Warbird Information Exchange

95 hours
25 months
3 aircraft types
3 flight schools
14 instructors
3 sessions for the exam - session 1 - brain dead, session 2 - finished oral, but had lousy wx, session 3 - I got to fly!
$10k +

since then, I've logged about 200 hrs, have my tailwheel endorsement, get to fly the T6, and have become very picky about what I like to fly (I have an aversion to anything under 5000 lbs and isn't a warbird)

Definitely get your medical first so you know whether you'll run into problems. I have to start mine 3 months before it's due just to get through all the paperwork and medical crap.

So, you want to get into flying! That's great. It's the best thing I ever did.

I did mine through the Royal Canadian Air Cadets when I was 17. It was a summer camp where we flew at least 6 times a week for 7 weeks. This was great because it didn't allow for much time between flights to get rusty. Of course, that was very fast paced and it's hard to learn everything in a short period of time.

Out of all of that, I suggest that you go for it, but try your best to take lessons very regularly. When you're starting out, not flying for a week has the potential to slap on a thick coat of rust onto your skills.

I also suggest that while you're doing your training (later on in your training) ask you instructor to take you up in weather that isn't ideal, so that you get used to dealing with lower ceilings, or rain, or winds. This way you'll have experience in non-perfect conditions with an instructor sitting beside you, before you see them when you're flying on your own.

Like other people said, I also strongly suggest that you get your medical right away just to make sure you are 100% healthy and to avoid the misfortune of beginning your training, then being told that you are medically unfit.

Now, with regards to ground school, study study study. And with each lesson in the air do more than enough ground preparation before you even get into the plane. It is a major waste of money taking a lesson that you are not prepared for.

I think I saw someone saying to be careful when choosing which flying school to take your training at. I agree, but more importantly find yourself an instructor that has a strong understanding and knowledge, who's got significant experience (not a rookie instructor), and someone who that you get along with. To find out all this stuff, like someone mentioned before, talk to different students to find out what schools are good, and which instructors that they have learned the most from.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,

David

Connery

I see your location is East Texas. If you are a Texas Veteran look into the Hazelwood act. Its free tuition at public universities in Texas. I know of 2 public colleges that offer flying programs. 1 in waco and 1 in Houston. Right now the flying is free but that will change in June and you will have to pay 40% of the costs.

I went through the San Jac program in Houston all free of charge. Hazelwood wont pay for the private now but I think they are changing that in June also to the 40% thing.

Right now everything after private is free for Hazelwood.

Thanks Randy, when it's a bad ski day, I think "I could be in New Jersey", so if the weather or expense gets to you think "I could be in Iraq"! I know you have sense of history and respect for those guys in the 40's. As someone who is lucky enough to pilot a fighter, but in no way is a fighter pilot; I have thought what it would be like to sit alone in a 109, with only basic instruments, and 90 minutes of fuel, and launch across the channel into weather and combat. It's a heck of a country to visit; any place where most of the cops and criminals don't carry guns is special. So much history, I had a friend who lived in an 800 hundred year old thached house. There is an unreal amount for a visitor to see. Hope some of the locals will pick up your pub tab occasionally. Fly safe.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

WOW!!! I'll definately be looking into that!!! The only program I knew about was the Texas Servicemen Land Grant Act.

Thanks for the info!!!!

Mudge,
Henning and forgotten Fields have good advice.
One of the primary things you need to look for in your instructor is his and your ability to communicate effectively. If either one of you are unable to understand or "get the point", you need to change instructors.

Also, all is not lost if you are unable to get a 3rd class medical. The sport pilots license is availible. Get your medical first. Then go fly.

I am going to have my son pass his written first as well. Well before he goes solo anyway. The written is what bites most people in the butt in getting their license. And a weekend ground school is a great way to go. Your instructor can teach you how to apply it in the real world!

Good luck!

One of the things about England that never fails to get a "HOLY CRAP" out of me is, seeing the gravestones and tombs that list date of death as something about 1123 or 1519 or something else about 7-900 years ago.

