Fresh PPL, now what...

jbrinker

jbrinker

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jbrinker
OK, I passed that check ride last week. Awesome! I burned up so much comp time and favors at work to get there though that I had to work the rest of last week. Great flying weather in the NE, but I was sitting at work.

Now I have some time again, and have a lesson, er, i mean rental scheduled for this afternoon. I wanted to take someone (wife, son) for a ride. But that won't work out until at least next week. I want to stay in practice, so I plan to just go "do the usual" today and make some landings at KFZY, and maybe pop over to Weedsport for a few.

I think however that I'm experiencing what I've read a lot of new pilots talk about. The "what do I do now" syndrome. I've spent so many hours working on this, studying for this, and so on that I hardly know what to DO with it now.

I'm actually almost a bit apprehensive to just go for an hour or two solo trip. I've been so focused on training that when I think about flying just to fly, it feels somehow... wrong?

I mean, to be clear, I know the PPL is a "license to learn" and I have PLENTY left to learn and practice. So a day (today) spent doing pattern work and some navigation is not a bad thing at all. I just wonder, where do I go from here? I had these visions of trips to the Aidirondacks for a weekend, or even just sight-seeing across the fingerlakes. I guess I am both apprehensive about being THE pilot (i.e. taking a non-pilot passenger) and about making good decisions etc. as far as travel and weather for any short trip/overnight.

Additionally, I think about joining one of the flying clubs to get better access to better/more planes. And I plan to start work on tailwheel/complex asap.

How did any of you other new pilots deal with the "crash" after passing the checkride?
 
Go places! Don't just go fly circles for an hour. Use that hour to go land somewhere at least 51 miles away to build PIC cross country time. You'll want that time to pursue your instrument rating and it will keep it more interesting.
 
First thing I did was just go fly somewhere. I didn't do any maneuvers, I didn't do pattern work. I just flew and enjoyed the view for the first time in a while.

Same thing when I finished my IFR. First thing I did was go fly in the clearest VFR whether I could find.

Training can wear you out. It's good to be reminded why you did it in the first place.
 
Just fly a bunch of xc. Get about 50 hrs xc PIC in the book and then start your IFR.

Do the first 1 or 2 alone, and then take the family. If you ever took the wife along for a lesson she'll probably be more at ease jumping in... but go out and enjoy.

My personal opinion is that TW and Complex endorsements are great, if you're going to use them. But right now... more time/confidence is the best strategy and those hours towards your next certificate are not a waste.
 
What did I do after I got my PPC? Well I flew a T41 (C172) from NJ to AL, all using a chart and pilotage, stayed a week or two, and then back the same way. Only got lost once too! This was in '75 so didn't have GPS, just pilotage, dead reckoning, and VORs, which I wasn't very competent (now I know I wasn't trained very well back then) at using so I didn't use VORs on the trip except when I got lost and FSS helped me out.

Anyway, just go fly and enjoy flying for awhile. You worked hard to get your certificate so use it.
 
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Grab loved ones and go places! Also do solo trips, don't be afraid to do that.
 
I agree with going on a solo cross country or two to a place you've never flown before and get flight following. you will learn a lot (and continue to learn) but more importantly you will gain confidence for when you have family on board.

now go fly somewhere! find someplace with food on the field. it'll be your reward for that flight!
 
Congrats! Where do you plan on getting your tail-wheel endorsement? For me the only tail-wheel planes anywhere nearby are privately owned.
 
My first flight post ticket was by myself to just feel comfortable. Then, my second was with my wife. She was very patient with me during the process. Learning to fly takes time away from your family and money out of your pocket, so reward the ones that supported you through the process.

As already mentioned, PnP is a great reason to fly. It gives you a lot more than just flying experience. You get flight planning experience and the logistics of a XC flight. Plus its for a good cause. I've heard you can write it off on taxes too if both sender and receiver are 501c3 organizations but I'm not certain.

Is there a landmark you'd like to see from the air? A mountain range, gorge, river, or place from the past worth visiting?
 
jbrinker said:
OK, I passed that check ride last week. Awesome! I burned up so much comp time and favors at work to get there though that I had to work the rest of last week. Great flying weather in the NE, but I was sitting at work.

