My Aircraft Wish List

This post, I've decided, is both realistic and unrealistic.  It's practical and impractical.  I thought it would be a good idea to write out my thoughts on an airplane wish list. Since I began flying, my thoughts have often drifted toward aircraft ownership.  Two years ago being young, naive, and fresh to the field of aviation, I had no idea what an airplane cost, nor how to even acquire one.  A quick Google search found me having to reattach my jaw seeing how much even a 30 year old beat-up trainer would even cost.  This discovery has taught me that I am not currently financially stable enough for aircraft ownership, and frankly, I'm not sure where or when this might happen.  Yet, the dream lives on that I might someday own an aircraft of my very own.  What follows is a list of what I'd like to own.  Keep in mind that I'm not looking to buy jets, or even a new airplane, but something simple and practical that would allow me to continue to fly for fun and travel.

#1.  1978 (or newer) Piper Arrow II (PA-28R-200)

PA-28R-200

Built on Piper's classic PA-28 airframe known as the "Cherokee" series, the Arrow is a classic 4-place airplane with the addition of retractable landing gear and a constant speed propeller.  This airplane would be "it" for me; it's a complete package and would allow me to transition to a complex airplane and use for further training and travel.  The Cherokee has always had docile handling characteristics, is very forgiving in stalls, and is easy to fly. A 200HP 4 cylinder engine allows for higher cruise speeds without guzzling gas and retractable gear creates less drag.  If I were actually looking to purchase this airplane, I would also be looking for a moving map GPS, such as a GNS 430WAAS, an autopilot, and a three-blade constant speed prop.

There are several drawbacks to this airplane, though. Any airplane that has retractable gear means more money in insurance costs and annual inspections. Gear-up landings are a fear of every retractable pilot, though Arrows are equipped with a system that helps to prevent this, when it is working properly, or hasn't been completely disabled by a previous owner.  The other fear is gear failure. If you don't have "three greens" on final, you've got to find a solution.  Gear malfunctions are always a possibility, and a quick search on YouTube of gear malfunctions will cause you to grind your teeth when you hear aluminum slide across a runway.  Gear up landings usually mean prop strikes too, which means the engine comes out, gets torn apart and inspected for damage.  As any pilot will tell you, "That ain't cheap."

#2 1976 (or newer) Piper Archer II (PA-28-181)

PA-28-181

Another entry in the PA-28 airframe series, the Archer is very similar to the Arrow, with a few exceptions.  A cabin that's smaller by a few inches is hardly noticeable, but what is easy to notice is the fixed landing gear.  Archers are outfitted with a 180 HP engine, resulting in cruise speeds that are slower than the Arrow, but still makes for an enjoyable trip.  The same docile, forgiving and easy flying characteristics are still there, and '76 introduced the tapered wing design, where the previous versions featured the classic "Hershey bar" wing.  If I were purchasing one of these, I would still be looking for a moving map GPS.  Wheel fairings would also a must because personally, a fixed gear airplane looks naked without them.

With any airplane, there are some trade offs.  The fixed landing gear would definitely cause you to avoid any gear up landings and both insurance and annual inspection costs would be lower compared to the Arrow.  However, a less powerful engine means slower cruise speeds and fixed gear means additional drag on your airplane.  What you exchange in lower ownership costs results in taking a little longer to get to your destination.  Still, its a great airplane to have for a first-time owner.

#3 1978 (or newer) Cessna 152 (C152)

C152- one I actually flew!

I would think that a lot of pilots would've thought that they would see this airplane earlier on this list than where it falls.  Really, that comes down to me as the author.  I built about half my time in a 152 training as a private pilot before I switched to a Piper, and I've simply found a low-wing design to be better than their counterpart.  However, the Cessna 152 is an unsung hero to it's big brother, the 172 (which I have 0 time in!) Yes, half the world has trained in a 172, but 152's are just fun to fly.  A small two-seater plane, with a 110HP engine allows you to build time by flying slowly.  152s aren't about getting to your destination quickly, but enjoying the trip along the way. 152's are effortless to fly, and are tough because their primary purpose is a trainer.  Best of all, they're relatively cheap.  Cheap to buy and cheap to own.  All these factors make the 152 a great first time purchase.  If I were buying one for myself, I'd still want the moving map and IFR certification.

