First Flight Today!

[cignaguy]

Hey everyone- Had my first flight today (introductory flight) and it was pretty fun. It was definitely overwhelming! I told my instructor, "wow, I can't imagine flying that thing by myself." He said that it all comes with time and practice and that I would learn quickly. Still, was fun and stressful at the same time! Did other people have these same feelings after their first flight? I fly again on Saturday and am excited and nervous about it. I just need to try and relaaaaax. Anywho, just wanted to share!

[FlyWhiteSox]

It's really a great feeling isn't it?

Just do your homework and listen to your instructor and you will be amazed how quickly you get the hang of it.

Good luck!

[TechFlyer]

I felt pretty overwhelmed after my first flight. But it's really not that bad. Just stick with it and don't get discouraged. I'd recommend that, if possible, you fly several days a week. It's a lot easier to remember things that way. Good luck!

[cignaguy]

Originally Posted by TechFlyer

I felt pretty overwhelmed after my first flight. But it's really not that bad. Just stick with it and don't get discouraged. I'd recommend that, if possible, you fly several days a week. It's a lot easier to remember things that way. Good luck!

Yeah, I plan on trying to fly as much as possible while I am still at my current job. The plan is to quit my current job in a couple of months and fly full-time. Thanks for the advice! It was definitely overwhelming and I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time (stressful!).

[murl]

Yeah when I first started I kind of had the "I'm never going to get this feeling," but it all comes with a little practice.

[DAnbert]

That is great man. I remember mine, like it was a month and a half ago.

[dc3flyer]

Congrats on getting in the air!!

Everything you saw was brand new, it will get easier with each lesson and before long you will be begging your instructor to get out and let you solo!

[surreal1221]

It's an amazing feeling. . . keep it up! And most of all, enjoy it, and stay within the moment. Don't think too far down the road, no reason to in this industry.

[TXAV8R]

If you think that was overwhelming wait till you solo! Even better wait till you pass your check ride! You will feel like you did when you were 16 and just got your drivers license!! Keep it up and stay focused, you'll do great!

[Toria]

Welcome to the 3-D universe! I also am very new to flying and still have a little bit of butterflies at the start every take-off roll......I hope that never leaves me. Congratulations and enjoy every flight! It is amazing at how quickly things can be learned. Soon you will doing your cross country and on your way on your own.

[cignaguy]

Had my 2nd flight today (first real flight lesson, last one was intro flight even though I had the controls quite a bit). We worked on clearning turns, 360's, straight and level, and slow flight. It was quite interesting still. I still feel like I have no clue what I am doing, but my instructor claims that I am doing great and already improving. I don't see it, but hopefully he isn't just blowing smoke!! I think I am still at the "no clue how I will ever learn all of this" point. It was fun, but I'll have to say I was quite tired afterwards.

[TechFlyer]

Originally Posted by cignaguy

Had my 2nd flight today (first real flight lesson, last one was intro flight even though I had the controls quite a bit). We worked on clearning turns, 360's, straight and level, and slow flight. It was quite interesting still. I still feel like I have no clue what I am doing, but my instructor claims that I am doing great and already improving. I don't see it, but hopefully he isn't just blowing smoke!! I think I am still at the "no clue how I will ever learn all of this" point. It was fun, but I'll have to say I was quite tired afterwards.

Haha, mentally exhausting is how I remember it. Keep it up though, you'll work through it!

[jawright]

You just gotta fly ice cold. By the book. No mistakes.

[cignaguy]

Had two more flights this weekend! I am starting to feel a little bit better with some things, but the overwhelming feeling is still there. Instructor says I am on par with a few things and ahead of the game with quite a bit. This weekend we worked on slips, flying the pattern, go-arounds, and some more slow flight. I'll have to say that slips felt very weird and unnatural! I guess that is why they call them uncoordinated. I am pretty comfortable with preflight, runup, and taking off, and using trim (although I have to learn to keep the nose down!). I am also getting more comfortable with adjusting power levels in flight to perform specific maneuvers. I still need to get use to decents....I always feel like if I am descending, that I am heading straight for the ground, weird feeling.

I started feeling a little sick a couple of times, but I think it was because I tried correcting for a loss in altitude too quickly and the G-forces got to me a bit. I also have to do some work on keeping my eyes outside of the plane instead of staring at the instruments.

Anyhoo, more to come. I will only be able to fly once this weekend, as I will be going to Vegas Weds-Saturday.

