First Lesson Tomorrow!

JcBook47

Filing Flight Plan
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JcBook47
Good Morning PoA,

I'm a new member, 1st post! I'm really excited to go for my first flying lesson tomorrow at 9:30 am. I've been reading FAA-H-8083-3 and FAA-H-8083-25 this past week. While I'm sure it is unnecessary for my first flight I just had a hard time waiting and not doing anything until then.

My ultimate goal would to be able to fly for hire and become a CFI. Is there anything you guys wish you had done/known before your first flight?

I'll be flying out of south central pa weather channel is saying 71 degrees, Sunny, 0% Precip and 63% Humidity with winds N 2 mph.

Book
 
Go enjoy your flight. Your instructor will tell you what material you need to study. The only advice I would give you from my training would be, relax a little and enjoy the training with a little less focus on the end. I went from first lesson to checkride in 5 months. I rushed like a crazy man to get finished. I wish I had slowed down a little and taken the time to enjoy it more. Not a big thing, but that's all I got.
 
Which airport are you training out of?

Also, welcome to PoA. Good luck, we're all counting on you.
 
I'll be flying out of KCXY with Cargill Aeronautical Academy. My wife actually purchased this for my birthday and she will be riding along in the plane.
 
That's great! I took my first discovery flight at 13 years old.

Before I went on my discovery flight I had done a TON of simulator time with the original Microsoft Flight Sim 3.0. Anyone here remember that?


Read a ton about aviation and just loved it. I guess my parents got tired of me flying around in Chicago on Meigs field and figured, hey lets get him a REAL flight.

Don't worry about what you know or don't know. Just enjoy the flight and if you want to get involved afterwards, spend an hour or two with the instructor discussing options, etc.

Above all, have fun and enjoy it.
 
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That's great! I took my first discovery flight at 13 years old.

Before I went on my discovery flight I had done a TON of simulator time with the original Microsoft Flight Sim 3.0. Anyone here remember that?

Read a ton about aviation and just loved it. I guess my parents got tired of me flying around in Chicago on Meigs field and figured, hey lets get him a REAL flight.

Don't worry about what you know or don't know. Just enjoy the flight and if you want to get involved afterwards, spend an hour or two with the instructor discussing options, etc.

Above all, have fun and enjoy it.

I have played Microsoft Flight Sim X and X Plane. I didn't have any controllers, so I was only using mouse and keyboard
 
I have played Microsoft Flight Sim X and X Plane. I didn't have any controllers, so I was only using mouse and keyboard

Same. I remember spamming the numeric keypad and trying to make it as smooth as possible. I bought a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro USB Connectivity Joystick goodness knows how many years ago and it's what I still use today with XPlane and Prepar3d. When I can afford to go up and fly or when the weather sucks I'm on a sim someplace having fun.

Looking back at Flight Sim 3, it's kinda hilarious. At times all I'd have was half the screen green and half the screen blue (since there was no scenery out in the middle of no where) and I'd stare at that for hours until a runway popped up out of no where, then I'd land.

Imagine looking at the first picture for 2 hours or the second at night. Sims have come a LONG way since then heh..
 

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That's great! I took my first discovery flight at 13 years old.

Before I went on my discovery flight I had done a TON of simulator time with the original Microsoft Flight Sim 3.0. Anyone here remember that?


Read a ton about aviation and just loved it. I guess my parents got tired of me flying around in Chicago on Meigs field and figured, hey lets get him a REAL flight.

Don't worry about what you know or don't know. Just enjoy the flight and if you want to get involved afterwards, spend an hour or two with the instructor discussing options, etc.

Above all, have fun and enjoy it.

Very first Microsoft Flight sim on a Tandy 1000 from Radio Shack, those were some good times...
 
Good luck ,enjoy the flight.
 
Good Morning PoA,....

My ultimate goal would to be able to fly for hire and become a CFI. Is there anything you guys wish you had done/known before your first flight?

