Why the UK is starting to get me down!
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Why the UK is starting to get me down!
I thought I would use my favourite forum to have a good old rant. The UK weather is just starting to get to me!
I started learning at the beginning of the year, and was advised that I really needed a lesson every week in order to get a good level of progress.....
So, like a good student, I booked a lesson every week, regular as clockwork, every Sunday. I think that I had a couple of weeks (perhaps as many as 3) since the beginning of the year where I couldn't fly, cos I was on holiday (I think that's allowed) and one week where I had pulled a muscle in my back, and the instructor and I agreed that if I can't lean down to check the tyres as part of the pre-flight, then perhaps I shouldn't be doing the lesson.
But that still left 20 good weeks to have flown, and in some cases I even booked a midweek evening lesson when I knew I couldn't make the Sunday.
So here I am, mid-June, having done 10.5 hours, and my last lesson, last Sunday, having done 5 take-offs and landings! Now, I wouldn't say I have the hang of it, or even that I know what I am doing. In fact, I still think the instructor is being kind when he says I am not bad, and I truly think he is flying the plane down, and helping the whole way (he says he isn't!)
BUT, why oh why oh why when I am just getting the hang of it does the weather go pants again. Out of 20 booked lessons, I have had 10. It's not the instructor being overly cautious. Some of them we can't see the mast that is a whole 2km away (so no VFR flying), and some, like today, there are 28knot crosswinds. I know it doesn't help that the runways are 12,15,30 and 33, and prevailing wind in the UK is SW, but surely its just some greater force out to get me, in case I find out what is going on above the clouds!!!
So, please, people, give me a pep talk, tell me its not always like this, or at least show sympathy. Anyone who feels they need to tell me thats life, just don't post (or at least not today.....perhaps by tomorrow I'll be less grumpy)
Anyone fancy putting some silver lining on what seems a lot of very windswept grey clouds?
Go on, help a friend :-)
I started learning at the beginning of the year, and was advised that I really needed a lesson every week in order to get a good level of progress.....
So, like a good student, I booked a lesson every week, regular as clockwork, every Sunday. I think that I had a couple of weeks (perhaps as many as 3) since the beginning of the year where I couldn't fly, cos I was on holiday (I think that's allowed) and one week where I had pulled a muscle in my back, and the instructor and I agreed that if I can't lean down to check the tyres as part of the pre-flight, then perhaps I shouldn't be doing the lesson.
But that still left 20 good weeks to have flown, and in some cases I even booked a midweek evening lesson when I knew I couldn't make the Sunday.
So here I am, mid-June, having done 10.5 hours, and my last lesson, last Sunday, having done 5 take-offs and landings! Now, I wouldn't say I have the hang of it, or even that I know what I am doing. In fact, I still think the instructor is being kind when he says I am not bad, and I truly think he is flying the plane down, and helping the whole way (he says he isn't!)
BUT, why oh why oh why when I am just getting the hang of it does the weather go pants again. Out of 20 booked lessons, I have had 10. It's not the instructor being overly cautious. Some of them we can't see the mast that is a whole 2km away (so no VFR flying), and some, like today, there are 28knot crosswinds. I know it doesn't help that the runways are 12,15,30 and 33, and prevailing wind in the UK is SW, but surely its just some greater force out to get me, in case I find out what is going on above the clouds!!!
So, please, people, give me a pep talk, tell me its not always like this, or at least show sympathy. Anyone who feels they need to tell me thats life, just don't post (or at least not today.....perhaps by tomorrow I'll be less grumpy)
Anyone fancy putting some silver lining on what seems a lot of very windswept grey clouds?
Go on, help a friend :-)
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Sorry I can't lie, it is always like that.
Try tailwheel when one can't fly with over 10kts crosswind.
Last week the 'plane decided to belch oil and went U/S
The week before it didn't return from its annual on time
Today, I caught a nasty cold on Sunday and spent half of the day at the doctors with a suspected chest infection, when I SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING - I shouldn't worry too much though, it was too windy for tailwheel.
I wonder what will happen next week. No doubt I'll still be sat on PPRuNe making long posts when all I really want to be doing is FLYING. I actually envy your 10.5 hrs this year.
Rant over
Try tailwheel when one can't fly with over 10kts crosswind.
