So, student pilots.. Who are we and where do we stand?

95% on the instrument written last Sunday.

Flying almost every day this coming week, then the checkride.
 
Another thread prompted me to check how close I was to a commercial rating if I desired to do that. I use myflightbook to backup my flights and there's a training function that will compare your flings to a set of requirements. Then it occurred to me that coming up next week is the first year anniversary of my PPL.

Seems like it's been longer than that because I'm now somewhat obsessed with aviation. I was able to complete my Instrument rating this summer and somehow have accumulated over 200 hours of total flight time. Not sure how normal this is for a pilot with no aspirations to fly commercially. Maybe I'm over compensating since I'm 40 and missed a good 20 years of capable flying time. Whatever it is I'm having a fantastic time doing it!

Oh on top of this, I'm now 2 months into a multi-year project of building a Vans RV-10 in my garage. Airplanes are fun!
 
In IN/IL going for my private and then hopfully all the way to CFI. Had my first logged flight on Saturday.
 
Long time lurker, finally started training a few weeks ago. A lot of great posts on this board... look forward to sharing my experiences.
 
Last edited:
I started a separate thread on who I am and some "progress". Here's the gist of it:

  • Discovery flight
  • Medical third class
  • TSA alien flight school program application (I'm a legal permanent resident)
  • My own headset
  • Some reading
done.
 
Also a longtime lurker, but as of yesterday, a newly minted private pilot! This board has been a great help along the way, thank you.
 
Last edited:
All of you new and near pilots need to jump in and contribute to the board. We need your input. Congratulations and good job to you all.
 
Flew around the pattern for an hour today with a Boeing C-32(I think) which was doing (larger)pattern work, among other regional jet traffic, was pretty busy, fun. Got to do 360's for spacing 3 times. I am sneaking up on a first solo.

The 757 was going by 'venus' call sign. Looked like this:

300px-USAF_C-32A.jpg
 
PPL with instrument. Working on commercial
 
1st solo today, woo hoo!

91 landings in the book when he got out.

Towered airport, did 4 laps around the pattern. The traffic meshed nicely, didn't have to extend or 360. You definitely notice the weight difference. I was almost to pattern altitude before runway end. Did stop/touch and go's as the runway is very long. Decent landings, had one one bouncer, others good. 2nd one I cut base short and ended up a tad high / long, landed just past the PAPI markers.

Fun day.
 
Last edited:
Medical complete in October. Just passed my written. Got a 92% but was curious on the review because I answered two questions exactly as they were on my practice tests when I got them correct. In any event, still happy with a 92%. Now just waiting for good VFR days to build some hours and learn the ropes. Having a ball!!
 
Commercial instrument rotoray wing pilot (from the military - I've never worked as a commerical helicopter pilot in the civilian sector) but working on my fixed wing PPL. I'm 2.4 hours into it. Flying almost every weekday for the next two weeks in a Cessna 172SP. Lots of fun.
 
Started in late August, have 3 flights under my belt and a few ground lessons. Its hard for me to schedule with my instructor due me getting my schedule on Saturdays.
 
EJWall said:
Started in late August, have 3 flights under my belt and a few ground lessons. Its hard for me to schedule with my instructor due me getting my schedule on Saturdays.
Click to expand...

Stick with it.....my training has been dragging along too with life getting in the way but after each lesson I know I'm a little bit closer to getting my license so I keep plugging away. If there is a upside to a situation like this there is a LOT of small chunks of time available to study, study, study.
 
mulligan said:
Medical complete in October. Just passed my written. Got a 92% but was curious on the review because I answered two questions exactly as they were on my practice tests when I got them correct. In any event, still happy with a 92%. Now just waiting for good VFR days to build some hours and learn the ropes. Having a ball!!
Click to expand...

Did you happen to write down these two questions and what they claim the right answer is?

I still have this to look forward to. :)
 
2nd solo today, different plane. Did an hour in the pattern, got 8 landings, 360's for spacing. I could probably count a couple of those landings twice. :wink2:
 
jimbilly said:
Did you happen to write down these two questions and what they claim the right answer is?



I still have this to look forward to. :)
Click to expand...


Jim Billy - I did not write down the answers I got wrong but do recall one was airport diagram where A could be used for taxi and takeoff but not landing and e was for overrun.