[dc3flyer]

Keep up the good work, and flying as much as you can. These first 10 or so hours are the most important to not have many long times between flights.

Glad to hear you are feeling better about some things. Just remember, when you get good at one thing, something else will come along that you think you will never be able to do. Just keep working and before long it is second nature!!

[Triumph_in_the_skies]

Congrats. i wish i could, i m not sure if my parents are going to let me. When i told them i might want to go to college to study aviation, they laughed at me and told me how it was a stupid idea... But nevertheless, i ignore their comments and went on taking steps to get me there. I think it would be great to fly. Have fun next saturday

[Gryphon]

Originally Posted by cignaguy

Had two more flights this weekend! I am starting to feel a little bit better with some things, but the overwhelming feeling is still there. Instructor says I am on par with a few things and ahead of the game with quite a bit. This weekend we worked on slips, flying the pattern, go-arounds, and some more slow flight. I'll have to say that slips felt very weird and unnatural! I guess that is why they call them uncoordinated. I am pretty comfortable with preflight, runup, and taking off, and using trim (although I have to learn to keep the nose down!). I am also getting more comfortable with adjusting power levels in flight to perform specific maneuvers. I still need to get use to decents....I always feel like if I am descending, that I am heading straight for the ground, weird feeling.

I started feeling a little sick a couple of times, but I think it was because I tried correcting for a loss in altitude too quickly and the G-forces got to me a bit. I also have to do some work on keeping my eyes outside of the plane instead of staring at the instruments.

Anyhoo, more to come. I will only be able to fly once this weekend, as I will be going to Vegas Weds-Saturday.

Try not to eat anything greasy, and drink water before you fly, it will reduce the effects... had the same problem when i first started, and had to cut one lesson short because i got too nauseous to fly.. no more hot dogs and coke before flying for me ! If you're hungry, eat something light, and not a large portion.

[cignaguy]

Originally Posted by Gryphon

Try not to eat anything greasy, and drink water before you fly, it will reduce the effects... had the same problem when i first started, and had to cut one lesson short because i got too nauseous to fly.. no more hot dogs and coke before flying for me ! If you're hungry, eat something light, and not a large portion.

What do you mean?? All i had was fried chicken, fried okra, potatos and gravy, with extra large coke?? Hehe, kidding. Appreciate the advice and I will definitely abide by those rules. Air sickness is no fun!

[thestaton]

The worst thing I can recommend you eat and it "almost" got me. Yogurt. I was on a 3 hour arial refueling track behind a kc10 and all I could do was lay down with cold air on my face for about an hour.

good luck with the training, I can't wait to start

[cignaguy]

Well, had the 4th flight on Sunday. Things went pretty good. We did power on and power off stalls. I also landed for the first time. While it wasn't pretty, it was a lot of fun!

I am flying this Saturday and Sunday, and from what I can tell based on the DVD's, we will be doing ground reference manauvers. I've heard these are quite fun. I think I actually did some of this on my 2nd flight....rectangular flight and some side slips. It was extremely windy that day!

That's all for now....

[Mr.Maximus]

Congratulations!!! Keep working at it and you'll be surprised by how it will all come together. At some point things will just start to make sense, especially if you've been studying and are sound with the basics. I still fondly remember to this day my first flight. 0.8 hours in a piper cherokee 140, now I'm a Captain flying 121 with over 2500 hrs. Always remember the basics - and you can NEVER learn to much.

Best of luck - enjoy!!!

[cignaguy]

Hey everyone-

Completed flight 5 yesterday and 6 today. All and all, good flights. Today's flight was much better than yesterday's though. We did some more slow flight, 4 touch and go's, ground reference maneuvers, and I flew under the hood for about 10 minutes. My landings were pretty hard, but instructor said that is normal for now. I just have a hard time judging how far from the ground I really am, so I flare early and try to set it down a bit early. I need to work on the flaring and sit it down lightly on the main wheels, then I will feeel better. It'll come with time I suppose.

[Flyboy 4]

Hey I am a newbie too, sounds like we are about the same place in our training. My first flights sound similar, including some motion sickness. Light meals and some but not a lot of water seems to help. I think each trip my tolerance is improving except for the windy days. If you find something that really helps you - let me know and vise-verse.
Good Luck to you.

[falconvalley]

I remember those first few flights...lost of new things. I've had many a hard landings!

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by Toria

Welcome to the 3-D universe! I also am very new to flying and still have a little bit of butterflies at the start every take-off roll......I hope that never leaves me.

I've had that feeling about 2000ish times!