THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

During one of our summer holidays my husband developed penchant for gliding. Every other day I would be down at the airfield watching him as a distant speck somewhere in the sky and chatting to the flying aficionados who congregated there.

It was then that I first developed an interest in flying. It seemed so glamorous, being able to set off into the clouds, uninhibited by traffic jams or gravity and take day trips to places like France, Alderney or Ireland.

By the end of the holiday I had made up my mind that I was not going to marvel at anymore, I was going to get my Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).

This was not going to be simple. I had two children and a job, and learning to fly takes up a lot of time. Nevertheless I felt that I was up to the challenge.

If you are thinking of getting you PPL (which I think everyone should) then it is vital that you choose a good flying school. The one I chose was in Essex, at a moderately busy airfield mostly for private aircraft.

They were absolutely brilliant. Right from that start I could sense the passion that everyone involved had for flying. There was none of the ‘stuffed shirt’ attitude you might expect and everyone enjoyed having a joke. The whole experience of learning was meant to be fun and not just a way of getting air hours and a sheaf of certificates. Mixed with this was a high standard of professionalism and commitment to safety.

The school was well equipped with a briefing room, navigation planning area, social area with refreshments, radio equipment and even a shop where I could buy the necessary books, maps and equipments I needed.

I began my lessons in the spring which was an opportune time since the most flight-friendly weather followed. The day of my first lesson came and I arrived at the school feeling a bit apprehensive. Somehow the Cessna 172’s and Piper Warriors that I saw buzzing around looked a bit vulnerable.

My fears vanished as soon as I met Graeme, my instructor. Graeme is the most calming man I have ever met. His years in the RAF and as a commercial pilot meant that he was well able to deal with any situation I got into. Throughout the time I spent getting my PPL Graeme was an absolute rock of help and support.

We took off and my anxiety was replaced by joy at the intimacy of flight in a small plane. You feel as though you are a cloud or a bird and that you can see the whole world laid out around you in every direction.

The actual technicalities of flying are not all that complex. Once in the air it is just a matter of keeping an eye on your instruments keeping everything smooth and level. The only difficult things are taking off and landing and learning to deal with emergencies.

Over the following weeks I spent as much time in the air as I could. You would be surprised how easy it is if you get into routine of making time to fly. It’s not as though it is a chore. I would leave the high street bank I work at feeling stressed and fed up but looking forward to spending an hour floating in the air and forgetting it all.

So what do you actually have to do to get your PPL?

45 hours flight training. 25 hours dual flying (with an instructor) and 10 solo. 5 hours of this has to be cross country and 2 hours stalling and spin awareness practise. You also need to do a cross country qualifying flight of 150 nautical miles.
Seven written exams. They are only short and consist of simple multiple choice questions. Your instructor will make sure that you get through these without any worries.
A flight test. This is a bit like a driving test, but a lot more relaxed.
A practical radio exam.
You will also take a medical. This is not too taxing. (There are pilots out there who have one eye!)

This may look like a lot to learn but with regular flights (I managed 2 a week on average) you progress quickly. Graeme tutored me well, slowly building up my knowledge and experience and making sure I tried something new every lesson.

The knowledge you need for your theoretical exams is mostly gained during your time in the air and so when it comes to the exams it seems second nature to answer the questions.

You will be amazed how you gradually improve your skills and experience until you feel confident enough to fly on your own. It took me a total of six months to learn. The time seemed to fly by (excuse me) and the feeling of freedom when I got my licence was immense.

I fly most weekends now and never fail to get the same buzz when my wheels first leave the runway and I cruise into the sky. I take my family on trips and we regularly fly over to Brittany for picnics, or even go to Holland for long weekends. It is also a very practical way of getting to see friends and relatives in the UK.

Getting my PPL has changed my life entirely for the better. I have made lots of good friends through flying and there are numerous advantages: It is always a good feeling when you are soaring  towards Calais and see all the traffic backed up for miles along the M25 for example and travel by plain is indisputably safer than going anywhere by car; there’s not as much to crash into up in the air.

It cost me approximately £6,000 to learn to fly and it has been worth every penny and then some. I urge you to try it. Get airborne once and you will be hooked, begin to learn how to do it yourself and you will open the door to the most rewarding, liberating and enjoyable hobby you can find.