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Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:16 pm
by t1m80
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, I'm happy to say that I managed to pass my skills test today. It was bloody hard work and I'm not sure I ever want to fly a plane again :shock: .

It was beginning to look like it was never going to happen.

Now I can start some proper learning!

I'm going for a lie down.....

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:47 pm
by JAFO
Well done @t1m80 . :D

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:50 pm
by Nero
Huge congratulations! I'd love to know what happened during it :)

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 05, 2020 8:38 pm
by Wicksay
OMG... OMG.... OMG

At last!!!!

Well done mate.

What's your top tip?

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:28 pm
by t1m80
:-)

Top tip ? Good question. I think I've got two, really.

1) Try and get some mocks in immediately before your test. Didn't happen for me but I was a way better pilot back in September than I was today.

2) I think what saved me was that I called out my mistakes when I knew I had made them. And I tried not to sweat the small stuff.

Not that I'm best placed to offer advice!
Catch up soon mate, work life is crazy at the mo, and keep up the good work!

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Fri Feb 07, 2020 9:08 pm
by t1m80
Nero wrote:Huge congratulations! I'd love to know what happened during it :)

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


Happy to share. Reckon we should all plan a meet up one weekend when the weather is nicer.

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:53 am
by Wicksay
I'm up for that..

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Mon Mar 02, 2020 3:55 pm
by t1m80
Licence arrived today, initial application made on 8th of Feb and a little bit of a hiccough with my Training Certificate not having a date in a particular section and then the CAA not receiving an attachment in an email that was sent. All in all though, quicker than I was expecting :thumleft:

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Mon Mar 02, 2020 4:14 pm
by Wicksay
Huge congratulations. Where's your first outing going to be?

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Fri Mar 06, 2020 12:34 am
by t1m80
With these winds, Lydd to Le Touquet whilst trying to do a circuit :-). Not a clue yet. Popping up to Rochester on Saturday to try and get some bookings in. The 'where' will be decided once I've got a 'when ' and what the weather looks like. Probably just a Kent Coast tour or something, can't go far as most places I want to go are grass and probably out of action.

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Mon May 04, 2020 10:09 am
by Wicksay
Hey Folks, well I've not posted for a while for obvious reasons. As you know from the beginning of my thread my life long ambition is/was to try to become a commercial pilot of any variety. As the dust settles on the virus test car parks / strips (Headcorn in my case) and my new career at British Airways is gasping for breath on the ventilator of aviation industry, I'm pondering the reality versus the dream.

Age was always against me and funds were vague at best and now, well I've picked up a driving job for a supermarket in the short-term, but I'll need a stronger income and future to justify continuing, even foolishly, with the dream.

My instinct is it will be 2yrs before BA start recruiting again, certainly no sooner and I only have the knowledge I'm in a holding pool of possible candidates. On the massive plus side I have a very understanding and supportive wife, who, unlike everything else at present, keeps me grounded in the positive sense.

So, for now, I'll keep the studying up and complete the remaining exams and hope my Instructor and home airfield are available once more in brighter sunny times, while giving the motorbike a good service, learn musical instrument and tend to the vegetables... Or maybe I can find an old plane engine I can strip down and learn mechanics on...

I remember, in the beginning asking how long it will take to get my ppl. Well, that depends on many things?! Just no one thought to mention virus!! Maybe crop dusters might get convertered in vaccine spreaders ;-)

Stay healthy and safe, wishing you all well...

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Tue May 19, 2020 11:05 am
by T6Harvard
Oh WICKSAY , I seem to have a bit of dust in my eyes.....
I read your story ages ago when i first thought of having lessons because I am a similar age (although I have no professional ambition, hobby only). I followed with interest and admiration.

Remember, no time spent flying is wasted time!

Yes, re-evaluate the immediate future, consider a million different options for the intermediate future. Make the most of your time, as you are doing. Do not regret anything. You followed your dream and, as my pal once said to me, that takes balls. (I'm a girl, but somehow no-one ever uses a gender appropriate term, do they?)

Most of all, keep on giving your fabulous wife all the love and respect she clearly deserves :D

Chin up, stay safe and soon we'll have blue skies.

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:12 pm
by RichK
Hi Guys,

New member here,
I’ve read this thread from the start to the latest post with great interest.

First of all congratulations to each and every of the student pilots and now pilot in one case.

I’m 54 and had 15 flying lessons 12 years ago but due to the recession and losing my wife (I have 4 children) I had to stop. I’m hoping to start again soon as my children have grown and I’m starting a nw job as soon as this virus lets me.

I’ll try to Stay in touch with updates

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:03 am
by Charles Hunt
Welcome.

Hope you manage to get started again, let us know how you get on.

Re: Flying at 50 -The Journey commences

PostPosted:Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:06 pm
by cockney steve
Ha Ha! You'll be "Poor K" by the time you're qualified. :P