Ohh, the memories of the Cessna 150! Just like this one, it was red and white, except more beat looking. I remember the comforting sound of the door as it closed, “Clink!” - like the lid on a galvanized trash can. No glass anything, all analog and LORAN. Me, being 5"10 and my CFI, 6’4", we were wedged in like sardines!! I fell in love with flying on that early Arizona morning out of TUS years ago.
Soooo, question for the group. What was YOUR discovery flight in as a Noob Student Pilot?
Holy crap if I didn’t know any better I’d say you discribed the a/c I flew out of KHEF. N49206. I remember one day going out and doing power on power off stalls and recoveries. We were heading back to the field and my instructor leaned over and pulled the throttle way back to simulate "Engine out. I damn near crapped myself, that no sooner happens and my door decides to pop open a bit Needless to say I ran through my checklist and powered back up and kept on going.
I never completed my flight training to get my pvt ticket, fell short by a bit due to lack of $$ and a VW that drained me of what I did have.
I am going to try and find a pic some how some way on the web…
I wanted to add, I just tried to find a pic…no dice. I also did an N number check on the f.a.a. and it is no longer assigned to that a/c. I’ll try and find a close pic…I have one to maybe scan somewhere.
OH MY GAWD FED-EX!!! I would have probably “kecked” right out the door with the CFI holding my right arm!! What altitude was that 4,000 AGL?? ( I hope I remember that scared feeling watching the prop come to a standstill the first time… I thought, “Now I am a glider!”.
Hey Allen, at least it was more substantial than a go cart with wings!! It’s kinda bad when cars are going faster on the freeway than you are in the air! Muhaha!
Yep, 150/152’s for me too. I was 13yrs old probably 5’2 and 140lbs and my instructor a normal sized guy, and we too were like sardines. It wasn’t really a discovery flight. I had been around flying (albeit hot air balloons) and knew several people who rented airplanes, I liked helping out on the balloons but airplanes were faster and cooler 8) . so I decided when I got a paper route, that’d I’d use that money on flying, so I guess the first flight back then would qualify. I was already hooked.
come on man, I was 13,
I’ve grown up since then, I am 5’7!!!
Ok, if we’re talking first ride, It was Piper Cherokee 140, BUT…before I started instruction, my early rides included Cessna 170 (also polished aluminum and red stripes, effing beatiful), from a grass strip, actually got to fly it a bit, AND, my most proud non at the controls flight was the 3rd row captain side of a Ford Tri-Motor!, or the time I skipped a lesson to buy a ride in a T-34 with Rudy Frasca, The first hooked me, but it was these flights that made me a junkie.
My first formal flying lesson took place 23 Nov 1979 (Damn I feel old…) in a 1946 Aeronca 7AC…with no electrical system. I paid $10/hr. for dual back then. I had to learn the old fashion way, hand-propping and tail-wheel technique. The airplane that I flew now resides in MN, not too far away from where I first flew her, but I couldn’t find any pics. But she looked just like this one…
My granpda liked to build balsawood models and fly taildraggers!, and he made my son a Champ to hang in his room. The unmistakable yellow with the orange. Classic aircraft!
I think THAT’S what she WANTED us to think! You’re such a tease, Satine!
My first ride was in a Cherokee 180 over the mountains of West Virginia when I was 5. My dad’s cousin took my brother, grand father and I up, and I remember we circled over my grand dad’s house and waved to my grand mother. I couldn’t tell which house it was, but I waved anyway - LOL. I was too small to see out the window, except during turns.
First discovery flight was when I was about 15. Flew from Manassas, VA to Warrenton, VA and back in a 172. I think it was about half hour to 45 minute flight. The instructor did all the flying and I was just enjoying the ride. Only thing I really remember from that flight was it was during peak fall colors and it was just an amazing sight coming in for landing.
My first real lesson was in a 152 out of Gray Army Airfield near Tacoma, Washington back in my Army days when I was 23. The instructor let me takeoff and we went through straight-n-level flight and did a few turns. He said I was doing a good job, and as we were headed back to the airport, he asked if I was going to land it. I was little chicken-shit and told him, “NOooooo!”
After 50 some odd hours, I had done my long cross country and passed my written test when I had to drop-out due to financial and other personal reasons.
I will share another fun moment from the short time I attempted to get my pvt. ticket. I was etting ready to take the active at KHEF / Manassas for departure. Now this was not that long ago BUT at the time the field didn’t have their tower I checked all the airspace around the rwy. and began to let my feet off the brakes and give a bit of powr to taxi onto the active… At that moment my instructor yells into my ears to hold for traffic. Sure enough there coming in out of the sun from the outbound side was a J-31 Jetstream who did a touch and go and then kept on straight outbound behind us as we then took the rwy. I remember getting back from my lesson thinking how lucky I was and how much of an ass the J-31 was. I did see the a/c on the ramp closed up when we got back, and to this day have no idea who the person was.
Needless to say I ran through my checklist and powered back up and kept on going.
as I now ride in a 1976 model T!
come on man, I was 13,
8) 