Another Mid-Lifer Story

Training

2012-01-11T21:04:00.002-06:00

Just a short update. I tried posting some pictures with an app called mobile me. I do not really like the way it works. I wanted to get a couple pictures posted. Recurrent training doesn't last as long as initial, but it covers a lot of the same things. You just do it in 4 days, as apposed to 6 weeks.

Todays we finished the 3 days of ground, I have one more to go. Tomorrow is checkride tomorrow. The thing I hate about that is we do not get any sim training at all. we just get ion the sim and take a checkride.

There is a lot more to talk about, I have a lot I need to write, Ill have to find some time later. Time to study for the oral, and sim.

Airline Life

2012-01-11T10:47:00.001-06:00

checkride tomorrow. not excited about spending another 4hrs in tbe box

Airline life

2012-01-11T08:59:00.002-06:00

cabin trainers. allows us to open emergwncy exits

Airline Life

2012-01-11T08:30:00.002-06:00

Flight attendants where doing cabin training across the water survival training pool.

Airline Life

2012-01-11T08:27:00.002-06:00

putting out fires! requalified on fire extinguisher. Oh yeaah...exciting

Airline Life

2012-01-11T08:09:00.002-06:00

time for training again. ugh. details later

Reserve, Off Reserve, Reserve.

2011-12-09T15:18:00.006-06:00

It has been an interesting couple of months. After transferring to DFW on August 31 things have been moving pretty quick. I spent September and October on Reserve. The Month of November I was awarded a Comp Line. A composite line is basically a mix of a hard line and reserve. A hard line is on that the entire month of flying is scheduled. A comp line you could have a whole month scheduled, or it could be be 3 sequences scheduled and the rest being reserve. This is what my month looked like. The other thing about a comp line is that you send an email and give a "wish list" of what you would like. I requested thanksgiving off, and the weekend of the 18th. I figured that wasn't much to ask for. I did get the weekend of the 18th off, but I was scheduled to work a 4 day trip that would have had me sitting in Montgomery Alabama for 30 hours. I have yet to overnight there, but it's my understanding that there is a waffle house (which i hate) a subway, and a gas station that sells fried chicken. This is NOT how I wanted to spend my thanksgiving!
I learned real quick a wonderful benefit when you are a line holder. You can "trip trade" for any open trip. Of the three trips I was assigned, I only flew one, the other two I traded out of. I had a total of 4 trades. The first I traded because it had 3 Mexico trips, with two Mexico overnights. I try my best to avoid these. Obviously the next was the Montgomery on Tday. I ended up trading 3 times before settling on one that had an overnight in Houston. My daughter lives there, so I was excited that I would be able to have thanksgiving with her.
After my experience with a comp line in November, I decided to go back to a reserve line for December. I figured it would be my best bet for getting Christmas off.
The way they seem to assign flying if I was a comp for Dec. I would end up in Fargo on Christmas.
As far as reserve lines go, It's not bad. Thursday, Friday , and Saturday off most of the month. Except the weekend end of Christmas then it will be Sat, Sun, Mon off.

Things are also coming along on the airplane. I'm at 250 hours on it now. I'm finally starting to feel pretty comfortable with it. We have been getting several ifr days lately as well, so it's good to get some ILS practice.

One morning they were calling for fog, and very low ceilings. It was a short flight back from Houston, so I kept the speed up trying to beat the fog. I ended up seeing a very cool image as we flew the downwind at dfw.

Have you figured it out?
That is downtown Dallas, the skyscrapers sticking up out of the clouds/fog.
Now here is were it get even cooler.

The city split the fog as it moved in from the southwest.
I have never seen anything quite like that. And yes we made it in before the fog, it started rolling across the north side of the field as we were pulling into the terminal.
I have learned there is one major side affect to being an airline pilot. You easily get sick. I got a cold my first trip off IOE, and now I'm home with a pretty good flu or something. I do attribute it to the profession, because I have not had a serious flu/illness in probably 10-12 years. So that being said, It's time to finish this post, and go sit back down for a bit. More to come soon.

Reserve

2011-10-09T19:07:00.000-05:00

The Life of a reserve pilot. Being on Reserve simply means you have no set schedule. You do not know where you are going far in advance. What you do know is your basic schedule for the next month, about two weeks before the month stars. When I say basic schedule I mean, what days you are required to be available and what days you have off. Whether you will work or not on your scheduled reserve day is an unknown, at least until that day arrives.

There are a couple types of reserve schedules. One is called a RAP. Reserve availability period. The RAP has a 120 min call out period. Once the phone rings you have 15 minutes to respond, and then 2 hours (from the initial phone call) to sign in at the airport. We have a RAP 1 and a RAP 2. Rap 1 begins at 0400-1900 and RAP 2 is 1000-0100. You can be called at any time during that period. If you live in base, this may not be so bad. If your senior on the reserve list, it's entirely possible you may not work at all if you don't want to.

The next type of reserve is Ready Reserve. If you have ready reserve you are required to be at the airport ready to go immediately. The ready reserve is a much smaller time period. 8 hours of duty.

As I said before we have little control over our schedule while on reserve, and it's not real easy to plan ahead for an actual flying schedule. We do have one option available to us. It's called proffering. It's actually a really great system, when it works.
The day before your scheduled reserve day you log onto the company system to see what flight sequences (if any) are available. If there are some available, between 11am and 3 pm you can "proffer" for the open trip. After 3 pm crew scheduling awards the open trip based on seniority.
Let's say you are awarded a 4 day sequence. Once you have verified you have received your assignment, it's as if you are no longer a reserve pilot. at least for the next 4 days. Once you sign in for the trip you no longer have to contact crew scheduling, at least until the trip is over, or they reassign you. It really is nice when this happens.
However as I said before, when it works! I have already noticed many problems with the system. Once the proffer window opens 11-3pm they are NOT supposed to remove any open trips, but they do. When they assign open trips, they are supposed to award them in most senior order. There has been at least one occasion I did not get a trip I proffered for and a JR. reserve pilot got it.

So what is life like for a reserve pilot. Lets look at tomorrow. I'm on a rap 2. They can call me starting at 10am. The earliest I have to arrive at the airport will be noon. Since I commute to DFW from SAT I will take a morning flight Dallas. Once I arrive I'll check my messages to see if they have called. If Not...I'll find a comfy chair somewhere and sit down, and wait.
Last week I had a day where I arrived in DFW about 1130am. I sat all day, and around 1900 i was headed to D terminal to catch a ride back to SAT. Right at 1900 I got a call, They had an overnight in Jackson Mississippi. The next day we got up and returned to DFW. It was supposed to be a return and there was no additional flying. Once we got back to DFW we found out they added additional flying. A Laredo TX turn, and Cincinnati Oh. overnight.
The fun part, you just NEVER know what expect next. Sometimes you might keep a crew for 4 days, other times you might go through 3 Captains and Flight Attendants a day.

Day one, of a 5 day is coming to an end. It's still only 6pm, something could come up, but it's unlikely.
I took a walk around to get some exercise. Snapped a couple pictures.

not a very exciting day.

Go Mark

2011-10-08T12:17:00.001-05:00

The new title Picture is another of my terrible iphone pictures. It is my friend mark in the right seat getting ready for a corpus christi texas turn. Mark was in my new hire class, and roommate for the first couple weeks.

Hurry up and wait...again

2011-10-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

The first month of being dfw based has come to and end. It's October, where has time gone. I was surprised to find that DFW flying was slow for the month of November. I'm currently at about 150 hours in the Embrear. Things are beginning to come together for me. I'm starting to feel like I know what I'm I'm supposed to be doing. I have made two Trips into Mexico now, does that make me an International Airline pilot?

The first was an overnight to Leon Mexico. Located in the State of Guanajuato. It was late when we got in, but I woke up early and went outside to enjoy some very cool morning temperatures. It was a beautiful morning.

I noticed something on the tallest peak, to the left in the picture. We didn't have enough time to go there, but i knew it was a structure of some type.

Since I didn't have time to visit it, I looked it up. Turns out it's called Cristo Rey, or Christ the King. It stands 20 meters tall, its a bronze statue of Jesus Christ set atop the summit of the mountain Cerro de Cubilete. It is located in the geographic center of Mexico. For the Christ followers in Mexico, that is significant as it shows That Christ is in the Heart of their Country. This monument was built in 1950, just after a smaller version was destroyed at the end of the Mexican revolution.

Just this week, I picked up a Vercruz Mexico trip. I was not to excited about, as Veracruz was just in the news when 35 headless bodies were found in the city apparently on a major road or highway in the center of the city.

On the way down as we began our descent through 18,000 we were handed off to VER approach. Which did not have radar. To top that off the last weather we had indicated low visibility, and 1200' clouds. I did not like that, since there was only VOR approaches available, and their minimums were 1200'. The Atis was inop so we did not have the most current wx. Luckily it was uneventful. we broke out of the last layers around 6000' and the rest was all visual. It was interesting to have to make position reports to approach control.
Finally. we are on short final things are looking good, we're visual, everything is OK...maybe. I was looking down at the approach chart when out of the corner of my eye I see something go past the windshield. I looked and before I could say anything the captain jumped and said wow. what the? About then another went by, and another. At 140kts I couldn't make it out, other then just a bunch of large birds! We are do to take the same plane back to DFW in the morning, I do not want to ingest a bird right now! Finally, on the ground, it doesn't appear we had any bird strikes, and its off to bed, for a very short overnight.
The next morning came way to early. It's very difficult to just walk into a hotel and go to sleep. It takes time to relax and get ready for bed. next thing you know it's midnight and you have to wake up at 5am. 5 hours of sleep is just not enough. That is one reason the faa is trying to update rest rules for pilots. I would say most of the time it's not an issue, but all it takes is one tired pilot, and mistakes can be made.

It's my turn to fly. After some computer issues we're finally ready to go. Mexican airports are unusual. Unlike US airports many of them do not have taxiways, which means you must "back taxi" or taxi down the runway you plan on departing from and do a U turn at the end and then take off.
While we were boarding and being delayed due to computer issues I was watching outside. I could see weather building of the coast. I was hoping it wasn't to bad.
Finally we get our close-out. It's time to go. The weather wasn't bad, we flew through some heavy rain for a bit, but then broke out on top and seen this just off our left side

The Pico de Orizaba. The highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America. It rises 5,636 meters (18,491 ft). The volcano is currently dormant but not extinct with the last eruption taking place during the 19th century.
Its the second tallest volcano peak in the world, second to Kilimanjaro in Africa.

it was an amazing sight to see. Just after we broke out on top, to see this towering mountain all covered in snow, still well above us.

For the most part this new adventure has been exciting. I like most aspects of it. The one thing that has turned out to be not so nice, is how trips are assigned when your on reserve. I'll talk more about reserve later.

It's sometimes still very surreal to me. Especially when I jump out after we land and do my post flight inspection. Standing in front of the plane and looking back at this 100' long jet and thinking...I just landed this! Yeah, I still have those moments!

DFW

2011-09-09T15:01:00.001-05:00

It's a new month. I'm finally DFW based. I'm so happy to be here. I really enjoyed Chicago, but the stress of having so few choices to get to work and back and the longer flight just did not out weigh the choice of having 15 flights a day, and only 45 minutes away. Unfortunately there does not seem to be as much flying. If you sat reserve in base I guess it wouldn't be bad. Get paid to sit at home. I would rather be flying, after all that is why i applied to work here.

My first trip out of DFW was so easy, it was not even like work. I had a 1550 flight to CVG, and then to bed on day one. The next day was CVG to DFW and a JAN turn. Then a flight back to CVG for another over night. The next morning we had an early flight back to dfw. It was a beautiful morning. cool temps, clear sky's. We took off, I hand flew up to about fl180 and kicked the auto pilot on. About the time we hit cruise, our flight attendant called and asked if we wanted dome of the famous Cincinnati coffee. The Embrear cannot brew it's own coffee, We have it brought on board prior to the flight.
Of course we both took a cup. Not much had been said prior to that. The Captain seemed content with keeping his hot-mic off. I'm not really like that, I tend to be a talker. If I typed as much as I talked I would have endless new post here.
Anyway, after a cup of coffee I felt refreshed, and ready to go. I started some conversation with the captain and I apparently hit his hot button. we talked non stop all the way back. Which was a good thing, because the air was smooth, the radios were quite, and I would;d have been sleepy in the early morning light.
I'm finally starting to get comfortable with the airplane. My landings and approaches are getting better. I'm really looking forward to getting into the airline life.
There seems to so much movement finally, after several years of furloughs and a stagnant aviation industry.
After a very nice early morning flight even after I pulled the power back and cruised slower then planned we still got into DFW early. I was off the plane by 0730 and on my way to C terminal where an AA flight was about to depart at 0750. A quick call to crew Scheduling and I was released and on my way home. I was in San Antonio before 9am.
After a nice weekend at home I was off for another 3 day. This one was not as smooth, but still not bad. Had an overnight in Alexandria LA, and a Baton Rogue turn. Heading east bound we soon saw what we thought was a cloud layer in front of us. Closer inspection revealed it was actually wild fires. One very large one and several small ones.
Some day I will carry a nice camera, the picture above I was trying to get a shot of the smoke after we passed it.
Later, on return from BTR we passed over Alexandria

Which we will be back to in just a little while for an overnight.
I enjoy the night flying. Smooth air, less radio chatter. It's a nice alternative to the fast paced daytime.

Is it over yet

2011-08-24T21:06:00.000-05:00

Chicago ohare waking up, with a b747 departing to Asia. They have a long ride ahead.

Day 5. It's been a long 5 days. The schedule has not really worked as smoothly as previous trips. Nothing has seemed to work as smoothly. Had a day we were supposed to fly syr ORD ind JFK cvg. While enroute to ind we received notice the JFK had been canceled. Now we are scheduled to ferry and empty plane to cvg and overnight there. That's a loss of 4.5 hours of flying. I can say this, empty, the emj145 can climb. You have to be very careful, you can blow right through an altitude assignment in a blink of an eye.

One day Chicago departure held us at 5000 until we got out over the lake.
It was an awesome view. If you look south of downtown, there is a patch of grass that looks like a Island. That was Meigs field. Now, its a patch of grass. Don't even want to get started on that one.

This was out plane on the ORD-IND trip. We gave her to another crew who took her back to ORD. Our plane came in a short time later and we ferried it to Cincinnati.
The only good thing about that was getting some Famous Dave's BBQ. Its pretty good.

This was my view from the back of the plane on our return trip to ORD from Nashville. Yes, Sitting in back. But the stroy really starts at 4am. I get a call from crew scheduling. They have an assignment. I am to Deadhead to Nashville, and pick up an empty plane and ferry it to Chicago. The trip down was ok. I met the Captain I was to fly with on the ferry flight and had some small talk. He was a newly upgraded Captain. Seemed like a really nice guy. I was looking forward to that flight. I had just spent two days with a guy who was not as pleasant. When we got on the ground at BNA The crew who flew us told us they received word that our ferry flight was canceled. Now we are to return to Chicago, again in the back. Deadheading. If your not familiar with that. Deadheading is when the company flys you in the cabin as a passenger, but you are being paid to fly. You are on duty. So they basically paid us to fly as passengers to Nashville and back.
The only problem now is that this is my last day. I want to go home. and Chicago is about to get pounded with Tstorms. This could back things up for days. Not want I want to hear. The view above was on approach in the clouds, and rain and lightning. I do not like looking out the window and seeing lightning. Thankfully it was fairly smooth and the wx we were in was not to bad. We got on the ground and deplaned. Once Inside I called crew scheduling again and they released me. This means I am done and can go home...really? You couldn't release me in BNA where I was already half way home. I could grabbed a flight to DFW and a connection to SAT.
Long story short I made it home, even with the delays and cancellations. Now it's time for a little rest. ONE more day In ORD...Just ONE more, and then I will be DFW based!!! Woohoo. I'm excited 15 flights a day and only a 45 min ride. Compared to 3 flight a day and 2hr and 45 min ride. this is going to make life so much easier!!!

Trip 3

2011-08-19T20:51:00.001-05:00

So maybe I don't get to go to exciting places like the international 747 pilots go, but that's ok. I grew up in Missouri, in a small town south of St Louis called Festus. Yes, I'm sure you have heard of it. Haha. I have not gone Many places. I could probably count the states I visited before this on both hands. I have been to Honduras, and that's it for foreign countries. So this opportunity to travel is exciting to me. I have already seen things I have never seen before, and probably would have never seen. This trip is not to exciting. I overnight tonight in champaign IL. Not to far from where I grew up. Tomorrow I overnight in syracuse NY. I have never been there, so I hope to find something to see.
I got another first class seat to ORD this morning, Now that I have had a nice breakfast, it's time for a little shut eye for the last hour and half.

It's nice to have an uneventful flight. No wx or mc delays. I got to Chicago on time and early enough to update my jepp charts.

Jeppessen charts are basically maps. They tell is whereto fly, and sometimes how high or low to fly. They update on a regular basis so we always have the most accurate enroute and airport information. Everyone hates jepp updates, and today's was a large update. Technically we do them on our own time. It's actually really amazing how little of our time spent away from home is paid. A 4 day trip away from home pays us on average 14-19 hours. For being gone for four days. A lot of the work we do is off the clock. Later in your career it equals out in regards to pay. However as a new guy, I could probably make more working full time at mcdonalds.
Today we do a Harrisburg PA turn and we overnight in champaign IL. I did not have a camera ready, but Harrisburg is right next to three mile island. It was a nice view on final. It's funny how overnights are judged by the breakfast. If there is a good "free" breakfast everyone wants to go there. Well apparently cmi has a good one.

So tomorrow will be an even shorter day. Return to ORD and then go to syr for another overnight.

The first trip

2011-08-18T08:37:00.001-05:00

This photo was inspired by a comic strip given to me by a friend. When he gave it to my wife at church I was actually already gone on my first trip as a "line qualified" pilot. Little did he how how appropriate it was.

It all started out OK. I took an early flight to Chicago.I got a first class seat which was nice because I also got breakfast.
After that I settled in and tried to take a little nap. It was going to be a long day. It was an uneventful flight, and just about the time we were to start our descent into Chicago the captain comes on to tell us we are going into a hold.

And as you can see we had to hold for a while. Long enough that we had to divert. That last little hook to the left was our descent into Peoria Ill.
Now I'm thinking great, I'm gonna be late on my first day! The turn in Peoria was great. The folks on the ground had us fueled and ready to go in 30 minutes! Before you know it we we're #1 for takeoff. Then we get the message. No realease into ORD. We're not going anywhere. We spent the next hour and half sitting on the taxiway engines off. Finally we get the go ahead. The Captain very quickly brought the old MD80 back to life and we were off. It was so fast I could almost hear him thinking lets get in the air before they change their mind!
I make it it ORD with a little time to spare. I finally meet up with my first Captain. Real nice guy! We head to our plane, and find out it's a no go due to mx. The flight gets canceled. now I'm wondering what crew scheduling is going to do. I'm hoping they will not call and just let me wait for my next scheduled flight. No luck! Within 15 minutes they call and tell me I'm reassigned to do a Indy turn. The only problem here is when we get back I will only have 15 minutes to get to my Chattanooga flight. I really do not want to lose this sequence, I'm really looking forward to it. It takes me through Dallas with a couple good overnites!
We get to Indy to find a plane sitting on the ramp waiting for the gate we are due to arrive in. They had been waiting over two hours for it! This does not look good. Short of the story, we get back to ORD late. My CHA flight has been canceled. Now I sit in Chicago and have to get a hotel, on my own dime.
The good news is that they are going to deadhead me aboard an American flight to Dallas to pick up my sequence. 24 hours later after the storms that caused all the problems I'm waiting to board my deadhead flight and I hear there are 110 people waiting standby. That's nearly an entire plane load of people.
The rest of the trip went well as far as keeping on schedule goes. But, thats where it stops! My performance was awful. It seems like everything just went to pot. My communications, my landings. It was so frustrating! It wasnt to the very last trun, on my last day. I met up with Anthony. My Captain for the last flight to Dayton and back. This guy was relaxed and laid back. Had such a good personality. He just set a good tone for the flight. It really allowed me to relax and recover from my bad performance prior. What a way to end the trip.
It's funny how just someones personality can set a tone for the whole day.
I've mentioned Rand Peck before. He writes a blog, Rand Peck a life aloft. It's linked to the right -->
To me he seems like one of those Captain that are just a pleasure to fly with. If you have not read his blog, read it! It's awesome! I look at these Captains who have a positive outlook on life, and thats what encourages, and inspires me.

