Piloting discussion

[spaceman1999]

So pilots of the forum, I am considering getting a pilots license and thought that I'd stop by here for opinions and advice on becoming a pilot. BTW I'm 15 (soon to be 16 in September) and live near an airport that offers lessons, so distance is not an issue for me. Last of all discuss your own piloting/flight experiences here.

[Sampa]

I am not a pilot myself, but I am working on getting a license in aviation. My best advice, read up on EVERYTHING aviation. This includes the FARs. I'm positive that you may eventually need to run O&Ps in the piloting end (don't quote me on that). Also, keep up on the latest news in aviation to stay informed. Finally, hang out with other people who are into aviation.

[ColKlonk]

Here's a good place to start asking for info - www.pprune.org

I suggest going for your pilot medical first, as without this you're not flying anywhere.

Pop along to your local flying school, they should have the study manuals that you need - buy these and read through them in the meantime. The manuals are expensive.. anything aviation is $$$.

Talking about $$$, try do your license in one 'stretch'... it saves $$$.

Good luck

[spaceman1999]

Thanks for the advice and also i did some reading on the nearest flight school (Lunken in Cincinnati) and they seem like a good place to stop by and see if i actually want to learn to pilot. They offer a flight where you go up and then you can control the plane and see how flying a plane actually feels, which i may do sometime soon.

[Astronut]

All good advice so far. Taking an experience flight is a great idea. To start with, try to book your flights either early morning or in the evening. Small planes tend to get very hot in the middle of a Summer's day and the ride can also get bumpy at that time. That can equate to motion sickness. Fly when it is calmer and cooler. You may not be affected by motion sickness, it's an individual thing, but if you are it can shut down a lesson really quick (hard to learn while trying to keep your cookies down ).

Talk with a few instructors and go with the one you prefer. Beware of instructors who are building time before applying to the airlines because if they are almost there then they may have to drop you as they take the next step in their career. You would then have to find a different instructor to finish up your training.

Flight sims are a good tool if used correctly, but are most useful when training for your instrument rating. Training for your Private Pilot's License is mostly about visual flying and a sim really can't teach you much about the feel of flying a C150. FSX uses correct airport signage and markings though, so that is useful. A sim will also give you a head start by simply knowing a little more about basic aerodynamics, effects of controls etc. It won't teach you anything about the feel of the airplane or the importance of looking outside the cockpit for visual cues and situational awareness.

Above all, have fun with it and fly often. Each lesson builds on the previous one, so flying frequently will help greatly in getting the most out of each session.

Are you wanting to fly for a career or purely for fun?

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

Get FAR.

[pincushionman]

Understand the different licenses available (in the US: sport/recreational/private/commercial/ATP), then determine the least that is applicable to what you intend to fly. If you're going to just putter around the farm on nice days, don't go for a Private. But if you want to take the wife and kids on long trips, a Sport ain't gonna cut it. Unless the extra effort for the next one up is relatively low.

TL;DR think ahead.

[InterCity]

I am not sure how it works in other countries, but here in the Czech Republic you can fly a glider if you are 15 years old. I got my license when I reached 15, and here it was mostly just the matter of undergoing a medical check-up, flight rules and then flying. There wasn't really anything hard about it, but I've got one hint anyway: Playing FSX or X-Plane really helps to get grasp of basic controls of the plane.

[ColKlonk]

Get FAR.

FAR is so far wrong compared to reality.. it's just not funny..

Flight sims.. I find DCS (Prop aircraft)give a decent presentation of aircraft procedures and feel. FSX for more up to date systems and procedures.

The biggest complaint (back then) from instructors about flight sim students, is the lack of outside observation and fixation on instruments.

This is why I mentioned DCS or any similar 'combat sim' - with these you 'will' be doing a lot of looking outside or IOW, developing your situational awareness

Edited August 10, 2015 by ColKlonk

[Sampa]

I might also suggest you view this from the faa website (assuming you live in the US)

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/

[ColKlonk]

I might also suggest you view this from the faa website (assuming you live in the US)

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/

Doesn't matter if you live outside the US.. an excellent information site.. in fact the only one.

You'll find an aviation career is not just about flying... there's a library load of procedures and regulations in general.. AND for every aircraft you fly.

Be prepared to study you rear-end off, continiously... the volumes of information to wade through, makes Uni studies look pale in comparison...

And there's no drinking, smoking.. or partying till the sun comes up - you do this and your career ends then and there.

I hope you have diligence, application and dedication..... this is a hard career.. but the most rewarding of all careers.

Go for it.. and good luck

Edited August 11, 2015 by ColKlonk

[Sampa]

Doesn't matter if you live outside the US.. an excellent information site.. in fact the only one.

You'll find an aviation career is not just about flying... there's a library load of procedures and regulations in general.. AND for every aircraft you fly.

Be prepared to study you rear-end off, continiously... the volumes of information to wade through, makes Uni studies look pale in comparison...

And there's no drinking, smoking.. or partying till the sun comes up - you do this and your career ends then and there.

I hope you have diligence, application and dedication..... this is a hard career.. but the most rewarding of all careers.

Go for it.. and good luck

Yeah, gotta,do the same deal with training to be an AMT