Pilot!
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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Pilot!
so after many many lessons, I passed the final hurdle today and successfully completed my flight test.
Didn't do too badly either if I do say so myself. It has been quite the epic journey!
Didn't do too badly either if I do say so myself. It has been quite the epic journey!
Congratulations, and now you can really start having some fun.
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Thanks guys. I genuinely received some really helpful advice from here over the last couple of years.
I hope I can pay it forward.
Now to pay my instructor the highest compliment I can think of by continuing to exercise the privileges of my license and enjoying every moment of it.
I don't remember who it was, but someone posted some advise to a new PPL on here , to "try something new every flight"
That is my plan!
I hope I can pay it forward.
Now to pay my instructor the highest compliment I can think of by continuing to exercise the privileges of my license and enjoying every moment of it.
I don't remember who it was, but someone posted some advise to a new PPL on here , to "try something new every flight"
That is my plan!
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tamworth, UK / Nairobi, Kenya
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I have to pass on the advice I received from an old pilot on the day I passed my flight test.
"Congratulations, now you have a license to kill yourself"
Let that sink in a bit.
Then he told me that right now, today, passing your test, you are qualified to fly the plane, and have all the skills necessary to pilot the plane properly. However, if you don't continue to learn, to get proficiency training, to read, to practice, and to fly regularly, your skills will slowly deteriorate over time. You won't realise that your skills have deteriorated, and one day you'll find yourself in a situation that you think you can handle, but you can't. Because your skill level won't be as good then as it is now.
UNLESS, you continue to learn. Get regular proficiency training. Have an instructor give you a "mock" flight test every so often. Keep your skills up. Practice them. Practice things like slow flight, flapless landings, etc.
Congratulations on achieving something that very few people do. When you think that something like 1/10 of 1 percent of the population can do this, and that some 2 billion people lived before aeroplanes existed, that you are in a very small club.
Be safe.
"Congratulations, now you have a license to kill yourself"
Let that sink in a bit.
Then he told me that right now, today, passing your test, you are qualified to fly the plane, and have all the skills necessary to pilot the plane properly. However, if you don't continue to learn, to get proficiency training, to read, to practice, and to fly regularly, your skills will slowly deteriorate over time. You won't realise that your skills have deteriorated, and one day you'll find yourself in a situation that you think you can handle, but you can't. Because your skill level won't be as good then as it is now.
UNLESS, you continue to learn. Get regular proficiency training. Have an instructor give you a "mock" flight test every so often. Keep your skills up. Practice them. Practice things like slow flight, flapless landings, etc.
Congratulations on achieving something that very few people do. When you think that something like 1/10 of 1 percent of the population can do this, and that some 2 billion people lived before aeroplanes existed, that you are in a very small club.
Be safe.
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Congrats! Also enjoyed reading your write up!
Surprised your examiner wasn't local but then I don't know the setup on your side of the pond.
I'll try to claim that quote above but others have said it to me first. Try to have a purpose for each flight - doesn't have to be something new - could be practising something old!
Was practising my cross wind landings on my last fight with 17G29 directly across the runway (there is another runway but where is the run in that...).
Welcome to your licence to learn!
Surprised your examiner wasn't local but then I don't know the setup on your side of the pond.
I'll try to claim that quote above but others have said it to me first. Try to have a purpose for each flight - doesn't have to be something new - could be practising something old!
Was practising my cross wind landings on my last fight with 17G29 directly across the runway (there is another runway but where is the run in that...).
Welcome to your licence to learn!
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Try to have a purpose for each flight..
Continuously striving for optimal performance levels will enhance your situational awareness and lead to a safe landing at your destination.
So, strive to understand your performance limitations and establish strategies to remediate any deficiencies.
WP
Join Date: Nov 2010
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That's right, and the only purpose I always think of is to have a safe flight.
I have, over the years, developed a 3-count rule.
Any mistake I make, or any difficulties I find, or any discrepancies, no matter how small, counts in the 3-count rule, and if I get to 3 before takeoff, then I terminate the flight - my mind isn't fully focused obviously - go have a cup of coffee and evaluate my mental condition.
For example, the last flight I took I left the keys in my pocket before I got into the plane (hard to get them out when sitting) - that counts.
Ever left the chocks or tie-downs? that's another one.
Forgot the frequency of the tower? yet another.
After takeoff, I reset the counter to zero. If it gets to 3 in flight, then I make sure I'm in a safe location and straight and level, and then have a good chat with myself to make sure I'm paying attention.
These are NOT major mess-ups. If I make a major mess-up, then I immediately check myself, either don't take off, or make sure I can work on my mental state.
By counting them, I've found that I've taught my mind to look for them, and to flag them up whenever something happens, and that has made me more alert to issues.
