Starting Private Pilot tomorrow

[Guest]

Just to let you guys know..I'll be starting training towars my PPL tomorrow. I'll be flying 3-4 times a week weather permitting. I live in New England so the weather can be IFR alot during the winter monthsIf there are any newbie real world Privates out there let me know of any of tips/hints. I hope my stomach can take stalls!Favorite area to Fly--Alaska!

[MKaprocki 3]

Great news! You'll have the time of your life! What kind of planes will you be flying?Matt

[Guest]

Couple of things:(1) Read, read, read. The more you can be prepared for your lesson, the more you'll get out of it.(2) Show up early and go through procedures in the aircraft. Learn where all the switches are, what each one does, and what systems it is tied to. I'm sure your instructor will require that you buy a copy of the POH, but if not make sure you get it and read it cover-to-cover. The emergency items should all be in your memory.(3) If you haven't already done so, either sign up for a ground school at your local FBO or community college. Or at least get a set of videos to prep you for your written.(4) Fly at controlled fields as often as you can. This will make a tremendous difference in your ability to work with ATC.(5) Fly as often as you can. Fly on challenging days; windy, bumpy days are good for learning too.(6) Don't get discouraged. Learning plateaus are normal. One day it will all click.(7) The private license is a license to learn. You won't be ready for all the world has to offer even when you have your license. Keep learning.(8) If you haven't already done so, subscribe to at least two publications: Magazine (now thru AOPA) and [link:www.aopa.org/pilot/|AOPA Pilot]. Both have invaluable information.(9) Make a commitment now to get your instrument rating. This should be a requirement for all pilots IMO. [link:www.aviation.uiuc.edu/institute/research/arl/technical-reports/178SecondstoLive.html]178 seconds to live...(10) Don't be afraid to change instructors if he/she isn't working out for you. If it is only a "job" for your instructor then change right away! He should be as passionate about it as you are.I could probably list a thousand more things, but these were the first that came to mind. Feel free to ask questions any time!

[Guest]

Good luck!'Weather Permitting' is the key phrase at this time of year! :-)

[Guest guyjr]

Just got minted July 11 this year, so I know where you're at! You're in for one incredible ride, that's for sure. I'm based in NJ, so I'm all too familiar with the wonderful turns the weather can take around here. I wouldn't worry too much about stalls... they are rather undramatic in a C-172 (if you're going to be flying one of those), although the school I trained at has one that likes to spin (but not too badly, just barely gets into the incipient stage).I suggest reading up and studying about 3 times as much as you fly... that's about what it worked out to for me, and as I got closer to taking the written, I was studying probably 5 hours a day for a couple of weeks. It's well worth it, especially when you get to the oral exam + checkride.Only thing to remember is: HAVE FUN! If you're not having at least a little bit of fun, then take a step back, and remember what your original motivations for learning to fly were, and then get right back in there!Oh, and check out the newsgroup rec.aviation.student. There are a lot of very helpful folks who hang out there just handing out sage advice. I learned a LOT there during my training.

[Guest guyjr]

>(9) Make a commitment now to get your instrument rating. This should >be a requirement for all pilots IMO. 178 seconds to live...I'll second that. Especially if you plan on flying at night. You may be able to legally fly in the U.S. at night with a PPL, but it's far safer if you go through with the instrument training as well.

[Guest]

What sort of cost would you be looking at to get your IR in the US?Very few schools in the UK seem to offer IR, and if they do the cost is astronomical. Most people that go for the IR are heading down the CPL/IR route anyway (even more expensive). We do have a UK only IMC rating though, which I guess is an IR 'lite' rating. It allows you to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions to get yourself out of trouble and back to VFR.