Thankfully I got a ride home the same day. I had to sit on the jumpseat from ORD to DFW to SAT, but I got home. Both of those crews were great people too!

After a couple day off, I had to head back for my next sequence. It's was only a three day. It changed up on me as well. I was due to overnight in Memphis. I was hoping to go visit mud island and get some Memphis BBQ. But I end up going to Baltimore instead.
Once in Baltimore I took the light rail downtown and walked around a bit. One of the things I seen was this.

The USS Constellation is a Beautiful ship, with an interesting history! USS Constellation There is a video and some history on her on this site.
The next day was a Jacksonville FL overnight, and then another trip Home for three days off.
This second trip was much better then the first. Thankfully I felt much more relaxed and comfortable with the airplane
So far I have had a good time seeing new things. even ORD is interesting. You see so many different people from ALL over the world. Or the views I get like seeing the smokey mountains in the morning light while doing my walk around
the view out front beginning our descent into Chicago h the view of downtown Chicago the historic Camden Station, with the Baltimore Orioles Camden Yard behinds it It has been very interesting so far. I feel very fortunate to be here. I'm really looking forward to what is in store for me.

IOE Part 3

2011-08-04T10:17:00.000-05:00

I've already experienced some of the best airline life has to offer. Flight delays, mx delays, scheduling issues, trying to get rides home, and the list goes on. Well, this flight was no different. The schedulers in the training department have this awesome ability to call and assign a trip at the worst time, this after you sat at home for two plus weeks waiting and wondering. This past Thursday I finally get the call.
The message said, you are to deadhead out on Monday and your trip starts on Tuesday and you will overnight in dsm. It was to be a two day trip and then I would deadhead home on Thursday. This sounded to good to be true! Actually get to spend the weekend at home and take off Monday morning. The message went on to say that this sequence would be in the computer system within a half hour. Great! Well, half hour, an hour 12 hours later it's still not there. Finally around noon Friday it showed up...sorta. The system now shows me leaving on Sunday finishing on Tuesday. Yeah a phone call or at least putting the schedule in on Thursday would have been nice. I decide to call and find out why the change. No answer, voice mail. Seriously what good is voice mail if you NEVER return the call! Saturday comes, no reply. I intentionally waited for Saturday because usually Saturday there is a guy who work who does answer the phone and actually gets things done! Unfortunately he did not answer, but another lady who rarely gets anything done, and true to form she didn't! It ended up being Sunday before things got somewhat fixed, but I'm still stuck with leaving on Sunday, rather then Monday. I was hoping to be home on Sunday so I could celebrate my wife's birthday. Change plans, call family, now celebrating on Saturday.
One bright note, her birthday is actually on Tuesday, and my flight ends early enough I should be able to catch a ride home after my last leg.
Sunday rolls around. I pack and head to the airport. I'm scheduled to fly sat-ord aboard an AA md-80. I check in and I'm pleased to see I got an upgrade to first class. I much prefer sitting first! Go figure right.
Just about the time the captain says we are over the Mississippi river just north of St. Louis we begin our decent. Just a few moments later I look out and see what I believe is Springfield I'll. I cannot help but think back to my ppl training. I grew up in the St Louis area, and got my ppl while still living there. The reason Springfield Ill. Is so significant is that I flew to that airport on my long solo X-C. I went from k02 (perryville mo. the airport where I finished up my ppl) to Jefferson city mo to Springfield Ill. back to k02. 4 hours of flight. So here I am 11 years later flying over the place where it all started to go finish my 121 training. But this is just the beginning of the story. More to come!
I make it to Chicago, check into my hotel. Relax a little, update my jepp's. And then head out for a small dinner. The next morning I arrive to ord early. I want to make sure I'm ready! This should be my last IOE flight. The captain finally shows up, but he actually arrived from an overnight. We did our intro and I notice he sits down an ioe form. He just finished up with another new fo. I look at the name and wow, it's a friend of mine from class. I can't believe it. Then out of the blue the captain says I'm going to call and extend you another day. I'm thinking great the only thing good about this trip is that I will be home on my wife's birthday. Now I won't make it! I bump into Derek on the way to the airplane. He tells me he is now signed off, and line qualified. Good for him. I knew he would well! I'm trying to do my preflight preparations in walk the captain and says "I called and you are staying with me until Wednesday. Oh joy. Well let's just make the beat of it. We start off with a Rochester mn turn. Head back to ord and now we are off to Memphis. Here's where my little story about my past gets good!
Captain says here's the Mississippi river. I look out and also see a large airport. Thinking we were much further south I'm trying to figure it out. So I pull up the info on the fms and it's Scott AFB. That means were almost over St Louis. Ok admittedly I have not looked at a Chart so I was not real sure our exact location. So I point out a couple facts to him as I spot things in St Louis like the location of a us navy ship which is sunk in the Mississippi river! Yes there is one!
Ok, I still cannot make a link with blogger so google USS Inaugural and read about this ship there.
I then realize we're circle west before turning south towards Memphis. Then I realize we will fly between FES and K02. The two airports I took lessons for my ppl. I couldn't make out the runway in Festus Mo. (my home town) but I could see the city. I'm flying directly over all the places I flew as a student and ppl pilot. By the way I received my ppl on February 29, 2000. I had no intentions at that time to pursue commercial flying.
This was such an amazing experience for me. I literary flew almost directly over my mom and dads house. They now live in Saint Genevieve.
Unfortunately my time to reminisce was short lived because atc began our descent into Memphis.
The approach into mem was pretty normal at first. Then we turn toward a small cell we see on our radar. It was small but this cell had a magenta center to it. This is not good! Magenta means bad wx. So a couple quick questions to atc and they turn us inside this cell for a tight base turn. We're still aiming toward some pretty serious looking clouds so we are expecting to get our butts kicked. However surprisingly it wasn't too bad.

Once on the ground The discussion turns towards food! Your in Memphis, so of course its BBQ. The Captain and the Flight Attendant decide to go to neelys BBQ. The same on of the food network fame cooking with the neelys. I decide to go along. I was looking forward to some really good Memphis BBQ. I hate to say it, it just wasn't that good!
The next thing that pops to mind is Mud Island. This is where the B-17 Memphis belle was parked. I have always wanted to see this plane. Years ago a read a book written the the pilot of that airplane. "the man who flew the Memphis belle" Col. Robert Morgan. It was a great book! Unfortunately, after a quick search of the Memphis Belle I find out they moved it off mud island and to the air force in Ohio. Oh well, another day.
I decided to head to mud island anyway. I hear its still a very nice park. After a short walk I make it to the entrance to the sky walk, and wouldn't you know it. It's closed! That figures. Well, I will have more time to visit Memphis I'm sure.
I did decide to hop a ride on the street cars.

Some of these trolleys are as old as 1927. The I rode was old, not sure it's exact age, but you could tell by the woodwork alone it was old.
After a nice walk around Downtown Memphis I figure it's time to head back to the room and get ready for my 4am wake-up time.
Tomorrow will be Mem back to ORD, and then a Jacksonville Florida turn. I like the longer flights. Gives you time to relax, and get prepared for the approach. This IOE Captain was very different then the other two. He never just sat quietly. He was always asking me questions, or trying to teach me something new. I'm just trying to keep up still. all the questions where keeping me very busy.
About half way back I sent an estimated on time report. In the reply we received it said there would be a crew change. I was being taken off, and another FO would continue to DSM and overnight. Hmm what are they doing now? The CA sends an ACARS (a way to communicate with OPS via satalite) asking why I was being taken off and that he had already requested I stay with him through the next day. With nothing resolved in the air, we finally make it to ORD with an interesting approach. The controller flew us through the localizer and kept us at 190 knots until the outermarker. This really makes things happen quick and makes it hard(for a newbie)to make a stabilized approach. Once on the ground and at our gate we postflight very quickly and make a dash to the computer. The captain has to not only figured out whats going on with me, but he has to change airplanes (from gate H3 to G20) find his new FO and preflight all in 30 min. I betting that next flight did not leave on time.

Once we made it to the computer, and during this He was on the phone trying to straiten this all out. We finally decided I'm done nothing more to do. So, he pulls out my paperwork and signs me off. I'm now a Line Qualified Airline Pilot!
What a trip!

Blogging at FL330

2011-07-31T17:30:00.001-05:00

In case you don't know fl330 or "Flight level 330 is simply a way to say 33,000 feet. In the ATC world anything over 18,000 feet is in the Flight levels.

So here I am at FL 330 directly over DFW writing a blog post. Im on my way to Chicago. After another two week "vacation" the training center finally called and scheduled me for another IOE trip. This should be my last one. Then again, it has been nearly a month since I have last flown, I hope Im not to terribly rusty. It seems like we might have some bumpy weather ahead. Clouds above and climbing up to our altitude. Once cumulus clouds reach this altitude you know there is some pretty good instability in the atmosphere which for the people in the back means...bumps ahead.
; I only have a two day trip ahead. Day one included a Minnesota (said in my head in my best minnesotan accent, ok don't get mad at me for saying that, all all make fun of us texans too!). After the mn. Turn we head Memphis. We'll overnight in Memphis. Day two includes a return to ORD and then a Jacksonville Florida turn, then I hope to home in time for my wife's birthday!
The one thing Im finding out real quick, is that airline life has no concern whatsoever for your personal life!

Well it looks like our very experienced AA crew got us through the clouds without any turbulence. Good job guys!

Im not sure if Ive touched on or not but it was recently announced that AMR (our parent company) will divest or spin-off eagle. That actually disappoints me a little. I was actually quite proud to be a part of AMR. Im sure I will have a lot more to say about this in the future. One slightly positive thing came out of this. AA did agree to a flow agreement with Eagle. Basically every single pilot at AE right now has a Job at AA when the time comes that your seniority allows. I'm not real sure of the will do me much good. The idea of moving up to a 737 or some version of airbus does intrigue me.
>>
>> We'll I better get back to reviewing my aircraft manual. I need to re-learn things I have forgotten sitting at home.

37,000 feet

2011-07-24T21:23:00.001-05:00

Flight Level 370. You don't really think about it, UNTIL you're there. I guess my thoughts have been all over the board lately. Being at home, and the stress of training is finely starting to subside so I guess now my mind is starting digest what all has taken place.

My mother brought my baby book to me a few years ago. I was really amazed by one of the earliest things she had written. When I was a toddler, if I was outside and an airplane would fly over I would stop, look, and once spotted I would point at the airplane. I guess my whole life Ive had this infatuation with airplanes.

Later as a small boy I remember my dad telling me about these jet's that would takeoff from the McDonnell Douglas which was located at Lambert Field, St Louis International.
(You always knew you were in St Louis, especially at night when you would land and see this big red sign!)
He talked about how there were fighter jet's that would come roaring down the runway, and pull straight up. Or how there was an endless stream of airplanes coming and going. Each one had these super bright lights, and you would see these lights long before you could see the actual airplane. As a kid I would sit and try imagine what it was like.
Finally my dad said he was going to take us to the city, and we would go to see these airplanes. I was so excited. It was a day I still remember very well. Actually it was probably the day the airline bug bit me. I was just amazed at the activity. All these huge airplanes coming and going. Just like my father had told me, you would see these lights, and that's it. You wouldn't see the airplane for a long time. Back then Lambert field had an observation area. A parking lot just off the end of 12R and 12L. I would end spending a lot of time in that parking lot, Later once I could drive. I don't recall my Dad ever taking me there again. It's funny, I was taken in by these magnificent machines, yet I had never been on an airplane, neither had my parents. We didn't know anyone who flew them, I had no connection to aviation.
I really think that's why I never really dreamed I could be a pilot, or never pursued it as a kid. No One told me I could! I didn't think just a "regular" person could become an airline pilot.
I was 18 before I got on an airliner, a TWA 727. It was a flight to San Antonio Texas, on my way to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base.

Later on as I mentioned I would continue to go to KSTL and watch planes. Eventually I even got to take my girls and introduce them to it. One of my favorite memories is buying some Churches fried chicken, and mashed potatoes and going to the airport to eat dinner and watch airplanes. Only problem, we didn't get spoons, and the restaurant was 15-20 minutes away. What do you do? Well, you take the biscuit box, which is thick paper. tear it into strips, and use paper to eat your potatoes. Silly stuff i guess, but great memories non the less.

(Did you see the "pride of TWA" behind the L1011 taking off? St Louis was such a busy place. Hard to believe things have changed so much)

Watching all of those TWA airplanes also stirred up within me this admiration for the company. TWA had this special feeling to it. Even as a passenger, it wasn't like any other airline I have ever flown on. I don't even know how to describe it, it was like they were a living legend. To this day I still love and miss seeing those red and white planes.
I had started a collection of twa pictures years ago. I have original photographs of A Ford Tri-Motor, dc2, dc3, Boeing 307, The Connie, the Martin 404, 707, dc-9 L1011, and 747. I'm still missing an Original MD80, 727 757, and 767.
One other item, I have stored away for now is this poster.

It's in perfect condition. I will have it framed someday. Unfortunately its not standard size, so it will have to be professional framed. Which is expensive. But I want it done right! Because neither of those items depicted in this poster will ever live again, except in our memories. So It has to be done right.
Twa always did such a cool job with their travel posters.

Growing up in the midwest (just south of St Louis) It was amazing to see all the contrails that would crisscross the sky. I would always see these trails and wonder where they were going, and where they had been. One night I was sitting out side on a beautiful summer evening with a big full moon and this airliner passes over head, right across the moon leaving a contrail. It was probably one of the coolest things I had ever seen.
So now, all these year later I get the opportunity to fly for an airline. Its finally my tum to fly. My first flight is from Knoxville Tenn to Chicago Ohare. I was surprised really at how natural you feel, even transitioning to a Jet. It's still just flying an Airplane. Then all of a sudden you see this.

And your mind just goes WOW. I just flew a plane up to 36,000 feet. Then You see another airliner pass below you at FL350, and he is leaving a contrail, and again your mind goes WOW, that means I'M leaving a contrail. Then you wonder how many kids are on the ground looking up at your path in amazement.

Then the next thought you have after realizing your at FL360...How am I gonna get down. HaHa
Flight Level 370 Is our max. I would be there on another trip heading back east bound.
I think maybe It's all still a little surreal to me. I'm still new at it, not even done with training yet. I'm looking forward to this journey.

New Toy

2011-07-23T23:34:00.001-05:00

I might have yet another new toy. No it's not the new EMB-145 model that adorns my fireplace mantel it is the new mobile blogger account I set up. It seems there are a lot of bugs to work out. There are two methods. One is to simply text to the blog, another is to email to the blog. Either was it is with the iPhone. Caveat emptor to anyone who may read this. The iPhone has an autospell feature that finds some very interesting replacement words for words you're trying to type. Google "autospell fail", and you will see what I mean. Warning some of these are rated R. There are some extremely funny ones though. My goal here is to be able to make quick post on the blog so I can quickly share some of my day to day activities during this little journey.

Part 121 Training.

2011-07-22T08:59:00.000-05:00

I fully expected to keep a journal of my experience at the American Airlines training facility while I was in training. I learned very quickly that I was not as prepared as I thought I was. AE's training was pretty intense. I know I touched briefly on the time in the training center in previous post, but I wanted to expand on it a little and share some of the photos I took.
It all started back in February of this year. I was invited to interview with Eagle.
They sent me a packet of paper work that had to be filled out exactly they way they want it. People had, and continue to be sent home from interviews for not follow instructions. I hear a lot of people talk about how silly AE is about paperwork. I do not see it that way. As an applicant you are asking an airline to hand over to you the keys to a multi million dollar jet, and the lives of 50 people so you can hurl them around the country at 500kts and 37,000 feet above the earths surface. If you are really unable to do a little paper work, how in the world do you think you are ready to accept the responsibility of being an airline pilot?

Paperwork done, interview day is almost here. They flew me up the day before. My first time riding in First class. It was kind of ironic, we had to wait for a little 152 to get out of the way before we could take off. A 152 from the flight school I worked at.
The morning has arrived. The beginning of this long journey. I make my way to AMR HQ.

It seemed like a very long day. There were three parts to the interview. A technical interview to determine what you knowledge was. An HR interview where you would get questions like, why do you want to work for AE, or What is the definition of a professional pilot. Last there is a Simulator evaluation. It's pretty basic, they want to see you do some basic Instrument flying, a hold and two approaches. In reality the interview is much easier then you make it. In other words you stress level is so high, it seems like its really bad.
We had an interview group 6. Of those six 4 got the offer. It was interesting how they would do it. We all would get done with the three phases at different times. Rather then come in and take a person who was finished and say congratulations come with me, they would open the door, say the persons name, and then say grab all your stuff and come with me. straight faced and serious. You though you were toast. Once the door closed, they would smile and say congratulations! Then they hand you a letter.

Once you realize your not going home "early" and you have been accepted, wow, talk about a sigh of relief. Now they start the final out processing. Take fingerprints and they begin sending faxes to previous employers. It was in this room I found out the guy who had been shuffling us around all day and never said a thing to us, was also a Captain at AE, it slipped out by accident. It was then I realized they had been really watching everything we did, all day.

Now you go home, and wait the Captains review board. The pre-offer you receive in the interview, is just that a pre-offer. It's up to the review board to offer you a spot in a class. I managed to get my phone call the same week I interviewed. Once you get that call the only thing left before they give a class date is the medical. Again They fly you to DFW and you go to AMR HQ and do a drug and hearing test.

March 28 2011. All the preliminary stuff is done. Now I'm in Dallas again. this time to begin ground school. Monday morning, Here is this group of 40 people sitting in the lobby of Flight Academy (it's actual name, but we all called it the training center). I was looking around trying to get a feel for the group. It was an interesting spread. I thought for sure I would be the "old guy" in class. I ended up being #5. Seniority is given out in class based on age. The oldest person is most senior. I thought for sure I would be able to pick any airplane and any base I wanted. I wanted DFW, and the Embrear. I got the EMB, but I did not get DFW, instead I was given ORD (Chicago). I could not believe it. Now the separate us based on aircraft. The ATR-72 group (The young ones in class) were taken to another room. They are basically a different airline. We're all called eagle, but the ATR's sre on the Executive airlines operating certificate.
Week one. Indoc (indoctrination). This is were they hand out all the books we will use during training and throughout of career. We're also fitted for Uniforms, and we'll also do other specialized training.
Here is the first set of books. The Red one is basically what we would call the POH for the airplane in the GA world. The gray one is aircraft systems. One of the blue ones is company procedures and regulation, and the other blue one is our Union contract. This first week we'll spend in the Blue procedures and regs book. With a test at the end of the week.
They also handed out these on the first day.

