Trial flying lesson

"Ice blonde" wrote in message oups.com...
Ok, my plan is forming now.

Take cushion if not provided.
Take hidden sick bag if not provided ( I have never been sick on a
large plane)
Don't take willing or unwilling victim.
Open eyes and enjoy.
Don't take credit card as limit is over 5k and I might end up spending
too much.

And never never take the family of hippos up the CN tower in Toronto!

No flight instructors based in Oz here then?

Actually I have a friend who used to work at the airfield previously, I
am going to meet up with and ask some more questions. But I've now been
told there is a 'choice' of flying schools there, so I will need to
shop around.

Now the question is, how do you spot a good flying instructor???

Many thanks


Nice summary....

I don't think you'll 'spot' a good flight instructor, but you will know it when you found them. Not a braggart, but not
too quiet, smooth on the controls and very descriptive, maybe talking quite a bit. Probably 'young' but in no hurry to
step up to the airlines. Maybe has more than ASEL ratings, glider maybe? They will make you sweat a little but be there
when you get in a bind, letting you know the details of what went wrong and then getting you back to it again, better
this time...

"Ice blonde" wrote in message
oups.com...
Actually I have a friend who used to work at the airfield previously, I
am going to meet up with and ask some more questions. But I've now been
told there is a 'choice' of flying schools there, so I will need to
shop around.

Now the question is, how do you spot a good flying instructor???

Ice,

Basically, you're the employer. Interview different instructors and find
one that works for you. Pick one that you like their teaching style and
that you think will be good to teach you. If you try an instructor and find
out it's not working well/right, find another instructor.

Most of us here have had multiple instructors during our training. An
instructor that works well for one person may not work for another. It's
all a personal choice.

-Greg B.

No flight instructors based in Oz here then?

Since most people can't possibly read everything that's written in this
forum, you might try starting a new thread with that question as the
subject?

Spotting a good flight instructor is not easy. Personally, I'd try to find
an older CFI. Young guys (and gals) are invariably trying to get their
first step up into the airlines, which means they are only teaching for the
sake of building the required hours. (Obviously there are exceptions to
this rule.)

The older guys are usually the retired teachers/military guys/cops/ etc. who
decided to teach flying because they love to fly.

Their attitude can make a world of difference.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

See below

Ice blonde wrote:

Can you experience pressure problems in your ears similar to on a
commercial jet?


Yes but only in a high performance airplane, not likely for a
introductory flight.

Is it best to go alone with just the instructor, or take a willing
victim to witness your trial?


Ask the instructor if it is ok with them. If you feel more comfortable
with an experienced observer then do it.

Do they have sick bags?


bring your own. Do not use a clear ziplock bag.

Do you get a parachute in case anything goes wrong?


Only if you are doing aerobatics.

And how addictive is flying really, I mean if I open my eyes and like
it?


It is the most expensive and enjoyable habit I have. I finally am
getting paid to fly.

Michelle

Ice blonde wrote:
And how addictive is flying really, I mean if I open my eyes and like
it?

Oh, you'll have to open your eyes Listen, I was terrified going up
the first time. The plane seemed so small.

But right after take-off, it was smooth and beautiful. At that point,
the instructor is probably going to let you take the controls for a
while. Surprised? You'll be surprised how easy it can be.

On my first flight, the instructor landed us at another airport. Then
he had me takeoff, and do the landing back at our starting point. That
hooked me right there.

Enjoy!
Kev

"Ice blonde" wrote in message
ups.com...

Hi

Hi, and welcome to the group!

Can you help with a few questions I have, having never been up in a
small aircraft and being scared of heights (well on tall buildings
anyway) But I do WANT to do this, don't get me wrong.

Let me tell you about myself in a few sentences. Prior to taking
flying lessons, I had only been in a small plane once, when I was
nine or ten. I also am very scared of heights, getting freaked out
on a 16th floor balcony, or even on a ferris wheel! :-( But I took
a "discovery flight", to see if I could handle being up in a small
plane, and it was no problem. When you're secured in your harness
(seatbelt), and enclosed in the cabin, you don't really get the
perception
of "height" at all. And it's really *cool*!

