Mark Drew (Redux)- cf_etc...

I just got back from my first flying lesson, I am over the moon (even though I didn't fly that high)! Nadia (my Significant Other as Sean Corfield says) got me a flying lesson for Xmas which I finally redeemed today.

We set off early-ish this morning to go to Redhill Aerodrome and got there with plenty of time to spare. Which was lucky as the trainer wanted to go up early, fine by me!

We were meant to go off in a small Cessna 152, but since there was a bigger plane (a PA28 Archer), we decided to pay a little more and Nadia was able to join us in the back.

After a few pre flight checks (including a couple of kicks to the tires and a couple of punches to the engine compartment, very technical I know) we coasted up the access road, to a fairly straight bit and turned round, the main runway was a bit too soggy so we were using the approach path, I wasn't scared at all.

After a few random letters and numbers were uttered to the control tower, Clive, the pilot, whacked on the throttle and before you could swear we were up and away.

We flew for a few minutes to get away from the Aerodrome and then Clive passed the controls to me and talked me through their functions and then it was up to me. From Redhill, we kept heading east all the way to Dartford bridge (in about 20 minutes, you try that in a car!) and then turned right towards Gillingham. Then a little nudge we were heading back towards Sevenoaks.

After Sevenoaks I piloted the plane over Brands Hatch and flew a little circuit over the race track, then headed towards Heaver castle. Clive tested me in doing a nice 360 turn, which I am very proud of because I did most of it by eye and checked the altimeter and I managed to stay nice and level at 1900 feet.

A few more maneuvers and we headed up to 2500 feet, the limit of how high you can fly round those parts, since its near Gatwick Airport's air traffic (and I saw a Jumbo flying rather nearer that I would like to have been!) and then headed toot suite towards the Aerodrome.

I put the plane in line with the runway and headed down towards the ground, Clive put the flaps down and I had to push the nose of the plane down to get it nice and level in our descent. At about 800 feet he took over and in less than a minute were landing.

Damn, what a time. I am over the moon as I have clocked up one hour towards the 45 that are needed to get a pilots license.

Right, now to save up for next month's lesson!