The other was cloud ceiling def

The 3 other questions I missed were where the questions were the same but the answered were different. Basically the same but the key words I used to remember the correct answer were missing and it was a 50/50 shot based in answers available and my understanding of the question.
 
First post here.

I'm a student pilot with 10.6 hrs (but who's counting?). Just passed my medical today. Been dreaming about flying since I moved to Pensacola, FL at 12 and went to my first Blue Angels air show. I was immediately hooked. My high school was right by their main base, so I got to watch them practice all the time. Needless to say, my grades weren't high, but my dreams certainly were.

Mid-thirties now with two kids and living in Massachusetts. After several back-to-back years of life being absolutely terrible and a scary near death hospital experience (doctor did the wrong procedure... I bled out, stopped breathing... good times), I decided enough was enough and I was going to stop dreaming and start flying, d@mnit. I told my husband I wanted an intro flight for my birthday a couple of years back, but, being 100% against me flying, he refused. Fast-forward to this summer. I came into a little money. Not much, but enough to pay off my debts and finally climb my way into the cockpit. I was hooked with the first takeoff!

Now that I've passed my medical, I can finally start dreaming about my first solo. Sadly, I don't have anyone to gush to about my passion for aviation and my thrills during training (husband still not on-board), so I've turned to the internet. You guys. My like-minded junkies!

So, hi :)
 
Last edited:
Good for you!!!!! The feeling is unbelievable, and if your hubby doesn't come around, oh well, his loss. In time I bet he will be hooked too:yes:
 
Cajun, welcome to POA. It is a great resource when the only pilot you know (now) is your CFI. I'm in the same boat there. So share away, we all like hearing student updates. (Well, I Do). Good luck, have fun with it.
 
Day 1 of my multi add on complete. It was a long day doing maneuvers, engine out, engine shutdowns, approaches, landings, Vmc demos. Back at the hotel studying now. We did two flights today and I'll have 2 more tomorrow and third one will be the check ride.
 
jordane93 said:
Day 1 of my multi add on complete. It was a long day doing maneuvers, engine out, engine shutdowns, approaches, landings, Vmc demos. Back at the hotel studying now. We did two flights today and I'll have 2 more tomorrow and third one will be the check ride.
Click to expand...

Who are you doing the ride with ? If it's Kevin make sure you take your OEI approach all the way down to DH/MDA. He didn't like how I tried to put a 50 foot buffer above the altitude. I am pretty sure he was just holding me to near perfection since everything else went great. Bob is the guy to have I hear. Kevin was great though.
 
NJP_MAN said:
Who are you doing the ride with ? If it's Kevin make sure you take your OEI approach all the way down to DH/MDA. He didn't like how I tried to put a 50 foot buffer above the altitude. I am pretty sure he was just holding me to near perfection since everything else went great. Bob is the guy to have I hear. Kevin was great though.
Click to expand...
Tom didn't say but we've been practicing the approach with a 50 foot buffer so I guess it will be with Bob?
 
jordane93 said:
Tom didn't say but we've been practicing the approach with a 50 foot buffer so I guess it will be with Bob?
Click to expand...

Haha. I practiced it that way too. Kevin might want to see you take it right down to mins but don't go below.
 
I guess the examiner thought I could handle two engines and he handed me my commercial multi temporary cert today.
 
Recently retired corporate pilot. I'm still learning how not to do stupid things in airplanes. The funny thing about aviation is that the more you know and understand, the more you realize just how little you really know and understand. I guess that really means that I'm still just a student pilot with emeritus status.
 
Nice work, Cajun! I'm also a Louisianan living up north (NYC). Congrats on getting started, I had the same "if I don't do it now I never will" moment (without the hospital stay, though, yeesh!) and I'm SO happy I did. Tell your husband to eat your avgas exhaust!
 
Just picked up my PPL two weeks ago! Checked out in the warrior yesterday and am getting the Instrument training underway!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
onezuludelta said:
Nice work, Cajun! I'm also a Louisianan living up north (NYC). Congrats on getting started, I had the same "if I don't do it now I never will" moment (without the hospital stay, though, yeesh!) and I'm SO happy I did. Tell your husband to eat your avgas exhaust!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome, Zulu (and others)!

