From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary

[woottsbj25]

Good stuff everyone!

I'm booked in for my QXC tomorrow! Weather looks a bit dodgy, but it might turn out nice. I've got Wednesday to fall back on too if it doesn't happen tomorrow.

Anyone got any tips for me on my QXC?

[i.dingbat]

Kookabat's tailwheel solo

Congratulations! Bet the Citabria went up like a lift without an instructor in the back! Nice weather too.



(I hope to be out there on Saturday.)

[mazzy1026]

***First taildragger solo for me this morning!!! Woohoo!!!!***

You must feel like a kid all over again after the first solo - well done! (still jealous)

All the experiences/difficulties/concerns that are being posted are classic and I promise you all that soon it does just 'click' into place. By no means are you/we an expert, but you will soon be able to think about other tasks (radio, nav etc) without having to give 100% concentration just keeping it flying straight.

I cannot believe I got my license on March 4th 2006, just over 1 year ago - where has the time gone? On Sunday I completed my SEP renewal (compulsory hour with instructor in second year) managed 4 landings and a completely none standard trip over to where I work (Deeside). Left the zone normally at Chester, switched over to Hawarden (who are usually closed at 1630 on a Sunday!) flew right around their zone (Deeside is right next to Sealand gliding field) then headed back in none standard via Neston. My first landing was good apart from the fact I ended up about 75 light years off the centreline on final approach! I did correct it though for the rest, the stonking crosswind didn't help

Best wishes
Lee

[stevoneil]

Oxford Aviation CD for sale

just watched the oxford aviation CD for Metearology and after watching once through passed the exam so its for sale as new. RRP £43 but i only had it a week so I think £30 is a reasonable price. PM me

[stevoneil]

HOUR 4 - Straight and Level ii

Well today the weather was fab. taxied out and took off by myself and climbed to cruising altitude remembering more to use the rudder. Did some zooming about for a bit and then came in to land. I got within about 20ft of the runway surface but veered off over the grass so in an instant i heard "I HAVE CONTROL" once again and after a quick adjustment we landed safely. I was really angry and frustrated at not being able to land but i spose it will come with time.

The main thing I noticed was that it took me a good 15-20 minutes to get used to the aircraft. maybe I had just finally mastered the rudder with turns but i started to feel like I was riding a motorcycle and feeling more at one with the aircraft. it clicked after a certain amount of time and I remember feeling the same with other lessons too.

I wonder then If it would be more beneficial to have two 2 hr stint twice a month rather than one lesson a week? each lesson I waste a good 15 minutes settling into the plane and relaxing into fluid movements etc. Can a more experienced pilot give me some advice on this?

[Lister Noble]

stevoneil,
I am not a very experienced pilot but passed my licence last May,
Have flown around 39 hours since then.
I booked 6 lessons ,2 Friday,Saturday and Sunday right through my course,couldn't fly all of them because of weather ,and it took me from August 2005 to May 2006,total 53 hours.
I think if I had only flown once a week it would have taken a lot longer.
Can you manage more ,or is time or finance limiting factor?
If money, maybe borrow it and pay back afterwards?
I whacked mine on the plastic and paid it off as quickly as possible!
Good luck with the flying
Lister

[woottsbj25]

Steve - I would imagine that once a week is better than 2 hours every 2 weeks. Apart from the fact that continuity of lessons is better, it is proven that after 20 minutes of concentrating, your mind takes in much less information, and after an hour it's a lot less still. 2 hours of constant concentration is a lot! That's my opinion anyway.

I finally did my QXC! Yay! Blackpool - Hawarden - Caernarfon - Blackpool. Had SUCH a great time, it was awesome! I've done a bit of a report here if anyone's interested.

So, after a fair old briefing from the instructor, I went and checked the aircraft out. I remembered that I hadn't booked out with ATC, which wasn't a good start, so I went back in to the club and did that. After doing my checks, I started her up and spoke to ATC, but the radio was incredibly quiet, even with all the volumes turned right up to the max, which was a little worrying. However, on I went, and I was soon up in the air talking to Warton. The radio was very quiet, and even with a noise-cancelling headset, it was sometimes barely readable at climb/cruise power.

The rest of that leg went pretty well. The landing at Hawarden wasn't bad, but the control column on this aircraft was stiffer than the one I'd flown for the last few sessions, so it was a bit of a 3-pointer when I suddenly realised it wasn't pulling back as quickly as I'd like - taxi went fine, and as I parked up, shut down and got out, I noticed the Airbus Beluga sat right overy the other side of the field again! I went and paid my landing fees, had a quick chat to the people in the tower then went, did a quick check around and started up again. As I was taxiing out, the Beluga was backtracking on the runway for takeoff, which was nice! I got an excellent view of its takeoff whilst I was doing my power checks.

Again, this leg went fine, a bit of a longer one this time. For the Menai Straits area inbound to Caernarfon, we have to be at 1400' or below to avoid the Valley AIAA. It's a bit unnerving, flying over quite an expanse of sea, but it's nice to see the land slip underneth you again. My overhead join into Caernarfon was a bit of a mess, as my radio was still being unclear and they like you to do it at just 1300' and circuits at 800 feet. Also, it's an Air/Ground station, which I only used once before. However, once I was settled into the downwind it was fine, and after getting a wind readout I pulled off a greaser onto Runway 20, with a Cherokee following closely behind me. The taxi in was fine, though it's very different parking up on grass! Lots of power needed.

