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Hi Andrew...!
That's a bit I was looking forward to.... ...!
We established first that the clouds were not dangerous thunderstorm types, (there was a high pressure ridge in the area).
I was able to put into practise my knowledge of years of flying my sim trainer, (Cessna 150/152), to be confident in flying entirely on instruments and radios....no problem... 8)...!
All the information is presented in front of you on the instrument panel...airspeed, tachometer, altitude, rate of climb/descent, horizontal situation indicator, compass, heading indicators, etc...no problemo... 8)...!
Although you can't see a thing outside, all the instruments tell you exactly what is going on to keep you flying safely... ...!
My instructor sussed I knew what I was doing as I constantly relayed to him exactly what I was observing on the panel in front of me and what I was doing to correct any errors.. ...!
(Remember the instructor is always at my side ready to take over if I got into difficulties...)... ...!

To all the prospective commercial fliers, military flyers, etc, a few, (many), hours spent training in a little flight simulated Cessna will pay big rewards when it comes to to flying in the REAL THING.... ...!
LOL...!

Worked wonders for me... ...!
...and pleased my instructor... ...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul.

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Everytime I go up for a flying lesson, I get excited when my flight instructor pulls out the hood for me to wear. I'm not at all nervous, because like you, I've had years and years of experiance flying on instruments only using the flightsimulator. She knows i'm a flightsim fanatic, and I already have a tendancy to fly by instruments without the hood

Congratulations mate, it's about time you went for it!

you could go for your liscense now...

then a week later, they would yank your medical...

Sounds like you had a great birthday! 8)

Hope your next one is even better

I was supposed to go up for another flying lesson in 30 minutes, but due to the weather, had to cancell and reschedule for Friday. Can you believe that it's lightly snowing here?

Pictures? I doubt it

As for the card, it didn't shock me at all. But i am too busy in life for those 'things'

In my "real" flight one of the many magic sensations was feeling the rumble of the wheels on the runway with the throttle nailed to the stop, one stage of flap, trimmed for take-off, fighting the cross-wind and watching the airspeed needle gradually winding up, until there was sufficient lift under the wings to suddenly catapult me off the runway, with a sinking feeling in my stomach, and up into the air....just like the birds...!!
...not to mention the bumpy, gusting air once airbourne, and struggling to maintain a constant airspeed, attitude, altitude and heading...!
It all came flooding back from my experiences of flying my Gypsy engined Auster Aiglet, rag-and-tube tail-dragger, over 50 years ago....!
Something you never get in the Flight Simulator, even with force-feedback set on the joystick!
The nice thing about the little Cessna 152 trainer is being confident that providing you take care, it is not going to bite you, which is the reason why it has been so successful for so many years...!
It is a lovely little aeroplane.
The next modification is to get hydraulic rams fitted to my computer chair and linked to the Flight Simulator, to experience the feeling all over again...!
LOL...!

Cheers all...!

Paul.

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Hi Craig... ..!
Not much room left... ...!
You would not believe the toys, musical instruments, motorbikes, yes, motorbikes in the house! computers, junk stuff, etc, I have got filling my house up...!
..But...!
This flying about malarky in real aeroplanes is seriously addictive, so I think another go very soon is on the cards.
...(Definately on the cards)... ...!
...(and very soon...)... 8)...!

LOL...LOL...LOL...!

Cheers Craig... ...!

Paul.

P.S. ...the only "full motion simulator" I have got at the moment is "Vinyl Vera"... ...!
..you get a similar feeling to flying, but at ground level... ...!
LOL... ...!

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Blimey Andrew... ...!
Just look at all that snow... ...!
It was probably poor visibility which kept you grounded?
I would have worried about carburettor freezing, but my instructor told me that carb icing was more likely in Summer conditions, (moist air)... ...!
In the Winter the air is drier, so less chance of freezing water in the carbs*.. 8)...!
Often in the Winter, if you are lucky, you can get clearer air, and better visibility.
I did, on my flight... ...!

Cheers Andrew...!

Paul.

* ...mind you, I did regularly pull the little black "Carb Heat" knob out at VERY regular intervals..
...just to be on the safe side... ...!
LOL...!