Woohoo!!!!

[VJ]

Yes! Woohoo! Finally!

I didn't think it would go today, due to the wind (>25kts), taken into account that the club doesn't give insurance when wind is more than 15 kts. But my instructor said: "for the first time, I'll take care of a lot, so we'll go...".
And so we did!

for those that are still baffled : I had my first flyinglesson today!

After the checks and some taxiing (harder than you'd think, esp. to keep that nosewheel on the line), the instructor took off (actually, I taxied it to the runway, gave it full throttle there and tried to keep it straight , but due to the heavy sidewind, the instructor took over soon).
Once airborne, he got us out of the TMA (Terminal Control Area), after which he thought me how to bank, yaw, turn, climb, descent and trim out the plane)... It was quite hard because of turbulence, but he said I did very good (he normally doesn't get to the climb/descent/trim on the first lesson ).
After those manoevres, he took over, made a superb landing in heavy sidewind (bystanders congratulated me, as I was on the left seat - the pilot in command position - but I quickly set them straight - yes, I'm that honest ).

And it was !!! I'm still euforic...

(I just had to share this)



Jörg

[dbdg]

Thats something I have always wanted to try.

[az]

Me too. Envious Congratulations, VJ!

P.S.: Take some pictures

AZ

[Nowhere]

Congratulations VJ!

Too bad it's something I can't try ...even though I wanted at some point long time ago devote my life to it...

[ZokesPro]

VJ, your so lucky, flying is so cool!!!

[agallag]

Most small airports have introductory flying lessons quite cheap. Like $50-75 canadian up here. I took one when I was 16.

Last year a guy I worked with (who had his pilot's license) took me up about three times for some informal training as well. Lots of fun. Wait until you get to learn stalls. Those are hella fun

[Tjalfe]

Originally posted by agallag
Most small airports have introductory flying lessons quite cheap. Like $50-75 canadian up here. I took one when I was 16.

Last year a guy I worked with (who had his pilot's license) took me up about three times for some informal training as well. Lots of fun. Wait until you get to learn stalls. Those are hella fun

how can you fit in the pilots seat being 6'6"?.. I totally gave up on ever being able to fit @ 6'8" ( 204cm)

[agallag]

It's a little snug, but not terrible. Cessnas have lots of headroom and legroom. The only issue is the yolk hitting my knees, but if I position my feet right I can make it work.

[Dilitante1]

cool beans, sounds like you had a blast

I just cant justify stepping onto a perfectly good aircraft

i have flown a few times (work related) but it is a tight fit being 6'2" and over 300lbs

[SpiralDragon]

congrats.... ... me looking forward for some sky diving.... so maybe one day you can pick me up and drop me of somehere over the clouds ....

[High_Jumbllama]

Re: Woohoo!!!!

Originally posted by VJ
Yes! Woohoo! Finally!

I didn't think it would go today, due to the wind (>25kts), taken into account that the club doesn't give insurance when wind is more than 15 kts. But my instructor said: "for the first time, I'll take care of a lot, so we'll go...".
And so we did!

for those that are still baffled : I had my first flyinglesson today!

After the checks and some taxiing (harder than you'd think, esp. to keep that nosewheel on the line), the instructor took off (actually, I taxied it to the runway, gave it full throttle there and tried to keep it straight , but due to the heavy sidewind, the instructor took over soon).
Once airborne, he got us out of the TMA (Terminal Control Area), after which he thought me how to bank, yaw, turn, climb, descent and trim out the plane)... It was quite hard because of turbulence, but he said I did very good (he normally doesn't get to the climb/descent/trim on the first lesson ).
After those manoevres, he took over, made a superb landing in heavy sidewind (bystanders congratulated me, as I was on the left seat - the pilot in command position - but I quickly set them straight - yes, I'm that honest ).

And it was !!! I'm still euforic...

(I just had to share this)



Jörg

You need a machine to fly?

[DukeP]

Remember my first time.

ITs truly, truly an amazing feeling. Part time scary like hell, part time exhiliating as heaven.



~~DukeP~~

[az]

I only once flew in a sailplane. I was really really scared, these things are built SO lightly (just a steel frame that looked kinda rusty, and very thin fiber for the hull), and the fact that I have mild vertigo doesn't help when the winch pulls the plane up at a nearly 45° angle, and when the hook is disengaged, you FALL BACK a few meters! (I wasn't told this before, and I had never seen a sailplane start before)

I really admired the view and all, but I was so scared I told the pilot to land. Just when we were about to land I lost most of my fear and would really have wanted to stay up there... one time, I'm gonna learn how to fly myself

AZ

[High_Jumbllama]

Originally posted by DukeP
Remember my first time.

ITs truly, truly an amazing feeling. Part time scary like hell, part time exhiliating as heaven.



~~DukeP~~

It was a joke. I was channeling "Superman II".

[agallag]

Originally posted by SpiralDragon
congrats.... ... me looking forward for some sky diving.... so maybe one day you can pick me up and drop me of somehere over the clouds ....

I've done that too. Great fun. I did one jump from 4500 ft with immediate deployment, and another from 10,500 ft with about 40 seconds of freefall. I highly recommend it!