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

Moderator: AndyR

By jcal
#1853470
@dgahlawat This is a very coincidental post! I had my first flight at North Weald Flight Training only 3 days after you (on Tuesday morning), and was just about to make a very similar post in here when I saw yours!

I really appreciate the detailed log of your first lesson and experience so far, I will try to do the same, it's a great idea! (But I wont hijack your post)

My flight was a "trial lesson" so technically not part of the PPL curriculum but I did log the hour and told the PIC that I wanted it structured as a proper lesson, not a joyride, and I got to fly the plane the whole hour except downwind and final.

Had a fantastic experience and will get myself booked in for proper lessons straight after this week of horrid rain goes away.

How often are you aiming to be flying?

Feel free to send me a PM if you want to catch up about anything since we'll be fellow students at the club!
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By dgahlawat
#1853507
T6Harvard wrote:Excellent! Clearly a great start and a great post, too.

Do you write a personal journal as an aide memoire and so you can look back and see progress*?


Thanks for very quick response and encouraging words.

Journal is a very good idea and will give it a go. Not sure how much I can keep up with that but worth a try.
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By dgahlawat
#1853512
cotterpot wrote:You must have a very poor design of pocket if things fall out when you are sitting down :lol:


I know why you would say this but I have had a few like this in past and took a while to fish out phone from underneath car seat.
By dgahlawat
#1853513
Earl Grey wrote:
dgahlawat wrote:...thinking that I have good 20 years left to enjoy flying.


Lots of us on here would think that's a tad pessimistic! Enjoy! :D

EG


I agree but I want to make sure that at I do this much to make a good case for all the money going in training. Anything more is always a welcome bonus
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1853602
Ha, ha! A cunning plan. So..... it works out at a few hundred quid a year if you spread it out over long enough. Co-incidently, just like car financing :lol: :lol:

PS - I have gone off the idea of writing a journal now I have re-lived my last lesson :roll:
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By dgahlawat
#1853676
jcal wrote:[usermention=25173]Had a fantastic experience and will get myself booked in for proper lessons straight after this week of horrid rain goes away.

How often are you aiming to be flying?

Feel free to send me a PM if you want to catch up!


@jcal Great to hear from you and knowing that you had similar experience.
I am planning to do once a week (weekends) to start with and then see based on need. I am aiming to complete it sometime in 2022. If the weather doesn't play along I might do twice a week to catch on missed sessions and keep pace.

Would be great to catch up. PM on its way.
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By Rob P
#1853702
dgahlawat wrote:I am planning to do once a week (weekends) to start with


My tip.

Book two lessons on any individual weekend, even if this means only flying alternate weeks for financial reasons.

Firstly a single weekend lesson can often be cancelled. Also two lessons separated by thinking time can make for faster progress.

I used to book two lessons every third weekend - social reasons - sometimes morning and then afternoon, sometimes one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Two lessons in the day, separated by a quiet lunch to sit and think over what had been learned in the morning worked really well for me.

I wasn't rushing, deliberately, and qualified after about 18 months / 45+ hours . (40hr was the minimum back then)

Rob P
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By dgahlawat
#1853720
Rob P wrote:Book two lessons on any individual weekend, even if this means only flying alternate weeks for financial reasons.


Thanks for the tip Rob. I am learning a lot of things and getting many new feelings from one lesson at the moment and I would like to digest properly before moving onto next one. I want to fit theory learning as well in between. Not just for passing exams but gaining knowledge during training.
I will keep evaluating this plan and may do 2 lessons on same day as I have 1.5 drive to school and will save 1.5 hours per session by doing this.
The change could be triggered by due to weather cancelling lessons or if I find myself not having a lot to think/read after a lesson.
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By Rob P
#1853722
Spot on! Try all the different approaches and decide what suits you best.

We are all different.

Rob P
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By Crash one
#1853857
You guys are putting me to shame. Fifteen years ago at 65 yr old, I didn’t do very much preparation before each lesson, took 60 hours over a year to pass. Even though I was flying gliders before that.
@dgahlawat I agree you’re doing just fine, enjoy all of it. As for twenty years of flying after that? I’m 81 and haven’t given much thought to packing in yet. :D
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By jcal
#1853900
dgahlawat wrote:Would be great to catch up. PM on its way.


Hey @dgahlawat , just letting you know it seems I can't quite send PM's yet (my account on the forums is too new apparently), but I'll reply as soon as I can!

dgahlawat wrote:I am planning to do once a week (weekends) to start with and then see based on need.
dgahlawat wrote:I am learning a lot of things and getting many new feelings from one lesson at the moment and I would like to digest properly before moving onto next one.


This is pretty much exactly my plan too, don't want to try to cram too much and, with a full time job and a partner to keep happy I think once a week will have to do for starters. That said we're all at the whim of the weather, so I will try to keep flexible. Luckily I can fairly easily swap days around at work and take a weekday off at short notice.

T6Harvard wrote:PS - I have gone off the idea of writing a journal now I have re-lived my last lesson


:pale: I read your last post on the other thread and thought it was super informative! Sorry to hear about the tough day, but hey, those are sometimes the ones we learn the most from! I hope you continue writing!
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By dgahlawat
#1854085
jcal wrote: but I'll reply as soon as I can!

This is pretty much exactly my plan too, don't want to try to cram too much and, with a full time job and a partner to keep happy I think once a week will have to do for starters. That said we're all at the whim of the weather, so I will try to keep flexible. Luckily I can fairly easily swap days around at work and take a weekday off at short notice.


Will wait for your PM and seems we are pretty much going in with same mindset. Lets catchup and help each other achieving our dream.
By Crash one
#1854114
dgahlawat wrote:
Crash one wrote:I’m 81 and haven’t given much thought to packing in yet. :D


And I kneel before you Sir!
People like you are the inspiration for rest of us who put boundaries even on dreams let alone the reality.



Thank you young man :D