Three months after my trial lesson I was back in Goodwood. In the meantime, I had decided to completely give up my former profession and change my dedication in life towards – Helicopter!
The first briefing is not very long, it is more or less a repetition of what I had heard during the trial lesson.
But from here it gets totally different. Serious training has obviously started.
My 1st Activity – Startup the Engine
On entering the helicopter, my future main instructor, Captain Chris Berkvens, hands me over the checklist to “startup” the aircraft.
From here, we sit there for almost one hour and he patiently explains to me every single movement. It’s quite a lot to take in and, before the blades even start to turn, the amount of new information has almost reached the level of a brain overload. But, this will get to be a daily routine soon.
Up in the Sky – Dream, Reality – Both?
It is quite a cloudy day, almost rainy, he takes off, hover taxis to the departure, and climbs out of the airfield.
After only a few minutes we arrive at the coast. The view is even more stunning than I remembered.
I could simply stop right here and watch the sky & sea for hours, I am actually simply dreaming.
I still don’t really understand that this will be one of my major activities from now on. Is this really true at all?
Climb, Descent & Turn
But suddenly, the voice in the headphones starts to softly guide me into my first turns & I climb higher.
Flying & watching around, as, during the trial lesson, I manage to totally ignore all instruments and gauges except the ones he told me to scan: Speed, Climb Rate, and Altitude.
For the rest, I am flying purely by looking outside and consuming the pictures that the amazing view provides to my brain.
Added Note – A new company in life
And this exact feeling – so much new information close to an overdose – gives me daily company from this day forward.
Lots of small steps, that altogether, create a huge achievement in a stunningly short amount of time.
A very satisfying feeling.
And most importantly – every flight creates spectacular new sceneries.
Sceneries that carve themselves as unique pictures into my memory.
