Finally in 2018, my dream of flying myself became real for me when I signed up at "Luxembourg Flight Training Academy" (LFTA) for a private pilot license as first step. A life changing experience was about to happen.
All the moments and fantastic views above the clouds that I will encounter and experience, I want to share with you on my website.
Find out more below which flight gear I am using while flying and how I journey along becoming a pilot.
My flight gear?
Before I got my first lesson to fly, I still had to get myself a proper gear and some proper equipment, being prepared the best I possibly can for my future trips above the clouds.
First thing I had my mind set to was a decent flight bag, where I can eventually put all my equipment, charts and headset in. After reading through the web a bit, I got focused on Jeppesen's so called "Aviator bag".
Having received my order about a week later, I was absolutely thrilled about the quality of this thing. Good materials, a thoughtful design and enough space for my stuff to be carried along on my journeys - I couldn't expect more.
Next thing on the list was a proper headset. This is really one thing that can be discussed about a lot, but I've made my own choice in the end and got myself the probably most known headset in the aviation industry; the Bose A20 aviation headset.
I have spoken to many people to get some advise on a headset and everybody had a different opinion on what to buy. However, they probably all agreed that the A20 is the best one you can get, yet, unfortunately, not the cheapest one.
I have spoken to many people to get some advise on a headset and everybody had a different opinion on what to buy. However, they probably all agreed that the A20 is the best one you can get, yet, unfortunately, not the cheapest one.
Having tried a couple of headsets like Sennheiser, David Clark and so on, I also tried the A20 a few times. Concluding that you have to pay some hundred bucks for a headset anyway, I eventually decided to get Bose's best seller. The A20's weight, sound quality, active noise cancelling, its design and material's valence were just so much better in any way and made it very easy for me to decide myself and go for it.
I am sure I would have regret the purchase of any other headset, as I would have come back to the A20 sooner or later anyway.
Something I also did not want to miss during flying, is a chronograph watch which makes it easier for me to log different times during all phases of flight. As you may know, chronograph watches are not very cheap, if quality plays a decisive role. My personal requirement for a watch was, that it has a comparable good quality movement and is designwise somehow inspired by aviation. I quickly came across AVI-8 timepieces, a UK based time instrument manufacturer.
I stumbled through their online shops and read several satisfying customer reviews before I finally decided to get the AVI-8 Hawker Hunter AV-4052-03 chronograph.
Having received the order about a week later, I was very surprised after unboxing it. The quality of the leather strap and the watch's housing looked amazingly good. The Hawker Hunter comes in a nice greenish military styled box together with a microfiber cloth, the users manual and a nice watch and design specific identification card.
The anthracite, panel shaped backdrop of the watch reminds of a flight deck or instrument panel, the combination of the round mineral lens cover with a squared metal housing with rounded corners makes it look like an aircraft instrument. Furthermore, the yellow and white pointers add an even deeper aircraft accent as they precisely point on the watch's timescale.
The watch has a Japan made retrograde Quartz movement with a date scale in the lower right section. The chronograph can be set to a maximum of 10 minutes. The instrument's diameter is approximately 45mm and has a height of 12mm.
All in all, a great quality aviation watch in a comparable low price segment.
My way in the cockpit - PPL flight training
A glimpse into my logbook reveals that my first training flight took place on the 28th of August 2018, one day before my 23rd birthday. A day which marked the start of a new chapter, a great journey began!
Parallel to my flight training I did 148 hours of theory, accompanied by progress tests, blank exams and final exams.
This 1972 built Cessna 172 was the first plane I got to fly.
Lucky me minutes before my very first own take-off.
Perfect weather additionally made this day one to remember.
Following my first lesson, I accumulated more hours under my belt, gained experience and confidence in myself and the aircraft. The first milestone happened after my 14th flight hour and a progress check flight with another instructor, on the fourth of January 2019 when I soloed on a partly cloudy day at Luxembourg airport for some touch and goes. A proud and happy feeling that kept myself stoked for weeks.
So the next aim was to accumulate at least six solo touch-and-go hours, which I completed approximately 6 weeks later. After that it was time for some navigation training to different airports around Luxembourg.
In the meanwhile, in order to fly solo outside the proximity of Luxembourg airport, I wrote and passed my written exams in 9 different subjects, reaching from flight planning & preparation, over meteorology up to navigation. Furthermore, a so called ELP - English level proficiency check had to be done at the aviation authority. This is a mandatory requirement from ICAO for every pilot.
Having completed the theory, I had my second progress check, which cleared me to fly solo outisde of the CTR of Luxembourg airport.
Next challenge to come up were 5 hours of solo navigation flight time, including an EASA required triangle flight, which has to be at least 150NM long and has to lead to two different aerodromes.
I decided to fly from Luxembourg airport to Koblenz-Winningen (EDRK), then continue to Dahlemer-Binz (EDKV) and eventually land again in Luxembourg.
Hopped out the aircraft, got a stamp, payed the landing fee and off again to Luxembourg.
Quick little Latte Machiato in Koblenz before continuing my flight.
Having completed my solo navigation flight, I flew some more cross countries before I had my final progress check and I got cleared for my check ride.
After I sorted out some paperwork with the aviation authority and I booked an aircraft for my exam a week later, the preceeding days didn't pass quickly at all due to my huge excitement.
Nevertheless, this huge day came up and after a good hour of exercises like touch-and-goes, power-off and precision landings, emergencies, banks, stalls, navigation and steep turns, my flight examiner eventually told me that I had passed my final check ride. What an unbelievable, amazing, yet surreal feeling...
PROUD TO BE A PILOT!
My buddy Gilles and I did our flight training together. Both happy pilots now!
The journey continues...
After having flown for around 190 hours total time, including complex aircraft, which means flying airplanes with constant speed propeller and / or retractable gear, it was time for a new chapter towards the big game. I had the opportunity to fly for the only skidiving club in Luxembourg, located at a small, 600m long gras strip in the north of Luxembourg. The aerodrome in Noertrange exists since several decades and is the base of "Cercle Para Luxembourg". The club owns a GippsAero GA8 Airvan (Or Mahindra Airvan 8 nowadays) in order to fly the sorties for the skydivers.