The 152 is a great airplane, no arguments there.  I prefer Piper over Cessna, and I'll still tell you the 152 is a great airplane. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a nice 152 that does not have a ton of hours on it.  Because the 152's primary purpose was to serve as a trainer, they are highly available, but most have quite a few hours on them.  This can also translate into them being beat up.  I've had my share of bounced and hard landings in a 152 and the 152 has to endure such abuse from many students.  You'll also have to sink some money into some avionics if you want to fly IFR.  152's are usually VFR airplanes.  They're light, and flying IFR in some conditions may get you and the plane thrown around a bit, so you may just want to save your money and fly VFR only.  Stalls can also be tricky with this plane.  If you're not coordinated when the plane stalls (and even when you are) you can likely experience a wing drop which, if not caught in time with the rudder, would result in a spin.

Honorable mention:  Piper Cherokee Dakota (PA-28-235)

PA-28-235

Visually no different from its Archer counterpart, all the difference in this plane lies underneath the engine cowling.  Under the cowling is a 235 HP engine turning this plane into quite a load carrier for the single engine Piper fleet.  This airplane is one of those that is an actual four place aircraft, where you can take off with four people in the plane and the tanks full of fuel.  You can't do that in the Arrow or the Archer.  You could try it, but they'll be pulling you out of the trees- if you can get that high.  Out front is also a constant speed propeller creating greater efficiency when flying, and underneath, reliable fixed gear.  If you've got WAAS avionics, this plane has you all set, in my opinion.

But the advantage is your disadvantage.  A 235 horsepower engine will guzzle gas all day long.  And, you'll also need a high performance rating for this airplane.  It seems to me if you're not carrying a full load, you're wasting your money on this plane.  But if you've got the extra cash to throw around on extra fuel, why not?  Then again, why not upgrade to a bigger plane since you're getting a high performance rating.  A Cherokee Six, Saratoga, or Lance will let you carry six passenger with 300 horsepower.  Probably not the best option for a first time buyer, but still a solid airplane.


One Day You Wake Up, and it All Makes Sense

As a private pilot training for his instrument rating, I feel obligated to mention that IFR training is completely different from that of the initial private pilot ticket.  I may have said this before, and if so, let me just reinforce that idea again.  In my previous posts, I've mentioned staring at lines on  charts in hopes that I can establish a connection with what to do, or how to fly them.  Things often take a turn for the abstract when looking at approach plates and en route charts, and the phrase "always be ahead of your airplane" has never been more true when trying to fly those lines in an actual airplane.

Since I received a passing score on my instrument knowledge test, I have taken the next step and started the flight portion of the training process.  During this time, I've finally managed to build 100 hours of total flight time as PIC (Pilot in Command).  This doesn't mean much in terms of aviation.  There's no celebration and no shirt tails are cut.  It's just an entry in a log book.  However, we in the aviation community always mention that your first 100 hours is your "license to learn".  Finally having surpassed the 100 hour mark, I don't exactly feel seasoned.  Experienced, yes.  I feel safe saying I know enough to be dangerous.  (Using the word dangerous very loosely here).

However, during my flight training process, it seemed to me that I had difficulty figuring out just HOW to fly an instrument approach.  Sure, there are dots and lines leading you right up to the runway and step down altitudes that tell you how to get there safely.  In all honesty, I know how to read an approach plate, but developing the kinesthetic sense of flying the approach did not make any sense.



Where to?

