Took my intro flight today!

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bordman

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bordman
I took my intro flight today in Greenville, SC. Was lots of fun although I was quite nervous. It was different then I expected, perhaps actually feeling the bumps I always see in videos was a bit of a shock but after about 10 min or so I didn't really seem to mind. First time in a small plane to boot but was an overall awesome experience

I'm hoping the nervousness that I felt will go away next time but all in all it was more than I thought it would be and can't wait for monday for my next lesson! 2 hours in a plane sounds pretty spectacular to me!

Just wanted to share and say hello to this community that helped me take the jump!
 
Nice! Do you fly out of KGMU? I did one of my XC's there. Great little field, and you'll get some good class D and class C experience.

Also, it's pretty windy today, so it hopefully won't be too much bumpier than you experienced again.
 
Sounds good I thought the same still do that it looks different from the outside than it feels from the inside..
 
ebykowsky said:
Nice! Do you fly out of KGMU? I did one of my XC's there. Great little field, and you'll get some good class D and class C experience.

Also, it's pretty windy today, so it hopefully won't be too much bumpier than you experienced again.
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Yep! GMU. Seems like a nice place and easy to get to!

It was but honestly if today's wind is unusual then i'm glad it happened the first time out. It was kind of fun after the first half of the short ride :goofy:
 
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bordman said:
I took my intro flight today in Greenville, SC. Was lots of fun although I was quite nervous. It was different then I expected, perhaps actually feeling the bumps I always see in videos was a bit of a shock but after about 10 min or so I didn't really seem to mind. First time in a small plane to boot but was an overall awesome experience

I'm hoping the nervousness that I felt will go away next time but all in all it was more than I thought it would be and can't wait for monday for my next lesson! 2 hours in a plane sounds pretty spectacular to me!

Just wanted to share and say hello to this community that helped me take the jump!
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Wind & turbulance is kind like riding a jetski/boat. :lol:

I still remember the crazy knee shaking after my solo flight. :yikes:
 
I find the turbulence to be fun. My CFI had to caution me to can the "woohoo"s or I might freak out my passengers (or presumably instructors or examiner).

It's usually stronger on warm afternoons.
 
MAKG1 said:
I find the turbulence to be fun. My CFI had to caution me to can the "woohoo"s or I might freak out my passengers (or presumably instructors or examiner).

It's usually stronger on warm afternoons.
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:yes:
Yes, passengers who don't like small planes need some reassurance sometimes.
 
bordman said:
Yep! GMU. Seems like a nice place and easy to get to!

It was but honestly if today's wind is unusual then i'm glad it happened the first time out. It was kind of fun after the first half of the short ride :goofy:
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Nice to see another South Carolinian on here! I used to play on a soccer team up in Greenville, but never had the chance to fly up for practice :no: You'll like GMU with the great perpendicular runways that make wind less of a factor... that was my first solo XC, and the tower controllers were quite accommodating. Good luck with the training!
 
if you go earlier in the day, it's a smoother ride. A little before lunch time, you start feeling the convection currents getting stronger.

I hope you stick with it.
 
Welcome. You need to time your lessons to make sure you can eat at the Runway Cafe.
 
For me, this flight was 15 years ago and I still remember it like yesterday. The biggest surprise for me came when my new CFI showed me the airplane we were going to fly and I looked inside for a minute and then took a step backwards to let him in first, assuming I'd be just watching while he flew. I'll always remember what he said to me next with a gesture to have me get in first... "The pilot always sits in the left seat." Welcome to PoA! :D
 
bordman said:
I took my intro flight today in Greenville, SC. Was lots of fun although I was quite nervous. It was different then I expected, perhaps actually feeling the bumps I always see in videos was a bit of a shock but after about 10 min or so I didn't really seem to mind. First time in a small plane to boot but was an overall awesome experience

I'm hoping the nervousness that I felt will go away next time but all in all it was more than I thought it would be and can't wait for monday for my next lesson! 2 hours in a plane sounds pretty spectacular to me!

