Why the UK is starting to get me down!
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ah, the weather.... my last lesson was monday (I'm now at 11.2 hrs, with about 10 landings), the first in 2 weeks due to work and WEATHER! and the last 2 lessons have been in strong winds, lot of it cross wind, so that I have been concentrating more on keeping on the bloody centre line than watching speed and pitch... one of these days I will have "nice" weather in which i can really practice landing... sigih... and I don't know either, if my instructor is helping me or not (though in one case I know he was, since I was coming in too high, and he initiated the go around). need to ask him that as well. next lessons on Monday and Tuesday, may the Weather Gods like me.
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Sometimes, a break and doing something different is a good idea.
For example, a lot of people get bogged down flying circuits. I recall spending god knows how many hours doing circuits in the PA38. After you have sweated about a pint, the learning value diminishes rapidly, but the rate of £££ leakage just carries on at the same rate
At that point, which I have seen many pilots reach, one may as well go for a flight somewhere interesting. OK, this can be seen as making the PPL more expensive overall, but it also makes it a lot more enjoyable.
For example, a lot of people get bogged down flying circuits. I recall spending god knows how many hours doing circuits in the PA38. After you have sweated about a pint, the learning value diminishes rapidly, but the rate of £££ leakage just carries on at the same rate
At that point, which I have seen many pilots reach, one may as well go for a flight somewhere interesting. OK, this can be seen as making the PPL more expensive overall, but it also makes it a lot more enjoyable.
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stevelup, I think he wasn't actually holding the controls. When I changed my focus for about half a millisecond from the point on the runway I was aiming for (tunnel vision, eat your heart out) and glanced at him, he had his hands on his lap, fingers hovering around the stick but not touching them. It's just I don't believe I can do it yet, so it must be him!
IO540, yup, that makes sense. My instructor does keep chopping and changing from circuits to PFL to practicing speed and height control. I was getting frustrated that we couldn't just concentrate on one, but after the last lesson, I realise that the change helps break the bad habits that I was repeating, and the combination of all three is really practicing the same skills I need anyway! Just, doh, I wish I could do it already :-)
IO540, yup, that makes sense. My instructor does keep chopping and changing from circuits to PFL to practicing speed and height control. I was getting frustrated that we couldn't just concentrate on one, but after the last lesson, I realise that the change helps break the bad habits that I was repeating, and the combination of all three is really practicing the same skills I need anyway! Just, doh, I wish I could do it already :-)
In my experience, the weather has definitely gotten worse . . . or is going through a (very long) bad patch. I did my PPL in 2005/6, and can only recall missing a couple of lessons though weather, despite only flying at weekends. Since I got my licence . . . . the weather has been unbelievably crap. I suspect my flown v cancelled ratio due to weather is probably running at about 40:60 over the last 4 years. And a few times I have flown, it's been pretty marginal due to visibility or cross winds.
I'd endorse the deity face-punching coping strategy if I was a believer.
I'd endorse the deity face-punching coping strategy if I was a believer.
Last edited by Hamish 123; 23rd Jun 2011 at 15:17.
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the METAR for my last two lessons:
the 6th was my first day of circuits, with weather not really suitable for learning. then a forced 2 week break, so the 21st was chalked up as a bad day, really.
my instructor does max 6 circuits, before doing what has been suggest above, flying off to somewhere else. Relaxing straight flight or a little airwork of a different type.
and IanPZ, looks like we are at the same stage, more or less. Similar hours and similar frustration of not being able to do what we want
but my instructor, and hopefully yours, is saying not to 
we are still at the beginning and have at least 35 or so hours to go in whicht to learn.
- EDMA 061120Z 34006KT 270V040 9999 SCT031 22/17 Q1006
- EDMA 211120Z 26010KT 9999 SCT045 25/14 Q1017
the 6th was my first day of circuits, with weather not really suitable for learning. then a forced 2 week break, so the 21st was chalked up as a bad day, really.
my instructor does max 6 circuits, before doing what has been suggest above, flying off to somewhere else. Relaxing straight flight or a little airwork of a different type.
and IanPZ, looks like we are at the same stage, more or less. Similar hours and similar frustration of not being able to do what we want
but my instructor, and hopefully yours, is saying not to we are still at the beginning and have at least 35 or so hours to go in whicht to learn.
