Tell us about your first solo

[BurnieM]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

You can change hands. Long term, flying a variety of planes is beneficial to the way you fly. You become more versatile and adaptive. Better.  Nev

Long term probably, but in the short term I would try to get 50 hours all on one type.

Different types of controls, swapping hands all slow you down when you are first learning.

You also end up paying for more hours.

 

[facthunter]

That's an "Intuative" answer. In Practice it might work out differently. 50 Hours on a Basic type?  Unnecessarily restrictive IMHO. Don't get in a rut where anything different  throws you. Landings in the same plane can be different. Don't do anything by numbers.. Fly to the conditions. . An aeroplane at max Wt. is a lot different to when it's light. Nev

[BrendAn]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

You can change hands. Long term, flying a variety of planes is beneficial to the way you fly. You become more versatile and adaptive. Better.  Nev

exactly. i have flown a yellow xair. a red xair and now an orange one.

[Blueadventures]

4 hours ago, BrendAn said:

exactly. i have flown a yellow xair. a red xair and now an orange one.

I'm endorsed for Grey Xair's for grass and beach strips

[facthunter]

You Blokes should collaborate and write "ZEN and the Art of Flying".  Nev

[Moneybox]

9 hours ago, BurnieM said:

Long term probably, but in the short term I would try to get 50 hours all on one type.

Different types of controls, swapping hands all slow you down when you are first learning.

You also end up paying for more hours.

 

 

Yes, I'm not looking for a career in flying. I already have an aircraft that I expect to keep for some time and considering I'm already on the wrong side of 70 I'm not likely to own many more (unless I break this one). So far I've had the Evektor Harmony that I enjoyed flying, then the Bristell for a few days while the Harmony engine was replaced, then the dramatic change to the high wing Jabiru J160 and then the J170 once its engine overhaul was done and after all that I'll be into my Evektor Sportstar for my Xcountry navigation and prop endorsement. I don't want any more variety. If I end up with a different plane then I'll pay for a few familiarization flights.

[BrendAn]

On 17/04/2025 at 8:28 PM, Moneybox said:

I ended up swapping planes from the Jabiru J160 to the J170. It's a nicer plane but I'm not wishing to change planes, I just want to get consistency in my handling of the aircraft and these changes don't help.

 

 

I'm told I must keep hold of the joystick at all times during the flight but with all other controls apart from the throttle in the centre I find it difficult. The yellow arrow indicates the position of the Flap control that I must operate with my left hand while scooting down the runway between Touch and Go. Anyway I'm finished with 2.4hs solo now until possibly June sometime. 

i actually felt more comfortable in jabirus than tecnams.   i like the manual trim.

in the tecnam because the electric trim is so slow your halfway around the circuit still trying to sort it out .

admittedly i don't get enough regular flying to remain current. 

[BrendAn]

6 minutes ago, Moneybox said:

 

Yes, I'm not looking for a career in flying. I already have an aircraft that I expect to keep for some time and considering I'm already on the wrong side of 70 I'm not likely to own many more (unless I break this one). So far I've had the Evektor Harmony that I enjoyed flying, then the Bristell for a few days while the Harmony engine was replaced, then the dramatic change to the high wing Jabiru J160 and then the J170 once its engine overhaul was done and after all that I'll be into my Evektor Sportstar for my Xcountry navigation and prop endorsement. I don't want any more variety. If I end up with a different plane then I'll pay for a few familiarization flights.

same plan as me. get the rpc then get into my ac for the rest.

i can fly the xair no problem but not allowed to train in it because of raaus  rules forcing us into flying school aircraft.

[Moneybox]

1 minute ago, BrendAn said:

i actually felt more comfortable in jabirus than tecnams.   i like the manual trim.

in the tecnam because the electric trim is so slow your halfway around the circuit still trying to sort it out .

admittedly i don't get enough regular flying to remain current. 

 

I find the Jabiru needs very little trim while in the circuits. It doesn't seem to load the joystick up near as much as the Harmony. If you fail to trim the Harmony stick can be very heavy. I'm happy that my Sportstar has manual Trim and Flaps.

[spacesailor]

" familiarisation flights " .

Not so good in a single seater , I thought of going  from training wheel at the front,

to tail dragging in the same  model Hummelbird ,

just swapping the maim mounts to the other side. 

But never got that far.

spacesailor

[spacesailor]

An aside to the above .

I sold my No., two build to a fellow forumite he can build as a TD or nosewheel,

As the doubler has been added at the rear end .