Honestly speaking this set of wings was an incentive for me. I have never been awarded a pair of wings, I wanted to finish that checkride (Which was still weeks away), so that I would officially have EARNED those wings.
Now that housekeeping has been taken care of, its time to get down to business. I can tell you Reg's and policy is dry, Its all you can do to stay awake. Ed out instructor did a good job with injecting humor when ever possible, but it was still an absolute cure for insomnia.
Week one finished pretty easy. We took a test on Friday, but unfortunately we had to stay the weekend to do a couple things Monday morning. Monday we will go home for one week. This is a new procedure for them They have you go home to do one week of Computer based training. It's not a bad program, it's just hard for a person who has never flown a jet to grab onto some of the things they talk about. A 310 does not have Pacs, or bleeds, or fadecs, fire suppressants, fms's, etc...you get the picture. The airplane is actually not to difficult to learn. It's very automated. The best way I heard it described is that it is a "mother may I" airplane. Turn the Start engine knob to start and you are basically asking the Fadec to pretty please start my engine. The thrust levers (asked me how many times I was yelled at for calling them throttles) are basically electric switches.

After a week at home we head back to the training center. Week three is called the "flex week" Basically we don't have a set schedule. We can come and go as we please. I thought this was a waste. There is so much to learn, if you are going to have me sitting here, teach me something. After sitting around during flex week we will Now start two full weeks of ground/Systems. We found out real quick since they now are doing CBT's (computer based training) the ground school is considered more of a "review" and they go through it real fast, don't blink you'll miss something.
During the Ground/Systems portion we also do FMS training and CSI-ops which is where you sit with an instructor in front of a "paper airplane" And practice flows and profiles.
Flows are just a way for you to memorize your checklist. Checklist in the 121 world are just that checklist. Not do list. By the time the checklist come out everything should be done. We have a paper airplane at the hotel as well. MANY a hour was spent sitting at these things practicing over and over again. After 8 hours at the TC you would head back to the hotel and spend another several hours doing even more study.

now we are approaching the end of ground/systems. we get to go on a field trip We get to use the PBE (personal breathing equipment) and put out fires. We will also practice life vest and emergency exits.

The emergency training ctr at the flight academy is pretty amazing.

Now we get to put out fires.

Practice with inflating life-vest

And remove emergency exits

We also get to use the "DV" window which is the emergency exit inside the cockpit.
.
Now that we're ready for any emergency that could hit us HA we head back to the classroom to do our written exam. I sure hope I'm ready :-) Actually It wasn't to bad. Included in the written test besides the 100 questions, you had to write from memory the 6 Emergency procedure checklist items that have to be known verbatim.

Once the written is over ground is officially over. Now we wait for the Oral Exam. Wouldn't you know it, I have mine the very next morning at 8am. No last minute study time for me.
Again, I was very nervous. I did not feel like I was ready. I got there before the examiner, So I set my stuff up. I actually left the room though. We are only given 2 hours for the test and I was not about to give him 15 extra minutes! lol. I came back to the room at 8. He was there. We actually a bit of small talk and we began. It was pretty straight forward. He took my AOM 1 (the red book I said was like a POH) and just started asking me questions. We then moved up to the paper airplane for more systems questions, and then I had to do a performance problem. And just like that it was over and I passed.
Since I went first day (our class had two days for orals) I had a day off before sims. It was a much needed day off. Little did I know the sims were going to kick my butt!

Day 1 in the sims.I was actually very excited. Not knowing what to expect I thought it would be pretty easy. Ha, boy I misjudged that one. I guess in reality it really wasn't to hard, but for me it was difficult. You really had to fight to keep up. there is no giving up. If you do you wont catch back up.
Basically every day in the sim is night time and weather to minimums. You always have an emergency to deal with. There is never a nice sunny day where you fly from point A to B. All the flows you have practiced up until now, here is where it matters. It is amazing however just how quickly your brain will flush all that stuff away and you feel like you have no idea what your doing.

The Amazing thing is just how realistic these things are. The first time we "pushed back" from a gate, It felt just like we were pushing. You felt the bump of the tug, the bumps in the concrete. it was amazing. Of course the other problem with all this realism is that it's not. That means you brain thinks something is happening. but your body says no its not. this causes, or can cause major disorientation. For me it was during breaking! Obviously the sim cannot simulate G forces. so to simulate the force of deceleration the sim noses over. So your brain sees straight and level, but your body feels that you leaning far forward, and what left is disorientation. Which can make you sick. Thankfully I never got sick. If I was not flying, when we would brake I would just close my eyes, and everything was ok.
One day the sim had a little malfunction during breaking. It nosed over so far we were handing by our seat belts. The instructor just says, ill bet this looks crazy outside".
Here is a landing, keep in mind WX is always at minimums, look closely towards the end and see if you can spot the approach lights. It will be just about the time you hear minimums. Sorry the Iphone does not take very good video and its being held up to see over every ones heads.

The Simulator training was two phases. Phase 1, 2 and then check ride. Phase one is the basics. Phase two goes into single engine emergencies. V1 cuts, which is losing an engine on takeoff after v1. V1 is the speed where you are committed to fly. No aborts. Wind shear, unusual attitudes, collision avoidance, and several other fun activities.
At the end of Phase two you do a phase check and then do a checkride. Well, for my class, we had several events take place that cause delays in checkrides. Unfortunately that cause delays in being reschedule for sim time. It took as long as 6 weeks (extra) for some to finish. I myself went home for 3 weeks to wait for a sim slot to finish.
After my three week "vacation" I finally got the call to return to Dallas. It was my turn. Two training sessions in the sim and I was scheduled for a 6am checkride, 5 am show time.
The Examiner was a nice guy. He tried to make me feel at ease, yet he didn't sugar coat things either. He told me what to expect, and what he expected. Once we climb in, we preflight and program the "aircraft". The "captain" taxis us out for takeoff. I notice the wx/Visibility dropped significantly. this my que to say hey capt. the wx has dropped, I think maybe we should get a current report. Ok, check that box. Now we're on the runway. We take off from New York La gaurdia Fly a departure. Once clear of the area, we begin with stalls. After stalls we do a Localizer approach go missed then a GPS approach. Next is an Ils, and then an ILS with one engine inoperative. Of course the engine quit on the previous takeoff! So we had to circle to land single engine. Got back on the ground did an aborted take off due to a lav/smoke warning and that was it.
With that, I was now officially the proud new owner of those wings I had received on day one.

4 Airplanes 2 Days 1 Leg flown

2011-07-20T20:33:00.000-05:00

I was supposed to have a two day trip to finish my IOE. I flew into DFW Sunday Morning early to update my jepps. I can say I already hate seeing those yellow envelopes waiting in the crew room. I finally meet my Second IOE captain. He was a really good guy. We talked, took care of business and finally took a walk to our airplane.
On the way down the ramp I met the FO coming off the plane, he told me there was a MX issue and that MX was on their way to the plane. They finally got there , signed off the work don and left. Great, now maybe we can go. Not quite. We get a message that we have been switched out of planes to the plane next gate over. and of course I was almost completely ready to go. Now we have pack up and move. The next plane is being brought in from the MX hanger. Which means it's been parked outside in the South Texas sun completely closed up. The gate did not have ground power available so we had to run the apu for power, and for AC since the air pumped in from the ground was just not enough to cool the airplane down. Then the ahrs would not align, this was due to the plane being repositioned with the avionics off. Basically the plane was lost and could not find its self. Now we are AGAIN waiting for MX to show up. Finally they do, problem fixed before start and engine start checklist complete, and we get a warning. Alarm and red lights flashing are not good! We have a bleed on leak. The only problem with with this is the bleed one is closed, because the #1 engine which supplies the #1 bleed is not even running. Now we are waiting on MX to show up yet again! This time we're told the flight is canceled, we're so late now it just doesn't matter no more. Our next leg would be DFW-CVG 3 hours from now. I'm learning real quick that there is a lot of "hurry up and wait" time in the airlines.
While I'm waiting I find a new app for the iphone that lets me sorta blog from the phone. I say sorta because you can only take a picture, add a caption (not many words) and post it. I was looking for an app that would let me use blogspot. I cannot believe Blogspot does not have a mobile option, that is just crazy.
You will notice below a couple post made with this new app. it was just a test, and only a test of the mobile blog system. I really don't like it.

Finally it's time to go fly. I got to the gate find out this plane as well has an issue. We will be speed limited to 250kts. This is going to be a long flight.

Now after three airplanes we are on out way to Cincinnati. After takeoff climbing through about 27,000' the Captain says hey look at that fire. It was one of the most brilliant things I have ever seen, and it was huge! I was just about to say something when all of a sudden the fire turns into a half circle. It was the moon, apparently it was behind a low cloud. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! I wish i had a nice quality camera so I could have taken a picture.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. We made it to CVG, found our hotel and went to bed. The next day rolls around and I'm excited to get this trip going. I was going to fly two legs. CVG-DFW and HOU-DFW and that would have finished off my IOE training.

However...I go outside to do the preflight inspection and I find this on the #2 Engine.

Then I see this

and this...

and this...

I go back into the plane tell the Captain I need him to inspect the #2 and of course he sees the same thing. You guessed it, ANOTHER call to MX. The gate agent was kind enough to bring a luggage conveyor belt up to the engine so we could get a close up look. Come to find out there was a total of 14 damaged blades. Flight Canceled.

Now we wait to see if we can get a flight back to DFW. I'm supposed to be going home. Of course there is only one more DFW flight ours was sold out, and the next one was already pretty full as well. this does not look good!
The captain managed to get the jumpseat, Myself and the flight Attendant go back to the hotel! Oh yeah, another fun filled night in Cincinnati.

The next morning I catch a 6am flight to DFW and then a 755 flight DFW-SAT. and now I sit and wait for yet another IOE trip, since this last one did nothing to help me get closer to a line qualified sign off.

Yeah, this airline thing is going to be interesting...Oh by the way I guess maybe I should mention that this morning I found out our Parent company decided to spin us off, or sell us. There might be a slightly bright side to this. In the agreement to spin us off, American also said that all current Eagle pilot would have a job at American, when an opening becomes available. No Interview, no medical. When your number comes up you go to AA class.
Hmmm, just wonder If Ill ever see it!

airline life

2011-07-17T19:50:00.001-05:00

is it ground hog day? yes yet another mx issue and we may be delayed again

airline life

2011-07-17T18:50:00.001-05:00

three mx write-ups and two planes later I'm still stuck in dfw. was due to depart at 325pm

2011-07-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

Now I'm going to back up a little. Immediately after my LOFT (line oriented flight training) Sim session I managed to get a two week gap between LOFT and my first IOE trip. My wife who had already planned to go to Oahu to visit her sister was already at the airport heading to Dallas, on her way to HNL. I had to go to the training center to get my new certificate signed (which now says EMB 145 on it). I was done by 7am and heading to DFW myself via the shuttle. Once at DFW I had a bit of a wait so I went over to the gate where my wife was due to arrive. It's Funny to meet your spouse in passing at an airport away from home. After a short visit we talked about me going out as well. So off to SAT I go. She managed to get on the flight to HNL. So now I'm at home taking care of things I needed to be done before I leave.

After a long flight she calls and we confirm that I should go. So Inside of a couple hours I pack and make arrangements to go. I have never made a decision and prepared for a trip to Hawaii in a couple hours before. Usually those trips were planned 6-7 Months in advance.
Sometimes it's not easy being Spontaneous. I called UPS and asked about Jumpseating with them. Jumpseating is where a Pilot with an airline is allowed to fly on another airline if both airlines have a reciprocal agreement. My airline allows UPS pilots to fly on our airplane and vice versa. The best thing about this, it's free. The down side is that its standby, space available. If the plane is full you do not go. And now days, most airlines are trying to fly at 100% every flight.
The lady I spoke with said it was no problem for me to catch a ride with them. The trip would be SAT-SDF-HNL. There was about a 5 hour sit in Louisville, but I would still make HNL at about 10am local time.

I caught a ride to the UPS center at SAT. The people were very nice. I finally met the pilot, he checked my documents and welcomed me aboard. There was another UPS pilot jumpseating to Louisville for training. He took the time to explain their operations to me. I think this was my first ride on an airbus, an A300 to be exact. Didn't see to much, the jumpseat area was small with about 4 fold out jumpseats. Not real comfortable. I had had very little sleep in the previous 24 hours so I did my best to try to rest. Once we arrived at sdf he even took me inside showed me around and where to check in. The facility had a dark room with lazy boy chairs, another room with lazy boys but with lights on, a cafeteria, and a huge preflight room. this place was really nice!

Finally after I tried to get a little more sleep time in the dark room, I went to the briefing room to wait for the crew. Soon after an FO (first officer, or commonly referred to by many as co-pilot) walked up to me and asked if I was jumping to HNL and I said yes. He was part of the crew on my flight. A little bit later another FO showed up, he was the relief officer for the flight. When a flight is long they add a pilot to the crew so they can take breaks. Now all we need is a captain! Just before the final show time the captain walks in, reviews the paper work we all have a little small talk and then off to the airplane we go.
Back into the crew van for our ride to the airplane. Door to door service, I think I could like working for UPS. Finally we get to our plane and climb aboard. My first time, again, aboard an MD-11. I love these airplanes and always wanted to fly on one. Their jumpseats are MUCH nicer. Basically first class seat that recline with foot rest. However the captain offered to let me sit up front with them on a little fold out jumpseat...yeah I took it! I'm not going to miss this for anything.
So after a very cool takeoff roll, and climb around some thunderstorms

We finally settle in at cruise altitude. The captain then turned around and say's "their should be two meals for you in the back, we will be using the bottom bunk, so the top bunk is open. make yourself at home!" Hmm No sleep in the past 24+ hours, a 9 hour flight ahead, and there is an open bunk...Now this was an easy choice. So I changed into some shorts and a Tshirt and to sleep I went. After a few good hours of sleep I finally decide to get up a little more then an hour out. Time to get changed, freshen up and have some breakfast. Wow what more could a guy ask for...
As you can see the big island is poking up through the clouds, this means we're getting close.
They brought us in over the south west corner of the Island, over the Famous Waikiki beach and Diamond Head Crater.

You can see the ala wei canal on the north side of thr tourist district

It was an awesome finish to a great flight. ATC took us out pretty far over the Pacific before turning us back to the airport. Being 1500' above the Beautiful blue water is an amazing view.

And just like that we're on the ground. My Beautiful wife was there to pick me up and had a front row seat of the landing. The crew had me take one more van ride with them to the gate, and then I jumped out to catch my ride. The entire process with UPS was awesome! The crew was just wonderful, a great bunch of guys! Thank you y'all so much!

So now it's time to do what I came to do...See the Island, and family.

My wife with a view of Koko head Crater in the background.

My Niece at our favorite little local restaurant Keneke's in Waimanalo on the windward side.
and one of my favorite, if not my favorite places on Oahu...Sunset Beach!

What a great time, now now it's time to head back to the airport, It's time for IOE...

then the Island offers me one more beautiful view before I go,
What a way to top off a great visit.

IOE

2011-07-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

Last I wrote I was sitting in a hotel in Chicago just outside of Ohare waiting to start my first trip. I was really anxious about it, but more in a nervious kind of way. I always thought my first time in a Jet would be exciting. Normally I am always very excited to fly a new airplane. This time though, I was letting my nerves get the best of me. IOE (Initial operating experience) is the first time you actually climb abroad the actual airplane. Up to this point it has all been in the box...or the simulator. My first trip would be ORD-TYS-ORD-RDU.

So the moment arrives and I finally meet my IOE Captain in the ORD crew room. He was a very nice guy. Very patient. Our first plane was running late, so we went outside to use another airplane to do a preflight inspection on. Finally our plane arrives so we head down to start preparing for our flight to knoxville Tenn. He took care of the walk around because he knew I would be needing the extra time to get my duties done. He took the first leg, I had to handle the radios while on the ground in ORD. I felt like a brand new student again. I think I said "what did he say" on every other call. I thought I was pretty good on the radios, ha, not as good as I thought. So we finallyu made it TYS. We once again did our preflight duties and now it's my turn. The take off was pretty smooth. I wanted to get a feel for the airplane so I hand flew it up to about 14,000 before turning on the autopilot. It's a very comfortable airplane to fly. The flight went pretty well. I was very much behind the airplane, but CA McCarthy kept up with me, and the plane. My first approach in the airplane just had to be in Ohare, no, not some smaller airport. I had to fly the 27L ils and land at one of the busiest airports in the country. Well, I made it. we got on the ground and prepared for our next leg to rdu where we would overnight.

The next day was a return to ord, then an Omaha turn. Again I would fly the ORD inbound legs.
Day three and four was a repeat of the previous two except I did the outbound legs

This was my plane for the Omaha leg. it was an interesting flight. The controller actually put us in a bad spot, but we managed to get a visual on the runway just before the Capt was about to call a go around. He asked if I had a visual, and If i could get it down. I said sure. It actually ended up being a descent approach and I even got a compliment for salvaging the approach.

this was not my first flight but this shot remind of the first time time I flew to 36,000. I though cool I'm at FL360, then I thought, How am I going to get down?

I am now done with 6 days of IOE. I will probably do two more before being signed off. I'm currently at home waiting for the call. I hope I hear something soon.

Here are a couple more pics from the trip.

Sitting in OMA waiting for a ground stop to end so we can go back to ORD

You'll have to forgive the picture quality. I don't have a camera just my Iphone for now.

where has time gone?

2011-06-26T21:44:00.000-05:00

I have to start with an apology! I had four comments waiting for moderation, and I didn't even know it. I didn't even know my settings were set to do that. One person cedarglen kindly let me know that there was someone out there who was keeping up with me. Honestly I really didn't know if anyone was following along. I'm not much of a writter, actually I'm not a writer in way at all. This little blog was just a way I have tried to record this crazy journey i'm on. So I'm sorry for not keeping up the blog, it has been a very busy three months!
I started class March 28. I was awarded ORD (chicago) and the EMB 145 on the first day. Our first week was basic indoc which was learning basic company procedures, getting company manuals, and taking care of the basics. Week two and three was computer based training, then weeks four and five was systems ground, fms lab's. After that Sim training started. All in all it wasn't to bad. It was however very stressful, tiring and challenging! The written test was simple. The oral exam was also not to difficult. The sims on the other hand really kicked my butt! they had a rash of maintenance issues on the sims. Long story short I was sent home for three weeks. As of right now I believe there are still two people from my class waiting to do their checkride. We all should have been done Jun 17th.

So after three weeks at home I was finally called back to finish up. The first night I was really rusty since i had not been in the some for so long. The next was a bit better, so the instructor signed me off for the check ride. Sunday morning, Jun 12th at 5am I began my very first part 121 checkride. By 730am I had PASSED my very first pt 121 checkride!!! Talk about a relief! the folloing thursday I did Loft (line oriented flight training), and friday morning recieved a new certifcate, which had added to it the EMB 145! woohoo. So what do I do next? friday night at 9pm I Jump on a UPS a300 out of SAT to louisville KY and from there an MD-11 to Honolulu Hawaii.

so after a short visit to Hawaii I now sit in a hotel in Chicago, waiting for my first day of IOE. Tomorrow I will strap on my first jet and takeoff to Knoxville Tenn.

All I can say is things are starting to move fast. I will do my best to come back and post more indepth information about the training and my IOE experience. I have some photo's too. Sorry this post is a bit short and jumpy, but I really just wanted to get some sort of update. Thanks to those who do follow my rants!

A new Beginning!

