returning to flying after 29 years

I got my pilot license in 1978 when I was 20, continued flying into
1979 accumulating a total of 70 hours, and then stopped when I became
a university student and had neither money nor time. But I've been
longing to get back into it all this time, and yesterday, my wife
totally surprised me for my birthday by taking me to the airport and
saying, "you're going flying". Sure enough, she had scheduled time
with an instructor and a C-172, and she said she was giving her
blessing on my doing whatever it takes to get current again.

So I went through the preflight with the instructor, took off and
climbed out with relatively minimal prompting, successfully executed
two 360-degree steep turns (the instructor actually told me I did them
more accurately with respect to altitude and attitude than he could
have done!), a touch and go landing, and then a final landing. Okay,
so I flared a little high on my first landing but managed to recover
and land without a bounce - I had a bit of that tendency even when I
was flying regularly.

The net result is that I convinced myself that I can handle (or will
soon handle) the physical part of flying about as well and safely as I
ever could. Also, I'm a professional meteorologist, so I probably
still know the weather stuff about as well as anyone who flies.

It's everything else that's got me nervous: tower communications,
controlled airspace, etc. Among other things, I realize that the
entire airspace classification system has changed since I last flew.

I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

So I'm wondering whether anyone has suggestions on how to smooth the
transition back to regular flying most cost-effectively. Are there
books or computer software packages that would do an especially good
job of refreshing me on the parts I feel weak on, so that I can save
dual-time for the things that can't be covered well via self-study?

Side note: When I last flew, a C-152 was $19/hour wet, a C-172 was
$24/hour. There was no GPS. There were effectively no electronic
navigation calculators. There was only one fuel sump checkpoint in
each wing, and (to my recollection at least) no strobes on wingtips.
Also fewer switches to mess with on the panel. The C-172 engine was
carbureted, not fuel-injection. And yet, overall, I'm amazed at how
little the 172 has changed in three decades.

On Apr 28, 4:39*pm, Qzectb wrote:
It's everything else that's got me nervous: *tower communications,
controlled airspace, etc. *Among other things, I realize that the
entire airspace classification system has changed since I last flew.

You are in good company. Most of the pilots I work with that haven't
flown in years feel the same way. Not a big deal.

I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. *It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. *Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

No. There have been some small changes (airspace, etc). However, most
of it is just that you haven't done it in awhile. There are lots of
great training aids out there that I recommend to my students.
Depending on where you are in general I would recommend one of the
following products....

1) King Private Pilot Exam course (covers all ground work, great in
you really feel rusty)
http://www.kingschools.com/searchRes...Exam%20Courses
2) King VFR Flight Review (better for those that just need refresher,
includes the stuff below)
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...0KSJV033CSEDVD

The follow are more spot tools if you have specific areas you want to
addres...

3) King Communications (if you just want to brush up on radios)
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV017DVD
4)King Airspace review
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV009DVD
5) King regs review
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV033DVD

I recommend King only because I know their products, but there are
others. In general I feel that its a better use of your time and money
to try these inexpensive DVD courses first and then review with the
CFI. While I can teach you all this as a CFI the DVDs contain a lot of
good graphics and can be watched at any time. Then when we get
together you have a great starting point from which to discuss
questions. Although you noticed communications was something you were
rusty on, I find that regulations and airspace need a lot of review
for those that have been out of flying for awhile.

-Robert, CFII

I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

No. There have been some small changes (airspace, etc). However, most
of it is just that you haven't done it in awhile. There are lots of

I hope you're right. Just to be clear, it's not interpretation of
instructions that I find difficult. It's just that every second word
usually sounds like raw static to my ears. "cessna two echo static
turn static static contact static at one three three static
five." It's like trying to understand a conversation in a very
noisy bar. But maybe practice is the key.

2) King VFR Flight Review (better for those that just need refresher,
includes the stuff
below)http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...0KSJV033CSEDVD

Just ordered this.... thanks for the helpful suggestion and the
encouragement.

"Qzectb" wrote in message
...

