alexf Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 After years of wanting to, I finally started with my first PPL class. I picked an independent instructor recommended by two pilot friends. He is a rated CFI fin several types, from single to twin to taildragger to helicopters. This one he decided to do with his own plane a Cessna 150 from 1958, a very early production model. Very nice little plane. Performs beautifully. On the first class we did 1-1/2 hour of ground instruction in and around the aircraft, then a class on how to properly and thoroughly pre-flight, then an hour flight with simple coordinated turns an such. He stalled the plane for me and showed me how controllable it was in a stalled state. Although I have been in planes before and had taken the control a few times for a few minutes each, this was my first time in the left-hand seat. Thrilled. A wonderful experience. ------------ Three weeks later and I have flown 8 hours so far. One day was tough with a strong wind plus thermals plus my first day handling the radios so I was nervous and did not do as well as I expected. The instructor said I did well. I am not so sure or happy as I was not flying smoothly fighting the wing. I guess it was not too bad as my first encounter with semi-strong wind (12kts). Today was awesome. The weather was perfect, 6kt wind, sunny with a flew clouds and low temperatures and humidity (for Miami) at 73F. We re-did the same exercises as before during the windy day. Fly a pattern, and S-turns. Did a little better this time. We also did turns around a point. It was easier said than done. He makes it look easy. The guy is good. Now for the most fun part. We land on the C150 in Hollywood (KWHO) at around 11 am. The 2-hour class is over. He asks. What are you doing the rest of the day (Saturday). Nothing. There is a Taildragger fly-in at Homestead. Want to come? We went to his hangar, and he opens it to show a beautiful Citabria. This is in excellent shape and freshly painted. It is of course an aerobatic plane (he is also an aerobatic and a tail-wheel flight instructor): He says to hop-in in the front-seat. That is the pilot seat. What? Yes! He shows me how to do the rudder (pedal) work for taxi in a taildragger. We take off and he gives me the controls (stick) all the way to Homestead General (X51) which is about 20 miles away right at the edge of the Everglades. When we leave the urban area, he tells me to go to 70mph at 500ft. Take it low so we can enjoy the scenery. Awesome! My only regret: he did not tell me in advance so as I was planning for a day of class, I did not take my camera. Imagine a photographer with no camera. Only my Android phone, so excuse the phone images you see here. He takes the controls for landing, but before that he does a low-fast pass at full speed at about 10 ft off the grass runway to impress the crowd. Then he goes around and does a very steep turn on base at the edge of the runway and lands perfectly. Awed the crowd (and me). We had fun. There was a barbeque with decent food and drinks. Lots of pilots. Two C140s. One C185F. One Stinson. One ErCoupe. A tiny Schweitzer helicopter, a Piper Aztec and take this in: not one Citabria (ours) as I expected but a total of five! Here's one of them: and another: All the Citabria pilots decide to have fun and put on a show. The flew around in formation! Five Citrabrias in close and perfect formation. I was so <substitute unprintable word here> that I had not brought a camera! To end the day, we are ready to leave. I hop in and one of the Cessna 140 is also going back to our same airport (KWHO) so we fly in formation, a Citabria and a C140 for a few minutes. My first time flying formation (my instructor did the flying of course). It was so close we could almost touch the wings. What an experience! Did I say this guy is good? Then the C140, which is faster decides to leave and go at his proper speed (we were doing this over the Everglades at 500ft and 100mph). So out he goes. We are back alone, cruising over the beautiful Everglades and he wants to show me the Citabria, so without a word to me, he accelerates and does a barrel roll! Wow! My first one. I am not the roller-coaster type but let me tell it was was an experience! Lastly, to show me how a slip is done, he comes in for landing fairly high and then does a slip in final. What a day! Only sorry I do not have enough decent pictures to show. (all images from a phone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remko Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 You are a lucky man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingleaf Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Wow Alex congratulations on taking up flying. What a great xperience. Good for you and thanks for the report. By the way the pics are very good but knowing you and how you do photografy it would have been "perfect". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPL Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Wow! That sounds like so much fun! Keep us up to date on your flying lessons if you can. I've taken the controls once in a Cessna 172, but I haven't had the ability to take flying lessons yet. I like to live through people who do. BTW, could you take a picture of the 150 you're learning in and post it? I love old Cessnas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek McAllan Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Great stuff Alex!! Keep it up mate Cheers, Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Sounds like a fantastic experience... Not only the training itself, but also the luck you seem to have with picking the right instructor. Can you seriously call it learning if it is so much fun? Isn't it something more like "absorbing the information"? Cheers Mallard (wish I could make halfway as decent pictures with my camera as you seem to be able to with your phone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boetie Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Living our dream Alex, well done mate - can't believe those photos are from a phone, you're a talented man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Hamilton Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Can't believe you forgot the camera... thought that thing was cemented to your hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FILOU Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 " Can't believe you forgot the camera... thought that thing was cemented to your hand... " +++ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Congrats to your decision and thanks for the report. The next big step will be when your instructor says "Ok Alex now its time for solo!" But dont forget to jump fully vested into a pool and smokin a cigar afterwards Its tradition. Gretty MJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexf Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 Two more images of the Citabrias: by me (phone image) someone else took this one (phone image) of the return of the Citabria formation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingleaf Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Goodness, what a formation. Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuisong Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Good on you Alex. Make that dream come true. And thanks for all the pictures you post. I enjoy them very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 We have a saying here in Oz "You lucky bastard!!" - Living the dream alright. Good on ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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