From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
Spicy Meatball
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I too sometimes get confused as to what is CAA rules, or a flying school policy. For example, I had to complete 3 hours of solo circuits before I left the zone. I totally agree with this because, all the time I spent up there was used to gain experience in the 'what if' situation. For example being asked to hold at different positions or orbits etc. When I am approaching the field from out the zone, my brain switches to circuit mode and I feel more comfortable knowing that I have hammered the circuit! Personally, I would not have felt comfortable leaving the zone having done just one circuit, but that' just me
Maybe that was swapped with the amount of dual nav you did - as I only done one dual nav leg (apart from the normal/routine exit and entry to the zone) before my first flight out the zone - however this was not complex, simply out and back in.
Cheers,
Lee
I too sometimes get confused as to what is CAA rules, or a flying school policy. For example, I had to complete 3 hours of solo circuits before I left the zone. I totally agree with this because, all the time I spent up there was used to gain experience in the 'what if' situation. For example being asked to hold at different positions or orbits etc. When I am approaching the field from out the zone, my brain switches to circuit mode and I feel more comfortable knowing that I have hammered the circuit! Personally, I would not have felt comfortable leaving the zone having done just one circuit, but that' just me
Maybe that was swapped with the amount of dual nav you did - as I only done one dual nav leg (apart from the normal/routine exit and entry to the zone) before my first flight out the zone - however this was not complex, simply out and back in.Cheers,
Lee
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(I did ONE solo circuit before going CX solo - although I did a lot of dual NAV first).
I did not, however, note the weather in my log book. My recollection is of several occurences of "the cloud base is too low for your first navex, why don't you fly some solo circuits".
Spicy Meatball
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Gertrude I think you have a good point - I think it would be a good idea to log the weather for flying, perhaps just whilst training. Obviously you wouldn't write the entire METAR in your log, just some brief indication etc. I keep a database of my log book and include a notes field to note down anything of importance.
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Good Luck with your flight tomorrow mazzy, my flights booked for Friday 1330. I'll see you around, have fun and good luck with the weather - today : EGGP 121520Z 33010KT 9999 FEW030 28/16 Q1028. PPrune was mentioned today in the daily mail, in an article about a guy who flew within 600ft of another aircraft. The guy was meant to be taking a photograph of his mate, who was 100nm from the incident!
Blue skies.
Squeaky
Blue skies.
Squeaky
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Good evening all - long time no speak. Actually I've been away for nearly 4 weeks, so have done little flying since my last post. I'm now up to 41 hours, with just over 4 hours solo under my belt. Sadly, my regular instructor has done himslf some damage (not flying!!), so will be off flying duties for several weeks. I went up with another instructor about 4 weeks ago, and did a nav to the South. Everything went well, and he was happy with my progress, having never flown together before. He rather shocked me by saying that I was ready to go off on my own, out of the Zone, but that I couldn't do that until I had passed my Nav/Perf & Planning exams. I'm absolutely hopeless at disciplining myself to study as I know I must, but took the relevant books away with me whilst we cruised the South coast in our boat. Of course I did very little swatting, and I'm now panicking!!! This week I've got my Nav mock, so I'll be able to see how bad I really am. I've also booked my R/T Theory and Practical for Thursday, and having caught up with some of your experiences with the Oral part of it, I'm absolutely "sh..t...g" myself at it's complexity. I just don't see myself passing at the moment - still I'll go for it and see what happens.
Once these hurdles are passed, I'll be doing more nav, dual and solo - it was hinted that I'm not too far off completing the course, but we'll se how it progresses.
Many congrats to all of you that have done so well over recent weeks - it would be good to meet up with you all some day. On the boating website I frequent, there are various local Midland basaed boaters and we meet up for a pint somewhere central - perhaps we could do the same. It would be good to faces to names. What do you think??
Cheers all, and safe flying.
Once these hurdles are passed, I'll be doing more nav, dual and solo - it was hinted that I'm not too far off completing the course, but we'll se how it progresses.
Many congrats to all of you that have done so well over recent weeks - it would be good to meet up with you all some day. On the boating website I frequent, there are various local Midland basaed boaters and we meet up for a pint somewhere central - perhaps we could do the same. It would be good to faces to names. What do you think??
Cheers all, and safe flying.
