shaking rust off

[Dot_AK]

I've just had to spend two months not flying - finally back and able to work on it again, but I know all my skills are shot and I've forgotten most of what I knew, when studying for the PPL checkride. My solo signoff has expired, but I wouldn't trust me alone in a cockpit right now anyway.

Any suggestions where to start over, how to figure out what I've forgotten, and how to get back into the groove?

 

[bigD]

Personally, I'd just book a lesson and fly. You'll find out what you retained and what you forgot soon enough. I wouldn't sweat it too much. I don't think it'll take too long for your instructor to find out where you are and where to start again.

 

[Airpiraterob]

a little encouragement...

its happening to more people that you may know right now.

i just went through that. at the end of june it will be 5 months however ive stayed sharp enough to land a classdate at CHQ. although i was quite a bit farther along than you are, its important to remember the following basic things to keep some rust off:

stay sharp-you HAVE to do this by trying to fly at the very least once a month. go through all the manuvers and have an instructor really drill you...on the manuvers. I was fortunate to get 2.8 hours in may. before that it was nothing since January. It helped me to have alot of past experience being "in the soup" and all; however, It was very evident that i was quickly becomming rusty and it wouldnt be long before sliding backwards to where i would have to start over flight instructing again if i wanted to go forward in my career. i just wasnt flying enough to be on top of the professional ability to REALLY do it right. to maintain a high level of professional flying you have to fly very often. To just maintain a Pvt. Pilot rating you don't need to fly so often however its important to not forget the basic fundamentals of that rating. and it sounds like you were a student so really its just going over the FAR's that apply to you

things to remember-the basic techniques of the most commonly used manuvers. that sideslip x-wind landing technique. that forward slip occasionally used on final. VOR radials and to/from. steep turns, stalls/recoveries. EMERGENCEY procedures and the immediate action items. those are the things i would remember.

in addition-the rules. weather minimums for the pvt. certificate. airspaces and rqmnts. go over in your notes on how each manuver is performed so youre ready when you do go fly again. this will help keep you from spending extra money.

but the best thing you can do....just go get an instructor, do a little ground, do a little flying and it will come back to you quickly. only 2 months on the ground, but it will come back fast. the best thing for the instructor to do at first is a little quizzing on what you do and dont know. and then youll find out where you stand.

dont let it get you down. just get in a position where you can get it done. have fun!!