My Blood is boiling - The CAA (licencing)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Leicestershire
Age: 45
Posts: 114
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Same here. After waiting weeks for the license (well three in the end, but the worst bit was thinking it would take much longer) it finally came. About the same time a stagnated high pressure system came as well, bringing daily vis of 4-5km for a week so by the time that cleared I was non-current with the school. First nice day came a week later - 40kms vis and a gorgous day. Booked the day off work as holiday. Three circuits with the instructor got me current and then my first passenger flight was a land away down to Turweston (about a 40 minute flight). Cookies and tea before a return flight to EMA. The following day I did two more flights (local flights to both the north and south of EMA zone) both taking in landmarks that were new to me.
You learnt navigation for good reason, to be able to navigate anywhere. Don't get into a 'local landmarks' way of thinking - get out and see something new.
I agree that the first PAX flight is interesting. Plenty of 'Are you okay?' etc. And don't forget you have to breif them!
On the third day I checked out on the C172R. The following weekend as my first flight P1 in it I took it straight to an aerodrome I hadn't visted before - Wellesbourne - with two PAX.
Two PAX is a different experience. When you have one PAX it's easy to stop the conversation if you need to think, you just stop talking. However, shutting up two people who talk to each other is a whole different thing - they don't know when your trying to do something mentally demanding so just keep talking.
A few flights on and I've learnt how to block out conversation and 'tune in' to ATC while a conversation is going on in the background. Usually I just turn up the radio above the PAX volume until I can hear, or they get the message and shut it!
Go on - put that training to use. Remeber the examiner signed you off as responsible and capable to carry passengers. You don't need to learn anything new before you do - he thinks you are ready now! Otherwise you wouldn't have passed.
And do whatever you feel comfatable with - but don't just spend weeks on end taking loadsa mates up on local flights in the same area. You worked hard to get the license so spread your wings and do what you want to do with it. Visit a new aerodrome, fly to the coast, go and see some local landmark from the air that you haven't seen before.
Above all, don't loose the ability to navigate over new terrain - being 'current' means many things and being able to fly the plane is only one of them!
Oh, and the current latency at the CAA is at the bottom of http://www.caa.co.uk/srg/licensing/default.asp .
You learnt navigation for good reason, to be able to navigate anywhere. Don't get into a 'local landmarks' way of thinking - get out and see something new.
I agree that the first PAX flight is interesting. Plenty of 'Are you okay?' etc. And don't forget you have to breif them!
On the third day I checked out on the C172R. The following weekend as my first flight P1 in it I took it straight to an aerodrome I hadn't visted before - Wellesbourne - with two PAX.
Two PAX is a different experience. When you have one PAX it's easy to stop the conversation if you need to think, you just stop talking. However, shutting up two people who talk to each other is a whole different thing - they don't know when your trying to do something mentally demanding so just keep talking.
A few flights on and I've learnt how to block out conversation and 'tune in' to ATC while a conversation is going on in the background. Usually I just turn up the radio above the PAX volume until I can hear, or they get the message and shut it!
Go on - put that training to use. Remeber the examiner signed you off as responsible and capable to carry passengers. You don't need to learn anything new before you do - he thinks you are ready now! Otherwise you wouldn't have passed.
And do whatever you feel comfatable with - but don't just spend weeks on end taking loadsa mates up on local flights in the same area. You worked hard to get the license so spread your wings and do what you want to do with it. Visit a new aerodrome, fly to the coast, go and see some local landmark from the air that you haven't seen before.
Above all, don't loose the ability to navigate over new terrain - being 'current' means many things and being able to fly the plane is only one of them!
Oh, and the current latency at the CAA is at the bottom of http://www.caa.co.uk/srg/licensing/default.asp .
