Microlighters

Can't wait just got back from a conference at Sun City and almost forgot my 1st lesson is on Thursday 3rd :D :D :D :D :D. The excitment is building up lekker and them butterflies won't leave me alone, do I actually get to control the ML? :D

Darn this site has been busy in a week...

So does a persons status change after their first lesson? ie Virgin pilot etc?

Great news Diesel!!

do I actually get to control the ML?

Yip - Your instructor will probably ask you to try and fly straight over a line object on the ground - Sounds easy but apparantly nobody ever gets it right the first time, including me.
Also, don't worry if you clench the bar so hard that your hands become white right up to behind your watch - Apparantly that is normal too and it took me the best part of 6 hours to learn to relax on the bar.

Keep us posted mate!

From my very first flying lesson I was given control (limited) of the plane. You're not up there to watch your instructor fly, you're there to learn.

My first lesson basically was familiarisation with the controls and guages and then some level flight, shallow climbs and descents as well as some shallow turns.

You'll be surprised how mentally exhausted you will feel after just 20 minutes. I remember thinking I could easily handle 2 hours a day and you find you can't concentrate past 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy it :D

DieselFan wrote:So does a persons status change after their first lesson? ie Virgin pilot etc?

Yes, you will be elevated in rank to just below the rank held by the instructor's dog.

butterflies won't leave me alone, do I actually get to control the ML?

No, the microlight will control you for for the first few flights.

don't worry if you clench the bar so hard that your hands become white right up to behind your watch

This is known as the PPG [papegaai] Grip - scared of falling off your perch.

you can't concentrate past 15 to 20 minutes

Agreed.

Converting my 4x4 to 0x3 - where do I fit the wing?

A 4X2 is known as "4 wheels, 2 of which are driven. A 4X4 means 4 wheels and all 4 are driven. A 0X3 means no wheels but 3 are driven. What kind of plane you got?

took me the best part of 6 hours to learn to relax on the bar

Glad you got that right. Will only relax on the bar with Demon on 2 November.

From Anonymous - not me of course .....

Don't close your eyes when you take off
The amount of sweat in your palms is not related to humidity
You might wish your microlight was fitted with a flush toilet
Should you be a smoker, you may get a craving up there
You will hear 1,456 words from your instructor on your first flight – try to remember 4 [any 4]

Good luck mate - will watch this post.

PS: On a serious note, you won’t be alone. Your highly experienced instructor will be there to “grab” the situation long before you end up in K@K. Therefore, go out and enjoy the experience! I did.

All that i can say way i had such a big grin after my first flight it took a very long time to wipe that smile off my face.

ENJOY DIESEL FAN and remember you may not sit and dream about flying while at work well at least don´t get caught

I very Enjoy it....

You will remember that flight for the rest of your life. Enjoy every minute, although you may think that it is a bit of a blurr straight afterwards.

First lesson for me was lessons 1 to 6. Straight and level flights, gentle turns etc. Get used to the control of the aircraft, learn to relax on the bar and even let go to see that it can fly by itself on a straight and level course (no adverse weather affecting it I hope!).

Thanks for the words of encouragement, so I got to remember my pampers and blindfold :D, hmm sounds like a traffic solution for JHB. Will let y'all know how it goes, only 64 hours or 3824 mins left

A 4X2 is known as "4 wheels, 2 of which are driven. A 4X4 means 4 wheels and all 4 are driven. A 0X3 means no wheels but 3 are driven. What kind of plane you got?

Fine, I've reversed the statement 3x0 = 0x3 happy :D, ofcourse it's all relative...

wart wrote:and even let go to see that it can fly by itself on a straight and level course (no adverse weather affecting it I hope!).

Not too keen on that idea just yet, you let go and say "look ma no hands" and oops...I will be visiting my GrandMa. after all the talk of Ballistic chutes, the previously non existintent fear factor has lumed it's ugly head... Oh well for the thrill of it then :D

Heya DF :D :D :D

Counting the hours away with you. Look forward to your post on Thursday telling us all about it. You, as your training progresses will experience exceptional HIGHS and at times LOWS as well, as im sure a lot of the MP's here can tell you. There will be times you will feel frustrated with yourself when it feels like you can do nothing right but leave it in the hands of your capable instructor. I know my first morning training session(once we were at a safe height) i was given bar control and throttle and i found the stearing okay but the throttle made me and the instructor look like a xmas beetle buzzing along.

Dont worry about the BRS/GRS its personal choice as the aircraft are exceptionally strong. Dont think a single deployment has been recorded in SA as far as i know.

All the same welcome and hope you get out of it what all of us have been getting out of it - The sheer enjoyment and pleasure of flying.

Your's in Flying
CHAZ

Will let y'all know how it goes, only 64 hours or 3824 mins left

Or three sleeps, assuming you don’t suffer from narcolepsy… :D

Your first lesson will be great, your instructor will more than likely get you up to a safe altitude and let you “play”. This is an ideal opportunity for him/her to watch you and decide which manner of training will work best for you.

For what it is worth, there where two things that really plagued me during the early days of training.

The one was the holding the bar in (seems to prevent a decent rate of climb), and

the @#$@#$ $$%@#$%@#%$# $@# $@#%@ WEATHER….

Do yourself a favour, for the first couple of hours get some flying done in ideal weather, you will go through times in the beginning where you will hit a brick wall, not to worry, this is normal but don’t complicate the matter by trying to fly in a hurricane.

Apart from that, enjoy, learn at your own pace, and don’t be in a hurry to go solo - the best pilots out there are not the ones that solo’d in just three lessons, but those that have built their flying around solid core lessons.

One last thing that may help, I have noticed most 747’s break hard left when you approach them head on……………………

:D :D :D

My first training flight (on a Jabi) was last week... Quite an experience - do the preflight, taxi out to the turn around, do run up checks, then the instructor says: "Taxi out to the centre line, go full throtle, rotate at 30 and she will fly herself off at 65. Don't worry, I will help with directional control."

From that moment on, it was pretty much hands-on for 1.5 hours, except for instructor demonstrations, and the landing.

What an experience!!!

-justin

Gratz Justin! I am sure we are all looking forward to your further flight experiences! Keep us abreast of your progress!

DieselFan wrote:Can't wait just got back from a conference at Sun City and almost forgot my 1st lesson is on Thursday 3rd :D :D :D :D :D.

1. Time & place for lesson?
2. Time & place for Windgats afterwards?

JVR

I was up at 3:30am before my first lesson... scared I was going to miss it!! Left about an hour too ealry incase of traffic.

After the first hour I could bearly lift my arms from gripping the training bars for dear life. Not to mention the fact that they were designed for people with arms like gorillas.

One thing is for sure though... took a whole day for the grin to fade... just intime for the next lesson :D

Graduating to the front seat inspired an even bigger grin that lasted for alot longer... :D