I haven't flown in 9 months. How do I get back into it?

M

MultiMediaWill

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Oct 29, 2012
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Will
I'm 21 years old and I got my PPL in November 2012. Since then, I've run low on funds and I have entered my 3rd year of University. These two issues have prevented me from flying over the past 9 months. I still have membership at a local club but I am not currently allowed to rent solo because I haven't flown with them within the past 3 months. How do I go about getting back into flying? Will I remember everything that I knew 9 months ago? Am I screwed and will I need to take lessons all over again? Thanks for the help!
 
You'll find that you're a bit rusty, but otherwise it'll be like riding a bike. You'll get back into it easily enough. Figure and hour or so with an instructor.
 
Kinda, you just go with one of their CFIs for an hour or so to get all your perspectives lined up and your 3 take offs and landings for currency to boot and you're good to go. It's basically the same as a check out procedure any time you go somewhere new, no big deal.
 
Go find an instructor and fly . You should have no problem getting right back in.
 
Like everyone else says, just call a CFI and fly. Make sure you do the 3 landings for currency at least. You might want to treat it like a wings session and get one of the flights done too....
 
I had to take 6 months off right after my PP checkride. I called my CFI, we did an hour of maneuvers and some pattern work and it came back pretty fast. The confidence and rough motor skills came back first - the fine skills still needed help, but after flying on my own for a while did come back OK, too.

Get used to using your checklists again. Some memory items that you relied on may be gone.
 
Matthew said:
I had to take 6 months off right after my PP checkride. I called my CFI, we did an hour of maneuvers and some pattern work and it came back pretty fast. The confidence and rough motor skills came back first - the fine skills still needed help, but after flying on my own for a while did come back OK, too.

Get used to using your checklists again. Some memory items that you relied on may be gone.
Click to expand...

Great point about the checklists. When I was flying 3 times a week, I had the Cessna 172S checklist memorized...
 
MultiMediaWill said:
Great point about the checklists. When I was flying 3 times a week, I had the Cessna 172S checklist memorized...
Click to expand...

Checklists are used because memory is unreliable. Don't be fooled and skip using the checklist even though you know it by 'heart.' Get it out every time and read and follow each item. Not so much because you need reminding, but more because it will force you to actually do the inspection.

The thing that will kill you in the air is the 'little' thing you skipped over because it wasn't broken hundreds of times you looked at it before...

Btw, to the guy that let his bi-annuals lapse, all you need do is get a CFI and do a bi-annual review. At this point you can't fly legally even with an endorsement for solo, ya gotta do the bi-annual.
 
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