Until now.  One morning I woke up, and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  It all just "clicked" together and I think what made it happen was finally flying it in the left seat; developing those thought processes and actual feel of preparing the aircraft to fly the approach.  A few summers back, I actually taught a ground school for private pilots, and I had a couple of students who wanted to get some airtime while they learned the ground work.  I suggested that they complete their ground work first in order to maximize their experiences in the air and as such, I decided to do the same while preparing for this instrument ticket.  However, I now can understand their frustration and confusion with what they were studying.  Sometimes what you're learning just doesn't make sense until the prop is turning and you're 3,500 feet in the air.



ACTUAL hand flown procedure turn and ILS approach. Like a boss.

Now that it's "clicked" I hope it sticks.  I am to a point where my confidence is rising and I'm feeling more proficient in my abilities to fly IFR.  In fact, while my training syllabus has quite a bit of stuff to do before I start flying places, I am eager to work through them (and even jumping ahead in some cases) to begin planning and flying trips.



The Quest for IFR: First Leg- Complete

The contents of this past week have been filled with excitement, stress, anxiety, and worry.  This cocktail of emotions came to the summit of what I have been preparing for the past three months: my IFR Knowledge Test.  Studying in short, hour-long bursts on a semi-regular schedule and reviewing all content questions at least twice, I began the final process of preparing for my tests by completing mock tests.  12 of them.  While all of my grade results were satisfactory by the standards of the FAA, I considered them to be below my personal minimums.

Once the day arrived that I was to actually take my test, I had to stop and collect my thoughts over what had occurred the past few days.  My test scores, while passing, weren't where I wanted them to be.  To further complicate the problem, it is theorized by many flight instructors that students will do about 10 points less on their actual test compared to a simulated test.  This is due to a variety of factors including new or strange test questions and test anxiety.  This "10 point factor" also held true for me when I completed my Private Pilot Knowledge Test.  Factoring in the "10 point factor" I began to realize that there was a strong possibility that I would not meet my personal minimum goal for my knowledge test.  Concerned over this, I decided to cancel my test, and use the weekend to review and polish up a little more.

That weekend, I continued my regimen of practice tests with moderate results at first.  As the weekend continued, I saw my scores slowly begin to increase to a satisfactory level.  Internally, I still wasn't completely satisfied with myself, but the realization that I was running out of time gave me no further room to delay my test.  As my test day grew closer, I began to realize that my learning had plateaued and that it would continue to remain in such a trend unless I changed my study habits.  Not having the time for this, I decided to face the challenge, use what extra days I had left and do the best that I could do.

On test day, the hours of the day crept by at a slow pace, each adding a bit more stress and pressure as my test time grew closer.  I even had brought some last minute study notes with me to review in my spare time, but the busyness of the work day kept me from glancing at them.

Finally, it was time.  I walked into the testing facility, my heart beating furiously from the nervousness contained within my body.  After completing paperwork, and verifying my name and address a minimum of 5 times, I sat down in font of the computer and began my test.  As I saw my first question, I felt my eyes widen in fear.  I was being asked a question I had never even seen or studied.  "Maybe it's just one of those new questions they ask you," I thought to myself.  The FAA will include 5 questions in s test for data collection that don't affect the grade of the test. Testers are not notified which questions are for this purpose, but I have to say it's pretty evident.

I pressed on, reviewing each question and selecting my answers and marking those I wasn't sure about to later review.  Completing all of my questions, I reviewed my marked ones and finally submitted it for grading.  Stepping out of the room to notify the proctor, she asked me if I'd like to review the ones I missed.  "Nope.  Just give me my grade," I said anxiously.  Looking back, I know this was a foolish decision, but I had been through so much anxiety that I didn't care at that point.  I didn't want to see how many I missed, because I knew I would count them to calculate my grade and didn't want to risk any disappointment.

Hearing the printer finally spin up, I knew that what was on that piece of paper would either make the rest of my week, or crush me in disappointment and fill me with fear of having to continue what has already been a long, drawn out process.  Looking at my test results, my eyes caught it. "PASSED".  While it was a promising sign, I also wanted to make sure that my score was above my personal minimum.  A second later, I found my actual score and realizing it was ABOVE my personal minimum, I raised my hands in victory.