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As soon as you go out on your first solo nav is when I found it really started to start feeling right. Up till then I still very much felt like a student and didn't have much confidence. Once you get out by yourself you'll realise that you can actaully do it all no problem!
Sounds like your doing well CF, keep up the work!! (both on the ground AND in the air!
)
Sounds like your doing well CF, keep up the work!! (both on the ground AND in the air!
)
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Stalls.
Hello all,
Had my second recent lesson today. Was great fun. As my instructor was a little late for whatever reason, another offered to go through to full external flight check. So we spent 15 mintues or so going through those.
Once my instructor appeared we went to the briefing room which is when I discovered todays main topic - stalls! Was happy about that, being the adventurous type!
So we got into the A/C and did the normal, went to the runway, and took off. I was rather pleased with my take-off, although I still didn't manage to keep it on the runway heading.
After turning left (to the North) and climbed to 3000 ft, he asked me to stall it. I recovered, but not perfectly. We practiced some more both clean and with flaps and I eventually cracked the recovery so I was rather pleased with that!
My instructor had me working the radio - I kept forgeting to add my callsign to the message which was a little embarrassing but luckily there was a trainee controller dealing with us, who made a few mistakes as well!
On the way back to Newcastle, I was told to decend in a glide and find a field. I was on the downwind leg when I actually realised what he was making me do - the simulated emergency landing approach. This was fun, we were very low on finals when full power was applied and we climbed again.
And that was almost the end of the lesson apart from the landing. Oh, which was my first without any help! Was very pleased, I did part of the radio work, after holding for a minute I joined the circuit and took it all the way around, coming in to land. No problems really, directions from the instructor were needed when I decided to flare too early, but that wasn't too much of a problem and I managed to get it down! After a quick U-turn on the runway, I took it in, and parked it up!
Overall a great and fun lesson. Even though it isn't a massive milestone, I was pleased I managed to land without the instructor having to grab the controls at the last minute! So five hours down, 40 to go! Stalls in turns on Sunday, very much looking forward to it!
Cheers,
JW.
Had my second recent lesson today. Was great fun. As my instructor was a little late for whatever reason, another offered to go through to full external flight check. So we spent 15 mintues or so going through those.
Once my instructor appeared we went to the briefing room which is when I discovered todays main topic - stalls! Was happy about that, being the adventurous type!
So we got into the A/C and did the normal, went to the runway, and took off. I was rather pleased with my take-off, although I still didn't manage to keep it on the runway heading.
After turning left (to the North) and climbed to 3000 ft, he asked me to stall it. I recovered, but not perfectly. We practiced some more both clean and with flaps and I eventually cracked the recovery so I was rather pleased with that!
My instructor had me working the radio - I kept forgeting to add my callsign to the message which was a little embarrassing but luckily there was a trainee controller dealing with us, who made a few mistakes as well!
On the way back to Newcastle, I was told to decend in a glide and find a field. I was on the downwind leg when I actually realised what he was making me do - the simulated emergency landing approach. This was fun, we were very low on finals when full power was applied and we climbed again.
And that was almost the end of the lesson apart from the landing. Oh, which was my first without any help! Was very pleased, I did part of the radio work, after holding for a minute I joined the circuit and took it all the way around, coming in to land. No problems really, directions from the instructor were needed when I decided to flare too early, but that wasn't too much of a problem and I managed to get it down! After a quick U-turn on the runway, I took it in, and parked it up!
Overall a great and fun lesson. Even though it isn't a massive milestone, I was pleased I managed to land without the instructor having to grab the controls at the last minute! So five hours down, 40 to go! Stalls in turns on Sunday, very much looking forward to it!
Cheers,
JW.
Spicy Meatball
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Cheq - dont worry too much about the RT - it's not as detailed as you think. I am sure you will be fine, having used the radio's somewhat now. I think meeting up is an excellent idea - somewhere central woul dbe a good idea I suppose. What do you all think?
John, sounds like you had a good time, wait till you do wing drops! The first unaided landing is always a buzz - sets in confidence, especially if it is a good one. Dont be put off though when you have a bad landing (cos you will) just learn from it. I had my first landing in a Cherokee yesterday - went up for a jolly with an ex instructor in the club's 4 seater - unbelievable aircraft, very stable indeed and a joy to fly, much easier than the Tommy - I will definately be getting checked out on it when I get my ticket!
