My first lesson today !
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My first lesson today !
Just come back from my first 'lesson' ..well, actually a 1hr trial lesson, but it will count towards my PPL which I intend to continue on from today.
WOW !
Just wondering how my experiences compared with yours...
It was an old, rather beaten up C152 which stubbornly refused to start at first. This didn't do much for my nerves I can tell you, as I had visions of it conking out mid-flight ! As we were taxiing to the active runway, my instructor asked if I wanted to have a go at the takeoff. I was surprised that he was willing to let me lose that early seeing as my only real-world experience was half an hour in a tomahawk some 10 years ago ! Needless to say, I jumped at the chance, and was soon sat at the end of the rwy, my hands sweating profusely. After a short roll, I pulled back on the yoke and we were up !
Climbing to 2000ft we started some basic manouevers, left & right 30deg turns, climbing, level flight etc. Moving up to 3000 we were touching the base of some low cloud and was told to decend a little, but two seconds later my instructor said 'hang on, maybe we could punch through this and go on top'. This was music to my ears, as skimming the cloud tops is my idea of heaven.
We started the ascent to 4000 and was waiting for my instructor to take control as we entered the clouds. No such request came, and I found myself, on my first lesson, flying on instruments !! My eyes were glued to the AI & airspeed, my hands sweating like crazy. I never expected this !
Then heaven approached.... we punched through the ceiling and my reason for flying was laid out in front of me.. crisp, pure white cloud tops as far as the eye could see, the sky above was a beautiful azure blue with a big yellow sun on it's way to bed. Absolutely Glorious.
After a few more turns & demonstrations of the effect of flaps we were on our way back down. Entering the cloud in a decending turn and bringing it wings level on instruments gave me a real buzz. My instructor was unbelieveably relaxed throughout the whole flight, making me worry that maybe he'd confused me with someone who could actually fly a plane !
As we approached the field, he enquired if I would like to try a touch & go. Oh my god! - I have to land the plane ??? ...by myself, on my first lesson ?? !!
Wiping my soaking hands on my jeans I decided to give it my best shot. On the way down, it looked like we were diving at a 45deg pitch.. I don't remember it looking like this in Flight Simulator 2000 ! Strangely, the one thing I thought I would have trouble with, crabbing into the wind, just happened on its own ! - no effort at all.
A few feet from the ground, the instructor put his hands on the controls for the first time since the taxi, just in case, and as we touched down he reminded me to steer straight down the rwy with the pedals. I suddenly realised that I had forgotten which way they worked... was it like a go-kart, or the other way ?? Needless to say, I got it wrong and we started to drift to the right, however I quickly corrected and before I knew it, we were climbing again. Another quick circuit and we were on the approach for the last time. This time the wind was not so kind to me and I had real trouble keeping it level. I nervously joked with the instructor that the plane was fighting me this time, he responded by reaching out, smacking the dashboard and saying 'naughty plane' I was hoping for some help as I was getting bloody nervous, but his joking served to reassure me that at least he thought I was in control !
We made it to the tarmac in one piece and to my relief he took control and left me sitting there with a grin the size of the moon and in dire need of some anti-perspirant !
Now, the bug has bitten big time and I have to do it again, and soon. Ah.. Mr Bank Manager...
WOW !
Just wondering how my experiences compared with yours...
It was an old, rather beaten up C152 which stubbornly refused to start at first. This didn't do much for my nerves I can tell you, as I had visions of it conking out mid-flight ! As we were taxiing to the active runway, my instructor asked if I wanted to have a go at the takeoff. I was surprised that he was willing to let me lose that early seeing as my only real-world experience was half an hour in a tomahawk some 10 years ago ! Needless to say, I jumped at the chance, and was soon sat at the end of the rwy, my hands sweating profusely. After a short roll, I pulled back on the yoke and we were up !
Climbing to 2000ft we started some basic manouevers, left & right 30deg turns, climbing, level flight etc. Moving up to 3000 we were touching the base of some low cloud and was told to decend a little, but two seconds later my instructor said 'hang on, maybe we could punch through this and go on top'. This was music to my ears, as skimming the cloud tops is my idea of heaven.
We started the ascent to 4000 and was waiting for my instructor to take control as we entered the clouds. No such request came, and I found myself, on my first lesson, flying on instruments !! My eyes were glued to the AI & airspeed, my hands sweating like crazy. I never expected this !