It could also end up an BEV .

spacesailor

[BrendAn]

FINALLY got my rpc. it took 50 hrs because of all the breaks in between.

now i can fly the xair to my hearts content. i know the basic rpc is just solo practice in the 25nm zone

but that is fine with me for a while until i start x country lessons.

[onetrack]

That's excellent news. Now the real learning starts.

[Moneybox]

1 hour ago, BrendAn said:

FINALLY got my rpc. it took 50 hrs because of all the breaks in between.

now i can fly the xair to my hearts content. i know the basic rpc is just solo practice in the 25nm zone

but that is fine with me for a while until i start x country lessons.

 

Congratulations BrendAn, I wish I could say the same. I'm a little handicapped at the moment. I've been off training for three months and now I'm having trouble getting back into it.

 

We just got home from another couple of weeks prospecting for gold so I decided to give it another go. I called my first trainer to see if I could get back to training in the Evektor Harmony. I finished off in April with 2.4 hrs of solo on the Jabiru but I'd prefer to be in the Harmony so that I could slip into my Sportstar with very little familiarisation. I didn't do any good getting back in there because he said it's complicated. I can't fly solo from Jandakot, solo must be done in the training area further south. I guess that means he has to leave Jandakot.

 

Next I tried my recent trainer in Esperance 1200km south but that didn't work out too well. He's given up full time training and has gone back to his trade for the next six months so he may be able to arrange something on a weekend a month or two down the track. He's talking about hiring a Foxbat to knock off my solo. I don't want another change but I don't have a lot of choices.

[BrendAn]

30 minutes ago, onetrack said:

That's excellent news. Now the real learning starts.

Thanks ot

[BrendAn]

23 minutes ago, Moneybox said:

 

Congratulations BrendAn, I wish I could say the same. I'm a little handicapped at the moment. I've been off training for three months and now I'm having trouble getting back into it.

 

We just got home from another couple of weeks prospecting for gold so I decided to give it another go. I called my first trainer to see if I could get back to training in the Evektor Harmony. I finished off in April with 2.4 hrs of solo on the Jabiru but I'd prefer to be in the Harmony so that I could slip into my Sportstar with very little familiarisation. I didn't do any good getting back in there because he said it's complicated. I can't fly solo from Jandakot, solo must be done in the training area further south. I guess that means he has to leave Jandakot.

 

Next I tried my recent trainer in Esperance 1200km south but that didn't work out too well. He's given up full time training and has gone back to his trade for the next six months so he may be able to arrange something on a weekend a month or two down the track. He's talking about hiring a Foxbat to knock off my solo. I don't want another change but I don't have a lot of choices.

I know what you mean. I have pretty much had the same experience as you.

It's surprising how much a few weeks off can set you back.

[BrendAn]

9 hours ago, Moneybox said:

 

Congratulations BrendAn, I wish I could say the same. I'm a little handicapped at the moment. I've been off training for three months and now I'm having trouble getting back into it.

 

We just got home from another couple of weeks prospecting for gold so I decided to give it another go. I called my first trainer to see if I could get back to training in the Evektor Harmony. I finished off in April with 2.4 hrs of solo on the Jabiru but I'd prefer to be in the Harmony so that I could slip into my Sportstar with very little familiarisation. I didn't do any good getting back in there because he said it's complicated. I can't fly solo from Jandakot, solo must be done in the training area further south. I guess that means he has to leave Jandakot.

 

Next I tried my recent trainer in Esperance 1200km south but that didn't work out too well. He's given up full time training and has gone back to his trade for the next six months so he may be able to arrange something on a weekend a month or two down the track. He's talking about hiring a Foxbat to knock off my solo. I don't want another change but I don't have a lot of choices.

Is Bunbury a possibility for you.

We had a great raaus and ga instructor at Latrobe valley. 

Tim little. He is now the CFI at Bunbury.

[Moneybox]

Just now, BrendAn said:

Is Bunbury a possibility for you.

We had a great raaus and ga instructor at Latrobe valley. 

Tim little. He is now the CFI at Bunbury.

Yes that's a possibility. Like you I only have to finish my RPL and then I can at least take to the sky. It's just over 800km from here but if I can knock it off in one block that's not a problem. 

[BrendAn]

If you contact Bunbury aero club

Tim will help you. 

[Moneybox]

Thanks BrendAn, I'll discuss it with my current fellow first. I don't like to burn my bridges and I may need him for my cross country out of Northam in my plane.