@stepbystepPPL profile picture
Step By Step PPL @stepbystepPPL

This blog will describe my journey to achieving a full Private Pilots License in the UK lesson-by-lesson and trial-by-tribulation. Also see me @simon_gratton

Joined March 2014
  • Tweets 993
  • Following 324
  • Followers 233
33 Photos and videos
My PPL Journey started with an unexpected Birthday Surprise #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUG6

A Birthday surprise

After all this time So 26 years ago, as an 18 year old Air Cadet (or ‘space’ cadets as they used to call them), I last flew a powered glider solo (a Venture mk II at RAF Chivenor to be …

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
2
Why #PPL qualification is more Einstein heed than Yeager speed @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUDC

Why PPL qualification is more Einstein heed than Yeager speed

I must start by apologising for the gap in blog articles. The British weather has severely hindered my progress and, as I type I have gone over 6 weeks without a lesson. My bank manager and ‘…

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
Just how do the controls in an airplane work according to PPL Exercise 4(i) and (ii)? #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUJ9
VIDEO 6: GoPro HD C152 External Flight checks at Conington (EGSF) with audio #PPL @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUoa
My first video solo circuits in slight crosswinds with 'touch-and-go' in G-BGAE at EGSF in Sept 2014 @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUkH

GoPro HD 1st Video Solo Circuit in C152 at Conington (EGSF)

The 1st 'Touch and Go' circuit from 30 minutes of solo flight at Pe...

youtube.com
My third PPL lesson started with a wooden plane and ended I. You wooden believe it! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUyz

From wooden plane to you ‘wooden’ believe it!

Well, it was 2nd time lucky as this weekend’s weather was so much better than the last (I wanted to fly tornados not fly though them :-) ). Navigation for Dummies After typing PE3 7PX for Con…

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
VIDEO 5: 1st FLAPLESS Solo C152 circuits at Peterborough Conington (EGSF) on GoPro HD with narrative @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUrl

GoPro HD C152 Solo Flapless 'Fast' Approaches

4 Flapless solo approaches (fast forwarded to the landings) in Cess...

youtube.com
How a late arrival and a forgotten GoPro camera led to flying lesson THERMALGEDDON! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUwd

The late arrival, the camera that never was and thermalgeddon

After arriving with 3 minutes to spare (my wife and nephew visited the Flying Club with me on this occasion; you know what they say about never working with children :-) ), I walked into the club t…

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
VIDEO 2: GoPro HD C152 Pre-Flight checks and circuit training at Conington (EGSF) cockpit audio #PPL @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUbe
PPL descending. What goes up must come down but how exactly? #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxU9m

Theory – Descending. What goes up must come down!

After mastering ‘straight and level’ and then ‘the climb’, it’s time for the student pilot to learn how to perform a controlled descent as without this skill, coming b…

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
My flight training halts for the British weather (again) sigh... #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUep

1
Just how do flaps, slipstream and trim affect your Cessna 152 airspeed? #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUiA
How the movie ‘Meet the Fockers’ summed up my inability to execute a good PPL circuit #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxUgf

Entering the ‘circuit of trust’, the Medical and the British Weather

Never mind ‘Meet the Fokkers’ or Mooneys, Piper’s and Beeches for that matter (‘Fokker’ is also an aircraft brand ;-) ), nobody ever told me that learning to fly over …

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
How PPL stalling lesson part 2 became a ‘Bruce Almighty’ soup moment! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxTXq
My PPL Theory exams start to get ‘real’ serious and bad things come in threes you know! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxU5s
How I turned up on the wrong day and still went solo for the first time in a C152! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxTUS
How an aircraft climb is a case of power and attitude for every PPL student #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxU2W
VIDEO 4: GoPro HD 1st SOLO Circuits in C152 G-BGAE at Conington (EGSF) @stepbystepPPL #PPL ow.ly/HxU0O

GoPro HD 1st Video Solo Circuit in C152 at Conington (EGSF)

The 1st 'Touch and Go' circuit from 30 minutes of solo flight at Pe...

youtube.com
This flying thing is getting serious as I buy equipment to ‘hear no evil, see no evil’ #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxTKs
How a late arrival and a forgotten GoPro camera led to flying lesson THERMALGEDDON! #PPL #aviation @stepbystepPPL ow.ly/HxTIE

The late arrival, the camera that never was and thermalgeddon

After arriving with 3 minutes to spare (my wife and nephew visited the Flying Club with me on this occasion; you know what they say about never working with children :-) ), I walked into the club t…

stepbystepppl.wordpress.com
Load more