2011-03-14T20:31:00.000-05:00

September 2007, it was the first post of this little blog! I started to document my new endeavor to become a commercial pilot. I had spent the previous 18 years in the transportation industry and I was ready to get out! I was fortunate to have a wonderful, supportive wife who encourage me to make the change.
Fast forward to April 2008. Finally I acquired my Commercial multi and single engine pilots certificates.

Now, three years and 6 months later, through one of the worse downturns in the aviation industry, a medical issue that could have ended my career before it even started, and numerous roadblocks and obstacles I am Happy to announce I have been offered and I have accepted the offer to become a First Officer with American Eagle Airlines!
It has been such an amazing month. I applied after I found out a friend was working there, flying the EMB 145. He offered to walk in my resume. I also met another AE Pilot who worked at the AE training department. He also volunteered to make a call on my behalf.

I fully expected this to be a 2-3 month process. 2.5 weeks after I applied I received the offer to interview.
On March 2 2011 I interviewed. 9 days later March 11, 2011 I received the call that I Had passed the Captains review board. Within four hours of that call I was scheduled for the March 28, 2011 Class.
In less then a month I will have interviewed and started class. This has happened so fast I'm not even sure If i believe it yet.

I'm not yet sure what to expect from class, except I will be very busy with a lot to learn. I hope to be able to write about my experience, but I will justhave to wait to see if I will have the time.

It's just doesn't seem possible. I excited yet someone stunned I think. It seems the training and time building and Instructing were just taking so long, I just didnt know if, or when I would make it to this level.
I think this is going to be fun, I cannot wait to get this started!

BTW, here is a picture of my friend Trevor (at least his back). He was about to "teach his lesson" when we were in school working on our CFI Certificates. Trevor is the one who walked my resume in for me.
Thank You Trevor!

The light, it's very bright

2011-03-12T00:33:00.000-06:00

Just a hint, I'll have more details soon!

Would You do it again?

2011-01-10T15:02:00.000-06:00

I have been asked this question several times. Of course the question is in regards to making a career change to aviation.

Let me start with a little back ground. After High School I went into the U.S. Air Force. Did one tour with them and got out. On the civilian side I figured I would either go Equipment Operator (Bull dozer, cranes, backhoes etc) which is what the air force trained me to do, or I would get into transportation, which is what both my father and grandfather did. The first call I received was to drive for a corrugated paper company, also known as card board. So for the next 18 years I worked transportation. Pretty much every aspect of it. From Dock worker to driver to supervisor/dispatcher positions. I had two separate companies go out of business on me, one had 18,000 employees. The last one I worked for is the largest LTL carrier in the US. However, that company is also not doing very well, and I would be surprised if they are still around in 2012.

After seeing the writing on the wall and after being laid off I decided maybe it was time to make a change. My wonderful wife told me I should pursue flying, commercially. At that time people were being hired at the regionals with 300 hours TT. So I quit and decided to go back to training full time for my commercial, Multi engine commercial, and CFI, CFII, and MEI certificates. Fast forward a couple years and the aviation industry is still suffering from the economy collapse. Flight Instructing is still slow. Hiring is starting to show signs of recovery, but I'm still in a place I suspected I would be out of a year ago.

There have already been so many up's and down's since I made this change, but the question still remains. Would I do it Again? Yes. I'm still very excited to find out what awaits me. It still amazes me every time I take off and watch the ground slip away.

1000 and a new year!

2011-01-09T21:13:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since I have been by to update the blog. Things have been very busy, which is a good thing. Most importantly just before Christmas I finally passed 1000 total flying hours. It has been such an amazing journey. At times it has been exciting and just an amzing experience. Other times it has been stressful and tiring.

So hear we are in the new year. I'm sitting on 1000 total time and 82 multi engine. I'm at 555 hours as a flight instructor. I enjoy instructing, it's challenging, and very rewarding. However I'm ready to make the next move. I have been giving some consideration to applying to a regional Airline. I just recently came across another website www.oneflyingleap.com It's another great story of a guy who made a career change and successful made it to the airlines. It is a great story.

I think 2011 will be interesting, I just need to slow my self down a little and smell the Jet A exhaust along the way!
Happy New year!

Exciting Times!

2010-09-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy couple days. Yesterday I had two Instrument students go for there checkride. I knew they were ready,. but you know there is always that chance something could happen. I think it's almost as hard on your nerves as it would be if you were the one taking the checkride.

I was gone when the first one got back, and when I returned to the airport the second was already in the oral exam with the DPE. I asked Alejandro how he had done. He said ok, but made a couple mistakes. I asked if he passed, he said he didn't know. I asked did the examiner say you failed...he said no. OK, that's good they have to tell you if you fail, and they have to tell you the moment you fail a maneuver..

So, finally the DPE came out of the oral. I managed to pull him aside to find out how things were going. He said both were very strong in their oral and the first flew pretty well, but did make a couple mistakes, but not out side of PTS standards.

Finally the second flew. Arturo did a great job and even received a compliment from the examiner. So two passing checkrides in a day...what a great feeling!

So now day two of the week. I have a 15 year old private pilot student who wanted very badly to solo on his birthday. I told him we would do our best, but this is aviation and you cannot expect it. He is a great Student pilot, and I knew he would be capable if things worked out.
We missed a couple lesson last week due to the tropical storm, so I wasn't sure.
So finally the arrived...today...He shows up, I can see the anticipation in his face. The weather was ok, but not great, and then right when we got ready to take off the glider positions on the runway, and it was a glider checkride.
So now we have to compete with him and he has right of way. eventually the glider finishes and moved of the runway...we have 10 minutes left in out lesson. I ask if he is ready, he say he is. I have him stop at the FBO and out the door i go.
I walked over to where his mother was standing. I think I was more nervous then she was.
After just a couple minutes, there he goes. Now we're committed. he has to fly the pattern and land. He sounded great on the radio, his pattern looked great and his first landing was flawless! what a relief
He took one more hop around the patch and was done. what a 16th birthday. I'm sure he will sleep with a smile on his face tonight...

Congratulations to Arturo, Alejandro and David...you guys all did fantastic!

2010-09-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Students cancel, Planes break, Tropical storms happen...yes even in San Antonio. This week has been a wash on the flying front. Tuesday Tropical Storm Hermine rolled through, and we have had two days of lingering storms and low clouds. Not really what I would call flying weather for a c172.

It did allow me the time to take care of a few things that needed to be done. Had to change my car battery (notice the image above, I was changing my battery right under the eye). There was no hiding under the hood, as the eye passed over the rain was coming in sideways around the hood.

I did get the chance to review some ground work with two Instrument students who will be taking their checkride...as soon as the weather clears.

However I'm ready to get back into the air, lets hope we get some better weather soon.

Time Fly's

2010-09-03T15:13:00.001-05:00

It has been an interesting journey so far. Aviation has proven to be a cruel mistress, and I have just begun. I shouldn't say it's only been cruel, I love it. The days seem to run together a bit sometimes, but it has not been that horrible grind that my old "time punching" JOB was. I have not done so well with keeping the blog going. I find it has been difficult to keep up with all the things I must keep up with. Not only flying, but even making myself study to keep the knowledge fresh in my mind. It's amazing how fast you start forgetting things after you stop studying.

The flying has picked up. Thankfully this was summer has been busy. I have been working with two brothers from Mexico that have kept me busy. They both passed their Private pilot check-ride and now are only days away from taking their instrument check-ride. Next I will take them through Commercial and top it off with the multi add-on in the Cessna 310R.

I have also started working at another school in the San Antonio area. It to has been rewarding. I don't have as much business there but it is picking up.
One of my students there is 15 years old. David is a sharp young man, and is progressing nicely! His birthday is Sep 14. He is excited that he should be able to Solo on his birthday! I'm excited too! I just hope it all works out, aviation is hard to plan. It seems there is always something that forces you to change your plans.

This new school is one that I have been pushing for over two years to get on with. For two years I have heard we just don't have enough business, we need to make sure our current instructors have enough work. I agreed with this whole heartily! I could appreciate that. Most p[laces could care less about their cfi's they would bring on to many so their "students could be taken care of". Well, two year later I finally get the nod from the chief CFI. He said "we finally need another cfi". Finally! I was ready too. So I try to come in without pushing to hard, because they had a shortage of planes. Then out of nowhere two more CFI's pop up and just start pushing their way in. I have always tried to show respect to others. I try to respect their "seniority" excepting that I am the "new guy". I just never thought it showed much integrity to stand there like a leech and try to force you way in. Not paying attention to the rules and basically just doing what you want.

I realize sometimes to get a head you have to be aggressive, I just don't think it should be at ANY cost.
I do appreciate the new position, It is going to be a great new addition to my aviation Journey. I'm still excited to see where it takes me!

The Next Chapter, or just a new page?

2010-06-03T20:03:00.000-05:00

Have you ever read the book Who moved my cheese? It is a great book. It really makes you think about life, and keeping up with the change you go through. More importantly it talks about what happens when you don't adapt when you go through change. I found out the flight school I'm working at was being forced out of our building at San Antonio International. The airfield they have in mind to move to is way to far for me to travel to, especially for the little amount of students I have. Right after I found out about the move I went to the owner. I asked him if they had any discussions going with a local small airport that had no flight training. He said he had, but they were not interested in having the entire operation move there but they would accept a small satellite office. I told him I would be interested in helping out, and moving to that airport. This was a couple months ago. Two days ago the owner comes to me and ask me if I could fly to Castroville and deliver a paper. I said sure, so I grabbed a student and flew it out. The papers where a lease agreement for an office and ramp space.
Once I returned He told me it was a done deal and we could begin planing a move of 3 airplanes.

So now I will be moving to Castroville TX Airport (CVB) and will be starting up new flight training operations. That is the catch, We will need to find a whole new clientele. The foreign students we currently have at KSAT will have to stay there.
So it is kinda like starting a new business, luckily my only investment is my time.
On one hand its exciting, on the other it is a little stressful knowing there will be a period of time without much income! However, if you don't go look for more cheese, when someone moves your cheese, you might just lose it all!

First Solo!

2010-04-22T21:43:00.000-05:00

I remember my first solo flight like it was yesterday. N89642, it was a white and green Cessna 152. Winds out of the south, landed runway 18 at FES. The instructor (Ken) told me to stop on the ramp, and he stepped out and said give me three take-off's and landings. I never thought twice. The first I touched down and was off by the first taxi way. Which wasn't bad it was only a 2200' runway and the first taxiway was less then 1000 feet down the runway. So I was Happy with myself. I was comfortable flying solo, I don't recall being very nervous.

However, now that I am a CFI, I think back and wonder if Ken was on the ground nervously waiting for me to finish my three trips around the pattern. Was he hoping I would not bend the airplane.

Even though I felt comfortable soloing, I find myself watching every step of the way when I send a student up to solo. Sunday I sent a new student Pilot Landon up for his first solo. I watched, I listened on a hand held radio. It's exciting and nerve racking at the same time. I hope his experience will be as memorable as mine...CONGRATULATIONS Landon! Well Done!

Time fly's no pun intended ;-)

2010-04-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

I'm really not that good at writing. Keeping up with a blog is way down my list of things to do. I try to keep myself busy. There's always something to do, or learn, or experience. Spring time has sprung...yard work has been plentiful. I just finished building a bat house. It cost me .97 cents (long story). The thing is huge, im sure it could hold a couple hundred bats. Now I just need to get it hung and put out a vacancy sign.
Most importantly however is that I'm flying!!!! Things have been so difficult. I have been tempted to walk away from aviation, because after 2 years of problems I just couldnt see the light anymore. In novemeber I thought I had a new Flight Instructor job lined up. I spent a month waiting for these people to call me. I did all their requirments, and the only thing i had to do was a flight test. Once I finally got it scheduled (month and half after first interview) I get a call the night before saying they have now stopped hiring.
So now I'm back to sqaure one again! One thing about me is that i might get frusterated, but I dont quit! If anything, once I get my mind clear I dig in even harder and do more to make things work. So that is what i did, and finally it has started to pay off. I have two full time students, two part time, I'm still working another flying possiblity to fly a local business man around in his airplane. So the "Light" I spoke of a couple post ago is starting to shine again.

I know I have several hurdles ahead of me, but you know what, I'm ready for it.
I recently came across another blog. http://karlenepetitt.blogspot.com this Lady seems like an amazing person who has had a great career, and life. people like her (and Rand from "A life aloft") are an inspiration to me! It helps me to get up and keep on pushing.

I hope I can be an inspiration to others. I like helping others. I Hope there will be a time in the future that I can say I have helped someone along in their endeavors as a pilot. I know flight instructing can be just that opportunity. I try to do my best with my students, I try to give them more then what they pay for. I hope same day they will reach their goals, and hopefully I will have been a part of it.

So the light is shinning again, I'm smelling the wonderful scent of 100LL exhaust in the morning :-) and the log book has been dusted off. Now lets just keep it moving upward!

Here is a shot a took with my phone recently (sorry it does NOT take good pictures.) Right at dusk, beautiful clear night, cool air...sometimes I feel like I shouldn't be getting paid, I just enjoy it to much!

Hey...WHO SHUT OFF THE LIGHT?

2010-01-12T12:56:00.000-06:00

OK, So I could easily say someone shut off the light, but I'm not going to. There is just a slight bend in the tunnel and the light went a little dim. So what am I talking about? My last post, was about a potential job working full time with a flight school. I would have been able to fly as much as I could handle. Well, It didn't happen. I thought for sure I had the job. I had already passed the back ground check, drug test, I filled out all my paper work. The only thing I had left to do was take a test flight with the assistant chief pilot. Six weeks I was yanked around, and honestly I would like to be really ticked off about it, but I'm not going to be! I honestly do believe God is in control and for whatever reason this just didn't happen.

So, what now. The economy still stinks and students (domestic) are hard to find. Well, I wish I had a magic crystal ball, but I don't. So what You do now is get up and move forward. Start looking for students, looking for airplanes to fly, do anything that will lead to forward movement. The schools are not hiring, so I will move full ahead at building the freelance business. Getting out meeting everyone in the business you can meet. Helping out everyone you can help. I believe aviation is an industry that it's as much who know as it is what you know. I do my best to help others, maybe someday someone will help me.

Here we are again, not sure what will happen. Aviation so far has been a lot of problems, a lot of low's and I'm just getting started. This is going to be some ride!

Light at the end of the tunnel

2009-11-09T16:10:00.000-06:00

I have been working the local aviation scene in and around San Antonio for some time now. I have met some great people. If only I had more time and experience built up! With very little flying work available you do all you can do to keep moving forward, even if it doesn't add any flight time to your logbook.

Finally I am seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel. I have been in contact with a somewhat local flight school who is hiring. I am waiting for the call for the interview. I'm pretty much guaranteed the interview, I just need to get them to schedule it. It sounds like a great opportunity. They have plenty of students and I would be flying with at least 4 students per day! it's wait and see for now. I hope to know before the end of the week if I'm employed full time again.

Freelancing is still a tough avenue right now. I have met some people and gained a few new customers but nothing that keeps me busy full time. I have a friend who manages a Challenger 300 for a famous country singer who also does A&P and IA work on the side. I have been working with him for a while which has been a good source for contacts. We installed Vortex Generators on a Cessna 310 a while back, and while doing the work I met the owner. I have since had the opportunity to fly with him. He needed to do an instrument proficiency. Fortunately for us the weather agreed with us and we were able to do it in actual IMC conditions. It was soft IFR but it is still much better than using foggles.

I had the chance to go up the 172 the other day to keep working on my proficiency. We also stopped for the proverbial $100 hamburger. I don't know why it is so appealing to jump in a plane and fly somewhere for a hamburger, but it is a lot of fun.
I hope to report good news very soon!

The Pain of Aviation

2009-10-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

Aviation...explaining it with words is very difficult. From that first flight you never look to the sky the with the same eyes. you see something most other earth bound humans just cannot see. For many aviation becomes a passion, maybe even an obsession. I have a friend who is a Doctor in St Louis, his wife jokes he doesn't have platelets in his blood he has planelets. He is passionate about flying. Put two pilots who do not know each together, and suddenly they can talk for hours, as if they have known each other forever. Get a group together, their like a family. When you get that news that of your fellow aviators dies, it's like a family member dies.
I frequent an aviation forum on the internet. jetcareers.com This morning I found out one of our brothers took his last flight. I have not found out the details yet. really it does not matter. Yet! I will eventually look into and try to read the NTSB report, because every accident is a learning experience, and we we learn something, hopefully we will be able to prevent another such accident.
I did not know Ben personally. Only by his "screen name" on the forum. He was a great guy from what I could tell. Loved his family, and was passionate about flying.

I have lost a few friends now to aviation, it's never easy. I have to admit when I took off today in the C182 I had to test fly I had a lump in my throat and my thoughts where with Ben's Family, and my own. I had that "what if it had been me" thought. What if it had been my family that just had their world pulled out from under them.

I have to remind myself that our time here is short, God can call us home any time. It really doesn't matter what we doing, I believe when it's out time its our time. It still doesn't make it easy.

Flyer's Prayer
By Patrick J. Phillips

When this life I'm in is done,
And at the gates I stand,
My hope is that I answer all
His questions on command.

I doubt He'll ask me of my fame,
Or all the things I knew,
Instead, He'll ask of rainbows sent
On rainy days I flew.

The hours logged, the status reached,
The ratings will not matter.
He'll ask me if I saw the rays
And how He made them scatter.

Or what about the droplets clear,
I spread across your screen?
And did you see the twinkling eyes.
If student pilots keen?

The way your heart jumped in your chest,
That special solo day-
Did you take time to thank the one
Who fell along the way?

Remember how the runway lights
Looked one night long ago
When you were lost and found your way,
And how-you still don't know?

How fast, how far, how much, how high?
He'll ask me not these things
But did I take the time to watch
The moonbeams wash my wings?

And did you see the patchwork fields
And mountains I did mould;
The mirrored lakes and velvet hills,
Of these did I behold?

The wind he flung along my wings,
On final almost stalled.
And did I know I it was His name,
That I so fearfully called?

And when the goals are reached at last,
When all the flying's done,
I'll answer Him with no regret-
Indeed, I had some fun.

So when these things are asked of me,
And I can reach no higher,
My prayer this day - His hand extends
To welcome home a Flyer.

God Speed Ben...Please everyone keep Ben's family in your prayers. The will need them!

Grass...

2009-10-05T09:25:00.000-05:00

There is just something about a grass runway. Maybe it's just me, but There is something special about it.

Zuehl field began life as an auxiliary field for Randolph Air Force base in 1932. Randolph had just opened in 1930, it was named after Captain William Millican Randolph, a native of Austin who was on the Randolph base naming committee at the time of his death. CPT Randolph died in a plane crash returning to his home base after a meeting.

We have been working at Zuehl Field for a couple weeks. We are doing an annual on a 182, and an engine an a debonair.

I like the country feeling a small grass field offers. Sometimes it is fun to play with the big boys, and taxi out behind an md11, but other times it's just nice to be on a small quite little field, knowing if you want to go for a ride around the patch you can just jump in, fire-up and pull onto a runway and go!

The other side to the small air field is you tend to see a few of these

This Mooney has been on the ground for at least 8 years. For someone who loves to fly and would love to own their own plane, it makes you sick to see one sitting and rotting away! You have to wonder what the owner is thinking!

On the other side of the field sits this beauty. again, unfortunately she has not flown for awhile.
Its an amazing looking airplane. I'm not sure what happened but in 1997 she was in Oakland CA being rebuilt, notice the old United paint scheme had been put on. after all that work she now sits in a field.

I would have loved seeing it land on that grass field. Reports are that the owner landed on a small wheat field next to zuehl field (this wheat field had been a runway during the military days) The landing roll was under 900 feet. I would have loved to see that! There is supposedly a video, if I ever find it I will post it!

