Advice for someone who hasn't flown in 7 years

MQAAord

MQAAord

Scheherazade
Staff member
This is probably mostly aimed at CFIs or people who have, themselves, gone for an extended period of time without flying.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about flying again for the first time in over 7 years? Things to study, questions to ask, things to watch for/be aware of, etc.

I am considering using some of the $ from my consulting gig to get current again. :eek: I haven't flown since Jan of '02!
 
Studywise just brush up on airspaces around your airport and in general and as far as actual flying, just find a laid back CFI to accompany you -- remember its like riding a bike! :p

I took my grandfather flying and let him fly most of the flight -- the last time he flew was in the Korean War and it didnt take him long to get it back.
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
Studywise just brush up on airspaces around your airport and in general and as far as actual flying, just find a laid back CFI to accompany you -- remember its like riding a bike! :p

I took my grandfather flying and let him fly most of the flight -- the last time he flew was in the Korean War and it didnt take him long to get it back.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:


b.
 
MQAAord said:
This is probably mostly aimed at CFIs or people who have, themselves, gone for an extended period of time without flying.
Click to expand...

I flew less than 4 hours between '02 and '06, it only took a few flights to feel current again.

If you are going to be spending money on getting current, you might as well combine it with some other type of training (complex/hp/glider/instrument/whatever). If you are learning something new, knocking off the rust on what you already know should happen by itself.

I didn't forget very much, except maybe soft field landings. I've never landed on a soft field, so not something you really remember :)
 
SFCC/UND said:
Never know going from serving drinks, to doing power on, and steep turns?
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It's a little different, I actually do remember feeling a tiny bit queasy during my first lesson (and this was after 6.5 years of F/A flying). It went away very quickly though.

Ya never know, and while I don't expect any issues, I will actually make sure I know where the yak sack is, just in case! :D
 
I wasnt quite seven years but was close to it. All I needed technically was a BFR but I knew I needed more than that. So I went up with an instructor, about 10 hours and 5 sim sessions I felt pretty good.
Would I go shoot an approach to mins, probably not. But I can sure get from point A to B again pretty easily.
We woudl go up and do some pattern work and basic maneuvers and after the first flight I felt pretty good. After a couple flights I was rightback in the game. By the time the 10 hours was up, with a couple night flights thrown in, I was more than ready for the BFR and my own personal "sign off".
 
MQAAord said:
It's a little different, I actually do remember feeling a tiny bit queasy during my first lesson (and this was after 6.5 years of F/A flying). It went away very quickly though.

Ya never know, and while I don't expect any issues, I will actually make sure I know where the yak sack is, just in case! :D
Click to expand...

Be prepared to be crusty-rusty.

I lost a year or so between flights thanks to my two extended vacations in the Middle East.

When I got back I really had to get back into the swing of things. Simple things like instrument scans were something I had to think about a little bit.

Just go up with a CFI for a few hours and do a full-tilt BFR. Make sure you get some ground time in, too. That'll shake ya out and make sure you know what's what. Good for your confidence, too.

.. and don't give yourself a hard time if you need to work out a few kinks. Every CFI I ever met says flying's a perishable skill.

Enjoy it! I can tell you miss it.
 
juan valdez said:
I wasnt quite seven years but was close to it. All I needed technically was a BFR but I knew I needed more than that. So I went up with an instructor, about 10 hours and 5 sim sessions I felt pretty good.
Would I go shoot an approach to mins, probably not. But I can sure get from point A to B again pretty easily.
We woudl go up and do some pattern work and basic maneuvers and after the first flight I felt pretty good. After a couple flights I was rightback in the game. By the time the 10 hours was up, with a couple night flights thrown in, I was more than ready for the BFR and my own personal "sign off".
Click to expand...

I had a guy like that when I was a CFI. He didn't have his instrument rating though. I was embarassed because I was completely and utterly unprepared when he showed up. All I was told by the person he scheduled with was that he needed a BFR.

Before the next lesson I got a few things together and started to bring him up to speed on some of the regulation changes (kinds of airspace) and what not. That was really the hardest part. The stick and rudder skills really were quite good from the first lesson. It only took a little bit more than a pretty thorough aircraft checkout before he was within standards.

After we were both feeling very confident in his progress we stated working on cross country stuff because that's really what he wanted to do. That took a little more work, with the eventual outcome being him saying he would like to work on a few short cross countries on his own before moving on to what he really wanted to do (a cross country through the Washington DC ADIZ, sneaking between the class B for DCA and BWI). One of my favorite students, really had a good head on his shoulders and had no illusions about his abilities.
 
MQAAord said:
It's a little different, I actually do remember feeling a tiny bit queasy during my first lesson (and this was after 6.5 years of F/A flying). It went away very quickly though.

Ya never know, and while I don't expect any issues, I will actually make sure I know where the yak sack is, just in case! :D
Click to expand...

The 2 times I got nearly sick in my aviation career:

1) First flight
2) First time in a full motion sim
 
Maybe a list of a few things that would impress a CFI after a seven year hiatus:

- use your rudder pedals. (number one and I can't stress this enough, if my head is leaning against the window i really don't feel that you feel at home. Plus it is an easy one)

- Look over the communication and phrases you will have to say also be ready with the frequencies.

- Don't taxi with your feet riding on the brakes

- Say what you are doing out loud and why. Keep him in the loop.

- (If applicable) Carburetor heat, use it when required in the Cessna.

- CHECK LIST (The longer I do this, the less I am impressed with people being able to do the whole thing by memory

-----
Have fun!
 
Read the airplane flying handbook put out by the FAA, the POH for the plane you will be flying and review the FAR AIM, especially CFR part 91. That should be a good start.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
I had a guy like that when I was a CFI. He didn't have his instrument rating though. I was embarassed because I was completely and utterly unprepared when he showed up. All I was told by the person he scheduled with was that he needed a BFR.
Click to expand...
CFI I went up with was the same way. It was at an academy in Daytona, long story. But he ended up being pretty good.
Was mostly just getting the hang of landings again, still not quite there honestly, and the regs plus the changes in regs since I had last flown. I think AOPA or maybe its the FAA website has a nice breakdown of all the changes by year.
Lucky for me, from being an enlisted flight crewmember in the military, I was still comfortable in teh flying aspect as well as radio calls and checklists and what not.
 
I'm probably in the same boat as you, but I figure it's just like a long layoff from anything that requires muscle memory. It's ingrained in your body. You just need to shake off the rust.

I pretty much step off the ice for about six months every year and then when it's time for the season to start again, all I need is the warmups and I'm back.

So, I'd say get an instructor with you -- you'll need that BFR anyway -- and see how it goes. They'll fix whatever's wrong.
 
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