I remember the day - it was a typical January for Sofia - overcast, a bit cold, and the visibility was not that great due to usual smog, but that was not going to affect my mood. I was happy. I was finally becoming a pilot.
It was my third time at Lesnovo airfield (LBLS), as all students had to come, before their first flight and familiarize with the airport facilities, with the layout - apron and taxiways - as well as the airplane cockpit.
Every new student had to learn about the emergency procedures before any flight exercise - what are the actions of the , the student, how are seatbelts unbuckled, how to open the door etc. Just like in an airliner, but in a really tight space.
It is good to know your checklists as well. There are some memory items, but you should be familiar with the whole procedure you are about to execute.
The best way is to do a mockup training in the cockpit.
I was really excited to spend time at the airfield, to be around other people flying, to hear their stories, to watch airplanes fly in the pattern, do touch-and-gos, but now it was my time to fly.
The first flying exercise I did was to fly with the instructor to the training zone. My goal was to look around and see how things look like from above, which are the landmarks we use to navigate visually to the training zone and back, the obstacles we need to keep distance of.
Take off and landing are performed by the instructor, but as soon as you gain safety altitude, you take control and fly the airplane. It might feel a bit overwhelming in the beginning, as it is something new, but you really get used to it quickly.
It was a short 40 minute flight, and it went so fast, but it was the first step towards the goal of becoming a pilot.