Logged some flight time in a C172 today - image heavy

[NYC6]

Originally Posted by RW16610

That's amazing! Would love to hear some of the stories you've got regarding those experiences.

100% agree! Everything about the airport, hanger, airfield, and of course being up in the air provides an overview effect of sorts. The smell of burning Avgas gets me going. What can I say, it's my happy place.

Some images from last time that stuck with me.









It's truly an escape. The countless hours I've spent studying as an enthusiast are not only paying off but gave me something to look forward to during difficult times.

Challenging myself to continuously learning, striving to be the best I can, and embracing the early stages are great. Something I enjoy reviewing are the Aerodrome diagrams.



The instructor was impressed and was pretty much testing me. I was flying the final approach, but when ATC mentioned our call sign and said the spacing is too tight between us and the Cessna ahead, go around, the instructor took over for the go around.

Over the lake after doing right 60 degree bank climbing turns (felt intense at first) he demonstrated a near stall and let me take the controls to feel the difference near the minimum airspeed. This was great landing prep buy since it was a beautiful day with idea VFR conditions everyone was out flying. The airfield looked like Oshkosh (not exactly but you know what I mean). I'm a firm believer that learning things the harder, more challenging way only contribute to you being better at whatever it is.



Thanks, Dennis! Glad to hear you at least got to experience it. That's fantastic and who knows, maybe one day you'll get back to it.

COVID put the damper on training, however, after going to my 97 year old grandfather's funeral I was reminded of the fragility of life. Yes, that's an incredibly long time to be alive for the few fortunate enough to make it there or further, but it lit a fire under me to continue my dream on the side.

I'm doing the training as an experiential stress reliever and it's serving me well. I also volunteer as a mentor for refugees and have had great success. These experiences will only provide more examples or stories to share with my mentees.

In fact, I even wrote a Medium article and shared the success story the agency published at the end.

https://link.medium.com/4bZi4ftKxkb

Life certainly is fleeting, I’m realizing more and more as I get older. Sorry about your grand dad but 97 is fine age to go.

That’s some seriously good work you’re doing there. These folks in a new land sure can use a guiding hand whose accomplished to help make it in a new setting, usually so far different then what they’re accustomed to. I’m sure the success rate is much higher with folks like you who take the time to steer them the right course. Bravo Zulu.

[superdog]

That’s super cool. Must be scary.

[Stan Cooper]

Excellent, Rommel. Congratulations!

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by NYC6

Life certainly is fleeting, I’m realizing more and more as I get older. Sorry about your grand dad but 97 is fine age to go.

That’s some seriously good work you’re doing there. These folks in a new land sure can use a guiding hand whose accomplished to help make it in a new setting, usually so far different then what they’re accustomed to. I’m sure the success rate is much higher with folks like you who take the time to steer them the right course. Bravo Zulu.

Thank you! It's such a good feeling, unlike anything I've experienced before with regards to how rewarding it was to help others. Many lives have been positively impacted thus far and it's only the beginning!

Originally Posted by superdog

That’s super cool. Must be scary.

Luckily for me the first time up was very rough, literally. The wind sock was certainly moving that day at the airfield. Before I knew it we were around the practice area and the instructor at the time said "You've got the controls". In my mind it was complete sensory overload and happened so quickly.

We continued to experience some serious turbulence, to the point where the instructor and I both looked at eachother and he said "Ouuuuu". After getting through that there was a call about nearby traffic, a Helicopter below us at 1,500 feet (we were at 3,000 feet). He waited for me to spot it before confirming to ATC the traffic was in sight. Despite all of that I still wanted more and here I am now.

Those difficult experiences initially truly do make us better and stronger. It made me laser focused on preparing to be the best and ready for anything, at any time. Luckily for me studying this serves as a stress reliever, so it's all in good fun, literally!

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

Excellent, Rommel. Congratulations!

Thanks! It's all I can think about still. Very excited for the next lesson and preparing myself in every way possible. My headset should be here hopefully tomorrow or the day after.

Big challenges make all else seem simple, so I've been spending some time tonight listening to Live ATC for CYYZ and analyzing the diagram (a ransom one from Google just for fun).

https://www.liveatc.net/

[Bluside]

I found this on the web. "The 23 Rules of Flight". Good stuff.

Paul will agree...

https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/list...les-of-flight/

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Bluside

I found this on the web. "The 23 Rules of Flight". Good stuff.