Relief came to me instantly.  The long 3 months of studying had paid off and came to a successful completion.  That evening, I walked out of the testing facility, a smile on my face, satisfaction in my soul, and adventure on my mind as to what will follow next- the flying portion!

COP

COP. By now in my pursuit of an IFR certificate, I've learned that this acronym means "Change Over Point" and indicates to pilots using VORs to switch VOR frequencies in order to maintain adequate reception and ensure proper course heading and track.  Using a change over point means that a pilot must tack a new VOR in order to maintain course.  I've also found that I have just arrived at a COP in my journey to the instrument rating.  After investing time and money into this next step of my aviation journey, I've learned that I may need to begin to re-evaluate my decisions about how I am going to accomplish this certificate.

A Change Over Point as shown on an Enroute Chart

To explain, I need to set up a bit of a back story.  My last VFR flight revealed to me that it was time to go up with an instructor again.  In short, my landings were terrible, nearly bouncing every time and even wheel-barrowing in on one landing.  Due to personal budget limitations, the past few months have kept me out of the left seat, allowing my skills to further deteriorate and even allowing my currency to expire.  Needless to say, as July moves in, I look forward to getting some flight time in to work on my takeoffs and landings and gain my currency back.

Today, after a quick round of emails with my instructor this morning, I've learned that the Cherokee that I had intended on flying this weekend (as well as using for my instrument rating) has recently been taken offline and is now unavailable to rent.  Surprised to hear this, I wasn't able to fully connect my thoughts on the implications of how this would affect my continual training until it finally sunk in- "Where do I go from here?"

Sure, there are other aircraft available for rent and nicer ones at that too, even ones with autopilots.  However, those luxuries comes with a price that I am not willing to pay.  After all, I've set a personal goal to not spend as much money on this rating as I did with my initial ticket and I choose to remain committed to that goal.

For now, I'm still committing to continue with this rating even though the thought of "cutting my losses" has crept across my brain today. Though I would probably have a more flexible budget if I made that decision, I've put in too much time, I've spent too much money, and I enjoy flying too much to simply turn my back and walk away.

I've got some decisions to make ahead of me.  I'll keep you posted as I make them.

Shut up and study!

There come some occasions in life when that voice in the back of your head challenges your ability to believe that you will be successful at something.  Lately, all I've heard is, "This is too much," or "You're never going to get this." Usually, this voice has crept up on me when studying for my knowledge test.  This week, I finally responded to that voice and I said, "SHUT UP!"  So far, my greatest challenge in studying for my knowledge test has been myself.  Having finally realized this, I believe I'm starting to make some headway.

I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to my study process, reading and attempting to understand why each answer is the specific answer the FAA is looking for.  This process takes a huge amount of time and with over 1,000 available questions for the IFR knowledge test, it is a daunting process.  Because this task is so huge, I've allowed my self-doubts to creep in and challenge my self efficacy.

However, I've come to realize that possibly my approach is a bit off.  One of the things I learned in graduate school was that adult learners have different learning methods and they must adapt and develop ways of learning that create success for them.  So while I like to have a firm understanding and knowledge of why each answer is correct, I've also come to realize that this isn't always entirely necessary.

Indeed, there are multiple test questions that essentially have the same answer, but are worded differently.  These are not a problem.  Then there are others that are heavy on diagrams and charts which require a little more effort in an attempt to understand what the specific processes are.  Here is where I use a bit of training from my undergraduate career as a drama major.  When in the rehearsal process, a trick I used to memorize my lines were to find operative words in the script that connected a string of thoughts or ideas of the character, and the same process has worked with my private pilot knowledge test.

