From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
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Just want to say congrats mate!
Iv been quietly reading this forum and have followed it most of the way through. I pased my skills test at the end of June. mine didnt go quite as good as yours however, i muked up my PFL, did it again though and got it fine.
But very well done mate, well done indeed! welcome to the club, im sure the rest will be welcomed soon!
Good luck all!
Iv been quietly reading this forum and have followed it most of the way through. I pased my skills test at the end of June. mine didnt go quite as good as yours however, i muked up my PFL, did it again though and got it fine.
But very well done mate, well done indeed! welcome to the club, im sure the rest will be welcomed soon!
Good luck all!
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Data,congratulations and well done you, all this followed by an absolutely suberb write-up.
We have done quite a bit this weekend including more solo's,basic nav using only the chart and matching it to features 10 miles ahead.
Today we did some PFL's and really extreme steep turns up to 80 degrees bank to let me know how it felt buffetting at 50% above normal stall speed.
The CFI reckons weather permitting he will have me done and dusted by Christmas,just leaves me with several ground exams to do in four weeks,so no pressure then!
Lister
We have done quite a bit this weekend including more solo's,basic nav using only the chart and matching it to features 10 miles ahead.
Today we did some PFL's and really extreme steep turns up to 80 degrees bank to let me know how it felt buffetting at 50% above normal stall speed.
The CFI reckons weather permitting he will have me done and dusted by Christmas,just leaves me with several ground exams to do in four weeks,so no pressure then!
Lister
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Nice work Mr Data... the ol' PFL above an airfield trick, eh?? 
I just happened to get the same thing on my PPL flight test, only it was over my home field at the completion of the flight!!
Damn good feeling to pass though, isn't it? Now the intensely frustrating wait for the licence...
I just happened to get the same thing on my PPL flight test, only it was over my home field at the completion of the flight!! Damn good feeling to pass though, isn't it? Now the intensely frustrating wait for the licence...
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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Looking back, the PFL over an airfield was in someways more daunting. I was expecting a field to aim for and generally getting 'close enough' that the landing could have been completed.
Instead there is the pressure to actually get on the ground and instead of aiming for a 250m+ wide field I'm looking at a 60m wide runway (yes, I know it is still very wide, but from 3000ft it looks like a pretty thin and straight strip to aim for compared to the surrounding fields!).
Great fun though, and doing this all the way to touch down was a great confidence booster for future flying.
I'm going to the post office today to dispatch the various paper slips to the CAA. That will be another £149 for the application fee - nobody ever said this flying was cheap!
Instead there is the pressure to actually get on the ground and instead of aiming for a 250m+ wide field I'm looking at a 60m wide runway (yes, I know it is still very wide, but from 3000ft it looks like a pretty thin and straight strip to aim for compared to the surrounding fields!).
Great fun though, and doing this all the way to touch down was a great confidence booster for future flying.
I'm going to the post office today to dispatch the various paper slips to the CAA. That will be another £149 for the application fee - nobody ever said this flying was cheap!
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Many congrats Mydata - fantastic feeling I'm sure. I guess Mazzy's not too far behind you with his QXC under his belt. I was supposed to do my final solo landaway today before QXC, but of course it's been canned due to fog. Hey ho! that's how it goes I guess!!
Many congrats again - what's your plan? Buy a plane, a share in one or just rent??
Many congrats again - what's your plan? Buy a plane, a share in one or just rent??
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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Cheq, kookabat, Lister, stue, disco, happyeater, mazzy, cadahah, jwf ... thanks for all the kind comments. It is great to be able to share this with those who are closely involved in what's required in the PPL quest.
I've spent some time re-reading parts of this thread today. There is so much great information here that will help all of us through to the point where the examiner says 'Congratulations'. Mazzy - you should ask permission from PPRuNe powers that be to get this thread turned into a book ;-)
Future plans? Well, I'll stick around this thread for a while, at least until some more of you are qualified. I'll do the usual flights with family and friends over houses and places of interest. Although many of my friends / family live in Leeds or Manchester so opportunities to fly overhead will be limited due to restrictions.
At the flying school there is a DA40 for hire. I'd like to get a type rating for one of these. Very nice, fully kitted out with the latest avionics.
Then there is the IMC rating. That is my next target. I want to do it for the challenge but also for safety reasons and to make my flying more flexible.
Night rating? I'm not keen. I know some people think it is a great feeling, I'm just too risk averse. PFL in the dark anyone? I'll wait until I get my twin engine rating first ;-)
And then there is my ultimate goal, funds permitting. I want to get a PPL(H). I've always thought helicopters to be a truer 'flying machine'. There is something about them that is just so cool. And having had a helicopter lesson way before I started on fixed wing, and having flown about 3hrs in helicopters on leisure flights I'm still hooked.
