in the boundary fence of the railway line, and the dirigible was tethered right above the rail tracks. Express steam locomotives were roaring and pounding past to and from St Pancras Station every few minutes at speeds around 50 miles per hour, with whistles screeching as their drivers suddenly came upon this great rippling gas_bag in the evening dusk, suspended right over their path. With the anchor rope caught, the effect of the wind passing over the dirigible caused the top of the envelope to glitter violently and it was forced down lower and lower towards the rail tracks. The ground crew and all available people including Del's group from the Ewan hangar heaved away and with a scant three feet between the top of the passing locomotives and the bottom of the gondola, the dirigible was finally towed clear and hauled back to the hangar.

Once again Mrs Crump immediately saw the change in her Aussie's boarder's composure. He had become increasingly moody lately, she sensed that something was wrong at the hangar but said nothing; she didn't understand these mad fliers anyway. She had noted how despondent he seemed this morning, as he ate breakfast in virtual silence with none of the usual cheerfulness she had come to know. Now Del was bubbling over with happiness - he had passed his test at last and all the world was alright again. Mrs Crump also knew that meant that soon she would lose her Aussie as he would be off back home now that his mission was complete.

A few weeks later whilst doing the rounds of the various aviation companies in London he often called at the Royal Aero Club in Piccadilly. There it was confirmed that his Aviator's Certificate would be issued to him, as from the date of his examination, 22nd December 1913. Also his name had been placed upon the Competitor's Register, entitling him to take part as a pilot in racing at Hendon or in any other competitions conducted under Royal Aero Club rules but he would not be availing himself of this endowment.

His Aviator's Certificate (Brevet) was handed to him on 19th January 1914, No 717 of the Federation Aeronautique International, issued by the Royal Aero Club as "the sporting authority in the British Empire" and recognised by the FAI.

The word "sporting" indicates the official conception of aviation in those pioneering years. Flying was a sport or pastime, and nothing more than that, until it was developed for military use during the rapidly approaching war, and on scheduled passenger and mail operations many years later.

In the constraints that his Certificate imposed, Del could make a career for himself as a professional aviator in Australia only by giving exhibitions of flying with a charge for admission, or perhaps by establishing a Training School of Flying, or by manufacturing and acting as agent for the sale of aeroplanes and components to enthusiasts of this new sport. That would take time and would require considerable organisation and experience; but all beginnings are difficult and require total faith in one's own ability.

Delfosse Badgery went on to build a Caudron in Australia to become one of Australia's aviation pioneers. He later survived military flying operations in the the Middle East following many aviation firsts for Australia.

[Sunfish]

Congratulations Lee!

[Hampshire Hog]

Well done Lee,

Still waiting for my solo - my instructor keeps saying to book lessons assuming I might get to solo (i.e. right time, length), but weather keeps getting in the way. I was with you all the way with the first concern about whether you would actually get to fly that day!

Made my palms sweat just reading your description though. I like the idea of having a song to sing during the first time aloft on your own. Anyone any good suggestions

Paul

[adwjenk]

WELL DONR MAZZY

Its the best feeling in the world to do ur first solo and the landing is always the best.

I know the feeling about taxying back on Kilo tht was and is still my worst fear hitting an A/C espically when ur on ur own

AGAIN WELL DONE

ADWJENK

[Vee One...Rotate]

Hampshire Hog,

How about Kenny Loggins - Highway To The Danger Zone? Or Eddie Van Halen?

Or maybe a more leisurely bout of Tom Petty - Learning To Fly?

V1R

God, I'd love to have a little cassette player with some Kenny L. blasting out on final Safety aside of course...!