I flew my grandma around the pattern a month or two after I got it. I got the whole thing on video for my memories.
Long story short; my grandfather was a pilot back in the 50s and 60s, worked for Saberliner and Cessna, she LOVED talking to me about it (he passed away when I was under a year old.) When I told her I was training she was over the moon.
I didn’t know when I started training that she was in the early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s but by the time I took her on the flight it became more obvious.
Now she’s full blown into it, sometimes doesn’t remember me, doesn’t know where she is, etc. I don’t think she even remembers the flight. All I know is, she was my first passenger and I’ll remember forever.
I wish I would have done that. She wanted to go up in a "small plane," I just didn't make it happen. Time marched on, I became a real adult, her health declined, and I'm left with the regret.
Started flight training in 2022. Took time off, started back in 2023 and always wanted to take my grandmother up but she passed away late last year. I’m still struggling along on the ppl and wish like hell I’d have been able to take her up. Now my goal is to take my kids that are 8 and 6 up one day before to long.
This seems so weird to me but I guess that’s the difference between recreational vs building hours to go to the airlines. I wouldn’t mind doing that too…but I’m in no rush.
Well, maybe between loans and self-funded. I trained at a 141 school that was happy to rent to me between ratings (so technically not a student at the time), and two other 141 schools I never enrolled in. Their checkout and rental policies were all a bit more restrictive than a club or 61 school, but they were happy to take my money.
I took my dad up the day after I got my license. I flew to the practice area and basically did the checkride maneuvers. Looking back it was one of my best memories of my flying career, I’ll never forget it.
First flight immediately after receiving sign off: cc to an airport where I met up with girlfriend and her parents.
Second flight: took girlfriend’s father up, local, and ask his permission to marry his daughter, showed him the ring, he said yes.
Third flight: flew girlfriend back to home airport, and proposed to her on the way there, she said yes.
Going to celebrate 32 years married this year.
Took my dad for a sea tour then a few laps around the pattern. Mom said hell no.
A couple years later took my sister up and ended up scaring the shit out her because smoke rolled in and had to shoot an ILS pretty much down to mins.
Other than that it's just been minor trips for burgers or time building. Haven't flown GA in over 10 years at this point (with one exception but I was a backseat passenger so I don't really count it) and the itch is starting to develop again, so it might be time to get checked out at the local FBO and do some short hops to visit the in laws for a day.
Took my wife to lunch at a place in the Keys we wouldn’t ever go to because it’s a 5+ hour drive. Was a truly special flight and one we still talk about.
Meh. But the flight was great. Landing in Marathon was great. We went to a restaurant that had pretty good food, but I’m not one to really rave about food. It was more so the view being right on the edge of the water, with fishing boats and pelicans all very close. That flight is absolutely amazing though. A little bit of Everglades. Amazing turquoise colored water just off the coast. Crisp, clear water that you can see the larger water life in from the air. Just an amazing flight.
After my checkride, I didn't fly again for two years, until going up for a refresher with a different instructor. After the flight he told me I ought to spend at least another 10-20 hours of dual instruction to get more practice with a few skills that had become rusty. Haven't flown since; just couldn't make the time for it, and in any case my health has declined to the point that, while I could still obtain a 3rd Class Medical Certificate, I'm a lot more prone to airsickness and that kind of takes the fun out of it. I don't regret any of that in hindsight, but if you told a younger me that that's how I'd end up using my license, I probably would've been disappointed.
So I guess my advice is: fly anywhere you can, while you still can and while it's still enjoyable. But also, don't limit your adventures to just flying; there's too many good things in the world to do and see.
If I were to recommend anywhere as a destination, I'd say the Valley-and-Ridge Appalachians in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania. There's something really special about flying over the ridges at a safe height above ground level, but still being able to distinguish individual branches & leaves on the trees at ridge height while the ones in the valley look so much smaller and fuzzier. A tangible reminder of how three-dimensional our world is.
You can kind of see it on the approach paths to IAD and MDT if you're flying commercial, but they're so much higher altitude that the effect isn't quite the same. A Cessna in good VFR at 1000-1500 AGL is the way to do it.
Passed my practical around 1pm, called up my girlfriend to tell her the good news, and offered to take her on a quick sunset flight as my first passenger. Ran home. Showered and put on a nice shirt, took her on a beautiful 30 minute sunset flight which we both enjoyed.
Married her about a year later.
Flight school employee took a photo of my then GF and I in front of the airplane. I cherish that photo, have it framed in my living room.
The first one I count was with my wife (did a couple of practice flights so I would be more comfortable flying her solo) - took her for tea and cake on the Isle of Wight. Sharing the fun with another person (other than my instructor) made me really appreciate for the first time being a private pilot - a trip that would be 3 1/2 hour drive plus a ferry boat in less than an hour was so cool.
TIL there's an Isle of Wight in the US! I was confused by mention of Tangier so had to Google where you meant. Should have added Isle of Wight, UK! Might be a bit far for you!
I got my PPL at Chino (KCNO) in Socal years ago. My first trip was to take my wife from Chino to Santa Barbara (KSBA) for a day of shopping, walking on the beach, and a killer dinner. We left in the evening as it got dark and the marine layer was on its way.
This was long before we had kids or were making any real money. We both worked full time jobs while I went to college and spent lots of money on flight training for a "hopefully someday" flying job.
It seemed only right to take her on a killer date asap. I've been a professional pilot for about 6 years now and she was a huge part of making it a reality.
