Journal
I must be crazy after all I am 41 years old, married with two kids and here I am trying to get my pilots licence. I often ask myself why I didn't do this before the wife and kids came along. It was not like I wasn't around aircraft.
My father owned aircraft since I was young, he was a partner in a light aircraft flying and repair centre and I joined the military as an aircraft mechanic. Aviation has been in my blood since I can remember so maybe it is inevitable. I guess what sparked my interest to fly was during a recent flight safety audit of a local air cadet summer gliding facility where I had the opportunity to fly with the tow plane. It was exciting and I managed to get some awesome pictures. I also wanted to know more about flying operations because of my job in flight safety where I need to have some knowledge of operational issues.
I was always nervous flying as a kid. Not in big planes just small ones. My dad use to make my sister and I, when we were very young stick to the floor with his steep turns and other aerobatic manoeuvres. We used to try and lift our legs off the floor and our heads would be bent at a awkward angle as we struggled to keep them upright.
So why now? Well it started innocently enough. A quick call to the flying centre while I waited for my wife at the local post office. It was during lunch and it was very busy at the post office and while I waited outside in the car for her the flying centre truck was outside with its learn to fly logo along with the phone number. I picked up the cell phone and asked the about the flying lessons and ground school. It was Brian Goldie I spoke with- the owner. He said a ground school class would start shortly and he would call me when they were going to start. Well about two weeks went by and he didn't call so I decided to drop into the flying centre to check things out. I met my soon to be instructor Brian Power. I must be getting old as he didn't seem old enough to me the instructor( he's 32 so I definitely am getting old and this confirms it). I booked an intro flight for the next day and that's about it. Time to go for it...
Day 1 October 10th
On Friday October 10th I dropped into the Greenwood Flying Centre. I met Brian Power who will be my instructor. We scheduled to go flying on Saturday the 11th of October at 1000. Oh oh this is going to get real...soon.
Day 2 First Flight
Surprisingly I felt pretty relaxed when I got to the club a
Tim's in hand a couple of minutes early. Brian was just finishing up with
another student. Soon he said we were ready to go and tossed me a headset. I
thought we were going to do a walk around but he already did it earlier. So it
was just hop in the pilots seat of Cessna 172 G- FVE where Brian briefed me on a
few safety features ELT, door opening and closing procedures, fire extinguisher
location. I passed him the aircraft checklist and he started the pre-start then
the start checklists. As a Microsoft flight sim owner most of the equipment was
exactly where it is on the game. However you can actually click all the buttons
and switches on the real aircraft instead of F7 etc. Hmm FS 2004 doesn't have a
engine primer...I must write Bill Gates about this oversight. This is where my
hearing is getting worse as I know he was speaking to the tower but in such
unintelligible aviation speak I hardly know what he was saying. I sure hope this
aviation listening and speaking skill is easier than it sounds. I think we were
instructed to taxi to the button of 26. We did I suppose and then stopped for
further instruction after which we were cleared to takeoff. OK we are all lined
up on the runway and Brian will now get ready to take off...when he tells me the
aircraft is mine and to use the heels of my feet on the rudder pedals to keep up
straight down the runway and keep the wings straight and apply full power. Prior
to adding throttle I put on the brakes with a reassuring front nose down
attitude. OK it was a jamming on of the brakes and a rapid pitching forward of
the nose. He said "well the brakes work good"- a dry sense of humour
on his part. OK off brakes full power and away
we go.
What I seemed to find more
awkward than anything was steering the nose wheel using my feet on the rudder
pedals. The people in the control tower must have thought I looked drunk. Is
there some magic trick to getting the hang of this? I was turning
the control yoke but obviously didn't succeed - this will take work no doubt.
It sure didn't take long to take off. Climb out was at 75 knots. I was
actually relaxed which I though I would be more nervous. Maybe because I was
busy working and didn't have time to think. I think the take off was not that
great as keeping the wings level was a little off and the darn rug under my feet
was moving around luckily there was little if no cross wind. I was then told to
level off at approx 2000'. I had a hard time not looking at the attitude
indicator and the VSI so a Post It™ pad cut out over the instruments solved that
problem. Brian explained that for me 4 finger widths above the dash is approx
level flight. We flew over Margrettsville and Middleton and then over Kingston
and Greenwood and I took a couple pictures of our subdivision. It was getting
time to land and I only had the controls out of my hands for the picture taking.
Well he will be taking over soon, wrong again. He asked if I wanted to do the
landing. Not having time to say no I managed to blurt out OK. We did a couple of
left hand turns and I was told to turn when we got over a certain field. I held
approximately 65 knots and Brian did the communications and worked the flaps. I
simply steered where he told me to aim for. He instructed me to take the
throttle and when he instructed at 10' above the runway I would reduce the power
to idle and land. He we go, 10 ' and cut the throttle and keeping us lined up
and level and there the wheels touched down and no hops or jumps. It was good
landing I was told. I thought the flight was longer but it was over in 30
minutes. I also was observed holding the controls tightly. I didn't notice yet
now that I think about it. I used two hands the whole flight. You would think I
was driving a Mac truck. Brian taxied back to the centre and shut down. It was
an excellent flight. I am looking forward to the next time. I have so much to
learn, it seems a little daunting to tell you the truth. With my work schedule
it might be a awhile before I get my next flight. Ground school starts on the
4th of November with a info evening on October 27th. I also have to do a pilot
medical.