I'm not saying that memorizing the answers to the test without understanding the content of the answers is what I'm doing, but in a way it is.  However, I've found that when using this process, the concepts begin to connect and make sense once I'm finally in the airplane. This will make more efficient use of my study time and will allow me to review more questions.  All it takes now is a little bit of repetition.  Now that I'm over my self-doubts, it's time to develop my groove and get settled into it.

IFR: Weeks 2 and 3

I must admit that the past few weeks have not been too heavily laden with IFR study time.  In fact, I think I've actually studied only a handful of days out of the past two weeks.  Case and point, this IFR work is much slower than what I had anticipated.  These past few weeks, I've found myself distracted by other things to keep me entertained- like a Nintendo DS and Wii.  And while I've been pretty lucky at collecting all of the Star Coins in Super Mario Bros on the DS and Wii, I can only tell you some stuff about an enroute IFR chart.



Study me!



This looks more fun!

The upside to this story is after reviewing the flight planning session, and starting to feel over my head, I decided to break the natural progression.  Usually, I check off the list topic by topic.  Breaking from this routine, I started looking at the IFR charts instead.  I figured it'd be better if I understood how to read and interpret those before looking at flight planning so I could at least understand a segment of the flight planning process. Again, after finishing over 150 questions, I felt exhausted, but felt like I had learned something.  I must admit that while I have still learned, the details are still quite fuzzy.

Getting down to it, I've become dissatisfied with my study process.  Clearly, this process isn't working as well as it has for me in the past.  Possibly because there is a lot of information to take in that is completely different from what was required for private pilot training, and possibly because I'm intimidated by everything so I just strafe away from it- a self discipline issue.

So now it's time to take a step back and reconfigure what needs to be done.  I've got a solution in mind, but I am currently waiting on the right things to fall into place.  If they do, I'm hoping this new strategy will be more effective than what I've used in the past.  The unfortunate side to this is having to spend more money for the training, but in order to meet my set goal, perhaps this is a necessary sacrifice.  I am still determined to pass my knowledge test first.  I still have my simulator waiting on me once I'm ready.  I am still hopeful, but to be honest, I wish this process were easier than what it is.

IFR: A Week In

Last week, I wrote a post with the fullest intention to begin the process to add the IFR ticket to my Private Pilot Certificate.  While I still have the intention to do so, the first week has been rather uneventful.  As I sat down the first night in front of my computer to begin this process, my study software had the first topic to address- Federal Aviation Regulations.  97 questions to review, I set to work looking at each question, settling back into the once-familiar groove I used to prepare for the PPL and AGI.  Some 50 minutes later I finished reviewing, feeling accomplished in the fact that I had learned some new things.

The next day I continued the routine, but not before reviewing what I'd looked at the day before.  This particular day's topic was IFR Flight Planning and after a few minutes in, I began to feel somewhat under prepared.  This study session brought with it lots of charts, flight plans, and general trivial information that needed to be crammed in my head.  Soon I realized that I didn't have what I needed to be successful for this session, so a few minutes later I closed the session and took to the internet to order my testing supplement that is full of those charts and diagrams.  Personally, I prefer to have the booklet in front of me, rather than staring at a computer screen and being forced to use scroll bars to grasp the entire picture.  While I was at it, I also ordered my IFR kneeboard and View-limiting device, even though I knew I would not be needing them anytime soon.

Since my supplies were not scheduled to arrive for the next few days I took a break from studying, rationalizing the fact that I still have plenty of time to get everything in.  I fully had the intention of studying more this week, but after a brief spell of feeling under the weather and lacking the motivation necessary to study, I found myself short on study time this week.

Feeling a bit better this weekend I found myself in front of my computer screen again studying away.  Now that my testing supplement had arrived, I felt more confident in my abilities to grasp the material, but after a few questions in, I once again felt the doubts creeping in.  The material again seemed foreign and unfamiliar, and I began to realize that some additional reading and review is going to be required before I move further.  Cutting my study session short once again, I decided to call it a night, and save everything else for this week.  I still have plenty of time ahead of me to get familiar with this material.  I am determined to be successful.

