What has been the one, absolute highlight of your flying so far?
 

....it could be a particular flying experience, your first solo, achieving your PPL or a particular licence/rating, flying a new type or in a particular place, or practically anything else...I guess I'm interested in what turns us all on.

I thought about it for a bit, having done quite a lot...what REALLY stood out as making me feel great, as though flying was the best thing in the world? And it's an absolute tie between my first solo cross country, and flying through a completely circular rainbow a few years ago. Both gave me the same feeling of wonder, of disbelief. That seat next to me just couldn't be empty as I flew all round the country, talked on the radio, made my own decisions, could it? And this natural phenomenon was impossible, rainbows weren't complete circles, and here I was in the middle of it in my own little world that no-one else could experience.

Well, that's me anyway. Now over to the rest of you...

best moment
 

strangely enough shaking the hand of the first chap i taught to fly
as he came in from his first solo. Its not often in life you get to make anyone feel that good, I can still see the big daft grin and thinking "result" .
:D
Pip Pip Ian

Oh boy, that's a hard one. So many memorable flights that picking just one is a real struggle.

Well, I've thought about it, and I reserve the right to change my mind later, but:

It was the first time I strung a couple of aerobatic manoevres together. Each manoevre itself was fun, but doing one after the other gave me a real buzz. Can't even remember what it was I did, I'm pretty sure it was a full Cuban 8 followed by something else, possibly a loop.

Pity I can't afford the time or the money to get into aeros properly. Oh well, at least I have the memories :ok:

FFF
---------------

FL300, over Devon, RHS in a Citation EGGW - EGDG.

My interest in flying had started to wane a bit as I thought I'd gone as far as I would. That experience kick-started the enthusiasm again - I now spend my spare time studying for a CPL/IR!

I think it must have been my first flight after a 35 year break, when I decided to regain my PPL. I found myself at a busy 2nd level airport, between the RJ100s, in an aeroplane I had never flown before. The instructor let me to do the take off (he had to be both daft and brave :) ), and as I pushed the throttle forward I couldn't really believe it.:)

After the take off and climb out, I turned away to the south, all a little clumsily, but I realised I could still do it - wonderful! :) :) :)

Love to find a circular rainbow though - that must have been spectacular! :ok:

Probably my first solo out of the circuit - flying along the coast at 4000 feet with perfect blue sky and unlimited visibility was wonderful after hours of circuit bashing. The first solo navex was also memorable, but on the first local solo there was nothing to do but look out of the window and enjoy. On the navex the workload got in the way a bit :)

Another good'un was sitting on the wing of a PA-28 at Bournemouth after the first leg of my QXC, watching the the Red Arrows run and break overhead, land, taxi past and park up just across the grass from me :ok: (hearing the tower say "Ryanair xxx, follow the PA-28 to..." as I was departing was kind of cool too :) )

D'oh - the title says "what's the one, absolute highlight..." and I've put two :rolleyes:

Can't limit it to just one, sorry about this:

First solo - I was having a ball, not at all bothered until I turned base, saw the runway, and thought sh1t, they want me to land this!

QXC - still a great highlight. Little old me, flying along the edge of Birmingham's airspace getting a flight info service from them (don't believe a word you hear - those guys are great) and a good luck message. How did they know?

First spin - wow! Got to do aerobatics one day soon.

First XC following my PPL. Flight to Caernarvon and overhead Bangor I was treated to the sight of Anthony Hodgson's Spitfire doing an impromptu display close by, and then beating me to the airfield by an indecent margin.

Recently on a beautiful day climbing to 6,000' above the Welsh hills (close to you Whirly) seeing the shadow of my C172 on a nearby cloud and a circular rainbow closeby. A passenger tried to take a photo but it didn't come out :{

Now if anyone starts a thread on really bad moments, I've got a couple of those too.

So far, it's got to be my first solo land-away, White Waltham to Thruxton (EGLM – EGHO).

