View Full Version : Had my first flying experience (pics)
So I've always been mad about planes, ever since I was tiny (before bikes were ever on my mind). I was recently introduced to a guy who owns a 1/20th share of a small private aircraft located in Cranfield Airport. The guys flown for decades, including fighter jets and big military jets. He just does it for a hobby now and said I could fly with him, chipped in for an hours worth of fuel which worked out very easy on the wallet.
He taught me some basics on the ground regarding the instruments/physics etc for about 15minutes, then pre-flight checks and we were off flying.
It was an absolutely awesome feeling, just as I had imagined it to be. So much fun being in a tiny plane where there is barely room for two people. He gave me the controls in the air and I flew for a bit which was a blast. Real delicate business with the steering as you're not allowed to grip it too hard. He said I had a good knack for it though:)!
He did some pretty cool stuff in the air. Banked at crazy angles, making 2 g's worth of force. He also shut the engine off in mid-air, then simulated an emergency landing by getting quite low to some fields before flying up again. When we landed at the runway he just took off again and did 2 other different types of landings. Obviously had to take some snaps:
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8764/p1010040r.jpghttp://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4710/p1010014pz.jpghttp://img580.imageshack.us/img580/7683/p1010020co.jpghttp://img863.imageshack.us/img863/7517/p1010036s.jpg
7 people own this plane, and this guy got 1/20th for £1000. Don't know the significance of that because he says he just books it whenever and there are never clashes apparently, but either way that doesn't work out too bad. He was a real top bloke, and darned good pilot.
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The plan is to eventually get a full pilot licence, perhaps even commercial, after a couple of years saving as much money as I can. Flight school prices in this country are mad but it's relatively cheap over in Florida and you can do it much quicker as the weather is more reliable. Then if I don't end up enjoying my job I can just go to South Africa and fly safari planes:D!
edit: gotta love the knight rider style steering.
Paul the 6th
28-04-11, 08:50 PM
were you allowed to keep your phone turned on during the flight? :)
haha yeh. Though good luck getting a phone out of your right jean pocket in that thing.
Looks like some bleeder has nicked the stereo out of the dash! Never been in a light aircraft, only commercial.
daveangel
28-04-11, 08:57 PM
Nice one thulfi, I went up in a Tiger Moth from Headcorn in 2008 and had the controls for a while, was excellent.
Paul the 6th
28-04-11, 09:04 PM
in all seriousness though, amazing buddy. There's a small airfield down the road from me (rufforth) where they do alsorts of stuff like gliding, microlights, alsorts of whacky flying type stuff - keep meaning to pop in and see if there's any activity based stuff..
This just might have sparked a bit more of an interest
Tiger Moth, that must have been awesome!
stuff - keep meaning to pop in and see if there's any activity based stuff..
This just might have sparked a bit more of an interest
Seriously go for it mate. It's a blast. Might be worth heading down to rufforth, having a chat with a few guys and seeing if anyone has part ownership in a plane. If they're anything like this guy, they will be more than happy to help. They love flying, and they love getting other people into flying (bit like us and bikes!), and this way it will be less expensive.
A few hours on and the whole thing feels like a dream.
Well done:cool: Sounds really cool!!!!
I prefer boats. Next thing I want is RYA Sailing with Spinnakers. Aiming to do it at Mylor, near Falmouth, in the summer.
I did something similar - cost me 12000 nectar points :p
Top buzz though, flying over the area just outside S****horpe while the trainer is negotiating with Robin Hood to keep us away from jets full of holidaymakers.
wyrdness
28-04-11, 11:04 PM
That looks like great fun. I've got a voucher from work for an introductory flying lesson. Must remember to book it before the voucher runs out.
Nice one Thulfi!
I had the pleasure of going in the glider tow a few times at Booker, near High Wycombe. And have had a good few flights in my mates glider. The weirdest thing with gliders is the silence, and its just beautiful!!!
I would blow chunks srsly.
Glad you had a good time, the pilots licence isnt the expensive bit, its keeping current that´s the money bit later ;)
Syndicates for planes, gliders etc are very common, the only problem is when someone within the group mis-treats them and then the repair and insurance bill is also split between syndicate members.
