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My First Solo Flight – Part 1: Fighting Fear

First solo initiation

The story leading up to my first solo out of Springbank!

Getting Ready

The time leading up to my first solo was a tense period.  It was something that took a very long time to accomplish, given the disjointed nature that my flight training has taken.   I spent 15 hours flying from Edmonton City Centre over 8 months (from April to December) and was close to joining the circuit – all my time was upper air and I didn’t concentrate on the landings – when I moved and  had to switch flight schools.  Luckily for me, my instructor Sarah moved to Calgary after me,  just dumb luck and great timing! so I didn’t have to switch instructors.

Airport Switch!

I had a long, 4 month break. Switching to Springbank, CYBW was a real shock.  It has a much different flavor than Edmonton City Centre – much busier, very congested, very overwhelming, and with worse weather, stronger, gustier winds and more upper air turbulence. It took only a few hours to finish the upper air exercises but it was a lot of work and I had to fight through a lot of fear.

I managed to accumulate another 15 hours before the next break.  I spent the rest of the summer abroad. I was nowhere near soloing, I was still very scared of flying.  The next fall was a tricky period, the weather was so terrible that fall that I had an 8 month break from flying when I finally took to the air in January.

Back in the circuit

It didn’t take terribly long to get back into it, I already accumulated 30 hours and everything came back quickly. We did a couple of lessons in upper air work and then we were back in the circuit. Sarah was impressed with how quickly I progressed when thrown into it after such a long break.  She said I would be soloing quickly. I didn’t feel comfortable, or ready, and didn’t particularly want to do it.  After about 4 or 5 lessons she said “wow, you’re doing really well – would you like me to jump out now?”   When asked how I was feeling, I told her that I had a good sense of the entire landing ‘package’, and I could physically link the full sequence of steps from takeoff to landing.

My next lesson, which was one month later was a pivotal one.  It was evening, the days were getting longer, the winds were getting light, it was almost my birthday, and it was the first time I we were flying circuits from runway 07. After takeoff, the receding sun shone in our eyes as we turned downwind on runway 07.  After three landings, Sarah was pretty happy. I did not see coming what happened next.

Are you trying to kill me?

After landing for the fourth time, Sarah grabbed control, pulled back and applied the brakes, and moved the plane off the runway.  I thought, “well, I guess we were done for the day but it didn’t seem like as many circuits as usual, and funny that she wouldn’t tell me.”   So when we stopped and I looked at her quizzingly, she said  “you’re going solo” I just about freaked out.

She gave me my licenses and documents to put in my kneeboard, and explained the procedure.  All the meanwhile I was protesting.  After a small discussion when she taxied to the tower apron, the spot where she was supposed to get out, I repeatedly went over and over that I’m too scared and in my mind I was NOT going alone that day!  It took awhile to convince her, because she was adamant that I was ready. It really felt like she knew something that I didn’t, and I should’ve trusted that, but I was so uncomfortable.  So she finally accepted my protests and we taxied back to the school.  WITH my tail between my legs, naturally, and I have regret it ever since. Because it didn’t get any easier and still had to get over that fear. It is something that you have to do – and your instructor knows when you are ready. You have to trust them.

Instructor Switch!

I wish that I knew what would come next, then I would’ve just pushed myself to do the solo anyway, even though I thought surely I would die.  The next flight we were in the circuit again, with very busy traffic, often times we were number six and there were helicopters and all sorts of traffic entering the pattern, and the radio was very busy.  Sarah was disappointed. She mentioned, since I was expecting it, that I wouldn’t go solo that day because of the heavy traffic.  That was my last flight with Sarah. Roughly a few weeks later, after a few weather cancellations, she left teaching and suggested an instructor she thought would be a good fit for me.

Read First Solo Flight – Part 2

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How I got started with my private pilots license

On final approach, wearing the headset.

Here is the account of some of the first steps taken when I set out to get my private pilots license – the PPL

Discovery Flight

Shortly after taking my Discovery Flight, I decided I was interested in pursuing the license and I was really impressed with my flight instructor  – so there was no looking back – I decided to get my started on my PPL.

Ground School – February 2010

I finally started ground school at Edmonton City Center Airport (CYXD) – after much research, deliberation and anxiety.

