When does learning to fly become fun
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
when your instructor gets out...
How about
- first complete flight without instructor input
- first spin
- first launch failure or engine failure
- when everything just "goes right"
- when the instructor gives you an unexpected "now get out of that situation", and you do
BTW don't be disheartened when (not if) you've been improving, and then it feels like you're making negative progress. It happens to most people.
Also, I'd try different instructors on principle - you'll learn different things from each of them.
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For me the real joy of GA flying is sitting in that right seat teaching!!!! And passing on my love of flying.
Watching people like yourself going through exactly what your going through then go solo and then pass the test brings huge amounts of job satisfaction.
Watching people like yourself going through exactly what your going through then go solo and then pass the test brings huge amounts of job satisfaction.
I have a different opinion on this point. I strongly believe that presolo you should keep the same instructor unless there is a personality conflict or other definite problem indicating a change is required. Despite standardized curriculums, everybody teaches a little differently therefore flynig with different instructors will add a level of uncertainty to what you are doing that you do not need in early training. Also and more importantly the level of familiarity that the instructor will have with you and your training progress will improve the pace of your training progress.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: South of Iceland
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bracknell, UK
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
However, aeroplanes, and in particular aerobatic types, can deliver an order of magnitude of experience and enjoyment more than anything that is required to keep tyres connected to - or at least in the proximity of - terra firma.
Try to think back to your first driving lessons - they hardly prepared you for the Caterham or motorbike experience - but you need the be trained in the basic arts of any discipline, and the first few steps of that training can seem like wading through glue.
Stay with it - and if you start to question why you're doing it, book yourself an aerobatics session, and understand that you could be doing the same thing yourself in a year or so.
Last edited by eharding; 23rd Jul 2010 at 00:14.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Singapore
Age: 33
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I did my training for my PPL, the first few flights were alright. Until the point where I started practicing stalls. Got sick a couple of times. That was the lowest point in my training.
I had left home and went down to Aussie all on my own to train for my PPL. At that point where I started getting sick, I felt all lonely and lost. Once I got over the getting sick phase, it was much better. Granted, there were other times I felt down, but grit your teeth and bear with it. You will get through it somehow.
I had left home and went down to Aussie all on my own to train for my PPL. At that point where I started getting sick, I felt all lonely and lost. Once I got over the getting sick phase, it was much better. Granted, there were other times I felt down, but grit your teeth and bear with it. You will get through it somehow.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ruislip
Age: 70
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Very positive and honest responses - much appreciated. Having felt that I didnt do very well, I then started to worry about what would I be like when asked to land the plane in a few lessons time.
Now I rather think what would I have been like if on my second driving lesson someone had said it wont be long before we can start practising drifting and donuts or doing wheelies on the bike. I need to stay positive and not worry so much - I have no doubt that I will not be asked to do something the instructor doesnt think I can do.
Now I rather think what would I have been like if on my second driving lesson someone had said it wont be long before we can start practising drifting and donuts or doing wheelies on the bike. I need to stay positive and not worry so much - I have no doubt that I will not be asked to do something the instructor doesnt think I can do.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Gt. Yarmouth, Norfolk
Age: 68
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I need to stay positive and not worry so much - I have no doubt that I will not be asked to do something the instructor doesnt think I can do.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I also recall someone saying the average life expectancy on putting foot off the skids in Nam was about 45 seconds so, sadly, I suppose you didnt have all that long in which to be bored.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Londonish
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All been said, but yes, expect it to be overload for the first few. As you get used to it, you'll start to enjoy a lot more.
It should become fun a lot sooner than solo; Personally now I've got a few hours past the 'solo' kick, I actually enjoy it more having someone along - yes, 'even' being under instruction.
If you like caterhams and motorbikes, it'll become *really* fun when you discover that 45degrees is not a steep bank, and you can go way past that without the wings falling off (in a suitable aircraft of course!).
It should become fun a lot sooner than solo; Personally now I've got a few hours past the 'solo' kick, I actually enjoy it more having someone along - yes, 'even' being under instruction.
If you like caterhams and motorbikes, it'll become *really* fun when you discover that 45degrees is not a steep bank, and you can go way past that without the wings falling off (in a suitable aircraft of course!).
