Well hello from down south! Im based in KFRG.
Oh and this too. Airspeed is king on landings. Too fast (esp in the high wing) and youll float right past the 1000 foot mark.
Also - FS2020 was pretty ā ā ā ā accurate for being able to use it for VFR XCs. I preflew my XC from KFRG to KPOU before even doing it with the instructor.
Most of all, enjoy the training!
@Steinways I thought a few times about quitting. Especially down here with this crazy airspace. Between the busy bravo of JFK/LGA/EWR, combined with the charlie of islip, and no shortage of flight schools - there is ALOT of other air traffic around. It was extremely intimidating but I fought through it. Your situation may be a bit different with the inner ear sensitivity but you may get used to it. I remember having a similar situation on I think my second lesson getting bounced around all over. Now I dont even think about it when it happens. All in all - if its something you really want Iād give it a go!
2 Likes
Congratulations! Things to look forward to and flights that will always stick with me:
-
First solo (everyoneās covered this)
-
First solo flight to practice area for air work.
Itās a big sky and I felt it on that day, but it can also be crowded. I had to keep my head on a swivel while working the radios and aiminng for perfection on my maneuvers. None of them were perfect but they were well within standards. On the flight back my radio crapped out and I could only receive and not transmit. I had to squawk 7600 into a class D for the first time. Itās one thing to read about it and discuss it with your instructor, itās another thing to have to do it. I realized just how much I relied on ATC that day but also that I knew what I was doing and could do it without them. I had a handheld radio onboard so I was able to use that to get a landing clearance. I still havenāt had a chance to practice light gun signals outside of the classroom on a white board.
- First solo to another airport within 25nm.
Flying from one class D to another under a class B shelf was busy work and boy did it happen faster than normal.
- First solo cross country flight of at least 150nm with stops at 3 airports.
For me this is when it all came together, until then the end goal seemed so far away even though I was making good progress. It also was a taste of what being a pilot would mean, the freedom of being able to go places and see people in a new and exciting way.
- The flight out to my check ride and the ride itself.
I had to reschedule and the winds were beyond my personal minimums at the destination airport until an hour before I had to be there. It was full of nervous energy in a good way. The plan was not to push my limits but to turn around if the surface winds hadnāt improved on arrival.
- The flight back after passing my check ride.
I flew back a private pilot at sunset and things got dark very quickly. That was also my first solo at night. Itās beautiful and calm at night but the vast darkness of the open water below kept me scanning my instruments like a hawk. The Santa Monica lights were beautiful but not having an out in case of engine failure made it more exciting than it should have been. It was a lesson in pushing limits, get-there-itis, and a reminder of the risks at night between open water and hilly terrain. During the day there are enough roads that there is hope of a forced landing, at night PCH is surprisingly dark.
Nice! Iāve always wanted to get out that way. Want to fly out to Montauk and walk across the street to Rickās for king crab legs!
@Archimedes2977 - one can never forget that first solo! Its an overall different feeling just from the right seat being empty. Even not feeling any other presence in the aircraft was very humbling and also heightened my alertness.
@anon17491698 i did one of my lessons out to the montauk lighthouse following VORs with the foggles on. Of course when we got out by the lighthouse he had me take them off so I can take in some of the views for a few mins lol.
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.