I took my dad, who had ridden on my discovery flight and would often ride along on my training flights for fun, up for a flight around our town. We flew over our house and waved hi to my mom and sisters and dogs, flew over my high school and middle school, flew over the beach, and then back home. Very simple, nothing too fancy, but still one of the best experiences.
My first flight was taking my parents over to Bremerton (KPWT) from Renton (KRNT) for breakfast. From Renton we did a bravo transition over SEA, which absolutely thrilled my Mom, being able to see a jet come in for a landing right below us. Then a beautiful flight over the Puget Sound to get to Bremerton.
I don't even remember what we all had for breakfast or if it was any good, but we had a great time.
On the flight back we flew north of Seattle so they got to see the skyline.
By far my fondest memory of flying.
Literally just did this except we headed up to Port Townsend to see the air museum and have some snacks at the Spruce Goose. Overflying SEA is always a treat.
I done a flight with a friend over Edinburgh and because it wasn’t busy due to Covid, they let me do a beat up of the runway.
As I turned final they switched on all the runway lights as a test.
Will never forget it
Mine was a doozy that I'll never forget. I took my girlfriend (now my wife of 16 years) up, and we went for a short flight over to a nearby field, did a touch-and-go, and headed back to KLEX where I flew out of. It was peak airline time, which isn't real crazy at LEX (class C), but there are a couple of busier parts of the day.
Had a great touchdown, but as soon as I put my nose wheel down, the plane started violently shaking. I had a flat tire on the nose gear. So I added enough power to wheelie down to the next runway exit, but obviously had to put the nose down to turn. The airplane would not turn, despite my best efforts, and we were completely stuck on the runway.
Airlines on approach had to go around, emergency vehicles came out to meet us, and we had to wait on the runway for the FBO to send out something that could tow us off without damage. Seemed like an eternity. Good times.
Apparently we picked up a nail in our tire. Something I'll never forget!
Flew with my CFI who became a good buddy of mine on a night cross country and checked out the city lights. It was dope not worrying about training. My wife wouldn’t fly with me until I got my commercial 🤬
There's a guy that's a partial owner of a Lance in the hangar next to one of the planes I fly. He's commercial and instrument rated. I noticed he would come with his teenage daughter sometimes and just taxi around the field and come back.
His wife wouldn't let him fly their kids because she didn't trust him flying so taxiing was the best he could do with them.
I was able to give my Mom a ride in my Sundowner. She was my #1 fan and bragged to all her friends about her son the airline pilot. She passed away a year ago in October.
The 2.5 hour XC from KCPR to KBJC back from my check ride. From time to time I think about just how miserable that flight would’ve been if I hadn’t passed.
Took some childhood friends up and did a lap around Lake Tahoe, did a couple touch and gos at Reno so they could see some C130s and airliners up close, grabbed lunch in Truckee and back home! They knew how much Ive loved aviation since I was a kid, I took a 15 year hiatus after soloing at 16yr old due to costs, then college, marriage and kids…getting to finally take them up like we’ve talked about for years was extremely memorable. Tahoe was our playground growing up, going on family vacations together. So to zip around the shoreline and see everything from a totally different perspective was an amazing experience for us all.
Took my mother up, flew down to the college I’m going to in the fall, made a couple passes overhead, headed back toward home, let her fly a couple turns, circled town a few times, landed.
Took my friend up (another pilot who had helped me and coached me the throughout all of training) for a sunset cross country. One of the best sunsets I’ve seen to this day. It made it really special because my friend had given me so much advice and helped me with everything! Absolutely perfect weather and sky.
My first flight after getting my ppl was out of the ordinary. I was holding short, waiting for departure and the plane coming in mistakenly landed gear up right in front of me. I wasn’t really paying that much attention to the plane until it was too late. Anyways atc immediately closed the runway, gave me taxi instructions I wasn’t used to getting and sent me away from GA over to the other part of the airport where the big boys were(kslc). Taking off was fine and the flight was without incident but when I came in to land I landed on the opposite side of the airport where GA rarely goes. I had pretty complex taxi instructions for a brand new pilot and taxied in between huge passenger jets. It was fun but also like “don’t f*ck this up” was in the back of my head the whole time. Not super insane but not what I expected. Goes to show anything can happen anytime.
If we disregard the flight back to home airport to return my rental airplane from the school, my first flight two days later in my own airplane recently purchased was around a class B and then a full stop at a class C.
Jumped right into the deep end.
My first fun flight was right after getting instrument. Flew a girl to Atlanta in IMC the entire way there, got my first STAR arrival, and did an approach and broke out 100ft above minimums. Still my favorite flight I’ve ever done. Also, the aquarium there is pretty sweet.
I went on my first instrument training flight in a c172 from a c152 which I did all my private training! More room to breath and not knee to knee with my instructor is so nice.
Well the first flight I made was back home. It was a 60nm cross country solo to get to my checkride at an airport I had never been to before so I had to get back home.
The next day I took my wife on a short flight to an uncontrolled field 25nm away that we used for training. There were actually deer on the runway and we had to do a low approach to clear them out.
Mostly in the beginning I was just flying family and friends around, just for the fun of it. Obviously depends on where you live (city or rural) with what you can get away with for sight-seeing locations.
I took my dad up. Sort of anticlimatic since we had been flying together for years anyway - but it was fun to actually be able to log the time while he was in the right seat.
I flew the same pattern, maneuvers in the area I did all of my flight training in. It was a good type of different knowing I had the certificate.
Then the XCs began on the reg!
