Hi,


Just landed few hours ago, back home in Israel.

So, after 15 days passed in Florida (fort Lauderdale), I got the Private license from this school, called American Flyers.


It was not easy as with no prior knowledge in flying planes (except simulators and models) 15 days to do the theory tests and practical is NOT a piece of cake. Not that it is difficult, but it just requires a lot of hours per days. It was like 8 to 10 everyday, for 15 days, between ground school and flights.

Anyway, it is done and it is a real experience for life. So many things to learn, from aeroidynamics, weather forecasts and understandings, night flying, cross countries, all kinds of regulations and type of airspace to leanr and manage.
Miami aera was beautiful, but there are few Class C airspace like Palm Beach that require quite some work, when you just start, to manage the radio communications between the differents people around.


All done on a simple Cessna 172 R and P but it was more than enough for me. Got scared many times in the beginning but it goes away while you learn and many things become natural, so you can focus your mind on real work, and not on everything youy have to initially learn.

Flying over the Everglades was also beautiful.

I will post some pictures from all of these, very soon. Need to clean the mess from the luggagesm first


Next will be IFR (wanted to celebrate instead of doing another 10 days now and also make some more hours as a Private), and for now, we'll see if it helps to fly models


Patrick.

Baruch hashav! Congradulations! I'm glad to hear it went well. What are you planning to do with this new aquired skill?

What a question ? Fly my zagi of course, that was the whole purpose of it


And time to time, when bored from the zagi, I will just fly around Israel. But I first need to pass the equivalent from the FAA license, to be able to fly in Israel unless I can find a US licensed plane.

Any Israeli plane will require me to pass 2 tests, before taking it which makes sense as you need to learn the local regulations, maps, special local issues to be careful with.

Here is the Tower control, at the school airfield, Class D Airspace.
Called Pompano Beach.

Right after you take off, if using one of the runways that head East, you get immediately to the Beach, and canals. Amazing spots to see.

Arriving at the Tower. The nature around is really nice to see. Just many birds at occasions, which makes you be a little tense, during take-offs or landings, sometimes.

Originally posted by Patrick Plawner
What a question ? Fly my zagi of course, that was the whole purpose of it


And time to time, when bored from the zagi, I will just fly around Israel. But I first need to pass the equivalent from the FAA license, to be able to fly in Israel unless I can find a US licensed plane.

Any Israeli plane will require me to pass 2 tests, before taking it which makes sense as you need to learn the local regulations, maps, special local issues to be careful with.

Patrick,

I'm building an RV7-A myself, and I have come across some references to people in Israel building their own RV's as well.
If you think you'll be committed to the thrill of full scale aviation for some time to come and don't want to spend the rest of your life trying to pay for a used 172, I think you might want to start exploring the world of the magnificent RV's by starting here.. http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/rv-7int.htm

For a fraction of the cost of any GA aircraft, you can fly 200mph and do some basic airbatics on the way if you feel like it.
If you have any questions about the RV's, feel free to PM me.

Highflight

highflight,


I will look into it.

Here is a link to some of the pictures of the flight school.
Patrick.

http://plawner.org/vacation/feb2004/...ool/index.html

You aught to try going from Private pilot to CFI/CFII and MEI in 90 days.

Congrats Patrick.


HH

Congratulations Patrick, guess you lost your shirt tale? tt

Ahh yeh, I left out the congrats!

Nice job, Patrick!

I'm happy to hear the process is not a piece of cake.

daveWCO

Thanks guys,


Actually, I was supposed to do the Instrument rating + Dual engine, in 10 days, right after the Private license but I gave up.
http://www.americanflyers.net/about/vip.asp

I decided it is not worth suffering so much while it should be mainly fun. Also, if you read the books and prepare yourself a little, at least once, before you go to the flight school, you save quite sometime on the lessons and it is more efficient.

American Flyers also are very efficient but FAR too expensive and the sales guys are not nice. The instructors are ok, they are abused by the school, actually since it seems they are much more instructors around than places in school for them.


You can find places to learn, 2 to 3 times cheaper than American Flyers, and I am pretty sure descent as well.


Anyway, a wonderful experience with lot's of great things to learn.


Cheers,
Patrick.