OK, subject for today is flying lessons.
From the time I was a child I was fascinated by airplanes. Even thought I might someday be a stewardess. That's what they were called then. At the time, though, they were required to have RN degrees, and I didn't at the time, so that took care of that. But the dream persisted.
When I was working at one of the police departments in Southern California, I got acquainted with the chief of the helicopter squad. I asked him if he would give me lessons. We came to an agreement, and he introduced me to a couple who ran a flight school and rented airplanes.
Even though I wasn't a pilot, I sat in the right seat during lessons. I suppose it was to get me used to be being in the pilot's seat. Well, learning to handle the aircraft wasn't the hardest part. Airplanes are pretty good at doing what they do.
The hard part was the paper work. I had to learn about wind direction, what effect is has on the plane. I had to watch the compass to compensate (in the air) for the effect of the wind on the direction of travel.
I had to learn how to call the weather bureau and get the stats I needed to plot a trip.
This is where algebra came in, and that's not one of my good subjects. If the wind is coming from the north at 10 mph, and I'm traveling east at 150 mph (actually air miles), how do I figure the amount of correction to overcome the push of the wind in order to maintain air travel east?
Well, I won't go into all the details, but after an hour in the air, there was an hour of classroom instruction. I started in April with my instructor, and we flew to various airports for navigation lessons and landings and take-offs. Finally in July I got my "proficiency ride," then shortly after took the written test for student pilot license. Until then, I had to have a licensed pilot with me whenever I went.
But before, that I had to solo. We had been flying around, and after a touchdown, my instructor got out of the plane and told me to take off. TAKE OFF???? I'M NOT READY!! Ok, he says, take off or this is the last lesson. Gulp!
OK, so with much trembling and prayer, I took off, circled the airport, landed, rolled up to where my instructor was, and he waved me on for another take-off. Whoops here we go. Then he waved me off for a third take-off, and after that landing he signaled me to "go home," that is, to the place where we parked our airplanes.
Well, pat me on the back, and give me a great Whoopee!! I passed the written test. And furthermore, I passed with a better score than my instructor did when he was learning. After that I was able to do cross-country flights by myself. I was told which airport to head for, then it was left up to me to chart the flight, call it to the tower with take-off time and estimated time of return. That's called filing a flight plan.
OK, now for solo flights. Oh, I forgot to mention, I was learning to fly in a Cessna 150, single engine. The owner of the flight school took me once for a flight in a twin engine Cessna. My-my, if I thought there were a lot of instruments to watch in a single engine, tch! I was thoroughly gape-mouthed at what to watch in a twin engine.
Well, I'm going to stop here, and next time I'll tell you about my first cross-country solo flight. Ever hear of Southern California smog?
Shalom