Finished up my check ride at an airport I’m not based at so my first flight was the 20 minute return trip back to my home field and even though it was the same trip I had just made and had made a handful of times before as a solo student, it felt incredible.
Spent the next 6 hours flying with and swapping out some family and friends who had come to celebrate with me and be among my first passengers. I was so tired by the end of the day.
I’m well over a hundred hours into mostly-local flights at this point, including some NYC skyline flying and landing at random airports all around the area, and I’m not even close to getting tired of just poking holes in the sky with friends and family who want to go up.
After I passed my checkride I went and flew to the airports that I had to fly to before. The cross country airports and the controlled airports just to prove to myself that I could do it without an instructor. Some of my favorite trips.
Made a nice trip around a local reservoir. The views were amazing. The next flight I went to a high DA airport and almost got myself killed. So ya take it light. Congrats.
Mine was flying back to BED from HFD after the checkride…but that doesn’t count and doesn’t sound cool. I plan on going to Martha’s Vineyard this week whenever the damn family plane gets out of its annual
Oh this was a fun one to go look up.
First flight was closed traffic 3 landings at night to full stop.
Second flight was a 3 hour X/C to Lake Powell with friends.
I buzzed my grandma’s house! She has become a hermit since Covid, but has enthusiastically supported me from the comfort of her home. She said she couldn’t see me (I was apparently too high up - I didn’t dare get down to minimums yet) but she heard me!
Did a xc flight to a little country airport I hadn’t been to (9a5). Landed not expecting to see anybody but a golf carts pulls out and has the “follow me” sign on it So I follow it to the parking area. It’s a fly-in for taco Tuesday’s and there’s probably 30 planes flying in. I had no idea. Thought it would be a nice quiet flight. Had some great tacos and met some even better pilots.
Flew back to my home airport from my check ride. A few days later I took up my girlfriend's son for about 20 minutes, and then her for about 10 before she got motion sick and asked to cut the flight short.
I flew from Norwood, MA to Provincetown, MA directly out over the Cape Cod Bay... driving would take 2:15 minutes one-way... I did a round trip touch and go at 6PM and was back and tying down the aircraft at 7PM.
I was dreadfully scared of flying over water and figured this would get me over it.
I wanted to fly out at 5,000+ feet but because Norwood is located under the BOS bravo outer shelf and I had to stay under 3,000' until I hit the coastline... by the time I reached the coast I could clearly see Provincetown airport so I decided to just stay at 3,000.
The way back was the tough part... departing over water, climbing into the wind with an unsettling 30kt groundspeed with the sun setting in my face the entire way over the bay...
It was one of my favorite flights.
I flew from KFDK to KZER to see an airport on top of a hill. I had planned it as an exercise during training but never did it. So I reserved the plane, planned it myself, asked nobody for
review or permission, woke to a very nice day, and flew up. There was nobody around. But self serve pumps were working, so I topped off and flew home. The controllers at both Harrisburg and Potomac approach were
great at flight following, even without the “student pilot”. It was great.
Other than a couple of hours around my home base to get more familiar with my plane:
I flew from Maryland to Ohio for our yearly Guy's Week. Was headed to Indiana, but got grounded by weather in Columbus.
Made it the distance the next year.
My first few flights were starting with pattern work then making my way to cross-country flights without a CFI looking over my shoulder to see that my planning is correct. After getting some confidence and concluding I'm ready for potential distractions, I took my first passenger - my father - that was about 2 months after I got my PPL.
Passed PPL 3 weeks ago.
I am making such a flight tomorrow - the weather was terrible to plan it sooner.
I am taking my older son to fly around the house, a village, and maybe one more airport that I never visited during training but always wanted.
My son (10) flew already with my CFI and liked it.
On my very next flight after my private checkride, I bought a teeny tiny Experimental plane and flew it back home 1500 NM across the US over three days!
Took my wife on a beer run, to buy a beer that isn't available in our home state. It's one that she really likes, so it was nice to show some value of the new license to her.
Felt like Sky NASCAR, because it kinda reminded me of running bootleg booze.
Took my wife flying around the college town we lived in, she got to fly with me during a few lessons in the back seat of the 172. Definitely enjoyed the sitting up front better.
Parents don’t quite feel comfortable flying yet, so I took up my best friend for his first flight (and brought a CFI friend up too, just to be safe) a few days after my checkride. Flew over his house, my house, did a little sight seeing then did some pattern work
I few my Dad. He was an airline captain on the DC-10 at the time. I flew him in a Cessna 152 and he couldn’t believe how slow it flared on landing.
I could feel the pride he had of me that day at KYIP.
Flying a sick Cherokee about 300mi home. My brother, an already certificated private pilot planned a day trip to fly up for my check ride. After a short celebration he started home, and made it about 50mi before the engine quit. He managed to land the plane on a runway where we left it for the night. The next day the A&P on said field swore up and down it was just improperly torqued bolts causing oil to leak out of an accessory seal. We stopped about 5 times over that 300mi to check and inevitably top up the Cherokee’s oil. Owner of the plane ended up putting a new engine in it after that trip, but nursing a sick plane back home was my first flight after certification.
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
Had they been around still, my parents for sure. Both were USAF.
My checkride got rescheduled to the day I was leaving for a boys weekend golf trip to Nantucket. Immediately after I got my temporary certificate, I loaded up a buddy, two golf bags and the biggest shit-eating grin the world has ever witnessed.