It was a beautiful sunny day in mid April 2003 when I took G-BSPM
off from runway 03 and headed 215 degrees to junction 10 of the M4 to log my first waypoint and time. I remember when I got to the west of Woodley, the visibility was so bad that I couldn't see the ground for about 30 seconds and I had to focus on the instruments as taught in my limited instrument lessons; Thank God.

When I got to Thruxton, parked and jumped out, I walked around the aircraft and shook my head in disbelief that I took this massive piece of metal 36 miles away, all by myself.

I still can’t believe I did it.

A colleague and I flew our Arrow at low level retracing the flight of the Dambusters from Lincolnshire across the North Sea via Southwold in Suffolk to Holland and then finished it off with a visit to Texel for a leisurely lunch. I even manged to say "Enemy Coast ahead" as the Dutch coast came into view!.

In the jumpseat of Concorde G-BOAD, late summer 3 years ago, for the entire flight - pushback, 60,000 feet at mach 2.02, and descent and landing. An absolutely unforgettable experience.

When flying as P1? Crickey, there are so many, including, as someone else said, first aeros sequence - in both Chippy and Yak.

But there are so many others........ I can't off hand think of one absolute highlight among so many super experiences, so here is a description of a flight that encapsulates for me the joy of what we do. I posted it elsewhere (not on PPRuNe) a while back. It describes a winter Chippy outing. It's a 'nothing special' flight, as many are, but pretty enjoyable despite that:-


Well cold at Barton this morning; the Chippy, always a reliable starter, wouldn't. After 40 minutes of priming, swinging, electric start, impulse mag checking, blowing out, priming again - we eventually prevailed upon the Engineers for help, and Tom (the chief spanner man) said "hold up the tail". With some difficulty, two of us raised the tail to the flying (level) attitude, Tom primed the engine, we put the tail down, and she started first swing. "Prime was only reaching the back cylinder" said Tom as he walked off.

Runway 27N in use, so off I went west, then down the LLR noting the high groundspeed readout on the Pilot111 once southbound. Out over Shropshire into a very bright low sun and up to 4000 feet to catch the tailwind and do a few loops and rolls - magic! Shawbury unmanned, so no hassle of vectors around military helos - just keep a good lookout and enjoy! North of Telford
let the height bleed off, down to 1500, call Sherlowe Strip. Bob answers on the handheld. Feather off the power for a nimby-friendly steepish glide from wide downwind around the farms and scattered houses (Bob's got anti-flyer problems in the vicinity) to a silky touchdown onto 33, then power on to keep it rolling up the grass slope to the clubhouse. Swing around, switches off, prop clanks around a few revolutions flickering in the glare of the
sun. Then silence; just the whining of the gyros and the tinking and plinking of cooling metal.

A warm welcome from Bob. A cup of tea in the clubhouse and a chat about his campaign for survival of this glorious rural haven in the shadow of the Wrekin - and then we're roaring up 33 again, airborne before the level section of the runway and immediate neighbour-friendly steepish left turnout over the western boundary, waving to Bob by the clubhouse. Up to 3000 feet
past Sleap, then some more aeros, letting it come down low by Rednal to see if Roger is there (he isn't) to cruise home on a low level sight-seeing tour. From 800 feet and looking downsun the beech woods cast long shadows across frosty-white Shropshire fields. Every hill and undulation is side-lit and picked out in relief in the golden winter sun - even the sheep each cast a shadow several times the length of the animal. Sleeping villages with
golden stone churches, flashes and meres, the lonely remote Whixal Moss, secret pools in the middle of a wood, grand country houses and estates, lonely farms, occasional main roads with beetling traffic, white finger posts at remote country lane junctions all sweep under the Chippy's wings.

Around the Peckforton hills and past the castle with a couple of sightseers looking up at this graceful red aeroplane. Around the end of Beeston hill with its castle, across to Oulton Park racing circuit, its cars no doubt roaring and squealing their way around the track but looking ludicrously slow and confined from the freedom of SL's speeding cockpit. A familiar voice from Manch Approach as we enter the LLR a clearance direct from Northwich to Barton gives us some unfamiliar countryside to look at from
above. Left base join for 32 at Barton, taxy in for fuel, then a nice hot cuppa and some all-day breakfast in the clubhouse (first food of the day) to thaw out. I love that Chippy - but a heater would be nice.

