Well.. Friday's the big day! The beginning of an epic journey.

[Fozzer]

It was interesting noting Doug's reference to Air Traffic Control....
In my FS 2004 sim I manage my flights very well, in full control at all times, admiring all the scenery around me, happy as a Sandboy .....until...my Radio suddenly bursts into life, with scrambled instructions from ATC in my headset, aimed at ME!
It always catches me by surprise, and I am not ready for it, missing out most of the instructions in a strange accent, buried amongst all the Radio background mush, and not being able to write them down quickly on my knee-board and concentrate on flying at the same time!

Panic!

ATC will only tolerate me with my request.."Say Again"...before they get really annoyed with me!

It is a fact that I constantly have problems with keeping up with all the Radio Chatter, especially in a highly active area!
Each sudden radio burst, when I am not ready for it, seems to explode in my brain and I miss most of it...."Say Again"!

Its bad enough with the "clear" chatter in the Sim, but in my few, Cessna 150/152 real aircraft flights, with all the background aircraft nose, combined with all the Radio background mush during a sudden, explosive Radio broadcast, its even more confusing...to me!
My brain has difficulty in taking it all in, and remembering all the very important details of the instructions aimed at me.
Its all too easy to acknowledge back the instruction without REALLY noting it in detail!
The Flight Sim ATC Radio chatter can be a bit confusing at times....BUT...The Radio chatter in the real aircraft with everything else going on, noise, etc, can be overwhelming when trying to take it all in, and fully understand it!

I reckon a lot of practice with real Radio communication is probably very necessary during the lessons.

When listening to the explosive, Live ATC Radio Chatter* on the computer, I have great difficulty in understanding most of it!... ....!

(Try to remember EVERYTHING that "ATIS" has thrown at you without writing it down!)... ...!

Paul.... ...!

...and did I mention that the Radio Headset also makes my ears uncomfortably hot, as well!
... ...!

* http://www.liveatc.net/

[SaultFresh]

That's exactly what happened to me Paul, way back in my ab-initio days, haha. And I didn't really even learn in a hectic environment. There are guys and girls out there learning in some very busy airspace, I don't know how they do it, haha. But you make an excellent point about writing stuff down, haha. You should always try to write everything important down. Every clearance, every ATIS, and that way, you don't have to remember it. It'll seem hard at first as well, but you'll eventually form your own style of short hand writing, and that will make it a lot easier. As for deciphering METARs and TAFs, they usually have a Raw text form (like the one you posted Paul), and they have a plain text one (in English for the rest of us, haha). So that METAR below, to me, says that it's a beautiful morning... that is, if you wanted to fly into the side of a mountain or something. Funny enough, my local airport is experiencing similar weather.
METAR CYKF 301700Z AUTO 12004KT 090V150 1/4SM FG VV002 00/M00 A2979
RMK SLP099=

[beaky]

Fortunately I do have a job, although it's at a super market it's good enough. I earn a decent amount(enough to pay for lessons). Also, both my father and I have met with the instructor plenty of times and thank god he seems like a great guy. He's a retired ATP(like most are) & gives pretty good bargains(total, the lessons are $130 a piece, he charges $40 and the plane is $90) I've also been spending a lot of time talking with Private Pilots who took the courses with him and they extremely highly recommend him, as they say he's a low-cost extraordinaire. Although there could be some "catches" I'm pretty sure my parents and I have made a good choice

-Jake

Aha, so this guy is a "lone wolf" CFI? That's good, if he and the plane are available whenever you want them.
  That rate is not bad: the instructor rate is a bit high, but the airplane rate is lower than average.
  Being a retired ATP doesn't necessarily make him a good teacher, but the fact that he's doing this in his retirement means he at least enjoys it. Nobody with that much flying experience would do primary instruction just for money... not worth it. 

Be sure to ask about insurance... you may find you have some liability, even if his insurer knows he's giving instruction in this plane. For example, you're taxiing for your first solo, and you bump into some nice million-dollar airplane on the ramp, and break it. Think you can pay for that out of your pocket?

Fortunately, non-owners' or "student's" insurance is pretty cheap, nothing like auto insurance for young drivers.

[Fozzer]

Just completed a very enjoyable tour of your area with my little Cessna 150 Aerobat, with assistance from ATC and Flight Following....>>>

FS Navigator Flight Plan:


Courtesy of FS Navigator.

Interesting Town names...Home from Home!

Paul...FS 2004... 8-)...!

[machineman9]

[quote][quote]

......The more money you have, the better things will be. Plus, women dig a rich pilot

[Mictheslik]

Some excellent advice here, and I hope you really enjoy it (I'm sure you will) and I've got my fingers crossed the weather where you are will be better than what I've had in the past few months (85% of lessons cancelled  )

As for busy airspace...don't be scared. I love learning at a busy regional airport in the UK where GA fits in with Business aviation and regular 737 and A319 passenger services. It's more expensive (you have to hold a bit more) and can be a bit frantic at times but I think it's a great environment to learn in (and taxying behind an airliner is just cool)

.mic