New to the site and new to flight

JDR

JDR

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
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JDR
Hey guys, I just wanted to say Hi to everyone. l'm new to both this site and flying. I will be starting school next month!! Any tips or advice for a rookie is welcomed.
 
Just here to learn and make connections.
 
Welcome to the fun and exciting world of flying. You’ll definitely enjoy it.

Also welcome to the zany world of POA. There’s a remote chance you’ll enjoy it.
 
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For once man has tasted flight he will forever walk with his eyes turned skyward. For there he has been and there he will long to return...

Welcome.

Have fun, read like crazy, ask "stupid" questions.

And FYI if you thought guys arguing Fords vs Chevy vs Dodge was bad, well you ain't seen nothing yet, till you get in these threads! Some of the folks here, and I like em all, were close to a forum version of a fist fight on my welcome thread, over a debated safety feature that can be added to my model of plane! Lol.

I was taken a back a bit at first, wondering whiskey tango foxtrot this was all about, but i realized that those empassioned opinions were because both "sides" of the issue cared about me as a brother pilot, and aviation done well. There certainly is science involved, but flying at its heart is an art, and so you will find many topics you thought would be cut and dried, black and white, that by far are not! If it comes off as cantankerous at times, its only because that bit of cocky assurance in ourselves that makes us fit to truly take on the roll of"Pilot in Command" that good and safe flying demands; doesn't really make us, as a whole, conversators whom often say things such as, "I see your point", or " I guess ya got me on that one"..

In terms of flying: You can do this, its truly is the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime...
 
Thanks for the welcomes everyone!! @Huckster79 thanks for the 411 on the site. It sounds like a great place to find info and see other's passion for flying.
 
Tip - put on a thick skin before you post anything...

and welcome!
 
Huckster79 said:
For once man has tasted flight he will forever walk with his eyes turned skyward. For there he has been and there he will long to return...

Welcome.

Have fun, read like crazy, ask "stupid" questions.

And FYI if you thought guys arguing Fords vs Chevy vs Dodge was bad, well you ain't seen nothing yet, till you get in these threads! Some of the folks here, and I like em all, were close to a forum version of a fist fight on my welcome thread, over a debated safety feature that can be added to my model of plane! Lol.

I was taken a back a bit at first, wondering whiskey tango foxtrot this was all about, but i realized that those empassioned opinions were because both "sides" of the issue cared about me as a brother pilot, and aviation done well. There certainly is science involved, but flying at its heart is an art, and so you will find many topics you thought would be cut and dried, black and white, that by far are not! If it comes off as cantankerous at times, its only because that bit of cocky assurance in ourselves that makes us fit to truly take on the roll of"Pilot in Command" that good and safe flying demands; doesn't really make us, as a whole, conversators whom often say things such as, "I see your point", or " I guess ya got me on that one"..

In terms of flying: You can do this, its truly is the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime...
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Dang! That was surprisingly well said...
 
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Lndwarrior said:
Dang! That was surprisingly well said...
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I had always until recently beleived that was a DiVinci quote, evidently its most likely from a thetrical re-enactment of DaVincis life... reguardless who first spoke it, i love it... it was my experience from my first trip on an airliner in 1st grade..
 
Huckster79 said:
I had always until recently beleived that was a DiVinci quote, evidently its most likely from a thetrical re-enactment of DaVincis life... reguardless who first spoke it, i love it... it was my experience from my first trip on an airliner in 1st grade..
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Actually, i was talking about what you said after that quote. It encapsulated POA and the passion for flying exceptionally well. You could have a career in writing.
 
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Lndwarrior said:
Actually, i was talking about what you said after that quote. It encapsulated POA and the passion for flying exceptionally well. You could have a career in writing.
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Gotcha, well thank you! I love writing...
 
And remember on POA, don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things...like eman.
 
Welcome, I suggest you be committed and fly often. If you only fly once a week, you'll spend the first half of your flight relearning the last flight. Do the ground school through once before you fly and then again while you are flying. Don't be afraid to tell your instructor where you need work, they don't read minds. I was having problems with a particular aspect of flight training and I went to another instructor to solve it. And most important, relax and enjoy the view.
 
JDR said:
Any tips or advice for a rookie is welcomed.
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Make sure you can pass the medical before spending large amounts of money on training.

I'll leave some information about "owning your FAA Medical" in today's environment. Knowing that you will be issued your first medical and student certificate before going is extremely important.

And if you don't know, don't go to the "live" exam.