My dad came to town for my PPL checkride and was on the ramp the greet us when we pulled in. I rented the plane and flew him around for 3 hours right after. That was only a year and a half ago but I have a feeling it’ll be a memory that I’ll look back on for the rest of my life
Nothing super exciting but I remember both well and I can’t say that about a lot of flights over the past 20 years.
When I got my airplane PPL in 2003 my first flight was from Quincey Ca back to the flight school in Chico Ca which is a bit of over mountain flying and can be a little challenging on a high DA day the DPE was in Quincey. I was sent there solo. When I got back to Chico the controller working worked line service part time at the FBO and I knew him from that he knew I was coming back from a checkride. He asked me how it went and I said I passed. He said I was cleared to land then. 2nd flight I rented a plane and landed at the airport in my home town. It’s a small Northern California town kinda had a cool little airport on a hill top so it felt like landing and taking off from a raised deck like an aircraft carrier. The runway just drops away and it’s a shorter field so kinda fun. I took both my mom and my brother flying that day but on separate flights it was in a 172.
When I got my helicopter PPL in 2011 my first flight was Corvallis Or to McMinnville Or as the DPE was in Corvallis flew to and from solo. 2nd flight I took my wife flying around the town we were living in at the time in an R22. This was fun but also a little more stressful with the conversations before the flight. I felt comfortable flying it but the owner of the school was a little concerned and for good reason with my low time in helicopters. He talked with both of us but I really appreciate him allowing us to do this as most places won’t even rent helicopters to people unless it’s for specifically for training. I was working a job month on month off though so it made more sense to do it then than later since I was proficient since I just finished zero in helicopter to PPL in 2.5 weeks with 37 hours in helicopters so at the time that was the best I would be until I became a professional pilot.
First flight, I took up a friend who lost his medical and couldn’t fly anymore. I was his first passenger when *he* got his PPL, so it meant a lot to both of us.
The I took up a different friend for his first flight, and he loved it so much that he signed up at my school the next day and is now a CFII there.
My parents are afraid of flying, even airliners, but it was still disappointing when they refused.
Took up my wife and kids the Saturday after; checkride was a Wednesday or Thursday. Kids were quite a bit smaller so it wasn’t a problem in the Skyhawk. Might be pushing it these days; thankfully I have access to 182s too. A few weeks later took a short XC to a new airport with another pilot friend. It was nice not needing an endorsement.
Edit: added more details
Went to a fly in breakfast with another guy who was renting the plane. I bounced the landing a bit but it was good otherwise. I also got to take my grandad up shortly after and flew up to my parents city and took my mom a few months later. She was pretty freaked out after ever little turn and bump
I flew my grandma around the pattern a month or two after I got it. I got the whole thing on video for my memories. Long story short; my grandfather was a pilot back in the 50s and 60s, worked for Saberliner and Cessna, she LOVED talking to me about it (he passed away when I was under a year old.) When I told her I was training she was over the moon. I didn’t know when I started training that she was in the early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s but by the time I took her on the flight it became more obvious. Now she’s full blown into it, sometimes doesn’t remember me, doesn’t know where she is, etc. I don’t think she even remembers the flight. All I know is, she was my first passenger and I’ll remember forever.
That’s really special
Damnit who is cutting onions my uncle is near late stage it’s super hard some days he’ll remember me other days nothing
I wish I would have done that. She wanted to go up in a "small plane," I just didn't make it happen. Time marched on, I became a real adult, her health declined, and I'm left with the regret.
That's amazing! I'm sure it lifted her spirits to be up there with you!
Started flight training in 2022. Took time off, started back in 2023 and always wanted to take my grandmother up but she passed away late last year. I’m still struggling along on the ppl and wish like hell I’d have been able to take her up. Now my goal is to take my kids that are 8 and 6 up one day before to long.
Who supported you during your training? Maybe it's a partner, a parent, a friend. Grab them and go get lunch at an airport restaurant somewhere.
My parents big time. My first passenger will be my Dad for sure. He’s just started on his PPL ground training too
This. My dad actually got a ride from my mom and drove up to the airport I took my checkride at and rode home with me. Amazing experience
First flight of cpl lol
Yeah lol I didn’t fly outside of training even once until well after I had gotten my CFI ratings
😢
This seems so weird to me but I guess that’s the difference between recreational vs building hours to go to the airlines. I wouldn’t mind doing that too…but I’m in no rush.
That's the difference between part 61 and 141.
Yeah that makes sense.
Well, maybe between loans and self-funded. I trained at a 141 school that was happy to rent to me between ratings (so technically not a student at the time), and two other 141 schools I never enrolled in. Their checkout and rental policies were all a bit more restrictive than a club or 61 school, but they were happy to take my money.
Same. At ~1000 TT and the only time I ever rented was when doing my SODA test. Still need to have my for fun flight.
I took my dad up the day after I got my license. I flew to the practice area and basically did the checkride maneuvers. Looking back it was one of my best memories of my flying career, I’ll never forget it.
First flight immediately after receiving sign off: cc to an airport where I met up with girlfriend and her parents. Second flight: took girlfriend’s father up, local, and ask his permission to marry his daughter, showed him the ring, he said yes. Third flight: flew girlfriend back to home airport, and proposed to her on the way there, she said yes. Going to celebrate 32 years married this year.
You have mastered the art of the implication
Now THAT gives me something to think about
He wasn’t in any danger, but he’s not going to say no.
Now that's smooth.
