how do you use yours?

[cessnasey]

hi..

i had a lesson cancelled today (again! cant seem to get passed 3 hours!) wich got me thinking, how will i use my licence once iv got it? for 9 months of the year the weathers so naff here plus work commitment and finances il probably just be able to stay current!

so as a newbie to the hobby i was just wondering how often you guys get to fly and how you use youre ppls. touring? sightseeing or just simply go for a spin round the airfield (no pun intended!)

[Footless Halls]

VERY good question and I'll be interested to see wha other peeps say. Here's my answer:

1 TRY to fly once a week. Over the whole time you won't actually do it more than once a fortnight for the reasons you alluded to.

2 Establish flying as part of a family routine. For exmple, my family are more than usually supine on Sunday mornings, so my routine is to book up Sunday am slots in whatever I'm flying.

3 Establish exercises which you like doing and stay in practice with them. Take pride in doing them well. This doesn't have to be especially macho - six smart 'touch and go's' for example, a MATZ penetration, a landing out at Le2k, etc.

4 Do one new 'thing' each year, e.g., convert onto a different type, IMC, aerobatic course, etc.

5 Go back to school regularly. Fly dual with instructors regularly on exercises like VOR tracking, field landings.

6 Don't solo all the time - it gets lonely. Take passengers and share flights with pilot buddies.

Hope this helps, I think this is an important topic.

[Johnm]

When I first got my licence I used to go somewhere at the weekend, usually with one or more passengers, whenever the weather was manageable. Then I started to collect extra skills, so I did complex, IMC and night.

Now I commute most weekends and regularly go places UK and continental. So far the money and time to get a full IR have eluded me, so I'm still fairly weather dependent for continental flying which tends to be enjoyable only in the summer anyway.

[tmmorris]

Funnily enough, this is one of the reasons for the AOPA Wings Scheme (see http://www.aopa.co.uk/newsfromaopa/wings.pdf), which gives increasing levels (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) for precisely this sort of improving your flying. But my thread elsewhere on this forum about this has received precisely 0 replies, so I guess this has not been a success...

Tim

[FormationFlyer]

And try competition flying..the BPPA and the precision nav/rally events occur about once a month around the UK, and can be flown in a typical club aircraft (C152 or similar high-wing low-med power aircraft is perfect!).

And get yourself into TopNav every year - the mere taking part in these events will improve your flying - and more to the point its damn good fun in a very friendly atmostphere!

[TotalBeginner]

Don't solo all the time - it gets lonely. Take passengers and share flights with pilot buddies.

This is probably the biggest let-down for me since gaining my PPL. I often take non-flying passengers (friends and family etc) but I am yet to fly with another PPL. I think this is a real shame as it could be a great opportunity to share experience, and fly with somebody who is generally interested in the same thing, not just coming for a jolly.

[dublinpilot]

Have you put a posting on the "spare seats" sticky thread TotalBeginner?

You might have some luck there.

Last year was the first year I did any flying with another PPL, and I have to admit, it has been a very rewarding experience. I've done more flying, and traveled much further, then I was ever able to afford to do on my own.

dp

[cotterpot]

If you are in a group you will find flying with other members is, generally, positively encouraged. And you can learn from each other as well as travelling to places further away from 'base'.

[TotalBeginner]

Thanks guys, I'll give it a try!