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
13hrs into it now and loved every minute of it. Never fail to get the buzz when i walk out to the warrior.
"No problem, Bloggs, a couple more sessions of circuits should see you ready for solo. When the time I'll let you know and we will rustle up a senior instructor to give you the pre-solo check. But we have to make sure you have got those circuits taped before you are ready to be put up...."
I have seen students with 30 hours and still on circuit after circuit because the instructor was too exacting when all that is needed is a safe standard; not a Red Bull ace pilot.
similarly not all students pick it up as quickly as others, some need practice. some students can be stuck on circuits for longer than others, as the approach and landing is one of the most if not the most important part of the flight.
chas - stick with it mate. i became totally comfortable with flying after about 10 hours. since then it's been excellent. enjoyed every minute of it. you will love pottering around the sky, doing stalls, circuits, landings (my favourite bit), and then navigations, which are really good. navigating and landing away is when you feel your training comes together towards this end result.
stick with it, you will enjoy it. don't let turbulence and all that put you off, some days you will fly around and it will be smooth as silk and you will think, there really is nothing better than this.
chas - stick with it mate. i became totally comfortable with flying after about 10 hours. since then it's been excellent. enjoyed every minute of it. you will love pottering around the sky, doing stalls, circuits, landings (my favourite bit), and then navigations, which are really good. navigating and landing away is when you feel your training comes together towards this end result.
stick with it, you will enjoy it. don't let turbulence and all that put you off, some days you will fly around and it will be smooth as silk and you will think, there really is nothing better than this.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SE England
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I found getting my PPL to be far more of a journey than I ever expected. I have previously done university study etc etc but nothing prepared me for the ups and downs (pardon the pun 
) of learning to fly. There were many, many times when I felt I would never get there (flying skills and ground exams) but I stuck at it and my shiny new licence arrived last week. 
It WILL get better, and when you get your licence you will feel such a sense of accomplishment because you will know EXACTLY how hard you had to work to get it. Don't give up we have all been there. Good luck and keep us posted!
) of learning to fly. There were many, many times when I felt I would never get there (flying skills and ground exams) but I stuck at it and my shiny new licence arrived last week. It WILL get better, and when you get your licence you will feel such a sense of accomplishment because you will know EXACTLY how hard you had to work to get it. Don't give up we have all been there. Good luck and keep us posted!
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello, CharlesG!
Being at the advanced age of 56 before you cast off the surly bonds of earth is starting late, which means your learning curve will often resemble a plateau.
I started at 50, but I started by flying gliders....which did eventually lead to the PPL. Nobody on this thread has said a word about gliding? o my, you are missing the most fun of all!
Lots of people gain a power license and then don't use it very much, for reasons of cost or boredom. Many of us who learn to become soaring pilots are still enjoying the sport at very advanced ages! Your first solo, yes, your first cross country (if you get it wrong, you visit a farmer!) and
your friends come to get you, and help derig, and you all stop at the pub on the way back to the club.... We fly in Wales, rock polishing in the Black Mountains at Talgarth. We fly in the wave over Scotland, at Aboyne. We fly in competitions, we relish analysing the weather and using the ridge, or the thermals, to float around local soaring, or to try for the silver distance in an open cockpit T-21, now there is a challenge! Vintage gliders, modern 25 meter state of the art, there are syndicates to share the cost and the enjoyment.
But best of all, we help each other.
Being at the advanced age of 56 before you cast off the surly bonds of earth is starting late, which means your learning curve will often resemble a plateau.
I started at 50, but I started by flying gliders....which did eventually lead to the PPL. Nobody on this thread has said a word about gliding? o my, you are missing the most fun of all!
Lots of people gain a power license and then don't use it very much, for reasons of cost or boredom. Many of us who learn to become soaring pilots are still enjoying the sport at very advanced ages! Your first solo, yes, your first cross country (if you get it wrong, you visit a farmer!) and
your friends come to get you, and help derig, and you all stop at the pub on the way back to the club.... We fly in Wales, rock polishing in the Black Mountains at Talgarth. We fly in the wave over Scotland, at Aboyne. We fly in competitions, we relish analysing the weather and using the ridge, or the thermals, to float around local soaring, or to try for the silver distance in an open cockpit T-21, now there is a challenge! Vintage gliders, modern 25 meter state of the art, there are syndicates to share the cost and the enjoyment.