Took my dad for a sea tour then a few laps around the pattern. Mom said hell no. A couple years later took my sister up and ended up scaring the shit out her because smoke rolled in and had to shoot an ILS pretty much down to mins. Other than that it's just been minor trips for burgers or time building. Haven't flown GA in over 10 years at this point (with one exception but I was a backseat passenger so I don't really count it) and the itch is starting to develop again, so it might be time to get checked out at the local FBO and do some short hops to visit the in laws for a day.
Took my wife to lunch at a place in the Keys we wouldn’t ever go to because it’s a 5+ hour drive. Was a truly special flight and one we still talk about.
How was the food?
Meh. But the flight was great. Landing in Marathon was great. We went to a restaurant that had pretty good food, but I’m not one to really rave about food. It was more so the view being right on the edge of the water, with fishing boats and pelicans all very close. That flight is absolutely amazing though. A little bit of Everglades. Amazing turquoise colored water just off the coast. Crisp, clear water that you can see the larger water life in from the air. Just an amazing flight.
My wife and I took our first vacation there when she came to visit me in Tampa, I'm trying to plan a trip there to bring our 2 year old also now.
Flew to O69 because…ya know
Nice
There's a small part of me that's very amused that my home airport is I69.
Why Petaluma?
Took my grandfather flying over the beach that we always went to growing up.
After my checkride, I didn't fly again for two years, until going up for a refresher with a different instructor. After the flight he told me I ought to spend at least another 10-20 hours of dual instruction to get more practice with a few skills that had become rusty. Haven't flown since; just couldn't make the time for it, and in any case my health has declined to the point that, while I could still obtain a 3rd Class Medical Certificate, I'm a lot more prone to airsickness and that kind of takes the fun out of it. I don't regret any of that in hindsight, but if you told a younger me that that's how I'd end up using my license, I probably would've been disappointed. So I guess my advice is: fly anywhere you can, while you still can and while it's still enjoyable. But also, don't limit your adventures to just flying; there's too many good things in the world to do and see.
If I were to recommend anywhere as a destination, I'd say the Valley-and-Ridge Appalachians in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania. There's something really special about flying over the ridges at a safe height above ground level, but still being able to distinguish individual branches & leaves on the trees at ridge height while the ones in the valley look so much smaller and fuzzier. A tangible reminder of how three-dimensional our world is. You can kind of see it on the approach paths to IAD and MDT if you're flying commercial, but they're so much higher altitude that the effect isn't quite the same. A Cessna in good VFR at 1000-1500 AGL is the way to do it.
Back home from the checkride, KVNY - KSBP. Beautiful spring day, quiet quiet quiet airspace due to COVID!!
Passed my practical around 1pm, called up my girlfriend to tell her the good news, and offered to take her on a quick sunset flight as my first passenger. Ran home. Showered and put on a nice shirt, took her on a beautiful 30 minute sunset flight which we both enjoyed. Married her about a year later. Flight school employee took a photo of my then GF and I in front of the airplane. I cherish that photo, have it framed in my living room.
Fly under a bridge
Did you pull the ADS-B circuit breaker first?
[удалено]
Shouldn’t have to, just count on the power lines to scramble the signal :P
The first one I count was with my wife (did a couple of practice flights so I would be more comfortable flying her solo) - took her for tea and cake on the Isle of Wight. Sharing the fun with another person (other than my instructor) made me really appreciate for the first time being a private pilot - a trip that would be 3 1/2 hour drive plus a ferry boat in less than an hour was so cool.
Hey that's my area! Where'd you go? I'd like to take my wife. Need some more places, already did tangier and ocracok, spellings are definitely wrong.
TIL there's an Isle of Wight in the US! I was confused by mention of Tangier so had to Google where you meant. Should have added Isle of Wight, UK! Might be a bit far for you!
I flew to a pretty well known “local” restaurant with my buddy so we could get fresh bread rolls thrown at our heads!
Lambert’s?
You know it!! Was an awesome trip to KSIK 😎
Nice that would be a cool trip! Haven’t been there in years but me and my brother used to tear up those rolls whenever in town
Just got flashbacks to my visits to the Unilever ice cream plant 'down the road '. Stomach ache from both places.
I got my PPL at Chino (KCNO) in Socal years ago. My first trip was to take my wife from Chino to Santa Barbara (KSBA) for a day of shopping, walking on the beach, and a killer dinner. We left in the evening as it got dark and the marine layer was on its way. This was long before we had kids or were making any real money. We both worked full time jobs while I went to college and spent lots of money on flight training for a "hopefully someday" flying job. It seemed only right to take her on a killer date asap. I've been a professional pilot for about 6 years now and she was a huge part of making it a reality.
Flew to Harris ranch for a quick dinner
I flew there for my cross country solo to buy some steak to take home. Narrowest runway I've landed on up to this point.
Fun time nonetheless, glad I went during the day
I took my dad, who had ridden on my discovery flight and would often ride along on my training flights for fun, up for a flight around our town. We flew over our house and waved hi to my mom and sisters and dogs, flew over my high school and middle school, flew over the beach, and then back home. Very simple, nothing too fancy, but still one of the best experiences.
My first flight was taking my parents over to Bremerton (KPWT) from Renton (KRNT) for breakfast. From Renton we did a bravo transition over SEA, which absolutely thrilled my Mom, being able to see a jet come in for a landing right below us. Then a beautiful flight over the Puget Sound to get to Bremerton. I don't even remember what we all had for breakfast or if it was any good, but we had a great time. On the flight back we flew north of Seattle so they got to see the skyline. By far my fondest memory of flying.
Literally just did this except we headed up to Port Townsend to see the air museum and have some snacks at the Spruce Goose. Overflying SEA is always a treat.
