Learn to fly

There were many delays, due to weather, scheduling, availability of aircraft, availability of examiners and instructors. Monday was my checkride, and I flew beautifully until I broke Oakland’s airspace and failed. But yesterday, I got my additional training (“Careful with your airspaces!”), and my retest done (after TWO 30-minute delays).

Anyone want a ride? :-)

What can I say? The weather was fine, scattered clouds at 4000’ and light winds, directly parallel to the runways. But when I got to the examiner’s airport to pick her up, there was a voice message on my cell saying that we were cancelling due to the weather. I called back 3 times, left 2 messages and waited 2 hours, but never heard back, so I flew back home. I’m actually hoping everything is OK with the examiner; it seems pretty unusual for her just not to get back to someone.

Anyway, so now we’re rescheduling again (if/when she calls me back). Hopefully it’ll be less than 3 weeks out this time, but with the way the weather’s been, I doubt it.

I think the lesson is: If you’re taking lessons, take every opportunity you can to fly. Plan for it, plan around it, skip your friends’ birthday parties the night before to make the early flight. Do what you have to do, but don’t assume that you can always go tomorrow. I’ve been ready for 7 weeks now (and getting less ready every day); if things had happened just slightly differently maybe I’d have gotten the checkride in in February.

It was supposed to be yesterday but I’ve fallen victim to the rainiest March on record. Now scheduled for April 17. One of these days, I will be an honest-to-goodness certified pilot!

I passed the written exam this morning! YEAH!! 97%—I missed 2 out of 60. I highly recommend the Gleim FAA Test Prep book, the Jeppeson Private Pilot Manual (for deeper understanding and more verbose explanations), and 4vfr.com, a great site with unlimited free sample test questions!

I did a solo cross country and all my night work! 5 more flights to go, but the weather’s been bad and scheduling has been difficult. I won’t be done by the end of the month, but…5 more flights to go. Should be soon in any case!

It’s funny to think I “had” landings 11 weeks ago. I remember that day, and those were great landings, but since then I’ve gotten much better and more consistent.

Only 10 more flights to go. Night cross country, phase check and follow up, 2 solo cross countries, 3 check ride prep lessons, a final phase check and the FAA check ride. I could be done this month if I’m lucky!

I finally got landings today. For real—it was the most amazing feeling! I had my first non-supervised solo (where I go check out the plane all by myself and just go flying) today, and did some work on my flare and touchdown. My last three landings (out of 5 total) were really, really good! I got the nose nice and high, and the stall warning even sounded (which is a good thing in this case). Now all I have to do is do that, with an instructor in the plane!

I just soloed for the first time! Wow, what a feeling! Flight training was, at first, exhilarating, exciting, freeing from the bonds of everyday life. Then after a while you, the student, start feeling the weight of responsibility, the very weight that recreational activities are supposed to be a release from. Now, the joy is back! There is still a whole lot of responsibility, to be sure, but there’s something about having done it once, and having the ability to go on to the next phase of lessons!

I’m almost ready to solo! I’ve got 25 hours of flying time, and just need some work on my rudder technique and crosswind landings, and I’m set!

I’ve done two lessons, have learned about slow flight and am eagerly awaiting some steep turns! And I’m trying to choose a headset, currently leaning toward one of the LightSpeed 3G ANR ones. Suggestions?