Training Received – Page 5

26th April 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC training day #3

Today I had a different instructor, Roger, who briefed me on the next stage of the training. This would reinforce what I’d learnt so far, develop the ADF tracking and try other types of instrument approach (which should be available today because it was not the weekend or holiday period). Roger marked the paper I had sat the previous day and was pleased to report I had passed. Since the

25th April 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC training day #2

After the previous day’s good progress, I was again at the club before 9am ready to go. Mike had another student and we agreed to take it in turns so that we both got two sessions in during the day with a gap in between. Partial Panel This involves simulating the effect of the vacuum pump failing – it drives the Attitude Indicator and Direction Indicator. Rubber covers were placed

23rd April 2011 IMC Rating / Training Received

IMC Training Day 1

A wonderful warm and sunny day and a holiday too. Ideal for being out in the garden, or in the park or at the beach. Me, I’m stuck inside a hot and bumpy aircraft wearing a lampshade so I can’t see out. Must be mad. Lesson 1 Today was the start of my intensive IMC course at Lyneham. Turned up at 8:30 (me, keen, never…) for a 9am start, and

22nd April 2011 IMC Rating

Starting the practical IMC course

My practical course is scheduled to run over the Easter and Bank holiday week. It will be quite intensive, with two instructors at different times. Hopefully the weather and aircraft technical issues won’t cause any issues. I intended to try and complete the course over the extended week, hoping that immersion in the subject and continuity should help keep me focussed. I’d booked up a fair number of slots for

21st April 2011 IMC Rating

IMC Rating Theory

The UK PPL IMC Rating is quite an old qualification, having been introduced sometime around the late 1960’s. Little seems to have changed. It relies on older navigation instruments rather than GPS, but perhaps this is a good thing because GPS can fail. I’ve had this happen a long time ago on a sailing trip across the English Channel, falling back on dead-reckoning and the Mark 1 eyeball to pick

7th April 2011 IMC Rating

Signing up for IMC Training

The IMC rating (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) is a UK only qualification available to private pilots. It’s much easier to get than the full IR (Instrument Rating), but confers the privileges of flying in cloud and instrument landings. Whether this should be used only as in exceptional situations purely for safety purposes or as a more regular part of general flying routine is highly debatable and a hot topic in the flying discussion

23rd January 2011 Training Received

Induction flight at RAF Lyneham Flying Club

I’d been looking around for another club to fly from after completing my training at Kemble. The main options were: – Kemble, where I felt there wasn’t much of a club atmosphere. There was little activity other than the one flyout I had been on earlier in the year, despite this being a full cost club. – Compton Abbas, which I had enjoyed the lessons there. Having visited a few

22nd January 2011 Night / Training Received

Night Qualification

One of the next steps a private pilot can take is to learn to fly at night. This can extend your range by being able to depart a daytime only field close to dusk, then fly in the early evening back to base (assuming it is open and has lights). This is not a rating which needs to be revalidated and there is no test to pass. A course of

2nd January 2010 PPL Course

PPL training course

Deciding to embark on PPL training At the start of each New Year, I try to make a few plans for the year ahead and set some priorities. This year, I was really pleased to have made the decision to learn to fly. I’d been hankering after doing this for a few years. Why now? Firstly, it costs a lot. But I’ve been saving up for several years and last