My first cross country!
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My first cross country!
Given what a great community PPrune is, I thought I would share (and I just need to tell people, too!).
I'm currently learning to fly in a Eurostar (3 axis M/light). Things were going well, but then I had an unexpected 4 month break (knee op) which meant that I missed most of the summer, and only got back to things in December.
Well, I haven't gone solo yet, but am finally starting to get the hang of this landing thing (though perhaps my instructor would say otherwise). That said, we decided that it would be a good idea to do a cross-country, just to remind me what it was all about.
After 2 months of false starts, with weather too bad to fly, or good enough to do circuits, but not get over the Chilterns, last week was the "go" week.
It was still a bit touch and go, given the band of bad weather hanging over the midlands, we gave our destination (Sywell) a call and it didn't seem to bad there. On the understanding that if things did start looking iffy weather-wise, and the knowledge that we were flying towards the lower cloud, so could always turn around and fly back, we decided to give it a go.
AND IT WAS GREAT!!!!
I am sure that those of you with many hundreds of hours under your belts will see this as run of the mill, but for me, it was the most fantastic adventure. For a start, it meant I finally really did understand what trimming was about. I mean, how else can you fly, control the plane, read the map, look out and look at the intruments unless your altitude is steady and its one less pressure to deal with.
And then following the map....it was like google earth, only better. No radio beacons for us. Just a nav plan, 2 turning points (don't want anything too taxing) and a stopwatch...and a chart, with forests, railways, other airfields, towns, lakes, and all of that.
On the way up I did tend to look at the chart, then look for the features, but by the time we were flying back, the idea of looking at the features, and then checking them against the chart started to become more obvious.
And, as far as I am concerned, after flying 25 minutes on a heading, following and ticking off checkpoints, it was little less than a miracle that we arrived at our turning point within 9 seconds of our target. That was just mind-blowing!
I loved every minute of it, and it wasn't till I got home that I realised that as well as doing a cross-country, I joined an unknown circuit, and landed, without actually panicing or even realising it was different from my home field.
So, next lessons I am back to circuit bashing, and seeing if I can finally get consistent, but in the meantime, I have the cross-country to look back on and go "Ohhhh, that's what its all about !"
Thanks for listening to me rave, and will tell you more as it happens.
IPZ
I'm currently learning to fly in a Eurostar (3 axis M/light). Things were going well, but then I had an unexpected 4 month break (knee op) which meant that I missed most of the summer, and only got back to things in December.
Well, I haven't gone solo yet, but am finally starting to get the hang of this landing thing (though perhaps my instructor would say otherwise). That said, we decided that it would be a good idea to do a cross-country, just to remind me what it was all about.
After 2 months of false starts, with weather too bad to fly, or good enough to do circuits, but not get over the Chilterns, last week was the "go" week.
It was still a bit touch and go, given the band of bad weather hanging over the midlands, we gave our destination (Sywell) a call and it didn't seem to bad there. On the understanding that if things did start looking iffy weather-wise, and the knowledge that we were flying towards the lower cloud, so could always turn around and fly back, we decided to give it a go.
AND IT WAS GREAT!!!!
I am sure that those of you with many hundreds of hours under your belts will see this as run of the mill, but for me, it was the most fantastic adventure. For a start, it meant I finally really did understand what trimming was about. I mean, how else can you fly, control the plane, read the map, look out and look at the intruments unless your altitude is steady and its one less pressure to deal with.
And then following the map....it was like google earth, only better. No radio beacons for us. Just a nav plan, 2 turning points (don't want anything too taxing) and a stopwatch...and a chart, with forests, railways, other airfields, towns, lakes, and all of that.
On the way up I did tend to look at the chart, then look for the features, but by the time we were flying back, the idea of looking at the features, and then checking them against the chart started to become more obvious.
And, as far as I am concerned, after flying 25 minutes on a heading, following and ticking off checkpoints, it was little less than a miracle that we arrived at our turning point within 9 seconds of our target. That was just mind-blowing!