Just wanted to share and say hello to this community that helped me take the jump!
Click to expand...

Two hours is a long lesson if you hope to retain anything. I hope that your instructor holds it down to an hour. Lots of new sensations and experiences to assimilate and they all tend to mush together if you don't have time to think about them. Remember the hare and the tortoise.

Bob Gardner
 
Congrats and welcome to the world of flying. It is truly a fantastic adventure you are about to embark on. Make sure to enjoy the trip along the way.
 
Congratulations. Welcome to POA.
 
ebykowsky said:
Nice to see another South Carolinian on here! I used to play on a soccer team up in Greenville, but never had the chance to fly up for practice :no: You'll like GMU with the great perpendicular runways that make wind less of a factor... that was my first solo XC, and the tower controllers were quite accommodating. Good luck with the training!
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Yeah from the looks of it quite a few flyers around these parts ;)! I actually live in greenwood but couldn't find any information on instruction locally and they seemed the fairest priced around greenville. Ever fly into greenwood county airport KGRD? I always wanted to fly in/out of there either as me as the pilot or someone else. Someday! Thanks for the well wishes.

DaleB said:
Welcome! You don't know it yet, but that was probably the most expensive flight you'll ever take. :)
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Heh, laying it on pretty thick don't you think :wink2:

bobmrg said:
Two hours is a long lesson if you hope to retain anything. I hope that your instructor holds it down to an hour. Lots of new sensations and experiences to assimilate and they all tend to mush together if you don't have time to think about them. Remember the hare and the tortoise.

Bob Gardner
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Well I suppose it was a bit of an exaggeration, he said about an hour and a half. Mostly I wanted to do a bit of a longer lesson first to get more acclimated to being in a small plane. I am more interested in a bit of sight seeing, getting to know the instructor a bit, and getting used to the feel of it all more than taking a huge intake of knowledge right off the bat. I have no intentions of rushing my lessons. After that I plan on doing it once a week for about an hour, as that what i have budgeted and time for. Perhaps every now and then I'll be able to slide a second lesson a week in assuming they as well as myself have time for it. But I appreciate it and couldn't agree more.

eman1200 said:
sounds awesome (and scary!). what got you into flying?
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Not too scary :) It's something i've always wanted to do. After listening to friends of mine who have been flying for years, listening to stories from family members who flew around in small planes years ago, reading these forums and watching some youtube videos it looked like it wasn't out of my grasp to do.

I'm in a good financial place with work, just about finished with school and my mother's wonderful motivational speech of "you're not getting any younger, do it before you can't like me" finally got me to muster up the courage to do so. Granted i'm 28 and still have tons of time left, theres no time like the present and i'm glad i'm starting the process.

jspilot said:
Congrats and welcome to the world of flying. It is truly a fantastic adventure you are about to embark on. Make sure to enjoy the trip along the way.
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AuntPeggy said:
Congratulations. Welcome to POA.
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Thanks you two :D
 
That's very cool! I'm taking my intro flight next week.

As for nervousness, its different for everyone but for most it goes away after a few first lessons, of course I don't have a say in it.. After all, who wouldn't be nervous in a piece of metal thousands of feet off the ground :)
 
bordman said:
Heh, laying it on pretty thick don't you think :wink2:
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Not really. Actually my intro flight was the *second* most expensive, since it led to a lot of renting, flying, CFI time and exam taking. The MOST expensive ever was my first ride in an RV-7. I've now spent more money building than I have flying, and in a fraction of the time. :)

Once you're hooked, you're hooked.
 
Did you fly with Greenville Aviation? I just got my ppl in October after training with them. Great instructors and a nice selection of planes to choose from. I've started my complex training in their Arrow.

GMU is a great airport. Flying there really prepared me for flying into busier airports and using ATC.
The controllers are great and it's big enough to be busy but not too big to give you long waits to taxi or takeoff. And the Runway cafe is great too!

I flew into GRD on my long cross country. Nice little airport. Ther is a group of pilots called the South Carolina Breakfast Club that fly to breakfast every other Sunday morning. I believe they will be in Greenwood this Sunday at 9 am. Could be a good chance to meet some local pilots.

