I have been quiet on this forum for a while. I still drop in occasionally and read through posts. I am just over 13 hours in and loving it. I have got into the rhythm of flying every other week which works for me from a financial point of view (though I get withdrawal symptoms at the thought of having to wait two whole weeks until I get to fly again). My instructor says I am almost ready for my first solo so have booked in my Air Law exam. Last 5 lessons have been circuits and have reached the point that if I had to steal a plane in an apocalyptic situation my friends could just about rely on me to take off and land safely. (By friends I mean the one person I could squeeze into the Cessna 152).
I am thinking of making some videos of my flying lessons and posting them up on Youtube. Maybe using a couple of Go Pro's and recording the audio from the radio as well. I will post the links when I do so. I especially want to capture that first solo (assuming I'm not crying with fear) so will keep you updated on that.
Good to hear you're still with us and good luck on that 1st solo. When the time is right I think you'll experience more excitement than fear. I hope you do get the camera in so that we can all hear what it's like talking to ATC with a grin wider than your headset.
After my last few lessons being basically circuit bashing I was glad to get a little bit further away from the airfield. I almost didn't fly. My instructor got me doing some ground school as was a bit windy today. I was hanging round in the club chatting afterwards when my instructor asked me how much I wanted to fly today. The guy having a lesson after me didn't turn up so he had an opening. "Lets do it" I said. So off we went.
It was gusting a lot with moderate turbulence. I left my seat a couple of times as the plane was tossed around a bit and was feeling a bit queasy by the end. Still we got in a couple of practice forced landings. The instructor dealt with take off and landing as there was quite a strong crosswind. The Piper landing in front of us had to go around and it looked like his wingtip almost touched the ground (probably perspective rather than reality). Still it was good practice and hopefully helped me with my fear of turbulence as that's probably the worst I have flown in so far. Am booked in again for next week and hoping for better weather. I feel that things are starting to click a bit and am starting to join a lot of the dots. One thing that bothers me but I don't know if it should is the lack of my engineering knowledge. I am kind of envious of the fix it yourself types but I have always been a yellow pages kind of guy if you know what I mean. Maybe someone more experienced could tell me whether they think this matters.
Floobie wrote:One thing that bothers me but I don't know if it should is the lack of my engineering knowledge. I am kind of envious of the fix it yourself types but I have always been a yellow pages kind of guy if you know what I mean. Maybe someone more experienced could tell me whether they think this matters.
A little bit, yes. It's useful to know how mechanical things work...what it is you're doing when you waggle sticks or levers, what you're looking for on the airframe, and how the engine works, particularly regarding mixture, density altitude and so on. These things can all be taught, so how you learn and how you enjoy such things will depends on past experience and aptitude. This is particularly true for the Aircraft General exam, or whatever they called it now, the one with airframes and power plants! It doesn't necessarily mean you have to know how to fix something that goes wrong, just how things work...a bit of engineering, a bit of physics. You will pick it up as you go along though, especially if you're around people who know these things - and there are lots of people who do right here on the forum. I've learnt a lot from here, but also especially back in the early days from reading the rec.aviation.piloting and rec.aviation.owning usenet groups.
Trust me, you have no need to record the first solo to video. I (and almost every other pilot I know) can, and do, replay those 15 minutes in my/their head regularly and at will.
Rob P
Forum Diversity & Equality Officer (unpaid)
"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - George Orwell-
Rob P wrote:Trust me, you have no need to record the first solo to video. I (and almost every other pilot I know) can, and do, replay those 15 minutes in my/their head regularly and at will.
Depends on how your mind works and remembers things. I can barely remember mine. One thing someone told me before I did mine was to look across and pat the passenger seat. Then you'll always remember that particular moment.
As a family we were talking about various weddings recently. I couldn't remember any of them, or at least only had vague snippets if someone reminded me of a particular occurrence at one of the events. And that wasn't down to drinking alcohol!
I refused to look at the passenger/instructor seat until I was trimmed out in the climb and waiting to turn crosswind. Then, deliberately I looked at that empty seat knowing that there was now nobody but me that could put the Tomahawk back on the ground. Fabulous feeling.
Rob P
Forum Diversity & Equality Officer (unpaid)
"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - George Orwell-
My initial thought on solo takoff was that I had better get this right! Then downwind it really dawned on me that I was flying this tin can with an engine on my own, then on finals, it was the same as takeoff, i have also better get this right!
One thing that bothers me but I don't know if it should is the lack of my engineering knowledge.
Hi Floobs, Don't worry, that makes two of us at least!!!I am what you would call a Physics and Engineering desert! Passed my Air Law today as it happens...but methinks I'll leave the Aircraft generl/tekkie stuff to the end; and nice interesting and useful Comms written for me next.....
Ref first solo... The worst part was thinking along the lines of "Its down to me to land this thing now!" But when I did and taxied back to the club I was over the moon! I knew there was no-one in teh right hand seat as the aircraft was much lighter...that was the main thing i noticed I think.
BUT GOOD LUCK, ENJOY IT!
I
Iolanthe "The Flying Curator" PPL Student Home Airfield: EGYD Exams Passed: Met; Air Law; Comms
Yesterday I completed my first solo!! It was perfect weather (wind wise). Hardly any traffic at the airfield as was a week day. At one point I wondered if it would happen. We spent half an hour cleaning ice of the plane only for it not to start with a flat battery. Fortunately there was another plane free and so after 4 circuits with the instructor he hopped out and away I went.
It all went well (apart from me making a radio call that I was ready for departure before I got to the holding point). Other than that it was a smooth up round and back down - followed by obligatory photo and cup of tea in the clubhouse. Another plane was free in the afternoon so I went up and did some solo circuits - I was amazed by how natural it felt. That said I did forget the ATPL checks in my eagerness to get in the air; I realised my landing lights and transponder were off in the 1st down wind checks which I guess is part of the reason for doing them.
Anyway needless to say I'm feeling pretty happy right now. I may have to take a break for a couple of months for financial reasons, but confident I'll get there eventually.
FLYER Exhibitions
Passed my Air Law today as it happens...but methinks I'll leave the Aircraft generl/tekkie stuff to the end; and nice interesting and useful Comms written for me next.....
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