Aviation is amazing. The fact that I can hop in a vehicle and soar thousands of feet in the air is nothing short of miraculous. If you’re like me you’ve probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to begin, so I didn’t start flying until I was out of the Army. I figured it might be nice to share some tips for tomorrow’s aviators.
Before we start, if you are interested in supporting my channel, you can check out my books on aviation at amazon.com. My first book, Skyhawk Pilot, is all about my journey to earning my wings, and my second book, Staying Grounded is a guide for those of you who want to become ground instructors. Check out the links down below.
How to get started in aviation
Number 1: Discovery flight
Your discovery flight is your first flight behind the controls. This is typically a short hop to a local airport to see if this is something you might be interested in. If you’re like me, you’ll be itching to get back in the air the moment your feet are back on the ground.
Number 2: Research flight schools
This is actually part of your discovery flight. There are likely several airports to choose from in your area so look at reviews, talk to other students, meet with instructors, and shop around for a reputable school with reliable aircraft. The last thing you want is to quit because of a toxic environment or unfriendly staff.
Number 3: Research instructors
Once you pick a school, fly with multiple instructors. Each instructor may have a different approach to teaching, and you may find you learn better with one over the other. I flew with 5 different instructors before settling on the one that would get me to the Checkride.
Number 4: Get a wingman
It’s a community so make friends along the way. With a wingman you can build time together and hop in the backseat to learn more than you would if you were only flying alone. You can study for checkrides together, you can quiz each other before knowledge exams, and you can lift each other up when life gets you down.
Finally, when you have both earned your wings you can serve as safety pilots for each other as you progress to your instrument ratings and beyond.
Number 5: Build a simulator
The airplane is an expensive classroom so invest in a decent simulator to practice at home. Key elements are Rudder pedals, flight Stick or yoke, and throttle. I recommend Xplane 11 or Microsoft flight simulator 2020. When you’re on the sim be sure to treat it like a real aircraft and take the training seriously. Remember that practice makes permanent. Don’t drill bad habits.
Parting shots – pilot mindset
In my book, the moment you set foot on the path you are an aviator. Any time you are at the controls or studying flight you are a pilot doing pilot things. Don’t get hung up on titles. We’re all student pilots here. It’s a journey, not a destination so be sure to relax every once in a while and enjoy the flight.
Next time I’ll be sharing some free resources you can use to support your training. Subscribe for free lessons, and private pilot tips, and let me know where you are in your training in the comments.
Thanks for watching.
Seeya!
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