Best of luck. I'm based out of Clemson (CEU) but I'd be glad to help you with any questions about flying out of Greenville.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
flygirl34q said:
For me, this flight was 15 years ago and I still remember it like yesterday. The biggest surprise for me came when my new CFI showed me the airplane we were going to fly and I looked inside for a minute and then took a step backwards to let him in first, assuming I'd be just watching while he flew. I'll always remember what he said to me next with a gesture to have me get in first... "The pilot always sits in the left seat." Welcome to PoA! :D
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I had exactly the same moment on my intro flight, and the CFI really didn't touch anything, from startup to shutdown.
Brave man (and obviously a good teacher), and I should have stuck with him and that school, but opted to go with someplace closer to home. Cost me more money and aggravation, I think, in the end.
Welcome, bordman, and remember: right now, everyone you deal with on the way to your PPASEL may know more about flying than you do, but you are paying them to teach you right, not waste your time and money, and keep it fun (very important, the fun part, because fun is why the vast majority of pilots fly, even those who get paid to do it). If any of those criteria is not met, speak up! And move on if you don't see the changes you want.
 
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DaleB said:
Welcome! You don't know it yet, but that was probably the most expensive flight you'll ever take. :)
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Haha! Right!

Congratulations bud, and don't worry it only gets better from today on. The first flight is always sketchy because you're so on edge, having no idea what to expect. You'll get acclimated and love every minute after that. You'll be asking "So are we flying today?" every time the sun is out now. :)
 
bordman said:
Yeah from the looks of it quite a few flyers around these parts ;)! I actually live in greenwood but couldn't find any information on instruction locally and they seemed the fairest priced around greenville. Ever fly into greenwood county airport KGRD? I always wanted to fly in/out of there either as me as the pilot or someone else. Someday! Thanks for the well wishes.
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Yep, KGRD was my first cross country lesson. Just over 50nm from KCUB and plenty of good checkpoints for navigation. GRD has a really cool taxiway that goes down a hill and through the woods... you can request to fly there once you start your xc's. Other than GMU, Aiken would be the next closest flight school to you and fairly priced, so if it doesn't work at GMU give them a call. Otherwise, stick with one instructor. Keep us updated with your progress, and drop by CUB or CAE if you ever need a good place for XC... of course that's still a little ways down the road for you.
 
wrighthenry said:
Did you fly with Greenville Aviation? I just got my ppl in October after training with them. Great instructors and a nice selection of planes to choose from. I've started my complex training in their Arrow.

GMU is a great airport. Flying there really prepared me for flying into busier airports and using ATC.
The controllers are great and it's big enough to be busy but not too big to give you long waits to taxi or takeoff. And the Runway cafe is great too!

I flew into GRD on my long cross country. Nice little airport. Ther is a group of pilots called the South Carolina Breakfast Club that fly to breakfast every other Sunday morning. I believe they will be in Greenwood this Sunday at 9 am. Could be a good chance to meet some local pilots.

Best of luck. I'm based out of Clemson (CEU) but I'd be glad to help you with any questions about flying out of Greenville.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Yes as a matter of fact! So far it seems good and nice to hear from someone who's using them as well. Who was your instructor? I'm sure at somepoint i'll eat there as well, ive read some good things about the Runway cafe!

Would it be weird if I just went in and joined them on a sunday though? I would probably feel awkward but it would be cool to meet some of the local pilots as you say.

