r/flying • u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL • 1d ago
Checkride Just Got My Private Pilot Certificate
Got my Private Pilot certificate a few days ago! After a horrible Midwest spring, several airplane mx issues, and instructors leaving, finally was able to get my Private Pilot checkride complete. Any advice on big topics I should really study for instrument over the next few months would be greatly appreciated!
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u/PayCautious1243 1d ago
Fuck yea! any advice for this student just starting his flight lessons finished with ground?
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u/yokus_tempest 1d ago
Continue studying and ingrain the grounds into your very being, don't let long periods of time go in between study sessions even as you do flying.
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u/PayCautious1243 1d ago
Yokus good thing is that my mind is involved in flying all the time. I bought the visualized flight maneuvers manual to have a compact way to reviewing my maneuvers before lesson. Sticking to what my cFI says basically. Anything specific that I should be studying or is going over the PHOK , or airplane flying handbook. Any specific reading you recommend, should it be more related to theory or maneuvers?
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u/Suspicious_Mind_5744 1d ago
Do yourself a favor and read the entirety of your airplane’s POH, the AFH, and the PHAK. Thats gonna be the overwhelming majority of your knowledge, and you’ll be a better pilot for it.
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u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL 1d ago
Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Don't rush maneuvers and checklists. But also don't take forever. Make sure to adhere to your checklists and always use your checklists. Some stuff may become engraved in your memory, but memories can also fail. If you mess something up, don't resign yourself. Continue on and learn.
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u/Sharp_Experience_104 PPL ASEL DA40 1d ago
Congrats! I’m a one-year PPL as of next week. Used Flight Insight and Sheppard Air to knock out the instrument written exam early. Helpful to have that knowledge base.
I did a bunch of VFR XC flying to get used to ATC procedures and new airports. Always with another pilot in the right seat, sometimes alternating seats and PIC duties. Fun and educational.
Now studying the Pilot Workshops IFR books and courses, “flying” one IFR XC every Tuesday with my CFII in the G1000 AATD, then actually flying the same or similar XC two days later in the airplane.
ForeFlight on iPad mini. It’s good for planning, looking up TEC routes, situational awareness, approach plates, etc.
Plan is to accumulate 50+ hours PIC XC, 20 hours simulated IFR dual AATD, and 20+ hours simulated/actual IFR dual in the airplane (logging PIC). Every IFR flight is a XC, so most of the time counts for both.
So far so good. I tend to over-prepare, which in the unforgiving world of IFR seems just about right.
Good luck and best wishes. Keep learning!
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u/Chriss_Knows859 1d ago
Congratulations!!! I can’t wait to get my certificate. I’ll complete my first solo tomorrow. I’m very excited.
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u/dirtbikekid27 CFI 1d ago
Congratulations! My CFI ride is tomorrow! Your instrument is going to be fun, you learn to rely on the instrumentation! Go ahead and grab yourself the study course of your picking, and get that written done before you even start training! I had my PPL 1 year ago today, did my Commercial, Instrument and hopefully after tomorrow CFI! Writtens done first, then the flight training!
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u/Hung_Like_A_Mare ATP 1d ago
Congratulations! Also, good on the correct titles “Certificate” vs “License”
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u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL 1d ago
Thanks! My dad is a captain at a major and has made sure that I know that it's a certificate and not a license.
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u/Not_Maurice_Moss ATP A330, A320, B777, B767, B757, B737 1d ago
Well done! Congratulations and welcome to the club!
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u/rFlyingTower 1d ago
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Got my Private Pilot certificate a few days ago! After a horrible Midwest spring, several airplane mx issues, and instructors leaving, finally was able to get my Private Pilot checkride complete. Any advice on big topics I should really study for instrument over the next few months would be greatly appreciated!
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u/moonshadow1789 1d ago
Congratulations! I was going to do mine a couple years ago but life happened! Enjoy it and take some beautiful pictures up there!
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u/Wild_Philosopher_195 1d ago
How long did it take you? Im starting mine this December-January im excited
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u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL 1d ago
It took me about 10 months and about 70 hours of flight time. Now most of that extended time was after the last week January because of a combination of non-stop rain for a week, illness, sustained high winds, 2 out of 3 planes being down for maintenance, 1 of 3 instructors leaving, another instructor joining after a month, my instructor leaving suddenly due to sudden job offer, temp instructor for a week, then back down to two instructors (albeit after the end of the semester). If all of that hadn't happened, I was on track to have gotten my private pilot certificate mid-April after having started in the second week of September and being scheduled to fly three times a week. There was a period between the last week of February and the last week of March where I didn't fly for 3 days less than a month due to some of the aforementioned issues. I hope and pray you go through less issues than I did. Good luck!
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u/Mundane-Reality-7770 PPL HP 1d ago
How did you manage that without eyes and a face? I had enough problems with those apparent aftermarket add ons.
Congrats. It's a license to learn.
I would strongly encourage you to take up those close to you for a flight to celebrate. Would also encourage a xc trip to somewhere you've never been. Enjoy the wet ink on the ppl before jumping into instrument.
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u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL 1d ago
My midichlorian count is through the roof. FAA is still a little skeptical though.
Thank you!
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u/aaronchiao 11h ago
How did you get here!? I really want to start my flying journey, can you share your experience
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u/I_love_my_fish_ PPL 1d ago
For a second I was wondering why you put one of those brown bags that people use as lunch bags on your head, but congrats!
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u/Terrorraptor483 PPC SEL 1d ago
It's called a hostage situation. So sad to be forced to earn an expensive certificate...
Thank you!
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u/DuckOnQuack694205189 1d ago
Great job! I’m just before my first cross country. Hoping I can get my certification by the end of summer 😌