Cheers all
Lee
John, sounds like you had a good time, wait till you do wing drops! The first unaided landing is always a buzz - sets in confidence, especially if it is a good one. Dont be put off though when you have a bad landing (cos you will) just learn from it. I had my first landing in a Cherokee yesterday - went up for a jolly with an ex instructor in the club's 4 seater - unbelievable aircraft, very stable indeed and a joy to fly, much easier than the Tommy - I will definately be getting checked out on it when I get my ticket!
Cheers all
Lee
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I told you the warriors nice 
As doe a club thats vaguely centrals thats quite tough to figure out, for my and mazzy I was thiking glochestershire, or maybe kemble, that might still work for people from EMA.
As doe a club thats vaguely centrals thats quite tough to figure out, for my and mazzy I was thiking glochestershire, or maybe kemble, that might still work for people from EMA.
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Passed, no problems!!
Took the R/T exam today - 100% in the written. However, the practical was something else - I know the classromm temperature was about 90 degrees, but boy did I sweat!!!
I found it very difficult to stay ahead of the game, the whole exercise seeming artificial, and somewhat contrived, but I passed with no probs it seems.
I flew for the first time in 4 weeks today, a nav exercise over North Derbyshire. It went "OK", though the 3000' winds were definitely not what was forecast, so found myself 5 degrees out at one of the halfway points. A quick 10 degrees starboard sorted that, and the rest went fine, though the viz was pretty poor.
Next week I shall hopefully pass my Nav and then the Perf/Planning and A/C Technical shortly after, and that's all of them out of the way. I've worked really hard on the revision (at my age I have to!), and my wife has been an absolute brick, pushing me ever harder, and bombarding me with questions at all hours from the Confuser!! I think she knows the subjects better than I do by now!
With regards to meeting sometime, it doesn't have to be at a flying club, any reasonable pub in the right place will do. We are very spread out, so the idea might not fly (sorry!). I'm in the East Midlands, Mazzy is in Liverpool area, and others seem to be based in Yorkshire etc. I have relations in Manchester, so would be happy for it to be around that part of the world. These things are not easy to organise, but it would be great if even half a dozen of us got together. Hopefully we can pull something out of the bag.
Cheers all and safe flying (Warriors forever!!).
PS I've another nav tomorrow, South of EMA - hope the viz is better than today...... 
Tried to add a smilie to my last posting but the brain just won\'t work! Someone please tell me how to do it!!
Oh damn! Just seen my second to last posting covered in smilies!! The problem is I don\'t know how on earth I did it! Please help!!
Yours in embarrassment,
Mike
I found it very difficult to stay ahead of the game, the whole exercise seeming artificial, and somewhat contrived, but I passed with no probs it seems.
I flew for the first time in 4 weeks today, a nav exercise over North Derbyshire. It went "OK", though the 3000' winds were definitely not what was forecast, so found myself 5 degrees out at one of the halfway points. A quick 10 degrees starboard sorted that, and the rest went fine, though the viz was pretty poor.
Next week I shall hopefully pass my Nav and then the Perf/Planning and A/C Technical shortly after, and that's all of them out of the way. I've worked really hard on the revision (at my age I have to!), and my wife has been an absolute brick, pushing me ever harder, and bombarding me with questions at all hours from the Confuser!! I think she knows the subjects better than I do by now!
With regards to meeting sometime, it doesn't have to be at a flying club, any reasonable pub in the right place will do. We are very spread out, so the idea might not fly (sorry!). I'm in the East Midlands, Mazzy is in Liverpool area, and others seem to be based in Yorkshire etc. I have relations in Manchester, so would be happy for it to be around that part of the world. These things are not easy to organise, but it would be great if even half a dozen of us got together. Hopefully we can pull something out of the bag.
Cheers all and safe flying (Warriors forever!!).
PS I've another nav tomorrow, South of EMA - hope the viz is better than today......
Tried to add a smilie to my last posting but the brain just won\'t work! Someone please tell me how to do it!!
Oh damn! Just seen my second to last posting covered in smilies!! The problem is I don\'t know how on earth I did it! Please help!!
Yours in embarrassment,
Mike
Spicy Meatball
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Mike I can tell by the tone of your post that you are over the moon - and rightly so too! Very well done!
