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

Moderator: AndyR

#1804554
Another new PPL student here, I'm about half a dozen hours in.
Had my medical recently, I hope yours comes through soon. I didn't notice the doctor looking at the ECG trace, but perhaps their machine tells them if it needs further inspection or not.
Planning to take Air Law/Ops/Human Factors in the next few weeks and the rest over the course of the winter.

Good luck you you both and keep us up to date with progress. Weather put paid to my lesson this week but I'm hopeful for the next one.
T6Harvard, tommyp1441, Milty liked this
User avatar
By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1804555
MidlifeCrises wrote:Another new PPL student here, I'm about half a dozen hours in.
Had my medical recently, I hope yours comes through soon. I didn't notice the doctor looking at the ECG trace, but perhaps their machine tells them if it needs further inspection or not.
Planning to take Air Law/Ops/Human Factors in the next few weeks and the rest over the course of the winter.

Good luck you you both and keep us up to date with progress. Weather put paid to my lesson this week but I'm hopeful for the next one.
Where are you based? Love the username

~ Scott
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1804563
Welcome @MidlifeCrises !

Would you consider creating your own thread so we can follow your crisis?!

I started one to post my over enthusiastic rambles, a whole 2 hours in. Well I did an experience flight then an hour's lesson abroad before joining flying school here in the UK. Next lesson Tuesday, wind permitting. My friend asked me if it is a mid-life crisis but it is no crisis, just a mid-life challenge which is extreme fun! :mrgreen:
User avatar
By tommyp1441
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1804564
Welcome to the section @MidlifeCrises, another fan of your username here!

Thanks for the medical info too - all of the info from everyone on here is really helpful...you're all a lovely bunch.

Lesson 6 in the bag today. Slow flight, and then a quick intro to the circuit. It was pretty gusty, the runway at Rougham is 27/09 so with the gusty south-westerly today made it a bit interesting (FlightRadar24 track shortly!) trying to work out which way to point it. Took off into a heavy shower and low cloud patches which was really disorientating at first, but very quickly blew through and a beautiful flight out the other side of it - fantastic visibility

Full circuits tomorrow - again weather-permitting. The wind forecast looks a little more settled, although not as picturesque.

@Nero looking forward to seeing you up here on a QXC soon - remember our right hand circuit :thumright:

Image
User avatar
By tommyp1441
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1864096
Well, it’s been over a year since first posting in here, and while I can’t say I’ve got lots done, it’s certainly been an interesting few months.

It sounds like I’m complaining (ok, I am a bit) but work got really busy at the back end of 2020 and early 2021, so coupled with lockdowns, tier 4 confusion and not enough free hours, flying got put on hold. However, managed to get back down to the club in July and book a few lessons. Then the ‘Summer’ weather (I like to think of it as our wet season) caused some issues. But first lesson back in 9 months and absolutely bliss.

One of the rare clear blue days we had in July, visibility for a bajillion miles and smooth as silk above 2500ft. Even spoke to Lakenheath radar while Vador (Belgian F16 legend) was putting on an impromptu visit/display. Nothing too technical covered, just a solid hour of handling and drills. Good grief, how much of a thing is skill fade! However, really made me appreciate how important currency is, and how much more time I need in the saddle.

Second lesson was cancelled (weather, deep joy) but Saturdays session went ahead - ironically the only fine hours were from 1600 onwards, so an evening flight made a nice change. Still some risk of localised CBs, but managed to stay mostly dry and clear of cloud. Circuit-bashing has started once again. Not too much fun in gusty bumpy conditions with a significant cross-wind, but bloody good practise for what is a skill I’ve certainly not even got passable at yet, let alone close to mastering. A couple of EFATO drills, and lots of T&Gs (and a couple of go-arounds, my fault not taking wind/drift into account) but again, it made me very aware of skill fade and just how important it is for us all to do this regularly, and drill the things we’re uncomfortable with.

Lovely to fly with another instructor this time around too - Chris the CFI made me feel very comfortable and point out a few bad habits (already…gulp) but caught early enough I’ll be able to bin them off.

Plenty more to come, fingers crossed for some decent weather this weekend!
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1864102
@tommyp1441 , good to see you back at it! Sounds like a couple of very useful lessons there. It's a great feeling when you get back into your stride, isn't it?

How's the studying going?

( I got a poster from RIAT of the Belgium F16 in display colours - I got it for my niece :wink: )
User avatar
By Rob P
#1864431
T6Harvard wrote:I got a poster from RIAT of the Belgium F16 in display colours - I got it for my niece


That's a good trade.

Rob P
JAFO, T6Harvard, tommyp1441 liked this
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1864516
Rob P wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:I got a poster from RIAT of the Belgium F16 in display colours - I got it for my niece


That's a good trade.

Rob P


Said niece has chosen her secondary school because it has Air Cadets :thumleft:
I did pass on the poster but I have lots of photos :mrgreen:
Paul_Sengupta, JAFO liked this
User avatar
By tommyp1441
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1865719
T6Harvard wrote:@tommyp1441 , good to see you back at it! Sounds like a couple of very useful lessons there. It's a great feeling when you get back into your stride, isn't it?

How's the studying going?

( I got a poster from RIAT of the Belgium F16 in display colours - I got it for my niece :wink: )


I wish I could be as positive about the flying as I am about studying - but last weekend's lesson has given me the kick up the backside I needed.

Started early on Saturday, lots of house prep (Mrs P was away for the weekend so managed to get the house to stay tidy for 48 hours!) before leaving the house at 0900, arrived at Rougham for 0930 and the weather looked GREAT - certainly compared to the last few weeks. Still a bit of a breeze but mostly down the runway this time as opposed to a perfect cross-wind. Clive (instructor) had arrived early doors in his RV so had a little dribble over that, then pre-flight, brief and up and away.

Couple of normal circuits, then flapless and EFATO drills for a good 45 mins. Then Clive called over the radio to the office to bring out his coat. 'Don't you flipping dare' I seem to recall was the rough translation of my response. However, I had no say in the matter, and I now have my first 0.25 as PIC.

I was really surprised at how different it feels without a body sat next to you - more elbow room, a little more relaxed (aside from the terror at being left on my own) and the added lightness made for a different handling experience too. Ironically, after 45 mins of quiet circuit-bashing, as soon as it was my 'turn' to go solo, we had the air ambulance fly through 'our' airspace, a couple of aircraft join to land, and also left the radio on to listen in to Norwich approach. However, all good prep for real life I suppose.

I can only say I'm disappointed in my landing - it was a little heavy and a little too sideways for my liking, having put in 7 spot-on landings beforehand...and predictably this was the only one caught on camera. However, I'm reassured by a friend of mine who flies for BA that he makes bad landings too - but crucially I know I was slightly too slow, and conscious of not putting in too large control inputs to correct - a learning experience to be sure.

So yes, a severe kick in the back bottom to get cracking on with studying for the exams - the new groundschool portal looks fantastic, so hoping this will help supplement the apps and books over the coming weeks.

34 hours to go... :thumright:
FlightDek, JAFO, bladerunner911 and 5 others liked this