Planespotta

On Sunday, I'm going to take my first "real" flight! I'll be going in a C172 out of Hanscom Field (Bedford, MA) to initiate my journey to obtain my PPL.

It's pretty much a dream come true, and the first step down a long path for me.

Any suggestions for the first flight?

Roll Inverted and Pull

Yeah....take a barf bag with you. Enjoy your flight and don`t make up your mind about flying until you have had a dozen or more flights. The first few will feel a bit strange. I had a wonderful career...can`t imagine doing anything else...

CL65driver

Congrats, Planespotta!

Don't worry about the barf bag! But remember to push the throttle all the way in for takeoff... when I was a CFI, I'd always let a new guy takeoff, following closely on the yoke. Never failed- they'd get scared to push it past about 2000 RPM.


Remember to have a lot of fun, and follow Roll's advice about making a career decision. Your first few hours you'll be nothing but elbows and *********s, but it comes together after a while.

Heck, if they let ME fly- you should have no problem!

And don't forget to post back on here about your first hour!!

ToiletDuck

Take a sick bag and just have him fly around and let you play with the plane. Don't worry about landing or anything. You'll get to that soon enough.

Planespotta

Why the sick bags? I do a bit of flying for travel (& MSFS, too), so do you really think air sickness will be an issue?

I'm guessing it's something to do with being up front, but I'm not sure . . .

mcartier713

haha I wouldn't worry about the barf bag either.. they are just messing with ya. the bonus about being up front is normally you have less airsickness cause you're in control and you have a better view of the horizon.

the best suggestion i can give is just to enjoy it, you'll only have your first flight once... and yeah, i wouldn't make any decisions based on one flight.

have fun!

usmc-sgt

Your initials must be A.F. because I see you on our schedule.....

you will have a great time the weather is looking great for this weekend!

Planespotta

*A.H. (the "F" must have come from my mother's maiden name.)

Are you a CFI for Evecutive Flyers? If so, it would be pretty awesome if you were the instructor to take me on the flight

usmc-sgt

Thats right it is AH...I just read it wrong...I will not be your CFI for Sunday because I am already booked up, usually intro flights go to the more junior guys simply because their schedules havent filled up just yet with future aviators like you. I will be there though so you will probably run into me at some point

Planespotta

Well, I just finished my first flight, and all I can say is that I want MORE MORE MORE MORE!! lol, I had so much fun.

When I arrived at Hanscom, I went into the FBO's section of the terminal and met my instructor shortly thereafter. My instructor then sat me down and talked to me about our flight plans for the day, as well as the FBO's private pilot program, and then walked me out to our Cessna (N64EF.)

We went through the preflight check, hopped into the plane, strapped ourselves in, and followed some Gulfstreams to the active runway. Takeoff was a lot of fun (it was much better to see things from up front .

When we leveled off at 3,500, I was given complete control of the airplane. I did a series of turns to fly the headings my instructor gave me, and pretty much flew the Cessna up through our downwind leg. After that, my instructor took up the controls and brought us in for a smooth landing on rnwy. 29.

After we parked our Cessna, we went back inside the flight school to exchange contact information, fill out my first "real" logbook entry, and discuss future times for me to take lessons.

Finally, my instructor took my dad and me out on the tarmac one last time to check out the G1000-equipped Cessnas.

Me after the flight: