BACK UP AND FLYING !!!

[ben87r]

So after letting other things get in the way of my flying, after 14 months ive found the time and the all important $$$ to get back in the saddle. i had 4 hours in my logbook when i stopped but had flown around 10. I have flown 3 hours this week and seemed to slide back in the groove good enough. covered spins, stalls, engine faliours from various locations, forced landings as well as a bucket load of circuits. Got my pre area solo and radio out of the way and looking forward to where i go from here, back up for another hour tomorrow

 

 

[av8vfr]

Well done Ben... I let flying lapse from 1994 to 1997 and wont let it happen again... After all this is the only reason I go to work....... :-)

 

 

[.Evan.]

Great to hear, Ben!

 

My Dad let his flying lapse for over thirty years! (Hmmm, about as long as I've been around!) He is back and loving it again. He's also thinking of joining me and all of you in the RA club!

 

 

[ben87r]

Thanks for the support guys, wont be letting it happen again, we all need a hobby i just happen to have a few to many! just sitting in the hanger at the moment waiting to get up. My instructor has put me on to these free study books online. his mate is the author just having a look at the moment, seem pretty good and no cost. let me know what you guys think. www.flybetter.com.au

 

 

[ben87r]

Well, after a bit of a shock today i went solo!! my instructor decided to get out after making me do a few full stops and it wasn't as scary as i would have imagined but enjoyed almost every minute of it, my hart was going 100mph all of up and cross wind but when i turned down i slowed her up a bit to give myself a bit more time (65-70kt) and all went well from there, it felt like my best circuit all day from there. landing was best of the day (after all the turbulence earlier in the day and a cross wind) so pretty happy with my self at the moment and keen to get back up there next weekend!!

 

 

[redozbris]

Congratulations!! I hope to be there in a few more hours!

 

 

[Piet Fil]

Well done Ben, Its a great moment ...... and one to certainly treasure.

 

Phil

 

 

[Guest pookemon]

Well done Ben! Did you get out and find your legs were shaking and you could barely walk? I did (~2 weeks ago) but all I could think was that I wanted to go up again!!! And yesterday I did my second solo, with 3 circuits - that's even more fun (I could walk that time - but I still just want to do more, more, more). I landed having done 9 circuits for the day because the right tank was around 5 litres (which is at the bottom of the visible range). The left had 10 but I didn't want to see what happened when you had 10 in one tank and none in the other - it was such a let down having to stop. :)

 

Keep up the good work!

 

 

[ben87r]

hey pook, NA my legs were fine, but up and crosswind was a differnt story!!

 

So another 2 hours today and the weather wasn't playing the game, was going to do an half solo but a gusting crosswind had a different idea so crosswind landings instead, as well as RH circuits, steep turns, spiral dives,few forced landings and Full flap landings, so hope fully the weather is on my side next week and have everything back on track!!!

 

 

[ben87r]

Soo a bit of an update, been flying the last two weekends and covered, short field T/O and landings, solo circuits, area solo, forced landings, 1000ft circuits (been doing 500ft), low flying and low level circuits, crosswind circuits, wing overs, heaps of other stuff as well as a nice fly yesterday over mission beach/dunk island. should get signed off next weekend then off to navs, might have a few weeks off tho to help the bank balance

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

:thumb_up:Well done ben, congrats on the solo. You'r certainly flying in some very secnic country up there, which I'm sure just makes the whole thing that much more enjoyable. The more you do the better it gets, so keep up the good work. I fly out of Townsville and I'm due for a trip up north, so we may hook up sometime. Yes it's easy to give the bank a bruising when your learning to fly !!..but it's only money...........................Cheers..Maj...

 

 

[Guest turnbase]

Well done Ben, congrats on Soloing. Everyone has a very similar story to tell when they finally go solo. Instructor jumps out when not expected the you do the best circuit you've ever done! Everyone who's ever soloed will echo the same sentiments. Huge cheezy ass smile that you can always remember. Keep up the good work certificates just around the corner!

 

 

[ben87r]

thanks for the support guys!!! will be finishing it off thursday/ friday cant wait!!!

 

Maj.. yea its nice up there. actually been working in townsville for the last 3 months, you dont happen to know of any where you can hire AC around here do you???? having a hard time finding something north of bundy.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Congratulations, Ben! I hope to get my first PPL solo in about 6-7 weeks time.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Ben, you may try Steve O'donnell on 0414304893. He is a local Instructor with a Gazzell and a Jab. Not sure if he hires but he'll get you airborne some way..............Tell him I sent ya........................................Cheers Ross Millard (Maj)

 

 

[ben87r]

Cheers Maj, i will have a chat to him tomorrow, heading out to woodstock for work.

 

So thursday i finished off my certificate and am quite pleased with how i went, weather wasnt anything good but managed to get enough hours in and last solo up, With the weather the way it was we had to mix it all up a bit to avoid the showers so i didnt get a formal "check flight" but was tested on everything as we went through the day. My instructor seemed quite happy to which is always a good sign. Thinking a few weeks break to let the finances catch up the a week off to do my navs!!! cant wait!