Multiflight PPL student Adam Rahnavard has just had his best flying week to date with the weather being kind to him. Read here about his progress in his flight training towards his Private Pilot’s Licence at the Multiflight Flight Training Centre at Leeds Bradford International Airport, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Here he talks about hours 32 and 33 of his PPL flight training adventure:
“Paul had asked me since my last lesson to plan up another route to continue to develop my Nav skills. Today we would be travelling out via Harrogate, then on to Ripon before routing to Pickering in North Yorks before returning to Leeds via ‘Acaster Malbis’ disused airfield and Boston Spa. I had planned up but the key thing this time was for me to navigate without the benefit of factoring wind calculations.
Once checked out we were departing off runway 32 out over Harrogate. Over Harrogate I set my first heading for Ripon, as it was a clear day Ripon was soon in sight and we were overhead and on time. The next part of the leg was a bit more tricky as I needed permission to cross RAF Dishforth airbase. As RAF Linton were providing the airspace service I was able to contact them and cross the base easily with their permission, Using my ‘gross error and feature checks’ I noticed I was slightly off track to the right so made a slight adjustment which took us straight to Pickering. The views were stunning and Paul acknowledged my better accuracy for headings and altitudes which were the one fly in the ointment last time. Once over Pickering I steered on to my next heading for Acaster Malbis which I thought was a little tricky to spot but soon found it. It was located in RAF Lintons MATZ so stayed with them to obtain a crossing before routing back to Leeds via Elvington.
Paul was happy with my accuracy improvement and thought the whole flight went well. Little did I know what was coming next…
I was just about to settle up and go home when Paul queried if ‘I need to dash off?’ When I said ‘no…why?’ he replied with ‘well it’s a lovely day so how about I give you a short route to plan up and you fly it solo?’ Well I was a little surprised but jumped at the chance as this was a huge compliment. He asked me to plan up a short flight to Ripon, back to Wetherby then back to Leeds. I did this and jumped back in the aircraft. Here was the moment of truth…not just basic circuits and on my own. This was the real deal solo flight. I was very excited and eager to get going making double sure I had done my calculations accurately and checked the aircraft out again. Paul said he would be listening on the radio and watching my take off and landing. Off I went and what a great feeling. Before I knew it I was out over Harrogate and steering for Ripon which I could see clearly. I turned over Ripon for Wetherby carefully so not to stray into RAF Dishforth’s airspace. I could see the A1 clearly and what looked like heavy traffic. It was nice to be heading to Wetherby in under 8 minutes without being sat in a traffic jam! I was beginning to realise the scale of the achievement that is learning to fly and did feel proud. Shortly after I reached Wetherby and steered back to Leeds via Eccup handling the radio and necessary tasks like I had been doing them all my life. A good landing completed a wonderful experience. They say that your first solo circuit is the day you join ‘the family of pilots’. I disagree as you are doing a very well rehearsed maneuver, albeit on your own, you never leave the airport. Your first solo nav, for me, is when you really feel like you can fly. Paul was pleased and told me that as that had gone well I would be doing a much longer, more challenging nav in the morning. He asked me to plan up a flight via Dewsbury to Snaith, then Winterton near Scunthorpe, then to Melbourne airfield before routing back to Leeds via Boston Spa. I could hardly wait and went home to plan up the next stage.”