Oh, and also in the 'things to do' list are gliding. Some would argue it makes a better pilot because you have to 'feel' the flying rather than managing the flightpath. Also on this list is aerobatic training, again to improve my skills and push things to the envelope in a safe and controlled manner and also to have fun.
The Jet Provost blast out of Sandtoft. Or a trip to Thunder City in South Africa for a Hunter or Lightning flight.
I'll probably stick to renting at this time. Although there is a small airstrip only 2 miles from home (Crosland Moor - a.k.a. Huddersfield International). It would be fantastic having my own or shared aircraft there to take out every now and then...
Thinks: I need a pay rise, or a lottery win!
I've spent some time re-reading parts of this thread today. There is so much great information here that will help all of us through to the point where the examiner says 'Congratulations'. Mazzy - you should ask permission from PPRuNe powers that be to get this thread turned into a book ;-)
Future plans? Well, I'll stick around this thread for a while, at least until some more of you are qualified. I'll do the usual flights with family and friends over houses and places of interest. Although many of my friends / family live in Leeds or Manchester so opportunities to fly overhead will be limited due to restrictions.
At the flying school there is a DA40 for hire. I'd like to get a type rating for one of these. Very nice, fully kitted out with the latest avionics.
Then there is the IMC rating. That is my next target. I want to do it for the challenge but also for safety reasons and to make my flying more flexible.
Night rating? I'm not keen. I know some people think it is a great feeling, I'm just too risk averse. PFL in the dark anyone? I'll wait until I get my twin engine rating first ;-)
And then there is my ultimate goal, funds permitting. I want to get a PPL(H). I've always thought helicopters to be a truer 'flying machine'. There is something about them that is just so cool. And having had a helicopter lesson way before I started on fixed wing, and having flown about 3hrs in helicopters on leisure flights I'm still hooked.
Oh, and also in the 'things to do' list are gliding. Some would argue it makes a better pilot because you have to 'feel' the flying rather than managing the flightpath. Also on this list is aerobatic training, again to improve my skills and push things to the envelope in a safe and controlled manner and also to have fun.
The Jet Provost blast out of Sandtoft. Or a trip to Thunder City in South Africa for a Hunter or Lightning flight.
I'll probably stick to renting at this time. Although there is a small airstrip only 2 miles from home (Crosland Moor - a.k.a. Huddersfield International). It would be fantastic having my own or shared aircraft there to take out every now and then...
Thinks: I need a pay rise, or a lottery win!
Spicy Meatball
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A book! Now there's an idea!
Data - I think you have done really well, and again, you, and everyone else who posts to this thread, is what makes it what it is - if you stripped out everything and just left my posts in, it would be tiny! So again, thanks
Your list of future plans is more or less identical to mine, apart form the PPL(H) (well, I would love more than anything to fly whirlies, but I think I would need a money tree in the back garden that sprung £50 notes)
I fancy the IMC and the night rating, as well as doing some aero's and maybe getting into a share. I suppose the ultimate goal would be to own my own aircraft, but then your talking real big bucks.
Enjoy your new found privilege
Lee
Data - I think you have done really well, and again, you, and everyone else who posts to this thread, is what makes it what it is - if you stripped out everything and just left my posts in, it would be tiny! So again, thanks
Your list of future plans is more or less identical to mine, apart form the PPL(H) (well, I would love more than anything to fly whirlies, but I think I would need a money tree in the back garden that sprung £50 notes)
I fancy the IMC and the night rating, as well as doing some aero's and maybe getting into a share. I suppose the ultimate goal would be to own my own aircraft, but then your talking real big bucks.
Enjoy your new found privilege
Lee
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MyData - my future plans sound rather similar! I'm also keen learn to fly gliders - must be whacky at first. It's a must, for me though. IMC sounds good, as does aeros. But helicopters?! Really?! Not keen myself...don't trust them! (If there's any heli pilots wanting to prove me wrong by taking me for a flight I won't decline, though!).
As for the Jet Provost - costs a tonne, but go for it! You will not regret it. So, so much fun. My first flight in it was only after 4 hours TT, but very much looking forward to flying it again, now that I can actually fly!
Must be great being able to ponder about what to do now! I phoned up the club yesterday, to book a lesson, but I can't fly until 10th Dec!! Gutted! But 2 hours of circuits will hopefully be the end of it, just need a little more practice at glide approaches.
Anyhoo, have fun with your licence!! (Great write up as well, btw.)
John.
As for the Jet Provost - costs a tonne, but go for it! You will not regret it. So, so much fun. My first flight in it was only after 4 hours TT, but very much looking forward to flying it again, now that I can actually fly!
