Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

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By UncleT
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1791922
Wicksay wrote:...
6. Put pins in map for first post ppl flight
...


I am in the process of undertaking some training to get to the stage when I am proficient enough to get my decades-lapsed SEP rating renewed. I find I am spending far too much time pondering the options of where first to fly to once I'm allowed up as PIC again.
#1793441
UncleT wrote:
Wicksay wrote:...
6. Put pins in map for first post ppl flight
...


I am in the process of undertaking some training to get to the stage when I am proficient enough to get my decades-lapsed SEP rating renewed. I find I am spending far too much time pondering the options of where first to fly to once I'm allowed up as PIC again.
Seems good use of spare time in my eyes, even to practice flight planning...
T6Harvard, UncleT liked this
#1793453
**WEATHER TO FLY? - FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST

So I'm looking around the field with the weather building and I'm thinking we'll cancel the lesson again. Tony, my instructor, wanders past and informs me he's fueling the plane for us to do a few circuits! 20 min later, with the weather worsening we are taxiing to the hold behind the local dehaviland! We end up being no.1 to him and the spitfire from aero legends! As we climb out for circuit height, Tony can see I'm preoccupied with the clouds and rain forming around us. He reassures me we're in the eye of the depression and we'll be under them! Helpful lol!

Two circuits later and two nice touch n goes, we're downwind staring at a sheet of black yuk over base and final! I'm wondering how we might extend, when I hear "turn base then"! Gulp!! Then we got battered and sucked up 100ft, not to mention I hadn't dropped the RPM enough. Full flaps, pitch and trim for 70 and on instinct alone I turned for final at 1000ft! I radioed final as we popped out of the mirk far too high and left of the runway. Tony advised pull all the power off and drop the nose and line up... a few minutes later we were rolling on full power for another circuit. "That was fun" Tony chorkled. And I confess, it really was fun and I really felt like I was properly flying. I know, it wasn't aerobatics of any kind but it was a buzz. As Tony summarised, just fly your normal procedures and react to the changing wind and if in doubt go around.

We did six touch n goes and I nailed 5 out 6 landings and did one EFATO.

For once the less than perfect weather was in my favor...

Can't wait for the next lesson...
T6Harvard, tommyp1441, Charles Hunt and 1 others liked this
#1793668
Nero wrote:
JAFO wrote:Okay, here's a trick I learned some years ago.


Now that's genius

~ Scott


Went flying yesterday, bought flowers on the way home and did the hoovering in the afternoon. I reckon there could be plenty of flying in September. :wink:
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By Morten
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1793677
Wicksay wrote:**WEATHER TO FLY? - FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST

Sounds like a good lesson indeed :thumleft:.
One of the things I sometimes think is not always properly covered pre-license flying is actually flying in other than CAVOK weather. The downsides are that
i) the freshly minted PPL has never flown in anything other than CAVOK and may be overly restrictive when it comes to flight planning
ii) the freshly minted PPL believes that he can fly in 3,000 m visibility but has never actually experienced what that means in practice and although legal, may find it difficult to cope with when it happens.

So well done to Tony for getting you some of that experience.

BTW - "Then we got [...] sucked up 100ft, " - this is also likely to happen on nice sunny days when thermals pop over dark areas (patches of forests, freshly plowed soil etc.) which tend to surprisingly often be found on final :)
(Whether you are sucked up or pushed up is a discussion for down the pub ;))
#1794422
S=Tf×2

It's Friday, it's Sunny and my lesson is booked for today!!

It might be overhead Rochester, Hailsham, Rye, Ashford, Headcorn. Or I might get my first solo Nav: Heathfield, Rye, Ashford, Headcorn or a landaway, who knows!?

Updates later

Someone's excited :-)
tommyp1441 liked this
#1794596
The suspense... Lol

A great flight. I felt like I consolidated a lot and also found enough chinks to keep me humble.

Interesting conditions first 1000ft...

Headcorn | Rochester | Hailsham | Tenterden | Headcorn

The obvious challenge was a new approach direction, reduced downwind run, managing decent.

I hang on to the stick too much and can unwhityingly climb or descend 100 without realising. I tried to write notes or do something while letting go... and trusting she flies herself, well testing I've trimmed her...

Nav was good, radio work was better..

Instructor is happy for me to do a covac solo Nav next flight... :-)

Have good flying weekend one and all.. Image
JAFO, Charles Hunt liked this
#1795943
Well it's looks like all stars and planets are in alignment... Got a double lesson booked from 12pm

Just planned for my solo Nav tomorrow,

Estimated flight time 37 min.. I think it will vanish before my eyes..

I'm really really looking forward to it... I wish I could record it but I'll just go with it and enjoy it...

Updates tomorrow eveningImage
T6Harvard liked this
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