Total Study Time:  2.3 hours

The Quest for IFR

Let's face it, I'm not an avid blogger, but after reading a post by professional pilot and avid aviation blogger, Brad of AirlinePilotChatter, I'm willing to give this another shot.  Recently, Brad, a First Officer for American Airlines won a bid to upgrade to First Officer on a B737 after faithfully flying the MD80 for over 10 years.  As he wrote in his blog, he mentioned his study and preparation process for transitioning to a new aircraft and mentioned that it was similar to "drinking from a fire hose."  I am somewhat familiar with this process, having studied and successfully obtained a Private Pilot Certificate and an Advanced Ground Instructor Certificate, but I can't imagine what the process must be like for learning an entirely different aircraft, and a jet at that.

However, after reading Brad's post, somehow, he inspired me to muster up enough confidence to initiate my next aviation goal- an instrument rating.  One of my new year's resolutions was to start my IFR ticket this year, and yesterday became Day 1.  I must say that I am somewhat intimidated having no other instrument experience other than what was required for the Private Pilot Certificate, and looking at approach plates and reviewing Federal Aviation Regulations, I once again feel like I am shrouded in ambiguity and the unknown.  At the same time, I urge myself to push through, and remind myself that this is only the first week.  Things are going to seem foreign and confusing.  They were when I first started out for my initial ticket.  But it seems the benefits of the IFR ticket- becoming a more proficient and safe pilot seem to outweigh those challenges.

So now, I'm buckling in, and preparing myself yet again for the challenges ahead of me, but hopefully a little more wiser this time around.  While earning my PPL, I was very anxious about getting up in the air, so I decided to fly first before ever sitting down to complete my knowledge test.  Looking back with my PPL in hand, I've learned a few lessons that I'm going to apply to this IFR ticket:

The Plan
Study first, fly later.  One of the reasons why I think it took me so long to initially complete my PPL is because I didn't complete my knowledge test first.  Once I did, concepts seemed to come easier to me, having the understanding of how it affects the flight.  Before I ever get in the plane to train for instrument flying, I will make certain that I have a passing grade on my knowledge test first.

The Plane
Once the written test is complete, it's time to jump in the plane, and a familiar one at that.  After trying to figure out how to save as much money as possible for this rating, I will be flying the same plane I complete my PPL checkride in, a 1971 Piper Cherokee 140.  This particular plane has had a 160hp upgrade and features a Garmin 430 WAAS.  Since I began flying this plane, Piper has become my favorite aircraft company, thanks to this plane's stability and easiness to fly.  I also happen to be a sucker for low wings.



1971 Piper Cherokee 140

The Timeline
Strategically planning for this new certificate has been fun for me, and if I have my cards right, I plan to start my instrument training the same week I started (and finished) my PPL.  This will be the first week of August.  I plan to sit for my written test sometime in July, giving me about 2 and a half months to prepare.  In the meantime, I have my simulator to use to practice shooting approaches. My foggles (view limiting device) and kneeboard have been ordered and should be arriving later this week.  Once I get into the flying portion, I've budgeted enough money to keep me flying on a constant basis each month until I'm ready for the checkride, which I'm giving about a year.  Personally, I don't want it to take that long, but that's my set goal.

So there it is, my next step into this crazy obsession with aviation.  I am looking forward to the challenges, frustrations, and joys this new rating will bring.  Here's to the quest for IFR!

One is Never Enough

Two is better, but not good enough.  Three is best.  It's the "trifecta" if you will.  What I am referring to here are cameras in the cockpit.  The explosion of small HD cameras such as GoPro and Contour's NFlightCam continues to seep its way into the General Aviation sector as they become smaller, more advanced, and affordable.  This trend creates new potential for General Aviation by opening a new venue of accessibility to a world-wide audience using online venues such as YouTube and Vimeo, reaching out to an audience not exposed to aviation, including the up-and-coming tech savvy younger generation.

