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

Moderator: AndyR

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By Popeye
#1656531
Hi everybody. I started learning to fly back in 1997 out of Southampton then all the flying schools got chucked out so I managed to decamp to Lee on Solent. Which, a year later, became unlicensed which, in those days, meant training from there didn't count, also the club I belonged to decided that it really didn't want trainees booking up the aircraft every Saturday. This combined with going self employed, meant I gave up. But never forgot about it!

Fast forward twenty years and into retirement. I've always been keen on gyrocopters so SWMBO bought me a trial lesson last summer. Suffice it to say I'm hooked and now have six hours in the book. Reading other threads on this site, many members say that learning's half the fun and I agree, I may never qualify but I'll enjoy every minute I'm in the air and the rest of the time I study for an hour or so a day which keeps the grey matter turning over.

Typically winter's now kicking in and I've missed the last three lessons due to weather but I'm optimistic I'll get up again later this week. I'm also enjoying this forum with the knowledge & banter, keep it going! Will update if/when I solo & other eventful happenings, I still remember my first solo (Cessna 150 Aerobat) from 20 years ago as if it were yesterday, I just wish the rest of my memory was as good.

Re the forum "name", I'm a retired master mariner.
Flyin'Dutch', gonzohop, johnm and 3 others liked this
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By GolfHotel
#1656552
Well done for coming back. Hope it goes well for you. I fly fixed wing and don't like egg whisks. But have always fancied a go in an unpowered egg whisk. Things have changed and you are benefiting from a couple of major changes. Autogyros aren't what they used to be. And thats a good thing.
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1656579
Welcome back to the fold Popeye, I look forward to meeting you at a social event some time and place. Keep enjoying the journey.

G
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By Popeye
#1675427
Hi, again. Now some 17 hours under my belt and realising that (at my age) unlearning is as hard as learning. Anyway I'm feeling generally happier in the gyrocopter and on Wednesday completed my first navex to an airfield some 25 miles away complete with landing/take off.

20 years ago I'd only experienced two concrete runways which, to be honest, didn't look too different. On Wednesday I learned just how different grass strips can be! At home (Popham) we have two which look different from each end and one has offest approaches from each end. My first away airfield had a totally different apearance, regardless I landed and took off and actually navigated sucessfully both ways on chart, compass and stopwatch.

Today we practised landing "but not landing", a gyrocopter thing where at the flare you increase revs to flying revs and fly along the runway at about 6 feet height, landing on the numbers but at the wrong end, it confuses the fixed wing boys no end, that and our semi vertical descent!

So, every day's a schoolday, even at my advanced years and enjoying every minute of it!

More to follow as and when..............
Jon G4LJW, JAFO liked this