Hi all,
I am just about to set off on my PPL. I have been passionate about aviation from the age of 15-16, and been addicted ever since.I live in Birmingham and plan on doing my PPL at Halfpenny Green (Halfpenny Green Flight Centre). I am going for a tour round the facilities at the beginning of March! Really looking forward to it!I am always worried about my size though, would 5ft 10" and 110Kg be a problem? The school has Piper PA28's available.Any words of wisdom and little tips for somebody at the very beginning would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks all!Chris.
Chris
Shouldn't be a problem at all with your body size so dont worry! I know people much bigger that fly easy- even in Robins.
General tips; get continuity in your training ie 2 slots booked per week with bookings 1 month ahead at least in advance. Read up the PPL material- the subject books, perhaps try and do 1 exam every 3 weeks- that seems to be a nice pace- starting with Airlaw and Radio. Ask a million questions during the flight and dont be afraid when you have control, be positive in what your doing and if you think your doing something wrong or your unclear on something speak up- its all about communicating on the flight deck!
Enjoy your training as well as learn from it, don't expect to be brilliant at it straight away, it takes time to pick things up. Expect to be stopped and prevented from flying by weather, delays, aircraft faults and all the rest of it- at times its frustrating but equally enjoyable when you do fly. Speak to guys at your club you'll be suprised at what you can learn from each other. As for picking the school, go for the one that takes most interest in you, that looks the most professionally run and has the newest aircraft, speak to locals around the airfield and ask for their opinions on the schools.
I live south of Birmingham near Wellesbourne Mountford Aerodrome, so I can tell you the area is good for general airwork :)
Enjoy, I wish you the best of luck, its hard but its worth it in the end! Do you want to go commercial?
Morbz
Hi Morbz,
Thanks for stopping to share your experience!!Wellesbourne Mountford... i know it well. Do they still have that wonderful Vulcan down there?I really am hyped for it, have been for years but only just had the finance. The club I have chosen has nice people running its administration and were only too happy to invite me down for a cup of tea and arrange an instructor to show me around the facilities. They have a nice selection of Piper Single and Duel aircraft and a Diamond DA42, as well as 3 brand new Diamond DA40's with Glass Cockpits.
I love the job I have at the moment, and commercial flying isn't really for me. Just hopping around the UK and flying generally for enjoyment. My other hobbies have turned to Income generation and they arn't so fun anymore (I.T. Administrator & Automation Engineer). So flying for me is my way of escaping from it all and putting my mind on something else where work can't reach.
I have learn't so much already from speaking to people who fly, and I just love to be emersed in the topic. I have been a reader on here for a long time but only just joined to contribute.
Nice to hear from a pretty local pilot too! Have read about your Commercial destiny on here, the very best of luck with that!
Chris.
They still have the vulcan, sat on the North end you can see it from the road as you drive past! How do you know it well, do you live locally?
Im glad you want a license just for recreation. If you can afford to fly even twice a month its well worth getting a license. If you have any questions about training fire away, Im no expert but because im a fresh PPL and a training CPL I might be able to help :)
Thanks for you wishes, it certainly is my destiny, not too far away either!
Hi both,
Thanks for enquiring, very thoughtful.
My lesson is on 25th April, can't wait! I had a nice look around the club, and met the instructors. Sat in some of their aircraft (PA28 Warrior and Diamond DA-40). I was surprised to get myself into the DA-40 as I am atleast 5' 10". Very comfortable aircraft.
In regards to Wellesbourne Mountford, when I was a kid my Parents used to let me drive the car up and down the grass strip at the edge of the airport and take me to see the Vulcan. I now work as an Automation Engineer, for a company employed by Severn Trent Water, which means I get around that area lots on my travels to various jobs. Wellesbourne was my first look at General Aviation, and then afterwards, Gloucester / Staverton Airport which is also very nice. I live in Bournville, near Cadbury's.
Pictures below of my visit to EGBO.
Kind Regards,
Hi Chris
Very nice, you will have to let us all know how it goes!
What aircraft will you be having your lesson in then?
The Piper Warrior, mostly because the Diamond DA-40 Hours come up really quickly for the clubs, so the chances of regulary flying the type is slim.Also, the Piper is tried and tested training platform and I think the DA-40 is a bit more of a performance machine.I'm happy to be learning in a Warrior, the DA-40 glass cockpits would be a bit daunting until my eyes are used to scanning the standard instruments, and to be honest, i see enough of computers at work!
Regards.
Good as gold guys, a few weeks of blazing sun and heat, and on the morning of my lesson... its raining biggles and baders!However, thanks to this forum, I have approached the situation with a lot less frustration (as I am aware it happens often) and I am looking forward to re-booking for a new, potencially sunny day!
Will let you know how I get on, I'm sure I will have heaps of questions after the lesson that will spill over onto here.Kind Regards.
Good old british weather ey! :) Hopefully it'll be a nice day for you next time you have a lesson. Flew to Wellesbourne a few times myself for a bacon butty and a cuppa. Nice airfield, nice area will definitely be going back there!
Good luck with the training! Keep us posted
Nick
Hi Nick,
Indeed!Wellesbourne is a lovely aerodrome, has a nice feeling to it. Whats the flight like down from Nottingham? Where do you fly out of?Chris.
It was a couple of years ago when I last went to Wellesbourne and that was from East Midlands (im flying from Netherthorpe now). It's a nice flight down from East Mids, lots to navigate with and a few points of interest along the way! It was a good trip out on a Sunday morning. :)
Sounds like fun!I'll be sure to head up your way when I get my license, perhaps even get a chance to catch up with you while i'm there!
Yeah pop up to Netherthorpe they're all a good bunch :) Nice little airfield aswell!
Is Netherthorpe, "EGNF"? With grass strips?How do you find your mentality changes, between landing on paved runways and landing at grass strips? If at all?To me, a grass strip gives me that feeling of "back to the golden days of aviation", but are there things that make good and bad grass strip airfields?
As you can tell, i'm a huge sponge at the moment.Cheers.
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