Now I have some time again, and have a lesson, er, i mean rental scheduled for this afternoon. I wanted to take someone (wife, son) for a ride. But that won't work out until at least next week. I want to stay in practice, so I plan to just go "do the usual" today and make some landings at KFZY, and maybe pop over to Weedsport for a few.

I think however that I'm experiencing what I've read a lot of new pilots talk about. The "what do I do now" syndrome. I've spent so many hours working on this, studying for this, and so on that I hardly know what to DO with it now.

I'm actually almost a bit apprehensive to just go for an hour or two solo trip. I've been so focused on training that when I think about flying just to fly, it feels somehow... wrong?

I mean, to be clear, I know the PPL is a "license to learn" and I have PLENTY left to learn and practice. So a day (today) spent doing pattern work and some navigation is not a bad thing at all. I just wonder, where do I go from here? I had these visions of trips to the Aidirondacks for a weekend, or even just sight-seeing across the fingerlakes. I guess I am both apprehensive about being THE pilot (i.e. taking a non-pilot passenger) and about making good decisions etc. as far as travel and weather for any short trip/overnight.

Additionally, I think about joining one of the flying clubs to get better access to better/more planes. And I plan to start work on tailwheel/complex asap.

How did any of you other new pilots deal with the "crash" after passing the checkride?
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Take some friends/family for rides. Take a short XC somewhere for ice cream with the family to break them in.
What to not do: Don't demonstrate your stalls, steep turns and engine outs for them!

Getting a friend interested in going with you is a great motivator. (this might be harder than you think)
 
Congrats. Agree with most of the posters, go on some cross countries (solo at first to get to the point where solo XC's to new destinations are no big deal), then start taking the people you want to fly with.

Make it about the destination, not the flight, and you can't go wrong!
 
First of all... Congratulations on your achievement...:cheers: Now what to do next.... Huummm... How about fly...:yikes: I agree with all the items suggested. Most of the training took place in a very confined space until the long XC. Expand your range of the circle.... Draw a circle of say 100 miles around your airport. See how many destinations fall within the circle and make a few trips to the ones that are of interest to you... After a while increase the circle to 150 or 200 miles... The idea is to use the new skills but don't just go to the practice area to do the same one hour over and over again.
 
Thanks for all the great ideas (and for the congratulations)! I had the hour scheduled today - had hoped to take my 22 year old son for a ride, but he had to work. So I just flew up to the usual airport and decided to do some crosswind landings. Probably a good thing I didn't take him today, it was pretty bumpy, a first timer might have not had a good time. I did a few xwind landings (wind 220@8, on RWY 33). Then shifted over to runway 24 and practiced my short field technique. Was then going to fly to a new-to-me airport but I had burned up my hour and did not want to leave the instructor (who's plane it is) hanging.

Next time I think I will do what you guys are suggesting - pick someplace within about 100-150 miles and just go. Someplace with some food, or something to see very nearby. Any suggestions for upstate NY (keeping in mind, it's fall.. too bad fly-in breakfast season just ended)

Today helped me with the post-license jitters too. After a few minutes and a couple landings I was back in the "Im PIC" mode and not feeling unsure of myself. License to learn indeed. Lots to learn still.

@Matthew K : I plan on using the Joe Whitford Flying Club J-3 cub out at KFZY. I joined the club back in the summer, but have not had time to fly in it (and instructor wanted me to finish the PPL and get it done). Now the J-3 is down for annual, and no idea when it will be done. Thinking of joining the East Hill Flying Club down at Ithaca NY (KITH). They have a Citabria, and I can get checked out in their 152/172 fleet.
 
Wurtsboro is really pretty to fly into. Airports nearby to it may have some food options as well.
 
I remember my first flight by myself after training. It was after I did private, instrument, multi and single commercial and flight instructor ratings. I had done so much flying with an instructor or under an instructor, I did not know what to do.

So I found the smallest airport at about an hour flight to get to, and planned to go there. It felt so strange to not have to have an instructor go over my flight planning. I did the preflight, checked fuel at least twice, then I was wondering if I wanted to fly from the left seat or right seat. I decided on the left seat since it had been a while since I sat there. It felt as if I was forgetting something, it did not feel right, so I checked my planning, pilotage to my planned destination, called my destination again to make sure the self serve fuel was working, then got in the plane and started up.