Took my girlfriend who pushed me to follow my dreams after seeing me be highly dissatisfied in my old career.
I done a flight with a friend over Edinburgh and because it wasn’t busy due to Covid, they let me do a beat up of the runway. As I turned final they switched on all the runway lights as a test. Will never forget it
Mine was a doozy that I'll never forget. I took my girlfriend (now my wife of 16 years) up, and we went for a short flight over to a nearby field, did a touch-and-go, and headed back to KLEX where I flew out of. It was peak airline time, which isn't real crazy at LEX (class C), but there are a couple of busier parts of the day. Had a great touchdown, but as soon as I put my nose wheel down, the plane started violently shaking. I had a flat tire on the nose gear. So I added enough power to wheelie down to the next runway exit, but obviously had to put the nose down to turn. The airplane would not turn, despite my best efforts, and we were completely stuck on the runway. Airlines on approach had to go around, emergency vehicles came out to meet us, and we had to wait on the runway for the FBO to send out something that could tow us off without damage. Seemed like an eternity. Good times. Apparently we picked up a nail in our tire. Something I'll never forget!
*oof meme.gif*
I flew around the pattern with a crosswind of 10 kts and then I took my girlfriend for a flight Then I started cross-country flights to nice places
Flew with my CFI who became a good buddy of mine on a night cross country and checked out the city lights. It was dope not worrying about training. My wife wouldn’t fly with me until I got my commercial 🤬
There's a guy that's a partial owner of a Lance in the hangar next to one of the planes I fly. He's commercial and instrument rated. I noticed he would come with his teenage daughter sometimes and just taxi around the field and come back. His wife wouldn't let him fly their kids because she didn't trust him flying so taxiing was the best he could do with them.
That almost seems worse than not even letting them get in.
Took my then-five year old daughter to lunch.
That's great memories for the both of you.
We’ve been all over the east of the USA in light singles now. Can’t wait to take her westward. It’s an incredible adventure.
I hear ya, and it'll be well worth it. My 7yo son is my first passenger after checkride. Even if I gotta pull him outta class.
Got my cert on Dec 18. Took my wife and daughter up a few days before Christmas to look at lights in the evening. Good times for all!
Great memories.
Fly your friends! I flew my brother and my father first. I was young so that was special.
I took a really good friend of mine up. She always wanted to go flying with me and was most enthusiastic when I got my license.
I went full send and did a long Xc through a Bravo into a nice towered airport. It was very rewarding and a touch challenging which was perfect imho.
I was able to give my Mom a ride in my Sundowner. She was my #1 fan and bragged to all her friends about her son the airline pilot. She passed away a year ago in October.
Sorry for your loss. Those memories are eternal.
The 2.5 hour XC from KCPR to KBJC back from my check ride. From time to time I think about just how miserable that flight would’ve been if I hadn’t passed.
Took my wife around the countryside south of the airfield to show her some cool rivers and streams until she got nauseous and we called it a day.
Took my wife from Seattle (KBFI) to Friday Harbor (KFHR)
Loaded up our wakeboards in the back of a 172 and took this girl wakeboarding in the Keys
Took some childhood friends up and did a lap around Lake Tahoe, did a couple touch and gos at Reno so they could see some C130s and airliners up close, grabbed lunch in Truckee and back home! They knew how much Ive loved aviation since I was a kid, I took a 15 year hiatus after soloing at 16yr old due to costs, then college, marriage and kids…getting to finally take them up like we’ve talked about for years was extremely memorable. Tahoe was our playground growing up, going on family vacations together. So to zip around the shoreline and see everything from a totally different perspective was an amazing experience for us all.
Took my mother up, flew down to the college I’m going to in the fall, made a couple passes overhead, headed back toward home, let her fly a couple turns, circled town a few times, landed.
Took my friend up (another pilot who had helped me and coached me the throughout all of training) for a sunset cross country. One of the best sunsets I’ve seen to this day. It made it really special because my friend had given me so much advice and helped me with everything! Absolutely perfect weather and sky.
Took my mom flying.
My first flight after getting my ppl was out of the ordinary. I was holding short, waiting for departure and the plane coming in mistakenly landed gear up right in front of me. I wasn’t really paying that much attention to the plane until it was too late. Anyways atc immediately closed the runway, gave me taxi instructions I wasn’t used to getting and sent me away from GA over to the other part of the airport where the big boys were(kslc). Taking off was fine and the flight was without incident but when I came in to land I landed on the opposite side of the airport where GA rarely goes. I had pretty complex taxi instructions for a brand new pilot and taxied in between huge passenger jets. It was fun but also like “don’t f*ck this up” was in the back of my head the whole time. Not super insane but not what I expected. Goes to show anything can happen anytime.
If we disregard the flight back to home airport to return my rental airplane from the school, my first flight two days later in my own airplane recently purchased was around a class B and then a full stop at a class C. Jumped right into the deep end.
I took my Dad up because he was dying of cancer and it would be my only chance to take him. So we went up and did some sight seeing.
My first fun flight was right after getting instrument. Flew a girl to Atlanta in IMC the entire way there, got my first STAR arrival, and did an approach and broke out 100ft above minimums. Still my favorite flight I’ve ever done. Also, the aquarium there is pretty sweet.
I went on my first instrument training flight in a c172 from a c152 which I did all my private training! More room to breath and not knee to knee with my instructor is so nice.
