Hey,

I have just bought my first trial flight in a cessna 150 or 152. Im lookin VERY forward to it.
There are terms and conditions though, if i do well in the exams i can take it, if i dont well, my brother has it.
So i gotta do well!
Anyone been in a 150/152? whats it like!?
Hopefully by then i can get a new digital camera, and i will take some photos of my journey!

Thanks.

Jimbo

cramped...  Don't let the small size fool you.  That plane has probably taught more people to fly than any other.  It's one of the greatest planes ever built. 

A 172 is cramped-I can only imagine a 150/152.  But the trial flight is great, assuming you get the right instructor-on my discovery flight, I started the engine, taxied, took off, flew around, made the approach, and then my CFI took over for the pattern.  Bout the only thing I didn't do was land!

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Very Small, but i've seen smaller Good fun for starters though...

Where are you doing it Jimbo?

15 here..

umm..

Grob Tutor
Grob Vigilant
RAF Griffin  


Tutor is more cramped than the vigi.. imo..

Here in the US the EAA has a program called "Young Eagles" and it's totally free for a 15 minute flight. I know, not long, but you do get to take control and it's good for seeing if you enjoy flying a little GA plane. That was my first flight in a GA plane. I've since been in a Cessna 177RG, but I was in the back so I didn't get to take control.

I wish you luck Jimbo!

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I'm one of the fortunate few to have flown the Chipmunk, Bulldog and Tutor in my time... First time I had control was in the Chipmunk when I was 14.

Interesting you mention the Tutor. Haven't had the chance to sample the Vigilant, but invariably when I went upside down in the Tutor my head would hit the canopy, however tight the straps are (but then again the "seats" in the t]Tutor are cr*p with their velcro in cushions - not that I needed them). Also took about 2 minutes before every flight winding the rudder pedals away from me - not good if the previous occupant had been 5' 5". Compared to some of the aircraft I flown though recently the Tutor is positively roomy!!!

Jimbo, being as its your first lesson, worry more about your flying than taking photos. Believe me when i say you wont realise how quickly tmie goes by when your up there busy learning. Also it is amazing how tired you'll feel at the end. The adrenalin rush from it will get you home though;) Have a great time.

Craig's right, have a before and after photo shot next to the plane on the ground, but leave your camera in its bag if you can - I'm sure your instructor will let you have control as much as he possibly can, so you won't have time for photos!!!

The most important thing is.....

ENJOY IT!!!

The best thing to do is ask the instructor to take some pictures for you. I did in my second lesson, sadly i cant find them and i fear they were deleted from my old computer. Ask him to perhaps get a shot of you at the controls, and like Charlie said and before and after next to the plane. If there are scenery shots you want, just ask him/her to grab a couple, get all the hands on experience you can, trust me, you wont ever want to let go:)

Left right up and down should all be fairly familiar . You won't need to use the rudders much, if at all. Expect the controls to be a little heavier than a pc yoke or joystick and you'll probably be in the left seat flying left handed...

Its 5 and a half years since I've flown a Cessna though, so I'm pushed to remember!!!

Well can i change to a 90min lesson!?
(sorry im getting distracted by old politicians rambling on about politics)

Jimbo

Just stick with 60. Its pleanty for a first lesson, and have a good time.
And dont worry about politicians rambling on, my uncle and cousin are both heavily involved so i have to listen to it all the time. pleanty of sleep those days

I have to agree w/Craig- picture-taking is a distraction. If I were you, I'd leave it home, or have someone take a few snaps from the ground. Or maybe the instructor will take an inflight picture of you, if he or she feels it won't be too distracting.
  I often regret that I have no pix of milestone flights like my first intro ride or my aerobatics lesson, but all I have to do is close my eyes, and it's all still there. Harder to share with others, but they'll just have to take your word that it was fun!
As for the 150: it's a good, solid, honest trainer, and not a bad recreational cross-country bird, either. You'll learn how to use rudder correction and how to use throttle for altitude, among other things. And they are a bit cramped, so don't be bashful about taking time to adjust your seat correctly before you set off. With a little work, almost any size person can get set up to fly safely and comfortably in a C150.
Enjoy!!!

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I think the reason lessons are limited to 60 minutes or less, apart from cost, is the capacity of the student to take in what has been performed and demostrated during the flight. Certainly in my experience, the only training sorties I've completed which were well over the 60 minute mark were navigation exercises...

Three hour long sorties are much better than a single 3hrs, and leaves plenty of time for the important things in life, such as coffee and food. And the debrief of course...

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I agree if the instructor is OK with it. Take a couple of shots by all means or ask the instructor to take them of you flying the plane. Depends what Jimbo wants out of his first flight. From my own experience I was too busy to think about taking photos even if I'd had a camera & been allowed to take it with me. I would say forget the photos & take full advantage of it. That 60 minutes will seem like 5 minutes anyway but you will remember it for the rest of your life.

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Probably a 172

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Most places will do 60 minute lessons, partly as a/c hire is by the hour. Certainly in the training establishments I've seen, your able to fly two or three 1hr sorties in a day, which allows adequate time to reflect and debrief. 30 minute lessons are common only as tasters in the modern business, allowing people a cheaper way into the air.

30-60 minutes for the average lesson? How do you get anything done?

My intro flight was scheduled for like an hour, anticipating 30 mins in the air.  My lessons are scheduled for two hours.  For my first few lessons we only got in an hour air time, but more recently, it's been more like 1.5 hours (Not including the x-country's, of course).  I just don't see how I could get anything done in 30 minutes.

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Beware that a C172 will not really fit four adult-size people. That rear seat is OK for two kids, or one adult and a kid. Or maybe a couple of small adults who really like each other...
  It's narrower than the back seat in an old VW Beetle.

BTW: My intro flight (in a Piper Tomahawk) was about 40 minutes on the engine... but I learned a little about taxiing, taking off, VFR navigation, turns, climbs, and descents, flying the pattern, and landing.  My average lesson once I got started was about 1 hour...

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Well said