there will be no further discussion of recursive cows
Flying Time: Today: 1:12 Total: 9:12
So, at the very last minute decided to book a lesson of circuits for this weekend, and sure enough, it’s “Can you be here in half an hour?”. Sure I can!
After a quick run-through with an instructor I’d had one lesson with before (my original instructor appears to have vanished without a trace - presumably for the airlines), it was out and up for what ended up as 6 circuits.
Flying Time: Today: 1:06 Total: 8:00
A fairly nondescript catch-up lesson really. Covered steep turns which seemed to go OK - I need to concentrate on holding my altitude when turning - in medium or steep turns! Did a few practice circuits at a higher altitude too. Looking forward to the next lesson when I get into the circuit properly!
Flying Time: Today: 1:30 Total: 6:54
A fun lesson today. Another different instructor, and something totally different to do - like stalls.
While I knew roughly what to expect, it was still surprising. In a stall there is basically insufficient airspeed to keep the plane flying - and when a plane stops flying, it starts falling! The basic effect is for the aircraft to dramatically lose height, and on certain aircraft there is substantial wing drop.
The Piper Tomahawk (PA38), which is what I’m flying, exhibits this wing drop!
For the aircraft to suddenly pitch over and roll suddenly to one side leads to a real lurch in the stomach and it was quite unsettling the first few times. After a few though you get used to it and get to try the different kinds of stall - recovery without power, recovery with power, recovery with power with flaps down, recovery of a stall on turn from base to final etc etc.
All good fun and we were so busy we didn’t notice the time - I managed 1.5 hours chock-chock… which was great flying-wise, but not so good on the wallet! Will have to wait a few weeks before the next one I think.
Flying Time: Today: 1:00 Total: 5:24
I flew again after a month away on Sunday and despite only 4 hours of training I was able to pick up fairly easily - this was quite gratifying at this stage, although I guess
Had a different instructor as my usual one was away for a month, which made for some differences, as well as the fact this was really a revision lesson rather than specifically covering anything new. Was quite pleased to find that the new instructor’s teaching style fitted in with my way of doing things - having said that she had a no-name brand headset that was *extremely* uncomfortable on my head and suffered from a bizarre compatability issue - I was unreadable on the radio but the intercom was working just fine.
Flying Time: Today: 1:06 Total: 4:24
Pretty good lesson today - made my first radio calls and did much of the “A” Check on my own. The main lessons learnt today were APT (Attitude-Power-Trim) and PAT (Power-Attitude-Trim). On the whole pretty good! Started doing FREDA checks too and going through the checklists on my own more, so getting busier!
Flying Time: Today: 0:00 Total: 3:18
So, today was a washout weatherwise. Scattered clouds at 900ft, broken clouds at 2000ft with visibility at 4km with 14kt winds, so that was pretty crap. But I managed to save some money, which I then went and spent (and more) at Ikea instead! We now have a nice new dining table and chairs, which is excellent.
Flying Time: Today: 1:06 Total: 3:18
Had another lesson today. Gorgeous day - bit hazy, but otherwise very sunny and warm. Let’s hope the next few lessons are like this too!
Got off to a pretty simple start today - straight into briefings on straight and level, and straight and level at specific airspeeds. All seems pretty straightforward and Nick (my instructor) brings his own brand of humour to the briefings… I’ll leave it at that I think!
Flying Time: Today: 1:06 Total: 2:12
I went flying again today for my first “proper” lesson - again, a fantastic experience. Weather was much better than before, although still pretty windy. Cloud and Visibility were such that we could see Canary Wharf from 3000ft (and we’re a considerable distance away).
Spent much more time “hands-on” today, going through checklists and my first (assisted) takeoff. After that it was pretty much going through the manoeuvres in Exercises 4.1 and 4.2 - primary and secondary control effects, flaps, and even a bit of straight and level. Was hugely satisfying to get the plane roughly into straight and level flight and reasonably well trimmed out.
After all that, flew us back into the circuit and took the plane down to within a few hundred feet of the runway, before the instructor took over for the flare and hold-off. My taxiing is still pretty OK, although switching back to steering with my feet is very odd after you’ve been flying for an hour or so.
Great fun - I’ve booked another 3 lessons for 2 weeks time and I’m really looking forward to them.
So, having decided to take flying lessons once I get the latest production with the drama group over with, I decided in the meantime to get an order in for all the groundschool gear. Blimey there’s a lot of it. 8 books, flight planning pad, logbook, kneeboard, timer, audio tape, some computer-based training, a flight computer etc etc. OK, I won’t need all of it immediately but by the end of the course it will all have come in handy.
Been flicking through some of the books (The “Trevor Thom” books, aka the Aircraft Pilot’s Manual) and it all looks like it’s going to be quite fun. Have to go and book another lesson for the beginning of April I think.
Flying Time: Today: 1:06 Total: 1:06
Well, I went, I flew, I came back - and it was very good indeed!
I went for a trial flying lesson with Bonus Aviation, based out of Cranfield and found them to be very friendly and welcoming. I phoned up about 8:15 and spoke to Jo, their admin/general manager who said that she thought the weather would be OK, but that none of the instructors were in yet. So, I jumped in the car and headed for Cranfield (about 35 minutes for me).
Continue reading ‘Trial Flying Lesson’
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