I am 16 and I've recently discovered a passion for flying. I've never been in a plane smaller than like a 20 seater, and while I am very excited l would still like to know what to expect, and if there is any pilots out there some tips and pointers.

Thank you so much!

in a cessna. u can feel ur input to he controls and the effects. Try buying microsoft flight simulator x

Cessna..foundation every pilot started in

It is a very good plane, very fun & graceful.

You can expect ur flight instructor to get to know you, go over some ground rules that kind of thing.
You may go flying fore 45 mins or so, he/she may even let u take control of the plane.

Be sure to ask lots of questions, but do not go off topic when ur flight instructor is explaining something

Have fun my man!

And FSX is a good tool, but nothing like real-world flying

It is difficult to give u a short synopsis, as there will be a lot of new things to learn. People have been learning to fly for many years now, & u can start with no knowledge, or a lot of book learning, or even time in a flight simulator. Just pay attention to ur instructor, & take ur time. It will seem strange at first, & that is normal. Try not to steer the aircraft on the ground with the yoke, as that wo not work. You have to use ur feet. l would suggest u get a private pilot manual to start reading about some of the basics, but it is not required. In fact, l see a lot of young people on here asking about advanced jet procedures, & l think they r filling their heads up with too much nonsense. Just take it one step at a time & u will be fine. Ask ur instructor what u should study, & he or she will be glad to point u in the right direction.

Be sure to duck when u walk under the wings. l can not tell u how many times I've seen people hit their heads on the flaps. Watch out for things sticking out from under the wing. And, whatever u do, do not touch the propeller, unless ur instructor shows u what to do.

Good luck, & have fun.

Bag the sim game. Go for the real deal. You will get the real sensations of flying when you are behind the controls of a light aircraft. l got my first taste at age 13 in a Piper Tri-Pacer. It was one of the things in my life that l will never forget. You will probably be a little nervous but that is to be expected. Try to relax and have a great flight!

l thought l did not get motion sickness too bad until l took a ride in a small plane and it was the worst experience of my life. l rode in many airliners and never had a problem. In a small plane you feel every little bump in the air.

Not trying to deter you, just be prepared.

Here is what l recall:

1. You will do a thorough pre-flight inspection with ur instructor. You will see & touch & smell things that u do not fully understand, but it is important to look for things that may appear out of place or just wrong. You may never find anything, but if u do it could save ur life.

2. When u start the engine, it will be noisier than what u expect. A Cessna 172 is a great aircraft, but it is not designed for luxury / comfort. If u listen closely, the aircraft can tell u things with it is varying noises.

3. Radio calls will be unfamiliar & may sound like a different language. Get comfortable with that language - it can be very useful & it is vital to understanding what is going on around you.

4. You will probably become airborne faster than u expect - a 172 can take off pretty quickly into a headwind. Once u r in the air, the ride will be rougher than what u have experienced in larger aircraft. This is a good thing; once u get used to it, u can feel what the aircraft is doing. You may feel a little airsick if the instructor is flying. This is not unusual, & the best way to defeat it is for u to fly the aircraft yourself, so that there r fewer unexpected inputs.

5. The secret to smooth flight is trim. You will not understand this until u try it, but trimming the aircraft for any flight condition will make it easy to make small changes - & that is the secret to smooth flying.

6. You may be surprised at the picture that u see out the windshield during final approach & landing. It may look steeper than u expect, & the flare is tricky to coordinate with ur depth perception. This just takes practice - & proper trimming.

There is no video game / simulator that can approach the experience of piloting an aircraft. There r a few that r reasonably decent for training in instrument or emergency procedures, but they r not even close to the real thing in terms of control feel, real time decision-making, & learning basic skills.

Good Luck & Stay Safe!

If u have not been in a small plane before, u can expect many different things. 1st off they r smaller than a car on the inside, narrower too. Noisier than a car, the instrument panel will be intimidating at first. The view to the front is not as clear as u would expect. There is more to flying than one expected, preflight preparation is the biggest one. Preplanning ur flight will become a habit after a while. Everything about flying may seem overwhelming at first, but l guarantee it gets easier the more u do it, & fun too.

A 172 is one of my favorites, l learned & have more time in a low wing piper archer & warrior. They r different in their flying characteristics. l land pipers much easier than Cessna`s due to the air cushion because of ground effect on the wings. Anyway all small planes r fun to fly once u know what u r doing. l used to belong to a flying club that had many makes & models to try, l had a ball. A piper cub was one of my all time favorites. Good Luck & have fun!