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

Moderator: AndyR

  • 1
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 144
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1874913
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:My double lesson today turned into 45 mins of sporty wrestling.


Was that before or after the lesson? I thought you were getting on well with your new instructor...?! :clown:


:lol: :lol: :lol:
By Spence94
#1875854
Had my first lesson yesterday after a taster one last month!
absolutely loved it, Instructor had me operating the rudder on taxi and take off keeping it straight down the runway and once we were out of the circuit he gave me controls to ascend and gave me headings and told me to trim appropriately which I think I did pretty well, also had me doing the taxi, power and run up checks, take off checks and also the landing, and run down checks. All in all I'm hooked, always knew I would be because I've wanted to fly ever since I can remember (Dad was a big Top Gun fan)
Got to get my next one booked in which he said we would be jumping straight into exercise 6,
where's the best place to get the books from for the PPL studies?
Milty, TopCat, t1m80 and 1 others liked this
User avatar
By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1875860
Great to see another with the big.

Before getting the books, have a look at Easyppl ground school. I’m using this and so far, I like it. I’ve not yet taken any of the exams so I can’t 100% vouch for it’s accuracy but I have no reason to believe it’s not good. I like the fact that it tracks your progress on tests and trial exams.

Where are you learning?
By Spence94
#1875898
Thanks I'll look into that :)
I'm learning at Barton, booking a few lessons a month in the hope I get at least 2 but I guarantee the weather will probably see to it that doesn't happen.
got an hour of ground school booked to go through basics and checklists etc but then after that he said I should be able to smash out most of the early exercises fairly quickly which is always good to hear :)
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1875906
Hey @Spence94 , welcome to the exciting / amazing journey!

We all learn differently, for the theory I bought some Pooleys and some AFE. I like the AFE books because they are bigger, have better diagrams, making them easier to read, but both are spot on for theory. Be aware that Air Law goes out of date very quickly.

Definitely find the UK AIP online and read it. Even though it won't stick at the beginning it will begin to make sense and you'll be familiar with where to find all the information.
I had it permanently open as a tab for a couple of weeks before my exams and just dipped into it.
Here it is
https://nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/ope ... en-GB.html - see the AIP contents list on the left of the page and work your way down :thumleft:

I'm going to book a few hours of ground school with one of our Instructors when it comes to my weaker subjects because a tutor can quickly nail something that's not going in by just reading!

I totally agree that Easy PPL Groundschool https://www.easypplgroundschool.com/ is fab. The slides are good, the progress tests are very helpful and the mock exams are excellent. If you take the same mock exam a few times the system throws up different questions, too.

I studied Air Law and Operational Procedures first, starting with the books to embed stuff, moving to the above on-line slides and tests to pick up what was lacking. The tests include explainers for almost every question. I read those whether I got the answers right or wrong :D I passed both exams at the first attempt, on the same day.

If you decide to report each lesson on the Student forum, as some of us do, you may want to start your own thread for easy reference.

No problem at all if you want to post on 'my' thread, but you'll get caught up in the help I get when I have a woeful lesson :roll: :lol:
(As you will see, we all contribute to fellow students' ups and downs, where ever reported :mrgreen: )

You will find out that there some extremely helpful folk on the forum and you will benefit from their advice and encouragement, I certainly have.

More importantly..... ENJOY!
Milty, tr7v8, jcal liked this
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1875929
Tomorrow's lesson has been cancelled. Hmmmph. So I have been in a bad mood.

Decided the best cure was another dip into Stick and Rudder. It's such a great book! Probably better appreciated after those first lessons, ie, after you've done slow flight and basic stall recovery, so you have some understanding because the words really come to life then. I love the way Langewiesche emphasises his points, right down to the, 'That means you'!

So now I have a double lesson booked for Thursday. I shall need reviving after that, and quite possibly so will my Instructor :lol:
Cookie liked this
By t1m80
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876243
FINALLY! Got signed off today for the Bolcow B209. So I can now legitimately fly the share I bought a few months ago! From zero to being able to go fly pretty much when I want too has taken four and a half years. You guys seem to be smashing out of the park by comparison so keep it up, I'm mightily impressed.

I'm going for a lie down.....
Milty, tr7v8, T6Harvard liked this
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876249
@t1m80 , that's so cool! Congrats.

I can't remember where you are based but I hope you get good autumn weather to enjoy the freedom :mrgreen:

(Yes, most of the current students are doing so well. One of us is in for a long slog :roll: but it'll be sooooo worth it)

Reading posts like yours, meeting folk last week that are just having a ball flying, chatting to current students, all inspiring!
Milty, t1m80 liked this
By t1m80
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876266
@T6Harvard I'm out of Rochester, was looking forward to catch up with @tr7v8 there at some point but that seems to have gone a bit pear-shaped with the trip to A&E and all. Really disappointed I couldn't do the meet this time round, was best man for a chaps wedding (3rd time for the same bloke!). Next time though, next time.
T6Harvard, tr7v8 liked this
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876293
t1m80 wrote:was best man for a chaps wedding (3rd time for the same bloke!). Next time though, next time.

Maybe he should marry a woman the next time.

Just a thought. This is a gender-equality supporting forum post.
tr7v8 liked this
User avatar
By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876296
t1m80 wrote:FINALLY! Got signed off today for the Bolcow B209. So I can now legitimately fly the share I bought a few months ago! From zero to being able to go fly pretty much when I want too has taken four and a half years. You guys seem to be smashing out of the park by comparison so keep it up, I'm mightily impressed.

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

Excellent, Space for me please when I am more mobile!
t1m80 liked this
  • 1
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 144