Passed my checkride!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Got my PPL today (or at least the temporary)!! It took about nine months, $4K and 65 hours (the weather in Central NY was so bad this winter that I didn't get to fly much). I'm sure it could be done much faster but honestly I didn't see the sense in rushing it, especially since I knew my 6y old son would be eager to fly with me once I got it. It's a lot of work and yet I feel like I still have so much to learn.Flightsim definitely helped, even though many here still maintain that it doesn't. Oddly enough, I like the fact that the training has helped me enjoy FS more. I'm not going to recommend it to everyone because frankly I don't think it is for everyone. It's a huge time and money commitment and you have to be dedicated to stay current and safe. I studied a lot and read just about every GA magazine published. I know some groups are trying to streamline the process but frankly flying is difficult and dangerous IMO. Trying to simplify it does everyone a disservice. If it is a dream of yours, though, and you understand the challenge ahead - GO FOR IT!David

[kjackson 0]

Glad to hear you have made it. I got my license about 2 years ago and agree that MSFS helped in a few small ways. Having learned to fly in the real world does lead to more enjoyment of the sim world. The challenge is to keep current and gain more experience. And don't forget that there's always a next step. Getting an instrument rating should be next on the list. Project Magenta now has what seems to be a precise and accurate panel to help in that regard. I'm thinking of checking it out.Welcome aboard!Regards,

[Splash_One 0]

Good Job! And Congratulations! I should better starting lessons in 13 months when I'm 16 :-lol Long time to wait- its almost here though. I remember asking my mom If I could take flying lessons when I was eight years old- it has been a killer waiting...but it is getting closer and closer :-kewlJason :-wave (Out from NJ, I share you pain about the weather- especially the early april snow , ugh! )

[Guest Max Cowgill]

Congratulations! 65 hrs huh? I'd say that's not too bad but when everything comes out of your pocket (and not in the form of school loans) it sure adds up quickly... I should be joining you in the ranks of private pilots sometime later this year, as I return to school in July and continue on my quest to become a professional pilot.regards,Max Cowgill

[Guest crashing_pilot]

congrats mate...now enjoy flyin'!!

[Guest Moghdad]

Congratulations! I passed mine in January. 65 hours. Wow, you were a quicker learner than me. Like you, I found that FS helped a lot.You can take lessons before age 16, you just can't receive your certificate.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

David, from the AVSIM Staff, congratulations and WELL DONE!!! It is an achievement that will last a life time!

[Guest groundpounder75]

Congratulations!!!!! That is an awesome accomplishment. I recieved my license April 29th. I did it in about 56 hours. It is an experience that I will always remember. Now, I am debating the instrument rating next. Who knows?

[Guest]

Congrats, I remember when I got mine license a year ago, it was the most rewarding experience of my life, rented a plane the same day a took my family up in a 172 back in NJ. Now a year later I have about 300 hours and 250 of that is multi. I am currently have a commercial pilot airplane single & multiengine land with instrument rating, I should be getting my flight insstructor ratings in about a month. I came down to FL after I got my private with my friend. After we both got our instrument ratings we were sent to do 100 hours of time bulding in a beech duchess to get 250TT for our commercial requirements. Our home base was Fort Pierce and from there we flew to KEY WEST , FORT LAUDERALLE INTL, PALM BEACH INTL, ORLANDO INTL, etc.It was so much fun flying into some of the busiest airports, an experience which is very hard to describe. One time when we were shooting an ILS 9 approach into KFLL my friend who was flying at the time got a little to slow and once we touched down a DELTA FLIGHT 757 got really close and tower told him to go around lol kind of light on fs2002. FS2002 has deffinetly help me out, not as far as the physical control of the aircraft, but how to fly the instruments. Anyone working on their Instrument rating or planning on FS2002 will HELP 100% GUARANTEE. It also helps for practicing emergency procedures and a few other things. Example, procedures for troobleshooting and securing a failed engine on a twin-engine plane especially if you have a twin eng. throttle quadrant which I got one from ELITE for only 200 BUCS. Once I get my CFI's I will deffinetly use FS2002 to teach my students the basic principles of instrument flYing!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Way to Go David Lee! That's got to feel great!Ken Peckham CEOB&B Sim Technologies"We put you in the left seat"SimBuilder2@aol.com

[Guest]

It's support like this that brings out the best in this forum! Pilots, both simulated and real, are a great bunch and I'm happy to be a member of both groups!David

[Chris Willis 8]

David, Congratulations and well done! :-beerchugThanksChris Willis[link:fsw.simflight.com/FSWMenuFsSim.html]Clouds And Addons For MsFs

[Guest ba747heavy]

Congratulations!! :D

[Guest Air1]

Congrads, nothing like looking at that empty right hand seat and knowing you can now fill it. Got mine in January 1982 after 77 hrs and some very bad weather in northern Illinois and southers Wisconsin.Flight Simms were no help at all.Steve

[brucek 38]

Hi David,Welcome to the club!Now- your next big event will be taking a non-pilot passenger with you. I never thought much about that until I took my wife the week after getting my ticket. It's very different.Congratulations! Remember, the PP is a license to learn.Bruce.