A Happy Student gets ready for Practical

PhotoPilot

PhotoPilot

New Member
Hello Jetcareers pilots! After a long drive from Michigan, I arrived in Fresno, CA, about three weeks ago. I am now prepping for my Practical after having taken and passed my written. With 35.9 hours logged and only three weeks of life as a student pilot, I couldn't be happier. Though I was supposed to take the practical this week, the examiner was booked through the weekend and I'll be doing the oral on Monday and the flight on Tuesday.

So far, flying has been fun, smooth, and everything that I had hoped it would be. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that things continue this way!

I'll be seeing you all in the sky . . .

PhotoPilot
 
Taking a private pilot course under the rules of Part 141 of the FAR's allows you to take the checkride with a minimum of 35 hours.
 
Yes, well, most of our students take a few more hours than that. Not many more, but a few. PhotoPilot, however, has taken to the sky like a fish to water. I wish my students were all as motivated, dedicated and adept as he. Drinks on me on Tuesday, brother.
 
As Iruppert said, under the 141 provisions, a PPL requires 35 hours. Realistically, I hope to get in the air this weekend for some bounus practice time before the practical, so I'll be a little higher than 35.9. ;-)

And, yes, Iain, I am definitely still a novice. With only 35 hours, PPL certificate or not, I have a lot to learn. Luckily, I pick things up pretty quickly, have some relevant experience in terms of judgement and thinking under pressure, and am doing this full-time. In my opinion, being immersed helps me progress faster and more smoothly. I am one of those optimistic career changers and still have a way to go before I'm out of flight school and unleashed on the world. If I were only going to the PPL and then leaving, I think that the 35 hour minimum would be a bit thin . . .

Either way, I'm SO EXCITED to be flying! Photography, kayaking, and carpentry were all fun, but (unless I was working on a 3 story roof) I was too close to the ground!

Now if Fresno was more like Marquette, Michigan, and I knew that the economy was going to turn around, life would be perfect!

Best to all,

PhotoPilot
 
Dude that awesome - I give you props (HA HA HA). I think emersing yourself in it and flying 2+ hours a day is the way to go. There was a kid at my flight school who did it that way and literally had half the flight time of most graduates. Best of luck with your checkride, and it will only be a matter of time till that 35 hours goes in 100, then a couple hundred, then 500+ and then you will stop counting. Do let us know how the ride goes!
 
Well, shucks, JD! Since it was your post on this forum that lead me here, you get the first round and I'll get the second. Of course, that's assuming I pass the checkride . . .
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Fresno may be hot and dry, but there are some great people here. Cheers to you, Mr. B the wonder instructor, and all of the other kind folks at MFS.

If you'll excuse me, I need to study!

(But I might need a HALO study break . . . are you game?)

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[ QUOTE ]
Dude that awesome - I give you props (HA HA HA). I think emersing yourself in it and flying 2+ hours a day is the way to go. There was a kid at my flight school who did it that way and literally had half the flight time of most graduates. Best of luck with your checkride, and it will only be a matter of time till that 35 hours goes in 100, then a couple hundred, then 500+ and then you will stop counting. Do let us know how the ride goes!

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Thank you, Iain. I will certainly let you all know how things went after the ride. Hopefully I won't be adding to the "busted a checkride" thread . . .
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And, just to make sure I was clear, THIS FLYING SH*T ROCKS!
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I'm planning on going to MFS in about 9 months. Maybe I'll see you there. How do you like it so far?
 
First, I was (am!) a BCU certified level II sea kayak instructor. I've also paddled whitewater and used to work for Dana Chladek's parents. She took bronze in Barcellona and silver in Atlanta. Having owned at least one kayak since I was 13, I'm in withdrawl here in landlocked, dry Fresno!
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As for Mazzei, I looked at as many flight schools as I could over a period of almost a year before I settled on one. Mazzei fit me better than anyone else and I have no regrets. Though our planes lack air conditioning and we don't wear uniforms as students
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the instruction is first rate, the planes are sound, the price is right, and the networking options are ripe. Add in the attitude flying techniques (which make things easy to learn and precise) and I don't think you can lose.

