Wed Jul 03, 2024 4:53 pm
#2027053
I thought I'd join in and add my own, rather lengthy, PPL journey. If you get bored easily, then skip to a more interesting post!
I wanted to write something to encourage others who may feel they have slightly higher hours, struggling with one area in particular, or even thinking of giving up. (I've been there!)
I started learning back in February 2022 when I was nearly 42, and successfully passed my skills test two days ago, 1st July 2024. My total hours before the tests (plural, I'll come to that shortly) was around 75 hours: 10 hours 40 solo and around 64 dual.
Learning to fly has always been a lifelong ambition. I had a trial lesson/ flight experience when I was 16 - a treat to myself from paper-round money - and since that point it is something I've always wanted to do. Until the last couple of years, I had not been in a position to take my dream any further. Then, for Christmas 2021, my fiancée (now wife) bought me a trial lesson. She very much comes from an aviation family. Her father has a PPL and met his partner/ my wife's mother as she was his flying instructor. My flying instructor through most of my PPL journey is my wife's cousin, and her uncle is HoT at the flying club and was also my skills test examiner... Got it? No, nor have I fully understood either!
When I first started, due to work commitments, instructor and aircraft availability, and the Great British weather, I was only having around one lesson per month. As you can imagine, progress was slow and, in hindsight, this should have been far more frequent (though I wouldn't have been able to control the weather). I also had four months away from learning from July 2022 when I got married, and a further couple of months off when my FI stepped down as an instructor.
For me, achieving a PPL has been a massive journey. I remember how daunted I was early on with the thought of nine exams ahead of me, as well as the practical elements of the FRTOL, QXC and skills test. It just felt it was a never-ending, and very expensive, journey. I think exams were even more daunting after passing my first exam, Air Law. It dawned on me I had to repeat the effort eight more times, potentially more if I failed any (fortunately, I didn't).
Along the way, I realise I was progressing a lot slower than perhaps some people you read about but, it's important to point out, that really doesn't matter!! My first solo wasn't until around 30 hours and I got a bit lost on my very first solo nav exercise! (Not so lost as to cause a problem, but I did get a gentle "turn 30 degrees to your left" over the radio!). Appreciate this doesn't paint a very good picture, but all this I learned from. Subsequent nav exercises I planned diligently, knew all ground features to look out for every few minutes, and knew how to use the kit in the aircraft properly!! (As well as having SkyDemon in my pocket in case of any real problems!)
All subsequent solo exercises went really well, including my QXC, and this helped provide the much-needed confidence that I could make a go of this.
However, there were times I thought “I can’t do this” and considered giving up. Circuit bashing was my nemesis and the reason it took me so long to go solo. There was inconsistency. I'd do six circuits, for example, and on every circuit/landing I'd make a different mistake. I can't even remember what now, but I remember very few circuits were perfect so definitely not solo material. It didn't help that there were sometimes a few weeks before I got to try again. Then, finally, on 27th June last year, I got things right consistently and out stepped the instructor and sent me off on my tod. That was the much-needed confidence boost and cemented my determination to continue.
Exams were the other cause for my dwindling enthusiasm, especially when preparing for the more difficult exams (meteorology for me. The feeling of elation (and increased lift on my shoulders) when I passed that last one was immense and well worth it.
In much the same style, my skills test (Sunday just gone) didn't go quite as well as it could have either! The first hour-and-a-half went really well. I was spot on with the nav and even my diversion was pretty accurate despite dropping my diversion ruler under the seat and having to improvise. Of all times to lose it, eh? General handling (stalls etc.) went OK-ish. I could have perhaps done better, but I was safe. However, it was the last 45 minutes of my test that got me. Where? Back in the circuits of course! My glide approach almost fell short and I tried to drag the aircraft in when I really should have performed a go-around and tried again. My powered landing had 10 degrees of flap, something I've never ever done (and will definitely not do again!), and my short-field landing fell the last 10 feet onto the runway causing a bit of a bump. A bit of an embarrassing end to the skills test. On the plus, my flapless approach was faultless!
Unsurprisingly, I received a 'partial pass', meaning all I would have to repeat to achieve a full pass is a few more circuits and repeat the landings after a 45-minute refresher with my FI. Wanting to get over the line, I went up the next day and passed! Mysteriously the centre line seemed to move for one or two of my landings, but apart from that they were pretty good.
If anyone's feeling they need a bit of encouragement after a bad lesson, or feeling like they're not sure if they should continue, my firm advice is stick with it. I did, and I got there in the end. Where I went wrong in my first skills test are areas I will remember for the rest of my flying career. In my opinion, that will make me a better pilot, right?
