::Log book entry : 04 / 10 PA38, GTZY, LP1 

 

While the flying was fun and the learning experience was fun,  there are more important tasks at hand.

Come prepared to ask a lot of questions.  Understand the structure of the flight school.  There is a huge difference between a flight club and a flight school.  Know which one yours is and how it impacts you. (I will go into more detail on this subject later)

The Instructor:

Get to know your instructor.  This is a person that you will be sharing the skis with for possibly a long time.  You need to know that you can get along with them.  Ask your instructor what their intentions are. What I mean by that is:

  • Are they working toward getting hired by a commercial airline?  Most are, and why not.  Big money awaits.
    • This is a very important question.  Some instructors, if they are just building time and are looking toward bigger things may not give you the quality of flight instruction that you deserve.  This, unfortunately, is a big problem it seems in the flight school industry in Canada.  Maybe other places as well, I don’t know.
  • How long have they been instructing?
  • How long have they been at the flight school?
    • There is nothing worse than having to switch instructors because your instructor has left.  These instructors do not get paid very well.  Most of them just use flight instruction as a flight time building process toward their own commercial dreams.  Once they have enough flight time, they are interviewing with airlines and or charter services where they can start making a decent living.

All of these things should be considered.  They can affect your training and flight career.  Remember, the time you spend in the air, you are paying for.  Get the maximum quality for your hard-earned money.

The airplane:

If you have choices think about all the options. Maybe get a ride in all the aircraft.  Yes, I understand this will cost money, but it will save you frustration and money in the long run.  Decide what you like.

 

 

::Log book entry : 04 / 17 C172, GGPO, LP2

 

Come prepared to learn.  Education leads to competent flying.  Your education starts immediately.  Bring the tools that you can use to be able to document your time on the ground as well as in the air.  A small field notes size notebook is great.  Bring lots of pens. 

I am a huge fan of the use of a gopro.  Record everything from beginning to end.  You may have to get permission by the CFI (They always have the final say).  There is no CAR that says you can’t do it.  It is generally a safety issue with regard to the location and connections for the camera.   If you can, right after your lesson is over and you are back home.  Replay the video and hand write out everything talked about.  It becomes an invaluable study aid later.

Ask lots of questions.  I found that everything was so fast.  I constantly felt overwhelmed and behind.  As I said in the first lesson, it is your pilot training.  Make the most of it.  LP2 consisted of straight and level flight, turns, climbs and descents.  You will be amazed how hard that is at first.  Altitude seems to creap all the time.  Don’t sweat it.  That is normal.