My Flying Journey
I started flying when I was thirteen. Here, I will share what happens in my lessons. The first few lessons will be more detailed than the later ones as I won't have to explain the same maneuvers every lesson.
Also, while it is highly recommended to have a multiple flights a week in order to learn most efficiently, since I can only solo when I turn 16, my parents and I have decided to take things slow. However, if you would like to learn to fly as well, you should aim for at least one lesson per week.
My First Flying Lesson (June 21, 2021)
I started my flying adventure at Medford's Flying W. I flew a Cessna 152. My instructor was really nice. Some of the things we covered in the first lesson were the preflight checklist, small to medium turns and climbing and diving. I also learned how to read and use some of the instruments (more on that later). At the beginning of the lesson, my instructor flew us over my neighborhood and I was able to find my house! Afterwards, he let me take the controls for a bit. It was an amazing experience. I am very excited for my next lesson!
Lesson 2 (June 23, 2021)
The second flying lesson was just as exciting as my first. This time, I was allowed to be the one flying the plane for most of our flight. My instructor had me practice S-turns and, eventually, 45 degree turns. I found out that apparently, I am much better at turning right than turning left, which is something I will have to work on. The hardest part about turns for me is simultaneously maintaining my altitude, but I am sure that will come with some time and practice.
Lesson 3 (July 7, 2021)
Today was broiling. The temperature was so warm that it affected visibility. Usually, I use the horizon as a reference as to whether the plane is dipping up or down while flying, but it was so hazy today that you could barely make it out. There was not much wind either, although I haven't decided if that was a good or bad thing. On one hand, having wind would make straight and level flight more difficult. However, since the plane I fly doesn't have an air conditioning system, the only way to cool off would be through the vents that pulled air in from outside. No wind meant no cool air, which in turn meant that I was being slowly cooked.
Lesson 4 (July 15, 2021)
The two new things I learned today were unusual attitudes and slow flight. In slow flight, the plane I flew became even more sensitive than usual, so that took a bit of time to get used to. By comparison, unusual attitudes was much easier. My instructor had me close my eyes while he angled the plane into a weird path, and then told me to open my eyes and fix the plane's path. For instance, he once made the plane fly diagonally downwards so that it was descending while tilted. I was tasked with regaining straight and level flight.
Lesson 5 (July 21, 2021)
This lesson was mostly just me reviewing most of what I had learned up to this point. I practiced normal to steep turns (whilst climbing and descending), s-turns, slow flight, unusual attitudes, straight and level flight and the traffic pattern. The only maneuver I didn't do was turning around a fixed point.
Lesson 6 (August 2, 2021)
Today was quite windy. As a result, my instructor decided to introduce me to something new instead of just having me practice my s-turns and slow flight. I got to wear foggles. Foggles are glasses or goggles made for simulate foggy weather. The top halves are blurry so that you cannot see out of them while the bottom halves remain clear. This is so that you are forced to only look at your flight instruments while flying. Flying with the foggles was challenging at first, but soon I think I got the hang of it. The flight instruments give you all the information that you need, so I was able to maintain my altitude and heading and execute turns.
August - December, 2021
I practiced normal takeoffs, landings, climbs, descends, turns, unusual attitudes, and straight and level flight.
January - June, 2022
During this time, I performed takeoffs, touch-and-goes, and landings in gusty winds and crosswinds; all sorts of turns, climbs, descents, and unusual attitudes with foggles; VOR tracking; and radio calls in the traffic pattern. I was also introduced to engine out procedures and power off 180's. At this point, I had landed 44 times.