First flight after skills test

[W2k]

At 58 hrs logged (yes, I'm a slow learner) I finally went through my skills test for the PPL yesterday morning and the examiner passed me, despite a mishappen landing . Happy as can be and having survived the hangover from the evening's celebration w/mates I'm now contemplating when and where to go flying next. Should I go for a short trip around the CTR just to savour the feeling or take a passenger or two along for a picnic somewhere? Right now the weather's horrible and looks to stay that way so I have ample time to think it through.

Since I imagine many of this forum's contributors have been PPL holders for quite some time I wonder if you recall what you did for your first flight after gaining the license. Gimme some inspiration! Thanks

[BackPacker]

It's probably a good idea to do a few solo flights first, for instance retracing your QXC, before you take up passengers. And for your first few passenger flights, stay close to home or fly a familiar route. Passengers can be a huge distraction, even if they're not airsick, and it's best to make sure you have some spare mental capacity to deal with them.

I think there's a CAA safety sense leaflet about flying with passengers. Might be a good idea to read that.

[rans6andrew]

on my first flight after GST I loaded up the Rans with my camping gear and went to the PFA (it was then) Rally at Kemble. After visiting the event by road for some years I had, at the event the previous year, decided that I needed to get myself an aircraft and a licence and get involved. Job done.

Rans6...

[dublinpilot]

I agree with all of the above.

Don't forget that most of your passengers will be highly impressed with just being in the sky. They don't need to go very far. In face anywhere at all (even just 15 minutes from base) will probably seem like a long way to them, given the speeds that aircraft travel.

Then gradually build things up. You neither want to scare yourself nor your passengers at this early stage, and there WILL be times in your early PPL days when you get concerned about things, that might not bother you so much later.

eg. Am I really where I think I am?
Is that oil pressure light in a slightly different location to normal?
Is there a slightly different note from the engine?
Is the cloud base comming down a bit?

Best not to have an exicted passenger pointing out some amazing ground feature while you're worried about something else.

So I'd agree with the above. Do local or perhaps slightly longer flight solo first. Then bring some pax on local flights, before starting to build your confidence by going further away.

dp

[rans6andrew]

I would still be very concerned if the oil pressure LIGHT was moving about

[Pilot DAR]

Since I imagine many of this forum's contributors have been PPL holders for quite some time I wonder if you recall what you did for your first flight after gaining the license.

Hmmm, er... yes... Quite some time indeed! So long, that I no longer recall in the least! If I were to recall, it would be a route in Ontario, so probably not much use to you anyway.

Sorry, fair question, don't let the details of such things worry you. Undertake each recreational flight with adequate planning, considering the skills you know you can apply, and go with your senses! Congratulations on joining our ranks, fly safely, and enjoy!

[NazgulAir]

Since I imagine many of this forum's contributors have been PPL holders for quite some time I wonder if you recall what you did for your first flight after gaining the license.

After passing the GFT, I was two hours solo short for getting the license, so I spent those pottering about in the neighbourhood of the airfield and its practise areas.
My first flight after getting the license was spent on a short cross-country trip (without a passenger). My first flight with a passenger was a few weeks later -- he was a student pilot coming along on a trip to Bembridge because the plane didn't have a starter and I needed someone to be in the cockpit when I was out swinging the prop.

I'd recommend a cross-country hop to another field. You gain a sense of accomplishment along with consolidating your newly learned skills. It may look a little daunting, so pick a day with good weather!

[screetch]

after my skill test I went up again with an instructor to iron a few bits and pieces and after that I also did some solo circuits for about an hour. Then I got my girlfriend in the plane and we went for quite a long cross country flight pretty much following parts of my QXC route and in addition we also had to fly over our house

the lenght of the flight didnt really matter and she enjoyed it. Therefore we carried on for the full route. Otherwise we would have cut it short. I didn fancy going to something totally unfamilar straight away as for the first time I had a real passanger and thus also an additional taks: watch out for your passangers and ask them frequently. Once their face is green..it is mostly too late

From now on we always plan to flight together other than when I fly with someone else. I also gave my GF some responsibility of keeping the map and working the GPS and also looking out for other aircraft.