This airplane also as an interesting History. She began life as an Air Force C118 53-3279

Later it became Navy 53-3279 and flew trans Atlantic and through out Europe.

It flew under Navy colors until 1983. Also note worthy she has come home in a sense, It began life in the Air Force in 1954 being assigned to Randolph AFB, and now back at Randolph Auxiliary Zeuhl field.

The plane is in flying condition, it's about 90% complete, but because of litigation the owner has been unable to finish restoration. The shame of it is its a group of pilots fighting the owner.

That is the great thing about a small field, you just don't know what will pop up next, sometimes they are full of great stories.

Bringing it back?

2009-10-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

I got an email a few days ago, What can we do with her? She has been on the ground for about 4 years now. A couple of A&P's later she is sitting in pieces, and I have no real idea what it would take to bring her back from the dead. I have a couple phone calls in to see what the cost would be to taker her apart and truck it to Alpine Tx, where the owner has an A&P he would like to work on it. There is a shop here at KSAT that would be happy too get the work, but after 4 years sitting outside, they cannot even begin to estimate how much it would cost. Shop rate of $75, trying to figure out what parts are missing, how much corrosion is in the fuel system, engines, and airframe. I would love to see her fly again! The owner would like to use it for business (he travels all over Texas) and I would love to fly him around! So now we wait for all the quotes to come in and then he will make a decision! It will be interesting to see if this old bird will fly again!

Beautiful Day to fly!!!

2009-09-27T22:54:00.001-05:00

Saturday Morning I had the chance to go fly. My father-in-law wanted to get the 172 out and stretch it's legs. I REALLY Needed to brush up my Instrument Skills too! Once I got to the airport I noticed a T6II sitting on the ramp, along with a few other planes. I just recently got a new Phone so I figured I would try out the camera (since I forgot my digital camera at home)

Even an old Lockheed Jetstar, waiting for her new life in Mexico.

Which was next to a 601

So finally we are ready to go. So we figure we will head out from KSAT to Divine for an NDB approach, Return to KSSF Stinson
for the VOR 32 circle to land 14 (plus a hold over SSF vor). Stinson is an interesting Airport, A lot of History there. it i sthe second oldest GA airport in the country!, and then return to KSAT for an ILS12R.
The Air was incredibly smooth. Under the hood while climbing I had the feeling we were not even moving we felt like we where simply suspended. En route to Devine we could not pick up a signal from the NDB, so we broke off, and steered toward SSF VOR. Listening to KSAT approach it was a busy day at the SSF VOR with two in the hold, and one on the approach. Luckily once we got there it had cleaned out, for the most part. One lap around the hold, and then the VOR approach and we were done. Go missed turn heading 090 contact KSAT approach. SAT App. gave us 310 on the heading and 3500,vectors for the ILS12r. They were nice enough to send me out over my house so I could snap a couple pictures of our area (did not ask for it, just the way it worked out).
Of course just in front of us a small cloud bank is building up at 3500
...Right where we need to be, and of course app is suddenly very busy and doing his rapid fire routine. Had it not gotten so busy all of a sudden I would have simply asked for a local IFR clearance and pushed on, but he had a flight of 3 F16 somewhere right in front of us...also at 3500 so I decided to just ask for 3000 to clear the clouds and remain VFR.
Finally on the 12R ils app into KSAT things have settled down again, the rapid fire transmissions from atc were back to a more relaxed tone. Not the best Instrument approaches I have ever done, but they would have gotten me home if I had been in the clouds. All in all It was a great day. Great flying weather, and just plane fun! Flying the way it should be!!!

SOOOO SLOOOWWW!

2009-09-25T10:52:00.000-05:00

It's so hard to believe we went from hiring 250hr wonder pilots into the right seat of a 70 passenger jet, to begging for a CFI job. Its the classic catch 22. You end up with 250hrs (ish) after receiving your commercial certificate, and there are NO jobs for pilots with 250 hours total time. So you get your CFI. Because you can always flight instruct to build time, right? Maybe, maybe not. So here we are a year and half later, even go jets is 1000tt min. Flight schools who were desperate for CFI's are now laying off. So what do you do? As a commercial pilot you have to stay proficient, but how do you do that when there is no flying to be had? The one thing you can do is learn to be flexible. I'm not flying much, but I am trying to adapt to our new strange situation. I have been working ON airplanes not in them. I know two A&P, IA's who are willing to put me to work working on airplanes. I do not have my A&P (aircraft mechanics license) but under their supervision I can work on planes. Its interesting. I am not a mechanic, I really do not like working on things, but being flexible helps keep me plugged in, For instance, I just installed a set of vortex generators on a Cessna 310. While working on the plane, I met the owner, he needs an Instrument Proficiency check. Flying work...oh yeah! Working with the other A&P has also afforded me a few flying opportunities. He was doing an annual on a Cessna P-210. I had never flown a 210 so I jumped at the chance to deliver this plane for maintenance, and of course test flights. A few more hours in the log book! I have also flown the pa23 twin Geronimo I mentioned a couple post back! It's great to get twin time, especially PIC solo multi time. So it's frustrating to not be flying full time, Sometimes it really is very frustrating. As a pilot All you want to do is fly. I'll keep plugging along! Something will happen, we just have to be ready for it!

HOT

2009-07-05T15:34:00.001-05:00

We have been stuck in this heat wave for so long now. I'm sooo tired of HOT! Its been triple digits for 4-5 weeks now. I really want to get busy with work, but at the same time flying in this weather is horrible. KSAT is 809 elevation. Yesterday at 1pm DA was 3500. We have been having 2500 DA early in the morning. I had a guy who called me for instruction last week, but he owned a 150. We would have spent a two hour lesson just climbing to altitude! I called a friend who is furloughed from an airline and asked him if he would like to work with him. This friend had offered to fly with with me when I was working on my commercial ticket. He was going to fly one trip with me for free! "Pay it forward" kinda thing. We are both members of the Jet Career forum which is big on networking. So, by offering to do something for me, it turned out to help him when he needed some help! That's what aviation is. I try to help others out too. maybe someday it will turn around and help me out!
Aviation is a small world. It is much better to have a good name, people ALWAYS remember the people who have bad attitudes!
Now If I could just find someone who has a great high performance plane with A/C...at least until late sept who need full time instruction! :-)

the 10 day for cast is calling for temps between 99 and 105 woo hoo!

MORE GOVERNMENT?!?!

2009-06-24T22:46:00.000-05:00

I tend to keep this blog focused on aviation. Even though I do not have a "personal" blog where I talk about whats on my mind. I like flying, no I love flying. If I were one to talk about non-aviation things I most certainly would speak about my Faith. I am a completely sold out follower of Jesus Christ. I do write about it sometimes on another blog, that I'm contributor on for a church group. So I do not think of it as mine. But I have a rant today. I'm so sick of our new administration trying to ram all this useless and wasteful garbage down our throats. Tonight abc aired an infomercial of obama (guess who paid for it, not him!) talking about HIS desire for a national health care. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I was at the post office today trying to by stamps at 230pm. Not lunch time or some other time you would think would be busy. There were at least 30 people in line. this location ALWAYS has a huge line. You watch the "workers" as they move in super slow motion obviously not giving a single care in the world. Last month I had to go pay my tax on my car (which I already paid tax on when I bought it...hmmm they should have some kinda rule about double taxing people) it was the same scenario. They move at a snails pace, they could care less. Their hours m-f 8-5. I have never had hours like that in my life. There is no such thing as customer service when dealing with the government. They act like they are doing you a favor by even looking at you, and now this guy wants to turn our medical system into another government institution. HELLO, ask a Canadian what they think of their health care. Find out why they come over here for health care! I just cannot believe people would want the government in charge of their health care. Guess what you will NOT get something for nothing! Our Country is broke, there is no way we can continue to waste and spend and build even bigger government!!! If this happens, if he get this shoved down our throats i can only begin to imagine what will happen to our economy then. God help us! I want our Country to recover and for business to pick up. I'm ready for aviation to recover. If you cut your arm you don't stop the bleeding by making the cut bigger! You need to wrap it up and stop the bleeding.
No I'm sorry we close in 10 minutes, please bring your severed arm back with you tomorrow. when you return you need to have these forms filled out, and notarized. Please bring your photo id, ss card, passport to prove citizenship. Yes the service is free, but there is a $200 processing fee for the paper work. and there is a users fee for the operating room. There is also a clean up fee, if you spill any blood we have to bring in the haz-mat clean up team and there is a user fee for that too!

ok rant off. Seriously I hope we as a country can focus on getting our economy running again, getting people back to work, and start enjoying what we love the most...Flying!

Welcome to the web.

2009-06-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally broke down and created a website. The flight schools are not hiring here and I need work, so I figure its time to go freelance. I also teamed up with a couple other cfi's and an A&P so we could offer a more full service product. be sure to go by and check it out. www.victoryaviation.net Now the huge task of "linking" it with other sites. From what I have been told its easier to be "found" on the web if you are more linked to other sites. I'm very much a newbie to the whole website thing so this is a huge learning experience. But hey, if someone moves your cheese you have to go find new cheese! OK, if you have never read the book "who moved my cheese" you don't get that last statement, if you have not read it, you should! It should be required reading by all high school students in my opinion! So here we are in a bad economy, what do we do? I don't know about you but I keep moving forward. Take flight training, it has moved to a crawl. If one was a smart person right now is the time to begin flight training. WHY you ask, because in a year or year and half when you are done flight training, and you have built some time hiring WILL be back to full swing. Ask the guys who got hired on at the beginning of the last big hiring swing what they think, and then ask the guys who hired on at the end. They are the one who are now furlough and are looking for jobs, or are now going back to school and jumping out of the aviation industry. Now is the time. Yes it stinks not having work, but when the next hiring boom happens, I will be ready!
For now I go look for the next piece of cheese

Where are the students

2009-05-30T21:15:00.000-05:00

Where oh where are the student's tonight, why did you leave me here all alone....Ok, I don't know why but that silly Hee Haw tune popped into my head today. I know, many of you are saying what in the world is Hee Haw? It was this horrible show that my father loved to watch when I was a kid.
I'm sorry now you have it stuck in your head too, don't you?

In all seriousness, It is amazing how quickly flight training has dropped off to nothing. My flight school is barely getting by, and I know several others are in the same boat. One of the big reasons our school is slow, is that the Indian market is drying up. Hiring by the airlines in India was very strong, and now its dropped to nothing. I'm still optimistic that things will turn around. I'm not sure how quickly, but it will turn. In the mean time, it's time to get creative. I need to start working the local market a little harder. I figure you can sit around and feel sorry for yourself, or you can try to make something new happen.

So, anyone in San Antonio need a flight instructor, personal pilot, or anything else? :-)

I have a friend in Oregon, his school is doing quite well. I am curious how schools around the country doing. I know my Friends In Kansas city could use a little more business. We just have to hang in there, be ready to change. Just like planning a flight, You have to be ready to change the plan at any moment. Fly Safe everyone.

MEI...Finally!

2009-05-29T07:31:00.000-05:00

I was in Kansas City again last week. I had to go back and finish my MEI. Now I'm a Multi Engine Instructor!!! WOOHOO! It really was pretty uneventful. My Multi flying was a little rusty, and I felt like a beginner again (truth be told in twins I am a beginner) but it went well enough that the examiner felt I could teach others to fly twins. I was flying good ole N125RJ
I like the Twin Comanche, they are a fun plane to fly!
I like the airport (GPH) Midwest national (except for the name). It's in Mosby Missouri. I did manage to swing over to the St Louis side of Missouri and visit my parents for couple days.
I have to say that the guys at Career Pilot School are really good guys! I have been there three times now, I had some bumps in the road , but Michael who was the owner stands buy his word! He is smart enough of a man to know in this industry a good name is absolutely necessary! Aviation is to small a world, and word travels fast when you have a bad name. He is also a good instructor. The new owner of CPS was also good enough to honor the previous arrangement I had with Michael. I flew with Patrick who was able to get me done in three days! I took the exam with Ron Albertson, who is a great guy, with a load of experience. I like taking check rides with him, because I guarantee you will walk away having learned something!

So, Now I am all done CFI, CFII, and MEI. NOW WHAT? Thats the million dollar question right now. Every body is so slow, not even flight schools are hiring. Just a year ago they were begging for CFI's. What a difference a year makes. Its a catch 22, you have a commercial license (Multi and Single), you have all three CFI's, but you don't have enough hours to get a job (other than a cfi). So what do you do? Seriously any suggestions???? :-) The big picture is I'm not worried about it, My Faith in God makes me believe He is in control, and He will meet my needs!

I'm just really excited to be done with formal training for a while. I guess the next thing I will prepare for in the next 1000 hours is the ATP. I have a little time to prepare for that!

So lets look at where I was and where I am. 2007, decided to pursue flying as a career after 17 years in transportation. Working part time on IR, Feb of 2008 decided to go to school full time to finish and try to catch the last hiring wave. I finished up my CSEL CMEL, Cfi, Cfii in just a couple months, started working as a CFI, and to step away from flying for a while (but made my goal of being a commercial pilot by the time I was 40). It really Stinks to be in this slow time right now with no work, but I'm still very excited about my future! For those who might read this and are either in training, or would like to become a pilot. DO IT! There is a lot of negative talk out there right now, but it all boils down to this, If you want to fly, if that is your passion, just do it! Good luck!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2009-05-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

Where is your hand? between two pillows...THOSE AREN'T PILLOWS!!! John Candy and Steve martin. What A great movie! So why am I talking about Trains, Planes, and Automobiles? I had a guy who wanted me to drive to Alpine Texas with him, so I could fly his Mooney back to San Antonio. Sounds like a nice trip. I had never been to that part of west Texas.

So of we go in his vehicle on a 5.5 hr road trip. I had some second thoughts about going.

The plane had just come out of "annual". I have worked on and around airplanes long enough to know a fresh annual doesn't mean a thing. Well, When we arrived to the Hanger, I realized my reservation were well founded. The plane had obviously not been touched for a long time. You could tell by the solid coat of dirt over the entire plane, with not recent marks in the dirt. I wont bore you with the other details, but lets just say the plane was not airworthy! After some attempts in trouble shooting and fixing issues the owner decided it was best to park the plane and try again another day. So...now I'm 5.5 hours from home, in the middle of nowhere Texas and He was not going home for some time. What options do I have? Only one, a Train stops in alpine. Ok, so I have never been on a train...legally! After the arrangements were made I found out it was an 8 hour train ride. I'm still thinking it sounds like an interesting adventure. So there i was waiting at a train station in middleofnowhere Texas waiting for a train.

I was surprised to find the seat are comfortable.

Very wide, reclines nicely, and even have leg, and foot rest. I was one car behind the lounge car, which had big windows and seats that sat sideways.

Great for watching the scenery go buy.

The length of the trip was a bit long.

I did not get back into town until 1030pm. all in all it wasn't bad. It reminds me of why I like aviation...you just NEVER know what will happen next. You always have to be ready to make new plans!

Poll anyone?

2009-02-16T09:27:00.001-06:00

My friend Rand recently did a poll on who was reading his blog. Honestly I do not know who comes by here and reads this. I do have a counter so I know it gets hits, but I have not really looked at the history of visits in months. At one time I knew this blog had hits from 13 different countries. I never really thought this blog would have any "followers" since its just my random thoughts about where I have been so far in my short aviation career. I wanted to be able to keep track of what is going on. Kinda like a log book. I go back every now and then and look at my old log book entries. It triggers memories of past experiences and flights. I try to add information in my log book entries not just about flight details, but where I went, with who, did we go for a $100 hamburger...was it any good? Was it their first flight? It is interesting to read those older entries. So back to Rand, He was curious who was reading his blog, and it made me curious too. I would like to know about your aviation background. If you care to share check out the poll to the right. Feel free to leave a comment if you would like to share in more detail your flying experience...or non-flying as I am sure there might be a pilot to be reading the blog too :-)

In Memory of...

2009-02-14T14:51:00.001-06:00

First I want to offer my condolences to the friends and families of the victims of flight 3407. God bless you. You all will be in my prayers. I was shocked to wake up and see the news on the web that a Dash-8 had gone down. For those of us in aviation, especially General Aviation we know and understand that accidents can and do happen. We never like to see it, but obviously we do learn from it, and it continues to make aviation the safest form of transportation. With each accident we learn something new. Just today I watched a video produced by NASA talking about tailplane stalls due to icing. I had never heard of this before and the stall characteristics and recovery of a tail stall are completely different then for a wing stall. There is speculation at this point that icing is what cased the accident of 3407. we will not know for sure for some time. I know crashes like this make big news. There is a lot of false information being reported, and there are even those who publicly are saying horrible things about the crew. The simple fact is there was a crash. We lost brothers, and sisters, moms and dads, and sons and daughters. Let the pros do their job, figure out what happened, and lets all learn from it. Now let's honor the memory of those who perished.

Learning to fly!

2009-02-09T21:12:00.000-06:00

WOW, $100 to learn to fly with a "qualified" flight Instructor! The funny thing is, half of those planes are still sitting on a flightline somewhere still flying!

Something old...

2009-02-03T20:24:00.000-06:00

So just a day after flying the Geronimo, my friends ask me if I can pick up a Mooney for him. Sure why not, I love Mooneys! Come to find out it was the Mooney I used to own! It had an annual due. It was a nice surprise
Then he comes to me asking if I would take the 150 into KSAT leave it and pick up the Mooney. better yet. The 150 is another plane I owned before. It is also fun to fly. It has a 150 horse engine in it rather then the factory 100 horse. This thing leaps off the ground!

Here is my arrival into KSAT
It ended up getting very turbulent on th ereturn trip, and it had turned into a cross wind at Kestrel, which made for an interesting landing. It has been an interesting few days, you just never know whats going to pop up next!

Something new...

2009-01-28T21:03:00.001-06:00

You know its a good feeling when you have one of those "I just love flying" days. After fighting the weather the last few days today was perfect. Calm wind, clear skies, cool temps. I had to meet a friend at KSAT to pick up a plane that needs an annual. I have never flown a PA-23-160 Geronimo conversion. Basically it's an old Piper aztec that went through a face lift and engine upgrade. It is always fun to fly a new plane. It is not easy. Things are in different locations, and it takes a little getting used to. Then the second part of the challenge was flying it into Kestral airpark. It is an interesting little airport. A 3000 ft runway that slopes down the side of a hill. If you look close you can see the drop. Coming in from the Northwest your approaching the top of the hill (Approaching from the NW in the photo above). Just after you cross over the numbers the runway drops out from under you. Lucky for me winds where calm, or slightly out of the north. This allowed me the peace of mind that I could roll out up hill, in case I came in a little fast and landed long. Which I did. It was a smooth approach, but I have a habit of carrying a little extra airspeed if I am unfamiliar with the plane. It was still a nice touch down and rolled out without braking. I was impressed with the Geronimo. It was fast, had a great climb rate, and was a very stable plane! Even though I had never flown one, I had no problems flying it at all! I'm not sure why, but it is always fun adding a new type of plane to the logbook, and trying new airports. I think that's why aviation is so appealing. There is so much to do, learn, and experience. Each day, every flight brings something new. while Flying I look down and feel sorry for the 99.5% of the population that will never experience the freedom, the excitement, and adventure that pilots enjoy. Monday I get to ferry a Mooney over for an annual. This one will not be new as I used to own her! It will be nice to see her again! Fly Safe

Happy New Year!