[Guest Jeff S KDTW]

>(9) Make a commitment now to get your instrument rating. >This should be a requirement for all pilots IMO. >178 seconds to live... That was an EXCELLENT read! Thanks!Regards,http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jsnyder99/sigs/blackname.jpg

[Guest Tim13]

In the U.S. midwest, the instrument rating costs about as much as the PPL does which is roughly 3500.00 to 5000.00 depending on how you do it. Cost will vary by aircraft used, FBO vs flying club vs owning the trainer, etc... .Tim13

[Guest]

I am happy for you and wish you the best! I am looking forward to starting my PPL during the 1st quarter next year providing I can get my medical. Check out www.studentpilot.com. This is a great site for everyone. DEFINITELY join AOPA (www.aopa.org)! The benefits of being a member are very worthwhile. You will get a subscription to AOPA Flight Training magazine with your membership. This magazine offers a wealth of information and great articles tailored to the student pilot. I recently bought King School's PPL Exam prep course on CD-ROM. So far I can say this is a great way to prepare for the written. Sporty's also has a good PPL prep course as well. I also recommend Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook. Good Luck Buddy and HAVE FUN :-) Larry Brown Visit American Virtual Airlines.www.flyava.org http://www.flyava.org/images/AAlogos/Banner2.jpg

[Guest]

Couple of tips for those starting out....1) Fly at least twice a week....this will SAVE you money in the long run.2) Get the knowledge exam done as soon as possible (I recommend the Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual).3) Start studying the ASA Oral Exam Guide as soon as possible.4) If your building time for your instrument rating (you need 50hrs of x-ctry and 40 hrs of "simulated IFR" time) hook up with another PPL and put one under the hood. You can both log PIC time while the one is under the hood (one is PIC flying although flying blind, and the other is PIC looking for traffic) and split the cost.5) If working on your instrument rating, practice on the sims the approaches. If there is a corporate flying dept at your airport ask them what they do with their expired approach plates. Most just throw them away. Ask them if you can take them (I have the entire country covered thanks to the Robert Yates NASCAR Racing Team).6) Enjoy!!! Flying is not all work!

[Guest Salbado]

I wish you the best of luck in a wonderful quest...it is a gas.Having completed my training 10 years ago, I would agree that the Instrument rating is worth its weight in "gold" (read life). In my first real flight alone, I shot Norfolk International in the rain with 800 and 2. I'll never forget the feeling of breaking out on the ILS...it was a real thrill. Practicing approaches in the sim before actually shooting them will save you tons of money, especially when you learn and know the freqs, IAF, OM fix, displacement, etc, etc, etc, by heart. I used FS at the time (had to build my own home airport! with Airpot & Scenery Designer) but once I had it down, my instructor was quite impressed. Study, study and then study some more. And as I read in the post...have fun. You will enjoy this challenge. Good luck!

[brucek 38]

Good luck!I got my certificate in Feb of this year.It's a long hard crawl to certification, by the time you get to check ride status you need to be almost one with your plane, able to sense it's every mood and be able to demonstrate total and complete control even at the edges of the flight envelope.There will be times when you will plataeu and not see any improvement. There will be times when you want to give up. And it will cost a lot. You have to really want to do this, but if you have the passion and dedication, you're in for the ultimate and most rewarding experience of your life.One hint- although there are obviously similarities to FS, let the CFI take you through the process in his order of lessons. Let him teach you things that you think you can already do. You mention stalls- being comfortable with stalls comes from knowing you are in control of the aircraft. That's a way down the line, at least for most folks. It's not unpleasant, but don't expect to instantly master this.Your CFI will be PIC whenever he is in the plane with you. Whenever you are solo, you are PIC. When you're PIC, you have the exact same amount of responsibilty and authority as an airline captain. Your word and your decisions are final- as is your responsibilty in keeping the airspace around you safe.Good luck- I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, just e-mail me (after 1/12/03, I'm leaving next Thursday for vacation :) ).Finally- CFI's all bark and yell, like a Marine parade sargent-major (sp?). They are trying to keep you alive. Don't be intimidated, and trust his/her instincts.Bruce.KBJC, Jeffco, CO.

[Guest]

Glad you found it enjoyable! I first found that back in the early '90's; it became mandatory reading for all of my students.

[Guest Richard_H]

Prior to my Test (Checkride), I received the best advice of all from my instructor:"Don't fail yourself."It can be an extremely challenging and stressful experience, and you will probably make errors. I am told a lot of people quit and hand over the controls, because they feel they have failed, when, in fact, they would not have.In my Test, after a pretty awful PFL, and a go-around on my flapless landing, I was ready to hand over the controls, but remembered my instructors advice, stayed with it... and passed.Best of luck, this will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!