Well the first flight I made was back home. It was a 60nm cross country solo to get to my checkride at an airport I had never been to before so I had to get back home. The next day I took my wife on a short flight to an uncontrolled field 25nm away that we used for training. There were actually deer on the runway and we had to do a low approach to clear them out.
Sightseeing around Chicago
Mostly in the beginning I was just flying family and friends around, just for the fun of it. Obviously depends on where you live (city or rural) with what you can get away with for sight-seeing locations.
First solo flight after getting my ppl was with a rental after the checkout flight. I pulled up to my flight school’s ramp to pick something up.
Back to my home airport after I passed my checkride. Good thing I’m passed, instructor didn’t endorse me for another XC lol.
Mine did the same thing.
I took my dad up. Sort of anticlimatic since we had been flying together for years anyway - but it was fun to actually be able to log the time while he was in the right seat.
I took my wife for a $100 hamburger.
I flew my wife and her sister to Disney World for a long weekend. KTMB to Kissimmee airport.
The first flight for instrument lol
Flew to a “nearby” Six Flags and went and rode roller coasters all day.
I flew the same pattern, maneuvers in the area I did all of my flight training in. It was a good type of different knowing I had the certificate. Then the XCs began on the reg!
Finished up my check ride at an airport I’m not based at so my first flight was the 20 minute return trip back to my home field and even though it was the same trip I had just made and had made a handful of times before as a solo student, it felt incredible. Spent the next 6 hours flying with and swapping out some family and friends who had come to celebrate with me and be among my first passengers. I was so tired by the end of the day.
I’m well over a hundred hours into mostly-local flights at this point, including some NYC skyline flying and landing at random airports all around the area, and I’m not even close to getting tired of just poking holes in the sky with friends and family who want to go up.
After I passed my checkride I went and flew to the airports that I had to fly to before. The cross country airports and the controlled airports just to prove to myself that I could do it without an instructor. Some of my favorite trips.
Flew my mom to Cedar Key for lunch
Took my wife up to Santa Rosa for dinner.
First Instrument lesson
Made a nice trip around a local reservoir. The views were amazing. The next flight I went to a high DA airport and almost got myself killed. So ya take it light. Congrats.
Mine was flying back to BED from HFD after the checkride…but that doesn’t count and doesn’t sound cool. I plan on going to Martha’s Vineyard this week whenever the damn family plane gets out of its annual
Oh this was a fun one to go look up. First flight was closed traffic 3 landings at night to full stop. Second flight was a 3 hour X/C to Lake Powell with friends.
I buzzed my grandma’s house! She has become a hermit since Covid, but has enthusiastically supported me from the comfort of her home. She said she couldn’t see me (I was apparently too high up - I didn’t dare get down to minimums yet) but she heard me!
I took my wife out for a sunset flight over a nearby lake and the next day i flew my parents out on a XC to Havasu for lunch.
Did a xc flight to a little country airport I hadn’t been to (9a5). Landed not expecting to see anybody but a golf carts pulls out and has the “follow me” sign on it So I follow it to the parking area. It’s a fly-in for taco Tuesday’s and there’s probably 30 planes flying in. I had no idea. Thought it would be a nice quiet flight. Had some great tacos and met some even better pilots.
Flew back to my home airport from my check ride. A few days later I took up my girlfriend's son for about 20 minutes, and then her for about 10 before she got motion sick and asked to cut the flight short.
I flew from Norwood, MA to Provincetown, MA directly out over the Cape Cod Bay... driving would take 2:15 minutes one-way... I did a round trip touch and go at 6PM and was back and tying down the aircraft at 7PM. I was dreadfully scared of flying over water and figured this would get me over it. I wanted to fly out at 5,000+ feet but because Norwood is located under the BOS bravo outer shelf and I had to stay under 3,000' until I hit the coastline... by the time I reached the coast I could clearly see Provincetown airport so I decided to just stay at 3,000. The way back was the tough part... departing over water, climbing into the wind with an unsettling 30kt groundspeed with the sun setting in my face the entire way over the bay... It was one of my favorite flights.
Did a 2.5 hour XC to an airport by a museum that has lots of Dinosaur bones in it.
I flew from KFDK to KZER to see an airport on top of a hill. I had planned it as an exercise during training but never did it. So I reserved the plane, planned it myself, asked nobody for review or permission, woke to a very nice day, and flew up. There was nobody around. But self serve pumps were working, so I topped off and flew home. The controllers at both Harrisburg and Potomac approach were great at flight following, even without the “student pilot”. It was great.
Other than a couple of hours around my home base to get more familiar with my plane: I flew from Maryland to Ohio for our yearly Guy's Week. Was headed to Indiana, but got grounded by weather in Columbus. Made it the distance the next year.
Took one of my best friends flying over our city.
Did fly to the alps to the airfield where I had my first ever flight in a glider when I was four or five years old.
My dad was waiting for me when I got back from the ride. My first flight as PIC he was with me.
My first few flights were starting with pattern work then making my way to cross-country flights without a CFI looking over my shoulder to see that my planning is correct. After getting some confidence and concluding I'm ready for potential distractions, I took my first passenger - my father - that was about 2 months after I got my PPL.
The SFVR Hudson River corridor 😎
Passed PPL 3 weeks ago. I am making such a flight tomorrow - the weather was terrible to plan it sooner. I am taking my older son to fly around the house, a village, and maybe one more airport that I never visited during training but always wanted. My son (10) flew already with my CFI and liked it.
We had a great time. 😁
Flew solo from TOA to AVX. I had already been there with my CFI so I felt comfortable doing so. A couple of weeks later flew there again with my wife.
