Flying lessons - first solo

Wow, yesterday I got to do my first solo flight. What a buzz.

I was not expecting it at all, I have looked at the syllabus on Fri night and it looked like I have to do glide approach, flapless landings, going around and aborted takeoffs, so I assumed a few weekends worth.

We did a few circuits and I was goiung quite well, then one landing it all seemed a bit long, got near the end of the runway and so did not do a touch & go, the the instructor got me to look at the flaps, still up! He had pulled the circuit breaker so the flap lever did not do anything and I didn't notice, but he was pleased. Next circuit he did a simulated engine failure after take off, and then it was a glide approach, on late finals and there was an aircraft stuffing around on the end of the runway so we went around. The sweat was flowing at this point.

Normal circuit next time and he asks me to do a full stop landing. Bugger I thought, I'd like to get a few more in, its a fantastic day. Then he springs it on me, how about doing one on my own!

Cool I say trying to look cool and failing badly. But it all worked out well, the plane & I did a circuit and came back in one piece, a reasonably acceptable landing too.

As I said, what a buzz. The instructor & I worked it out afterward, I had 7.5 hrs dual flying before going solo which the instructor says is good, especially for an older student, apparently most people take 12 - 15 hrs.

Well I need to make sure I concentrate on the flying and not let things go to my head.

But I won't forget that flight for a long time.

Learning to fly

Its not a new years resolution, I don't do those, probably more of a bucket list thing, although I don't really have a bucket list either.

However I have wanted to learn how to fly for a very long time so I have now started.

My first lesson was 2 weeks ago now, what a great experience, I had bought the theory books when I booked so I had read the book on general aircraft stuff and so had some ideas about what was happening. My instructor, John, explained things really well and let me do almost all of the flying, the weather was tremendous and I was torn between listening to John or looking out of the window as we flew over the sea off Orewa. I got to fly the whole way back and landed the aircraft, although I'm not sure how much John 'helped' me.

I did my second lesson (Straight and level) with an older instructor Judith. Not as exciting as the first as she did a lot more of the flying, maybe I made her a bit nervous, but still very enjoyable. So far 1.3 hrs, not very much but a start.

I did a fair amount of study on the theory while we were camping, so I'm almost ready for the first exam, but I think the next thing on the agenda is to book the medical, otherwise I may just be wasting money, I'll do that as soon as I get to work.

Looking forward to my next lesson, climbing and descending, next Sunday.

Pizza oven update

I've been ignoring this blog for a while now, thats what happens when you get a job and time gets short. However the pizza oven is mostly done now, it is fully functional and we are eating pizzas on a regular basis. I have only made the oven door today so I have not attempted to do anything other than pizzas in it, but soon I hope to try a roast soon.

The pizzas have been great and we have had a number of pizza parties, so far everyone has had good things to say so we must have got something right.

What I still need to do is to is properly cover the oven with render and complete the braai that is next to it, should happen some time in the future!