PIC first time in 27 years

Jeff R · #1 03-11-2008, 05:44 PM

I had not flown since the middle part of 1981 as PIC. Back in the mid 90's I went for a demo flight in a Velocity, and a few months ago I got to go for a ride in an RV-6, both time getting to manipulate the controls a little, but no REAL flying.

All that changed today. I went up with an instructor who hadn't even been born the last time I flew, and we went up for a short .7 hour flight. She (not many women flight instructors in 1981) pretty much let me fly the entire time. I thought I did pretty good. A lot of memories came flooding back (as well as me realizing I forgot a few things). I could still hold a heading and altitude in the tired C152 we went up in (some things never change). For my first landing, I came in high and fast so I had to do a go around, but I handled it just fine. The next landing attempt was very nice indeed. She was impressed that I could still hit the runway after so long. I was, too!

I should be going up again Thursday for a longer flight where I will get to practice stalls and instrument work and all of that. It ought to be fun. I am so excited to be back in the air after all of these years. The airspace around Merritt Island is pretty busy and we have the space center to contend with, so I was a little harried with the radio work (I even called out runway one one zero....but even that skill was starting to come back, too). A lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same.

Even better, after my flight, a local airport bum took my wife and I up for an hour of puttering around in his C172.

And even better, I got to come home and go work on my own airplane!

Hal-san · #2 03-11-2008, 06:00 PM

Good for you Jeff. I can only hope that I can do as well when I get back in the cockpit. Last time I was PIC was in 1969! Hoping to build a -12.

Mark Burns · #3 03-11-2008, 06:04 PM

Way to go Jeff!

I hadn't flown for about 15 years as PIC when I started again about 4 years ago.

Even flying a Cessna really motivates me to keep building.

Have fun,
Mark

Transporter · #4 03-11-2008, 09:05 PM

Congratulations!

I started flying again last year after a 24-year gap...and it's been much easier than I expected.

Got my medical renewed in August, then spent several hours with an instructor followed by a flight review in September.

Started my 8 in October and haven't looked back since.

Mike

Ron Lee · #5 03-11-2008, 09:51 PM

I think I did one last year. Yea, some guy rolled onto the runway while I was on short final. Grumble.

Jeff R · #6 03-12-2008, 10:22 AM

Hal-san, I bet you will do fine. Just get a recent ground school book and study it. A lot has changed with the rules and how you read weather reports (what used to be sequence reports), but flying the airplane itself hardly changes. Heck, she spent 2 hours just reviewing things with me and going over the airspace changes and then she lets me land the thing with less than 30 minutes in the sky after just flying around. I am guessing I will need around 5 hours of dual to get comfortable again. I think I would be safe with less, but I wouldn't feel comfortable, which is key. And just hanging out at the airport and meeting some of the airport bums and talking with them helps so much. Pilots are amongst the most friendly people around, once you have established your genuine interest in flying, too. I have been humbled by several offers to go flying with them and I, of course, will reciprocate when my RV is done. And, yes, a lot of spam can drivers are really excited about that.

Hal-san · #7 03-12-2008, 11:27 AM

Just hope my feeble old brain will be able to soak up all the changes. Very happy to see the _12 roll out today!!

dhusk · #8 03-12-2008, 12:55 PM

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. I hadn't flown since around 1980. It took about 5 hours with an instructor for him to sign off the biennial and another few hours of solo to be comfortable with taking someone with me. Right after my instructor signed my biennial, he was off to Masaba to fly regional jets. It's tough holding on to instructors these days.

Two weeks ago, my brother and I flew from Plymouth, Michigan (1D2), which is near Detroit, to Shelby (C04), which is near Lake Michigan. Got 4 hours of cross country that day. It all comes back, just takes a little while. I put myself through the King Private Pilot Ground school to get caught up with the new regulations and as a refresher. Glad I did that. Back in the early 80's, headphones were not common and GPS didn't exist. Both make flying more fun!

I'm building a 9A as well and the finishing kit arrived this past Monday. Tonights the night to open the box and see what we have! I guess I'm at about the half-way point of the project.

I found that going out and flying was a great incentive to push ahead on the 9A. Flying 172's is fun, can't wait to get the 9a in the air!

I decided to work on my instrument rating. I'm in the middle of the Gleim ground school. It is interesting and challenging.

Good luck