And I just finished my private pilot's license this month... g

So go for it, at least the first trial flight, and you'll probably be
hooked from there, just like I was (like we all were? g)

Can you experience pressure problems in your ears similar to
on a commercial jet?

Yes, altitude still affects your ears, since the cabin is
unpressurized.
But so far I haven't been higher than 4500 ft., and usually only
fly locally at 3000-3500 ft. Most of the time the effect is
unnoticable,
only if I lose a lot of altitude directly, rather than gradually.
Usually,
your ears are (it seems) half blocked, or muffled for a few minutes,
and then after a couple of yawns, you're good as new.

But again, slow descents, and gradual changes of altitude will tend
to avoid the problem.

Do they have sick bags?

Yep. Our school has all their planes stocked with bags in the glove
compartment. I would assume this is standard. And don't get
discouraged about being airsick. I've read posts by pilots and
student pilots who still get airsick once in a while, but apparently
it's something you might be able to get over once you're used to
the sensations.

Do you get a parachute in case anything goes wrong?

They can. I believe some American schools require parachutes
for spin training (which isn't even part of the PPL), but in Canada,
we never used them.

I really wouldn't worry. After about 20-30 simulated engine failures,
you'll discover that even without an engine, the plane turns into a
glider
and *wants* to try. More often than not, I'd be doing a simulated
engine
failure, go through my entire checklist, and then have to do a forward
slip to *lose* altitude because the plane wasn't coming down fast
enough!
g No, between simulated engine failures, and stall practice, you'll
learn that the plane *wants* to fly.

And how addictive is flying really, I mean if I open my eyes and like it?

People who have no possible way to afford a plane often find a way
to buy a plane, after (or before) getting their license. g

Jeff Shirton
PP-ASEL (out of CZBA)

Ice blonde wrote:

Can you help with a few questions I have, having never been up in a
small aircraft and being scared of heights (well on tall buildings
anyway) But I do WANT to do this, don't get me wrong.

You are unlikely to experience fear of heights while flying a plane. I have read
that this is because you don't have anything visually connecting you to the
ground, as you do when looking over the side of a building.

Can you experience pressure problems in your ears similar to on a
commercial jet?

Perhaps a little. Light planes don't climb as rapidly as the jets, so the
pressure doesn't change as rapidly, so you probably won't have any problems. If
you have a cold or sinus problems at the time of the flight, you are more likely
to have problems in the air.

Is it best to go alone with just the instructor, or take a willing
victim to witness your trial?

Either is ok, but the person in the back seat should have a cast-iron stomach. A
first-timer (that's you) is likely to fly the aircraft less-than-smoothly, and
the back seat is behind the center of motion. It's an uncomfortable place to be
with a tyro at the controls. For best results, just go with the instructor.

Do they have sick bags?

No, but most of the offices sell them in the pilot supplies case. Buy one if you
think you need to, but you are unlikely to make yourself sick.

Do you get a parachute in case anything goes wrong?

No, but don't worry too much. It's unlikely that anything will go wrong, and the
instructor has been trained to handle emergencies.

And how addictive is flying really, I mean if I open my eyes and like
it?

It can be very addictive. One poster here (Jay Honeck) literally can't
understand how anyone wouldn't be willing to do nearly anything to be able to
keep flying. Other people go up once, say "that was nice", and never go again.
Most people are in the middle. You'll probably like it a great deal.

Have fun!

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

On 24 Sep 2005 14:29:22 -0700, "Ice blonde"
wrote:

Can you experience pressure problems in your ears similar to on a
commercial jet?

Probably not because you don't climb fast enough in a small GA
aircraft. I've had my ears pop in a cargo plane at just a few hundred
feet of altitude, so it doesn't have much to do with absolute
altitude--it's the speed of the ascent. (In the case of jet planes,
I've rarely experienced ear popping.

Is it best to go alone with just the instructor, or take a willing
victim to witness your trial?

Just the instructor. You'll learn more and you won't be distracted.

Do they have sick bags?

Probably not, but you can ask for one. I doubt you'll be sick.

Do you get a parachute in case anything goes wrong?

No. You're safer in the airplane, which can glide to a landing.
Parachutes are very uncomfortable if worn tightly enough, and nobody
could know whether you'd be brave enough to actually jump.

And how addictive is flying really, I mean if I open my eyes and like
it?

Depends on you.


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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