I’m looking forward to our first session, and in advance of that I wanted to share with you what I hope is some useful information. The first session together is focused on getting you started at the club, with an emphasis on getting some obligatory paperwork done, and ensuring you are ready to start flight training. If time and conditions permit, we will also have an introductory flight.
The obligatory paperwork is driven partially by TSA requirements, and partially by club standard operating procedures. The club requires that we have a copy of your driver’s license on file, that your deposit is correct for the level of aircraft you are going to fly, and that proof of US citizenship be on file with both the club and your instructor. (Some of these items may already be addressed in your case, but I include there here for the sake of completeness.) The documents that the TSA accepts for proof of citizenship are a valid passport or a birth certificate, and I will need these in hand before we can fly. If you don’t have either of these documents, or if you are not a US citizen, I will need to put you in touch with other members of the club to help move past those hurdles before we can fly.
So during out first meeting you’ll need to bring your proof of citizenship (if available). Additionally, please be sure to bring your login to MyFBO if you have had your account enabled already. If we have reserved an aircraft for that initial introductory flight you’ll need your login to check the aircraft back in when we are through flying.
Other things that you’ll need early on in training are a headset and a logbook. The club has loaner headsets for students to borrow, but in the era of COVID some people are reasonably not very enthusiastic about the use of shared personal items such as headsets. You can purchase a basic headset from the club for just over $100, and that is the choice I would encourage you to take. We can discuss the reasons why. Also, the inexpensive ASA basic logbook is what I suggest for people starting out. It is under $10 and will serve you well in the early part of your flying career.
Feel free to fill me in (at dfrye@planez.co) on your aviation experience, if any, or any other information you might like to share. I’m specifically interested in any previous training you have had, whether you have spent time in small aircraft before, and if you have had any ground school training (whether formal of self-study). This information will help me know how best to get you started.
Once we have started your training, I have a lot of information on my website, which can be found at https://planez.co with the bulk of the actual resources available at https://resources.planez.co. The site is divided into numerous areas including my private pilot syllabus (always under construction), the complete set of lesson plans developed for my CFI certificate, a large collection of reference materials, and finally a section of articles and notes.
In the reference section there are pointers to certification standards, FAA publications including various extremely good handbooks, FAA advisory circulars, YouTube links, pilot operating handbooks, and additional supporting materials.
I want to bring a few FAA references specifically to your attention. I point these out because they are excellent documents, and are of particularly high value for beginning pilots. These are the "Airplane Flying Handbook" and the "Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge". The links to those two documents are :
I would encourage reading both of those as you have time, and referring to specific topics in them as we progress through your training. I’ll be asking you to do "homework" by reading certain sections prior to lessons that are planned.
In the articles and notes section, I want to bring two specific items to your attention. The first is a superb write up regarding the "Before Takeoff Checks" (often known as the "run up"). I also want to suggest you read over a note I wrote on acquiring a preflight weather briefing. Those two links are :
In the private pilot syllabus section there are brief write ups regarding each lesson/session. I want to stress that this is a proposed syllabus, and we may or may not progress through it exactly as written. Over time different students struggle in different areas and we’ll tune our choice of activities to meet each student’s specific needs. But it will give you an idea of how things generally progress.
As I flesh out the sessions they will include links to my CFI lesson plans. Those lesson plans in turn have references to FAA documents (mostly those I referenced above, as well as relevant advisory circulars) which speak to that specific lesson plan. It is worth following through to those FAA references to gather additional information.
Work done in advance of a lesson will pay dividends multiple ways. You will get more from the lesson, and will spend less money doing so. I encourage doing all the studying you can prior to a lesson to help optimize the time we spend together.
It is equally important to read and understand the Wings of Carolina member handbook, particularly the sections denoted with an asterisk. Those sections are specifically about student pilot operations and should be studied by student pilots. The direct link to that document is :
POLICIES : Finally, with respect to my own policies you can read details on how I operate at my POLICIES page. I make the assumption that you have read the page, understand my policies, and by flying with me you implicitly agree to accept my policies. If you don’t go read it …. that does not change my assumption regarding your acceptance of my policies. :)
IMPORTANT : One item that is critical for you address is the issue of the FAA Medical. I have more than once had a student start training then discover they had something about their current medical status, or their medical history, which required them to not be able to solo until an FAA Medical certificate could be obtained. Do not second guess this.
I’ve seen people assume that because they previously took a drug that might concern the FAA (such as anti-anxiety meds, or medications for ADD) but were no longer taking them that they would have no problem getting a Medical. They were mistaken. The FAA cares not only about your current medical issues, but your historical issues as well. I’ve had prospective students make assumptions about a past history with cardiac issues and discover they had more of a hurdle to get a Medical than anticipated.
If you have any questions, lets talk, and DO NOT start the FAA Medical process before consulting informally with an Aviation Medical Examiner. If you can go into the process proactively addressing your situation or history rather than just crossing your fingers and hoping they don’t notice, you have a better chance for a good outcome.
Finally, we should be clear that earning a private pilot certificate depends upon the time, energy, and effort that you put into your training. Obtaining a private pilot certificate is one of those activities that can’t be accomplished by simply throwing money at it. It requires study, devoting time on a very regular and consistent basis, and at least a small amount of aptitude. There is no instructor anywhere that can make up for a lack in any of those areas.
Regarding the issue of flying on a very regular basis, there is a strategy that I strongly suggest my students employ. MyFBO allows up to 4 concurrent flight reservations, and a student should at all times have 4 sessions scheduled. I had one student who, after we finished one session, would have another one booked before he left the club. THAT is how to do it. I also suggest planning no fewer than 2 sessions a week. You won’t always be able to keep all sessions as weather and maintenance issues can cause cancellations. But if they are on the calendar there is at least the possibility of progress that day. I can’t stress enough the need to fly very regularly, as these skills take work to acquire and erode fast if not refreshed frequently.
Given that I am a recovering software professional, I am most easily contacted via electronic means. I respond fairly quickly to email (dfrye@planez.co), and also use a software communications tool called Slack (as does the club). It has become a key tool for communicating with students, both one-on-one (similar to texting with someone), or me communicating items of broad interest to all my students as a group. If you are familiar with it, great, we’ll get you invited. If not, but are interested, I can help you get started using it.
My mobile number is 919-621-7665, but if I don’t have you in my contact list I may not answer (avoiding spam calls). So it would be best if I got your number into my contact list early in your training. If I don’t answer, please leave a message and I’ll get to it as soon as possible (though I’d honestly prefer you send me a Slack message, email, or text, if possible). If you know you are not in my contact list and text me, please include your name in the message, since otherwise I’ll not know who the heck you are!
I’m looking forward to flying with you. We are going to have a great time!