But best of all, we help each other.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: North West UK
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nobody on this thread has said a word about gliding?
I did!! I enjoyed holidays at Great Hucklow (£16 for a week, all in - OK it was about 1962...) several weeks at Husband's Bosworth and one at Nymphsfield. absolutely agree that gliding is great. But there was nowhere close enough to carry on with it on a regular basis, hence the 30 odd year gap until the PPL.
RF
RF
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As one other on here has already said, you should not be afraid to change instructors if you feel you could do better than your current one. I've had several different instructors on the same course at various stages of my flying career. Whilst doing my PPL I realised that at £125 an hour I should be able to 'hire and fire' my instructors if I was not happy with their performance. I have had bad instructors and good instructors over the years and this made me realise they are not all the same.
If you were taking driving lessons and you weren't happy with your instructor you wouldn't hesistate to change, would you?
Re- the gliding previously mentioned, I started out in gliders and I've never been happier in powered aircraft than I was back in a glider. The only reason I didn't stick with it was the 'golf-club' mentality and the need to have the cooperation of at least five others to get yourself airborn. It was amazing though, to fly a vintage glider solo in formation with a buzzard is a memory that will never leave me.
It gets really fun when you first solo. My first solo in a glider had me singining Bohemian Rhapsody at the to of my voice all the way round. It remains the single most happy and exhilerating moment in my life.
"BISH ME LAA NOO, YOU WOULD NOT LET ME GOOOO......."
If you were taking driving lessons and you weren't happy with your instructor you wouldn't hesistate to change, would you?
Re- the gliding previously mentioned, I started out in gliders and I've never been happier in powered aircraft than I was back in a glider. The only reason I didn't stick with it was the 'golf-club' mentality and the need to have the cooperation of at least five others to get yourself airborn. It was amazing though, to fly a vintage glider solo in formation with a buzzard is a memory that will never leave me.
It gets really fun when you first solo. My first solo in a glider had me singining Bohemian Rhapsody at the to of my voice all the way round. It remains the single most happy and exhilerating moment in my life.
"BISH ME LAA NOO, YOU WOULD NOT LET ME GOOOO......."
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 23, Railway Cuttings, East Cheam
Age: 68
Posts: 3,115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Crikey, you three are making me wonder whether I ought to take up gliding again instead of blowing 6K boring holes in the sky....I could get a nice 1/3 share in something glass and nippy for 6K. Aaaargh. Trouble is with gliding is that you can't stick some baggage and the wife (are both those terms mutually inclusive?) in and go somewhere. Agree with the golf club mentality too but don't you get the same at powered clubs? I've only visited them, never been a member. I don't miss getting fried in the summer driving the winch all day only to get a 10 minute circuit in at the end of flying when everyone else is telling me about the 300K they just did either.
Decisions, decisions.
Decisions, decisions.
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The golf club mentality thing doesn't seem to apply at power clubs as the power clubs seem to be run as businesses with services (landing fees/parking/etc) sold to members without work being expected of the members. Gliding clubs are run as societies on a not for profit basis, so require their members to get involved in every aspect (CAA/BGA compliance/accounting/running the launch point/driving the winch/etc) and this makes gliding clubs a haven for jobsworths and for those too lazy to pull their own weight. This in turn creates the friction and the feeling of 'being watched' lest you don't make a reasonable contribution. Its the feeling of being watched that give the golf club mentality feeling.
It also has to be said that the gliding club system brings out the best in most of the members and keeps the flying cost much lower than if it were done the same way as a powered club.
Becuase I'm not a team player, I will stick with powered flying but I miss gliding enough to be tempted by motor gliders.
It also has to be said that the gliding club system brings out the best in most of the members and keeps the flying cost much lower than if it were done the same way as a powered club.
Becuase I'm not a team player, I will stick with powered flying but I miss gliding enough to be tempted by motor gliders.