And thanks for the offer! I'm sure I will have some questions soon enough and i'll be sure to bother you first ;)

ebykowsky said:
Yep, KGRD was my first cross country lesson. Just over 50nm from KCUB and plenty of good checkpoints for navigation. GRD has a really cool taxiway that goes down a hill and through the woods... you can request to fly there once you start your xc's. Other than GMU, Aiken would be the next closest flight school to you and fairly priced, so if it doesn't work at GMU give them a call. Otherwise, stick with one instructor. Keep us updated with your progress, and drop by CUB or CAE if you ever need a good place for XC... of course that's still a little ways down the road for you.
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Thanks once I get to that point i'll make sure to stop by and say hello! :D
 
bordman said:
I took my intro flight today in Greenville, SC. Was lots of fun although I was quite nervous. It was different then I expected, perhaps actually feeling the bumps I always see in videos was a bit of a shock but after about 10 min or so I didn't really seem to mind. First time in a small plane to boot but was an overall awesome experience

I'm hoping the nervousness that I felt will go away next time but all in all it was more than I thought it would be and can't wait for monday for my next lesson! 2 hours in a plane sounds pretty spectacular to me!

Just wanted to share and say hello to this community that helped me take the jump!
Click to expand...

It'll be gradual, most of it over the next couple flights, but there will be flights all through your career that will bring it all right back lol. Enjoy, and don't forget your checkbook.
 
bordman said:
Yes as a matter of fact! So far it seems good and nice to hear from someone who's using them as well. Who was your instructor? I'm sure at somepoint i'll eat there as well, ive read some good things about the Runway cafe!

Would it be weird if I just went in and joined them on a sunday though? I would probably feel awkward but it would be cool to meet some of the local pilots as you say.

And thanks for the offer! I'm sure I will have some questions soon enough and i'll be sure to bother you first ;)



Thanks once I get to that point i'll make sure to stop by and say hello! :D
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I guess you flew with Jason? I've never flown with him but just interacting with him around their office he seems like a nice guy. I flew with Sarah (and still do from time to time). She is fantastic and I can recommend her with no reservations. She is really laid back and will let you make your own mistakes but at the same time she really knows her stuff. I felt completely comfortable flying with her. She took me to some fun airports during training like PDK, and GSP to make sure I had experience in all types of airspace.

It seems like the breakfast club group is pretty welcoming to anyone. I haven't joined them yet for a breakfast but I was thinking about making the trip to GRD this Sun with my son. Have to get clearance from the boss first!

Good luck and have fun!
 
First time I stopped at Greenwood County was the first engine run in an Aztec that had two freshly overhauled engines that had only ground running on them to check for leaks, with chrome cylinders (not my doing).
The flight was made full rich and full throttle to seat the rings.
Where'd ya come from?" the line-boy asked.
"Michigan." was the reply.
The fuel meter kept going around and around.
When it finally stopped he looked at the total and said, "Did you leave with empty tanks?"
"Nope. Full up"
He just shook his head.

KGRC is one of the nicer airports I have stopped at. Have not been there in about ten years now.
 
Oops - need to learn to read - jeez.
I assume (now) that it is Greenville KGMU. Correct?
Don't remember landing there - but may have - too many trips in 50+ years..
Have been to KGSP numerous times over the decades going to Fla from Mich.
Sorry for babbling.
 
wrighthenry said:
I guess you flew with Jason? I've never flown with him but just interacting with him around their office he seems like a nice guy. I flew with Sarah (and still do from time to time). She is fantastic and I can recommend her with no reservations. She is really laid back and will let you make your own mistakes but at the same time she really knows her stuff. I felt completely comfortable flying with her. She took me to some fun airports during training like PDK, and GSP to make sure I had experience in all types of airspace.

It seems like the breakfast club group is pretty welcoming to anyone. I haven't joined them yet for a breakfast but I was thinking about making the trip to GRD this Sun with my son. Have to get clearance from the boss first!

Good luck and have fun!
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Actually it was with Sarah. She was very nice but our schedules don't match quite yet so Monday I'm going with Jason. They both seem fine with me doing a mix of both so hopefully it won't impact my training going back and forth but I did really like her.

If you ever make it to the breakfast club meets let me know how it goes. I'll wait till I'm a bit further along before I go introduce myself. I don't want to be a 100% newbie when I go.

Thanks again for the replies and good to hear a nice endorsement for Greenville aviation. I wasnt sure if I should go with them or some of the other options at that airport but I think I made the right choice!

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 2
 
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