From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
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LN - first solo? Very many congratulations! Great feeling, isn't it! The feeling won't go for a while now! Hope you can get up tomorrow and have another go!
TJF97 - I can sympathise. Stick in at it here, though. It'll be worth it in the end! I had a lesson cancelled today, which is bloody annoying. Plus I can't fly for two weeks, due to school and work commitments! Was talking to my FI, though and I've booked 2 hours so I can hopefully finish solo consolidation!
At least you get used to the dodgy weather now - it'll stay this way when we've passed!
Well done on the solo!
John.
TJF97 - I can sympathise. Stick in at it here, though. It'll be worth it in the end! I had a lesson cancelled today, which is bloody annoying. Plus I can't fly for two weeks, due to school and work commitments! Was talking to my FI, though and I've booked 2 hours so I can hopefully finish solo consolidation!
At least you get used to the dodgy weather now - it'll stay this way when we've passed!
Well done on the solo!
John.
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Gertrude. Thanks for the info ref Cambridge - it's an airfield I will not have visited until the day of my QXC, so any info is welcome. I'm quite used to operating in and out of a busy commercial airport since I fly out of East Midlands. I don't think anything of it now, slotting in between 737's, Airbus 320's, and even the odd Antonov, but visiting an airport like Cambridge, solo and for the first time will make me sit up and take notice!!
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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Thanks Mazz,and I've still got the buzz and am now going to write up my log.
No flying today as it's blowing hard straight across the runway,I spoke to the instructor this morning and he said "why spoil what's been a good weekend?"
I'm studying for the nav exam as it probably won't be long before we start doing practical nav flying lessons.
Lister
No flying today as it's blowing hard straight across the runway,I spoke to the instructor this morning and he said "why spoil what's been a good weekend?"
I'm studying for the nav exam as it probably won't be long before we start doing practical nav flying lessons.
Lister
first solo today - first PPRUNE post too, so make that two firsts in one day
Firstly I must say I like this thread a lot - well done mazzy for starting it. It's been a great source of inspiration for me and, no doubt, others too.
Well, I did my first solo circuit today at YPJT. A beautiful day with 15kts at 260 and blue skies. I've been waiting for it to happen for the last three hours or so, but every time I've gone up I've wound up doing something (or not doing something) that perhaps rattled my instructor a bit and put him off sending me out.
Today was IMHO, no different. I did an hour of circuits late this afternoon and was making an approach on one of them when ATC gave a guy clearance for 'immediate take off' whilst I was well into my final approach to 24L. This was also given him when the last plane to take off was about an inch off the deck too. My instructor muttered 'I don't believe he just did that' under his breath so it was go-around time.
No dramas really, except it was a busy circuit and I was flying up the live side (parallel runways) with two climbing planes below me and understandably getting a bit nervous about the situation. Probably should have asked my instructor before, but I put in a request for an early turn, which was approved with a long instruction to make no.2 to a Cessna somewhere mid down-wind. It caused my instructor to have a small fit and it put me off my stride a bit (a lot actually). Wound up delaying my early turn and then struggling a) to sight the traffic on downwind and b) (after a quiz from FI), to remember whether it was to be no.1 or no.2. to said plane. It shortly looked obvious what to do (I think) so I slotted in behind a plane and continued the circuit. Well, no planes fell out of the sky and I didn't hear any desperate RT trying to make the best of a mess, so I think I did OK (just!). I did get an ear bending about doing 'clever stuff' and 'I haven't taught you to do that'. etc
In retrospect, I'm nearly certain I should have left it to the ATC to shuffle everyone around whilst I was doing my go around and so rather than exchange the devil of a situation that I did know, of nervous anticipation for ATC instuctions for an unknown devil of me having to find my way into a new spot in a busy circuit and where everything suddenly begins to look like a Cessna!