Manchester is good with me - I can travel further south no problem, but if most people could make it there - say a pub by the airport then that would be pretty good. Will write more soon.
Up at the crack of dawn for the graduation ceremony tomorrow, so need to hit the sack - nite all!
Lee
Manchester is good with me - I can travel further south no problem, but if most people could make it there - say a pub by the airport then that would be pretty good. Will write more soon.
Up at the crack of dawn for the graduation ceremony tomorrow, so need to hit the sack - nite all!
Lee
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Congrats on the Uni results Mazzy. How you did that, AND the PPL I don't know!!
My Mother-in-Law lives in Sale, not far from Manchester Airport, so if we could get a date in the diary suiting everyone else, I would be happy to come along, and have cheap lodgings as well!!
It will be difficult to arrange, but if the area around Manchester Airport would suit, then I'm sure I could get some advice as to a decent pub in which to meet - we just need to enthuse the others!!.
Cheers
Mike
My Mother-in-Law lives in Sale, not far from Manchester Airport, so if we could get a date in the diary suiting everyone else, I would be happy to come along, and have cheap lodgings as well!!
It will be difficult to arrange, but if the area around Manchester Airport would suit, then I'm sure I could get some advice as to a decent pub in which to meet - we just need to enthuse the others!!.
Cheers
Mike
Spicy Meatball
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Right then - I propose mid august, somewhere in a pub near Manchester airport (TBC).
Please post here now if you are up for it so we can sort numbers out ......................................
Please post here now if you are up for it so we can sort numbers out ......................................
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hey, lads.
received the receipt of payment for the PPL licence on 7th July. the waiting is killing. how many working days did you guys had to wait before the paper comes through the post? called for process status. woman on the phone always saying 10 working days from day of received (PPL application).
cheers lads.
nelson
received the receipt of payment for the PPL licence on 7th July. the waiting is killing. how many working days did you guys had to wait before the paper comes through the post? called for process status. woman on the phone always saying 10 working days from day of received (PPL application).
cheers lads.
nelson
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Mazzy I very much doubt that I can be anywhere near manchester in August so you'll have to count me out.
As to getting your PPL hekokimushi from when you get your receipt it takes around 3 weeks, plus or minus a week, randomly it seems lol.
As to getting your PPL hekokimushi from when you get your receipt it takes around 3 weeks, plus or minus a week, randomly it seems lol.
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My PPL arrived this morning..... I sent it in on the 29th June, it arrived at the CAA on the 30th.. and today is the 16th of July. About 2 weeks more or less.
Great feeling!
V2
Great feeling!
V2
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Congratulations veetwo. My second lesson was fantastic, we started off with a walkaround then my instructor allowed me to do the startup checks and procedures and taxying. During the flight we covered primary & secondary effects of control surfaces, trimming, the effect of airspeed on the control surfaces and flaps. My instructor is a great guy and all the others seem to be as well, really impressed with the flying school. Hopefully hour 3 should be this friday, fingers crossed.
Blue Skies
Squeaky
Blue Skies
Squeaky
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Finally and surprisingly got a call from a CAA lady today (Sunday how weird... 17 July) that my licence is ready. asked if i wanted to pick up or by post.
need to book a flight on Tuesday. hoping it will arrive in the morning.
need to fill in my log book with a few hours of P28 P1 time.
gosh... i was driving to West Mersea for some gr8 seafood. and saw many planes on-route. sometimes i wonder how many PPLs are there in the UK. any one dare to guess or give us a figure?? would probably be a very large surprised number eh??
take care... and happy landing...
nelson
need to book a flight on Tuesday.
hoping it will arrive in the morning. need to fill in my log book with a few hours of P28 P1 time.
gosh... i was driving to West Mersea for some gr8 seafood. and saw many planes on-route. sometimes i wonder how many PPLs are there in the UK. any one dare to guess or give us a figure?? would probably be a very large surprised number eh??
take care... and happy landing...
nelson
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Greetings all,
Today’s lesson (3rd recently, into 7th hour) was great fun. The topic was stalls in turns and climbs:
I was trusted to do the full walk around by my new instructor, including fuel tests and the likes, and once that was done we were ready to start up. Was quite pleased with my radio work, last lesson I kept forgetting to add the call sign, but not today!