Aren't we lucky to be able to do this? Beats gardening or DIY (ugh!) any day.

SSD

Flying is so full of highlights it is a difficult choice. Is it the QXC, the JP flight, formation flying in Stearmans? All brilliant! However, the one that gives me the most pleasure and satisfaction is quite a simple one really.

It was last Summer when Mrs P wanted to go to a barbeque in Cheltenham. It was a perfect day, and we flew, just the two of us for the first time. Even the GPS packing up on the way to Staverton didn't spoil it.

It was the most expensive barbeque of all time but I'm sure, when I look back on my flying, it will be the highlight.

All true, there are so many great moments when you learn to fly, and I've had a few already : 1st solo, QXC, 1st solo XC, first view of the white cliffs of Dover coming back over the channel etc etc.

But for me, the best things are often simply the emotions experienced by people I take flying : usually ranges through trepidation, growing confidence, amzement, delight and then if I'm really lucky, beaming grins to shame a lighthouse ;-)

Whatever happens in life, we're lucky people to be able to give a gift like that - and receive the rewards !

FF

So far, it's got to be passing overhead Brighton on second leg of my QXC. Coasting along outbound from IOW Sandown to Lydd, passed through Shoreham zone (felt like proper pilot doing proper RT) and looked down at the Palace and West piers, thinking - now THIS is proper flying!

And I thought he was going to say 'looking down on the nudist beach'... :cool:

Not got started with actual lessons yet but have done a few hours this year and they've all been one highlight after another - first landing (Jodel, might as well start in a proper tailwheel aeroplane eh), first cross country navigation (Grob 109 - fascinating finding flying in sunny weather over cars stored on old airfields is just like driving over cobbles), first aeros (Extra 300 - expected to :yuk: but was :ok: :D instead)... if I wasn't getting married in August my big pot of savings would have disappeared instantly into one of those 'have a holiday somewhere sunny and learn to fly while you're at it' things.

As pilot - 1st solo, no question. When I finally landed, I couldn’t walk or talk properly for nearly an hour.

As pax – my first j/s ride. Buzz 146, STN > AMS, from pushback to brakes on. Took off in freezing fog one dark january morning, burst out into fabulous sunshine, then descended back into it for a CAT III landing. It felt like all my birthdays and Christmases, plus getting on ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ at the same time. :ok:

Flying a Spitfire Tr9. Every pilot's dream. Doing aeros around the big fluffy white clouds at 5,000 feet near Newmarket and seeing that gorgeous wing shape against the clouds. Those rolls just seem to go on forever.

Subsequently getting my logbook autographed by one of the pilots who flew it operationally in the war.

Still got the big grin weeks later.

RD

Ah yes, I forgot about my first view of the white cliffs of Dover on a beautiful sunny day on my first (and so far, only) trip back from France.

Oops, and I was the one who started this thread and said only ONE!!! :eek:

The best flying experience I have is everyday when I open the doors to my hangar and know that I have students who will take a step closer to their dream with every lesson. Sharing their first solo, passing the PPL and I think the very bestest day will be when my first CPL student reaches that level. The wings dinner when I give my students their wings and give out the awards that I deciede. No I am not an instructor, nor do I have a PPL, but I have my own school with two aircraft online, a cherokee140 & C172. I not only love all things aviation, I live it every day, there is always a cup of coffee for the freight pilot even if it is midnight. There is always a friendly face to welcome them.

Highlights in a flying career

You ask for one, so be it, must just say there are three including that first solo, however in deference to Whirly here goes.

