how do you use yours?
 

hi..

i had a lesson cancelled today (again! cant seem to get passed 3 hours!) wich got me thinking, how will i use my licence once iv got it? for 9 months of the year the weathers so naff here plus work commitment and finances il probably just be able to stay current!

so as a newbie to the hobby i was just wondering how often you guys get to fly and how you use youre ppls. touring? sightseeing or just simply go for a spin round the airfield (no pun intended!)

VERY good question and I'll be interested to see wha other peeps say. Here's my answer:

1 TRY to fly once a week. Over the whole time you won't actually do it more than once a fortnight for the reasons you alluded to.

2 Establish flying as part of a family routine. For exmple, my family are more than usually supine on Sunday mornings, so my routine is to book up Sunday am slots in whatever I'm flying.

3 Establish exercises which you like doing and stay in practice with them. Take pride in doing them well. This doesn't have to be especially macho - six smart 'touch and go's' for example, a MATZ penetration, a landing out at Le2k, etc.

4 Do one new 'thing' each year, e.g., convert onto a different type, IMC, aerobatic course, etc.

5 Go back to school regularly. Fly dual with instructors regularly on exercises like VOR tracking, field landings.

6 Don't solo all the time - it gets lonely. Take passengers and share flights with pilot buddies.

Hope this helps, I think this is an important topic.

When I first got my licence I used to go somewhere at the weekend, usually with one or more passengers, whenever the weather was manageable. Then I started to collect extra skills, so I did complex, IMC and night.

Now I commute most weekends and regularly go places UK and continental. So far the money and time to get a full IR have eluded me, so I'm still fairly weather dependent for continental flying which tends to be enjoyable only in the summer anyway.

Funnily enough, this is one of the reasons for the AOPA Wings Scheme (see http://www.aopa.co.uk/newsfromaopa/wings.pdf), which gives increasing levels (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) for precisely this sort of improving your flying. But my thread elsewhere on this forum about this has received precisely 0 replies, so I guess this has not been a success...

Tim

And try competition flying..the BPPA and the precision nav/rally events occur about once a month around the UK, and can be flown in a typical club aircraft (C152 or similar high-wing low-med power aircraft is perfect!).

And get yourself into TopNav every year - the mere taking part in these events will improve your flying - and more to the point its damn good fun in a very friendly atmostphere!
:ok:

This is probably the biggest let-down for me since gaining my PPL. I often take non-flying passengers (friends and family etc) but I am yet to fly with another PPL. I think this is a real shame as it could be a great opportunity to share experience, and fly with somebody who is generally interested in the same thing, not just coming for a jolly.

Have you put a posting on the "spare seats" sticky thread TotalBeginner?

You might have some luck there.

Last year was the first year I did any flying with another PPL, and I have to admit, it has been a very rewarding experience. I've done more flying, and traveled much further, then I was ever able to afford to do on my own.

dp

If you are in a group you will find flying with other members is, generally, positively encouraged. And you can learn from each other as well as travelling to places further away from 'base'.

Thanks guys, I'll give it a try!