Book

I wish someone would have told me how stressful training can be if you let it get to you and when it does, take some time off and relax, or after getting all your ratings your first job may be working for a crappy paying flight school, then flying crappy planes carrying canceled checks, or that the only jobs you will be able to get involve late nights, poor working environments, crabby bosses that demand you fly no matter what, or getting fired because you pushed a safety issue on their crappy planes, or chief pilots that have a bad attitude and hate their jobs and want to fire you because your knowledge of flying is a little more advanced then theirs, or co-workers that will turn on the master switch on your plane then go tell the chief pilot that you left the master on, or how other co-workers will spread lies about you flying low over a river and dragging the wheels through the water with passengers on board, or how you will finally get a decent flying job only to lose it a month later due to the company failing, or selling to the competition and they do not need more pilots, or how some companies treat their pilots as liabilities instead of assets....

But, all that made me the person I am today, that is trying to NOT be all I had to go through. Last winter I worked for a company flying King Air 90 that hired low time pilots, usually between 500 and 1000 hours, and put them in the right seat, and still pay them a livable wage. At 500 hours I was still trying to get my first flying job in a piston single engine.

Don't let me ruin your day, you are about to start on a journey that will bring many memories and happy flying hours. As an instructor I enjoyed watching people accomplish something they never thought was possible. I learned instrument flying from those barely IFR legal planes flying checks at night. I learned how not to treat people from those crappy companies, I learned the aviation business from the rare few bosses that would actually tell me their mistakes and what they would do different. Because of aviation I have a nice house on some property in New Mexico, I am a partner in an aviation business. I have business interest in a few other non-aviation businesses. I am currently flying a summer job in Juneau for a great company. All this would not have been possible if I didn't have those other crappy flying jobs.

Looking back, if I had to do it again, the only difference I would make was to marry my wife a lot sooner than I did... :)

Welcome to PoA, enjoy your flight and be sure to let us know how it went and your thoughts on the flight.!
 
Some good advice here.

If you're anything like me, you will be a couple miles behind the aircraft for a while. Don't let it get to you. Enjoy your time up there and have fun.
 
I started a 141 program a few weeks ago. I am no expert, but here is my $0.02. Listen to the instructor, this is what they do day in and day out. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be honest if you don't know something. Read, Read, Read. And Read some more.

It is a lot of information to absorb. In the first 2 weeks of classes I though "what in gods name did I get myself into...???" Then all of a sudden it started to come together. It makes sense, it all clicks. And, Read more...:)

Otherwise, go out there, enjoy it, take some selfies and just take in the freedom of being in the air.
 
Have a great flight and let us know what you thought about it.
 
Is that the one that came with Meigs as the default field?

Yes, flew around Chicago alot... That and trying to find the Statue of Liberty as it was one of the few landmarks that they had in the game.
 
Good Morning PoA,

I'm a new member, 1st post! I'm really excited to go for my first flying lesson tomorrow at 9:30 am. I've been reading FAA-H-8083-3 and FAA-H-8083-25 this past week. While I'm sure it is unnecessary for my first flight I just had a hard time waiting and not doing anything until then.

My ultimate goal would to be able to fly for hire and become a CFI. Is there anything you guys wish you had done/known before your first flight?

I'll be flying out of south central pa weather channel is saying 71 degrees, Sunny, 0% Precip and 63% Humidity with winds N 2 mph.

Book

Okay, so 9:30 am Pennsylvania time today has come and gone.

What's the verdict?? :popcorn:
 
It was a blast! Weather was amazing, the sky was clear without any clouds in sight. I met my instructor, Christian, for the day and we went over a few basic things. How to fly level, how fast to climb, what makes the plane stall and how that shouldn't happen, taxing, and take off/landing procedure.

He also told me that I would be controlling the plane the whole time except the landing. He told me that he would let me handle the landing depending how the flight went and mentioned something about the ATC but don't remember what. He said 1 in 30ish students actually land the first time with them.

The taxing wasn't difficult we had 2 90 degree turns pretty much right off the bat. Christian said he might help with that, but from running zero turn mowers I had the concept down of braking one wheel to make sharper turns. He handled all the communications through out the flight as well. Then we took off, I did here the ATC mention my "quick ascent." I did bring the nose down a little bit and we climbed steadily after that to 3000ft. Made a few turns to visual landmarks. Flew level for a little bit as well.