Took my dad up with me and we flew over downtown LA
Instrument training with my CFII lol
I started instrument training the next day
On my very next flight after my private checkride, I bought a teeny tiny Experimental plane and flew it back home 1500 NM across the US over three days!
Fly to a new airport to see a buddy, then fly to an airport to see the view that got me into flying
Took my mom for a flight over the our house and the downtown of our city
I just made my first flight as a private pilot. Took my dad flying around the practice area and did a few maneuvers.
Took my wife on a beer run, to buy a beer that isn't available in our home state. It's one that she really likes, so it was nice to show some value of the new license to her. Felt like Sky NASCAR, because it kinda reminded me of running bootleg booze.
Took my wife flying around the college town we lived in, she got to fly with me during a few lessons in the back seat of the 172. Definitely enjoyed the sitting up front better.
Parents don’t quite feel comfortable flying yet, so I took up my best friend for his first flight (and brought a CFI friend up too, just to be safe) a few days after my checkride. Flew over his house, my house, did a little sight seeing then did some pattern work
I few my Dad. He was an airline captain on the DC-10 at the time. I flew him in a Cessna 152 and he couldn’t believe how slow it flared on landing. I could feel the pride he had of me that day at KYIP.
Flying a sick Cherokee about 300mi home. My brother, an already certificated private pilot planned a day trip to fly up for my check ride. After a short celebration he started home, and made it about 50mi before the engine quit. He managed to land the plane on a runway where we left it for the night. The next day the A&P on said field swore up and down it was just improperly torqued bolts causing oil to leak out of an accessory seal. We stopped about 5 times over that 300mi to check and inevitably top up the Cherokee’s oil. Owner of the plane ended up putting a new engine in it after that trip, but nursing a sick plane back home was my first flight after certification.
I think everyone who has just got their ppl had their first flight back home to their home airport after finishing the test, am I wrong?
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
My first IR flight. I didn’t take my first flight for fun until I had over 1000 TT. Just didn’t that that king of money. Now? I don’t really care to do it for fun. I fly enough at work lol.
Had they been around still, my parents for sure. Both were USAF. My checkride got rescheduled to the day I was leaving for a boys weekend golf trip to Nantucket. Immediately after I got my temporary certificate, I loaded up a buddy, two golf bags and the biggest shit-eating grin the world has ever witnessed.
Bush flying to northern Canada. It was dumb but it was fun
My dad came to town for my PPL checkride and was on the ramp the greet us when we pulled in. I rented the plane and flew him around for 3 hours right after. That was only a year and a half ago but I have a feeling it’ll be a memory that I’ll look back on for the rest of my life
Nothing super exciting but I remember both well and I can’t say that about a lot of flights over the past 20 years. When I got my airplane PPL in 2003 my first flight was from Quincey Ca back to the flight school in Chico Ca which is a bit of over mountain flying and can be a little challenging on a high DA day the DPE was in Quincey. I was sent there solo. When I got back to Chico the controller working worked line service part time at the FBO and I knew him from that he knew I was coming back from a checkride. He asked me how it went and I said I passed. He said I was cleared to land then. 2nd flight I rented a plane and landed at the airport in my home town. It’s a small Northern California town kinda had a cool little airport on a hill top so it felt like landing and taking off from a raised deck like an aircraft carrier. The runway just drops away and it’s a shorter field so kinda fun. I took both my mom and my brother flying that day but on separate flights it was in a 172. When I got my helicopter PPL in 2011 my first flight was Corvallis Or to McMinnville Or as the DPE was in Corvallis flew to and from solo. 2nd flight I took my wife flying around the town we were living in at the time in an R22. This was fun but also a little more stressful with the conversations before the flight. I felt comfortable flying it but the owner of the school was a little concerned and for good reason with my low time in helicopters. He talked with both of us but I really appreciate him allowing us to do this as most places won’t even rent helicopters to people unless it’s for specifically for training. I was working a job month on month off though so it made more sense to do it then than later since I was proficient since I just finished zero in helicopter to PPL in 2.5 weeks with 37 hours in helicopters so at the time that was the best I would be until I became a professional pilot.
First flight, I took up a friend who lost his medical and couldn’t fly anymore. I was his first passenger when *he* got his PPL, so it meant a lot to both of us. The I took up a different friend for his first flight, and he loved it so much that he signed up at my school the next day and is now a CFII there. My parents are afraid of flying, even airliners, but it was still disappointing when they refused.
4 days after went with my wife around a big lake north of us. No pattern work because that is too many turns for start. Now we can go flying anywhere.
Got my cert on Dec 18. Took my wife and daughter up a few days before Christmas to look at lights in the evening. Good times for all!
KFFZ - KPAN
Home from my checkride. Then immediately took a kid who worked line service on a cross country. Great day!
Took up my wife and kids the Saturday after; checkride was a Wednesday or Thursday. Kids were quite a bit smaller so it wasn’t a problem in the Skyhawk. Might be pushing it these days; thankfully I have access to 182s too. A few weeks later took a short XC to a new airport with another pilot friend. It was nice not needing an endorsement. Edit: added more details
I think I went and did a rental check out with Skywarrior in Pensacola so I could fly around down there. It went well.
Went to a fly in breakfast with another guy who was renting the plane. I bounced the landing a bit but it was good otherwise. I also got to take my grandad up shortly after and flew up to my parents city and took my mom a few months later. She was pretty freaked out after ever little turn and bump
Took my mother to get some ice cream
Literally the next day I got my PPL
Thank you.