First Flying Experience

Flying, I've come to find, is challenging, but not impossible. Mark (the co-worker who got me hooked in the first place) referred me to a flight instructor at the Squadron Two Flying Club in San Jose. He then gave me a price listing of what it would take to get a pilot's certification flying a Cessna 152--the cheapest rental plane in the fleet. It wasn't bad, so after a two-hour phone call, we set up lessons. There would be an hour of ground instruction, and then I was to get into the plane and fly it. As simple as that.

I sneaked out of work at four and met my instructor at the flying club, in what used to be the old San Jose Airport. While The instructor explained the syllabus (wow, things go by fast------I do my first solo flight when?), a steady line of jets rumbled by the front window on their way to the runway. We covered pre-flight, including pre-flighting the pilot, then grabbed the keys and trotted out to the lot to meet "my" airplane, 714VT.

Despite its nickname, "Vicious Terrible," the small yellow-and-white plane looked un-intimidating enough. After a long, step-by-step pre-flight, we towed the plane out of its parking space, strapped in and started it up.

Here lay the first challenge: taxiing. Unlike a car, where you steer with your hands and control speed with your feet, in a plane you steer with your feet on the nose wheel/rudder pedals and control speed with your hand on the throttle. There are also brakes at the tips of the rudder pedals. This took some getting used to, and under my "control," the plane wobbled drunkenly all over the place. Also, with my hand on the throttle, I got the impression I was running a lawn mower with wings.

We finally got into position by the runway and did our final check on the engine, electrical systems and controls, and then it was our turn to take off. I managed to get Vicious Terrible off the ground by myself, and as we were climbing straight out, the radio went dead. Unconcerned, the instructor left me to fly the plane while he whacked at the radio--brave guy. He got it working somewhat, and we turned to the mountains over Palo Alto and began manoeuvres.

The first lesson consisted of very simple stuff: straight and level flight, making shallow turns, climbs and descents, and trimming the nose (there's a little wheel or crank you adjust to set up back pressure and make flying easier). The only thing that made flying difficult at this point was the setting sun, which was right in my eyes, and I'd forgotten my sunglasses. Oh, and I had to keep my hand on the throttle at all times, which was rough on my shoulder. This is, I was told, to establish a habit that will eventually protect me from a sadistic inspector during my check ride--with my hand there, the inspector can't "inadvertently" push in or yank out the throttle without my knowledge. That's encouraging.

Again, the radio futzed out and The instructor started whacking at it again, and decided to call it a day, but at least the radio worked enough for us to get landing clearance.

Landing... the syllabus didn't say anything about my landing the plane, and here I learned my first true lesson of the day: expect the unexpected. We turned over downtown San Jose and approached the airport, dropping altitude, and the instructor still doesn't have his hands and feet anywhere near the controls. The runway looms closer, and he still hasn't said, "My airplane," meaning I give over control. The ground is getting closer, and suddenly some bumpy air starts knocking the plane arou-aaaAAAAAAA! "Don't get ground-shy," The instructor says. Ground-shy? I don't wanna hit the ground! One more hard bounce, and The instructor takes over.

The lesson ends and I drag myself home at nine o' clock, giggling insanely. I flew the plane--that's so cool! The instructor hadn't touched the controls for nine tenths of the trip.

I Have Some Questions ...

How long does learning to fly take?

Learning to fly is not difficult, but it does require study and practice. Your aviation authority itemizes the things you must learn and the minimum hours of training and solo flight to earn a private pilot certificate. The minimum hours will vary from country to country but averages at about 45 hours. Few people complete their training in the minimum amount of time; most take 60 to 80 hours.

How long does a lesson last?

While most lessons are based on a one-hour flight, they may take two hours from start to finish because there's more to it than flying. There are pre- and post-flight discussions, in which you and your certificated flight instructor (CFI) talk about what you're going to do during your flight, how you performed, what you did well, what needs work, and what you'll do on your next lesson.

How safe is it?

General aviation (GA) is as safe as any other mode of travel, if not safer. You don't need a parachute because airplanes (and helicopters) do not fall from the sky, even if the engine stops. An aircraft without an engine, even if it's supposed to have one, is a glider and can be guided safely to the ground. If an engine quits, for example, the most common cause is the pilot ran out of gas. In other words, flying is as safe as the pilot makes it.

What kinds of licenses are there?

Pilots earn certificates, not licenses. Students work toward either a sport, recreational, or private pilot certificate. While the training for these is basically the same, the sport and recreational certificates are designed for fun flying close to home. In other words, sport and recreational pilots don't need or get the same training that private pilots must have for flying at night, on cross-country trips, or in more complex airspace.

Once you earn a private certificate, you can move up the ladder, if you so desire, to a commercial certificate, which enables you to fly for hire. A flight instructor certificate enables you to teach others to fly, and an airline transport pilot certificate is needed to captain an airliner. You can add a number of ratings to these certificates that let you fly airplanes in bad weather, seaplanes, gliders, helicopters, balloons, and airplanes with more than one engine.

Can I carry passengers?

Student pilots cannot carry passengers when flying solo. Friends or family may ride along on dual lessons (when the instructor is in the airplane); however, it's a good idea to discuss this with your instructor in advance. Recreational and sport pilots may carry only one passenger at a time; private pilots may carry as many passengers as the airplane will legally seat.

What about a medical exam?

In most cases, a student pilot certificate is also the medical certificate. This dual-purpose piece of paper is good for 24 months or less if your are over 40 years of age, and you get it from an aviation medical examiner, who is an aviation authority-approved doctor. Your instructor or flight school can connect you with one. You will need your student/medical certificate before you can fly an airplane solo (with out an instructor on board the aircraft), but it's often a good idea to get it before you start training.

What's ground school?

Flight training is divided into two parts: ground school and flight training. Ground school teaches you the principles, procedures, and regulations you will put into practice in an airplane — for example how to navigate from one airport to another. You have several ground school options, including a scheduled classroom course that may be offered at a flight school, weekend ground schools, or a home-study course.

When will I actually begin flying?

You'll be flying on your first lesson, with your flight instructor's (CFI's) help, of course. With each successive lesson, your CFI will be helping less and less, until you won't need any help at all. When you reach this point, you will make your first solo flight, an important milestone in every pilot's training, in which you will fly as the sole occupant of the airplane. After you solo, you and your CFI will work on such things as flying cross-country trips to other airports.