2009-01-13T22:31:00.000-06:00

Wow, almost half way through January! There is a lot going on right now. Things could be better, could be worse. I have an offer on the table to fly for a private party. A guy I met through a friend has two planes and wants to hire a pilot to fly Him around. I'm working on a proposal to give him. It will be a little while before the plane is ready to go. It is going through some maintenance right now. I was working with an A&P friend today. He is doing an annual on a plane I used to own and he needed a little help. I don't mind working on them once a while, but I don't think I could do it as a career. Well, it seems that 2009 will be an interesting year for me. Hopefully I will have some great news to report over the next couple months, of course the other side of that coin is that I could have some bad news...My cup is half full though, So i believe I will have good news...Have a great 2009 everyone!

North Pole Under fire for Flight Dept.

2008-12-25T08:45:00.000-06:00

Santa Called Out for Using General Aviation Aircraft
An unidentified internet-based watchdog group has challenged Santa Claus' use of a privately operated sleigh on his annual rounds. In an unwritten statement, the group maintained: "Why should he be entitled to that wasteful perk? He could be flying coach for much less than it costs him to operate his own private, luxury aircraft." The group further stated that it had received support for its position from several members of Congress (representing both sides of the aisle) and at least one of the Big Three automakers, who wrote: "He doesn't use it that much anyway. It'll save him a lot of money to get out of this business." (One of the congressmen interviewed by the group is reported to have asked, "Santa who?") Radar tracking of the sleigh's overnight flight last night revealed multiple, multiple WAAS approaches to non-ILS-equipped rooftops. Claus was reached early this morning, just after completing his annual marathon flight in the vintage, reindeer-powered STOL-craft and asked to comment on the challenge. Obviously peeved, he responded:
"What a crock of caribou-poop! Please, ask one of those think-tank geniuses to explain to me how I'm going to manage this one-of-a-kind itinerary on the airlines. Geesh!
"Oh, and Merry Christmas to ALL and to ALL a goodnight."

I have not been very good at updating the blog lately. Still a lot going on that I need to get straightened out before I fully go into detail here. I did want to share a wish for a MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy New Year. As I/WE celebrate the Birth Of Jesus Christ I want to thank everyone who has stopped by and taken the time to read my blog. Thank You

A beautiful day to fly!

2008-10-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

Friday was just Beautiful! Unfortunately our planes are still grounded for Maintenance so no flying with my Students, but I did get a call to fly with my Father-in-law. He had a mission to complete. We needed to fly to Fredricksburg TX to pick up a piece of equipment for the auto pilot in his Baron. The night before a cool front came through (we don't have COLD fronts in South Texas) and the air was so clear! There was a bit of light chop (a little wind shear) but nothing to bad! Once I arrived at the airport Jimmy had already the Cessna out of the hanger and pref lighted (now that is nice!). He offered to let me fly left seat, something I have not done in a while. I decided to take him up on the offer since as a cfi I don't get that chance very often. Then He pulled out the low enroute chart and approach plates for T82 and said I needed to fly the VOR-A approach and do a hold so I could keep up my currency. If you don't know what this means, Basically I put on a view limiting device (so I could not see outside the airplane) and shortly after Take-off I began flying the airplane only by looking at the Instrument inside, no outside reference! I flew it OK, the hold wasn't to bad, and the VOR approach brought me out right on target. It was funny I looked up to search for the airport looking straight out and thought I was off course because it was actually between my 10-11 o'clock position, then he reminded me of my 25 degree wind correction angle! Its funny how soon you forget stuff when you are not using it! So, one hour after engine start we arrived. Its also funny that for 10 minutes prior to our arrival there was nothing going on at the airport. No sooner then we begin our final approach into the field we had two aircraft coming in behind us and 3 wanting to take off.
So we get on the ground and go to the avionics shop to take car of business. After a little small talk and looking at some really really cool new airplane gadgets (which ranged in price from $10,000 to $15,000) We decided we better get out of there! Just about the time we get back to the airplane we spot a Cessna 190 behind us with engine running...Nothing had to be said, we both new we where not going anywhere until this beautiful airplane was off the ground. There is just something about an Airplane with a radial engine. The sound they make to me is like music! I have always said if there was another time in history that I should have been born it was the late 30 early 40's. I love the airplanes, I love the music, and even the look of that time! People just seemed to have more respect for themselves and one another.

Isn't she a beauty...

Now, listen to her singing...It does not sound nearly as good as it does in person, but you might get the idea.

OK, so now that she is gone we can get in and fire up. I'm back in the right side, and Jimmy has this leg...so I get to look out the window and take some pictures! T82 Otherwise known as Gillespie county airport is nice airport in the Hill country of Texas. Located in Fredricksburg Texas it is a favorite place for pilot's to come and have a $100 Hamburger. Also on field is a very nice hotel, The Hanger Hotel. It has a balcony on the second floor so you can go outside and watch Planes coming and going! My wife and I will be spending a night there real soon. I look forward to it. Here is a view of the Hanger Hotel

Here is another view with the Diner sitting just to the right...Look at the nice crowd of planes sitting on the ramp outside the diner on a Friday afternoon.

The diner has a 40's feel to it. They play old swing/big band music and have it decorated like a 40's diner. They even have a banquet hall dressed up the same way. It's a fun place!

Waiting for takeoff we watch another 172 coming in for a touch and go. This plane is also based at KSAT.

Finally our turn to go, departing runway 32, watch as I pan to my right you will see the diner, the hotel, and a DC-3 sitting on the grass on the right side of the ramp.

The ride home was nice, a little bumpy but nothing to bad. The clear skies and cool temps where a welcome relief for us here. Sometimes we forget just how fortunate we are here the United States. We have such freedom and opportunity.

Arriving back a KSAT On Final 30R KSAT

Flying the Baron.

2008-10-13T11:12:00.000-05:00

I got a chance to go fly the Baron a couple days ago. I never pass up that opportunity! There is just something about sitting between the engines instead of behind one! It was a nice day. We departed KSAT and flew up to HYI to meet a friend and check out a Mooney he is working on. This guy had to rebuild nearly half of each wing. Someone had run the Mooney off a runway and in a fence. He built new spars and ribs by hand, and it was amazing to see how they looked like factory new parts. After looking over the work progress we all decided we needed a $100 hamburger, so of to the airport cafe'. It's just a small little place there at the San Marcos airport, but it has a pretty good burger. From there we hopped over to KBAZ for some "cheap" fuel...$4.35 a gallon. When you burn nearly 30 GPH cheap gas is a must. After our fuel stop we departed KBAZ and made our way back to KSAT, it was my leg and everything was going fine. We had been told to fly to the SAT VOR which is typical when arriving from the north east. Once we made it to the vor things took an interesting turn. Over the VOR I expected a turn to the south for a 12L landing, but the call didn't come When the guy (ATC) did call he sounded all freaked out telling us to switch to another approach frequency and that we had radio problems. We switched back and forth to the two radios we had, all the while approach was turning us back to the north away from the Airport (we could hear them they couldn't hear us). Finally the turned us back south to the field and cleared us to land runway 12L. I went ahead and let Jimmy have control of the airplane (since it is his and he is more familiar) and just like that they could hear again...come to find out it was just a push to talk issue. After regaining radio communication with ATC they calmed down a little and everything went just fine from there!

Getting paid to fly!

2008-10-07T14:37:00.001-05:00

FINALLY, the time has come...I am getting paid to fly!!! It seems it has taken forever to get to this point. I have started working for a flight school that primarily has foreign students. My first day I was assigned 3 student, a couple days later I picked up a forth. All of them have been flying for a while. They are all Private pilot students. I have not yet had a new 0 time student. I think taking on these students who have been flying already has been more of a challenge. There is a certain amount of time that it takes to get to know the student, learn where their book knowledge is and what their flying abilities are. They are an interesting mix. One is a young guy from Saudi Arabia, another is a girl from India, and then I have two guys from Mexico.
We have had only one full week of flying so far. My second week they grounded all the planes so the maintenance personnel could get all the planes back into perfect condition. Airplanes used for primary flight instruction usually are not the best looking planes out there. They tend to get abused. The FAA started ramp checking us pretty hard so the Owner of the school decided to self ground the fleet and ask the FAA to come in and inspect the planes and tell him what they wanted him to do. We are in our second week of being grounded. While I am thankful to see the owner is being responsible, it really stinks not being able to work!
So far it has been a good experience. You learn real fast how to make rules for the students, you also learn to never take your eyes off them. Even though you are not actually flying the airplane you are watching everything and keeping yourself ready to take over.
I can tell already that this CFI thing is going to be a very interesting experience.

TFR's an outing to see the prez

2008-09-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

Monday here in sunny San Antonio we had a TFR (temporary flight restriction). GA pilots just love tfr's...yeah, like a headache. So I found out that President Bush was coming to town so I called my Father-in-law to see if he wanted to go watch air force one land. He has a hanger that us maybe just 150 yards off the touch down point of KSAT 12R. So of we go to the airport, get the lawn chairs and scanner out and get ready. Well, until we found out the center of the tfr was 16nm off the SAT vor on the 194 radial. Pull the sectional out to verify what we already knew in our heads and yup...Kelly AFB, Ok Lackland AFB what ever they are calling it now days.
Then we heard it, Air Force One calling San Antonio Approach, letting them know they were landing runway 15 at Kelly. Oh well, cant win them all. We did catch just a glimmer of the plane as he passed behind a SWA that was on approach to international. Whats worse, The flight path to Kelly is right over my house, I could have been sitting in my back yard with a ice cold beverage and watch him fly right over!

We decided to go ahead and just stay at KSAT, and take a chance, because usually when the Prez comes to San Antonio he does land at KSAT.

While we sat there of course we had to do some plane watching!
I caught this SWA 737 just as the mains touch down

Then watched as this citation and a couple more taxi by for takeoff

Than right after this Aero mexico connect landed

I spotted a military Helicopter approaching towards runway 21. I was surprised to see that and decided to wait to leave to see where he was going. The transient military aircraft usually park near us, so landing in 21 would be a really long "taxi".

Well, after some time I was really amazed to see what was actually landing/parking right next door.

Marine One. I thought that was pretty cool! I am assuming he flew in from Austin which is where the president had been just prior to his arrival. Imagine the 747 making a trip that short! It seems that would be a large workload. Austin to San Antonio in a 172 is a short flight, maybe half hour or so.

Well, after all the excitement and disappointment wore off we headed home. I was loading my car up and talking with Jimmy about possible going by Kelly to see Air force one take off when I hear a plane approaching from an unusual angle. I could tell it was a large plane, so I grabbed my Camera and managed to snap off a couple of pictures.

So after all of that we finally got to see it! Not up close and personal like we had hoped, but it was a fun adventure! Of course, airplane, and airports are always fun!

PLANNING

2008-07-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

The word Planning is a BIG word in aviation. we are taught to make plans for everything we do. I wonder if 'flight planning' is an Oxymoron? If you have been around aviation long enough, you know nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned. There is always something that changes things up a little. Weather, Maintenance, cfi's canceling, another renter not getting back on time with the airplane, the list is endless. If you are a student pilot, or pilot working on advanced rating you definitely know what I am talking about. One of my favorite saying regarding GA (general aviation) is, If you have time to spare, go by air!
Time and again I have had to cancel flights for numerous reasons. One day I was preflighting the Mooney for an Instrument lesson and I found some pretty bad damage to the landing gear doors that one of the partners had done, and NOT reported to anyone. Talk about mad!
I try to plan things out. I like to know where I'm going in life. One of my goals for my Aviation Career is to fly for an airline. My top number one pick for a regional airline was Express Jet.

Not only where they one of the best regionals to work for, they had a base in San Antonio! How awesome that would have been! Well, as of Sep 1 2008 Express jet (branded service as pictured above)will be no more! i hoped they would make it through the "OIL CRISIS" because I wont be ready to make the move to a regional until probably this time next year, but they didn't. Of course express jet will still be around as Continental express, I Hope. Just like anything else in aviation, your Planning does not always work out. In reality your planning for best case scenario. Each person has there own way of looking at life. I have a Faith. I believe My path will be planned out for me and I just need to walk it. Just like right now, I am down for a little while and cannot fly, but I have faith that their is reason for it, and I will just keep moving forward working toward my destination. Just like a flight plan, The weather might delay you for a while, even though your planning did not include the delay, you will eventually get there!

The picture of the Express jet was taken yesterday while I was at KSAT. I was checking out some work being done on the 172. While there I managed to check out a couple more of the neighbors. Across the field was a Trade Winds Boeing 747 sitting at Sino Swearingen.

I thought it was an interesting photo, with the heat rising off 12R blurring the picture.

Sino Swearingen if you are not familiar with them are building a new light jet here in San Antonio the SJ30-2

Great looking plane, isn't it!

A couple more of the neighbors.

An arriving SWA

And a departing Delta. I really like the MD-80 series. It's such a shame they wont be a round much longer!

Aviation is just an indescribable thing. It can drive you crazy with all the up and downs but if it's in your blood you just can't shake it! You know what I'm talking about...don't ya! ;-)

A Day at the airport

2008-07-17T11:16:00.001-05:00

Have you seen the bumper sticker a bad day fishing is better then a good day at work? I think that's the same as being at the airport. I was at the 172 Hanger at KSAT, which is abeam the touchdown point of 12R (san antonio's main runway).
It's fun sometimes to just pull a lawn chair out and watch the planes come and go. We have all types, GA, corporate, Airline, Freight, Everything from the smallest GA to 747's. It always interesting to see whats coming and going. We even have a p-51 p-38, and a f-4 corsair that frequent SAT.

The only downside to being at a large field, is there usually is no one else around...close by. It doesn't have that small field feeling, where people are sitting around a picnic table telling "there I was 35,000 feet, in the soup, inverted" stories.

But it sure is fun to sit and watch the "neighbors".

There is just something about being at the airport!

MEI on Hold

2008-07-14T20:02:00.000-05:00

Well, the MEI is hold for a little bit. Maybe I will have have a chance to get it early Aug! Getting the CFI and CFII at Career Pilot School was a lot of fun, and hard work! I will come back soon and add a few photos to this post of the school and planes. I want to say thanks to Michael, Adam, Mark, Jake, and Ron. What a great bunch of guys! I'm ready for another wally's burger! It was really a good experience, It was sad to leave as quick as I did! Hopefully I will get back up there soon to finish up! Now, all we need is that new Career Pilot School Location 3 in San Antonio TX!

UPDATE, while I'm holding I figured I would post a few pics!

Here is a shot of a newly minted CFI flying back to IXD from GHP. I was debating about flying back from the left, since it had been so long since I had flown from the left. But I decided to fly from the right!

I couple of shots of downtown Kansas City

The Arrow I took the CFI initial in.

The archer II (the plane I used for the CFII) and the Arrow

My buddy Trevor "teaching" a lesson in prep for one of his checkrides!

Career Pilot School, their IXD
New Century Location

It was a good time up there, I look forward to going back and finishing up my MEI!

Next up...MEI

2008-06-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

Well I got my first hour in N125RJ today. I like flying the twin comanche, aka the twinkie. Its a fun plane to fly! The plan is for me to fly monday and tuesday, and hopefully a checkride on wednesday...I just hope and pray to be done by then! It has been a good experience, and even though it is 100 in San Antonio, I'm ready to go home! So for now its study time again. It is amazing I have been studying for months and I still feel like I dont know much of anything! Things are starting to come together though I look forward to instructing! Ok, study break is over, time to get busy!

CFII OH YEAH!

2008-06-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy week since passing my CFI initial. I was not real current on my Instrument, so I had to spend a little time getting some basic instrument skills back! Not to mention, my instrument skills never were really all that great. Anyway, after a lot of study and about 13 hours in the air I took my CFII ride yesterday and passed! Oh yeah! WHAT A RELIEF! On the way to the airport I was so nervous I was actually happy that I was driving in a thunderstorm! I figured maybe it was my out for getting out of taking the ride I didn't feel I was ready for! Once Again I had to lean on my faith, and put it in His hands. So the DPE says well, let just do the oral and we can fly another day(the day was forecast to be thunderstorms all day!). About 2 hours later we get done with the oral, we look out side and the rain had stopped the clouds pulled out to 12K and it was suddenly flyable! Aside from the winds aloft 230 at 46 kts at 3000 it was clear and unlimited visibility. Despite the winds I decided to just fly, I figured it was made available to me so I had better take it. Two hours later I was a CFII! What an experience...Now just one more ride my MEI and I get to go home...I am so ready to go!

CFI!!!!

2008-06-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

YES I AM NOW A CFI!!!! Wow, All I can say is what a relief! I stressed so much over this one, and have crammed so much into my head over the last two weeks that I think I have a permanent head ache! But I passed today and that's all that matters!

I had to fly to KGHP Midwest National In Mosbey Missouri to meet the KC FSDO examiner. It was an uneventful flight direct through Downtown Airport airspace. The air was smooth, there was a light fog over the river. I flew probably the best Pattern I have ever flown, by the numbers all the way to touch down which was picture perfect! Of course NO ONE SEEN IT! which is always the case when you grease one on! We started the Oral about 8:45 went to about 12 then broke for lunch! Came back got in the airplane! flew about 1.5 my flying left something to be desired, but hey, I passed! came back finished up at 5pm. It was a long day! I am just thankful it is over! I am thankful that I have a God who gives me the strength and ability to do this, there is no way I could do it on my own!

Now I am on to do the CFII and MEI, all within the next two weeks! OH GEEZ, the stress just came back!!!

Congratulations Trevor

2008-06-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

Well, one of our class members took the CFI-A ride today and Passed!!! Trevor was the first to go, and he did very well! Congratulations!
My ride is scheduled for Tuesday! The nerves are starting to kick into high gear. Its been almost two weeks since arriving, we have learned a lot, but it just does not seem like enough! Sometimes you are so tired from studying it hurts! Tomorrow I start a mad rush to get the flying done. I only have about 2 hours so far for this course, so I have a lot to catch up! I hope the weather holds. It has been pretty bad around here, very strong thunderstorms, tornado not to far away. I talked with Michael today, he says I should still be on schedule to finish all three CFI, II, MEI by around the 28th. again weather permitting!
I hope so, Its been two weeks since I have seen my Family and i miss them and Home! This has been a very good experience so far, I do not regret coming back to flat land (KS) to finish my training up! Well, Its Study time!

GEAR UP!!!!

2008-06-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

What a day! I went for my spin training today with Tyler another CFI student. Just after he got back I loaded up, strapped on a parachute, and strapped into the Super Decathlon.

So after getting ready to go, engine started and requesting taxi from ground, I hear "gear up" coming from my CFI I am a bit puzzled until I look out the right window and there about 200 feet away is a Mooney 3ft off the deck with his gear up!
Man I just felt helpless, I wanted to do something but there was nothing to do! I watched as he bobbed the nose up and down a little "looking" for the runway and then he settled in, it was all over. He slid about 30 yards turned about 30deg to the left and stopped. We were not going anywhere! The airport was closed!

I had ever witnessed anything like that so close, it seemed like it was happening in slow motion.

So anyway, after lunch and a couple hours pass we are finally strapped back in and ready for departure! We head out, climb to 6000(agl) and start our spin training. WOW, I had never done a spin before. I was amazed how fast you roll over and next thing you know the earth is just a blur! If you are a pilot or a student pilot and have never done a spin, find a GOOD spin instructor and go do one. I don't think an average pilot could get out of one without having some spin training! I think your average pilot would get Killed if inadvertently getting into a spin!

After the spin training we did a few basic aerobatic maneuvers. It was fun. Some aileron rolls, a loop, inverted flight. It was very cool!
Well, I'm a little over a week into the CFI-A training and The check ride is scheduled for a week from today. So, I better get busy studying!

