Learn to Fly - An Amazing Experience

You want to learn to fly you've researched and obtained as much information as you can, you've decided on what flight school to use and have investigated what they have to offer and the possible cost of this adventure in carrying out your private pilot training. You have got the finances in place and have studied as much as you can on your own. You've even ensured you can fit the training around your job or college course.

However you still feel very nervous about doing it, you are asking yourself things like;

· What if I have not got the aptitude to learn to fly?

· What if I cannot stay the course and all that time and money is lost?

· What if I am air-sick all the time?

All these doubts are perfectly normal and definitely nothing to lose any sleep over. The easy answer is taking a trial lesson, nearly all flight schools understand what you going through and they all provide trial lessons. Remember they want your business so will not let you commit to a course that is not right for you. If the flight school you have chosen does not provide this service then find one that does, sometimes the cheapest school is not always the best.

All this aside remember what got you interested in learning to fly, the opportunity to have the freedom of the air (no sitting in traffic all day long), seeing the ground from a completely different angle, the sheer joy of the space and movement that flying brings and not let's forget the possibility of a new career.

OK you've learnt all about the aerodynamics of flight, you've learnt basic procedures about checking your aircraft before flight and the use of the radio and the rules regarding ground and flight movement. Now it's time for your first lesson, you approach the aircraft listening intently to what the instructor is telling you, you claim into the cockpit and the butterflies in your stomach kick in, the adrenaline starts flowing and your shaking like a leaf. The instructor taxies' the aircraft onto the runway opens the throttle and the next thing you know you are up and flying, the nerves are still there and then all of a sudden you get that brilliant feeling called flying (being free of the ground). You start to relax and really enjoy the next tingling sensation as the instructor allows you to take control (all be it with their help), nothing to match it, except one more thing and we come on to this next.

You've done a load of flying hours and are now feeling relaxed and a little confident in this private pilot training thing, you now confidently walk to the aircraft carry out all your pre-flight checks, taxi the aircraft to the runway and take off and there's that amazing feeling again of being free of the ground. The instructor wants you to fly a circuit and perform some touch and goes and you are happy and relaxed doing so. You fly another circuit and land, taxing the aircraft to the bays and then you are told not to stop the engine, the instructor gets out of the plane and tells you to fly another circuit on your own. That's it the nerves that you thought you had finally conquered all kick in again. You inform control via the radio 'student pilot first solo, permission to taxi'. At the end of the runway you check everything twice (nerves again) open the throttle and start your take off run pull back on the stick and the next thing you know is you are flying on your own, nobody in the seat next you and only you are responsible to get this valuable aircraft back on the ground without hurting yourself or anyone else. Flying your circuit you enjoy this amazing experience of being free and in control.

You land, taxi to the bays, carry out your post flight checks, climb out of the aircraft and you then realise that you have just flown your very first solo, an absolutely amazing experience and definitely one you will never forget, even if you never fly again