Anyway, after a couple more conventional(!) circuits and some (what I thought were) pretty average landings, my instructor requested to ammend to a full stop. He took control on the ground and we did a Schumacher impression off at the first taxiway and headed for the runup area. It was at this stage pretty obvious what was going to happen but surprisingly I didn't feel any sense of trepidation or nerves.
We came to a halt and A, my FI packed his kit up and climbed out, giving me a few instructions to do one circuit for a full stop, go around if I had any proplems, a caution about the change in performance one-up etc etc. and then a last minute reminder about leaving the clever stuff out.
I re-did my pre-takeoff checks and then taxied off, successfully crossing the undershoot of a busy 24R and then cleared to line up after on 24L. To be honest, the only time a nervous thought went through my mind was when I went to full power. "I've got to get it right now!" The rest of the circuit was a non-event. The climb performance was impressive (for a 152!) and I was following a Singapore Airlines 172 around so absolutely no issues with finding traffic, keeping separation etc. The approach went well but the landing turned into two, although I managed to get the hold-off sorted for the second one. Then it was all over. It must have been a non-event, because ATC didn't even acknowledge my ground call as a first solo - in their defence they were pretty understaffed and overworked to today, even with a note on ATIS to that effect.
Well, that's my first milestone, with 20-something hours or so (I dared not add up my logged time just yet) and now for something a little different, more of the same!
Anyway, sorry if it's a bit rambling. Keep the diary entries coming guys and gals. There's probably 10 times as many people reading and gaining from them as the number of those posting.
Cheers,
Andrew
Well, I did my first solo circuit today at YPJT. A beautiful day with 15kts at 260 and blue skies. I've been waiting for it to happen for the last three hours or so, but every time I've gone up I've wound up doing something (or not doing something) that perhaps rattled my instructor a bit and put him off sending me out.
Today was IMHO, no different. I did an hour of circuits late this afternoon and was making an approach on one of them when ATC gave a guy clearance for 'immediate take off' whilst I was well into my final approach to 24L. This was also given him when the last plane to take off was about an inch off the deck too. My instructor muttered 'I don't believe he just did that' under his breath so it was go-around time.
No dramas really, except it was a busy circuit and I was flying up the live side (parallel runways) with two climbing planes below me and understandably getting a bit nervous about the situation. Probably should have asked my instructor before, but I put in a request for an early turn, which was approved with a long instruction to make no.2 to a Cessna somewhere mid down-wind. It caused my instructor to have a small fit and it put me off my stride a bit (a lot actually). Wound up delaying my early turn and then struggling a) to sight the traffic on downwind and b) (after a quiz from FI), to remember whether it was to be no.1 or no.2. to said plane. It shortly looked obvious what to do (I think) so I slotted in behind a plane and continued the circuit. Well, no planes fell out of the sky and I didn't hear any desperate RT trying to make the best of a mess, so I think I did OK (just!). I did get an ear bending about doing 'clever stuff' and 'I haven't taught you to do that'. etc
In retrospect, I'm nearly certain I should have left it to the ATC to shuffle everyone around whilst I was doing my go around and so rather than exchange the devil of a situation that I did know, of nervous anticipation for ATC instuctions for an unknown devil of me having to find my way into a new spot in a busy circuit and where everything suddenly begins to look like a Cessna!
Anyway, after a couple more conventional(!) circuits and some (what I thought were) pretty average landings, my instructor requested to ammend to a full stop. He took control on the ground and we did a Schumacher impression off at the first taxiway and headed for the runup area. It was at this stage pretty obvious what was going to happen but surprisingly I didn't feel any sense of trepidation or nerves.
We came to a halt and A, my FI packed his kit up and climbed out, giving me a few instructions to do one circuit for a full stop, go around if I had any proplems, a caution about the change in performance one-up etc etc. and then a last minute reminder about leaving the clever stuff out.