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It's definitely got windier since I've been tail dragging (about a year) or do I just notice it more!
Watching "Flying Wild Alaska" makes me want to weep
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I must admit the wx has got much worse as soon as I got the IR in 2006
I was doing VFR trips before that, all the way down to Crete, flying over the Alps at FL129... Rarely have I been able to do the same thing since. I've been going IFR OK but have had to go much higher, and there has been a load of convective wx around.
Probably just a coincidence
I was doing VFR trips before that, all the way down to Crete, flying over the Alps at FL129... Rarely have I been able to do the same thing since. I've been going IFR OK but have had to go much higher, and there has been a load of convective wx around.
Probably just a coincidence
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I agree the WX can be a pain in the a$$. I did my PPL in 2009 over 9 months, and over-booked allowing for weather cancellations.
I used the majority of my holiday from work that year on flying, booking 1/2 days off to make the most of my available days.
I had an agreement with my boss that I could cancel holiday at short notice (due to weather) and work, in return for canceling flying lessons at short notice if he needed me to work on a previously booked flying holiday.
Luckily I only needed to cancel a few lessons on good weather days, but canceled loads of holiday at short notice, and re-used those days later in the year.
I also got stuck in the circuit rut, and got increasingly frustrated at poor landings etc. Luckily my excellent instructor had spotted this, and one summer evening took me on a relaxed navigation and general handling flight - which was just what I needed - it broke the routine nicely.
Not long afterwards I went solo.
As IO540 says, things are easier once you have the bit of paper, and get some experience under your belt.
I used the majority of my holiday from work that year on flying, booking 1/2 days off to make the most of my available days.
I had an agreement with my boss that I could cancel holiday at short notice (due to weather) and work, in return for canceling flying lessons at short notice if he needed me to work on a previously booked flying holiday.
Luckily I only needed to cancel a few lessons on good weather days, but canceled loads of holiday at short notice, and re-used those days later in the year.
I also got stuck in the circuit rut, and got increasingly frustrated at poor landings etc. Luckily my excellent instructor had spotted this, and one summer evening took me on a relaxed navigation and general handling flight - which was just what I needed - it broke the routine nicely.
Not long afterwards I went solo.
As IO540 says, things are easier once you have the bit of paper, and get some experience under your belt.
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Sometimes, a break and doing something different is a good idea.
For example, a lot of people get bogged down flying circuits. I recall spending god knows how many hours doing circuits in the PA38. After you have sweated about a pint, the learning value diminishes rapidly, but the rate of £££ leakage just carries on at the same rate
At that point, which I have seen many pilots reach, one may as well go for a flight somewhere interesting. OK, this can be seen as making the PPL more expensive overall, but it also makes it a lot more enjoyable.
For example, a lot of people get bogged down flying circuits. I recall spending god knows how many hours doing circuits in the PA38. After you have sweated about a pint, the learning value diminishes rapidly, but the rate of £££ leakage just carries on at the same rate
At that point, which I have seen many pilots reach, one may as well go for a flight somewhere interesting. OK, this can be seen as making the PPL more expensive overall, but it also makes it a lot more enjoyable.
I started my PPL in March and just cluster bombed the flying list every week for slots. Given that I expected to lose half of those to weather, u/s aircraft, u/s instructor/student etc it took me around three months to get the required hours. Of course now that my skills test is next on the list a combination of circumstances means that I have to wait around five weeks........
Sorry to spoil the fun, but allow me to report:
Me too got fed up with circuit upon circuit upon circuit and no visible improvement, and asked the instructor if I couldn't plan a navigation flight so as to keep things interesting. Surely I could! Off we went for my first ever cross-country, poorly prepared for lack of experience and no help whatever from said instructor. We took off and it began very well, but started to go down (not literally, luckily) soon afterwards - I never spotted the destination aerodrome even when we were overhead. So we headed back home immediately. And all the while, increasingly as we got nearer home, the instructor took more and more pains to make it clear I wasn't up to overland flying, pointing at how I never kept constant altitude nor constant speed and never managed to catch reference points. He was quite right - but only made me find another place to continue my "career".
