I've been taking flight lessons, well landing lessons really, for the past month. I am leaning to land an aircraft in case of an emergency. Since my husband and I travel quite a bit in our
Beachcraft Debonair
and he's the professional pilot, we thought it would be a good idea for me to get familiar with the workings of our aircraft and be able to land it in case of an emergency if he were incapacitated. Who knew there was a course for learning to land a plane safely during an emergency?
Well to "land" one has to learn to "take off" first. Taking off is much preferable to landing for me but one has to land to get back on Terra firma, hopefully with the plane in tack and one can walk away. My very first lesson the instructor has me 'take off'. It was amazing and very scary.
The plane I was learning in (a Grumman Tiger) was one with dual controls...like the cars student drivers use. I had flown our plan for a few minutes a couple of times but this was a whole new ball game...pun intended.
After 7 hours of flying time I passed my course as well as the AOPA's (aircraft owners' and pilots' association) written course. My instructor says I can call myself "an inexperienced pilot". I won't go on to get a license but it is nice to know what the plane will and won't do...takes away a lot of the anxiety.
Love learning new things especially at age 66.
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| Our plane landing |
and he's the professional pilot, we thought it would be a good idea for me to get familiar with the workings of our aircraft and be able to land it in case of an emergency if he were incapacitated. Who knew there was a course for learning to land a plane safely during an emergency?
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| Grumman Tiger first lesson ready to taxi. |
The plane I was learning in (a Grumman Tiger) was one with dual controls...like the cars student drivers use. I had flown our plan for a few minutes a couple of times but this was a whole new ball game...pun intended.
After 7 hours of flying time I passed my course as well as the AOPA's (aircraft owners' and pilots' association) written course. My instructor says I can call myself "an inexperienced pilot". I won't go on to get a license but it is nice to know what the plane will and won't do...takes away a lot of the anxiety.
Love learning new things especially at age 66.