Doom and Gloom

2008-06-10T06:36:00.000-05:00

It's so sad to hear people almost daily talk about how bad the aviation industry has become how terrible the economy is...blah blah blah! There is a popular aviation website/forum I like to participate in, but lately it has become so negative it just makes you sick to look at it! Yeah, high gas prices are kicking our butt right now, but I think a lot of our poor economy is self professing prophecy! If you believe it, it will start to come true! Yes the airline industry is taking a hit with high fuel prices. Yes there have been some smaller operations go down. But really what Major airline has gone out of business? at least which one that was not ALREADY on the way out, like skybus??? that was a terrible operation with an even worse operating plan that was losing money! I know the Legacy's are all crying the blues making threat of domestic reduction (i.e. stop service to small town USA), but why are they making these "threats"? Look no further than you local politician! They are already ringing the subsidies for the airline bell. This is exactly what the airlines want!

Aviation will continue, it will recover from this oil situation and it will continue to grow as is forecast! I for one plan on being there, and ready when the hiring starts again, and if I plan it just right I will be there with just the right time and experience when hiring kicks in!

The Tornados are coming!

2008-06-06T06:47:00.000-05:00

You just have to love the weather! We had really really bad storm in the forcast last night, everyone thought we would have tornado, I heard some thunder for a little while, but that was about it! Which is good, Today is day 5 of training! I dont need a weather set back right now! Its been a really fast 5 days! It feels like I have not learned anything, but I'm sure I have! I feel pretty confident so far actually. I like Michael (the owner of the school) who is teaching us! Things are pretty laid back, but he seems pretty good at teaching us! I'm just over a week before taking a check ride for the CFI! It doesnt seem posssible.

How?

2008-06-05T06:36:00.000-05:00

Day three is now behind us. We have been writing and teaching ground lesson plans. I don't mind the teaching part, but I really don't know how you get all this information into your head! There is just so much to know! Sometimes it seems impossible. The nerves have finally settles down, it's not easy to pack up drive half way across the country leave your family behind for a month, and spend a LOT of money doing it. Like anything, you just have to jump in and do it, if you let the fear control you, you will never get anywhere! I met one of the DPE's yesterday. Ron, will also be giving us our spin training in a super decathlon

The Decathlon is an aerobatic airplane, and we will be learning some basic aerobatic maneuvers. This will be on Monday! I'm excited about that!
Well, back to study time!

Im Here!

2008-06-03T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well day two is in the can. I made into town (new century ks.) on Sunday. We just finished up day two of FOI (fundamentals of Instruction). Things are going well so far, it has just been class room training. Tomorrow we might be doing spin training! a spin is when you stall an airplane and a wing falls over and you enter a nose down spiral! Not sure how that will go, I will update later!
I must go study now!!! My Brain hurts!

I can see the light!

2008-05-31T13:06:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the day! I will be pulling out about 4am for my 12+ hour drive north to Kansas to begin CFI school. By the end of June I should be a CFI, CFII, and MEI. It is supposed to take 25 days! That is an awful lot of stuff for only 25 days! I hope it will go as planned. I hate being away from home for nearly a month! I have to admit I'm pretty nervous about it at this point! I have never been good at dealing with the "unknown". I like to be in control, and things like this makes me feel like I'm just a long for the ride. I will try to keep things updated on my progress, but it will depend on how much time I have. It is good to know its almost here. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm almost there! Lets do this!

2008-05-26T14:32:00.000-05:00

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

By LCDR Kelly Strong, USCG
I watched the flag pass by one day, It fluttered in the breeze. A young Service man saluted it, And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud, With hair cut square and eyes alert He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him Had fallen through the years. How many died on foreign soil How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down? How many died at sea? How many foxholes were soldiers' graves? No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night, When everything was still, I listened to the bugler play And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times That Taps had meant "Amen, "When a flag had draped a coffin Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard At the bottom of the sea. Of unmarked graves in Arlington.

No, freedom isn't free.

Thank you to all those who have died for our great country. Thank you to those families who have given the greatest sacrifice, Father's, Mother's, Son's and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters

Thank you to all past and present that have proudly served our great nation.

THANK YOU!

Spreading your wings

2008-05-03T21:21:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest things about flying are the people! There are just a great bunch of people in the aviation circle. Flying is something that bridges any gap. You could be 20 and they can be 80 and you can sit and talk for hours and completely understand each other. Back at Christmas I attended a Christmas party hosted by the owner of the airport where I fly out of. My wife and I grabbed a table and then went ti get some food, when we returned we found another couple sitting there. After some small talk and getting to know each other I finally realized who it was and thought how funny. Here is this guy who owned a rather large aero space company and I'm sure is REALLY well off, and here I am this reg joe who does ok for himself, but is definitely is a different economic class. Funny thing was it didn't matter. We just talked had a great time shared some airplane stories and had a great time. That is aviation! I have been at the airport before just hanging out wishing I could fly and before long someone would invite you for a ride. I have done that myself many times! It's always fun to share the experiences we have while flying!
Well today I met a guy who needed to do some Instrument currency flying so I volunteered to go along! Besides I had never flown in a Cirrus and have always been interested in them. It was a great time and I actually got some stick time! It was an awesome aivrcraft and a pleasure to fly!

I was amazed at how much space it the plane inside. Since I'm used to piper and Mooney types this thing felt huge inside!

We had about two and half hours of flying. We went Into Kerrville TX (KERV)

(KERV) Is also Home to Mooney aircraft. One of my Favorite planes!

It doesn't look like much, but that is where they are built!

All in all it was a fun day! Its nice to spread your wings and try new things now and then, and I'm glad I did today...I'm definitely a new fan of the cirrus!

CFI...The next phase begins!

2008-04-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back to studying again. More John and Martha...I swear they need to put me on their payroll! John did you hear that? This blog has had hits from over 13 country's and This is about the 3rd plug you guys have gotten...haha Yeah, like I would expect to hear from them. Anyway, I have been studying, there is obviously a lot to study. Now is the time that you actually have to make it all stick! Before you only had to do multiple choice, now you have to really know your stuff! Today I went out to practice flying from the right seat! It went well, I was please with my performance! We departed San Antonio international and went to T89 for some Touch and Go's!

I am very fortunate that my Father in law is a pilot and has a 172 which I can fly once in a while. Saves me from hiring a cfi to go fly with, just so I can get the motor skills down.
After Take off we were vectored around Kelly AFB, ok Lackland AFB or whatever they wanna call it now days. Normally they let you fly right over it, but today the clouds were still down a little low so we had to fly at 2500. They had 2 C-5's "in the pattern".

We passed over one later on our return at 3500 and he was at 3000 it was so huge it looked like we were way to close. Just an awesome airplane!

Once we took our little scenic tour of the new toyota plant we finally made it to castroville. The winds were supposed to be out of the south east which would have been just right with their runway 15, however, as with any flight things never are exactly as planned. The winds were a straight cross wind so my first real chance at right seat flying was going to be with a cross wind! All in all I was pleased the landing were pretty good and I didn't feel to out of place. Which is the goal, because as a cfi you have to be comfortable sitting in the right seat!
We did about 5 touch and go's and headed home, an uneventful flight back to KSAT a last minute sidestep from 12R to 12L because of traffic, no big deal, and we were down and taxiing in behind the "traffic" a 737-800 that Miami Air on in. So now I am home and trying to get some ground studying done. I'm also trying to make final preparations for the CFI course I plan to attend! I just hope this time things go a little smoother!

I'm Back part two!

2008-04-17T09:43:00.000-05:00

It has been awhile since I last posted I know, but I have been very busy with studying. I do have some great news to report FINALLY!!! I am now a commercial multi and single engine pilot!!! Last week a hopped a plane to Siler City NC to go fly with Oscar at OS Aviation. I did my training in a twin Comanche

I will say this NC is beautiful country! It was a lot of fun to fly out there!

I would highly recommend going out and visiting Oscar if you are working on your commercial! My only regret is not going there first!

It was an interesting week, I flew out on American Airlines

We flew an interesting approach into St Louis (My home town)

I will say this about AA, even though they had a really bad week with the faa, They did a great job! I even managed to get home early!

The twin training went very well. I loved flying the "twinkie". I had heard rumors that she was hard to land, but I thought she was great to fly and land!

Oscar is all about real training! You do actual engine outs! None of this pull the throttle and simulate stuff! He makes you really learn it. We even feather the prop so we could practice air starts!
The single engine portion was done in an alaurus ch2000 I think...I'm not to sure about that airplane! It seems a little to...cheaply made. I didn't feel real safe in it, however it does fly nice. It is fun to land and do engine out 180 maneuvers in. For as small as the wing are it is very responsive, and will float forever if you carry to much airspeed!
All in all, it was a great experience! Greg the DPE was awesome. This guy has more experience flying then a human should have! Retired airline capt, current corp pilot in a c650, current corp helicopter pilot (eurocopter) dpe fixed wing and helo. the list goes on!

It was great and now I can move on to the next phase the CFI, and already I am having "fun" trying to find a place to go for the school!

I'm Back!

2008-03-31T08:58:00.001-05:00

Well the trip to Honduras was awesome, Unfortunately I brought back with me some type of bug and I have been sick for a week! I don't have a lot to report on the flying front. I hope to have a big "announcement" in about two weeks! I will say sometimes it seems like you get so close and like a flip of a switch it seems sooo far away. Flying is strange thing! Like the bug I brought back from Honduras It's hard, or impossible to get rid of, once your bitten, your hooked! So I really hope to record some good news here in just a couple of weeks, and I hope to begin a new life as a commercial pilot, rather than a private pilot!

Please Standby...

2008-03-14T13:54:00.001-05:00

Well I will be out of the country for a week. I am going on a mission trip to Honduras so it might be a little while before any updates on the flying. I did fly today, which was good the winds picked up while I was aloft so the landing had a pretty stiff crosswind. Made for an interesting time! Fly safe and we'll see you soon!

Smooth air!

2008-03-09T22:21:00.000-05:00

Wow, Saturday morning was so nice! I took a friend up for a "fun" flight. The air was cool, and sooo smooth! One of those flights that you just love and could stay up there forever. You know, The kinda feeling that makes us do crazy things like take flight lesson and want to do it (fly) for a living! It's also a lot of fun to take a non-pilot along. My friend was a load master on a C-130, so he knew a little (actually he knew a lot) about flying. It is a lot of fun to teach people things about flying. I think I would enjoy being a CFI (certified flight instructor).
BUT...first things first, I need to finish this commercial rating! Which has been a pain in the butt for me, and now I am at another cross road in my training.

I had a certain amount of funds set aside for the commercial, Well if you have followed this blog you know I have had a couple issues with trying to get my commercial license. So, now I have used up those funds and I still do not have that ticket in hand! So now what do I do? Finance it? Hmm get a loan for the rest of my training, something I really did not want to do! However I do not see to many other options! I found a place In North Carlina that offer a 4 day accelerated course that gets you BOTH your Multi engine commercial and your single engine commercial. Of course Its not cheap, but flight training is not cheap! I guess I'm the most concerned about going out of town again! The first attempt at that was not successful. It is not very fun feeling to get back on that plane without the item you flew half way across the country to get! The number one culprit what the weather, you just cannot control that!
I'm not giving up by any means, Just at that point of trying to decide once again what to do. Flying...You gotta love! My Father-in-law who is also a pilot has a great saying. "if you have time to spare, go by air" There is always something, some kind of delay, some kind of issue. So why do I do it you might be asking. I cannot tell you that, you would just have to experience it, then you would know. Did you know pilots are are only .2% of the total population of the U.S. Approx 570,000 pilots in the U.S.
It's a small crowd for sure, It's interesting to get a group of pilots together. Just a couple days ago I was with a group of pilots, From all walks of life. One was a General in the USAF (retired). We sat and talked pilot to pilot. Other then our age there was not a bit of difference in the two of us, or so it appeared.
Its an interesting endeavour, If you have not tried it yet and are curious GO take a flight somewhere and give it try!

Daunting challenges ahead!

2008-03-04T21:54:00.000-06:00

A quote (the title) from Tom's comment on my last entry. Wow, if that isn't the perfect way to look at flight training. Well, once again I had to call my DPE and cancel with him. I arrived at the airport today, and met up with the cfi. We then checked out the plane went back to his office and he say's "well it looks like nice weather today, I think you should go fly!" Mind you I have a practical scheduled for tomorrow! Oh and dont forget I already had to cancel on him once before! I just looked at the guy, I didnt know what to say! Ok, if you dont think I'm ready, Do you think maybe you should have said something oh say 4 days ago which was the last time we flew??? Cancelling on the DPE at the last minute for the second time certianly is not going to make him happy with me! So, once again I'm at a crossroad. I'll have to figure out what to do. Finacially, and where to go next. Do I stick it out with this guy, or try to find another school. The sad thing is this is all to common. I have heard stories like this many times.
Well, I did end up going up today by myself. It was a beautiful day. There was some light chop, and a little gust on the surface, but not to bad! I tried to practice the manuevers, I dont know why but It is just hard to perform them by yourself...at least for me! It seems I can stay more focused with someone sitting next to me.
I bumped into the local CAP squadron commander. He was preflighting to go out and do some fire watch. Here in south texas it's not hard to find the fires, and there are a lot of them lately! Flat, dry and windy. We both took off about the same time and we were only a few minutes into flight and there were two fires out ahead of us. So he took off in the direction of the smoke, and I stayed in the "practice area" The local cap squdron just got a new cessna 182, G1000 equipped. What a set up. I flew a cessan 206 with the G1000 once and talk about nice. Huge moving map screen. traffic alerts, it was fun.
Well, so now I will need to take a couple days to think through my choices. I have two other options, unfortunatly both are out of town! We'll see!

Over the Hill!

2008-03-03T08:09:00.000-06:00

Well, My "goal" was not realized. I wanted to get my commercial pilots license by the time I turned 40. Well, the 29th was my birthday and I just couldn't get it done! Of course...I was a leap year baby, which means I have only had 10 birthdays, so by a technicality I could claim I'm not 40 yet and I still have some time to finish! ;-) Actually at this point I just want to get it done. I lost my job in January and decided to work full time on it (the commercial), but now the funds I had to finish it our almost gone and I'm still feeling like I'm not very close to finishing. I'm also just under two weeks away from the Mission trip to Honduras. I will only be there for a week, but that will be one week for sure that I will not be focused on flying!

I had found a cfi that I had hoped would really help me. I don't understand sometimes why so many cfi's want to be passengers. I feel like I'm training myself. I guess its hard to compare cfi's, I was fortunate to have a cfi for my private pilot license who had been flying for over 55years. He had over 30,000 flight hours in general aviation. The two archer's he had, he purchased new and both had 8-9000 hours on them. I had never asked him how many hours of dual given he had. Unfortunately a fight with cancer got the best of him about 5 years ago and Lou is no longer with us! If you had ever flown into (k02) perryville Missouri prior to 2003 then you probably would have met him! He was at the airport 7 days a week. One night a medivac chopper came in. they had just come from a seen of a bad car accident and had a lady on board who was near death. it was late, but Lou was still there. They needed fuel, but company policy was there had to be fire personnel on site when they took on fuel. Well Perryville is a small town in Missouri with a volunteer fire dept several miles away it would have taken a long time to get them on site. So Lou runs inside (yes 72 y/o and he RUNS in side) grabs a fire extinguisher and tells them I am a member of the Perryville fire dept, now fuel the darn helicopter. We never found out the fate of the lady.
If there are any cfi's reading this, all I have to say is be professional, and do your best to really teach flying. I too will probably end up being a "time building" CFI, but I sure Hope that while I'm doing it I give my customers everything they deserve! So here I am with about just enough money to finish up one more flight, and pay for the practical exam and then I will be out. I just hope I can do. It is scheduled for Wednesday, but I do not have the sign off from the cfi yet! If I don't get the endorsement tomorrow I will have to cancel the exam AGAIN, and start re planning what to do next! OH my, don't you just love flying? As my Father in law says, you better love it, if your gonna do it!

Finally A good day!

2008-02-27T20:26:00.000-06:00

Well, we had a good leson today I think. It wasn't perfect but it was an improvment. I had a lot of issues with atc, which cause a few problems with the manuevers. I felt much better about teh lazy eights! I guess I'm starting to get a feel for them. Ironically, the eights on pylons didnt work out very well, and I usually do very well on them. The Commercial practical is schedules for march 5. I think I will be ready! I just want this one behind me, at least until i get it behind me then I will want the next one behind me! Next is the cfi.

Checklist...who needs a checklist

2008-02-26T20:53:00.001-06:00

"On October 30, 1935, at Wright Air Field in Dayton, Ohio, the U.S. Army Air Corps held a flight competition for airplane manufacturers vying to build its next-generation long-range bomber. It wasn't supposed to be much of a competition. In early evaluations, the Boeing Corporation's gleaming aluminum-alloy Model 299 had trounced the designs of Martin and Douglas. Boeing's plane could carry five times as many bombs as the Army had requested; it could fly faster than previous bombers, and almost twice as far.

A Seattle newspaperman who had glimpsed the plane called it the "flying fortress," and the name stuck. The flight "competition," according to the military historian Phillip Meilinger, was regarded as a mere formality. The Army planned to order at least sixty-five of the aircraft.

A small crowd of Army brass and manufacturing executives watched as the Model 299 test plane taxied onto the runway. It was sleek and impressive, with a hundred-and-three-foot wingspan and four engines jutting out from the wings, rather than the usual two. The plane roared down the tarmac, lifted off smoothly, and climbed sharply to three hundred feet. Then it stalled, turned on one wing, and crashed in a fiery explosion. Two of the five crew members died, including the pilot, Major Ployer P. Hill. (thus .... Hill AFB, Ogden, UT)

An investigation revealed that nothing mechanical had gone wrong. The crash had been due to "pilot error," the report said. Substantially more complex than previous aircraft, the new plane required the pilot to attend to the four engines, a retractable landing gear, new wing flaps, electric trim tabs that needed adjustment to maintain control at different airspeeds, and constant-speed propellers whose pitch had to be regulated with hydraulic controls, among other features. While doing all this, Hill had forgotten to release a new locking mechanism on the elevator and rudder controls.

The Boeing model was deemed, as a newspaper put it, "too much airplane for one man to fly." The Army Air Corps declared Douglas's smaller design the winner. Boeing nearly went bankrupt. Still, the Army purchased a few aircraft from Boeing as test planes, and some insiders remained convinced that the aircraft was flyable. So a group of test pilots got together and considered what to do.

They could have required Model 299 pilots to undergo more training. But it was hard to imagine having more experience and expertise than Major Hill, who had been the U.S. Army Air Corps' Chief of Flight Testing.

Instead, they came up with an ingeniously simple approach: they created a pilot's checklist, with step-by-step checks for takeoff, flight, landing, and taxiing. Its mere existence indicated how far aeronautics had advanced.

In the early years of flight, getting an aircraft into the air might have been nerve-racking, but it was hardly complex. Using a checklist for takeoff would no more have occurred to a pilot than to a driver backing a car out of the garage. But this new plane was too complicated to be left to the memory of any pilot, however expert.

DELAYED...again!