Me too got fed up with circuit upon circuit upon circuit and no visible improvement, and asked the instructor if I couldn't plan a navigation flight so as to keep things interesting. Surely I could! Off we went for my first ever cross-country, poorly prepared for lack of experience and no help whatever from said instructor. We took off and it began very well, but started to go down (not literally, luckily) soon afterwards - I never spotted the destination aerodrome even when we were overhead. So we headed back home immediately. And all the while, increasingly as we got nearer home, the instructor took more and more pains to make it clear I wasn't up to overland flying, pointing at how I never kept constant altitude nor constant speed and never managed to catch reference points. He was quite right - but only made me find another place to continue my "career".
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Ah well, as we get closer to Sunday, the day I normally fly and my instructor is off this week, I see that the weather is due to be a lovely sunny day, 25C, and 11mph winds from the south, perfect for runway 15!
Of course, long range forecast for Wednesday, my next actual lesson, is not at all bad, but plenty of time for that to change!
In all seriousness though, thanks for the pep talks, and the reassurance that it really foes just take a long time to get through the lessons and you have all had this experience. Hopefully it wont carry on too long like this, and fingers crossed, I get my license by the end of the year.
Then, watch out people!!!
Of course, long range forecast for Wednesday, my next actual lesson, is not at all bad, but plenty of time for that to change!
In all seriousness though, thanks for the pep talks, and the reassurance that it really foes just take a long time to get through the lessons and you have all had this experience. Hopefully it wont carry on too long like this, and fingers crossed, I get my license by the end of the year.
Then, watch out people!!!
Hovering AND talking
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and my instructor is off this week
Cheers
Whirls
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Very small school, 2 instructors, both generally full booked over there weekend. I knew this when i started, bit had tried out 3 schools and just felt really comfy/confident with this instructor. He even warned me that for 3 or 4 weekends through the year he would be off, hence booking the midweek lessons.
I suppose I could always hang around the airstrip until someone felt sorry for me and took me up, bit that's not really a productive way for me to spend the weekend, and does rather abandon my partner! Ah well, just have to carry on whinging here
I suppose I could always hang around the airstrip until someone felt sorry for me and took me up, bit that's not really a productive way for me to spend the weekend, and does rather abandon my partner! Ah well, just have to carry on whinging here
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You could also go for a flight with an existing (experienced) pilot who shows you how one flies for real
You might find that rather motivating.
Just don't tell the school you have done that, because schools (in general) do not like their students being polluted by "pilots with bad habits"
You might find that rather motivating.
Just don't tell the school you have done that, because schools (in general) do not like their students being polluted by "pilots with bad habits"
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To the OP - I feel your pain, but from a slightly different perspective.
I recently did my PPL in Florida. Whilst many people still seem to carry a 'perception' or 'view' about the Florida PPL's I must say that this thread is testiment to the what is easily the strongest selling point for the Florida PPL.
I did my PPL in 18 days from start to finish including my Night Rating!
Yes I admit that I have had to have lessons since coming back to learn the UK way of things, but I only needed 3 lessons and am now enjoying the freedom of solo flying in the UK. Hang on, did I say 'freedom'.....?
Now, onto why I feel your pain. Since being back, I have had 5 flights, 3 with instructors and 2 solo. I have also had 5 flights cancelled due to the weather!! A 50% hit rate, and if I didn't have the luxury of being able to duck out of work for a couple of hours for 2 weekday flights this would have been only 3 flights and 5 cancelled flights so this would have been a 62.5% cancellation rate. In the last 2 weeks the weather has been so bad that at times I was feeling so depressed and hacked off with it that I wondered if flying was for me. Rather than feeling good about being a pilot I was just feeling miserable all of the time, and for the first time in my life I have started to consider the prospect of moving abroad!