[Johnm]

Bear in mind the need to actually have the shiny new licence in your possession before carrying passengers. In my case I did a couple of solo land aways while I waited for magic brown wallet and pile of paper. Then I took my wife from Waltham to Bembridge for a practice after which I took her to Alderney.

[W2k]

Doing a couple of solo flights to random airfields before starting to bring along friends does sound like a good idea, even if it's just following routes I've already flown solo before. Once I start taking passengers I'll probably start with the ones I'm reasonably sure can keep calm and quiet when told to

Thanks a lot for the advice, please keep the thread going, all replies have been brilliant thus far

One question. The flying club I'm now with only has PA-28's (well, three -161:s and two -181:s, but they're not that different from each other). Other clubs in the general area also have Cessnas, DA20's and Super Cubs. Is getting checked out on other models of aircraft something to strive for early on?

[liam548]

My first couple of flights were short easy ones I knew I could do. Returning to my home airfield.

I have gradually built on them since, now up to 80 hours total in just less than a year and a night qualification on top.

Just go and build your confidence a bit then take some longer trips. You will continue to make mistakes, just learn from them.

As regards other aircraft, i have only just recently been checked out on a C150 after nearly 70 hours in a PA28. Its up to you really but I would suggest getting fairly confident in the one yo have spent time in first.

[rkgpilot]

Interesting thread for me. I passed PPL almost three weeks ago and have only flown once since, last weekend. That was with an instructor. I told him I wanted to do some stalling in various configurations. We also did a few circuits.

I basically thought I was just out for a joy-ride with a bit of stalling thrown in for good measure, but the b**ger pulled the throttle on me just as we were airborne. He kept me on my toes all the time we were up - just like any other lesson. He had me do a PFL too, coming off a stall, so I had to recover without power. All good stuff and I appreciate that he was doing absolutely the right thing - just because you are now PPL doesn't mean you can stop learning and the need to stay awake and alert at all times is paramount.

I spoke to the CAA today and my new licence is on its way to me by courier as we speak ; with any luck it'll be in my hands by the weekend so I can start to think about what comes next. I want to take passengers of course, and there is a 'queue' of people saying they are keen to come up with me, but there's no great hurry to do that really. Building confidence is crucial - with or without someone else on board; whatever it takes for you to know it feels 'right' to take your passenger. Once you are truly PIC, it is a different feeling from P/UT or even P1/S.

Aren't we lucky?

[BackPacker]

Is getting checked out on other models of aircraft something to strive for early on?

I think this depends on three things:
- What's the availability on the aircraft you are currently checked out on?
- Do you need to get checked out on a different type due to some unique ability/characteristic of that type, which you don't have on your current types?
- How many hours do you fly?

The last one is particularly important. It might seem tempting to put a large number of different aircraft types on your virtual flying CV, but in my opinion you need to fly at least something like 5-10 hours on a specific type each year to be safe and current on that type. So maintaining currency on a large number of different types is only really interesting/safe if you fly a lot of hours yearly.

With a lot of club-renting PPLs doing maybe 20-30 hours per year, realistically you should not be trying to stay current on more than two or three different types.

[W2k]

-What's the availability on the aircraft you are currently checked out on?

Generally, very good. There would certainly be no point in me getting checked out on additional types just to get better access to aircraft. The club I'm currently in only has PA28's.

- Do you need to get checked out on a different type due to some unique ability/characteristic of that type, which you don't have on your current types?

It's not so much "need" as it is a desire to learn more - it'd be interesting to learn to fly something with a tailwheel, or high wings (Cessna), or a more advanced single with retractable gear and non-fixed prop, etc. The PA28's I currently fly are all very much the same.

The question is not so much really whether I am going to get myself acquainted out on other types of aircraft, but whether I should spend some more time flying PA28's to improve my skills before taking on something "new". I currently have 59 hours flight time.

- How many hours do you fly?

Since I only passed my skills test just recently I'm not sure, but I'm aiming for something like 20 hrs/year.