Monday October 27th
Brian Power gave us an overview of ground school and determined what items we have and require. He also went over the subject matter and other details of the course. This is going to be a lot of work.
Tuesday, November 4th
Brian called at work and one of the students can't make it so the first official class is delayed until the 6th.
Thursday, November 6th
Tonight we took licence requirements and airframe, engines and systems. A lot of material in 3 hours. Luckily my aviation trades training covered a lot of this although it was many years ago. Overall it was a pretty good night and everyone seems to be enjoying it.
Tuesday, November 11th - Remembrance Day
Today a new member came to the class Steve. Tonight we finished engines and vacuum systems as well we actually looked at all of the items we learned about on the centres 172. Very informative. We also took theory of flight and aerodynamics. Again this was a lot of material to cover is a short period of time. Now I have to study for the radiotelephone operators certificate - more info to absorb and retain. It seems like there isn't enough time in the week to learn all of this material. Thursday it is the first night of CARs - air regulations ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.
Thursday, November 13th
Well we finished off theory of flight. It isn't too in-depth thankfully. Next we started CARS. I am still not clear on VFR criteria definitely more reading is required. Hopefully I will burn this stuff into my brain. Tonight I was exhausted from the long day at work. I tried to book my Dr appointment for my medical and left a message. Paul Archibald informed me he soloed yesterday - excellent.
Tuesday November 18th
Another evening devoted to CARs...luckily Brian made sense of most of it as we all were busy scratching our heads regarding airspace categories and the like. We were actually laughing at the futility of trying to learn all of this information in the time given. Man how many rules and "exception to the rules" are there?!?!?! We are suppose to be moving onto navigation but I think we are spending another night on CARs there is just way too much stuff... Now in D class airspace only a radio call is required... G class airspace is uncontrolled. I keep going over this stuff in my head until it hurts. Thursday I am sure will be better.
Thursday November 20th
CARs continued + Instruments. Who knew there was so much to learn about the inner working of the instruments. Like do we need to know around which axis a instrument rotates? It was a pretty good night though. My mind is on writing the PSTAR test next week. Brian seems confident I do not.
Tuesday November 25th
Well I wrote and passed the PSTAR exam and to tell you the truth it was easy - yeah one step closer to being able to get my student licence. I was told that some people have trouble though maybe they get the signals mixed up or the altitude information but otherwise it is straight brain power.Tonight we completed instruments and started meteorology. My head is again sswollen with newfound knowledge. We have 3 more classes on met before we are done. My feeling is if it looks crappy out don't fly - so much for my theory. Isotopes, millibars...yadda yadda yadda
Thursday November 27th
Well I had today off but spent it on the road picking up my wife after her business trip. I just made it back in time and I was a little exhausted. We looked at fronts and weather patterns and pressure systems. One observation though, the lesson sure doesn't follow the book at all we are all over the place in the books. It is also very dull reading...'must concentrate, must not doze off' ZZZZZZZzzzz too late.
Tuesday December 2nd
Well we finished early tonight and 3 hours of met. It just won't end. We learned a lot of information about forecasts and reading METARS. I actually learned some information that I didn't know about or just plain forgot. A real good evening.
Thursday December 4th
PIREPS, NOTAMS, SIGMETS, AIRMETS AND FA'S. More new terms to learn and retain in the old databank. I think I am getting the hang of this stuff and understanding the weather briefings.
Friday December 5th
Pilot medical completed. A painless exercise other than dealing with the local crusty doctor who is a pilot himself. Definitely old school (military). He gave me a prescription to put on my fridge with the old adage: ' there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots'. The medical took around an hour including the ECG for us old folks over 40.
Tuesday December 9th
Thursday December 11th
Tuesday December 16th
Thursday December 18th
Tuesday December 23rd
Christmas Break
Tuesday December 30th
Happy New Year
Tuesday January 6th
Thursday January 8th
Tuesday January 13th
Thursday January 15th
Review for the pre test. Man did we cover all of this in the past 50+ hours. I have spent the past few days studying. Man how the heck does this wiz wheel thingy work again.
Tuesday January 19th
The pre test. Good Lord! I scored a 77%. I still need to fly 10 hours before I can even write the actual test. Met by far was the biggest pain in the behind. Some questions we all got wrong. Wheel barrowing is caused by what? Excessive speed was the answer, somehow I slept when that information was given. All in all I was a little upset by more mark as I though I did a little better. Also they like to give you a question using 'true' bearing information then the answer was both a magnetic answer and a true answer. Yup I selected the wrong answer. The AD, GAF and TAF was pretty good although the question that asked if the ceiling was improving or worsening still leaves me baffled. Well now it hurry up and wait until the weather improves. No sense paying $130 an hour to get pounded around up there.