The problem you will inevitably have is that you will waste quite a few hours going over stuff you have already done in order to refresh and remind yourself due to the long time period between lessons. In my mind this is non productive and just a waste of money. I would say that doing a PPL in 18 days may be just a little too fast as you really don't have the time to fully take in what you learned from the previous flight before you move onto the next lesson, but having the ability to fly consistently with never more than a day or so in between is a very productive way of doing things. Not to mention the fact that I probably saved about £2k all in and I think the advantages of USA flying speak for themselves.
If I were you, I would jump the pond for 4 weeks and get your PPL done. You will absolutely love the freedom that US aviation offers, you will avoid the frustration of constant delays and cancelled lessons, and you will fly home with a PPL and will feel on top of the world.
Good luck to you and hang in there. It really is worth it, and whatever route you decide, fly safe, fly smart, and I hope you can join the PPL club soon.
I recently did my PPL in Florida. Whilst many people still seem to carry a 'perception' or 'view' about the Florida PPL's I must say that this thread is testiment to the what is easily the strongest selling point for the Florida PPL.
I did my PPL in 18 days from start to finish including my Night Rating!
Yes I admit that I have had to have lessons since coming back to learn the UK way of things, but I only needed 3 lessons and am now enjoying the freedom of solo flying in the UK. Hang on, did I say 'freedom'.....?
Now, onto why I feel your pain. Since being back, I have had 5 flights, 3 with instructors and 2 solo. I have also had 5 flights cancelled due to the weather!! A 50% hit rate, and if I didn't have the luxury of being able to duck out of work for a couple of hours for 2 weekday flights this would have been only 3 flights and 5 cancelled flights so this would have been a 62.5% cancellation rate. In the last 2 weeks the weather has been so bad that at times I was feeling so depressed and hacked off with it that I wondered if flying was for me. Rather than feeling good about being a pilot I was just feeling miserable all of the time, and for the first time in my life I have started to consider the prospect of moving abroad!
The problem you will inevitably have is that you will waste quite a few hours going over stuff you have already done in order to refresh and remind yourself due to the long time period between lessons. In my mind this is non productive and just a waste of money. I would say that doing a PPL in 18 days may be just a little too fast as you really don't have the time to fully take in what you learned from the previous flight before you move onto the next lesson, but having the ability to fly consistently with never more than a day or so in between is a very productive way of doing things. Not to mention the fact that I probably saved about £2k all in and I think the advantages of USA flying speak for themselves.
If I were you, I would jump the pond for 4 weeks and get your PPL done. You will absolutely love the freedom that US aviation offers, you will avoid the frustration of constant delays and cancelled lessons, and you will fly home with a PPL and will feel on top of the world.
Good luck to you and hang in there. It really is worth it, and whatever route you decide, fly safe, fly smart, and I hope you can join the PPL club soon.
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Being now in the US, I can always tell when the weekend weather is rubbish in the UK because PPrune is nearly as busy as on a weekday. Good weather, it's like a ghost town in here.