I went up to the tower to pay my fees, and then into the Caernarfon flying club to book in/out and grab a coffee and some chocolate for well-needed energy! After a quick break and a chat, I headed out to the aircraft again. Phoned mum from the aircraft to tell her that I would be a bit late back, which she thought was very weird! Started up the aircraft again, and headed out to the holding point. Noticed on my mag check that the left mag was dropping quite low, but nothing too bad. After a bumpy backtrack, I was given the wind by the A/G station again. Full power, and a bit of back pressure to keep the pressure off the nose, and we were rattling down 20. The guy in the tower gave me a cheery goodbye and I was off again on the final leg. Again up the Menai Straits, back round to Point of Ayr, and then back into Blackpool. The arrival procedure into Blackpool was a bit messy again, because it was very busy and my radio was still playing up. I think it was a fairly new controller too, as I read 2 instructions back incorrectly because I could hardly hear them, but she didn't pick up on them (I know this because my instructor was also in the circuit at the time and he could hear everything). I was fairly unsure of what she wanted me to do, but I managed to use a bit of guesswork and common sense to position myself on the opposite side of the airfield for a right base to runway 28. After that the landing was fine, and I taxiied in and shut down where I'd left off. In a way I was tired and glad to be back, as the last part had been a bit of a drag, what with concentrating for so long, but on the other hand I was pumped and wishing it was 4 hours ago

I also took a few photos on my trip, all from the air. Some of them came out a bit bright, but they're not bad to say they were very quick ones taken through sunglasses on a small compact! I decided not to take the dSLR on this trip

I've decided not to put them on this forum, but if anyone would like some I can email them to you as a .zip or separately.

Also, if the weather's good (which it looks set not to be) I plan on doing my flight test this next week. I've got another hour of solo flight to do, to make up my 10 hours, and I'd like to do a quick revision flight with an instructor. 2 written exams (R/T and Human Factors) and I should be ready for the flight test. Not got my practical R/T license booked in until after easter, so I can't apply for my license until then, but at least everything else will have been done.

Thanks for reading, sorry if I went on a bit

[Blues&twos]

It's all your fault.

Thanks to all you lot I'm going to be broke for the foreseeable future.

Have just booked my 2nd lesson.

Finally couldn't resist anymore, largely owing to this thread. But I have to say this flying stuff is just fantastic!

[WALSue]

I've got my first proper lesson on thrusday (so far I've had an hours trial) At the mo the forecast is for snow and strong winds - typical!!

[mazzy1026]

Finally couldn't resist anymore, largely owing to this thread

That's precisely what you need to get going

Woot - good job on your QXC. Do try and get those exams done, especially the RT

Hi Sue - where are you flying from, Liverpool/Hawarden...............?

I am taking my barbers Father in Law flying on Saturday, he's never done it before and can't wait - he's in a model flying club, so I am planning on converting him to proper flying

I fly models too before you shout at me for that comment

[WALSue]

Hi Mazzy.
I'm going from LPL, it was a toss up between the two as Im pretty much central to both but though it would be better from a proper international ariport (tho plenty of landings at Hawarden as they're cheap!)

[BRL]

Sue, I was born in Wallasey, Mill Lane!!

Lee, I will be up your way around Easter (7th to 13th April) if you fancy going up for a quick spin or something (and I still owe you a pint!!!) Let us know if you are available?

[WALSue]

Small world BRL!

[Mariner9]

Sue, I was born in Wallasey, Mill Lane!!

BRL, my mother might have delivered you (A Midwife at Mill Lane )

I lived in Wallasey (St Georges Park then The Oval) for 20-odd years

[mazzy1026]

A sense of family in the diary - bless

BRL - yes, it will be the nicest tasting pint in the world - good things come to those who've had to wait Look forward to meeting up, perhaps Mariner, and anyone else who would like to join in - all welcome

[woottsbj25]

Originally Posted by mazzy1026

Woot - good job on your QXC. Do try and get those exams done, especially the RT

Thanks a lot! I've finally done all of the written exams, I just have the practical radio to do and then that's the groundwork done! That's booked in for April 17th, but it's looking like I won't be getting my flight test done before that anyway.

Originally Posted by WALSue

(tho plenty of landings at Hawarden as they're cheap!)

What is a landing costing you at LPL? When I went to Hawarden in a PA-28-140 it cost £18, which seems quite a lot in the scheme of things, but I'm not sure.

[mazzy1026]

£18? Surely that's only for non members? At Liverpool I pay less than £8 per landing, only as I am member of LFS (saying that the amount of time it can take you on some days to get back, kind of makes up for it)

[BRL]

How about this then. Drinks in Liverpool or Manchester (might be going to see the Concorde in the day) on Monday 9th April?

Time will be evening and the place to be decided, indicate where you would like to meet up if you want to.

BRL, my mother might have delivered you (A Midwife at Mill Lane )

April 10th Mid sixties!!!! Was she there then?????????

[mazzy1026]

Liverpool's good for me chief, however, if you really prefer Manchester (boooooo) then I can drive. There's a place at mine for the night if anyone needs it - only £45 including continental breakfast

[Mariner9]

April 10th Mid sixties!!!! Was she there then?????????

She was there from '66 till it closed so possibly BRL. She says she only delivered Evertonians though

Can't make Mon 9th unfortunately, will be darn sarf. Happy birthday for the 10th BTW BRL!