I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

No. There have been some small changes (airspace, etc). However, most
of it is just that you haven't done it in awhile. There are lots of

I hope you're right. Just to be clear, it's not interpretation of
instructions that I find difficult. It's just that every second word
usually sounds like raw static to my ears. "cessna two echo static
turn static static contact static at one three three static
five." It's like trying to understand a conversation in a very
noisy bar. But maybe practice is the 2) King VFR Flight Review (better
for those that just need refresher,
includes the stuff
below)http://wkey.

Buy a nice headset with noise canceling you will hear much better.

aluckyguess wrote:


Buy a nice headset with noise canceling you will hear much better.



I remember when I started in the '70s and all the shouting we did
talking to each other. The ANR headsets are wonderful.
--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

this is FlyBoy watchout!
on 4/28/2008, Qzectb supposed :
I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

No. There have been some small changes (airspace, etc). However, most
of it is just that you haven't done it in awhile. There are lots of

I hope you're right. Just to be clear, it's not interpretation of
instructions that I find difficult. It's just that every second word
usually sounds like raw static to my ears. "cessna two echo static
turn static static contact static at one three three static
five." It's like trying to understand a conversation in a very
noisy bar. But maybe practice is the key.

2) King VFR Flight Review (better for those that just need refresher,
includes the stuff
below)http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...0KSJV033CSEDVD

Just ordered this.... thanks for the helpful suggestion and the
encouragement.

Welcome home.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford



On Apr 28, 4:39 pm, Qzectb wrote:

It's everything else that's got me nervous: tower communications,
controlled airspace, etc. Among other things, I realize that the
entire airspace classification system has changed since I last flew.

Just remember.. you do not need to retake the written.. but this is the best
way to get up to speed on the material and changes over the last 20 years.
Welcome Back

BT

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
...
On Apr 28, 4:39 pm, Qzectb wrote:
It's everything else that's got me nervous: tower communications,
controlled airspace, etc. Among other things, I realize that the
entire airspace classification system has changed since I last flew.

You are in good company. Most of the pilots I work with that haven't
flown in years feel the same way. Not a big deal.

I find that about 50% of what I hear on the radio is just plain
unintelligible. It always WAS hard for me to make out what was being
said, even when I knew roughly what to expect, but it seems worse
today. Maybe it's my middle-aged ears.

No. There have been some small changes (airspace, etc). However, most
of it is just that you haven't done it in awhile. There are lots of
great training aids out there that I recommend to my students.
Depending on where you are in general I would recommend one of the
following products....

1) King Private Pilot Exam course (covers all ground work, great in
you really feel rusty)
http://www.kingschools.com/searchRes...Exam%20Courses
2) King VFR Flight Review (better for those that just need refresher,
includes the stuff below)
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...0KSJV033CSEDVD

The follow are more spot tools if you have specific areas you want to
addres...

3) King Communications (if you just want to brush up on radios)
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV017DVD
4)King Airspace review
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV009DVD
5) King regs review
http://www.kingschools.com/productDe...D%20KSJV033DVD

I recommend King only because I know their products, but there are
others. In general I feel that its a better use of your time and money
to try these inexpensive DVD courses first and then review with the
CFI. While I can teach you all this as a CFI the DVDs contain a lot of
good graphics and can be watched at any time. Then when we get
together you have a great starting point from which to discuss
questions. Although you noticed communications was something you were
rusty on, I find that regulations and airspace need a lot of review
for those that have been out of flying for awhile.

-Robert, CFII

On Apr 30, 11:12*am, "BT" wrote:
Just remember.. you do not need to retake the written.. but this is the best
way to get up to speed on the material and changes over the last 20 years.

Interesting, in (some) other countries the written test has a limited
validity and you have only a few years grace before you hare to retake
them if you don't complete the training in that period.

Cheers

"WingFlaps" wrote in message
...
On Apr 30, 11:12 am, "BT" wrote:
Just remember.. you do not need to retake the written.. but this is the
best
way to get up to speed on the material and changes over the last 20 years.

Interesting, in (some) other countries the written test has a limited
validity and you have only a few years grace before you hare to retake
them if you don't complete the training in that period.

Cheers

--------begin new post----(still hoping to understand OE)-----------

It expires here as well if you don't complete the certification. However,
the OP stated that he was "licensed" back in the day.

Peter