Schedule a consultative appointment so you can ask the AME questions without jeopardizing your ability to fly under sport pilot rules.

  1. Before setting your appointment with the AME, thoroughly review all of the questions regarding medical history, doctor visits, medications, and law enforcement encounters. Keep in mind that the preamble is "Have You Ever In Your Life...". These questions can be found by googling for the current FAA Form 8500-8, or starting on Page 24 of the MedXpress User's Guide
    • If any of these questions requires a yes answer, or you have had a bad run in with law enforcement, or you had taken medication for a psychiatric condition (including anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD), do not proceed to the AME.
      • You may have a live hand grenade in your medical past.
      • And proceeding to the AME without being properly prepared is like pulling the pin.
    • For the item you answered yes to, start researching what it is that the FAA wants to know about you and these conditions, medications, doctor visits.
    • Only proceed to the AME once you have gathered 100% of any and all required documentation the FAA is going to want on these conditions, medications, doctor visits.
  2. Only proceed to the AME once you know 100% (and then some) that the AME will issue your certificate in the office and not deny or defer you.
    • You want to avoid deferral and denial at all costs. These happen when the applicant is not properly prepared and "bombs" into the office not knowing that their history is going to cause problems.
    • Deferral means that the AME cannot issue in the office and must send your application to Oklahoma City (FAA Central) to be decided on. Expect a reply of some form (issue, denial, or need more info) in about 12-16 weeks. (side note... some defferrals are unavoidable. So if this is going to be part of the process, make 200% sure you are submitting every scrap of information they are going to need to issue your medical. Do not submit if you are missing things)
    • Denial means that something about your history is going to keep you from your dream of flight.... forever.
  3. If you have questions about your medical history or the process of the FAA approving your application,
    • call the AME to setup a consultative office visit.
    • You will be asked to pay his fee, but that's okay since you are taking up his time
    • You may be asked to fill out the online MedXpress in advance.
      • This is okay, however, after printing out the paper copy, grab scissors and remove the confirmation number that appears at the bottom of the form.
      • While in consultative mode, in no circumstance will you surrender this confirmation number
      • The confirmation number is needed to make the exam go "live". But going live means the AME can only issue, deny or defer. You are here to avoid denial and deferral.
    • If after completing the consultative visit, the AME says he can issue you right then and there, now you can surrender the confirmation number.
    • If after completing the consultative visit, the AME says your application would be deferred due to X, Y, and/or Z, discuss with him what it is you need to go obtain and bring back that will satisfy the FAA and allow the AME to issue your certificate.
If your situation is crazy messy or crazy difficult, do not proceed to the local AME. Seek out one of the very senior difficult case AME's such as Dr. Lou Fowler of Pensacola, FL, or Dr. Bruce Chien of Bolingbrook, IL, www.aeromedicaldoc.com. Dr. Lou and Dr. Bruce (and AME's like them) are well known to manage the case before the FAA is told about it. And do it in a way so that when it is sent to the FAA, the chance of issuance is near 100%. And if there is a whiff of denial, the file will not be sent in.
 
cgrab said:
Welcome, I suggest you be committed and fly often. If you only fly once a week, you'll spend the first half of your flight relearning the last flight. Do the ground school through once before you fly and then again while you are flying. Don't be afraid to tell your instructor where you need work, they don't read minds. I was having problems with a particular aspect of flight training and I went to another instructor to solve it. And most important, relax and enjoy the view.
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I don’t suggest you be committed. Getting a medical will be a lot harder if you do. You should commit to learning though. I’m not a firm believer that you have to fly x times a week, but when you arent flying you should be studying.
 
A lot of great advice!! And some good warnings too. Thanks again for the welcomes and don't worry, I have thick skin. lol
 
JDR said:
I'm in Santa Monica, SMO
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Better hurry up and get to flying... if the surrounding busy bodies have there way, you won't have an airport.
 
Discuss touch and goes with your instructor... For me I found them poor learning tools... A landing and a back taxi and take off was better for me. A touch and go is supposed to be efficient use of time, but its not if you aren't learning as much. I'm not saying to never practice go arounds even after touchdown, but to learn how to land- land. To learn how to take off, take off... I found the time to critique myself and get instructor input after the landing on the back taxi was valuable time, not a waste... When you land, and immediately take back off you don't get that absorption time of what you did right or wrong on the landing as you have to focus on the take off again... I'm sure they work fine for some people and thats great. For me I found them a very inefficient use of training time...
 
Some pics from my first flight that brought me yet another expensive addiction.
 

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