I re-did my pre-takeoff checks and then taxied off, successfully crossing the undershoot of a busy 24R and then cleared to line up after on 24L. To be honest, the only time a nervous thought went through my mind was when I went to full power. "I've got to get it right now!" The rest of the circuit was a non-event. The climb performance was impressive (for a 152!) and I was following a Singapore Airlines 172 around so absolutely no issues with finding traffic, keeping separation etc. The approach went well but the landing turned into two, although I managed to get the hold-off sorted for the second one. Then it was all over. It must have been a non-event, because ATC didn't even acknowledge my ground call as a first solo - in their defence they were pretty understaffed and overworked to today, even with a note on ATIS to that effect.
Well, that's my first milestone, with 20-something hours or so (I dared not add up my logged time just yet) and now for something a little different, more of the same!
Anyway, sorry if it's a bit rambling. Keep the diary entries coming guys and gals. There's probably 10 times as many people reading and gaining from them as the number of those posting.
Cheers,
Andrew
Spicy Meatball
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Andrew - what a great post, thanks! Well done mate and welcome aboard! I hope you can share your future experiences with us!
Enjoy your new achievement
Lister - I have my Nav exam on Saturday, which if I pass, is all the exams done - no more ground study (apart from refreshers and going over GFT etc). Best of luck with yours
Lee
Enjoy your new achievement
Lister - I have my Nav exam on Saturday, which if I pass, is all the exams done - no more ground study (apart from refreshers and going over GFT etc). Best of luck with yours
Lee
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Andy,good post and I'm afraid I never was a terribly good letter writer!
I've just added up my hours to solo and it is 20 hours 40 minutes,so have posted this in case any new students think they have to do it in 10 hours or they are slow/useless/thick etc.
My instructors reckon there is no normal time, it's anything from 10 to 20+hours but they do say you young un's crack it quicker than us old un's!
The main thing is we're all enjoying it so much whatever our age etc.
Lister
I've just added up my hours to solo and it is 20 hours 40 minutes,so have posted this in case any new students think they have to do it in 10 hours or they are slow/useless/thick etc.
My instructors reckon there is no normal time, it's anything from 10 to 20+hours but they do say you young un's crack it quicker than us old un's!
The main thing is we're all enjoying it so much whatever our age etc.
Lister
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EXAMS
Lee. I was surprised to see your School allowed you to take your QXC prior to passing all your exams. I've been told by my school, that you have to have ALL the exams in the bag before you are allowed to do this - I was under the impression it was a CAA regulation? Maybe I'm being fed a line to encourage me to get my last exam (Aircraft General) under my belt!! Any thoughts on this??
Mike
Mike
Spicy Meatball
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Cheq - I see your point, I think these are school regulations and not CAA. It's strange actually when I talk to different people and they say "I had to do this and this". For example, I know a person who was allowed to get signed off for their QXC by any instructor, and not the one that they went dual with, whereas, I had to take time off work (no problem with this) in order that I could do my QXC on a weekday when my instructor works (he doesn't work weekends) due to the fact that I could not fly solo on another instructors license unless he had seen me fly.
Also, I had to do 3 hours solo in the circuit as a priority and was not allowed to do anything else until I had done so (which I am glad for now!) - I do believe this is not a mandatory requirement from the CAA either.
A prime example is that you should pass Air Law before your first solo, and again, I don't even think this is required by the CAA.
It would be good to hear of any others that people may have, and I am sure if I have been incorrect in any of the above, I shall be corrected
Lister, you have made an extremely valid point, one that everybody ponders over before they make their first solo!
Cheers all,
Lee
Also, I had to do 3 hours solo in the circuit as a priority and was not allowed to do anything else until I had done so (which I am glad for now!) - I do believe this is not a mandatory requirement from the CAA either.
A prime example is that you should pass Air Law before your first solo, and again, I don't even think this is required by the CAA.
It would be good to hear of any others that people may have, and I am sure if I have been incorrect in any of the above, I shall be corrected
Lister, you have made an extremely valid point, one that everybody ponders over before they make their first solo!
Cheers all,
Lee
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My school does not allow you to go solo until you have passed Air Law.
I think the other exams can be taken later in the course but not too sure as the school keep pulling my leg.
eg,you only have to if your name begins with L or N !
