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Tomorrow is my first flight. Lets just say that I'm thankful that Jake isn't taking ballroom dancing lessons.
LisaB
Personnally, I gave up on first lesson [ahajokes.com].
It's great fun. I've got about 11 hours in my log book. I really enjoyed it, but it can get expensive so I never got around to finishing the 20 hours for solo then 40 for PPL (that may have changed now). Haven't flown for a couple of years. I do miss it sometimes.
Still thinking about going back and doing my P1 glider licence.
Hehe Mac - that's bad taste ;-)
I do take it that's a model?
TJ
I'd rather say shocking. :)
One of my friends have a Piper floatplane. I dont remember wich model but it has 6 seats and 2 engines. (And room in the floats for beer) He let me fly it a couple of times just for the fun of it.
Simply one of the great times in life. You feel like turning into a kid again. Enjoy pmac!
Have fun pmac!
While an undergrad i applied to join Cambridge University air squadron, I had my heart set on a career as a fighter pilot etc
Passed my entrance interview only to have my application refused on medical grounds.
When I was a child I used to have inexplicable fits, no one told be about these untill I needed a medical completed.
My parents just came out matter of fact (just like they asked you to pass the salt)and told me, Knocked for six I was.
So good luck.
I have my third flight tonight (before pub night starts). I love it.
It's way too much fun to be a good thing. Rae's not only concerned about safety issues, but because it's the only thing I've talked about for the last two weeks. ;-)
Please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone.
See...I could have been a trend setter, and now I will just be a follower :-)
Oh well, I got a sky diving package for my birthday if that counts.
...signed green. We want reports Pmac/Jake...
Ska
Only if you can flap your arms really hard.
On my way to the airport now, will post when I get back.
Oh well, I got a sky diving package for my birthday if that counts.
I had PPL for several years but have since let it expire. It's a blast but NOTHING compared to skydiving.
I'd always thought I'd test for my PPL again until I had skydived. I'd rather be falling out of the plane. :-)
Frankly, before I try this, I will need to shop for adult diapers.
I will need to shop for adult diapers.
So I arrived at the school, met the instructor and we did a walk around of the Cessna 150, checking fuel, oil, and other basic checks. We climbed into the cockpit, and did a preflight check, however this was done without really explaining any of the controls to me. As we taxied out to the runway the instructor told me that I would be performing the takeoff and very quickly pointed out the rudder controls and throttle.
I lined it up (hard to get my head around that I am steering with my feet and not the stick). I pushed in the throttle and was able to keep it fairly straight as we picked up speed down the runway. About halfway down the runway, the nose began to lift and we were airborne.
Once we reached altitude and leveled out I was able to take in some of the views as flew a course taking us up the Ottawa river. It was pretty cool.
The instructor then had me perform a descending banked turn and that was when the first bit of nervousness crept in. It sure isn't a car..... you really are using 3 dimensions when operating an aircraft. We tried a couple of climbs and descents and it was time to head back. I kept the controls until we made the approach for landing and then the instructor took over with me resting my feet on the rudder controls and lightly on the stick so that I could get a sense of the movements she had to input into the controls to get us on the ground.
It was alot of fun, but I'm not sure I got the kick out of it that I was suspecting I would. I think that if the instructor had taken more time on the ground to clearly explain what all the controls do and how they react to inputs would have made my introduction more enjoyable. I kind of felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants so to speak.
I'm going to give it some thought and decide if I want to spend 5K on something that really didnt give me that rush that I was looking for. I might take a couple of other flights with other instructors as well to see if that makes any difference.
really didnt give me that rush that I was looking for.
Tell him you want to try stalling the plane or emergency landing procedures.
If that doesn't work for you.....jump out of the plane next time.
Pmac, I would have been the same way, I want to know how everything is interacting. A different instructor might be a lot more exciting.
A different instructor might be a lot more exciting.
I switched from an older, retired guy to a 22 year old kid who'd take me in for emergency landing procedures so low I thought the tires would hit foliage.
Please- no FAA comments
6 months ago I thought I would never drive again...and now I own a pretty nice car...next step wertrose airlines?
Please? Pretty please? :-)
After we meet with a financial planner and get a whopping huge life insurance policy, then you can go for it. :)
I kind of felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants so to speak.
Well that makes me feel *much* better LOL.
get a whopping huge life insurance policy, then you can go for it
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. <hmmmm>
;)
It was alot of fun, but I'm not sure I got the kick out of it that I was suspecting I would. I think that if the instructor had taken more time on the ground to clearly explain what all the controls do and how they react to inputs would have made my introduction more enjoyable
That's cool pmac - every first flight is like that - a bit nervous and all too much to take in. Remember when you first drove a car?
You'll start to get a little confidence and that's when the fun starts.
Start reading too - that will make a lot of difference. An understanding of how the aircraft actually works will make it all make a lot more sense.
I think that if the instructor had taken more time on the ground to clearly explain what all the controls do and how they react to inputs
The instructor did the right thing - you would not have taken it all in in one sitting.
You just had a joy-ride, the hard work and complicated bit starts now ;-)
TJ
I am jealous of the numerous pilots on this board. What is the total cost of getting a pilots license with training, permits, licenses etc in CAD? That and how much time is involved?
In the UK it costs about £5k but I know it can be half this price in the states or Oz. That price includes all flights, training manuals, maps, ground tuition and all the exams. You do 20 hrs of accompanied flight before you can fly solo. I think you have to do a couple of the exams before you can do this. (I am only 2.5 hrs into the thing ;oP)Throw in some emergency procedures and when you have done 40hrs flying time you will do all the exams. If you pass you have your ppl and you can fly your friends and family pretty much anywhere in the world. You can also fly almost any single engined aircraft. (that doesn't include fighter jets).
The funniest bit is talking to air traffic control. I get it wrong all the time. When i request something I don't sound like a pilot.
"ummm hello air traffic control this is, ummm what my name? oh yeah, Papa Kilo. I want to go down a bit to have a look at the nice boat down there. Can I? Over n out."
Not quite right but they understood.
I have my next lesson next week.
BTW I have been scared of flying for years. I still am but when I'm in control I love it.
Ska
It turned out that his friend was an aerobatics instructor. After we got the pictures he asked if I'd like to experience a few "manuvers". We started off with a barrel roll, then a loop, then another loop coming out into a barrel roll, and finally a stall and a spin. It was one of the biggest rushes I've ever experienced.
I spent my house in Amsterdam on helicopter ATPL back in 89.
Just like noisy Tonka toys.
P.S. There's a couple of fixed wing flying clubs at Edinburgh Airport.