Was I ready to commit to learning to fly?  It’s intense, and it’s expensive.  You have to be willing to commit time and resources to this.  It’s going to require not only money, but a lot of concentration and mental resources.  You will have to study lots and be prepared to take time out of your schedule to commit to fly.  To take the flight test for PPL, Transport Canada requires that a student have 45 hours total, of which, 5 hours may be completed on a simulator. At least 17 hours must be dual instruction and you will need 12 hours solo time.  For details, check Transport Canada’s regulations.

You should budget close to $10,000 for the PPL.   It will take longer (more flying hours) the more breaks you take. So if you can, be prepared to have the finances and the time to be able to do the license as fast as possible – flying 2 to 3 times per week, if you can.  Consistency is everything when you are learning. If you are happy with your instructor, I recommend not switching instructors, and not switching airports or schools (unless you have to, like I did, during a move). I received this advice when I started, but knowing that I wouldn’t be able to commit to going regularly, foreseeing that I would likely have some breaks,  I decided to pursue it anyway.  I’ve had to take lots of breaks during my license, and I even had to switch home airports and instructors – all which cost me more training hours in the end. However, I am interested in obtaining a commercial license eventually, and am not trying to finish my PPL in minimum hours, so I decided I was okay with it. And really, once I was into to (it didn’t take long) I didn’t want to stop, I just love to fly.

I have always been infatuated with airplanes, and flight in general.  I’ve flown in bush planes several times so I had no misconceptions about how loud and old some of them were – it didn’t bother me at all.  I find all airplanes fascinating, and like most pilots, am just obsessed with flying and anything flying.

Here is the account about my first training flight

Ground School – Winter 2010

I was still in graduate school at University of Alberta when I signed up for ground school.  Ground school costs about as much as a graduate level course at the University, and you get 60 hours of instruction in various topics.

The courses are revolving and ongoing so a topic is repeated in cycles.  Each school has a different price, however generally they will be in the $500-$700 range, depending on the school and if you buy their study materials, or ground school “kit.”  You can purchase the materials yourself somewhere else, however it’s likely that you won’t save enough money from buying it elsewhere to justify the inconvenience of having to collect the materials yourself.

The fee for ground school generally gets you a year of instruction in these courses, so if you miss a course, or are away for a period of time, you can easily pick up the courses later.  It takes just over 2 months, at my school, if you’re going constantly to each class.  This means that if you missed a course, you can pick it up again in just over 2 months time, depending on the schedule for that particular school.  You can repeat as many classes as you need.  Generally for the private level the courses are in the evenings, twice a week.   This depends on the flight school for their particular schedule.   My flight school, Centennial Flight Center , offered private ground school Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7 to 9 pm.

My flight school selection was fairly simple.  A year or so earlier, when I began looking at flight schools in the Edmonton area, I came across two flying out of CYXD.  The first school I contacted was Edmonton Flying Club (EFC), where I booked my very first “fam” or familiarization flight.  This is a discounted, introductory flight that is offered by every flight school so you can try out the school, see what their planes and instructors are like, and how they generally run their school to see if you feel comfortable there or not.  You will be spending a lot of time with your instructor, in that classroom and in the aircraft, and costs as well, so you want to make sure you chose carefully!   It’s an important first decision.

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My first training flight

Pre flight check on a Cesna 172

My first training flight …

Having selected the flight school I wanted to learn at, I went on my first flight   (Ok – well, my second flight – I was already up in a Diamond once during my discovery flight!)

My first flight at Centennial with my instructor finally happened in early May after over a month of cancellations.  Weather cancellations were eventually going to be the bane of my existence for some time, to the point where I thought I must have some kind of bad luck!

It was the evening of Friday, May 7. We met at 6pm.  First, I learned how to taxi and found how sensitive the rudder pedal is to taxi the aircraft on the ground.  I was confused with all the different checklists and procedures – we did one before we left the school, and another 3 or 4 – I was completely lost.

Eventually, she lined us up on the runway, told me to hold the control column with one hand and the throttle in the other.  I was very nervous.  She asked me to push the throttle all the way in – which I did extremely slowly because I was so nervous.  Eventually she threw it into full power and we waited. Not very long though: she asked me to pull up on the control column – and I did, slowly and cautiously again, which caused her to pull us up a bit more and finally get us off the ground.  Then she told me to hold it there as I climbed out for the first time off of runway 12, over downtown Edmonton.  The skyscrapers and apartment buildings were below us, and the North Saskatchewan river was snaking out in front of the nose of the aircraft. I could see the University of Alberta where I was currently attending graduate school.

