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Passed my check ride !!!!!!!!

fcordrey

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 3, 2008
506
1
45
Aulander, N.C.
I've been working on getting my PPL for the last 11 months as my work schedule and weather allowed. I finally made it ! Took the check ride this morning and passed. Haven't stopped smiling yet! I'd like to get instrument and taildragger next. Might take a while with my work schedule though.....
 
Welcome to an incredibly fun but expensive hobby! Postpone the instrument, get your seaplane rating first. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on. I don't know why, but it really is that much more fun than wheels.
 
So you have a chance to fly A. a Cub, and B. a Cub on floats? Dude, you will signing over your paychecks to them after your first time in the air, it's THAT addicting. Course with rivers it's different as you can't be as picky about your approach, but a big plus for floats with me is no crosswind landings! haha

An instrument rating, while it can be handy, can really suck the fun out of flying while you're doing it. It's also a very perishable skill. The faster you can finish the course, the better.

But, I'm rambling away from the original topic. Congrats! Keep up with it, it only gets more fun!
 
Congrats! I learned to fly in a tail wheel. Floats sound like fun, and would like to have instrument. Prolly never happen. Lightman
 
Welcome to an incredibly fun but expensive hobby! Postpone the instrument, get your seaplane rating first. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on. I don't know why, but it really is that much more fun than wheels.


This.

Cub on floats.

3 speeds (60- climb, 70- cruise, 50- approach)

airspeed, oil temp and pressure, altimeter, wet compass, turn and slip indicator, that's pretty much it.

Fly around with the window open, 400' agl.

Got my SES/MES at Jack Brown's.

Stress free flying.
 
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Nice work. If you are mechanical, and know an A&P to work with/under, there are a lot of ignored airplanes at airports right now. Find the guy who will buy the parts, and you donate labor in exchange for free time. The hobby is WAY cheaper if you only buy fuel. I flew a LOT in a Tri-Pacer during college this way.
 
This.

Cub on floats.

3 speeds (60- climb, 70- cruise, 50- approach)

airspeed, oil temp and pressure, altimeter, wet compass, turn and slip indicator, that's pretty much it.

Fly around with the window open, 400' agl.

Got my SES/MES at Jack Brown's.

Stress free flying.
I love the look on peoples faces when you take them for rides in a Cub or a Champ. They look inside and give you the "...is that all there is?" look. My father told me once, "You want me to fly 85mph in a contraption made of cloth, built before I was born, with less gauges than my car? You must be out of your damn mind."
 
I learned to fly in a Champ, and later on, owned one. Kinda like riding around in a jeep with the doors off! Lightman
 
Yeah Phil, just like that! The little girl is a cutie, someone you know or just a fun video that you found? Lightman
 
Yes! Perfect time of day, cooling off, nice and smooth... Pop was light on the stick, too.

I always liked night flights that began at dusk and you got to enjoy the transition into darkness.

Stress free flying, you'll have plenty of time for the "dials" when you do your instrument rating.
 
My favorite airplane to fly when I was CFI'ing was an old 172N...windows open in the summer and it flew/landed just so sweetly...
 
I learned in a Bell 206 Longranger.
Then a Bell 407. I struggled like hell to move
into airplanes at first. I had to reall focus on the airspeed on approach
to avoid stalling. I always felt like a lawn dart in the Cessna 182.
Eventually that passed but it took a while.
Congratulations, it's an achievement you
should be proud of.
 
Yeah Phil, just like that! The little girl is a cutie, someone you know or just a fun video that you found? Lightman

When i was her age my Dad owned a champ. I have different recollections of small fabric covered aircraft. First off there was always the smell of avgas in the summer. The day was never smooth it was always bumpy. I remember flying in the winter in Sask. with a catalytic heater between my legs in the back seat freezing my ass off as he had skis.

On the other had there is NOTHING like a tandem seat aircraft like a cub, champ, etc. as when the plane is banked to either side you have the same excellent view of the ground. He also had a C-170 which obviously had a real heater. But the Champ was always a Champ in my mind.

Flying across the countryside at 500'-1000' on a nice day with no destination in mind is what flying is about. Checking out sloughs for ducks and finding good hunting spots off the beaten track.

I started flying in a C-150 to Cherokee 140 and then finished in a C-182 all in the course of five months and 40 hours. I bought the C-182 after 20 hours.
 
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Just a little update...... I was at the Suffolk Festival of Flight today and got to fly a AT-6 Texan !!!!! It was freaking awesome! I didn't take off or land but did fly it some. I did some turns, climbs, and straight & level stuff. We also did a couple loops and some wingovers (another first for me) We did about 30 min today .......very cool experience.
 
Way to go! Congratulations! As was said before: don't be in too much of a hurry for IFR, unless you do it all the time it is an extremely perishable skill and will make your life hell trying to stay current.

Learn to hover!

Rotary-wing pilot's definition of a fixed-wing pilot: Someone who once professed an interest in learning to fly but never really followed up on it ;)
 
Congrats! And welcome to the club.

My first solo, like my first Pitts landing, sticks better in my mind, but passing your first flight test it is an awesome achievement and you have my respect for doing it.

Remember: A C172 is just a small Cessna Caravan with a bit less room and the same amount of power. LOL!
 
Congratulations! Last time I flew(c-182) the wet price was $89/hr. When the GI Bill(90% of the cost) ran out the gas ran out with it.