Last week the 'plane decided to belch oil and went U/S
The week before it didn't return from its annual on time
Today, I caught a nasty cold on Sunday and spent half of the day at the doctors with a suspected chest infection, when I SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING - I shouldn't worry too much though, it was too windy for tailwheel.
I wonder what will happen next week. No doubt I'll still be sat on PPRuNe making long posts when all I really want to be doing is FLYING. I actually envy your 10.5 hrs this year.
Rant over
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I should somehow feel annoyed with you for telling me how it is and not sparing my feelings.....but instead I just laughed and thought "Ha, poor sod, he is worse off than me"
Does that make me a heartless b*****d?
Now I know why the forum is so busy. Anyway, next week, certainly next Sunday will be perfect weather, as my instructor is away at a competition and I can't fly. Next Wednesday however, when I have a lesson in the evening, now that will be blowing a gale, hailing, and snowing, all from the southwest....you just watch :-)
Does that make me a heartless b*****d?
Now I know why the forum is so busy. Anyway, next week, certainly next Sunday will be perfect weather, as my instructor is away at a competition and I can't fly. Next Wednesday however, when I have a lesson in the evening, now that will be blowing a gale, hailing, and snowing, all from the southwest....you just watch :-)
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Keep a record of all the lessons you have cancelled due to weather and then give God a punch in the face for each one when you die! Picture that day whenever your school says "not today, the weather is ****e sorry!"
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YAK 52 went U/S in September last year and is only just having a new engine fitted.
My father became seriously ill in March and passed away in April, just when we were having that glorious sunny weather; needless to say I didn't get much flying in then.
This month my car service, MOT and various repairs cost me over £4000, putting a big hole in my flying budget and finally the weather has been completely pants!
Rest assured, you're not the only one missing out on flying!
My father became seriously ill in March and passed away in April, just when we were having that glorious sunny weather; needless to say I didn't get much flying in then.
This month my car service, MOT and various repairs cost me over £4000, putting a big hole in my flying budget and finally the weather has been completely pants!
Rest assured, you're not the only one missing out on flying!
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"Ha, poor sod, he is worse off than me"
NO the wind WILL BE CALM next Wednesday ALL DAY, it will not rain.
I'm not sure about my next session being booked on the same day as one of yours though
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My son had a dozen attempts at his QXC. Every time the wx was bad, or the flying club mucked him about, and all, and all. Eventually he set off for Bristol, landed, got his chit signed and then headed for Exeter, where the wind went outside his limits and he had to head home to Southampton. That was long ago and he never flew again. Great shame.
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Great responses! Punch God in the face....I can just see it now. Of course, my wife says that'll never happen cos I will be going to "the other place". What, Marbella?
Sorry Conventional Gear. Didn't know. Let me rephrase that then..."Ha, poor sod, she's having a worse time than me" If I haven't got it right that time, then I really am confused.
Domwilko, sorry to hear you having a hard time. Hope it gets better for you. I'll even tell you the days I book lessons, so you can avoid the bad weather (sorry conventional gear, you just gotta hope you fly in a different weather location to me!)
Anyway, I will keep saying the following to myself
"I will not give up, I will not give up". Not much chance though. Having not flown for nearly 8 weeks, I thought that last Sunday was going to be a "lets see how much you remember", rather than carrying on from where I left off. I was so sure I was going to be useless that I forgot to worry, and hey ho, I wasn't half bad (ok, I was half bad, but not completely!). As for Florida, no worries....if you can just have a word with my boss about the 5 weeks leave of absence, my wife about the 5 weeks leave of absence, and my bank manager, then I'll start packing! In all honesty, I would love to get a good solid block of flying in order to learn, but it doesn't match my life right now.
Anyhow, keep em coming, it cheers me up no end.....now, off to find my holy boxing glove :-)
Sorry Conventional Gear. Didn't know. Let me rephrase that then..."Ha, poor sod, she's having a worse time than me" If I haven't got it right that time, then I really am confused.
Domwilko, sorry to hear you having a hard time. Hope it gets better for you. I'll even tell you the days I book lessons, so you can avoid the bad weather (sorry conventional gear, you just gotta hope you fly in a different weather location to me!)
