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Chimuh

Filing Flight Plan
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Hi everyone!
I’m about to start flight training, and I’m very excited (and admittedly a little nervous) to finally begin working toward my private pilot certificate.
I’m completely new to the flight-training process, so I’m looking forward to learning from everyone here. I’d especially love to hear any advice you wish you had known when you first started flight school.

I’m also hoping someone can point me in the right direction regarding contacting another member. I’m trying to reach a user named @BrianNC about a product he's selling, but as a new member, I’m currently restricted from starting private conversations.
If anyone knows how I can contact him through the forum, or can let him know I'd like to connect, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you, and I’m looking forward to being part of the community!
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm sure Brian will eventually see this post.
Advice?? Read your lessons, be prepared before you get to the airport. Hopefully your flight school or mentor/instructor of choice has some sort of syllabus or will advise what you need to review before the next lesson.

Completing the written exam is the hardest part. There are great online training and test prep programs available.
Hopefully your school will have a list of books recommended for your aviation library. Most gov't published can be downloaded as pdf files for free. We can list a minimum for you. One should definitely be the Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) or "Owners Manual" of the airplane you will be flying.

And most important of all..... have fun!
 
Welcome to the forum,remember throughout your training ,flying is supposed to be fun.
 
The best students I had came to every lesson with a list of questions. As you study, there will be things you don't understand. Write down the questions you have and bring them to your next lesson with your instructor.
 
Welcome! Getting my Private Pilot certificate all those years ago was the absolute best decision in my life. Led to a lot of opportunities and my current professional pilot job.

Gilbert Buettner said:
The best students I had came to every lesson with a list of questions. As you study, there will be things you don't understand. Write down the questions you have and bring them to your next lesson with your instructor.
Click to expand...

I could not agree more. These students obviously study between lessons, and aren't just reading or watching the lessons to "check a box" and get it done, they're paying attention to the material and coming up with questions as they go. Be one of these students, and not only will you learn more, you'll progress faster and even save money. It's like a miracle product, except it's not a miracle, everyone "can" do this. But not everyone "will".
 
I was that kind of student, and progressed faster than any of my instructors other students.
frfly172 said:
The best students I had came to every lesson with a list of questions. As you study, there will be things you don't understand. Write down the questions you have and bring them to your next lesson with your instructor.
Click to expand...


It is much more fun to fly if you understand what you are doing, and why.
 
I just started too! (Part 61) Hope you have been enjoying it so far! :)
 
At some point during training you will get discouraged and consider quitting at least once. Power through.

My point came during stalls from motion sickness. More than once I exited the plane and stumbled to my car and sat for 30 minutes until my head and stomach stilled. I discussed it with my CFI. He said it would pass. It did.
 
Chimuh said:
Hi everyone!
I’m about to start flight training, and I’m very excited (and admittedly a little nervous) to finally begin working toward my private pilot certificate.
I’m completely new to the flight-training process, so I’m looking forward to learning from everyone here. I’d especially love to hear any advice you wish you had known when you first started flight school.

I’m also hoping someone can point me in the right direction regarding contacting another member. I’m trying to reach a user named @BrianNC about a product he's selling, but as a new member, I’m currently restricted from starting private conversations.
If anyone knows how I can contact him through the forum, or can let him know I'd like to connect, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you, and I’m looking forward to being part of the community!
Click to expand...

The best students spend 3x time, or more, on the ground reviewing material. Ask lots of "what if," "why," and "why not" questions. Many of the answers you can find yourself online.

Make your own checklists rather than blindly following whatever laminated sheet happens to be sitting in the side pocket.

Cockpits make lousy classrooms. Everyone's IQ drops by probably a good 25% once strapped into the seat, and probably a lot more under stress. So don't count on figuring things out for the first time when you're airborne. Do as much of the thinking and learning as possible on the ground.

I also highly recommend having a video camera in the cockpit. You'll catch all sorts of errors, omissions, and little goofs that you were completely oblivious to while flying. Personally, I record most of my flights, and I expect my students to review the recordings and make a list of things we did well and things we screwed up. I also use the recordings to critique my own teaching effectiveness. I've occasionally caught myself saying "fuel pump" when I meant "fuel valve," or "RPM" when I meant "manifold pressure." These were slips that I was oblivious to while flying, but watching the video later, I could see the student pause and look momentarily confused. It's remarkable how many things escape our attention in the cockpit, only to become glaringly obvious when we watch the recording afterward.
 
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Don't view your quest for a license as a mountain to be climbed, but rather something to be enjoyed for its own sake.
 
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