I've only flown in an airplane for holidays so far, and what can we say, a big transport plane is a bit different from the small ones... I've never flown a small plane and - it may surprise you, but - I've never even flown one. So piloting a four-seat Cessna C172 was something completely new to me, but something I was really looking forward to. I knew this plane had a range of over a thousand miles and a top speed of over two hundred, so it was going to be big.
"And I'm supposed to remember all this?!"
From the beginning I didn't really know what to expect, so I drank in every word of the instructor's words during the introductory theory session, which took place in the classroom.
I received a lot of information about the controls of the aircraft and the rules of flying, and I didn't know if I could handle it properly afterwards. Vojta, our instructor, explained everything in a simple, understandable and funny way and assured me that he would be the main pilot and I would enjoy it... so he calmed me down a bit.
But it was very interesting information, did you know that:
- the main system for orientation in space in a Cessna is eyes and good old looking out the window?
- that there are doors in the air? that is, that the airspace is divided into units from which and into which you can only enter through a few designated points and no other way?
-that it always starts upwind?
- that you don't turn on the ground with the steering wheel but with the pedals?
- flight is a constant exchange of speed for altitude? i.e. if I need to go faster, I descend and vice versa
- from Prague to Karlstejn it is really a short plane ride?
- that it is possible to pilot a Cessna without hands? a while :-)
Pre-flight check is a must
After the theoretical part, we moved to the airport where the plane was waiting for us. At that moment I started to realize that this plane would be in my hands. I was nervous but excited at the same time.
Before the actual flight, we went around the plane from all sides and checked that everything was holding in place, that we had enough fuel, that there was no water or debris in the fuel, and demonstrated the parts of the plane that I had learned about in the classroom.
"All in order. Here we go!"
Two other Adropacs - Lucka and Kuba - flew with me. They were the first to sit in the back row in the passenger seats.
"The controls are basically intuitive... "
Then I got on and Vojta was the last one on. There were really a lot of buttons, levers, controls and two big screens. I didn't understand how anyone could figure it out, but Vojta showed me and described all the important things... Fortunately, I won't have to do it all myself, but it will help me out a bit.
We started the engine and put on headphones to hear better. Microphone test and off we go!
"Alpha, bravo, charlie"
First we had to announce over the radio that we were about to take off and then we were given the necessary data for takeoff. I'm sure you're familiar with it, the NATO international spelling alphabet is used, so we were like the movie "Foxtrot, Charlie, Bravo, runway 23, echo"... it didn't sound exactly like that of course, but you know what I mean :-)
"Romeo, Romeo... "
After we got airborne, the plane rocked a bit and I got really scared. "It's just the wind, don't worry about anything." Vojta reassured me. Now it was my turn. I took the controls and Vojta helped me only slightly. We were flying from Letňany towards Karlštejn, so we had to use the "door" or the Kbel exit point called Romeo...
So I pointed the arrow that indicates the direction, pointed exactly at this point. When he saw that I had it all under control, he let go of the controls altogether and began to describe to us all that we could see from the plane.
A magical view of the landscape
This was more information for Cuba and Luca, as I was concentrating on what I was doing with my hands :-). We still got rocked by the wind a couple of times, but I was at least a bit prepared for that and didn't get as scared as I did the first time. The sun was shining beautifully, so the flight was really amazing, as if we had ordered the weather.
And by the way, Karlstejn is perhaps even more magical from the air than normal...
"Back on the ground"
We were terribly hot and my hands were sweating. Maybe it was due to the nervousness... NO! I'm a pro pilot already. It was the heat :-). Well, it's time to land. Vojta took the controls again and gracefully got us back on the ground. We returned to the classroom and I received my "pilot's license" with my name on it from Vojta.
I was a bit of a joke, but he gave me a great "natural born pilot" rating, I'm proud of myself!
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Vojta said that a big advantage of Cessna aircraft is the awesome view due to the wings, which are located on the top of the fuselage and do not obstruct the view. But I guarantee you that at least for the first time you will concentrate fully on flying the plane, and you won't even think about enjoying the scorching landscape below :-D... Kuba and Luka then showed me pictures of the view and it was really beautiful throughout the flight.
I don't have a single complaint about this experience, it was absolute perfection and perfect fun, even with a bit sweaty hands :-)