Must be great being able to ponder about what to do now! I phoned up the club yesterday, to book a lesson, but I can't fly until 10th Dec!! Gutted! But 2 hours of circuits will hopefully be the end of it, just need a little more practice at glide approaches.
Anyhoo, have fun with your licence!! (Great write up as well, btw.)
John.
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Spinning a Warrior
MyData. I've just read your full report of the skill test, and a very good write up it was too!! Well done again. What sort of plane did you learn in? I'm interested, 'cos you were asked to demonstrate spin recovery. In the PA28 Warrior that I'm learning in, deliberate spinning is forbidden by Piper. As a result I've never done it, so presumably (hopefuly) the examinersl take that into account for Warrior students. I must ask the school next time I'm there. (Friday booked for solo landaway, but strong winds/ snow showers are forecast ,so I'm sure it will be canned yet again)
Super-Friendly Aviator
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Chequeredflag,
I'm guessing it might have been a request for incipient spin recovery rather than a fully-developed spin recovery as I'm pretty sure that's not a requirement for the PPL skills test. Stand to be corrected though.
As an aside, early on in my PPL training I went through a few fully-developed spins in the C152 - what a hoot
As well as being great fun and a nice challenge, I think it's useful to have a play at the edge of the envelope - gives you confidence in your abilities and teaches you more about the a/c.
Regards,
V1R
I'm guessing it might have been a request for incipient spin recovery rather than a fully-developed spin recovery as I'm pretty sure that's not a requirement for the PPL skills test. Stand to be corrected though.
As an aside, early on in my PPL training I went through a few fully-developed spins in the C152 - what a hoot
As well as being great fun and a nice challenge, I think it's useful to have a play at the edge of the envelope - gives you confidence in your abilities and teaches you more about the a/c.
Regards,
V1R
Spicy Meatball
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Spins used to be in the syllabus, but they were removed, due to the fact that too many people were being killed. I think it was the spiral descent that was being referred to, and not a spin 
Spins are bloody good fun though, done a few in the Chipmunk a while back and they are superb
Spins are bloody good fun though, done a few in the Chipmunk a while back and they are superb
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Iv done spins in a C-152, and they are fantastic!
not only are they great fun, but like Vee One...Rotate said, it really gives you the feel of what the a/c can do and how to avoid getting in to that situation. i think a defo for any pilot. (depents on how strong your stomach is though!
)
not only are they great fun, but like Vee One...Rotate said, it really gives you the feel of what the a/c can do and how to avoid getting in to that situation. i think a defo for any pilot. (depents on how strong your stomach is though!
)
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Spinning (horrible thought )
Chequred Flag : An old type Warrior (140 Cadet )is able to be spun if you can find one, They have little square wings.
JW Whisky Kilo will spin if you can find someone to do it with if it is still allowed (martinidoc used to do it )
Safe flying all...........
My Data : Try IMC at night in cloud, really disorientating !!
JW Whisky Kilo will spin if you can find someone to do it with if it is still allowed (martinidoc used to do it )
Safe flying all...........
My Data : Try IMC at night in cloud, really disorientating !!
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Don't tell me that! Hehe - WK will be my choice of 'plane next time! I'll ask John if it is still allowed!
Would like to experience it mind, for the reasons already mentioned.
I'd love to have a crack at IMC. Mind you I felt sick the first time I flew with just the instruments.
Would like to experience it mind, for the reasons already mentioned.
I'd love to have a crack at IMC. Mind you I felt sick the first time I flew with just the instruments.
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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It was spiral dive recovery that I had to demonstrate. I've never been spinning (and don't like the thought of it) - as Mazzy states, it has been taken off the syllabus these days.
I guess it is something I'd like to consider as part of an aerobatics course - just to get the feel for it and how to recover.
I guess it is something I'd like to consider as part of an aerobatics course - just to get the feel for it and how to recover.
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Never spun a powered aircraft, only a glider - good fun - ohhh soo slow and lazy though cos of those ridiculously long wings. Closest I've come to a spin in a 152 was an impressive wing drop during a stalling lesson - with flap out and a bit of power on. Happened far quicker than I was expecting!!
Aeros are something I'm aiming for as well - once the $$$ come through!!
Aeros are something I'm aiming for as well - once the $$$ come through!!
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Spining
Try and find a Bulldog (ex RAF trainer ) fun to fly and fully aerobatic.
Flew and rolled in one,360 deg in the twinkling of an eye (not keen )
Have fun....
Flew and rolled in one,360 deg in the twinkling of an eye (not keen )
Have fun....
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Bulldog
Yes I agree, an interesting aircraft to fly a bit like a mini on steriods and very different to a warrior with bags of power and light airframe,very sensitive to inputs from the stick or is it just me being used to docile trainers.
This thread is doing well Mazzy...Keep it up people.
This thread is doing well Mazzy...Keep it up people.