Welcome!

Welcome to my blog about flight lessons!

I am glad you're here and look forward to you joining me on my journey to gain my Private Pilot's License, or PPL as it's often referred to.

About me: 44 y.o. single guy running a successful auto recycling business. I'm a proud member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 1988 (WHOOOP!) thus my handle, AggieMike88. I grew up in Denton, and came back here when my father offered me a position at the auto recycling yard. Together we have worked hard to build up a great business to serve both our community and customers with high quality auto parts with big savings over the costs of brand new parts.

Why flying?: When I tell people I want to learn to fly, I get asked this question... a lot. Here are a few of the reasons I've come up with so far:
The adventure

1. Get to go explore places you wouldn't drive to because of the distance/time involved
2. Chance to meet new people
3. See more of this great land we live in
4. Travel for business and pleasure on MY schedule, not the commercial airlines
5. Not having to put up with commercial airport security, long lines, long downtime as I wait for the flight to happen.
6. THE FUN!
7. Finally.... it's sooooo cooool!!!!

The Training: I will be learning in a mid-1970's Piper Cherokee 140. These are very capable and safe airplanes and do a great job for primary flight instruction. Pictured below is an example of the Cherokee 140, but not the actual aircraft I'll be in. Once I get some photos, I'll post them.

Training comprises mostly of work in the air, learning the skills to take off, maneuver, and most important, land. I will also be learning the procedures necessary to handle any in-flight emergencies that might come up. There is lots of "knowledge" stuff to learn too, including aerodynamics, FAA regulations, weather, communicating on the radio, and more.

My Instructor: My instructor is Tom Tweeddale. I first met him as a teenager through my Dad when they both were flying for Braniff Airlines. Tom has been instructing for 44 years now and is known for turning out safe and solid pilots. More about him as the lessons progress and I experience what sort of taskmaster he is. (Note: He's already told me to be ready for fun, but steady work as he builds up my skills and ups the challenge ante.)

Our Location: We'll be flying mainly out of Hidden Valley Airpark near Denton, TX. Click this link to see it on RunwayFinder.com. Then look east and down a bit near Lake Lewisville.  This is an untowered field with a paved runway. It will be a great spot to start from since the air traffic is light, allowing us to enter and work the pattern easilly. And quick too! If we were at a busier airport, we would be waiting 15-25 minutes on the taxiway while the tower worked all of the jet traffic and found a large enough spot in the sequence for us to get going and out of their way. And we're still close to plenty of other airports to get the needed experience at towered fields as well as the busy space of D/FW's Class Bravo.

The first lesson is Monday Afternoon, March 29. I will try to have some photos with the post.

"Welcome to Aggie Airlines, this is Mike your Captain. We are happy you joined us. So sit back, enjoy the flight, and we'll be sure to point out some highlights as we go."