Once we got to the holding point we continued with checks, called for departure clearance. After a 15-minute wait we eventually could go. Was rather pleased with my takeoff, but due to ATC instructions my instructor guided me away from the area. As we went north we did the normal – straight and level, turns in descends and climbs, glides etc. (Think it was to test if I could still do it!).
So, back to the real lesson, to make sure I hadn’t lost the technique we did a few stalls with the wings level, both clean and with flaps. Next we did one in a climbing turn, which was fine, and made my stomach go a little funny – great stuff! Finally I had ago at the ‘normal’ turning stall. Once again I thought this was okay – just apply lots more rudder! In some ways I found this easier to manage than a stall in the straight and level, as you don’t need to be so sensitive with the rudder.
Still haven’t experienced this “wing drop”, which at some point I’d quite like to. Unless I have but didn’t realise!
So as we headed home back to base I had a chance to have a good look out of the window, and admire ‘flight’. Didn’t have too much time to be in awe though, and pretty soon we were calling for a rejoin. Time to concentrate - lots of talking and listening to be done as well as keeping a good look out. We completed the “BUMS” check. I have completely forgotten part of it though, any one care to help? Brake. Undercarriage. M? S? Shamefully I’ve lost all recollection of the last two.
So anyway, we came onto finals, weren’t quite straight on the lines but I managed to get it across, and came to land. Whereas last lesson I flared a little too early, this time I left it a little to late, thus having a slightly heavy landing. Not dangerously though just a little rough!
So that was the lesson, once again great fun, really enjoyed it.
So until Friday that’s it! Next lesson – circuits, should be good.
Cheers all,
JW.
Today’s lesson (3rd recently, into 7th hour) was great fun. The topic was stalls in turns and climbs:
I was trusted to do the full walk around by my new instructor, including fuel tests and the likes, and once that was done we were ready to start up. Was quite pleased with my radio work, last lesson I kept forgetting to add the call sign, but not today!
Once we got to the holding point we continued with checks, called for departure clearance. After a 15-minute wait we eventually could go. Was rather pleased with my takeoff, but due to ATC instructions my instructor guided me away from the area. As we went north we did the normal – straight and level, turns in descends and climbs, glides etc. (Think it was to test if I could still do it!).
So, back to the real lesson, to make sure I hadn’t lost the technique we did a few stalls with the wings level, both clean and with flaps. Next we did one in a climbing turn, which was fine, and made my stomach go a little funny – great stuff! Finally I had ago at the ‘normal’ turning stall. Once again I thought this was okay – just apply lots more rudder! In some ways I found this easier to manage than a stall in the straight and level, as you don’t need to be so sensitive with the rudder.
Still haven’t experienced this “wing drop”, which at some point I’d quite like to. Unless I have but didn’t realise!
So as we headed home back to base I had a chance to have a good look out of the window, and admire ‘flight’. Didn’t have too much time to be in awe though, and pretty soon we were calling for a rejoin. Time to concentrate - lots of talking and listening to be done as well as keeping a good look out. We completed the “BUMS” check. I have completely forgotten part of it though, any one care to help? Brake. Undercarriage. M? S? Shamefully I’ve lost all recollection of the last two.
So anyway, we came onto finals, weren’t quite straight on the lines but I managed to get it across, and came to land. Whereas last lesson I flared a little too early, this time I left it a little to late, thus having a slightly heavy landing. Not dangerously though just a little rough!
So that was the lesson, once again great fun, really enjoyed it.
So until Friday that’s it! Next lesson – circuits, should be good.
Cheers all,
JW.
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Jwforeman,
I was taught BUMFFICHH
Brakes, Undercaridge, Mixture(rich) Fuel (contents, correct tank, pump on, pressure, primer in and locked) Flaps(as required) Instruments(within limits) Carb heat (20 seconds) Harneses Hatches (secure and locked)
Hope this helps,
I have racked my brains but cant think of the "S" though.
I was taught BUMFFICHH
Brakes, Undercaridge, Mixture(rich) Fuel (contents, correct tank, pump on, pressure, primer in and locked) Flaps(as required) Instruments(within limits) Carb heat (20 seconds) Harneses Hatches (secure and locked)
Hope this helps,
I have racked my brains but cant think of the "S" though.