I loved every minute of it, and it wasn't till I got home that I realised that as well as doing a cross-country, I joined an unknown circuit, and landed, without actually panicing or even realising it was different from my home field.
So, next lessons I am back to circuit bashing, and seeing if I can finally get consistent, but in the meantime, I have the cross-country to look back on and go "Ohhhh, that's what its all about !"
Thanks for listening to me rave, and will tell you more as it happens.
IPZ
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Well done! It's great to hear a story about a good flying experience, and it's clear that you're getting good value flying time!
Thanks for posting, and stick with it, it carries on getting better (with some interspersed wobbly times...) Worth it all though.
fwjc
Thanks for posting, and stick with it, it carries on getting better (with some interspersed wobbly times...) Worth it all though.
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Excellent. Keep it up. Sorry you only have one reply (2 now) when threads whining about things get loads... That's PPRuNe for you.
Today I flew to one airfield for coffee, one for lunch, then home by afternoon tea, in the most fantastic weather imaginable. That's what it's about. (I also did an ILS... For me that's part of what it's about, but it doesn't do it for everyone!)
Tim
Today I flew to one airfield for coffee, one for lunch, then home by afternoon tea, in the most fantastic weather imaginable. That's what it's about. (I also did an ILS... For me that's part of what it's about, but it doesn't do it for everyone!)
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The weather for the last couple of weeks has been amazing, once the fog clears!
Your first cross country sounds absolutely grand! How lucky you are to have an instructor willing to admit you to the mysteries of finding your way up where there is a distinct shortage of road signs, and no lady on the satnav yapping at you!
Reminds me (here she goes again!) of my first x-country flight with my very first instructor in a glider, a member of the British National Team, Bernie Fitchett, from Booker to Oxford and back again, on a really classic day with thermals, cloudstreets, amazing; we got a bit low over Cowley, and actually were picking fields, but Bernie found lift over the Cowley works, and there we were, circling over the Headington Roundabout, a famous gliding turn point, and back to High Wycombe scarcely needing to turn at all.
It is actually easier to navigate in a glider cross country, just keep on turning to stay in rising air, so have a pretty good idea of where you are coming from as well as where you are going. And that was in the days without GPS; nowadays it is almost too easy. We old crusty pilots think that the first 50 k flight should really only be done in that basic wooden singleseat K8, climbs on a sparrow's fart, doesn't penetrate into wind very well, but on a good day, it only takes 3 or 4 good thermals downwind to make the distance.
Your first cross country sounds absolutely grand! How lucky you are to have an instructor willing to admit you to the mysteries of finding your way up where there is a distinct shortage of road signs, and no lady on the satnav yapping at you!
Reminds me (here she goes again!) of my first x-country flight with my very first instructor in a glider, a member of the British National Team, Bernie Fitchett, from Booker to Oxford and back again, on a really classic day with thermals, cloudstreets, amazing; we got a bit low over Cowley, and actually were picking fields, but Bernie found lift over the Cowley works, and there we were, circling over the Headington Roundabout, a famous gliding turn point, and back to High Wycombe scarcely needing to turn at all.
It is actually easier to navigate in a glider cross country, just keep on turning to stay in rising air, so have a pretty good idea of where you are coming from as well as where you are going. And that was in the days without GPS; nowadays it is almost too easy. We old crusty pilots think that the first 50 k flight should really only be done in that basic wooden singleseat K8, climbs on a sparrow's fart, doesn't penetrate into wind very well, but on a good day, it only takes 3 or 4 good thermals downwind to make the distance.
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We old crusty pilots think that the first 50 k flight should really only be done in that basic wooden singleseat K8
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Fantastic news Ian, great feeling that first x country navex isn't it!
I did my first navex a couple of weeks ago, and as you say, its great fun but mind blowing! My brain was fried by the end of mine and I only just managed the "Aviate " part of aviate navigate communicate (and goodness knows what the poor air/ground radio guy at Peterborough Conington thought when I called him up!
