Having safely arrived in Florida the previous day, and been met at Orlando
International Airport by the owners of my chosen flying school, the first day dawned on
the start of my training. I was introduced to the instructor who would remain with me
throughout the course, and quite apart from being a flying instructor he was also a
qualified diving instructor and hang gliding instructor. Little did I realise at this
stage just how much I would rely on this instructor for support on a personal basis quite
apart from the training aspect.
Having been introduced we sat down together and he explained to me exactly what the
course entailed and how it would progress. Then it was out to the aircraft in which I
would do the bulk of my training, a Cessna 150. The first task on the training was the
external check of the aircraft, as clearly outlined in the aircraft manual, and this
involved a logical walk around the aircraft checking all the relevant moving parts such as
the ailerons and elevator, the landing gear and propeller, together with the general
condition of the exterior. The engine was also checked in terms of oil level. As we walked
around making the appropriate checks, the instructor explained how to do them and what to
look for at each stage of the process.
Having completed the exterior checks it was into the aircraft, which after the trial
flight in the four seater Piper Cadet felt very cramped. The Cessna was a two seater
aircraft and as both the instructor and myself were quite well built it was certainly very
cosy with literally no room between us. We were sat side by side, wedged in shoulder to
shoulder.
So there I was, 10 o'clock on the morning of a beautiful bright and sunny day, out in
Florida, with twenty one days of flight training in front of me and hopefully at the end
to return home with a Private Pilots Licence. At that stage I did not realise the pain,
anxiety and stress that would ensue during that period. But anyway, back to the first
morning.
The instructor explained to me that there were two radio frequencies at Bartow, one
for "Ground" which as the name suggests controlled all movement on the ground at
the airfield and the other for "Tower" who would give take-off and landing
clearances. The anomaly was that both frequencies were operated by the same controller who
merely had two different radio sets, one on each side of him. Woe betides you if you
contacted him on the wrong frequency! So, contacted "Ground" and asked for
permission to taxi to the active runway for departure. What came back over the radio was
totally incomprehensible, at least to me. I had been warned that this controller would
talk extremely fast and to be ready to write down what he said. The problem was that he
spoke so fast, in the absence of good short-hand, I had no chance of writing any of it
down! The instructor told me to key the mike and acknowledge the instructions received but
I was totally dumb struck. I had absolutely no idea what the controller had just said to
me........
As I have said previously, the emphasis in my training right from day one was on
having control. So as I carefully taxied us out on the runway, lined up on the centreline,
and opened the throttle, the aircraft immediately started to roll forward. Careful use of
the rudder pedals was an absolute must to keep us in a straight line. Once we had reached
sufficient speed the instructor told me to pull back gently on the yoke and as I did we
climbed away from the ground.
This first lesson concentrated on the effect of all the flying controls and the basic
aspects of keeping the aircraft flying straight and level on headings defined by the
instructor. At this stage, as indeed was the case for probably the next ten days or so, I
could really have been flying anywhere as my concentration was entirely focused on flying
the aircraft. I had no real idea of where I was in relation to the airfield and this is
definitely something that I should have been more aware of as it would have certainly
eased the pain considerably when later in the course it came to actual navigation. Take my
word for it, it will be invaluable!
Having spent nearly an hour and a half in the air, getting used to the basic effects
of the flying controls it was time to return to Bartow for a de-brief and ground school.
Contact was made with the Tower for permission to enter the airspace and the controller
issued instructions that again were so fast that I had no idea what he was talking about.
As it transpired he had issued me with instructions on entering his airspace and given a
position from where he wished me to report from prior to landing.
After landing the aircraft the controller then issued what seemed at the time to be a
rather strange instruction, "taxi to the ramp and monitor ground." What was he
talking about? The first part was obvious but surely he did not think that I would taxi
the aircraft without looking where I was going? Then of course the penny dropped. It was
this anomaly again of one man and two radios, on the ground I had to monitor the Ground
frequency!
Having parked the aircraft and shut down the engine it was back into the flight school
for a de-brief. I was feeling very good after this first flight which, as far as I was
concerned, had gone very well. The instructor seemed pleased enough although he did pass
the opinion that I was perhaps concentrating too much on the flight instruments in
controlling the aircraft and that I would have to learn to fly more by feel and sound and
generally relax. When I look back now that was extremely sound advice and the fact that I
did not take it on board at the time probably gave rise to some of the problems I
encountered over the next week or so. It certainly would have helped me in the next flight
later on that day.
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