Though Mazzei has been perfect for me, you should never forget that flight schools are an individual thing. What worked for one person doesn't always work for another. My solution was visit, visit, visit. But, Mazzei is certainly a strong contender! Check out their website at www.flymfs.com for more info. The site will fill you in on all of the things that I don't have room to say here! From my experiences so far, I can honestly say that they deliver on all of their promises. Keep checking the forum and I'll post updates to let you know how things are progressing through commercial, multi-, and CFI portions of the program.

You mentioned that you plan to head our way in a few months. Hopefully I'll see you here! Flying is a blast and I'm sure you'll love it!

Best,

PhotoPilot
 
Yeah, I have already visited there. It looks like they have their s**t together. I went on a fly-along, which was really great. They seem to be the only flight school I can find that actually has a program and a cirriculum to make it all the way up to multi-engine CFI. I can't wait to get started. That day isn't coming fast enough.
 
I understand! I made my final decision in June and moved here in late August . . . man, were those two months long! Luckily, like I said above, they really do deliver what they promise. I walked in here about three weeks ago and, if the examiner wasn't unusually busy this week, I would have gone up for my final PPL check early this week. As it is, I'll still have my ride at 4 weeks.

The best part is that, though they are moving me pretty quickly, I feel like the level of instruction is so high that I'm still learning what I need to learn. Just know that even though things here are a little more relaxed and casual than some of the big academies, you still need to treat it like a full time job inorder to succeed. I am either flying or studying for about 8 to 10 hours per day. You can snag a weekend off here and there to enjoy the mountains or the coast, but it takes a lot of commitment. It's also important to note that not all students move as quickly as I have. I left most of my distractions in Michigan and am concentrating fully on flight. Others are still getting their PPLs at 35 or 40 hours but take an extra week or two so that they can attend to other commitments as well.

Still, for all of my cautions and tips, this is one of the coolest, most fun things I ever done! BOOYAH!

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-PhotoPilot

P.S. And if you weren't looking for those tips or cautions, please disregard them. I certainly am not trying to tell you how to go about this. Just passing on advice that I got before I started which helped prepare me for flying . . .
 
jdflight,

I got your message about ballin' and I'll be in LA that weekend. Keep me in the loop though.

How many students do you have now?

I agree that Mazzei is a great school. Pitch-Power-Trim forever!!! Good luck Photopilot.
 
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Pitch-Power-Trim forever!!!

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I was always taught pitch - power - rudder - trim

*Now Iain waits for SkyGuyEd to make some comment about coordinated flight*
 
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First, I was (am!) a BCU certified level II sea kayak instructor. I've also paddled whitewater and used to work for Dana Chladek's parents. She took bronze in Barcellona and silver in Atlanta. Having owned at least one kayak since I was 13, I'm in withdrawl here in landlocked, dry Fresno!


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Dry, landlocked Fresno? Fresno is an UNREAL whitewater location...notice those little mountains nearby?
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Seriously, there's some astounding whitewater within an hour of Fresno.

I live in Sacramento and have been boating since a long while ago. I know Dana Chladek a little...she's quite the badass.

-Zach
 
You'll have to come over here and show me where to get wet! Dana's a badass and so are her parents. They are both former whitewater world champions from the Czech Republic (1960s) and are now killer sea paddlers. Stan (her Dad) has done some CRAZY stuff. With a bad shoulder and more than 60 years under his belt, he went off to Easter Island a few years ago and paddled in 30 foot Pacific swells and huge winds. He and Nigel Dennis (a British badass . . . ) spent a week looking at 200 foot cliffs on the island and nothing but open water between them and the Western coast of South America 2000 miles away. I've done some crazy stuff in boats, but these guys are nuts! The older they get, the bigger the risks they seem to take.

I'd love to hit some whitewater, but I also really want to get to the coast. I've spent a lot of time on the Atlantic, in the Gulf, and on the Great Lakes, but never been on the Western side of things. If you're ever looking for a paddling partner, give me a holler. Unfortunately, I'll need to beg or borrow gear.
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All of mine is in Michigan. I really regret selling one of my sea kayaks. It was a prototype and the sweetest boat I've ever paddled - but that's a story for another forum!

PM me if you want to get out sometime.

Later!

PhotoPilot

P.S. And thanks for the well wishes, CaliforniaSurfer. Hope they're treating you well south of FAT.
 
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