Nowhere else can one find such a diversified variety of videos that cover a wide variety of aircraft, all out of the desire to show off the flight experiences in the cockpit.  However, a quick search of YouTube and one will find that while there are a lot of videos of flying on the web, there are very few that have the ability to retain your attention. 

This is a direct result of a lack of camera angles used in the video.  A single six minute video that uses one camera angle may seem appealing at first, but after about 15 seconds into the video, the viewer becomes disinterested and will either skip forward in the video or find another video to watch.  The solution to this is easy- add more cameras, and while it is an easy solution, it creates additional obstacles when the editing begins for pilots new to adding video to the cockpit.

My experiences with video in the cockpit are relatively new as well, but I think I've found an approach that works well for me.  To start, I've began to use three different cameras when flying after finding that two cameras just aren't enough to maintain even my own attention.  Usually, one camera is shooting out of the front of the airplane, another is facing me and my passengers, and the third will vary.  Sometimes it will focus on the instrument panel and other times I will point it out the window, using the wing as a reference point.  I will say that I have seen some other more exciting angles on YouTube where other users have mounted them externally.  While I must admit that it is an awesome angle, I've not summoned the bravery to mount one of my cameras externally since I don't want to potentially lose my mount or camera while in flight.

Next comes audio.  Two of my cameras have audio inputs, and with the right audio cords, I can split the audio off my headset and run it into the camera.  I always use my cockpit audio in any video I make.  One of the biggest challenges to new video users in aviation is the inability to record cockpit audio.  As a result, the camera will record the ambient noise inside the cockpit which is usually a rumbling engine and the slipstream of air over the airplane.  Anything said, unless is is screamed, will be missed by the camera.

Finally, and what is as equally important as the views each camera has is the editing of the final video.  Since I shoot from three angles, I have plenty of material to choose from, but will usually approach my editing using one camera as a foundation, the second as an alternate view, and the third for supplemental shots.  Meaning, each of the three shots has the ability to build off of one another.  Next, I alternate each angle for a short period of time.  Each shot will last no more than 10 to 15 seconds.  This keeps the video "fresh" and the viewer interested.  Throw in the cockpit audio, and viewers are able to see and hear the experiences of what is occurring in the cockpit. For me, this systematic approach is easy to follow, concise, and creates a genuinely interesting and engaging video for internet users, while promoting the world of General Aviation.

Full Circle

This previous week marked an important event in my quest of flight training. This week, I came to the threshold of my flight training- the checkride. Consequently, this major event occurred on the very same week of my two year anniversary of the start of my flight training, so obviously, the pressure and determination was on me that I desperatly wanted to finish what I had started two years ago.

Saturday morning, August 4th, I awoke to my heart racing, burning up; the sheets of my bed lay on top of me. My body knew what was going to happen today. Laying there for a few more minutes, I silenced my alarm radio, got up and looked out the window. Skies were gray and clouds were low. "Just great," I thought to myself. "Just great." Getting dressed and eating breakfast, I took my time as if to delay what was inevitable.

As, time passed, I knew that I could delay no longer, and began to head off to the airport. Upon my arrival, the weather looked no better, and as I had planned, I called in for a weather briefing. "VFR not recommended," the briefer advised. This morning was not off to a great start. As I was on the phone, the examiner arrived, an older man with an experienced, somewhat friendly face. Hanging up the phone, I met with him and my instructor and after a bit of chit chat, I walked in to the meeting room and the examiner closed the door behind me.

I was inside the pressure cooker. I sat down as I handed the examiner my log books to verify that I was indeed qualified to sit for the checkride and after a few brief minutes, "Everything looks to be in order here. Looks like we can get started." After being briefed on how the exam would be conducted, the barrage of questions began. Upon his first question, I felt my heart sink. I was not sure how to respond, but after a brief pause, he rephrased his question, to which I leapt to answer. The questions continued, and with each and every one, my confidence grew. A few questions were littered here and there I had had trouble searching the answer for, but after a pause, finally found one. This process continued, question after question, some I knew, and others I had to take a few moments.

