Learning to Fly
Like most people who have a keen interest in aviation, learning to fly was something I had always wanted to do, but the cost always seemed prohibitive. It was while working for Birmingham Executive Airways a colleague had taken the plunge and decided to learn. It was towards the end of his training that I was given the opportunity to sit in the back of the aircraft during some of his lessons. This did nothing except reinforce the idea that I would like to learn, but as I had recently purchased a new car I had committed myself and any spare cash to paying for it.
It was then a few years later, that I found myself without the same financial commitments. Disillusioned where my life was going it seemed that when not spotting my life evolved around nights out with the lads and consuming large amounts of lager. I felt that I needed to do something more constructive to give my life a new focus and challenge and if nothing else reduce my bar bills.
So that was it without further delay, I ventured into Birmingham Airport Flying Group and uttered the immortal words 'I would like to learn to fly'. At this point I was introduced to George Folkes who would become my long suffering flying instructor.
Having already experienced flying in a light aircraft as a passenger, I opted for the first lesson rather than the traditional trial lesson offered by most flying organisations.
This first lesson was booked for the day after my 26th birthday, so unusually the celebratory drinking was reduced from the norm. So on the evening of 28 June 1990 Cessna 152 G-BMSZ left Birmingham airport as I embarked on path of getting my licence.
Training continued along the syllabus covering basic aircraft control, aircraft handling in different configurations, then returning to learn the components of circuit to practice takeoffs and landings.
Landings I personally found the most difficult thing to master, I had been experiencing problems getting the right perspective during landing. This had been attributed to my height in the seat or the lack of it. I had been advised that it might be a good idea to sit on a cushion. A cushion! Could I face walking across the apron a cushion tucked under my arm I thought. I dismissed the idea trying to protect my dignity, and continued to battle on trying to perfect my landings. Many more hours of sweat and toil later I admitted defeat and gave the cushion a try. Almost instantly my landings improved and everything just clicked. I dread to think how many extra hours and hard earned cash could have been saved if I had not let my macho pride get the better of me.
For this reason my first solo flight was a little later than is perhaps normal. However I can still remember the trepidation as after flying a few circuits on 1 June 1991, George asked ATC at Birmingham if we could make a full stop landing to drop off the instructor. As G-BMSZ climbed away from Runway 06 I couldn't help but notice how different the climb rate was with one person on board. I can remember my concern, as I was instructed to climb straight ahead until advised for what seemed like a very long time. Concern that my first solo circuit could also become my first solo cross-country. Eventually cleared to turn left into the circuit, I could still imagine George's voice as I called downwind at the same time insuring I remembered to perform my pre-landing checks. As I turned onto finals I heard ATC ask the jet traffic on Runway 33 to reduce minimum safe approach speed. The landing was OK and as I rolled through the intersection to allow the jet full of unsuspecting holidaymakers to land. As I turned ready to back track, ATC congratulating me, the realisation dawned what on I had just successfully completed.
Further lessons of flying the circuit continued, with further solo sorties increasing in duration each time.
In August 1991 I said goodbye to G-BMSZ and hello to the groups latest acquisition in the form of Cessna 150 Aerobat G-BTFS.
November 1991 I managed to do my first overseas flying, I was on a business trip to Miami for a user group meeting. A US PPL friend had organised for me to get some lessons in with one of the instructors at the flying school he used. This gave me the opportunity to make a short local flight over prestigious houses on the Miami River, returning to bash the circuit at Tamiami in Cessna 172 N669JH.
Unfortunately this proved to be my last flight until the following spring, as the English winter weather took its grip. However this gave me plenty of time to catch up on my ground school subjects. The better spring weather allowed me to concentrate on the next stage of the training navigation. That summer I made my first solo cross-country, and also made my first solo landing away from Birmingham when I landed at Leicester.
It was not until the summer of 1993 that I managed to complete my Navigation Flight Test, Qualifying Cross-Country and General Flight Test I particularly enjoyed the cross-country as this involves flying solo on a three-sector route of a minimum distance and landing at each airfield. Mine took me from Birmingham to Peterborough (Conington), on to Leicester and back to Birmingham.
At this stage all that was left to do was to apply for my licence. It had a taken me three years to gain my licence, a lot longer than I had envisaged but I had enjoyed the challenge.
The 14 August 1993 I made a short local flight but it was important, it was my first flight as a PPL holder.