After flying as a PPL well into the 4th decade I turned to the helicopter and the challenge of a PPL(H), all went well for several hours, flying in the cruise and in the circuit requires similar positional awareness as in a fixed wing and when it flies, well it flies like a fixed wing, but Oh My God, the HOVER :{ after 5 hours of all sorts of flying the instructor said "not a problem, if you are not hovering at 10 hours then there is a problem".

Came lesson eight and I asked to concentrate on the hover, well good people of Pprune I can tell you at the end of the lesson I was hovering that aircraft within a metre circle for 5 minutes at a time.

The secret formula, which I can only state on Jet Blast, really worked, and I did indeed feel ten feet tall when we got back to the pad.


The memory of this flight will stay with me for a long time.


Sultan Ismail

Might sound a bit tame, but ...

For me it was the first flight, post-qualification, with a passenger. I.e. I'd set myself a goal of taking my wife flying, and, after checking out the aeroplane, and checking everything else I could think of, finally took off with her in the right seat.

Tracked east from Sherburn to the Humber Bridge, NE to Hornsea, up to Scarborough, W to Kirkbymoorside (orbiting over our house enroute) and south past Wombleton, Castle Howard, York and back to Sherburn via Selby.

Flight enjoyed greatly by both of us, and the sense of achievement was amazing.

For me every flight is still wonderful but for special mention:
First Solo (of course)
Landing on Lundy (always wanted to do this since first reading that it was possible in Pilot magazine.
Two parts of the IR flight test:
(i) The examiner taking down the screens and seeing that I was actually over the approach lights at EGHH after a gruelling 9nm inbound tracking for the NDB approach (reason: I had previously failed the F170A twice on the NDB approach and it was the end of a very long day. The test had started at 0900 and we landed in the dark!)
(ii) The examiner telling me I had passed as we taxied back.
There are so many, but you asked for only one. Sorry I couldn't limit it to one.
By the way Whirly, you don't seem to be on the Sherburn list but you started the fly-in thread. Are you coming this Saturday?

Well, apart from passing the skills test last week, for me it has to be the Cross Country Qualifier. What a great feeling to move away from the airfield and be in total control. Mine included stops at two full ATC airports and having trained at an A/G I find the whole control element twice as fun! Oh, and having an airliner waiting at the hold for me to land put a big grin on my face!

Amazing day.

I’m sure I have many more highs and (not too many) lows to come in this weird but wonderful industry!

QNH 1013,

I'll be at the fly-in; I'm not on the list because I'm coming as a passenger (possibly co-pilot if group rules allow) with Genghis .

And despite having said only one, someone's just reminded me of another - first flight after getting my PPL, From Welshpool to Caernarfon, over Snowdonia - the first and so far only time I've managed to fly over those mountains on a completely cloudless day - magic!

Yes, quite a few come to mind.

- first solo, first XC, etc;
- the "buzz" each time the examiner says "You passed";
- the joy at taking a friend for a jolly round the estuary. This friend was 60, and had never dared fly in anything all his life. He was a very keen sailor, so I flew round the yacht race that he used to compete in. He loved it: he and his wife now fly regularly on holiday;

- but most of all: flying from Brackett out across the desert, along the Grand Canyon, and landing at GC. Wonderful! Must do it again...

Whirley said:

From Welshpool to Caernarfon, over Snowdonia - the first and so far only time I've managed to fly over those mountains on a completely cloudless day - magic!

BTDT!

After many fligts to North Wales when there's always been cloud on Snowdon, a couple of summers ago I took a friend on a super flight around Lleyn, had lunch at Caernarfon, then home over Snowdon. Apart from the inceadible scenery, it's quite fun up at 4000 feet looking down on the tiny black Hawks whizzing up the valleys (we *were* talking to Valley Radar, so no conflict problems).

SSD

Two for me as well, both in the US, although most of my flying has been here in the UK...

The first was flying down the Florida Keys in a rented (new) 172 in perfect March early evening weather last year, clear skies, no wind, blue sky, blue sea, brilliant.

