What to do now?

[Hampstead]

I'm after some friendly advice from other PPL's. I got my PPL in July and have now just finished my Night qualification and IMC rating.

To be honest it now feels a little bit of an anti-climax. A lot of it is probably due to the time of year/weather etc. but I'm a little lost as to what to do next. I suppose the obvious answer is to get out there and build some much needed experience but I was wondering whether anybody else had a similar experience and what they did ?

[rustle]

Seems like you've already answered your own question.

Go and enjoy it for a while

[AerBabe]

If you have a look through the search function you'll find some similar threads. This is a particularly good one
Overwhelming response? As rustle said, ENJOY it! Make a point of getting to new places, set yourself challenges, enter competitions, etc etc...

If you're desperate to do something different, and it seems like you're not short of money, if you've managed to do the IMC/NR so quickly, why not get a taildragger sign off, and learn to fly proper aircraft? If you've learned on a 'dragger, try some older machines. Or just try different types of trikes.

[FNG]

fly upside down, fly to France, fly upside down in France, learn to fly in mountains (probably not upside down), fly something big, daft noisy and smelly, fly something tiny made of string and bits, fly something with a wobbly thing on the top, go to one of Irv's v fine seminars etc etc...the possibilities are endless.

[FlyingForFun]

I love these threads. This kind of question gets asked every few months, and there's always one or two replies which make me think "Hey, I quite fancy having a go at that," or "Ooh, I never thought of that!"

It sounds like you're overdosing on training. But saying "just go and fly" probably isn't very helpful, because sometimes you need an aim beyond burning holes in the sky. Here's a few ideas:

• Go to fly-ins. There'll be some advertised on your flying club's noticeboard, especially as we get closer to spring and summer. There's a PPRuNe fly-in arranged at Duxford in a couple of months' time too.
• Take other pilots flying. If you don't know anyone from your flying club, I'm sure you can find some PPRuNe volunteers! Flying with another pilot adds extra challenges - you have to ensure that you know who's in charge at every point (probably the person whose aircraft you're in, or the person on whose account you're hiring it), and how the responsibilities are going to be shared. Personally, I like to fly one leg and let my passengers navigate, then swap roles for the return leg. I always do the take-off and landings when I'm P1, and I always handle the radios. They're my rules, and I keep them flexible myself - no reason why your rules should be the same.
• Do a couple of longer trips. Go away for the weekend, instead of just for lunch. Go to France, or Holland, or Germany. Go on trips which will require a fuel stop. Can be difficult at this time of year, like you say - but start planning now!
• Check out on some new types. If you've done your PPL on a PA28, you could try a C172, or vice versa... but it's far more interesting to have a go at something completely different. A tail-dragger check-out, for example. Or a complex aircraft.

That's enough to be going on with for now... but I may well come back with more ideas later!

FFF
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[Hampstead]

Thanks.. all good stuff. I think I may have overdone the training bit and what with this and the weather recently (and then when the weather improved I couldn't get a plane!) I lost a bit of motivation, but this has perked me up a lot ! I do normally fly with another PPl so I'll go talk to him and hatch some plans...

keep the ideas coming...

[FlyingForFun]

I do normally fly with another PPL

In that case, I'll amend my previous post, and suggest you do some flying without your normal flying companion! Either go solo, or take some non-pilot pax instead. Doesn't really matter, so long as you don't get stuck in a rut doing the same thing weekend after weekend.

FFF
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[AlanM]

Ironically - the post that AerBabe STARTED (!) was started on the 17 Jan, 2002!

Me thinks that this is a motivational-seasonal-affective-disorder type thing!!

It'll soon be summer - official night starts as late as 1650 already!!!

Alan

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"I'll fly with anyone - sometimes sharing the costs!!!!"

[CPilotUK]

Ironically - the post that AerBabe STARTED (!) was started on the 17 Jan, 2002!

Me thinks that this is a motivational-seasonal-affective-disorder type thing!!

That was really funny AlanM

I've been to a couple of 'PPL What Next' seminars at the flying club and walked away fully motivated. I am hoping to fly to a lot of small and remote airfields when I finally get my license.

[drauk]

If you've the time and the money, flying in other countries is a lot of fun - you can fly over some very interesting things very cheaply in the US.

I went to Arizona straight after I got my PPL, did a flight review and checkout, then some mountain flying instruction then flew around the Grand Canyon, in to Las Vegas etc.

South Africa is another great place to go flying.

There are lots of interesting things to do in the UK, but California's weather and prices look very attractive at this time of year.

[AlanM]

drauk is quite right - flying overseas is excellent fun and experience. Las Vegas North airfield is a very busy GA airport - and the Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam is a must (as is "The Strip!")

See:

Grand Canyon Airport

As for South Africa - brilliant - and very cheap. Even Jo'burg has cheap flying from places like Lanseria or Mid Rand. Very odd taxiing at 5000ft+ and leaning the engine back! Lots of nice small strips to visit to:-

A typical strip in SA

Enjoy whatever you do!!