You mention circuit bashing, as you have stated navexes I am guessing you have gone solo? I hope that you're enjoying your training as much as I am (despite the wobbly bits
)
Good luck with it all, and if you haven't gone solo yet, tell us all when you have
I did my first navex a couple of weeks ago, and as you say, its great fun but mind blowing! My brain was fried by the end of mine and I only just managed the "Aviate " part of aviate navigate communicate (and goodness knows what the poor air/ground radio guy at Peterborough Conington thought when I called him up!
You mention circuit bashing, as you have stated navexes I am guessing you have gone solo? I hope that you're enjoying your training as much as I am (despite the wobbly bits
)Good luck with it all, and if you haven't gone solo yet, tell us all when you have
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Hi all, and thanks for the great comments. Yes, it does make it all worth it.
Grob Queen, no, not gone solo yet. I am still to get there. Not in any rush, though. The good thing is that doing the cross-country (with instructor...I have to do 2 with him, and I think 1 without) made me realise that even though in some things I might be a bit behind the curve (eg going solo) in other things, it just clicked (eg navigation).
Fingers crossed I get to go solo before the Olympics! Otherwise, there goes another big month gap without flying.
Ah well, it comes when it comes, and in the meantime, its all great fun.
Thanks
IPZ
Grob Queen, no, not gone solo yet. I am still to get there. Not in any rush, though. The good thing is that doing the cross-country (with instructor...I have to do 2 with him, and I think 1 without) made me realise that even though in some things I might be a bit behind the curve (eg going solo) in other things, it just clicked (eg navigation).
Fingers crossed I get to go solo before the Olympics! Otherwise, there goes another big month gap without flying.
Ah well, it comes when it comes, and in the meantime, its all great fun.
Thanks
IPZ
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Hi Ian,
You'll get there eventually - it took me 117 circuits before I went solo! One thing i've learnt from here, from another flying forum and from my instructor and friends is that everyone goes at their own pace!!
I'm pleased nav has just clicked for you... I think i'm going to find it a struggle..whereas PFLs have clicked with me (although practicing a couple in nil wind today made my instructor remind me that I needed to extend the downwind leg!)
I'm very glad the olympics aren't going to bother us up here, but it must be very frustrating knowing that you are going to lose some good weather and flying time just because of over-hyped and uninteresting sport!!!
GQ
You'll get there eventually - it took me 117 circuits before I went solo! One thing i've learnt from here, from another flying forum and from my instructor and friends is that everyone goes at their own pace!!
I'm pleased nav has just clicked for you... I think i'm going to find it a struggle..whereas PFLs have clicked with me (although practicing a couple in nil wind today made my instructor remind me that I needed to extend the downwind leg!)
I'm very glad the olympics aren't going to bother us up here, but it must be very frustrating knowing that you are going to lose some good weather and flying time just because of over-hyped and uninteresting sport!!!
GQ
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Well, I am up to 66, so catching up on you! To start with, I was all like "I have to get through this as quick as possible, hurry up hurry up" and then it dawned on me that however long it took me, I was enjoying the process, and what was the rush. Result is I am far more laid back about it now, and probably making a better job of landing cos I am not quite so tense all the time.
As for Olympics, it is a pain. That said, for half the time the microlight world championships are on, so my intructor is off to Spain anyway. The other half the time, I am going to see if I can find some friendlymicrolighters to take me up outside of the zone. A friend of a friend has recently retired and lives (or at least flies from) a field near Leicester. I'm gonna see if he is interested in letting a learner at his plane :-)
Luckily he is an instructor too!
Where in Lincs do you fly from?
IPZ
As for Olympics, it is a pain. That said, for half the time the microlight world championships are on, so my intructor is off to Spain anyway. The other half the time, I am going to see if I can find some friendlymicrolighters to take me up outside of the zone. A friend of a friend has recently retired and lives (or at least flies from) a field near Leicester. I'm gonna see if he is interested in letting a learner at his plane :-)
Luckily he is an instructor too!
Where in Lincs do you fly from?
IPZ
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Ian,
I too am just now sitting back and enjoying my training...I know I will get there in the end...and I think that the more time spent with an instructor will make the student a better pilot....probably totally wrong, but keeps me happy
Hope your friend can take you flying and you can keep the currency up.
