Finally getting started

This is a blog about a normal person in Sydney, Australia who decided to learn to fly. I'm writing it because when I was considering flying training I looked up lots of information on the internet, and what I found to be most helpful was other people's blogs. (favourites include http://makingtimeforflying.blogspot.com.au/ and http://fl250.blogspot.com.au/)

The story so far:

My Dad and my uncle took me to airshows when I was younger. Earliest memory from this period (age 3 or 4) is of walking through a C-130 Hercules thinking 'this thing is huge'. I remember vividly how cavernous the space inside felt. The next thing I remember is a Spitfire landing and taxiing right up to the crowd, letting the huge V-12 engine run for a while before shut down. I can still remember the noise and feeling in my chest from that huge engine, and my uncle recently told me I was trembling and wide-eyed in awe at the time.

Since then I have grown up and completed a degree in visual arts (nothing to do with aviation, trust me). After my really useful degree I have been working in childcare full-time. Thanks to my wonderful, beautiful, amazing, and fantastic boss (she doesn't like to be called boss) I have managed to be in a position where I have a steady income, for some reason, which has allowed me to consider getting my PPL.

Since childhood, having not spent an ounce of energy thinking about aviation. I purchased a flight simulator about a year ago called X-Plane, which at the time I wanted because I've always played games, including sims, and I thought it would be a great challenge to master. But 'master' is the wrong word. The program is so detailed and the possibilities so diverse that I quickly found out landing a Piper is very different to landing a 747. I still can't get those big jets down comfortably. And I'll give you a million bucks if you can land the space shuttle from orbit.

Since then I have done a couple of trial instructional flights (TIF), which most flying schools offer. First at Bankstown in a Piper Warrior, then at Camden in a Beechcraft Skipper. In deciding which airport to train at I went against some advice I had received from contacts who know more than I do and chose Camden. My choice was based upon the fact that although Bankstown seems the most logical option (diverse choice of training and aircraft, busy airport environment closer to commercial ops etc) I found it to be congested, alienating and industrial. Taking off and flying around over warehouses and main roads in smoggy air was pretty deflating too.

In the end I followed my heart and chose Camden, because its bloody beautiful. The people I did my TIF with were friendly and personable, and I'd rather fly over trees than warehouses. Plus Camden airport still feels like one of those old places you read about.

By no means let my experience influence your choice of training. From my extremely limited advice go and do some TIFs with as many schools/clubs as you can and decide for yourself. I've taken quite a while to consider my options, but it's better in the long run if you just go and do it. Then at least your partner/family members/pets can get a break from hearing you talking about it in the abstract.

My first lesson is this Sunday. I can't wait to write more stuff here about how much fun I had. I'm especially looking forward to feeling the resistance on inputs from the control surfaces!