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First flight in six months

After an extended time away from the drivers seat due to personal reasons, I finally get back in the saddle for a short but beautiful flight on a relatively warm Autumn evening. This was the first flight since May 2018. Keep your eyes pealed for the next few flights as I get the IMC rating back.

We track the LAM VOR and then the CLN VOR before making a cruise descent and flying back to the LAM VOR and making a landing into Stapleford.

Don’t forget to check the video out



Qualified PPL with IR SP/SE PBN
EGSG, United Kingdom

It always surprises me how my skills atrophy after long periods of not performing those tasks. Did my IR currency in the sim last month, and it was far from impressive…

Last Edited by AdamFrisch at 09 Nov 17:46

Good you got back, Robbie. After 6 months I would need the POH to find out where the key goes

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Good you got back, Robbie. After 6 months I would need the POH to find out where the key goes 

Same. When I didn’t fly for 6 months, right after completing the PPL to boot, my currency was wasted, especially since I never got into the aircraft I flew as a student again.

Low-hours pilot
EDVM Hildesheim, Germany

AdamFrisch wrote:

It always surprises me how my skills atrophy after long periods of not performing those tasks.

Well, during the winter months there’s not much flying here in Northern Scandinavia. The first flight in the spring is always used to “knock rust” as we say. How easily people “rust” is highly individual IME. Some are made of highest grade stainless steel, while others seem to be made of low grade Chinese junk. For some (most in fact) it’s more a matter of brushing off some dust, while a few need serious work. I’m not sure why this is, maybe the age when you started flying has something to do with it, but preparing before the first flight helps a lot. Just sitting in the cockpit on the ground going through all procedures and check lists, and 95% of the rust is gone.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

This is a huge problem everywhere I think. The UK gets a pile of crashes at the start of the warmer weather – despite being perfectly flyable VFR all year round, at least once a week or two.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Following an Jodel wing problem, and pneumonia, I didn’t fly for over 9 months. I asked for a thorough checkout on the flying school Pa38.
To my surprise, I seemed to have lost nothing.
My lack of confidence in my skills probably caused extra concentration, which compensated.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

Maoraigh wrote:

To my surprise, I seemed to have lost nothing.

Have you checked what it drags its nose or its tail?

I stopped flying for 18 months, to get back I asked for C152 check with an instructor who was happy for me to do the flying

I had everything sequenced on my mind but as the engine started/aircraft start moving: I was caught by surprise, for two seconds I wiggled the yoke to turn left/right rather than using rudder pedals (I only did stick flying before and starting to get too much used to my car), he said: I have control and I only got it back after climbing above 2000ft, I went solo shortly after on a second flight, it is crazy how currency and confidence comes back quickly

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Good to hear some stories about currency. Yes confidence is a booster. I did two landings last night and they was perfect, albeit the first one the rollout was questionable. Either way, considering my previous 3 landings were atrocious by many standards. I guess it’s very important to get the landings right so to speak to put the icing on the cake.

IMCr (IR(R)) is re-validated also.

Qualified PPL with IR SP/SE PBN
EGSG, United Kingdom
9 Posts
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