Then heaven approached.... we punched through the ceiling and my reason for flying was laid out in front of me.. crisp, pure white cloud tops as far as the eye could see, the sky above was a beautiful azure blue with a big yellow sun on it's way to bed. Absolutely Glorious.
After a few more turns & demonstrations of the effect of flaps we were on our way back down. Entering the cloud in a decending turn and bringing it wings level on instruments gave me a real buzz. My instructor was unbelieveably relaxed throughout the whole flight, making me worry that maybe he'd confused me with someone who could actually fly a plane !
As we approached the field, he enquired if I would like to try a touch & go. Oh my god! - I have to land the plane ??? ...by myself, on my first lesson ?? !!
Wiping my soaking hands on my jeans I decided to give it my best shot. On the way down, it looked like we were diving at a 45deg pitch.. I don't remember it looking like this in Flight Simulator 2000 ! Strangely, the one thing I thought I would have trouble with, crabbing into the wind, just happened on its own ! - no effort at all.
A few feet from the ground, the instructor put his hands on the controls for the first time since the taxi, just in case, and as we touched down he reminded me to steer straight down the rwy with the pedals. I suddenly realised that I had forgotten which way they worked... was it like a go-kart, or the other way ?? Needless to say, I got it wrong and we started to drift to the right, however I quickly corrected and before I knew it, we were climbing again. Another quick circuit and we were on the approach for the last time. This time the wind was not so kind to me and I had real trouble keeping it level. I nervously joked with the instructor that the plane was fighting me this time, he responded by reaching out, smacking the dashboard and saying 'naughty plane'
I was hoping for some help as I was getting bloody nervous, but his joking served to reassure me that at least he thought I was in control !We made it to the tarmac in one piece and to my relief he took control and left me sitting there with a grin the size of the moon and in dire need of some anti-perspirant !
Now, the bug has bitten big time and I have to do it again, and soon. Ah.. Mr Bank Manager...
Guest
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I remember one of your recent posts was based around the 'is it worth it?' question, and thats yer answer.
I've just started recently, and it just keeps getting better mate. So don't just speak to your bank manager, speak nicely to him/her.
Unless you have any incriminating photos of people in flagrante delecto!
I've just started recently, and it just keeps getting better mate. So don't just speak to your bank manager, speak nicely to him/her.
Unless you have any incriminating photos of people in flagrante delecto!
Guest
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Well played. I did my trial lesson last week - and another hour this Sunday and I've signed up for the school. All those wasted years 
, still going for it now . My instructor advised that I should get my finger out and sort out my medical otherwise no solo for a while. I can't wait to get back up into the air, I bore my wife to death with the details - I tried with my son, but as he is only 3 so he loses interest. Now have to sell some my TR7v8 convertible to pay for some more lessons - I will take it to Cranfield and leave a for sale - some rich PPL / Instructor might buy it - you never know <BG> Cheers
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Stop that oscillation!
, still going for it now . My instructor advised that I should get my finger out and sort out my medical otherwise no solo for a while. I can't wait to get back up into the air, I bore my wife to death with the details - I tried with my son, but as he is only 3 so he loses interest. Now have to sell some my TR7v8 convertible to pay for some more lessons - I will take it to Cranfield and leave a for sale - some rich PPL / Instructor might buy it - you never know <BG> Cheers------------------
Stop that oscillation!
Guest
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A rich instructor? No such person. I'm not an instructor so I'm reasonably well off
The other thing to sort out is your Air Law exam. Most schools now have the rule that you can't go solo until you've passed it.
The Trevor Thom books are pretty good, as are those by Jeremy Pratt. For exam practice, get the PPL Confuser and/or Questions and Answers for the PPL Course (Stevens/Pratt)
[This message has been edited by Norfolk and airspeed (edited 02 July 2001).]
The other thing to sort out is your Air Law exam. Most schools now have the rule that you can't go solo until you've passed it.
The Trevor Thom books are pretty good, as are those by Jeremy Pratt. For exam practice, get the PPL Confuser and/or Questions and Answers for the PPL Course (Stevens/Pratt)
[This message has been edited by Norfolk and airspeed (edited 02 July 2001).]
