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first flight

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eriknorth

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Posts
148
Hey guys,
For you guys that I was talking to earlier (or whoever else cares), I took my first flight at the controls today. I'm hooked. What else can I say? Maybe someday I'll be flying with some of you guys. Any advice for a pilot just starting to work on private? What would be the best way to do my flying. I go to UGA, so I can't do it full time. How many hours per weekend should I plan on flying to make shure I get the most out of it? Any other advice?
-eriknorth
 
Congrats

Congrats on the first flight!
Welcome to the wonderful world of aviation
I would try to get the writtens out of the way as soon as possible. I would also try to fly at least 2 lessons a week.
And just remember, HAVE FUN!
 
Eriknorth, Congrats on your first real flight. I know the feeling. It is unreal isn't it!!

For advice, study hard and fly as much as you can. It doesn't take much to pass the PVt but if you are going to go the whole way you will need to know it so learn it now, not later. And last but not least, have fun!!
-Beantown (Go PATS!!!!!)
 
Congratulations

Congratulations Eriknorth,

Hopefully that 1st lesson will be the start of a promising career for you.
My advice is to schedule at least 2 lessons a week, and if you can't fly because of weather or maintenance etc. then take the time you have with your instructor and do groundwork, ask LOTS of questions, no matter how stupid you think the question is, ask anyway. Also don't be satisfied with performing at a minimum skill level, be it maneuvers or cross country or whatever, challenge yourself and in the end it will make you a more competent pilot.
Lastly, HAVE FUN! If/when you find find yourself getting frustrated about something stop and take a breather, if it's groundwork go out and get some fresh air or if you're in the air stop whatever you were doing, sit back and enjoy the awesome view you're lucky enough to have.
Hope that helps some.
 
Well fly at least one or two two hour sessions a week. Now that you have taken your first flight its time to get your medical before your next flight. If you want to become an airline pilot you want to make sure that you can get a first class medical.

Other than that study hard, good luck and god speed.

Oh yeah take a camera with you on everyflight, you would be surpirsed what you will get on film.

:)
 
Congrats erik,

The more you fly, the easier the training will come. When I was doing my pvt, I scheduled 3-4 times a week. Being in Texas in the summer I usually got to fly 1-2 times a week because of weather. There was never a week that maint., weather, or scheduling problems didn't pop up and allow me to not fly 4 times a week. My point, if you schedule for 2 times a week, plan on actually getting up once a week.

GO GET that MEDICAL!

Take ground school. If your doing a 141 school it is required, but I would recommend it anyway. Having someone else talk about what you have read will make some things easier to understand.

Find an instructor that you can communicate with easily and that you are comfortable with. I changed instructors 3 times when I started until I found the person I thought I would learn the most from based on how we communicated. This could mean the differnece in getting your pvt lic in 50 hours or 100 hours.

Good luck
 
Congratulations!!

My advice is to fly at least 2 x's a week but more importantly be careful where and with whom you spend your $. People have learned the hard way there are SOME places that want to take your cash. Not to turn you off or make you paranoid but those places are out there Good luck!!!
 
First Flight

I remember my first flight. It was on March 2, 1982, nearly twenty years ago! I was so excited and keyed up I couldn't sleep that night! I spent half the night reading the Flight Training Handbook.

Per our last thread, go get your medical ASAP. Get a First Class medical. You want to be sure you can get a First even if you're only thinking about a flying career because you won't go far without it. You will need a combination First Class Medical and Student Pilot Certificate. The doctor will know what certificate to issue.

Try to fly as often as possible, but no less that twice a week. School comes first. Try to get the written out of the way as soon as possible. I agree with "Aero99" 100%. You'll learn better by going to class. Is there an aviation program offered in your school? Maybe you can take Private Pilot ground school as an elective.

Finally, to get the most out of your flight training, you must approach it the same way as you would approach a course in college. Be as thoroughly prepared as possible for each lesson. Know the procedures cold. Try to take notes of your instructor's preflight briefings and postflight discussions. Ask questions, and don't worry if they seem to be stupid questions.

Lots of luck with your training. Let us know when you solo.
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys,
It's great to know that I have a community of people to talk to about this. Unfortunately, there are no courses offered at UGA involving flight (I'm actually a saxophone major-imagine that). But the good news is that UGA just started a flying club last week. It is for pilots who have ratings and for those working on them. It kinda brings together all of the pilots who are spread out among campus. We're going to do stuff like take flights to the beach for a weekend, have guests who work as pilots, or anything else us crazy college folk feel like doing;) . Thanks you for the advice. That seems reasonable to fly 2-3 lessons a week. I plan on getting my medical out of the way, and all of my free time goes to studying flight books. Thanks again!
Safe Flying!
-eriknorth
 
Have Fun!

One other thing my first instructor impressed upon me; the cockpit is a lousy, noisy, expensive place to learn! Studying is free, the money only starts pouring out when you actually get in the aircraft! Study hard and learn all you can before a lesson, so you are reviewing the "head work" and learning the physical flight work. Much easier on you and the instructor that way.

To echo the others here--above all, have fun with it! its expensive, but worth every $.01! (and that is from someone who has yet to make $.01 flying yet!)

Fly Safe

PA
 

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