Week 36: PPL Flight School Week 5

Alas, I got scheduled for my virgin flight this week, just like many of my course mates. It was exciting and nervous for me, and I couldn't get much sleep the night before. I went through my notes and checklists to make sure I know my things well and did some mental flying by staring into space haha!! Ran through the flying in my mind, trying to piece together what I learned and experienced in the simulator.

On the day itself, the weather wasn't 100% ideal. Turbulence was reported and the flight before mine was quite bumpy. After hearing cases of airsickness from other trainees, it got me quite worried. Nevertheless, the instructor was very understanding, suggesting that we go up there to have a try. If I can't tolerate the turbulence, we will head back.

On to the tarmac I headed, doing the pre-flight checks under supervision from my instructor, with the winds blowing so hard the ailerons were flapping non-stop, scary stuff imagining how it will be like up there. Before I know it, I brought the propeller spinning at 1000rpm right in front of me. Put on my headset, release the park brake and the taxi starts.

Taxi isn't as hard as I expected, just minute adjustments needed using the rudder, keeping the pace under control is the key in not going zig-zag as the faster you go, the harder it is to manage the direction. More checklists to go through at the run-up bay before heading onto the runway.

Then the moment comes. Steering the yoke into the wind, 10degrees flaps, full throttle and pull up at 55kts rotate speed. The C172S lifted off the ground effortlessly with the wind blowing me off course instantly; I saw the runway just beside me right after rotating, instead of under me.

With a positive climb rate to 200ft above ground level, the flaps was retracted. I was climbing at a comfortable rate and all I could see in front of me was the sky and clouds without the horizon. The climb was smooth and I leveled off at 4500ft. Not much turbulence at this height but I was still pretty tensed up, anticipating for any crazy bumps.

The real lesson starts from here. Maintaining height, attitude and balance while flying straight&level and banking left/right. Finally I could see and feel whatever I've learned in the text. The experience was amazing, aside from a move that got my balls shrunk a little. Without much warning, I was subjected to a steep right turn at 60degrees. Oh my gosh, what I saw was just images of the ground flashing past my windscreen. The gravitational force was something new, maybe refreshing hahaha.

The view up there is really great. I could see so far ahead at the height I was in and showers of rain can be spotted very far ahead. Things on ground are small; wide roads become spaghetti thin. The feeling was totally surreal, that I'm up in the air having an aircraft in my control.

It sounds fun from here, but there's really lots of work to do before and after the lesson. I did a self evaluation after the flight and tried to find aspects of my flying which can be improved. Even though the instructor said nothing about my flying is having any issue, I felt there is a need to always do better.

• My taxi was good but it wasn't natural. I had to constantly remind my brain to do it correctly.
• My banking height wasn't consistent, my back pressure was either too little or too much. I need to find the sweet spot of amount of back pressure needed once I turn the yoke.
• Tendency of me looking at the G1000 is very high, depending on it highly during banks, making myself feeling very mechanical by not looking at the horizon to determine the angle of bank.
• I got lost. I had no idea of where was I after a while.
• My mind was very occupied with the flying. I could hear radio comms but I wasn't listening.

Oh, and I felt air sick towards the end of the lesson. Thank god we were already heading back to land by then. Hopefully it won't hit me on my second flight.

Lunch 301113. Starting to like lamb chop, only if it's marinated correctly

Sims of the PA-44 seminole. A plane which I will not be trained on, but would love a ride on

Dinner 301113

My issued headset

Dinner 011213. KL hokkien mee by my house mate!!

Magnum at only AUD 1.00

My maiden flight

Prata craving satisfied at home, yum~~

Weather here is erratic, but the rainbow always shows after the wets

Dinner 051213

One of the nights, the TV was showing Fast Five to commemorate the death of Paul Walker. Being an automobile enthusiast myself, his death was quite a shocker and I'm real sad about it

Lunch 061213

A glass of chilled coke to end the week