I'm really bummed today. My last two lessons involved ~1.5 hours of touch-and-gos each. I was really starting to get a handle on the landings and flying in pattern. I had a four hour lesson slotted for last Wednesday. We were going to start with some TGs at our airport then fly to another airport, have lunch, do some TGs there and fly back. It was going to be my first trip to another airport and my first "fly to lunch" experience. I was so excited! Then... weather :mad:

Unfortunately my CFI was booked the remainder of that week and all through this upcoming Friday. I have a flight booked for Friday, but the forecast is looking bad again. I was making such good progress - even thought I might be getting a solo soon. Feeling frustrated and discouraged.

Snow season is just around the corner and I really want to get as much in as I can beforehand. Any insight regarding winter flying? My CFI said a couple of his students won't fly in the winter, just wondering why? What concerns should I have?
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Thanks for the welcome, Zulu (and others)!

I'm really bummed today. My last two lessons involved ~1.5 hours of touch-and-gos each. I was really starting to get a handle on the landings and flying in pattern. I had a four hour lesson slotted for last Wednesday. We were going to start with some TGs at our airport then fly to another airport, have lunch, do some TGs there and fly back. It was going to be my first trip to another airport and my first "fly to lunch" experience. I was so excited! Then... weather :mad:

Unfortunately my CFI was booked the remainder of that week and all through this upcoming Friday. I have a flight booked for Friday, but the forecast is looking bad again. I was making such good progress - even thought I might be getting a solo soon. Feeling frustrated and discouraged.

Snow season is just around the corner and I really want to get as much in as I can beforehand. Any insight regarding winter flying? My CFI said a couple of his students won't fly in the winter, just wondering why? What concerns should I have?
Click to expand...


If the CFI will go(and you trust him/her), I would go. If you ever plan to fly in the winter, I would think you would want to train in the winter. You will learn what conditions to look out for and learn to make better go no-go decisions.

2 cents from a fellow student pilot. :)
 
Last edited:
Did my discovery flight last week and taking my 2nd lesson Friday 11-20-15. The journey is finally getting legs after a 40 year hiatus.

My grandpa used to take me flying. Probably 10 times between the ages of 8 & 10 yrs old. He died when I was 10 (1975) and I haven't been in a small plane again til last week for my discovery flight. I've always felt cheated (in life) because he was taken away from us way too early (he was 55). I was the only grandchild (of 4) interested in flying. He designed, built, raced (built his own race engines), repaired, and crop dusted some. He was an awesome aerobatic pilot.

He once took me when he was scouting a field he was going to spray the next week. I think it was this plane (Tailwind below) but I'm not certain. We were circling the field at an 80-90 degree bank. I was sitting next to him (directly above him) hanging from the seat belt. :eek:
Whitman Tailwind that he built:
 
Last edited:
3.5 hrs til my 2nd lesson (1st one after my discovery flight). Got my 2016 FAR AIM, pilot log book, Charlotte NC sectional chart, rotating plotter, and E6-B8 flight computer.

I need a cool bag for all this stuff so I'll look like a pilot. :yes:
 
2Airtime2 said:
3.5 hrs til my 2nd lesson (1st one after my discovery flight). Got my 2016 FAR AIM, pilot log book, Charlotte NC sectional chart, rotating plotter, and E6-B8 flight computer.

I need a cool bag for all this stuff so I'll look like a pilot. :yes:
Click to expand...

Have fun!! I'm actually about to go up as well after a two week lag due to bad weather.

My "cool bag" is an old bookbag... it works :)
 
Another hour in the pattern for me today, got some gusty landing practice in. First time going solo without an instructor warm up, all me start up to shut down. Had fun.
 
Got my first IMC yesterday. A full hour (1.4 on the Hobbs). Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't any different than hood time. I stared at the instruments and flew the airplane. Airplane flew the same as under the hood. *shrug*
Calling out "200 to go, 100 to go, runway in sight, landing" was fun. Runway was exactly where I left it, as they say. :)

Need my X/C and maybe another lesson or two. Hoping to get to checkride before end of year.
 
Got 1100TT and about 10 hours of multi. Hope to be interviewing at a regional in a few months!
 
Did my third Dual Cross Country on Sunday. Instructor said next one will be solo. I have to do my hood work for the next lesson and then 2 solo cross countries (Over the ocean) and then I should be a couple more hours til checkride.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top