NZFF

I've had to wait till I was back at work until posting this (grrr blimmin Telstra) but I thought I would share, briefly, my first step towards a PPL.

After two postponements due to rubbish weather earlier in the week I arrived at EuroFlight, Mt Maunganui just before 9am on a glorious cloud-free morning.

I went into a meeting room with Andrew, my instructor for the day, and we spent 30 mins going through the principles of flight and discussing what we were to achieve during our flight.

We went to the plane, ZK-TAA, a Cessna 152. Andrew explained the pre-flight check routine and we spent a while carrying out the procedure (mmmm the avgas smelt good .. lol). I brought along my camera, but only used it twice, so here's the first pic.

My steed for the morning




I hopped in the left seat and after checking the dials we started her up. Andrew suggested that I could steer the plane to the end of the grass rw25, whilst he did the throttle. I am used to rudder pedals but not toe brakes, and wore my thick soled shoes so didn't have any real feeling as to when I was making contact with the pedals, so I think Andrew did more steering than I did!

After Tower clearance we were up and headed to the Matakana Island sector at 2500' or below. There are two training areas, one over Matakana, the other down the coast over Papamoa.

The ascent appeared far steeper than I expected, even though the dials were indicating a leisurely climb. We were soon passing the beginning of Matakana Isl and up to 2500. Andrew said 'you have control' I repeated that 'I had control' and about then my heart felt as if it was hitting the dashboard.

We carried out a few turns, left and right (I was sure I was going to spiral earth-wards after my first turn, the lean seemed way more exagerrated than I imagined), then I experienced the effect of the rudder when flying straight (or more correctly, sideways), we went through the effect of attitude on airspeed (I found it interesting how slow you actually can go), and how the controls are heavier when you slow down.

I after about 20 minutes of this I was feeling more 'in control' and could maintain the turn and level flight. I realised up there that I tended to look too much at the controls and dials at first, a legacy of simming I guess, once I became relaxed flying based on what I could see out of the window I was smoother at the controls.

It was then time to head home. I was asked to turn around and head for the harbour entrance, descending to 1000'. We throttled off and the descent felt good. On flying along the coast alongside the airport Andrew took control and flew the appraoch to land on the grass. This is the only other shot I got, on approach.

On approach RW25 grass



I steered the plane and operated the throttle on the trip back towards the parking area , and was more confident on the pedals too.

I now have a log book, with .6 in it. B) Further flights (I have paid for 3) will happen after 15 January when I am on leave, and perhaps the weather will be more consistent then too.

Many thanks to Andrew Archie at Euroflight (19 years old ... been flying since 14, doing a job he loves, not many of us can say that).

Matt

Excellent report Matt- I'm so glad you have finally got to forfill your dream of flying

I tended to look too much at the controls and dials at first, a legacy of simming I guess

I know what you mean there, but in the air for real is so different to the sim- a great feeling init?

By the way, thanks for sharing those photographs! My first flight was in a C152 too, and I love to fly the JustFlight Flying Club model in fs2004 (free 30 day trial here)- it would look awesome with a NZ repaint (BIG hint).

P.S. Tauranga looks awfully brown! You must be getting a whole lot more sun over there than we are in Auckland

After that trip we have had some needed rainfall, so it's looking a bit greener now around here now. It's greener over Tauranga way than it is at the Mount or Papamoa, you can see the edge of the golf course at the bottom right of the second picture, that's green!

awsome Matt,

Was that your first time at the controls? Was it like an intro lesson to your training or was it a particluler lesson subject?

I really like your second photo, looks just like real nz tuaranga!

Jimmy wrote: awsome Matt,

Was that your first time at the controls? Was it like an intro lesson to your training or was it a particluler lesson subject?

I really like your second photo, looks just like real nz tuaranga!:P

Yes, it was my first time on controls, and my first real lesson

Tauranga Aero and the BOP Times used to run a scholarship every two years, whereby you paid $100 and got a trial flight, logbok and the opportunity to get further flights, with one lucky recipient getting training paid till solo. The catch was you had to not have had any prior training.

I was going to go for it two years ago but just couldn't spare $100 I waited again for this year's offer but it never happened as Tga Aero was taken under the wing of EuroFlight.

So, even though I have been in planes and sat in the right hand seat I have never sat in the left seat or taken the controls.

Looks great mat, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Taxiing gets way easier after a while, though I found the Tecnam infinitely more easy to taxi than the C172 that I started on. It sounds like you did a lot in one lesson, good on you.

My experience is that real life flying in GA is far different than simulated time. This is because of a few things:

• Surrounding traffic, because unlike FS, it represents a REAL danger, instead of just a crash sign coming up
• Real life ATC. ATC is more varied in real life than the sim (and different again from VATSIM/IVAO). ATC sometimes steer me to different landmarks (even during a VFR circuit), which never happens in FS/VATSIM/IVAO. Also IVAO/VATSIM traffic is nearly all airline traffic, which represents a different challenge to the VFR pilot than other VFR traffic.
• The feeling of flight. In FS you don't get any idea of the physical side of flying - the sore hands if you've been gripping the wheel too hard, sore arms after a big stall session etc.
• In FS, GA flight dynamics are very hard to recreate. For example in FS I can take a Piper Cherokee Six and fly it round an enlarged circuit no trouble. However a similar feat in real life would take hours of dedication. Flight dynamics in FS lose a lot of the detail of different aircraft - for example taildraggers and tricyles act just about the same in FS (esp. FS9, FSX seems a little better I think).
• Stick Pressure. A computer joystick cannot simulate the pressures on the stick that you feel in a real aeroplane. For example if in real life you're descending but you have the trim right back, you will find it the stick itself will flight back against your forward stick movement.

That's my two cents (sorry for hijacking your thread matt, just trying to reply to Trolly)

I arrived at EuroFlight

Good choice there! The current CFI Tim Holland was the guy that sent me solo, so I know you are in good hands! You'll love flying in real life!

Hi Matt

I will be following your PPL with interest as being domiciled in TGA and wanting to take the plunge sometime - although I would need to win Lotto if it is going to 2007 as have 4 mouths and a mortgage to feed. I may go the Euroflight route also but a Microlight licence at Proflight may satisfy my need to fly.

Cheers & good luck with the future lessons

Paul

ATC sometimes steer me to different landmarks (even during a VFR circuit), which never happens in FS/VATSIM/IVAO.

Well then, download heaths chc photoreal and next time you do some circuts at NZCH ill make it more realistic for ya lol

Sounds like you had a cracking first lesson! You will keep us updated with your progress, won't you?

You will have many fun and sometimes "interesting" (usually when your instructor says "what do you think will happen if I do this...") experiences, but the ultimate high is guaranteed to be when you do your first solo. Enjoy!

but the ultimate high is guaranteed to be when you do your first solo.

It truly is... the CFI looked at me a bit odd when I asked him how many circuits I got to do... 'Just the one' he says with a grin as he gets clearance from the tower and bails out at the holding point.

Massey 120 ready at yankee... Cleared for take off, Massey 120... Throttle Full... 55Kts... Rotate...

But the real buzz was looking out to the right and not having to look around/through an instructor... the view is much better IMHO

Sadly, I was reading in Vector a few weeks ago that some student pranged Mike Bravo Golf (my solo bird) back in 2003 while "practicing" forced landings...

Hey Matt congrats on the first lesson will be in NZTG from the 12th - 15th getting some fishing done and hopefully some flying.

I had an e-mail today that a light aircraft crashed into the water today near Omokoroa sole occupant made it safely to shore.

SQ350

Great report Matt, let me add my congrats on a successful first flight, and many more to come.