Then we made a decent to 2000 ft. During the decent we made a left turn to a landmark and around 2300ft he heard on the comms, I missed it, that another aircraft was approaching us. He instructed to go full throttle to go back up and I pulled the throttle all the way out for a second then pushed it in. I think that was my only "mistake" which I realize wasn't really an issue.

We glided for a little bit to show that even in a stall we would still be able to control the plane and then a few pitch turns. We used the GPS to head back to the airport. He told me that I would handle the landing as I had done well with controlling the plane. During the landing was the only time I he touched anything and that was the throttle to control the rate of decent. This is were Christian said I should pat myself on the back, the landing was very smooth and that some of the other students pilots haven't even landed that smooth after a few hours under the belt.

We chatted afterwards about more instruction and right now I'm going to do a self-study and take care of ground school first. After what he had seen he mentioned that doing so I could be one of the few people who could get their PPL done in 40 but should plan for 50-55.

Overall I had a great time and my wife took some great pictures. I didn't feel overwhelmed at any point during the flight with what was going on and controlling the plane. It was very relaxing, fun, and I did take time to look out different windows and see the landscape while we were up there.

Hopefully this link will work. It is a video I put together.

 
Hey,

How was your experience? I think now you are done with your first lesson.
Am really missing my flying lessons day.
 
Looks like you had a great first flight, thanks for sharing.
 
Sounds like it went well, GL with the training and keep us posted
 
These kind of posts get me so jazzed about aviation all over again. Enjoy!
 
Good news: You had a great flight and your wife seems supportive (many aren't).

Bad news: You're hooked now. Might as well start having your paychecks sent directly to the FBO. ;-)
 
Looks like your wife had a ball also. Great first lesson video! I suspect within a year you and your wife will have your own ride and be flying to exotic vacation destinations together. :)
 
Looks like your wife had a ball also. Great first lesson video! I suspect within a year you and your wife will have your own ride and be flying to exotic vacation destinations together. :)

Somorris do you have any more info on costs of a plane? My wife and I aren't part of the 1% but looking for information on actually cost of ownership has eluded me and my google fu.
 
Hi JC.

I know about what I spend (plus or minus $5,000 per year (around $400/month), including hangar, fuel, annuals, payment (incl. interest) etc.but I am not the type of person who has to have the latest and greatest or thinks that you have to pay cash for everything. I am not part of the 1% either. Ron Levy (Cap'n Ron) on the AOPA forum has a cost of ownership spreadsheet that he has offered to many people for no cost. I haven't seen it, but it might be worthwhile contacting him if you are thinking about ownership in the future. One thing I have definitely observed is that many people buy WAY more airplane than they really need. The result is it cost so much to maintain and fly that the poor airplane winds up sitting on tie-down or in a hangar until the people take a bath on the purchase. There are many airplanes at the airport where I am based that are only flown 5 or 6 hours a YEAR (this is per my mechanic who annuals most of the airplanes there). Good luck and enjoy the journey. There is nothing quite like flying.
 
Student Pilot here. 10 hours in. My advice, go on youtube and watch videos. Tons of people have recorded their training. Tons of resources of people putting tips and such. Watch what they do and how they interact with their instructors. Listen to their radio work. I was way ahead because of that. MrAviation101 is really good. Althought not instructional, he really talks thru everything he is doing in the aircradt and his radio work is really good.
 
Student Pilot here. 10 hours in. My advice, go on youtube and watch videos. Tons of people have recorded their training. Tons of resources of people putting tips and such. Watch what they do and how they interact with their instructors. Listen to their radio work. I was way ahead because of that. MrAviation101 is really good. Althought not instructional, he really talks thru everything he is doing in the aircradt and his radio work is really good.

Careful. You can learn bad habits as well as good from uncontrolled YouTube videos by amateur pilots. There are a ton of them out there. There are a few done by real CFIs, but the instruction value is spotty.

In most cases, these are entertainment, and are poor substitutes for book learning or stick time.
 
Without a doubt there are some bad habits there. Certainly no subsitute for a good instructor and stick time. But I felt as thought I was a little better prepared than if I had gone in blind. Especially with my radio work. As for the bad, hopefully we can all learn from those too.
 
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