Views aside, what is the finality of sending a PPL student up solo, on an A-to-A flight, for, I guess 1.5 hours, drilling holes in the sky? Did the instructor tell you what the purpose of this mission was? Can’t really be a nav exercise, with all these islands making navigation all too easy, no?
boscomantico wrote:
Views aside, what is the finality of sending a PPL student up solo, on an A-to-A flight, for, I guess 1.5 hours, drilling holes in the sky? Did the instructor tell you what the purpose of this mission was? Can’t really be a nav exercise, with all these islands making navigation all too easy, no?
Well he did indeed call it a nav exercise and it was also for hour building and solo-confidence building I guess. I’m still 10 hours short of the required 45h minimum.
Can’t really be a nav exercise, with all these islands making navigation all too easy, no?
In that case any PPL obtained on the south UK coast is invalid 
In reality everybody flying anywhere for real uses a GPS anyway, and enjoys the scenery in peace.
Peter wrote:
In reality everybody flying anywhere for real uses a GPS anyway, and enjoys the scenery in peace.
Don’t tell my FI but I did look at the GPS occasionally to verify my terrestrial/paper map navigation. Although without bragging I can anyways find my way around north western Germany without map or GPS in VMC…
I think it was probably a good exercise: when weather is rough, fly easier navigation tasks and raise your anxiety level a bit with the conditions. When weather is good and smooth, challenge yourself with going somewhere a bit hidden. Learn how flying feels and looks, one step at a time
Silvaire wrote:
I think it was probably a good exercise: when weather is rough, fly easier navigation tasks and raise your anxiety level a bit with the conditions. When weather is good and smooth, challenge yourself with going somewhere a bit hidden. Learn how flying feels and looks, one step at a time
After a break due to the birth of my daughter, my PPL training will resume this week, weather permitting on wednesday.
But for me a highly interesting flight could take place next week: I have an appointment in Hannover and had the idea to ask my instructor wheter I could go there by plane. And he agreed. So if the weather forecast is good, I will make my very first VFR cross-country solo flight which is not just for the sake of learning to fly but also to reach a destination and do something useful on the ground.
I am looking forward to this although I am also a bit nervous about screwing up in Hannover EDDV. It is by far the biggest airport I have yet flown to, with three runways and lots of CAT. My last and so far only flight to an international airport was to Bremen EDDW and that was with my instructor on board. Bremen has a rather simple layout and a single runway, so not much chance for confusion there. Hannover EDDV is different in that regard, much more traffic, three runways, comparably complicated taxiway layout.
I also never before used a GAT or even left my plane on a big airport, so all that will be new to me. The advantage is that I have plenty of time both before and after my appointment, I have booked the plane for the whole day and if the weather is bad I can easily go by train or car without taking significantly longer door-to-door, so there is no pressure to go through with this. I also have plenty of friends in Hannover and if the weather degrades before my return flight to EDWF, I can just stay in Hannover overnight and fly the plane back on the next day.
Any comments/tips on flight preparation for a big (for a student pilot anyways) airport?
MedEwok wrote:
I am looking forward to this although I am also a bit nervous about screwing up in Hannover EDDV. It is by far the biggest airport I have yet flown to, with three runways and lots of CAT ….. any comments/tips on flight preparation for a big (for a student pilot anyways) airport?
The runways appear to be all parallel, so that should be manageable. Study where you have to taxi on the airport and understand the taxiway layout. Study and understand the radio procedure for both arrival an departure, in relation to En Route, ATIS, Approach, Tower, Ground etc.
Have fun too 
That’s a pretty cool “mission” for an X-country! I think it’s a good exercise. I did this only after I had the PPL and it takes some stomach to fly into a larger airport with traffic for the first time. Only to then discover that from a flying point of view, it is very, very straightforward – the large runways are pure luxury. You do have the advantage of being able to announce that you are a student pilot, so the controllers (who are almost exclusively very accommodating, helpful, anticipating people) will cut you some slack. You’re of course going to study the airport layout/diagram very carefully before the flight. I think chances of a runway confusion – Harrison Ford-style – are higher when you get used to flying and are less pumped with adrenaline than on this flight. You will figure it out, I’m sure! Once landed, if you get confused with the taxiways (this might happen) you can always ask for progressive taxiing, i.e. the ground controller will then announce every turn for you. But chances are they’re either going to do that anyway when they see you hesitate, or they are sending a follow-me car. One thing you should avoid at all cost: Do not stay put on the runway because you’re confused by the taxiways. Vacate the runway, by all means stop for a moment AFTER the line to breathe through and get organized. Ask me how I know.
Make sure you have no problem finding the Visual Reporting Points for entering the Control zone. The rest of the approach will be easy. (SkyDemon shows the VRPs on the map).