I fly from RAFC Cranwell, a really great,friendly small club and loving it...flat countryside - excellent for PFLs -although one ditch looks very much like another when on a navex!
I too am just now sitting back and enjoying my training...I know I will get there in the end...and I think that the more time spent with an instructor will make the student a better pilot....probably totally wrong, but keeps me happy
Hope your friend can take you flying and you can keep the currency up.
I fly from RAFC Cranwell, a really great,friendly small club and loving it...flat countryside - excellent for PFLs -although one ditch looks very much like another when on a navex!
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Hi Ian,
I have enjoyed reading this thread about your cross country. Congratulations.
Just a quick question from information given in this thread am I right in thinking that you are learning with LSFC @ Booker? Only this is who I am thinking of learning with when I start later this year.
Regards,
I have enjoyed reading this thread about your cross country. Congratulations.
Just a quick question from information given in this thread am I right in thinking that you are learning with LSFC @ Booker? Only this is who I am thinking of learning with when I start later this year.
Regards,
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Say Cheese, just thought i'd say, I see you live in High Wycombe, have you thought about learning with the RAF Halton Flying Club? I think they have a grass strip but its bound to be cheaper than Booker or any where else in that vicinity?!
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Well, it looks like you two have covered 2/3 of the options.
So, when I started looking at a place to fly, I looked at Halton, Booker, and Plaistows Farm (Exodus Airsports).
They all looked like great places to learn. However, I've ended up at Exodus Airsports. That was partly because it was the closest (Halton was a 45 minute drive, whereas Exodus was 10 minutes, and a lot less fuel).
I did look very seriously at Booker, but unless I musunderstood, I would have to buy into a syndicate in order to go solo. Whilst I know that the overall cost was probably about the same, I didn't think I could afford to buy into a syndicate at the same time as learning in one go, and it seemed silly to start learning in one place, and then have to leave and learn somewhere else in order to continue learning after needing to go solo.
So, if you are near High Wycombe, then Booker and Halton are good, but if you are near St Albans, then try Exodus.
Good luck learning :-)....IPZ
So, when I started looking at a place to fly, I looked at Halton, Booker, and Plaistows Farm (Exodus Airsports).
They all looked like great places to learn. However, I've ended up at Exodus Airsports. That was partly because it was the closest (Halton was a 45 minute drive, whereas Exodus was 10 minutes, and a lot less fuel).
I did look very seriously at Booker, but unless I musunderstood, I would have to buy into a syndicate in order to go solo. Whilst I know that the overall cost was probably about the same, I didn't think I could afford to buy into a syndicate at the same time as learning in one go, and it seemed silly to start learning in one place, and then have to leave and learn somewhere else in order to continue learning after needing to go solo.
So, if you are near High Wycombe, then Booker and Halton are good, but if you are near St Albans, then try Exodus.
Good luck learning :-)....IPZ
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So I thought I would follow up my last thread with an update....it's been almost 2 months since I have flown. A combination of work commitments and a lot of bad weather meant that I've missed every single lesson between then and now.
However, I'd been booking double lessons in the hope that if the weather took a break, then perhaps I could get on with circuits. I'm getting there, but need more practice to get my flare right.
Anyway, last weekend, weather turned out ok, and I turned up to the airstrip ready for my circuit practice.
"Nope", says my instructor. "You've got a double lesson, weather's good, lets do another cross-country". I couldn't believe it, and nearly fell of my chair!
This time, he gave me chart and tools (well, sold them to me!) and I had to go through the planning. We decided Plaistows to Headcorn.
Flight plan was simple, but following the ground features was much much harder, as there was either too much 'city' or nothing.
Anyway, an hour and a few minutes later, there we are, having lunch in Headcorn....it was absolutely fantastic.
And the best bit of it all.....I was sound focussed on the navigation that once I got there, I stopped worrying about the landing, and as a result, it went really well. I think sometimes I think too much, rather than just go with the feel.
Journey back was great, and much easier as I had the picture in my mind....it was really just spotting things on the way back that I knew were going to be there.