In order to relax me my instructor asked me where I lived to see if we could fly over my house so I could see it from the air.  We flew west a little ways as I gripped the control column with a death grip.  She let me do a few turns and demonstrated how the rudder and aileron inputs work in flight, and then we made our descent then rejoined the circuit and made our approach back to CYXD.

After the flight, I was very wired and excited, and after I recovered from the anxiety, I knew flying was for me.  I loved the challenge.  It was going to be a big commitment though – not just financially, but the will to commit to learn and progress over time.  It was going to be a lot of work.  Working through fears. This feeling of euphoria from the first time I flew was to become a regular feeling I experienced after each flight – and was very addictive!

 

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How to choose the right flight school

After I have selected which aircraft I wanted to train on, it was time to chose the flight school that best suited my needs.

Cost of school

When I lived in Edmonton I had the choice of a few different airports, but the City Centre Airport, right downtown, was impossible to beat in terms of location.  There were two flight schools there – Centennial and the Edmonton Flying Club.  The Edmonton Flying Club (EFC) they has an annual fee for being part of the club and learning to fly there.  I wasn’t sure how long I would be staying in Edmonton, so, I choose Centennial because they were slightly less expensive due to the absence of annual fee. They had several 172 which were well maintained, and I found the staff and instructors to be very professional.

Quality of Instructors, Planes and Facilities

I found the instructors at Centennial school impressive, and their planes were well maintained.   Much of the lower costs came from the fact that they did not own their own hangar (something that the EFC had). Hence, these cost savings were built into the rental prices.

Not having a hangar does make a difference when you’re learning to fly in a northerly, cold climate. I remember winter mornings when it was still pitch black at 8 am doing my walk around, peeling back the wing and cowling covers, while the bitter -25 degree C winter wind whistled past!  So, there is definitely a trade-off.

Make a trip to the school and meet some of the flight instructors. Do you like any of them? How about the culture of the school – is it rambunctious and unprofessional or is it quiet and friendly?  You don’t have to choose your instructor right away but you should definitely observe how the instructors interact.

So I finally settled on Centennial and my ground instruction began.  I enjoyed the theory part of it – what I like about flying is that it is so multi-faceted, there are so many knowledge areas:

  • weather
  • aerodynamics
  • aero engines
  • instruments
  • navigation

When you’re learning to drive, you don’t have to know the details about the engine you are operating (unless of course, you’re a commercial driver driving a transport truck). But in aviation, everything is tied together so intimately.  I found it fascinating.  Since I’m a climber and backcountry skiier, I already have an intimate relationship with and understanding of weather, since weather affects mountain sports very directly, but now I was entering a field where weather is even more important.  Aviation is very weather dependent, and understanding weather is key to being a good pilot.

Choose an instructor you like

The next thing you want to focus on is your instructor. Choose carefully and don’t be afraid to go up with several different instructors until you find one that suits you best.  Sometimes you will be lucky to find the first person you choose will be a great instructor for you, and it is definitely true that if you like talking to them on the ground, you’ll like them in the air, too.  You must really like your instructor – it is the most important choice you will make in your flight training.

Some instructors are just out to get their hours and move on to an airline job, others really love teaching. Remember, you are the paying customer and are paying big bucks, for your training and money talks.  So be selective and stick with someone who meets your needs. Switching instructors, especially early on in your training is time consuming and expensive. I switched instructors right as I was permitted to go up solo and it took my new instructor 10 hours of training before he trusted me enough to fly solo.

I met my instructor in ground school

My first instructor taught the evening ground school, and I immediately liked her teaching style and personality.  After a few classes asked her if she would take me up as a student. After many cancellations due to weather – it was springtime, after all, and the systems were shifting – we finally got up for the first time together.

Update on flight training in Edmonton

If you live in or around Edmonton, I’m sure you have heard about the closing of Edmonton City Centre Airport (CYXD).  My old school, Centennial, is now located at the Edmonton/Villenueve airport (CYZL) and Edmonton Flying Club is now at the Parkland Airport, CPL6. The other nearby airport is Cooking Lake, CEZ3.   Cooking Lake Aviation operates out of that airport.

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How to choose your training aircraft

Selecting your Training Aircraft

After my discovery flight (fam flight) in a Diamond Eclipse which was so light and maneuverable and fun to fly I researched aircraft rental rates. Renting the diamond at the Edmonton Flying Club at the time was more expensive than what they charged for the C172, and their rates for the 172 were slightly more than what Centennial Flight Centre charged.

