Flying lesson tips

gauloise

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Hi! I gave my husband somse flying lessons for Xmas as it's something he has always wanted to try. As he is feeling quite nervous I just thought I'd see whether anyone else has any experience/tips etc.. other than bumping up life insurance ;)
 
A good tip is to make sure he looks for a runway when landing and taking off. Using anything else could be dangerous. Sorry, it is Friday afternoon after all.

I did one lesson a long time ago and found the whole experience 'interesting'. I'm not sure whether I enjoyed it or endured it. I wasn't particularly scared of it because you don't hear very often about crashes involving total beginners, but when I was the only person with hands on the controls for a while and there was nothing but air beneath me I started thinking about how potentially risky it was.

Make sure to turn up early so you don't waste part of your expensive flight time working out where to go, getting the basic ground-based instruction, etc . . .

z
 
Thanks for that.. will pass on your tips ! Can you tell me which flight centre you used ? There seem to be so many different flight schools it's hard to know who to choose..in the end I went with the National Flight Centre as they seemed on the face of it to be the more professional but maybe they're all as good as each other?
 
I'm no expert but -
No harm in googling up a bit before doing the lesson. Read a bit about the basics - pitch, roll, yaw, and the main instruments (Artificial horizon, altitude, orientation, speed, climb rate, yaw indicator.).
It just means he can concentrate on enjoying the first flight and getting used to the feel of the controls without having to worry about the theory and instruments at the same time.
If he is interested in doing more flights after the first one, then there are standard text books available usually wherever the lessons are.
If he's really into it then could even get MS Flight Simulator, which is also very good for learning the theory and instrumentation. This can save you learning time (i.e.: money) if you want to go on to get a licence.
 
I can't remember which one. It was out in Weston, but I think there are a few there. I'm not sure a lot of research went into the choice at the time - possibly cost based, possibly availability. So, sorry, I can't recommend any since I can't even remember the name of the crowd I went with.

z
 
Thanks LexLuthor. I think he is interested in getting licence but will wait and see how he get's on with first few lessons. Should he decide to go ahead where could we get the MS Flight Simulator.. online? Have you used this software yourself?
 
gauloise said:
Hi! I gave my husband somse flying lessons for Xmas as it's something he has always wanted to try. As he is feeling quite nervous I just thought I'd see whether anyone else has any experience/tips etc.. other than bumping up life insurance ;)

You should be able to buy medicine that cause drowsiness in a good chemist :)
If that's not enough, i have found that the Imovane Zopicone sleeping tablet work quite well..
Hope he has a pleasant flight

sorry, it's not only Friday afternoon for zag.....
 
Yep I have MS Flight Sim (the one from 2004, I think - theres a new version each year). Its really good, very accurate. You can get it in most places that have PC games - Game, Smiths, HMV, etc. About 100 euro - as I say, worth it if you're in any way serious about the lessons. But remember its not a substitute(!) - just good for theory/instruments.
Also, you really need a good joystick to use with it. (MS do one themselves with yaw and throttle controls, force feedback etc.)
Learning to fly isn't cheap in ireland - if I decided to go the full hog and get the licence I would probably work it in with a trip to florida or somewhere which, again, would save a lot of money and time.
 
Are flight hours transferrable ? I ask as we are thinking of moving to Australia and he would like to continue with lessons (presuming he doesn't miss the runway or fall asleep at the contols !:) ) and wouldn't want to repeat all again. Are licences issued subject to the same criteria worldwide ie 48hours flight time as in Ireland? Thanks for info re MS Simulator..will seriously look into that
 
I would be very careful here. Do you not think given your husband's lack of flying experience, that Australia would be a bit far to go without building some decent hours in the air.
 
Not sure exacly how transferable flying time is - you would need to ask one of the instructors. I think there are different rules for different countries. It might mean, say, resitting a test to transfer licence from one place to another but the main experience would be recognised. (still cheaper that doing it all here)
 
Just to say that, last weekend, PC World in Liffey Valley had MS Flight Sim 2004 for €29.99. Worth checking if they still have it as this is a great price...
 
tranference of hours wil depend on the red tape of the relevent flying authority .low hours should not be a problem now . latter on in your training might be you may have to repeat things like stalls,spins,forced landings , cross crountry flights , ground school exams.suggest you contact iaa and get from them the address of the australian flying authority. also check the medical requirements
 
Many thanks for all your tips and information. First flight is for feb 19th so we'll see how we get on!
 
Most flying schools in Ireland comply with the JAA (Joint Air Authorities) rules, these regulate flying instruction and licencing in Eurpoe since 2000 - more info at www.jar.nl. It is more than likely that the hours accumulated here should count towards a licence in australia - check it out with the Australian Civil Authroity, CASA - they regulate flying in Oz. The licence you will qualify for firstly is the Joint Air Regulations - Private Pilots Licence Class A, the JAR-PPL (A) and should be transferrable in Australia - check it out. Make sure all flying hours are logged and signed by the instructor and you have the log book, in order that proof of flying time can be demostrated in Oz.

Best of luck with the flight - I logged 15 hours many moons ago, and took a refresher flight last year - I'd love to get back into it once funds permit, although flying in Oz is much cheaper than here. It's the business and you shold even pop along for the ride- it's a great experience being in a small plane, not as daunting as you might think.
 
Many thanks for that quinno. Will make sure he logs everything and hopefully I 'll go along for a spin once he finds his wings so to speak!
 
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