Who here fly 1:1 scale?

[Stew]

Hi all.

I noticed that some of you have dabbled in the world of full size aviation? Shall we have a hands-up and potted history? I'll jump first...
Got PPL in 1997, (Teesside) followed by IMC, night, hour building, ATPL exams (GTS Bournemouth) then CPL (Newcastle) and instructor rating. Spent a few years instructing out of Teesside and Newcastle, and it scared the bejeezus out of me.
Family came along and haven't flown for over a decade
Burned through an immense amount of my own (and other people's) cash, but had a blast.
Flying mostly PA38, and PA28 variants, along with a handful of Cessna's. Never got to fly anything other than a spamcan sadly

Stew.

[Spike S]

Flying 1:1 is great - as long as someone else is paying.
I used to fly helicopters, but I'm better now !
Lots of Chipmunk hours towing gliders and flew various 'spamcans' using PPL. Had a quarter share in an SFS31 (MILAN) motor glider back in the 1970s. Was a Commando helicopter Instructor (Wessex Mks 1,2,5, Sea king 1,2,4, 4x,5,6, Puma) and experimental trials (RAE Farnborough for 8 years). P2 Comet Mk 1 in my logbook.
Supervising students in night deck landings is always a 'character-building' experience. While they may not be aware of it, students are trying to kill you.
If you want to find out what the chopper boys really got up to in the Falklands, you can do no better than to seek out Harry Benson's book, titled "SCRAM". 40 years ago ? It seems like yesterday.

In the office

NHS pad in the car park !

[Tobe]

I stopped flying 1:1 by my own choice some years ago as I felt it was my time to quit...got over 15.000 hrs, flying almost everything that is called airplane so just a very few hours of chopper. I did payed for a few of those hours but mostly I got my bread and butter from it. I went in and out of the industry as my maine trade is´product development/project management. Most experience flying corporate jet and as a flight instructor for the airlines from first dual to route training but flew also some in the service. Typed in command in Cessna 500-550, Hawker and 737-400.
I must admit I enjoyed every minute of it but I don't miss it in difference to model flying that has followed me all life and I still enjoy, probably if I wouldn't flown commercially I would still be flying 1:1/homebuilt.

For you Britts here I'm in a Tiger Moth!

I think it started here..

....the same airplane as above but converted to taildragger

[PaulJ]

30 years flying for British Airways. In chronological order....... Vickers Vanguard, Boeing 707, Boeing 737, Lockheed Tristar, Command on 737, 757 &767. Thoroughly enjoyed it and had a ball (most of the time!). Retired in 2000 and haven't flown since......

Paul

[Pchristy]

Learned to fly on Piper Colts (a stripped down Tri-Pacer) at Lulsgate back in the 60s. Could actually fly before I could drive, and had to wait for my 17th birthday to go solo!

Then life intervened, and I gave it up (long story!).

I booked an "air experience" flight in a Cessna 152 at Dunkeswell in 2017 to celebrate 50 years since going solo, and its true - it is like riding a bicycle - you may get rusty, but you don't forget!

Much as I enjoyed it, I wasn't tempted to take it up again. Like driving, its something you need to be doing constantly to remain competent. I would only be able to afford to fly occasionally, and would end up being a menace to all around me, a bit like the little old lady who only takes her Morris Minor out on Bank Holidays...!



--
Pete

[Stew]

You're right there Pete. I used to see people who had a PPL for many years, you take them up for a club check, and you just think, how are you still alive?
But live they do. God loves drunks, babies, and non-current PPL's...
It's an odd business, full of shysters, suitcase operators and people with more money and ego than sense, but there are some gems.
On a bad day, terrifying, on a good day, utter bliss.
I'd like to have another flight, but in a proper old biplane.
A Stearman would be amazing but I'd settle for a Tiger Moth! Or a Stampe... Nice.

[Stew]

Paul. It must have been amazing flying a jet the first time. My cousin flew 737's for a while and he described being so behind the aircraft that he felt like he was hanging onto the rudder and trying to crawl his way to the cockpit!

[Tobe]

Undoubtedly an almost empty jet holding for take off with engines at full power when the brakes are released gives you a kick followed with quite good climbe performance.

[Stew]

I can imagine!

All this talk of flying has reminded me, I have a 'favour' to call in from Carolyn Grace, who flies/owns ML407, the two seat Spitfire. Years ago as a young teen I wrote to the late Nick Grace, asking if I could have a sit in the Spitfire if I saw them at an airshow. He wrote back and said yes they'd be very happy to let me have my photo taken sitting in the Spit! I was so happy!
I still have the letter somewhere..
I wonder if the offer still stands!

[PaulJ]

Paul. It must have been amazing flying a jet the first time. My cousin flew 737's for a while and he described being so behind the aircraft that he felt like he was hanging onto the rudder and trying to crawl his way to the cockpit!

Umm...... My first jet was the 707 and yes, I suppose I did get a certain kick out of it but BA's training was first class and having flown the 4 engined Vanguard before that and then spent the best part of three months in ground school and simulator, finally getting my hands on a 707 was not such a big deal, more of a "natural progression". Also, a 4 engined aeroplane is much less "lively" than one with two engines because all the performance calculations assume one engine failing on take-off. Therefore, provided an engine doesn't fail, a twin has twice the power it needs whereas a 4 engined plane only has 1/3 extra power which makes it somewhat easier to fly....... provided an outboard engine doesn't fail!

Tobe, one of my last flights was positioning a brand new 757 with E4 engines empty from Manchester to Gatwick....... This aircraft was capable of flying a full load of passengers across the Atlantic so with no passengers and very little fuel, even with the maximum allowed reduction in power the performance was staggering. The VSI was off the clock and it was still accelerating,"homesick angel" just doesn't begin to describe it!

Paul