Mudge the amazed

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Land of the free because of the brave

Mudge, An easy way to take care of the written test is the DVD from either Sporty's 1-800-776-7897, only $99 for a Sport Pilot rating, $179 for the private license. The reviews say it is excellent. King, the tried and true is at I-800-854-1001. Best of all is their DVD course where you interact with the computer which speeds the process,at $279 or the other course is cheaper. If you work well on your own, these are faster than some night school or FBO ground school. Anybody that does either fully should make a 85% or better on the written easily. 70 is all that is required ,but that means you don't know 3 out of 10 things.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill, Thanks for the tips. Everyone has been nothing short of encouraging and helpful. I visited a flight school in Winchester, VA yesterday. Guy said I could take an "orientation" flight to see how I handled an a/c and if he thouoght I was good enough, he'd let me try a landing.
The interactive video sounds like something I'd be interested in.
Do these videos preclude me attending a flight school or are they in addition to the school? I'd have to guess they're in addition to the school.

Mudge the excited :

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Land of the free because of the brave

Mudge...if you want to practice radio work when you're not flying COMM1 software is great. It's interactive and was really helpful for staying on top of radio communications when I wasn't able to fly.

Mudge, the purpose of the DVD is to learn the material to pass the written test. If you do it on your own, then you don't need to repeat the same thing at a school. You may prefer a school environment, but if you go to ground school 1 night a week, it may take you several months. I don' think your average instructor is as good as the Kings. After the written, then you go to the instructor or flight school for flight lessons. There may be DVDs that also help with the actual flying. 2 vital points: Before you take a specific flight lesson, you should have studied and know what you are trying to do in the plane. Next, absolutely vital that the CFI give you a briefing before flight and debrief after flight. If not they are like a footbal team that tries to run a play they haven't practiced or called. Radio talk is no biggie, you logically tell em what plane you are, where you are, and what you want to do, and they come back with an answer. Better yet fly where there's no control to interfere if you can.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Well, Mudge did you solo yet?? Its that easy. The Gleim books are great for helping with your written as well as Ron Manchado pvt book is the best I ever have seen. You can look up any questions in your mind like how to read a Metar, it will break it down for you. Wished I had it when I was starting. I have used the red books as they are known for all of my writtens. On my ATP, I worked hard for a solid month and took the test in 20 min and made a 90 and I'm a 35watt light bulb
You will find that with your flying that it will or should always be a license to learn...

Lynn

Hi, what a great and timely thread, at 52 years of age I wanted to fly since I was 5, so during the Christmas holidays I went up for two lessons at the local flying school.

The flying went very well and I loved it, however I realized I was not prepared for the book work so I am putting the lessons on hold for the next few months.

Right now I am gathering my ground school material ( off Ebay and Amazon) and the flite school, saving my pennies to have the money to do it and plan to attend ground school later this spring and this thread is a reminder to get my medical done.

I've got the Canada DOT Flight Training manual, the Cessna 152 handbook, the nav Canada weather guide which I read on the transit bus to work each day. Aviation from the ground up is in the mail as well as a full size C152 panel poster, I have lots of reading and studying to do before ground school and before more lessons.

Each morning I print off the Nav Canada Metar and TAF and decode these as practice for myself.

Slowly adding my experiences to my site at
http://www.sportrc.com/flying.html

I look forward to more tips and hints.
till later - ken k.

Is it ever to early to take a spin recovery course ? seperate from your other instuction ?

Everyone covered the basics really well. A few more thoughts; If you are a busy person you will have to give up your time allotted doing other things. Make space on your calendar.
Make it a goal to try to be ready to take the written test, or go ahead and take the written before solo. The more familiar you are with the vocabulary and concepts the faster you will proceed in the air. The cockpit is a poor classroom for academics, and expensive!
Pick up something you can do 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes to improve your eye, hand and foot coordination. Play racquetball, shoot basketball, ping pong whatever. Okay in your case drive the ferrari!!
Try to include something for your cardiovascular system, this will make you sharper in the cockpit. I sometimes study a new flight manual while walking on a treadmill, for example.
Last, memorize your cockpit and emergency procedures. YOu have to know them for the checkride so why not know them the first time your instructor pulls the engine on you!
Best Of luck