Lister
I think the other exams can be taken later in the course but not too sure as the school keep pulling my leg.
eg,you only have to if your name begins with L or N !
Lister
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Lee. It's a bit of a lottery, it seems, regarding exams! It's also a real lottery ref weather at the moment!! I was due to do a solo nav today at 10.30 - woke to a beautiful clear sky, but would you believe it the E.Mids winds are just outside the 10 kt crosswind limit for solo flights, Grrrrrr!! The plane is available at 12.00, so I'm waiting for the later TAF/METAR reports to see if it calms down a bit. The school decides these things, but 210/13 kts for runway 27 is VERY close to being OK. My school is VERY strict on these things, and will not deviate. They've never had an accident in about 20 years of operation, so perhaps their approach is admirable!!!
Spicy Meatball
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Quite right Cheq - limits are there for a reason! It's not just the schools or the aircraft's limit, but it's also your own - you have to decide what you are comfortable with, and I wouldn't be (on my own) with a 13 knot cross wind!
I have been thinking of setting up a web-cam at Liverpool, purely because when I'm at home and I look out the window, it looks perfect, however when I speak to my instructor who is at Liverpool, he informs me that it's crap! There's only about 12 miles distance too!
I have been thinking of setting up a web-cam at Liverpool, purely because when I'm at home and I look out the window, it looks perfect, however when I speak to my instructor who is at Liverpool, he informs me that it's crap! There's only about 12 miles distance too!
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Hey Mazzy are using the PPL Confuser or the AFE Q & A. I've found a store that will post to USA and dunno whether to go for the full AFE package or just the five manuals and the confuser. 
Spicy Meatball
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Cad - I would definitely go with the confuser - I have got the AFE question book but never used it (I have heard quite a few times that it has mistakes in it). If you study the material well enough, you should be able to test yourself with the confuser and use it as a brush-up for the real exam. Bear in mind that the exams have recently changed, so make sure you get an up to date version of everything.
Best of luck
Best of luck
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Cheers Mazzy.
Just been reading a thread about PPL equipment to get you started
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...t&pagenumber=1
and now I'm having problems deciding whether to go for TT Manuals or AFE. Some people reckon that if you are thinking of going pro later then go for the TT manuals as they are more in depth. Manuals 1 - 4 plus the confuser to start.
Should work out at the same price (ish)
Don't think I need Radio Telephony as I've found a free pdf for CAP413 which lays out the radio telephony stuff. It can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP413.PDF
Any recommendations would be great.
Carl
Just been reading a thread about PPL equipment to get you started
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...t&pagenumber=1
and now I'm having problems deciding whether to go for TT Manuals or AFE. Some people reckon that if you are thinking of going pro later then go for the TT manuals as they are more in depth. Manuals 1 - 4 plus the confuser to start.
Should work out at the same price (ish)
Don't think I need Radio Telephony as I've found a free pdf for CAP413 which lays out the radio telephony stuff. It can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP413.PDF
Any recommendations would be great.
Carl
Spicy Meatball
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Ah the famous AFE vs TT debate. I have only seen the AFE ones so can't give an unbiased view - do a search on this, it has been hammered on prune!
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Hi, I managed to get a hour in today. I was doing circuits (badly!!) Actually I was doing ok but I'm still having trouble landing, I'm flaring too early which is starting to annoy me!!
Any way I'll see how I get on tomorrow
TJF97
Any way I'll see how I get on tomorrow
TJF97
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TJF97 see this thread from the instructors forum, they are discussing flare points on this thread.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...hreadid=196364
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...hreadid=196364
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Thanks mate!! I've read it a couple of times and I can't wait to practice, trouble is the old weather has reared its ugly head again today (too windy) and I'm grounded until tomorrow.
TJF97
TJF97
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That's a good one that. I wait until I can see tyre marks on the runway and then start the flare. When your higher above the threshold, they aren't as apparent as when you are lower down - works for me