Essex of Essex
29-04-11, 05:47 AM
Just for the record, you can't learn to fly by finding a chap with an aircraft and paying for the fuel :-( You will need structured lessons at a school, and the pilot has to be qualified to give instruction, an experienced pilot is not automatically qualified to do so.
The whole thing is very addictive, motorcycling in 3 dimensions :-)
Well I just saw your 1st picture and got a bit excited as it's a picture of a very familiar sight having just lived the last year of my life at Cranfield. 'Your' aeroplane is G-RATE, right?
Just for the record, you can't learn to fly by finding a chap with an aircraft and paying for the fuel :-( You will need structured lessons at a school, and the pilot has to be qualified to give instruction, an experienced pilot is not automatically qualified to do so.
You can always learn, it just won't count towards anything. Plus this guy isn't a qualified instructor, so even if I were to get a licence I couldn't log up hours flying with him. Still great fun going up with him though until I eventually save up and do an intense course in the states. As anna correctly mentioned though, it's the keeping it current and trying to log up as many hours as possible after obtaining the licence thats the costly part.
And have had a good few flights in my mates glider. The weirdest thing with gliders is the silence, and its just beautiful!!!
This guy really recommended gliding as a cheap way of starting to learn to fly, plus it helps subsidise future flying lessons. I'd love to have a go in a glider, especially as you rightly mentioned that they're completely silent. What a feeling that must be.
Well I just saw your 1st picture and got a bit excited as it's a picture of a very familiar sight having just lived the last year of my life at Cranfield. 'Your' aeroplane is G-RATE, right?
Yep it's a G-rate. Actually it flys a lot smoother than one might imagine. Did you head out to the airstrip much then?
yorkie_chris
29-04-11, 01:29 PM
An idea I've had for ages is a homebuilt plane.
Hopefully I'll have the money to do it one day!
If not for the law I'd have done it already :smt080
One to wet your whistle
http://www.ar-5.com/rgoyer94.html
diamond
29-04-11, 02:39 PM
I've just got into gliding, if there is an airfield near you just pop along all gliding clubs welcome kean newcomers. At the club i belong to anyone can turn up and have a basic lesson (no such thing as just a pleasure flight in gliding you have to learn something if you go up) ours is about £40 for 2 winch launchs and as long as you can get the instructor to stay in the air each time.
My club is based at upavon and the empire tesr pilot school send all there pilots there to learn to glide as part of their training.
It is awesome fun and the launch feels like accelerating my ducati whilst on crack.
I learnt to glide on an RAF affiliated airfield, most pilots there were in the forces and used it as their bread and butter flight skills.
If you are going to go to the states look into how much your conversion costs will be to fly in the uk, it used to be a lot cheaper to do it in the states but I am not sure how much cheaper it works out to be now.
p.s love dimonds description of the winch launch.
Yep it's a G-rate. Actually it flys a lot smoother than one might imagine. Did you head out to the airstrip much then?
Indeed, I lived in halls there whilst doing my commercial training.
Next time your on your holidays pop over to the states / florida.
http://www.warbirdadventures.com/
wow !!!!!!! you got to have a go...
made my hoiliday complete..........roller coasters will never be the same..lol.
Next time your on your holidays pop over to
http://www.warbirdadventures.com/
wow !!!!!!! you got to have a go...
made my hoiliday complete..........roller coasters will never be the same..lol.
Been there too! I spent nearly 4 months living in Kissimmee
I learnt to glide on an RAF affiliated airfield, most pilots there were in the forces and used it as their bread and butter flight skills.
If you are going to go to the states look into how much your conversion costs will be to fly in the uk, it used to be a lot cheaper to do it in the states but I am not sure how much cheaper it works out to be now.
p.s love dimonds description of the winch launch.
You shouldn't have to do a conversion if u go to a JAR/CAA approved school. Plenty of them over there..... :thumbsup:
Indeed, I lived in halls there whilst doing my commercial training.
So out of interest mate, you have a full commercial pilot licence?
So out of interest mate, you have a full commercial pilot licence?
Yep, so called 'frozen ATPL'.
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