ACK!! (not the airport!)

BobDDuck

Island Bus Driver
So all of the sudden I am starting on my PPL tomorrow. I was not planning on doing anything until after I graduate and head to ATP in May, but some things just worked out and I am set to do my PPL with a local FBO! Wahoo!!! Can't Wait!

Ethan
 
Ahh... Sometime things are so similar, it scares me! Starting my PPL tomorrow, with plans to start ATP in Riverside, CA in June, when school is done for summer... Good luck!!!
 
So my internal hobbes meter just went from 0 to 1.1! Wow. There was so much going on at once I'm not sure I'll ever be able to grasp it all, let alone in the 12+ hours that my instructor wants me to solo in! Anyhow, we went up in a fairly nice (but definatly not new) C172. The airport (4G7) is uncontrolled so we went over the importance of giving position reports and then we taxied out to the runway. I could not keep the front wheel on the line for the life of me and was weaving back and forth all over the place. After holding short my instructor took the the plane back and we took off and headed over to the practice area. Once there we did the standard straight and level, 30*, 45* and 60* turns, descents, climbs, slow flight, stalls, and yes EVEN spins. (He goes, "this is not really legal to do, but I want you to see how to get out of them". Fair enough.) All I really did was hold a straight and level (well, it was straight but I was having trouble holding altitude) and the 30* turns. Those went ok. I am going to assume that most of you had similar feelings of not comprehending what was going on during your first flight? I feel comfortable with learning, but it just seems like a lot at once. Round 2 starts on Monday and I am really looking forward to it.

Ethan
 
I have almost 200 hours and still am challenged on a daily basis. That's what is intriguing about flying. Take it one step at a time and don't get in a big hurry.

Doing spins with an instructor is not illegal to my knowledge. I believe there is a stipulation in the FARs for CFIs teaching students. It is not required for training, but definately a good thing to know.
 
Doing spins on the students first flight should be illegal..sheesh talk about sensory overload....
 
Congrats on deciding to start early . . . and for going through a local FBO for your Private Certificate -- something MANY if not MOST recommend -- going through a local FBO for the Private to make sure flying is for you before heading to some sort of academy for training.

I also had difficulty at first taxiiing an airplane, weaving . . . just takes time before you're steering the plane better than your car.

I trained at MRB in the Eastern Panhandle of WV, a towered field which I liked because I had to get use to communicating with the tower.

I completed my Private back in Oct, and look to start ATP once I finish my degree as well.

What ATP location are you considering?

Also: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe for the Private, one does not have to demonstrate spin recovery to an instructor, nor does the instructor have to demonstrate spins or spin recovery . . . just know the procedures for recovering -- "ailerons neutral, rudder in the opposite direction of the spin, level off"
 
I sort of wish that Fairmont was towered, but my instructor did say that once I am more proficient up there we will fly up to MGW and work with a tower some. Also, he said that spins are not allowed unless you have a chute (the plane or the people??!!) Also, they are not required for any license except a CFI and even then you only need to say how to get out of them (neutral stick, opposite rudder pull up). Huh. I'm looking at the JAX location of ATP, although Atlanta is also a possibility.
Ethan
 
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