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

Moderator: AndyR

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By Mdesc
#1700632
Hi Nero,

Im glad you are enjoying it, because I have just started my PPL, at EFG Biggin Hill as well :D :D so its always good to hear other peoples experience.
For now Im sticking to practicing pre flight external and internal checks because the weather hates us all ! ahahaha
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1703273
It'll be such a shame when Biggin finally chuck EFC, and all general aviation, out of the airport.

I had the most amazing experience during my lesson last Sunday (lesson #8)

Besides the squeeky bum time of insipient spin training, and the now regular pleasure of mixing it up with Spitfires on the taxiway and local airspace, I was lucky enough to be #2 (ish) for departure to 9 beautiful Red Arrows as they headed off to a display and then I flew over them as I joined dead side and they were taxiing in a wonderful line of red jets

I'm sure Redhill is lovely but it'll never have that!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
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By Wicksay
#1703343
Nero wrote:It'll be such a shame when Biggin finally chuck EFC, and all general aviation, out of the airport.

I had the most amazing experience during my lesson last Sunday (lesson #8)

Besides the squeeky bum time of insipient spin training, and the now regular pleasure of mixing it up with Spitfires on the taxiway and local airspace, I was lucky enough to be #2 (ish) for departure to 9 beautiful Red Arrows as they headed off to a display and then I flew over them as I joined dead side and they were taxiing in a wonderful line of red jets

I'm sure Redhill is lovely but it'll never have that!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
I have Spitfires and Hurricanes to enjoy at Headcorn. Not to mention aerobatics, bi-planes, other types and the jumpers...

Battle of Britain weekend and display 6/7 July, this weekend. I'm going on the Saturday if anyone wants to say hi.
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1703344
Wicksay wrote:
Nero wrote:It'll be such a shame when Biggin finally chuck EFC, and all general aviation, out of the airport.

I had the most amazing experience during my lesson last Sunday (lesson #8)

Besides the squeeky bum time of insipient spin training, and the now regular pleasure of mixing it up with Spitfires on the taxiway and local airspace, I was lucky enough to be #2 (ish) for departure to 9 beautiful Red Arrows as they headed off to a display and then I flew over them as I joined dead side and they were taxiing in a wonderful line of red jets

I'm sure Redhill is lovely but it'll never have that!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
I have Spitfires and Hurricanes to enjoy at Headcorn. Not to mention aerobatics, bi-planes, other types and the jumpers...

Battle of Britain weekend and display 6/7 July, this weekend. I'm going on the Saturday if anyone wants to say hi.
That sounds like a busy place!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
#1703350
Nero wrote:
Wicksay wrote:
Nero wrote:It'll be such a shame when Biggin finally chuck EFC, and all general aviation, out of the airport.

I had the most amazing experience during my lesson last Sunday (lesson #8)

Besides the squeeky bum time of insipient spin training, and the now regular pleasure of mixing it up with Spitfires on the taxiway and local airspace, I was lucky enough to be #2 (ish) for departure to 9 beautiful Red Arrows as they headed off to a display and then I flew over them as I joined dead side and they were taxiing in a wonderful line of red jets

I'm sure Redhill is lovely but it'll never have that!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
I have Spitfires and Hurricanes to enjoy at Headcorn. Not to mention aerobatics, bi-planes, other types and the jumpers...

Battle of Britain weekend and display 6/7 July, this weekend. I'm going on the Saturday if anyone wants to say hi.
That sounds like a busy place!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
I suppose, on a busy day, but it's got a cosy feel as it's a grass strip and friendly and no tower just a radio controller, which all adds up to a great learning environment for me. It's an hours rideout for me but so is Redhill and Shoreham. Saturdays are the busiest for sure but weekdays are quiet. Ive often been the only one in the circuit.
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1720539
Update! More for posterity than anything else :)

Still don't have a medical as I'm waiting on the NHS for an echocardiogram

September has been quiet for flying hours due to unexpected cancellation of lessons.

Though it did mean I flew on the 7th with a different instructor and I really, really enjoyed it. Very relaxed and encouraging persona which was great as we went to Redhill did my first circuits, and my first landing (first where I've been active at the controls). So much to remember but it went really well

It also meant I had spare time to do my first exams. I got 100% on Air Law, Operational Procedures and Human Performance which I'm really chuffed about

Going to do Meteorology, Aircraft General Knowledge and Principles of Flight next! Probably book it for the first week of October

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By Wicksay
#1720691
Keep it up Nero, clearly the one free thing the training is teaching ne is flying is never a given. When it's our turn as PIC to decide go or not go, I'll be hopefully making sensible decisions informed by all those cancelled flights or other competing priorities for time and money.
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By Rob P
#1721051
Nero wrote:Update!.... I got 100% on Air Law, Operational Procedures and Human Performance which I'm really chuffed about


SWOT!

Rob P

(Seriously, well done)
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By Rob P
#1721195
Also, just in passing, can we all note that it is possible, indeed desirable, to participate in the discussion without quoting masses of what went before?

Reply is preferred to Quote

Quotes can be edited down if needed.

Failure to comply might lead to you being savaged by Aerbabe. :o

Rob P
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1721614
Next three exams booked.... Trying to crack through these during a quiet spell in lessons!

- Meteorology

- Aircraft General Knowledge

- Flight Performance & Planning

Question for anyone reading: during lessons, the instructor will often spout various speeds, engine rpm's, stages of flap at various points in a procedure and so on, which are all specific to flying a Piper PA28. Is there an online resource where these are all written down? It's tricky to absorb at the time with so much going on and would be nice to look at offline

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By Cessna571
#1721629
That’s called the POH, the “Pilot’s Operating Handbook”, it’s a document that comes with/applies to your aircraft type specifically.

It has the procedures and speeds for it, it also has some nice graphs for things like take off distances etc.

Ask your school where the POH is for the aircraft, then read it, it’ll give you all those facts, plus other nuances.

You need the correct POH though, we have a PA28-140 Cruiser. Our POH is different to the POH of a PA28-161, though they look basically the same.

It’s a doc everyone should read intimately, and yet not many do, I learnt on Cessnas, changed to a share in a PA28 when qualified, didn’t read the POH, and had a massive brown trouser moment on my first short field take off, it’s substantially different. I wish someone had said “always read the POH” to me. It contains real facts about flying the aircraft.
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1721814
Cessna571 wrote:That’s called the POH, the “Pilot’s Operating Handbook”, it’s a document that comes with/applies to your aircraft type specifically.


Thank you, that was very helpful and I've never been shown it before! I found an example one online for a PA28 to see what it contains.

How about the more nuanced steps such as "at 200ft on approach turn off carb heat" or things like this? (that's probably wrong as I'm trying to recall from memory and only done one lesson of T&G's, which is why I need this!)

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By Cessna571
#1721863
ah, that’s the “being able to fly” bit.
You should be taking notes in your briefings before the flying and afterwards and that sort of stuff you sort of end up just knowing.

Use some bits of paper to layout a runway in the lounge, and fly some circuits at home, walking around it.
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