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First flight Sunday, July 23, 1995. I finally got a chance to fly something that wasn't simulated. It was almost as exciting as my first parachute jump. Yesterday, I won a free "First Flight" through the Esso First Flights program at an air fair held at my local civic airport. My plane was a Piper Cherokee. I told my Instructor Pilot Andrew that I’d flown computerized planes, but had never been at the controls of a real one. As we lifted off, I noticed that there was some wingtip turbulence from the C-172 just ahead. It surprised me that this would exist from these small aircraft. About 500 feet off the ground, Andrew told me he was giving me the controls. I was surprised that he'd let me do that so early into the flight, but it was a thrill. Our plane, being more powerful than the 172s ahead, needed to weave a bit to keep our distance, so I got some practice doing aileron turns. Better than a simulator I immediately noticed that it was much easier to control than many flight simulator aircraft. It actually felt surprisingly similar to the aircraft in AW, or A-10. Another observation was how easy it was to concentrate on the instruments rather than my "feelings." This probably came from my flight sim experience. For example, it felt as if we weren't wings level, although the artificial horizon showed that we were. I had no trouble ignoring my tactile senses. Also, I noticed how much richer the visual senses were than when flying on a two-dimensional screen. Depth actually existed. Lining up with the runway at the end of the flight was much easier than it has ever been in any flight sim. Andrew seemed to have some confidence in my ability. He set the trim once we reached 3K, but he allowed me to adjust the throttle and to navigate where I wanted, as long as I stayed loosely within the pattern. The first time he gave me a throttle instruction, I had to ask where the RPM indicator was, since it wasn't marked. We flew around the bay. It was a beautiful day with scattered clouds well above us. I followed the curves of the beach for a while, then turned back towards the airport. I kept my eyes roving around for the other planes and any "surprises." Like a fighter pilot looking for bogies. A bit shy He invited me to try some hard turns. I was a bit shy to really crank the yoke at first, but gradually gave it more and more bank. It was fun keeping the plane at altitude during a hard turn. We couldn't do anything too radical because there were other "First Flight" pilots in front and behind. But the Cherokee's extra power allowed us to stay in formation despite the extra maneuvering. Down to the deck
One of the thoughts that came to mind was how small the runway looked. It occurred to me that the deck of an aircraft carrier must look like a table top. Scary. I gained an instant appreciation for the X.O.'s 200+ carrier traps. As soon as we landed, Andrew informed me that I would be taxiing back to the parking area. So I followed the yellow line all the way around the airport. The Cherokee has a very large nosewheel, which is quite responsive. But I was very surprised how stiff the rudder pedals were. I taxied right to the end, following the hand signals of the safety officer. Of course, Andrew was controlling throttle and brakes. |
the joy of flying |
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We followed Highway 99 north from the US border, then turned into the wind. Andrew allowed me to follow another plane's approach pattern, reduce throttle and push the nose down. I lined up with the runway, and he told me to apply a notch of flaps. Later I added another notch of flaps and cut throttle some more. At 500 feet off the deck, I noticed the air getting a little rougher, but kept the plane level--even applying some rudder because of a crosswind. At 300 feet I really began to wonder when he would take over. He cut the throttle some more, and at about 100 feet he took the controls for final touchdown.