Paul will agree...

https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/list...les-of-flight/

Yeah, I agree

[TheVTCGuy]

My first solo.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Bluside

I found this on the web. "The 23 Rules of Flight". Good stuff.

Paul will agree...

https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/list...les-of-flight/

Good stuff, indeed! Thanks for sharing!

I'm constantly looking for content to learn from the mistakes of others and gain wisdom. Luckily YouTube chas some creators / CFI's who addressed some major problems in general aviation with significant educational videos.

Their teachings stuck with me and clearly impressed my instructor. Embracing lifelong learning is paramount.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

My first solo.

That's amazing! Which aircraft was that in again? I'll bet the memories are vivid to this day.

[Stan Cooper]

This photo was taken shortly after getting my private ticket in 1964. Back then nobody wore headsets; we used a hand mic and the cabin speaker. It's a miracle I'm not deaf. I love my Bose A20s.

The plane is a '63 172.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

This photo was taken shortly after getting my private ticket in 1964. Back then nobody wore headsets; we used a hand mic and the cabin speaker. It's a miracle I'm not deaf. I love my Bose A20s.

The plane is a '63 172.

I remember those days quite well. I received my private in 1973. Never used a headset. When I started teaching in 1975 I finally started using some rubber earplugs. If we only knew...

[Cryten]

Those pics of the 172 dash take me back. I learned to fly on 172s, but that was quite a while ago now.

Are you going to take it further, or is this just a hobby at this stage?

[Blansky]

.

[flyboyyy]

Fantastic and well done! Just make sure to keep at it, it'll take a big pile of time, money, and mental/emotional effort to get your license, but I can pretty much promise you it'll be well worth it. If people think watches are addictive, airplanes can be worse.

I'm often surprised that with so many WIS's who love various fast cars there aren't more people that try flying a plane. I mean, our "1G+ lateral grip" Porsche's are somewhat fun and all, but it's really nothing at all compared to flying a plane. Many, many, GA planes will outrun pretty much any "fast" type car, and do it for long periods of time. You can pretty much go where you want (in 3 dimensions instead of 2), when you want, and how you want.

Once you get to fly (not in the back seat of a 737) and control the plane, the whole car flex thing becomes less of a thing...though most plane guys are also car guys so they nicely go hand in hand!

PS, the Bose headsets are pretty much THE one's to have. I've owned and tried them all (still do), but those are my personal "go-to" headsets.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

This photo was taken shortly after getting my private ticket in 1964. Back then nobody wore headsets; we used a hand mic and the cabin speaker. It's a miracle I'm not deaf. I love my Bose A20s.

The plane is a '63 172.

Wow, that's incredible! Things have come such a long way and the progress continues. How long do the 2 AA batteries typically last you in the A20s? I guess it depends as well on if they've got Bluetooth and overall usage of that feature on top of noise cancelling.

Originally Posted by Bluside

I remember those days quite well. I received my private in 1973. Never used a headset. When I started teaching in 1975 I finally started using some rubber earplugs. If we only knew...

And here I was complaining about the noise with my David Clark's. It gives me an even greater appreciation for the pilots / trailblazers of the 40s and even earlier.

Originally Posted by Cryten

Those pics of the 172 dash take me back. I learned to fly on 172s, but that was quite a while ago now.

Are you going to take it further, or is this just a hobby at this stage?

Right now it's just a hobby, as my career is established and progressing nicely. However, this addictive passion can open many doors! The thrill of the chase and pursuit of the goal make me very happy.

Fun fact about myself, although I never enlisted / served I came very close and have a service number. Years ago I wanted to be an Airforce pilot, but the requirements had changed right before I began my application.

My top pick was then Aerospace Control Operator. Met with the recruiter after speaking to many prior, signed and submitted the application (hints how I have a service number), but felt like I had to complete my post secondary studies first.

I'm grateful I went back to business school to finish. Ultimately it's allowing me to live this dream as a civilian. For now it's just a hobby, one that's continuing to enrich my life.

Originally Posted by Blansky

.

I almost forgot about the flight engineers back in the day. It's remarkable how something like the modern Airbus A380 only needs 2 in the cockpit.

Originally Posted by flyboyyy

Fantastic and well done! Just make sure to keep at it, it'll take a big pile of time, money, and mental/emotional effort to get your license, but I can pretty much promise you it'll be well worth it. If people think watches are addictive, airplanes can be worse.