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IanPZ
I took my PPL in 2009 and it took about 6 months flying every weekend, two flights booked in for every Saturday
The weather frankly is a disaster. And then you get other things that throw a spanner in the works, plane out for maintenance, some air show on the day of your solo navigation, wind that is deemed too strong for you to solo and the list just never seems to end – I turned up at WW on a bright blue morning, sat down for a coffee and was horrified to see that my car had almost been snowed in over the space of about 45minutes
All I can advice is that you control the factors that you have control over. I have no idea what airport you use, but if it only has one runway, this might be an issue with cross winds, if it is a small club, as you note above, there could be issues with instructors being booked out, on holiday or whatever
The club I fly from has 3 runways, so thankfully the cross wind element is mostly taken out and it is blessed with a number of planes and a number of instructors, most of whom are pretty stable (low staff turnover etc). But it is each for his/her own
As others note above, if you can blag your way out from work at 4pm or so once a week, you can often get some useful flying in late in the afternoon, especially in the summer (and this might free up some time over the weekend allowing you more time with the partner / wife / kids or whatever takes your fancy)
I wish you good luck with your ppl and I feel your pain, it isn’t only the weather in this country that can get you down, the taxes kill me even more
Good luck, Nick
I took my PPL in 2009 and it took about 6 months flying every weekend, two flights booked in for every Saturday
The weather frankly is a disaster. And then you get other things that throw a spanner in the works, plane out for maintenance, some air show on the day of your solo navigation, wind that is deemed too strong for you to solo and the list just never seems to end – I turned up at WW on a bright blue morning, sat down for a coffee and was horrified to see that my car had almost been snowed in over the space of about 45minutes
All I can advice is that you control the factors that you have control over. I have no idea what airport you use, but if it only has one runway, this might be an issue with cross winds, if it is a small club, as you note above, there could be issues with instructors being booked out, on holiday or whatever
The club I fly from has 3 runways, so thankfully the cross wind element is mostly taken out and it is blessed with a number of planes and a number of instructors, most of whom are pretty stable (low staff turnover etc). But it is each for his/her own
As others note above, if you can blag your way out from work at 4pm or so once a week, you can often get some useful flying in late in the afternoon, especially in the summer (and this might free up some time over the weekend allowing you more time with the partner / wife / kids or whatever takes your fancy)
I wish you good luck with your ppl and I feel your pain, it isn’t only the weather in this country that can get you down, the taxes kill me even more
Good luck, Nick
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All,
Thanks so much for the replies. This is what a community is all about! I've pretty much started to do what some of you have suggested, in that I am booking wednesday evenings when I can. That way I can get lessons done in the gaps where I don't fly on Sunday because of weather.
As for the school, the runways, and the availability of the instructors, I hear what you are saying. I had wondered about elsewhere, but the combination of the airstrip being all of 10 minutes from my house, and me really feeling good about the instructor means that for the minute I intend to stick with them. Lets see how the summer goes....I can always whine on the forum!
I was having an interesting conversation with a work colleague about it today though. He asked me how long it would take me to pass, and I realised that I am enjoying the process of learning so much, that I am not much sure I care. Obviously there is a cost perspective, but since I am learning in 3-axis microlights (eurostar), its not as expensive as a light aircraft. And I just love it. Every lesson there is some new challenge.
I suppose that when I get to the full time circuit bashing bit (getting close now) it might be different, but you know, if it takes me until next year to pass, so what...at least I get to fly.
The bummer is when I am psyched up for a lesson, looking forward to it, and then have it cancelled. Its a bit like a climax building, and then a huge let-down.
But then, I have pprune to read, a place to whinge, and another week.
All I ask is that you all keep your fingers crossed for me this Wednesday. Maybe that'll help! Long term forecast still looking good!
Thanks so much for the replies. This is what a community is all about! I've pretty much started to do what some of you have suggested, in that I am booking wednesday evenings when I can. That way I can get lessons done in the gaps where I don't fly on Sunday because of weather.
As for the school, the runways, and the availability of the instructors, I hear what you are saying. I had wondered about elsewhere, but the combination of the airstrip being all of 10 minutes from my house, and me really feeling good about the instructor means that for the minute I intend to stick with them. Lets see how the summer goes....I can always whine on the forum!
I was having an interesting conversation with a work colleague about it today though. He asked me how long it would take me to pass, and I realised that I am enjoying the process of learning so much, that I am not much sure I care. Obviously there is a cost perspective, but since I am learning in 3-axis microlights (eurostar), its not as expensive as a light aircraft. And I just love it. Every lesson there is some new challenge.
I suppose that when I get to the full time circuit bashing bit (getting close now) it might be different, but you know, if it takes me until next year to pass, so what...at least I get to fly.
The bummer is when I am psyched up for a lesson, looking forward to it, and then have it cancelled. Its a bit like a climax building, and then a huge let-down.
But then, I have pprune to read, a place to whinge, and another week.
All I ask is that you all keep your fingers crossed for me this Wednesday. Maybe that'll help! Long term forecast still looking good!