The First 50!

[Dave]

I often have students ask me what they can do next (after their initial flight training) to prepare for the rest of their flying career, their next rating, or just to become more comfortable in the aircraft.

I came across an article this morning, and thought it was so good that it should have it's own topic in our forum. So here you go; we now have "The First 50"

Here you can post stories of what you did to gain experience, and work towards that next rating, or level of personal comfort. Share those experiences with others, and try things others have done for yourself.

If you are looking to expand your Horizons (nice plug huh?) check out this article by AOPA contributor and CFII Ralph Butcher: flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2010/December/whatsnext.html

Tell us what you may have done in your First 50. Share your thoughts and stories here. ;D

[acroflyer]

This is a really neat topic. I decided to checkout my logbook and found out some neat stuff about my first 50 Hrs... It seemed to go much faster than it looked. This is a long post, but hopefully someone will find it interesting.

I began flying gliders with the Philadelphia Glider Council in Hilltown, PA and received my certificate when I was 17. However, I am going to present this post with what I did in the first 50 hrs after receiving my PPL-ASEL cert (I was 18).

After my checkride in the trusty 152, my first flight was a checkout in a Piper Cherokee. Not really anything exciting, just no wing blocking the view in the turn.

At 1.1 hrs past my checkride, I started my tailwheel training in a "texas taildragger" 150 that my instructor owned. I have always been interested in aerobatic and warbird aircraft, so this was the next logical step for me. After a whopping 3 hrs of tailwheel time, I was signed off. Next came my first semester of college, where I flew a few 172s and a Grob 109 motoglider. The motoglider was interesting, and I completed my flying there after about 10 hrs.

Just over a month and 12 1/2 hrs after my checkride, I began my aerobatic training in a Super Decathlon at Aerial Advantage, Rob Holland's aerobatic school. What a blast!! Even before my first aerobatic flight was finished, I was hooked. 11 hrs later, I flew my first solo aerobatic sortie. I think every pilot needs to take at least one aerobatic lesson. The course mad me much more confident and skillful in all of the other aspects of my flying.

Since my first year of high school, I have always been involved in the Young Eagles program... normally helping with the ground school or paperwork. When I first got to Nashua, NH... where I go to college, I decided to volunteer at the local YE and hopefully meet some of the local pilots. Boy was I in for a surprise! Everyone was very nice and I handled the paperwork for the day... over 250 kids showed up! The owner of the FBO who was hosting us, asked me if I'd like a ride at the end of the day, and I agreed (of course!). Little did I know, the ride was in a BAC Jet Provost MK5A (see pic 1). It was an absolutely awesome experience, and man do things happen fast!

The next few hours were in a multitude of Warriors and the SuperD. Then came helicopters! What a cool and unique way to fly. Although my helicopter training took me past my first 50... I also was privileged to have the opportunity to participate in 3 hudson river tours and began my involvement in formation flight with the RedStar Pilot's Association during the end of my first 50 hrs. (see the pics).

Now a little over 300 hrs latter, it was an amazing start to my flying career. It has been a privilege sharing my passion for flying over the last 5 years and I am looking forward to many more years of excitement... Now it's your turn for some stories.

[acroflyer]

Here are some pics... I've taken all of them with the exception of the jet provost...


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BAC Jet Provost Mk5A


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CJ6A inverted in formation from Yak 52TW


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28 ship evening formation


Me


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The "Val" dive-bomber, somewhere over MD.


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In formation with a "Val" dive-bomber on the way to the USS John W. Brown