I called ground, taxied to the runway and made a normal departure. I checked the heading and the first checkpoint. I did a ground speed check to the next checkpoint and everything seemed Ok. I hit my cruise altitude, leveled off and got the checklist. I watched the countryside go by, noticed that I was just above the haze layer and that the 3 engine gauges looked good. (oil pressure, oil temp and cylinder head temp)

I came to the last checkpoint before the airport and made my first traffic call. A really nice sounding lady called back with winds and no reported traffic. I thanked her and made my next call at 5 miles out. I continued making traffic pattern calls as I flew the pattern, made a decent landing and taxied up to the pumps. I put in the gas I wanted, then walked into the small FBO. I still had the feeling that something was not right.

The nice sounding lady was a lot older than me, but still attractive for her age. She looked at me, and smiled, then started laughing.

At that point I realized I forgot my pants......

But seriously, that first flight by myself without being under an instructors supervision felt really weird.
 
same boat as you OP. weather permitting i will take my first "unsupervised" flight this saturday. not really sure where i am going, not taking pax on the first flight, may be later in the day.. donno, might just stay in the practice area. think i will just sit there and enjoy the view.

something i am doing is making a list of airports within 200 NM area that have 2 crossing runways (my current personal minimums) that i want to travel with friends for food or whatever. i am also making a diff list of smaller airports that i want to go to push my minimums (without pax). will sign up for PnP soon
 
I have done a couple longer flights, and we have a breakfast club here in SC that meets every weekend or sometimes every other weekend at a different airport. I have been doing some evening flights and some night flights, which I really enjoy, and of course sightseeing with friends. Also I signed up for the Young Eagles program through EAA, to give kids rides for free. And I’ve been looking for grass strips to fly in to for a new experience.

I’ve got almost 40 hours after my checkride and I still feel pretty “new!”
 
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I was in your shoes until I found a friend who owns a plane with similar performance. He'd traveled around the country & Canada as a kid in his parents' camper, and we started to do the same in our airplanes. I've seen more of this country from the air in 16 years of flying than I did in the first 35. So try to find some people & pilots who share your passion and go places. <---- That slow 172 over there has taken me places I'll never forget & getting there was 1/2 the "adventure". That pic was last Fall coming out of Clinton, Mi where they have a honey festival and a great grass strip. A group of us camped, got pizza delivered and swapped stories around the campfire.

I hesitate to call it adventure, although to my wife's family you'd think I was a daredevil. I'm not; it's called living.
 
WannFly said:
same boat as you OP. weather permitting i will take my first "unsupervised" flight this saturday. not really sure where i am going, not taking pax on the first flight, may be later in the day.. donno, might just stay in the practice area. think i will just sit there and enjoy the view.

something i am doing is making a list of airports within 200 NM area that have 2 crossing runways (my current personal minimums) that i want to travel with friends for food or whatever. i am also making a diff list of smaller airports that i want to go to push my minimums (without pax). will sign up for PnP soon
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As far as not taking pax on the 'first flight', if you think about it, you're probably the best you'll be for a while, right after your check ride. Unless you go right into instrument training. All your check ride prep, all that studying, reviewing, etc... compared to guys post cert. who may have weeks or months of down time, and no 'ride' to study for. Having said that though, I probably did the same thing, haha. (took a solo first flight after, before my first pax).
 
exncsurfer said:
As far as not taking pax on the 'first flight', if you think about it, you're probably the best you'll be for a while, right after your check ride. Unless you go right into instrument training. All your check ride prep, all that studying, reviewing, etc... compared to guys post cert. who may have weeks or months of down time, and no 'ride' to study for. Having said that though, I probably did the same thing, haha. (took a solo first flight after, before my first pax).
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ha ha yeah, i am probably as ready as i will ever be right now. i will be getting a spin endorsement and then into IR sometime early next yr
 
Hello from a fellow upstater!