I checked the more recent rental rates at the EFC and the Diamond is offered at a rate of $150 per hour and is a little bit less than the Cessna C172 which runs $154 per hour. The EFC is also a not for profit flight club owned by it’s community – the people that train there and rent there.  So by flying with them you would be part of the community and have to pay annual rental dues. Though that may be unattractive to have additional costs, it’s actually a great way of meeting people since these clubs tend to organize lots of social events. In addition, all the profits are put back into the club meaning there may be nicer facilities, and the aircraft may benefit too from better maintenance.

cessna c172 training aircraft
One of the Cessna c172 aircrafts I train on

Centennial’s rates were $129 per hour for the 172.  Though cost shouldn’t be your number one consideration, it is an important factor.  Both schools also offered the two-seater Cessna 150 for $130 and $114 at EFC and Centennial respectively.

I was fairly sure that I didn’t want to learn on a 2-seater plane, because once I got my license I wanted to go on extended trips with friends and with lots of luggage (since I need a lot of gear for my outdoor pursuits). So, I ruled out the Diamond because I needed room for people and cargo.

As well, I realized I wanted to learn on a less maneuverable high-wing aircraft, a popular aircraft that was widely available for rent everywhere and the Cessna C172 is widely available at most flight schools. It is the most popular training aircraft.

Now that I had my training aircraft selected it was time to chose the best flight school  at the Edmonton City Center Airport.

 

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Do you want to learn how to fly?

Hanging out with a Cessna 172 at CYBW

Thinking about about becoming a pilot – or want to try flying?

First, take a Familiarization (Fam) or Discovery Flight

Every flight school offers a Fam or Discovery flight, a deeply discounted first flight designed to introduce you to the basics of flying.  The instructor will do a walk around the aircraft with you, explain what does what, and then take you up for a short flight, which usually lasts 30 minutes but depends on the school. I took a Fam flight from Edmonton Flying Club, which cost me only $70, and one from the Pacific Flying Club at the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, BC, cost roughly the same. The one from Centennial Flight Centre in Edmonton cost me $170 and lasts an hour, and I believe Springbank Air Training College charges the same.

Regardless of whether you think you want to pursue a license or not, taking a fam flight is a great idea to introduce you to the basics of flying and flight. Even if you are just curious about flying, it is highly recommended.

On the fam flight, one of the first things you should note is what type of aircraft the school uses, and what condition they are in.  The most important things you should look at are the exterior or flying surfaces of the aircraft, such as the propeller, brakes, what is the tire wear, and so on.  You may also want to take a look inside the aircraft to see what condition the interior is in.  Are the seats worn out?  Are the radios old? Certain items that are cosmetic will not make a huge difference. If you have questions about the safety or condition of the fleet, you should ask the instructor.   You should also keep in mind what plane you want to fly after you complete your license. Are you planning on purchasing a plane, or renting, or are you pursuing aviation as a career?    If it’s just for recreational purposes, is this the plane you want to rent after you have your license?   After you have your license, if you would like to rent a different aircraft, you first must go up with an instructor and learn how to operate or get a type rating on that aircraft, learn it’s particular flight characteristics to satisfy the flight school that you are able to fly it safely before they would l allow you rent it on your own.  This may take lots of flying time, (which can get expensive!) so it is important to chose the plane that you plan on flying after you are finished your license.

Diamond eclipse C1. Image courtesy of diamondda20.com
Diamond eclipse C1. Image courtesy of diamondda20.com

My first flight was in a stunning Diamond Eclipse C1 two-seater plane pictured above, which was new and very nice inside and out!   I had no idea what I wanted to fly, or what the most popular training aircraft was – that is, by the way, the Cessna 172.  The Edmonton Flying club (EFC) had a fleet of Diamond and Cessna aircraft.  The instructor I was booked with recommended that we go up in a Diamond for my first flight.  It was a great experience, I was scared out of my mind, but hooked right away.

There is also the deeper issue of what you want with the license. Do you want to fly for fun, or do you wan to do it as a career?  I have always been in love with aviation and airplanes. From the first time I flew in an airplane, which was in a LOT Airlines Boeing 767, at 6 years old, my parents took me and my brother up to view the cockpit and I knew there was something about this that would change my life.  I didn’t try flying for decades after that when I was finishing up my Master’s degree.  Once I finish my private license, I am strongly considering a commercial license and making flying a big part of my life.

Stay tuned for some advice as to what challenges to expect when making this decision, and what kind of license you can get.

I was hooked and started looking at which aircraft I should be learning how to fly on and which flight school I should go with.

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