For me, however, the real learning begins now.
I wanted to write something to encourage others who may feel they have slightly higher hours, struggling with one area in particular, or even thinking of giving up. (I've been there!)
I started learning back in February 2022 when I was nearly 42, and successfully passed my skills test two days ago, 1st July 2024. My total hours before the tests (plural, I'll come to that shortly) was around 75 hours: 10 hours 40 solo and around 64 dual.
Learning to fly has always been a lifelong ambition. I had a trial lesson/ flight experience when I was 16 - a treat to myself from paper-round money - and since that point it is something I've always wanted to do. Until the last couple of years, I had not been in a position to take my dream any further. Then, for Christmas 2021, my fiancée (now wife) bought me a trial lesson. She very much comes from an aviation family. Her father has a PPL and met his partner/ my wife's mother as she was his flying instructor. My flying instructor through most of my PPL journey is my wife's cousin, and her uncle is HoT at the flying club and was also my skills test examiner... Got it? No, nor have I fully understood either!
When I first started, due to work commitments, instructor and aircraft availability, and the Great British weather, I was only having around one lesson per month. As you can imagine, progress was slow and, in hindsight, this should have been far more frequent (though I wouldn't have been able to control the weather). I also had four months away from learning from July 2022 when I got married, and a further couple of months off when my FI stepped down as an instructor.
For me, achieving a PPL has been a massive journey. I remember how daunted I was early on with the thought of nine exams ahead of me, as well as the practical elements of the FRTOL, QXC and skills test. It just felt it was a never-ending, and very expensive, journey. I think exams were even more daunting after passing my first exam, Air Law. It dawned on me I had to repeat the effort eight more times, potentially more if I failed any (fortunately, I didn't).
Along the way, I realise I was progressing a lot slower than perhaps some people you read about but, it's important to point out, that really doesn't matter!! My first solo wasn't until around 30 hours and I got a bit lost on my very first solo nav exercise! (Not so lost as to cause a problem, but I did get a gentle "turn 30 degrees to your left" over the radio!). Appreciate this doesn't paint a very good picture, but all this I learned from. Subsequent nav exercises I planned diligently, knew all ground features to look out for every few minutes, and knew how to use the kit in the aircraft properly!! (As well as having SkyDemon in my pocket in case of any real problems!)
All subsequent solo exercises went really well, including my QXC, and this helped provide the much-needed confidence that I could make a go of this.
However, there were times I thought “I can’t do this” and considered giving up. Circuit bashing was my nemesis and the reason it took me so long to go solo. There was inconsistency. I'd do six circuits, for example, and on every circuit/landing I'd make a different mistake. I can't even remember what now, but I remember very few circuits were perfect so definitely not solo material. It didn't help that there were sometimes a few weeks before I got to try again. Then, finally, on 27th June last year, I got things right consistently and out stepped the instructor and sent me off on my tod. That was the much-needed confidence boost and cemented my determination to continue.
Exams were the other cause for my dwindling enthusiasm, especially when preparing for the more difficult exams (meteorology for me. The feeling of elation (and increased lift on my shoulders) when I passed that last one was immense and well worth it.
In much the same style, my skills test (Sunday just gone) didn't go quite as well as it could have either! The first hour-and-a-half went really well. I was spot on with the nav and even my diversion was pretty accurate despite dropping my diversion ruler under the seat and having to improvise. Of all times to lose it, eh? General handling (stalls etc.) went OK-ish. I could have perhaps done better, but I was safe. However, it was the last 45 minutes of my test that got me. Where? Back in the circuits of course! My glide approach almost fell short and I tried to drag the aircraft in when I really should have performed a go-around and tried again. My powered landing had 10 degrees of flap, something I've never ever done (and will definitely not do again!), and my short-field landing fell the last 10 feet onto the runway causing a bit of a bump. A bit of an embarrassing end to the skills test. On the plus, my flapless approach was faultless!
Unsurprisingly, I received a 'partial pass', meaning all I would have to repeat to achieve a full pass is a few more circuits and repeat the landings after a 45-minute refresher with my FI. Wanting to get over the line, I went up the next day and passed! Mysteriously the centre line seemed to move for one or two of my landings, but apart from that they were pretty good.
If anyone's feeling they need a bit of encouragement after a bad lesson, or feeling like they're not sure if they should continue, my firm advice is stick with it. I did, and I got there in the end. Where I went wrong in my first skills test are areas I will remember for the rest of my flying career. In my opinion, that will make me a better pilot, right?
For me, however, the real learning begins now.
FLYER Club Member
