Thinking seriously....

[Jakor]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been lurking around this site for a little while now so it's time to introduce myself and see if I can gain your insights into some of the queries I have before I plunge head first into recreational flying.

 

I am aged in my late 50's (time flies!!) and have been retired for a couple of years. While I have always been intrigued about aviation, and have done a ridiculous amount of business travel in the big birds (most of the time having dozed off before the doors were closed), I have never taken the prospect of learning to fly too seriously....until now. Went on a small group flying holiday to the top end last year and had the chance to sit with the pilot (and steer a bit under instruction) and I was hooked. I'm about to go off to Africa for a similar trip shortly and am seriously considering taking the plunge with TIF and lessons when I get back.

 

All that said, I do have some questions and would value input from those experienced in the world of recreational aviation.

 

I live in the S/E suburbs of Melbourne and therefore have a few reasonably local flight schools & airfields handy - Tooraddin, Lilydale, Coldstream and Tyabb are the closest, but Barwon Heads is also a possibility as I have a holiday house down that way). The question obviously then is which one do I go to? Presumably the sensible answer would be to visit each, talk with the instructors and take it from there.

 

However, my personality is such that when I take something on, I'm afraid I have to go whole hog. I can well see myself doing the training (full time), hopefully becoming fully licensed (RAA) and then wanting to buy an aircraft rather than rent (I have been watching the posts on the Morgan Sierra's with particular interest). Therefore, should my choice of training location be dictated to some extent by where I am likely to want to fly from into the future? If so, should I then consider the likelihood of being able to obtain hangarage for a future aircraft before I start my training? The next question in this series is then ... how difficult is it to obtain hangarage at the sorts of airfields i mentioned above? (I certainly wouldn't want to acquire an aircraft and then leave my investment unhangared)?

 

Sorry this is so long winded but any advice would be much appreciated. In any event I hope to become a flying member of this fraternity shortly.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

 

 

[fly_tornado]

hi Jeff,

 

bags a ride in your sierra!

 

phil

 

 

[rdarby]

Go to the field you will go to most. By this I mean if it's a hassle and you are at a point where the training is hard, you might not want to go, so remove a barrier. But you should check out all the schools and see which one you like. Just call them up and say you want to chat to them, see the equipment, understand how they teach. You then go to the one you feel most comfortable with.

 

You may find that you can't choose where you get a hangar as many areas are full up. So where you eventually house the aircraft should not dictate where you learn to fly, but it does help if it's closer as you build local knowledge. But the aircraft they train in may influence what you want to buy, and if you buy the same type it can be easier than cross training, so consider carefully what they train you in. Getting a hangar can be hard, in Brisbane anyway, unless you drive an hour out of the city at least.

 

But I would start the training, as once you are in the system you will learn a lot and see which fields and aircraft are nice. Right now you are asking yourself to make a big decision before you have had a chance to get the input data.

 

Get airborne, the rest will come with time!

 

Good luck

 

Ryan

 

 

[dazza 38]

Welcome Jeff.

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Hi Jakor

 

I learn't to fly GA at Coldstream many years ago, flew out of Lilydale also many years ago, recently studied for and got my RA instructors rating at Tyabb and fly most often now at Tooradin. They are all good airfields! Each with their own foibles. As far as I know, Tooradin is the only one that is dedicated to RA and fly Jabirus. These are excellent training aircraft, easy to fly but not easy to fly well ...... Tyabb uses Gazelles which are very simple aircraft, very easy to fly, perhaps too easy in some respects ...... As others have said, pick the airfield that is best access for you. If you would like to discuss further, please PM me

 

RD

 

 

[facthunter]

The quality of your instruction is very important. Don't hesitate to try a few instructors. It might seem like a waste of money but will add to your knowledgebase and it's like getting a second opinion with a doctor. Picking an aeroplane. The longer you put it off the better the final decision. Get used to and fly different aircraft once you get your certificate and if you are a serious pilot do a course of recovering from unusual attitudes in a proper aerobatic aircraft later. Hangarage is a problem, particularly if you care about "hangar rash". ( You don't want your plane "bumped" by others. Planes are not built for that). The "social" side of all this is important too . If you can find a place where there is a good feeling and people hang around you are better off than just going somewhere doing your flying and then leaving to go home. Good luck. and welcome. Nev

 

 

[farri]

Hi Jeff and .