Anyway, I will keep saying the following to myself
"I will not give up, I will not give up". Not much chance though. Having not flown for nearly 8 weeks, I thought that last Sunday was going to be a "lets see how much you remember", rather than carrying on from where I left off. I was so sure I was going to be useless that I forgot to worry, and hey ho, I wasn't half bad (ok, I was half bad, but not completely!). As for Florida, no worries....if you can just have a word with my boss about the 5 weeks leave of absence, my wife about the 5 weeks leave of absence, and my bank manager, then I'll start packing! In all honesty, I would love to get a good solid block of flying in order to learn, but it doesn't match my life right now.
Anyhow, keep em coming, it cheers me up no end.....now, off to find my holy boxing glove :-)
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Yeah, I have been thinking along those lines. I can sometimes book a Wednesday evening, so I did this week as well as the weekend ones, but it didn't turn out right today. What's worse, is that cos of work, I can't always book an evening, and I definitely can't afford to miss a lesson and still pay for it. My instructor is good about things, and would let me cancel up to a couple of days before, but less than that, and he would charge, which is reasonable, as its his livelihood I would be screwing up. And to be fair to him, the couple of times I have had to cancel (bad back instance) he didn't charge me anyway (even though I offered!)
For now, its lessons booked every week, find some poor b****er more unlucky than I am, and then not fly on the same days :-)
IPZ
For now, its lessons booked every week, find some poor b****er more unlucky than I am, and then not fly on the same days :-)
IPZ
If it's only the weather bothering you, either relocate to a better place or live with what you have. And don't complain about things beyond human control.
Imagine my frustration at acquiring an almost-new microlight at a very good price, then have it sitting in a hangar for more than two months while trying to get it registered so as to fly it legally. And the weather none better than over at yours.
Imagine my frustration at acquiring an almost-new microlight at a very good price, then have it sitting in a hangar for more than two months while trying to get it registered so as to fly it legally. And the weather none better than over at yours.
Imagine my frustration at acquiring an almost-new microlight at a very good price, then have it sitting in a hangar for more than two months while trying to get it registered so as to fly it legally.
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"Keep a record of all the lessons you have cancelled due to weather and then give God a punch in the face for each one when you die! Picture that day whenever your school says "not today, the weather is ****e sorry!"
I think this post may have changed my life, slightly... I am going to apply it to so many things not just flying.
And my q cross country has been cancelled for tommorow - booked for Monday...
I think this post may have changed my life, slightly... I am going to apply it to so many things not just flying.
And my q cross country has been cancelled for tommorow - booked for Monday...
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Ah pitofrost, you can't ask better than that. You can have it etched on your tombstone..."PPrune changed my life"
And on that night, gnite all and lets hope for some really awful weather so that there isn't any left by next Wednesday :-)
And on that night, gnite all and lets hope for some really awful weather so that there isn't any left by next Wednesday :-)
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A UK PPL takes usually about a year, mostly due to cancelled lessons due to bad wx or broken aircraft.
Mine took a year and about 60 hours.
But when you get your PPL, you can fly differently, because you don't have an instructor telling you that you can't fly in 5000m visibility. You have a decent GPS and you damn well can fly in 5000m vis (a nice English summer). It's a different world, once you have that piece of paper.
Mine took a year and about 60 hours.
But when you get your PPL, you can fly differently, because you don't have an instructor telling you that you can't fly in 5000m visibility. You have a decent GPS and you damn well can fly in 5000m vis (a nice English summer). It's a different world, once you have that piece of paper.
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Book more lessons
I booked two sometimes three lessons a week, and probably used about half with the rest cancelled due to weather and the odd technical problem.
If you can manage to get a run of lessons by taking a few days holiday or over a long weekend, you find you can make a lot of progress.
Even with our weather, the PPL course can be completed within a year at weekends
If flights are cancelled, try to spend the time on ground studies/theory exams
SD
If you can manage to get a run of lessons by taking a few days holiday or over a long weekend, you find you can make a lot of progress.
Even with our weather, the PPL course can be completed within a year at weekends
If flights are cancelled, try to spend the time on ground studies/theory exams
SD
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Some instructors like to cling onto the controls, others will sit with their arms folded. I much prefer the latter as it removes the uncertainty about who is doing what!