It's often tough to transition from learning how to use the airplane to learning how to use the airplane for fun. I got my license right after high school and the only flying I did in college was to finish my glider rating through a club at my school. I'd been in CAP as a kid, and probably the best thing I did as a pilot was to keep up with it as an adult. Working on the Emergency Services ratings got me a lot of time in the back and in the right seat of airplanes, so I was able to learn a lot from the other pilots. There are a handful of CAP squadrons around you, so you can check out if any are a good fit. http://hosted.where2getit.com/civil...+NY+&postalcode=&city=auburn&state=NY&search=

Flying clubs are another great way to keep you motivated and involved in flying. There are several in the Finger Lakes area: https://www.aopa.org/CAPComm/flyingclubs/flyingclubfinder/index.cfm#

I'm coming back from a hiatus now, but when I was at my most current, I would fly what I thought of as my workout routine once a month or so, and it kept my stick and rudder skills very sharp. Turns, steep turns (60 degrees, +/- 50 feet), stalls, turning stalls, spins when flying the Champ, and then several landings, at least one of them being a spot landing.

And then there's the normal fly out for lunch or breakfast, taking friends, wowing new girlfriends, looking for random airports, etc. Find every place with a musuem you can fly to nearby. The soaring museum in Elmira is pretty outstanding. Schenectady has a pretty cool collection of cold-war era planes, and on breakfast mornings they sometimes have the cockpits open.

Do you know upstatelist.org? They try to keep a running list of upcoming aviation events. Socialflight.com is pretty good too.

Best,
Eric
 
Ravioli said:
A what?!?
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he he ... yah I want to see the other side of stall. in fact might get into a citabria and do an intro to aerobatics as well, just to see the envelope.
 
AggieMike88 said:
PnP Flights.....

One of the best reasons to make use of the new PPL and gain experience flying outside of your local area. And it helps rack up the XC time needed for the IFR ticket
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+1 also Congrats!!!
 
Congrats! Nice to see another NYer!

Check out Greene (4N7). Grass strip, restaurant (Lippy's) right at the end of the runway. I thought this was cool.

Flights across the finger lakes are always nice. It's probably your stomping ground, but my family enjoys flights to Finger Lakes Regional (0G7).

Wellsboro-Johnston (N38) is near the Grand Canyon of PA. Pretty neat views.

Get checked out in a new plane. I just got access to a Mooney M20J (M201). Was really fun learning that, and really enjoy taking that around.

Buy a couple of GoPros (or the cheap knockoffs as I've done) and an audio cable. Make some videos, you'll learn a LOT. My landing really improved after watching some from a 3rd person perspective.
 
mscard88 said:
He wants a CFI to show him how, then he wants to fly one too, probably with the CFI onboard. Good move WannFly. No endorsement required though.
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Oh, I’m a firm believer in spin training. It’s an excellent investment in safety. I’m just curious why he wants the endorsement as it’s only needed if you are a CFI.
 
ripnet said:
Congrats! Nice to see another NYer!

Check out Greene (4N7). Grass strip, restaurant (Lippy's) right at the end of the runway. I thought this was cool.

Flights across the finger lakes are always nice. It's probably your stomping ground, but my family enjoys flights to Finger Lakes Regional (0G7).

Wellsboro-Johnston (N38) is near the Grand Canyon of PA. Pretty neat views.

Get checked out in a new plane. I just got access to a Mooney M20J (M201). Was really fun learning that, and really enjoy taking that around.

Buy a couple of GoPros (or the cheap knockoffs as I've done) and an audio cable. Make some videos, you'll learn a LOT. My landing really improved after watching some from a 3rd person perspective.
Click to expand...

You NYers need to check out Old Rhinebeck. WWI era aeroplanes, reenactments etc.

http://oldrhinebeck.org/

I went up for a ride in their Standard, very cool and fun.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Oh, I’m a firm believer in spin training. It’s an excellent investment in safety. I’m just curious why he wants the endorsement as it’s only needed if you are a CFI.
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C'mon 'Dog, he's fresh, maybe he thinks it's required or just wants it for his logbook and memories.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Oh, I’m a firm believer in spin training. It’s an excellent investment in safety. I’m just curious why he wants the endorsement as it’s only needed if you are a CFI.
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I am too. My school requires it even for a PPL. Excellent training!
 
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