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Thanks for all the supportive comments ! I am curious about the 'school' though... I did enquire about the cost of doing my PPL there, and got the very strong impression that 'doing your PPL' consisted of merely paying for the flying, and that's it. When I asked about groundschool, he said that most pilots just bought the books and studied at home, though there was the odd evening class at the airfield. I must say, it didn't really inspire me much ! How do other schools do their PPL courses ?? ...surely they don't all have this 'you rent the plane and then study at home' attitude ?
Financially it would be better for me to do it all in 3 weeks in Florida, at e.g. Ormond Beach, but I'm not sure how advisable these concentrated courses are, I'm concerned that cramming it all into my brain so fast would make it less likely for it to stay in there ! ...but given that my ultimate goal is an ATPL, and I'm 37, I haven't got time to waste. - Questions Questions... !
I have decided however, that rather than delay my PPL until I have raised the money for an ab-initio course, (which in reality, could be never). At least then, if I'm never able to raise the money, then I will still be a pilot, maybe not an ATPL, but flying on a PPL is far better than flying on a computer and bitching about it !
Two days on, and I'm still buzzing from it !
Financially it would be better for me to do it all in 3 weeks in Florida, at e.g. Ormond Beach, but I'm not sure how advisable these concentrated courses are, I'm concerned that cramming it all into my brain so fast would make it less likely for it to stay in there !
...but given that my ultimate goal is an ATPL, and I'm 37, I haven't got time to waste. - Questions Questions... !I have decided however, that rather than delay my PPL until I have raised the money for an ab-initio course, (which in reality, could be never). At least then, if I'm never able to raise the money, then I will still be a pilot, maybe not an ATPL, but flying on a PPL is far better than flying on a computer and bitching about it !
Two days on, and I'm still buzzing from it !
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First of all, congratulations on the first lesson!
Most schools offer some sort of ground school package but from people I've spoken to it seems the majority do the exams after self-study. Buy yourself the Trevor Thoms books (or the AFE one's) and also get yourself the PPL confuser. Start trying to learn the stuff at home and do the confuser questions regularly. If you're getting good results from the confuser then their will probably no need for ground school. This is what I am doing.
Regards,
Simon
Most schools offer some sort of ground school package but from people I've spoken to it seems the majority do the exams after self-study. Buy yourself the Trevor Thoms books (or the AFE one's) and also get yourself the PPL confuser. Start trying to learn the stuff at home and do the confuser questions regularly. If you're getting good results from the confuser then their will probably no need for ground school. This is what I am doing.
Regards,
Simon
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Glad you enjoyed it An...as for the PPL study, speaking for myself (and my school), the studying was done in my own time and at my own pace, again using Thom and the confuser (do get the confuser, well worth it). The school ran evening sessions but generally I think it is mainly left to your own devices and obviously you can ask questions whenever you get stuck (maybe the nav it could be worth attending a tutorial session to get the hang of the whizz wheel) but that is all I used the evening session for.
Enjoy it all anyhow.
Enjoy it all anyhow.
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'naughty plane ....... ' thats such a typical line from an FI.
Nice on mate ..... another joins our not so little clan. Its good to see someone who really appreciates it. I took someone flying the other day and they didn't seem at all interested. GET OUT MY PLANE!!!
Ah ..... going to remind myself how good it is on Friday.
AF
Nice on mate ..... another joins our not so little clan. Its good to see someone who really appreciates it. I took someone flying the other day and they didn't seem at all interested. GET OUT MY PLANE!!!
Ah ..... going to remind myself how good it is on Friday.
AF
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Congratulations,
Just so you know, the CAA have now opened your very own savings account in which you put your own hard worked money in, and get just about nothing coming out!!!
(only joking)
Congratulations!
Welcome to the club!
WATCH THAT AIRSPEED!!!!
Just so you know, the CAA have now opened your very own savings account in which you put your own hard worked money in, and get just about nothing coming out!!!
(only joking)
Congratulations!
Welcome to the club!
WATCH THAT AIRSPEED!!!!
Guest
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Cool. I am hoping to start my PPL training within the next few weeks.
One word of advice though, I very much recommend doing a lot of research into the flight school you choose in the USA. There are more to large, red and black florida flight school ads than meets the eye.
Best of luck with the rest of your training,
Tri
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"Ayline 221 airbourne"
One word of advice though, I very much recommend doing a lot of research into the flight school you choose in the USA. There are more to large, red and black florida flight school ads than meets the eye.
Best of luck with the rest of your training,
Tri
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"Ayline 221 airbourne"