I'm often surprised that with so many WIS's who love various fast cars there aren't more people that try flying a plane. I mean, our "1G+ lateral grip" Porsche's are somewhat fun and all, but it's really nothing at all compared to flying a plane. Many, many, GA planes will outrun pretty much any "fast" type car, and do it for long periods of time. You can pretty much go where you want (in 3 dimensions instead of 2), when you want, and how you want.

Once you get to fly (not in the back seat of a 737) and control the plane, the whole car flex thing becomes less of a thing...though most plane guys are also car guys so they nicely go hand in hand!

PS, the Bose headsets are pretty much THE one's to have. I've owned and tried them all (still do), but those are my personal "go-to" headsets.

Well said! I've heard this before but it wasn't until my first flight that I saw the extent to which this is true. Just the stories I'll be able to tell (and already can) are worth it! For me it's a marathon, not a race, but something I'm actively pursuing. The aviation community is incredible and the shared passion / happiness shows at the airport.

Being in control of an aircraft is a life-changing experience. The defining moment for me so far was the first takeoff, hands down. After receiving clearance and gradually applying full power I was amazed at how quickly it progressed. The instructor called out "Airspeed alive", 60 knots, apply "back pressure" / rotate. That's when it all changed for me. Doing the climb out and seeing that his hands were not even on the yoke made me very happy.

What I experienced doing those 60 degree bank angle climbing turns was wild! Seeing it in videos is nothing like actually being in the seat, feeling the G force as you pretty much watch things spin. Recovering from them was great too. I found it was much easier when I was in control vs. sitting through the instructor demonstrating the first couple (left and right).

This isn't my video but serves as a good example. I know we got pretty heavy in our seats and could feel the G forces at work.



Getting positive feedback after each manuver was great. We did encounter some minor turbulence but I was ready for this after my first experience. I couldn't experience anything like this even in the best of Supercars.

A20s are the gold standard, for sure. I've had countless pilots tell me this. I'm certainly going to be getting these, it's much better for combating fatigue.

I'll do an unboxing of the David Clarks soon as the tracking shows they've been delivered to the mailbox. So busy with work at the moment I'll have to wait until later, but excited, nonetheless! I'll keep them in good shape and worst case scenario I'll sell them but that's unlikely because to me they're iconic and symbolic of the student pilots journey.

[Heu]

Very Nice!

[Stan Cooper]

Originally Posted by RW16610

Wow, that's incredible! Things have come such a long way and the progress continues. How long do the 2 AA batteries typically last you in the A20s? I guess it depends as well on if they've got Bluetooth and overall usage of that feature on top of noise cancelling.

I don't have the Bluetooth version, and I can pretty much count on getting 40 hours' tach time on the batteries. I do keep spare AAs in my armrest compartment, but have been replacing the batteries at around 30 - 35 hours as a prophylactic measure before they croak. Bose says 45+ hours, but mine haven't quite made it that long.

[RW16610]

And my package arrived today! I'm so happy to have these and looking at it all together feels great.

Originally Posted by Heu

Very Nice!

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

I don't have the Bluetooth version, and I can pretty much count on getting 40 hours' tach time on the batteries. I do keep spare AAs in my armrest compartment, but have been replacing the batteries at around 30 - 35 hours as a prophylactic measure before they croak. Bose says 45+ hours, but mine haven't quite made it that long.

That's fairly decent still. I would imagine the Bluetooth versions could get a bit less. Still impressive as it runs on just 2 AA batteries for those functions. I wonder if anyone makes a rechargeable pack for these? Regular rechargeable AA cells would be around 1.2 volts each vs. the 1.5 offered with good Alkaline batteries.

Lightspeed Aviation make some that have a rechargeable battery, but I've never been a fan of their products (looks wise). AA cells make for an easy replacement / redundancy if there is indeed a rechargeable alternative which somehow fits in that slot.

[PanosI]

I'm very happy for you Rommel and I'm a little jealous. I've always wanted to learn to fly but the situations of my life didn't let me make it. I'll probably be left with the biggest repulsion of my life. Keep on flying and enjoying it.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by PanosI

I'm very happy for you Rommel and I'm a little jealous. I've always wanted to learn to fly but the situations of my life didn't let me make it. I'll probably be left with the biggest repulsion of my life. Keep on flying and enjoying it.

