One year and counting...

One year ago I decided to get my pilots licence, actually on Aug. 27th it was one year to the day that I took my first flight in a small GA aircraft.

I remember being handed control of the aircraft a couple of minutes after takeoff and then flying around for about twenty minutes, it was all a blurr. I was hopelessly hooked.

I started ground school in Sept. 05 and then started flying my first lessons the end of October. Since I was paying for my lessons out of pocket as I went, I decided to fly once a week and see how things went. The biggest thing was not some much the money, although it is expensive, but getting the time and the weather to cooperate.

When I was told early in my training that I'd probably solo around 15 - 18 hours, and then I'd actually start flying outside the control zone a few hours after that! I thought my instructor was crazy, I mean if they're going to let me take this aircraft out all by myself after a mere eighteen or so hours of instruction, then they're crazier than I am. There was so much to learn and know, and all of it was so new.

Well, here I am exactly one year later and I'm on the home stretch. I've flown outside the zone all by myself for the first time and I and the aircraft have returned safely. Actually, I'm more comfortable in the aircraft without my instructor watching every move. (But it gets lonely not having someone to chat with... I miss you Dave!).

I'm writing my PPL next week and then I hope to pick up the pace as far as lessons go, I hope to have this little adventure wrapped up by Xmas.

If your reading this blog and thinking about flying yourself one day, stop dreaming and start doing.

Get things started by signing yourself up for ground school and book yourself a fam flight, that's all it takes to get things started.