Lot's of firsts on my last flight

[jspilot]

Got a chance to take a flight this weekend and the flight was full of lessons. I'm really starting to buy into that whole "license to learn" concept because since I've had my PPL I've learned a ton.

First, the flight was the first time I've ever taken 2 other people up with me. This was really cool and it was one of my passengers first time up. I did a weight and balence and made sure we were not over weight or out of limitations- we were not thanks to no one weighing over 175 pounds. I was pleased by how easy the Skyhawk took off and climbed even with 3 people on board and nearly 3/4 fuel in both tanks.

As we climbed out for our local sightseeing flight, it immediately became clear to me that we were not going to be seeing much as a low cloud layer was near by. The metar reported few clouds 900' visibility 10 sm before we took off. The few at 900 was correct but the vis was much less. Maybe 5 miles. First time a metar seemed "off"

Next first was this was the first time I was ever vfr on top of anything even close to a cloud layer. It was very pretty but I was not immune to the possibility of getting stuck on top- a not so good feeling as I'm sure many of you know. I was confident that would not happen because we had outs all around and it was actually a sunny day except for the low vis.

We flew around for about 40 minutes but I could tell my one passenger was getting concerned by the poor vis because he asked," how are we going to get back to the airport if we can't see it." I told him we'd be fine and showed him the gps has a direct heading we could follow and ATC can give us vectors and I know the area well. First time dealing wih a slightly nervous passenger. We returned to the airport without any problems and I made sure to point out the field to my slightly nervous passenger the minute I spotted it to put his mind at ease. Made a nice and smooth landing and returned to the ramp.

So much great experience from the 1.1 I logged. Do you veteran pilots out there still learn new lessons each flight?

 

[SCCutler]

Nice report.

So long as you (1) do not allow yourself to become complacent, and (2) keep your mind's eyes open to learning - well then, earning will occur.

Modest steps from the middle of your comfort zone help. Your flight described is a good example. It is also valuable, I think, to occasionally review your logbook for recalled impressions.

It is, after all, an adventure, right?

 

[Captain]

Plots are always learning. Put another way, never stop learning. Keep your mind open to new ideas.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I'm at about 27 hours of solo XC on the way to 50 before starting my IR training. It didn't take long to figure out why they require 50 hours for IR and commercial. You learn something on every single trip.

 

[denverpilot]

Plots are always learning. Put another way, never stop learning. Keep your mind open to new ideas.

I've met plenty of pilots who aren't learning anymore.

Most of them are around 70 years old.

They also tend to limit their aviating to stuff they've done a few thousand times, a self-imposed limit on themselves to survive the slowdown of the brain.

 

[Aeric]

So much great experience from the 1.1 I logged. Do you veteran pilots out there still learn new lessons each flight?

Every flight, without exception. I am no veteran by any measure and I feel the nervousness starting when I leave my home for the airport, even more than when I was taking lessons.

 

[Threefingeredjack]

So much great experience from the 1.1 I logged. Do you veteran pilots out there still learn new lessons each flight?

I guess it all depends on definition as to what a "veteran pilot" is, (at a shade over 11k hours I consider myself an advanced beginner), but I will chime in anyway. I would say if you don't learn something each time you fly you aren't paying attention. One of the great things about aviation is you never run out of changing situations to test yourself against.

 

[jspilot]

I guess it all depends on definition as to what a "veteran pilot" is, (at a shade over 11k hours I consider myself an advanced beginner), but I will chime in anyway. I would say if you don't learn something each time you fly you aren't paying attention. One of the great things about aviation is you never run out of changing situations to test yourself against.

Totally agree...I'm starting to learn how much more I have to learn!

By no means did I just want veteran pilots to reply. Practically anyone is a veteran compared to me(just about 80 hours). Anyone should feel free to respond.

 

[gismo]

I guess it all depends on definition as to what a "veteran pilot" is, (at a shade over 11k hours I consider myself an advanced beginner), but I will chime in anyway. I would say if you don't learn something each time you fly you aren't paying attention. One of the great things about aviation is you never run out of changing situations to test yourself against.

I'm still learning as well. Unfortunately I seem to be "unlearning" old stuff about as fast as I absorb the new stuff.