So that is two lessons, two months apart, and two cross countries. The one thing I am sure of is that I love flying, and am just hoping I can now move some of the other stuff on.
Thanks for reading, and all those who commented last time, thanks....hopefully next time I post a cross-country, it will be solo! (OMG!)
IPZ
However, I'd been booking double lessons in the hope that if the weather took a break, then perhaps I could get on with circuits. I'm getting there, but need more practice to get my flare right.
Anyway, last weekend, weather turned out ok, and I turned up to the airstrip ready for my circuit practice.
"Nope", says my instructor. "You've got a double lesson, weather's good, lets do another cross-country". I couldn't believe it, and nearly fell of my chair!
This time, he gave me chart and tools (well, sold them to me!) and I had to go through the planning. We decided Plaistows to Headcorn.
Flight plan was simple, but following the ground features was much much harder, as there was either too much 'city' or nothing.
Anyway, an hour and a few minutes later, there we are, having lunch in Headcorn....it was absolutely fantastic.
And the best bit of it all.....I was sound focussed on the navigation that once I got there, I stopped worrying about the landing, and as a result, it went really well. I think sometimes I think too much, rather than just go with the feel.
Journey back was great, and much easier as I had the picture in my mind....it was really just spotting things on the way back that I knew were going to be there.
So that is two lessons, two months apart, and two cross countries. The one thing I am sure of is that I love flying, and am just hoping I can now move some of the other stuff on.
Thanks for reading, and all those who commented last time, thanks....hopefully next time I post a cross-country, it will be solo! (OMG!)
IPZ
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Well done Ian, quite a heady feeling isn't it!
I always try to go somewhere new when I fly; (only had the PPL for a year so still plenty of places to go!) as the buzz of flying to me is to pick somewhere at random, check to see if it has a cafe on site or pub nearby and plan a trip there. Can't beat it.
I always try to go somewhere new when I fly; (only had the PPL for a year so still plenty of places to go!) as the buzz of flying to me is to pick somewhere at random, check to see if it has a cafe on site or pub nearby and plan a trip there. Can't beat it.
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thing, sorry for the lack of response...been on hols!
Yes, heady feeling indeed. I am now unfortunately in the last few sessions period before the olympics. Because our airstrip is in the restricted zone around london, and the microlights aren't fitted with transponders, its "no lessons for a month". Combine this with the rash of microlight competitions, and it doesn't leave much weekend time to learn, so I am sooo glad i managed to do another cross country.
That said, next lesson is in a couple of sunday's time, and if the weather is still like this, my instructor might find me saying "put that 3-axis away and take me up in a flexwing!"
I just can't wait until I can do the type of day-out trips you mention. Its part the reason I went for a microlight. As one instructor said to me...if you don't care whether it takes 1 or 2 hours to get there, then you are far more likely to be able to afford to go places in a microlight than in a light aircraft.
So, by my calculation, my day out to Headcorn was a total of 2:10 flying, so that is £75 costs, or just over 19 litres of fuel (so about £26 of fuel, and £49 running costs)
Doesn't get much better than that!
Yes, heady feeling indeed. I am now unfortunately in the last few sessions period before the olympics. Because our airstrip is in the restricted zone around london, and the microlights aren't fitted with transponders, its "no lessons for a month". Combine this with the rash of microlight competitions, and it doesn't leave much weekend time to learn, so I am sooo glad i managed to do another cross country.
That said, next lesson is in a couple of sunday's time, and if the weather is still like this, my instructor might find me saying "put that 3-axis away and take me up in a flexwing!"
I just can't wait until I can do the type of day-out trips you mention. Its part the reason I went for a microlight. As one instructor said to me...if you don't care whether it takes 1 or 2 hours to get there, then you are far more likely to be able to afford to go places in a microlight than in a light aircraft.
So, by my calculation, my day out to Headcorn was a total of 2:10 flying, so that is £75 costs, or just over 19 litres of fuel (so about £26 of fuel, and £49 running costs)
Doesn't get much better than that!