 

First things first!

 

In my opinion the most important thing in begining your flying training is not the aircraft you choose! It`s the instructor!

 

Find a school with a CFI and Instructor/Instructors with whom you can communicate effectivly,everything else will follow.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I think it has all been said by others. Take things a step at a time and try to get experience of more than one aircraft, even during your training. I think it helps you mentally realise that it isn't a formula, but a learning of cause and effect plus skills.

 

When you say you want to "whole hog" and therefore talk about "full time" training... I'd make these comments as food for thought:-

 

• I've seen a couple of people get their Pilot Certificate in a week, full time (6 days of 4 hours a day in the air), but I have to wonder how shallow their approach to theory and ancilliary knowledge was. What level of knowledge retention will they have in six months?
   
   
  
• Training can be quite mentally tiring. Pace yourself appropriately.
   
   
  
• I'm often surprised at fellow pilots who lack quite basic information. Is it because they rushed the learning and forgot it? ... or perhaps never learned it because they just had to learn enough to pass the tests?
   
   
  
• You need to parallel the theory and practice, so give yourself reading and research time between lessons.
   
   
  

 

 

 

There's lots of good information on the Internet, not just here. Google is your friend :thumb_up:, but as usual with Internet info, be cautious of the source and look for corroborating information elsewhere.

 

If you haven't read JB's tutorials on this site, I'd recommend them as a starting point. :thumb_up:

 

Welcome Jakor. Let us know what you decide and your progress.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Welcome Jeff!

 

my personality is such that when I take something on, I'm afraid I have to go whole hog.

Cool! The answer is of course you need a Morgan Sierra AND a property with its own airstrip. And if you still have a hankering for the odd bit of business there seem to be a few folk about eager to rent hangar-age....

 

Have fun with your lessons & a great time in Africa.

 

 

[Jakor]

Thank you all for your comments - your advice is all very sensible and will be taken on board. My main takeaway from the feedback is to make sure I put the horse before the cart in selecting training school and venue and to hasten slowly. As for Gnarly's suggestion - a property with it's own airstrip would undoubtedly be a step too far for the Minister for Finance & Recreation. Davidh10 - I have indeed been doing heaps of reading, including having been through the tutorials on this site multiple times.

 

I will keep you posted as I move forward but am unlikely to do anything positive, other than continue to read and research, before mid year.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

 

 

[Guest Wigg]

Hangar space is near on impossible to get.

 

 

[geoffreywh]

there is hangar space at Tooradin and at Tyabb. It is NOT cheap though. Tyabb is building about 4 more hangars in addition to the 4 new ones just finished.............Both have very good flying schools, Tooradin uses Jabiru's (170's?) and Tyabb has Gazelles but Cessna Skycatchers are coming

 

 

[kaz3g]

Hi Jeff

 

Welcome and best wishes for success with your flying aspirations.

 

I fly out of Coldstream and hangar my Auster there. It has a combined GA and RA school currently run by RVAC, an independent flying club of happy aviators called the Coldstream Flyers with clubroom, and an RA maintenance facility which is also home to the MAF. Dick Gower is the CFI (GA and RA) and he has a wealth of experience to share with students.

 

The airfield owners have had a very long family association with aviation and are committed to growing the facility. The current development plan includes a number of new hangars and amenities.

 

We are a happy bunch.. come and join us.

 

kaz

 

 

[planedriver]

Welcome Jeff.

 

Good luck with your decisions.

 

Whilst so many instructors know their stuff, some communicate a whole lot better than others, i'd say go with one that you feel comfortable with, and communicates well.

 

Compared to many on here (myself included) you have youth on your side, and should be able to achieve your goals with few worries.

 

Kind Regards

 

Planey