The second was in New York flying the VFR corridor from the George Washington Bridge, down the Hudson river past Manhattan at 1000', over the bay past the Statue of Liberty, across the Verrazano bridge (between the towers) and down the coast of Long Island about 2-3 miles south of JFK. The best moment came when NY Approach called me and said 'contact Kennedy tower', and I had to get my call in from my lowly PA28, between the departing 777s and 747s. Magic.

I would say snap to PhilD, and include a 360 round the statue of Liberty, but amongst many memorable flights, including first solo, I think the first time I flew solo across the channel had the biggest impact.

There was time to realise what you were actually doing, and thoughts of Bleriot were with you all the way.

Can you only have one most memorable flight? If so the English language needs changing.

Aged 19, being given the keys to a Bulldog and being told to go and practise my aerobatics while on UAS Summer Camp at St. Mawgan.

Flying back from an Air Display at Haverforwest in a Stearman, low over the Welsh mountains on a 100k+ vis day, few fair weather Cu and not a care in the world. A few FJ's flying around underneath us, a low pass past my dad's house, well below 500ft........The best days flying in 20years

Taking my 60 year old mum flying as my first passenger, she had always wanted to fly....

I am just a big old softee;)

20 miles south of Portland Bill, VMC on top at FL85 on 11th August 2001, watching the total eclipse with my Dad and Son was pretty memorable...three generations sharing a once in a lifetime event with me doing the flying:O

My brother -in-law hates flying.

The last time he flew was coming back from Spain to get married in 1973. Last summer my wife, sister and brother-in-law all came over to the airfield so I could show off the group aircraft & take my sister flying, for she has no qualms.

I preflighted the aircraft and said 'OK, whose first?' To my intense surprise, Charlie said 'OK - I'll go, but only a quick one'.

So we strapped in and took off, for just one circuit. Now I can't say that he loved it, but it gave him the confidence to get on an aircraft and fly to Spain later that year.

So I've taken my drinking buddy and Mother-in-law up for their first ever flights, re-introduced B-i-L to flying and was able to fly my aged mother over her home before she got too infirm.

My one regret was that my father never lived long enough for me to take him flying, but as he worked at North Weald during the war, where I now fly from, I'm sure he won't mind.

Well I think it has to be my QXC, Wick and Kirkwall are nice places and it was great flying there all on my own.
My first trip alone to an airfield (Perth) I had never been to with anyone else was special too as it proved to me that I can do it.

Walking across the wet apron to the TB10. Reaching out and running my hand down the edge of the propellor blades. Walking round the side and stroking the fuselage. Climbing on to the wing, lifting open the door and sliding into the left hand seat. Holding the yoke and pulling it gently back. Pressing the master power button and listening to the gyros spool-up.
Ink on the cheque hardly dry, I was sitting in MY aeroplane.

At 10,000' over Saumur in the Loire Valley.... in a open basket :D

OR......

800-odd take-offs in Shorts Skyvan.........Zero landings (in Skyvan)...!:cool:

Well 4 me as P1 its three in reverse oder
3rd: 1st solo - that realisation whilst flying downwind that you are the only person who can land the thing.
2nd: UAS low level flying down Welsh valleys, looking up as walkers went by, and wondering how to get the chute open quick enough if it all went pear shape.
1st: 1st solo aerobatics - just as I started to pull up into my 1st loop


But best pax experience was in a Hawk, out of RAF Brawdy, on an hour long sortie dropping bombs on and machine gunning a Welsh mountain range from 100ft whilst doing 400+knts & pulling 6g turns - amazing.

I'm obviously not so sure of myself as you down&out.

For me the elation hit as I pulled out of my first solo loop :p

After decades spent thinking about it and months with MS Flight Sim 98, sitting in a H300 hovering over the spot while I get the pedals, the collective, then the cyclic...and we don't move...

Glad they didn't do in-cockpit videos. I'd sob my heart out every time I watched it.

First flight in the aerobatic biplane that I'd spent 2 years building from a set of plans....

then a week later taking same bipe back to my new house and making my first landing in my front garden....and on that trip looped and rolled almost all the way home :O :ok:

Stik