Thanks, Panos! I'm very sorry to hear that but still think it's possible to one day take an intro lesson just to say you did it. I can assure you this would be an experience that would quell the regrets. I'll certainly keep with it and continue the updates.

[Stan Cooper]

Originally Posted by RW16610

That's fairly decent still. I would imagine the Bluetooth versions could get a bit less. Still impressive as it runs on just 2 AA batteries for those functions. I wonder if anyone makes a rechargeable pack for these? Regular rechargeable AA cells would be around 1.2 volts each vs. the 1.5 offered with good Alkaline batteries.

Rommel, Bose does have an option for powering the A20 from aircraft power through a 6 pin connector and cable kit. Details are in the Owner's Guide which you can download here: https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/..._og_a20_en.pdf

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by RW16610

That's amazing! Which aircraft was that in again? I'll bet the memories are vivid to this day.

T-34C Mentor. North Whiting field Milton Florida

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

Rommel, Bose does have an option for powering the A20 from aircraft power through a 6 pin connector and cable kit. Details are in the Owner's Guide which you can download here: https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/..._og_a20_en.pdf

That's great to know, thanks for providing that! I've downloaded the PDF because I'll inevitably have the A20s sooner rather than later. It shouldn't be too hard for me to keep 2 packs of AA batteries in my headset bag or other pilot bag shown earlier in the thread.

The situation I'm now faced with is figuring out how to capture ATC audio with a reasonably priced action camera. For the GoPros they have the headset recording adapters. For the price of a newer GoPro and that cable I would rather put those funds towards the A20s but certainly do want to capture my training for the sake of memories and analysis.

I also need to determine best mounting practices for a single camera setup to record video of the cockpit and ahead.

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

T-34C Mentor. North Whiting field Milton Florida

Very cool, Paul! A historically significant aircraft, indeed. I just realized that it's based on the Beechcraft Bonanza and that NASA used them for propulsion experiments involving turboprop engines.

When I see planes of this era at the airfield it's an incredible feeling.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

T-34C Mentor. North Whiting field Milton Florida

Many, many years ago, I belonged to a flying club located at Lowrie AFB in Colorado. They had a T-34. Myself and only one other guy (an instructor) at the time were checked out in it. It was like having my own personal T-34. That was the first plane I flew with a stick. I had a ball in that thing.

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Bluside

Many, many years ago, I belonged to a flying club located at Lowrie AFB in Colorado. They had a T-34. Myself and only one other guy (an instructor) at the time were checked out in it. It was like having my own personal T-34. That was the first plane I flew with a stick. I had a ball in that thing.

Wow, what an honour! I look forward to the day I get to fly an aircraft with a stick. You must have a lot of stories from the pleasant experiences training in the T-34.

[RW16610]

So I just purchased this off Amazon. It might not be the best but at least it'll allow me to hopefully capture some of my training. This comes with the external mic, which I saw can be placed in the ear piece of your headset as worst case scenario (this pilot demonstrated various audio capture methods).















If it works out terribly I can always use the waterproof case to film my aquatic adventures.


The reason I also wanted one with an external microphone port was so the following adapter could potentially be used.



It's currently out of stock at the pilot supply store right by CYYZ. I'll have to try find alternatives in the meantime. I did put my email address down to be notified when it's in stock again, but who knows when that'll be.

[Rafeeq]

Mighty neat, Rommel! Back a dozen years or so, I did about 40 hours in a Piper Cherokee Warrior II, maxed out at a couple solos around the pattern, and then petered out. Kinda pricey hobby, but it sure can be fun...

[RW16610]

Originally Posted by Rafeeq

Mighty neat, Rommel! Back a dozen years or so, I did about 40 hours in a Piper Cherokee Warrior II, maxed out at a couple solos around the pattern, and then petered out. Kinda pricey hobby, but it sure can be fun...

Thanks, Rafeeq! That sounds great and although you didn't decide to continue what's most important is that you had the experience! The memories are always there for you to cherish and share with others.

Unfortunately I had to return that camera as it turned out to be junk (go figure). The weather this week isn't cooperating with VFR conditions but I hope to get back up within the next couple of weeks.

I'm cherishing the journey as it gives me so much to look forward to. I'll be taking full advantage of these days still with regards to studying and preparing myself for what's next!