2008-02-24T18:32:00.000-06:00

I guess since i want to get into the airlines this word DELAYED is one I should get used to! I show-up to the airport today for a lesson only to find out that the cfi is not available tomorrow...EVEN though we already had a lesson on the schedule! Since we cannot fly tomorrow we are short at least one lesson before I can be signed off to take the commercial practical...So, I had to come home and call the DPE (Designated pilot examiner) to cancel and re-schedule. His next available day is March 5. Not to bad I guess, But I so want to get this done! I guess I shouldn't let it bother me, at least I have been able to fly, but the lesson are not as fun when you are flying just for the fun of it. For those who might come along and read this who have yet had a chance to fly, I encourage you to get out to an airport near you and take a flight. There is nothing as awesome as the thrill of piloting an airplane. It may not sound like a lot of fun by the way I explain some of the experiences I have had while going through training, but the payoff is when you can relax a bit and go out and have some fun.
These sunset photo's were taken over Oahu Hawaii. Beautiful!

Flying Over KAUS Austin Texas

Preparing for takeoff junction Texas

Just after Takeoff, What A view! For most, the payoff is the view from the front office. I cannot wait until I reach the point where I can get that position flying for an airline. That will be the payoff for all the problems and delays I have faced so far, and will continue to face. Aviation is unlike anything else I have ever experienced. I have had motorcycles, boats, I have had many hobbies, but nothing I have ever done has equaled aviation. Once you get the bug...you have it, nothing you can do about, and if you have it...you know what I'm talking about!
FLY SAFE!

4 Days and counting

2008-02-22T19:31:00.000-06:00

Wow, only four days. I'm still not sure if I will be ready in four days! I am schedules to fly again sunday and monday. I guess we will make the final determination at that point! Todays flying went better. Still not quite to pts standards, but I think Im finally starting to get a grip on the manuevers. The lazy eights are my pain in the back side! But there was improvment on them today! The arrow is very differnet in the way it flys compared to the other planes I flown. The mooney is an awesome airplane, I love it! The arrow, when you are landing, once you drop the power you become basically a smooth rock. So my lanings are not that good. Im so tired from trying to study and fly, i just want this to be over! Hopefuly it will be in 4 days...or actually I guess it wont, my cfi material showed up today, so that means more studying! will it ever end???

Here we go!!!! again

2008-02-20T13:42:00.000-06:00

Well yesterday I started flight training for the commercial pilot’s license again! As you may recall, I had gone "out of town" to try to do an accelerated commercial course. That did not go over very well. Weather, MX issues, and issues with the school just didn’t let it happen. So here I am again. New airplane, new instructor, and feeling like a basic student pilot...again. Sometimes I just don’t think it’s possible to get all the knowledge in your head that you need, and then there is the flying. I'm sure I will get it (the commercial maneuvers) eventually, but right now it’s like trying to talk Chinese without ever having had a class in it.
Lazy eights are the most difficult for me. Eights on pylons are pretty easy, I like doing them. So yesterday was day one (again). We did about 4 hours of ground, which went ok, then we went out for 1.8 in the Piper Arrow. The arrow is an interesting airplane. My landings stink in them! I can put a Mooney right on the spot, or a piper archer, but this arrow is whipping my butt. Cut the power and it become a rock.
Anyway, It wasn't to bad yesterday I guess. Today, we did another 4 ground, but the weather was 700 overcast most the day, so no flying for me!
It will be a busy week for sure. I have a lot of studying to do. I just hope this goes well! I had a goal of being a "commercial" pilot by the time I was 40...that’s 9 days away!
wish me luck

A new Home!

2008-02-15T14:15:00.000-06:00

Just a little note to let you know what is going on here. You will notice all the post below are dated in the begining of the post. The reason is because I moved to blogger from another blog hosting site which I was having way to much trouble with. I hope this new format will work much better, we will see.

Round 2!!!

2008-02-15T13:53:00.001-06:00

February 11th, 2008
OK, thing are starting to come together again. Lets back up a bit and discuss what happened before. I had decided to go out of town to attend an accelerated commercial pilot course. Unfortunately everything that could have gone wrong…did! I was told there would be designated examiners available at any time (we have two on staff, so i was told, but not true) Well, we couldn’t get an examiner when we would have really needed one. The first day I showed up, the cfi i was to be paired up with wasn’t there. So, first day lost. Day two high winds and snow! The cfi did show up that day, but we spent about 3-4 hours tops together and didn’t really cover all that much. Which was a disappointment, because I made sure before I scheduled myself to go that they had a “structured ground school”…they didn’t He (the cfi) was like, well read that tonight on your own. I COULD HAVE DONE THAT AT HOME!!! the weather did not cooperate either. two days of snow, One day of winds 30-40kts. Oh did i mention the presidential TFR. MX issues with the airplane. OK, if you know you have someone coming into town to fly a specific airplane. don’t you think you would want to have the plane ready? I really like the owner of the school. I know he will have a good product, I’m just not sure he is fully up to speed yet. The CFI was a nice guy, but we didn’t communicate very well, and his teaching method was different then any other I had ever seen. One day we spent about 30 min looking for “pylons” to do eights around pylon maneuver. Its like just pick something for cryin out loud!
Anyway…I’m back home. I called a local guy who used to be the chief flight instructor for a local school, and is an ex-USAF pilot, he has agreed to help me finish up and I have scheduled my check ride for Feb 26. 3 days before my 40th birthday! My goal has been to be a commercial pilot by the time I’m 40. I’m cutting it close! I hope I get it done this time!!!

Houston we have a problem!

2008-02-15T13:52:00.003-06:00

February 1st, 2008
Wow, where to begin. As i wrote before, i had decided to go out of town to get my commercial single. One of those so called Accelerated courses. Well, Im sitting in an airport in the middle of fly over country at 1130pm waiting for a chance to get a standby seat at 9am. without a commercial license…So, to say the least, im not happy. I will get into details later, right now i just want my bed!

The count down has begun

2008-02-15T13:52:00.001-06:00

January 13th, 2008
Well, I have made a choice. I am departing good ole south Texas Jan 28th heading to chilly Kansas to do an accelerated commercial pilot course! I have the written exam done, I have the amount of flying needed (actually more than…270hrs tt) all I need is to learn the commercial maneuvers, and PASS the commercial practical. So, by Feb 1st I will be a commercial pilot!!! I will be at Career Pilot School. I have heard good things so far about them, as best as i can tell by their website, they have their stuff together! I hope so OK, any commercial guys out there that have any tips for me?

One small step for man…ok so its not that big a deal…

2008-02-15T13:51:00.002-06:00

January 5th, 2008
OK so its not as big of a deal, as stepping onto the moon, but I did save 10% on my car insurance…Oh sorry (this is where my wife would roll her eyes at my usual bad joke!), I PASSED my commercial written exam today!!! WOOHOO with a 91%. Not the score I wanted but hey, its a pass!So, now it’s time to jump back into the video’s again and watch the king check ride dvd with good ole Martha and J.C.I swear the kings should offer me a discount on my next purchase for all the plugs i have given them.Oh get this. I sent in my 3 practice exams to kingschools to get my instructor endorsement, My wife calls me while I was at work to say she had received it back from them, she says it’s signed my John King. I was like oh sure…but sure enough when I seen it, it said John king on it. Boy did I feel special. Someone at kingschools stamped my paper with a big ole rubber stamp with the big guys name on it! Oh well, I will just keep telling everyone its really his signature:-)So now what? I hope about 10 hours of finish up in the Arrow and I will be a commercial pilot. I hope to have it done before the end of Jan! We will see, but that is my goal.I have not been in a plane for over a month so the first thing is to rent a plane for some currency work! I need to make sure I can hold headings a altitude still! So, for now its study time and I hope to report real soon that I am available for hire!!!

Where did it go?

2008-02-15T13:51:00.001-06:00

December 30th, 2007
Another year gone, wow…where did it go? It amazes me sometimes, it seems time is going faster. It seems like we just had the 07 near your change. As for my training…I’m still studying for the commercial ground. I hope I will have my commercial License by the middle of Jan 08. I think I have decided to continue and get my CFI-I and Mei. Since there are not a lot of options for low timers. I’m still only at 266TT. I have to wonder about the cfi thing, Sometimes It feel like I do not know anything. I don’t think its possible to learn enough to teach someone else to fly! Well, that’s my perception anyway, I’m sure I can do it.
Anyway, I wish you a very Happy New year, I hope your 2008 is a great, blessed year!

Merry Christmas

2008-02-15T13:50:00.002-06:00

December 14th, 2007
Just a side note and a moment away from flying. I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, As a follower and believer of Jesus Christ I wish you a Happy and very Blessed New Year!

Rand peck, a life aloft

2008-02-15T13:50:00.001-06:00

December 14th, 2007
For those of you who enjoy reading about the airline life, You will love this. This guy has some great stories and awesome pictures. This is the kind of airline pilot I would love to be, and the kind of Captian I would like to fly with! Maybe someday I will get lucky and get the chance to meet him!

6.6 hours in a Cessna 172…My back side still hurts

2008-02-15T13:49:00.001-06:00

December 1st, 2007
Well I just finished up another requirement for the commercial license. I did my LOOOOOONG Cross country. San Antonio to Gladwater TX about 260ish miles. 6.6 hours in a 172 is a lot of flying. It was however just a wonderful day to fly! Vis was great, and the air was amazingly smooth. Traffic into SAT was coming almost directly inbound my outbound course. after checking the plane, it was time to climb in and get ready to go. everything went smooth on the ground. simple taxi to 12R at Kilo quick run up and all is good. Tower gives me the takeoff clearance (fly rnwy hdg and cleared for t/o 12R) and off I go. I’m thinking after i start my roll that its unusual to get a fly runway hdg when you have an airliner coming in behind you. Usually they want you to turn north or south real quick, but if that’s what they want, ok. Shortly after takeoff I’m settling in for a short climb up to 5500. They keep me on the runway hdg for awhile as they let a couple takeoff from the crossing rnwy, then finally I get a turn to the north. It’s then that I realize why they took me before turning NE. As I already mention the inbound traffic was coming right down my outbound course. I was really amazed that they turned me as soon as they did. I had three airliners pass me by very very close. It was very cool Finally i get out of the SAT area and I get turned over to Austin approach. My flight path was directly over AUS. I figured they would circle me around but they didn’t. It was a great view of the new AUS/burgstrom airport. Once again I was intermingling with the big guys. They had a SWA take off and fly below me and up along side me. Again it was very neat. A few min later An American MD80 come right at me, It was so close. closer then I had ever come to one in flight! After passing Austin the flight became much quieter. There was not much activity out there.
Finally it was time to play a little, pull out the sectional, mark some ground reference point time them check ground speeds winds etc. Not that I had to do it the “old fashioned way” The moving map gps was giving me all that info too, Figured I had the time so might as well keep myself busy! I was really surprised even a couple hours into the flight and the heat of the day coming it was still very smooth. I didn’t even need an auto pilot. Trimmed her up and she flew great. I finally made it to the glade water area, had just passed over Taylor TX at 16 out began a descent. Over flew the field made left traffic to runway 14 and had an uneventful landing into Gladewater. Now it’s time for a short break, a ham sandwich and fuel.
Fueled up and ready to go. I decide to take 17 to make it a short turn to on-course heading. It’s funny. My PPL training was done on a field in Missouri. The field was 2200X49 (FES). Never gave it a second though about the length, But when you start flying out of a 8000X150 all of a sudden 2200 seems REAL SHORT! It was obviously long enough.The flight back was pretty much the same. Climbed up to 6500 the air was smooth as could be. Settled in for the long ride back at 96kts ground speed!
Finally made it back to the San Antonio Area. Decided to make my second stop at a local field with cheap fuel (if you can call $3.45 cheap) I had never landed there, so I didn’t know what to expect. Had an RV in the pattern so I just followed him around. Then while on downwind I seen the runway, this thing had a huge downward slope to it. They built this rnwy on a hill. I crossed the number and flared and the runway just kept dropping away from me. Strangest landing I have ever made.
Got my fuel and headed home, got back at dusk pushed her into the hanger and called it a day! Sometime you just feel fortunate that you can fly, that we have the ability…Some days you just really love to fly! This was one of them!

Slowly but…

2008-02-15T13:48:00.000-06:00

November 10th, 2007
I’m studying for the ground portion of my commercial pilot license! I wish I could say it’s going good, but its not, at least not fast enough. Im thinking about going up to skymates in arlington. I think I could hamer out the single engine commercial, and then the multi engine commercial add-on in about a week! I want to get it done so i can get on with life. Try to find a flying postion so I can start building time! Oh well, nothing major to report…Any ideas about how to approach the comm training? I case I dont make it back, Happy Thanksgiving!

ARE WE THERE YET?

2008-02-15T13:47:00.000-06:00

October 26th, 2007
It’s getting close enough to smell! With the Instrument rating in the bag, I have now moved on to the Commercial ground studies…YES, More Martha (I know you’re jealous). The only thing I NEED to finish for the flight portion (Other then learning the maneuvers) Is one night vfr cross country, and one long cross country with at least one leg of 250nm and 3 stops. I already have 259 hours so I’m good on the hour requirement. I’m very excited to start this. Not that is will do me a whole lot of good as i will stillÂ have less then 300 hrs after earning my commercial ticket! So I will still need to build some time. I’m starting to think about glider towing! We have a lot of glider ops in this area. Honestly I don’t like the idea of towing gliders, but hey, I need experience! I will go formy multi engine comm/instr. as soon as i’m done with my single engine commercial! Well depending on the $$$$ situation (any independently wealthy folks out there who would like to help a poor pilot out…haha). I told my father in law, after i get the multi, everytime we go up in his plane…he’s going under the hood! He has a 55 model beech Baron. I found a great deal on a twin to acquire the rating, $175 hour for a Seneca! SO when the time comes, I have a multi study course, and I will buy a pow for the seneca and make sure I know the plane inside and out, so I can limit my training time!
Well, speaking of studying, I better get at it! The sooner i take the written, the sooner I start the lessons. End of November is my goal!…We’ll see!

Instrument Rating Practical…How it went!

2008-02-15T13:46:00.000-06:00

October 21st, 2007
First of all, Let me say I have read a few reports from others who went before me on the IR check-ride, and all I can say is I got lucky! I almost feel like it was given to me, but that doesn’t make since because the DE I used has a reputation for not being easy! Honestly It bothered for a little while, I felt i did not deserve the pass! However the more I think about it, the more I think he did me a favor. Now, I know I will keep studying about Instrument flying, and I will be determined to go and build my experience stronger, so I WILL feel confident in my flying!
SO lets get to that day! Here In South Texas 350 days out of the year the wind are out of the south! The two most common places this particular DPE like to do his test are KSAT and KERV. Ok, Great I have flown the Hold and VOR-AÂ Off center point VOR into ERV many times. I also have flown the ils12R into KSAT many times….well…NOT today!!! The winds…350 and Center Point VOR was out of service! So I find out I will be flying approaches I have never flown! Shouldn’t be a problem, I mean that what we train for, RIGHT?
Well, he shows up (20 min early) and we begin with a little small talk, he checks the IACRA and He briefs me on what we will be doing…OK so far. He ask for the flight plan kinda looks it overÂ ask a couple basic question and puts it aside! Ask for the airplane LOG check all the appropriate entries, and is satisfied with the plane! Then immediately goes into weather. Has me open up duats (which is what I told him I use)Starts asking me questions about how I find out about T-STorms Airmets etc…easy enough, Duats labels each section.Â went through the weather completely, Doesn’t ask me a single question about notams…Ok who am I to complain. He then had me pull up some charts off of NOAA’s website that I had never seen, ask me questions, I tried to stumble through, but could not answer all of them. He seemed to want to teach me a little bit about weather, which was fine too, I already had a pad out and had been taking notes! Asked me where I would have planned an alternate to, IF i would have needed one. I told him and he seemed pleased with the answer. Believe it or not, that was pretty much it. NO ??? on mea’s mca’s maa’s mra’s, never looked at the enroute chart. Asked me about required equipment for IFR flight!
So then he wanted to take a little lunch break, had me file for a local IFR, 1 Hold and one vor approach into T82 of the stonewall vor. After lunch, we head out to the plane, he watches me preflight ask a couple basic questions tried to act like he was just standing around, but I bet he never missed a single thing! I found a loose bolt hanging out of the cowling. so off to the MX people I go, NO biggie, pop the cowling he showed the de where he had just put a NEW bolt but never found the one he lost (which I found) again he was happy and ready. We climb in, plane doesn’t start, after about six trys the starter finally engages and we start up, taxi back to the fbo so We can go inside and call for a clearance (no rco on the field). 30 min later of being on hold, he says forget it we will simulate…ok, hope in the plane doesn’t start again!!! 4 times later we get ignition and we are off. Climb out is fine, plane is good its getting to be around 130 so its getting bumpy. I make it to the vor and I lose my stop watch! I’m in a hold trying to use my watch, somehow i manage to pull off a hold we head inbound I descend to mda and he says hood off and make a low circle app. well I’m right on a right base within glide range so I say, I have the field made I’m leaving my mda. I think he wanted to make an actual circle, but hey I was right in front of my rnwy, I was taking it…ok low app then back out of the area for some partial panel. real basic. compass turns and that’s all, but then he did some unusual attitude partial panel. At one point i was nose low airspeed was 140 kts in an archer with 154 VNE. Ok altimeter isÂ spining down as is vsi and airspeed is climbing…Power off gently nose up until the stop he takes It and one more. From there we fly to ksat for anÂ ils12r. was no to bad, but not good either. We had a lot of heavy iron behind us and controllers not happy with us. we were told to land so we stopped he went in an fbo made a call to the tower got permission for another app. the second was the 12r localizer PARTIAL PANEL..still have controllers yelling still have big stuff behind us and one point they fly an erj over out heads. This one was real sloppy, I almost went full scale deflection but pulled it back just in time! we descend to MDA and he has me fly the full length of the rnwy at MDA, man was I glad the controller finally told be to climb and turn out…because that was it he said hood off, and i started breathing again. He never said a word if i passed or not, I could haveÂ busted no less then 3 times (I seen it, not sure if he did!) It was a ride from hell to be honest. we started at 910 am and finished at 1600.
I wish I could offer some more solid advice for those whoÂ still have to take the ir ride, but I just dont think this was a normal ride…or maybe that is the advice…BE READY FOR ANYTHING!!!Â Dont just memorize the app’s you think the de uses, be ready to fly any approach in any sitaution, and most importantly, dont give up, even if you think your doing bad….DONT GIVE UP!!!

ITS DONE, AND I PASSED!!!!!OH YEAH!

2008-02-15T13:45:00.002-06:00

October 18th, 2007
Well, I’m beat and its late, but i had to simply say I passed the IR check ride today…Finally! more to come!!!

WHAT??? MY IFR PRACTICAL IS TOMORROW????? I gotta be nuts!

2008-02-15T13:45:00.001-06:00

October 17th, 2007
OK, so i meet up with cfi this morning. We had some nice low clouds but I figured we would wait for clear sky’s and just do some ground. Which I hated because I want to get into actual whenever i can, but…TOMORROW is the check ride! I needed to wait to get the heat going so I could fly in the bumps like i will be tomorrow. The pilot examiner likes to fly at around 1pm…so here in south texas, that there is bumpy air time! Well, so after some ground prep, we finally took off just for a short last minute prep flight! We figured we would just fly up to CSI vor do a hold one vor-A approach and go home…so after t/o just starting to turn out, i notice I’m not getting a signal on #1 or #2 vor…What??? that is probably the way it will happen tomorrow, I need to fly this…I ask cfi, did you check notams? NO!!! Neither did I. Doesn’t matter, learned a good lesson, you always have to be ready for a change in plans. So, lets go to stonewall and fly the vor-a there. so flip through the book and pull out the plate brief it, or try to while trying to keep it in my lap. Well, it wasn’t pretty, but I made it through!
The nerves are starting to go crazy. I still don’t feel ready! I Just hope it all works out! I don’t want to do it again!Â
TO BE CONTINUED