An hour and a half passed and the examiner deemed me successful in my oral examination. Looking out the window behind me, the clouds and weather had made no improvement. Seeing this, the examiner looked at me and said, "I'll give you two options: I can give you a certificate of discontinuance, and we'll pick this up another day when the weather is better, or we can do your takeoffs and landings and get them out of the way. The option is yours." Giving it some thought, I opted to perform my takeoffs and landings.

We walked to the airplane, taking my time to carefully review my checklist and thoroughly preflight the aircraft. After giving it my approval, we climbed in, started the airplane, and taxied to the active runway to begin the practical portion. After receiving clearance for takeoff, the examiner said, "Soft field take off." Knowing what to do, I immediately added my two notches of flaps, pulled full aft on the yoke, and began smooth gradual turns out onto the runway. Lining up on the centerline and smoothly adding full throttle, the airplane accelerated to life, lifting off the runway and then leveling off to pick up speed just inches above the surface. After a few moments, I popped the airplane up and began my climb. We circled around the traffic pattern; several aircraft were in the pattern that day, so I had to keep my eyes peeled.

Once abeam the landing point, the examiner said, "Short field landing, and come to a full stop on the runway." Getting clearance for the option, I brought the plan in on final approach, landed, and brought the aircraft to a stop. "Short field takeoff," the examiner said. And executing the short field technique, we were off again in moments. We made two more trips around the traffic pattern, my nerves eating at me every second, terrified that at any moment the examiner would tell me I no longer meet Practical Test Standards. But I never heard those words. Upon our third landing, we pulled off the runway, stopped, and then checked the weather report. The short trips around the pattern had allowed enough time for the sun to appear, and burn off some of the clouds that were causing low ceiling. Here, the examiner again gave me some options. The option of continuing, or brining it in to finish another time. I decided to go for it.

Receiving takeoff clearance, we lined up, throttled up, and lifted off the runway and began to climb to our planned altitude. Unfortunately, after flying through a cloud, I had to drop my cruise altitude by 1,000 feet to stay out of the clouds. Keeping up with my checkpoints, I passed my first just after a few moments, and planned that I'd come up to my next in about 10 more minutes. Feeling satisfied with this, the examiner made me divert to a nearby airport. Easily enough, I began making my way towards the diverted airport, and a few moments later, I heard "good enough."

"Let's set up for steep turns," I heard the examiner say, and after doing one to the left, and to the right, we began the others: slow flight, power on and off stalls, S-turns, turns around a point, emergency descents, climbing turns, descents, VOR tracking all by reference to instruments, to which I heard the examiner say, "Good."

After making our last maneuver, the examiner said, let's head back home, to which I turned on course and headed towards. Once established on our downwind, the examiner did what I expected- pulled the power on me, and told me not to use flaps. Immediately, I requested a short approach from the tower, which I was denied. Adding power, I extended my downwind and waited until the tower contacted me. Moments later, the tower called my base leg and turning in and then on final, the examiner again pulled the power out. "Make it to the runway," he said. Establishing best glide speed, my heart was racing because I knew I was far from the runway because of the extended downwind leg. The plane glided down, the sight picture through the wind screen as if the plane would make it to the runway, and then not. As the plane got closer, I began to realize the plane WAS going to make it, and as I flared, the plane drifted down onto the runway establishing firm contact with the pavement.

Not hearing any words from the examiner, I was not sure if this was a good sign or not. We taxied onto the ramp, shut the plane down. I then looked at the examiner who looked back at me and said, "Congratulations." Waves of relief swept over my body. I had done it; accomplished my goal. I packed up the rest of my items, secured the plane and walked into the FBO with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. Receiving my temporary airman certificate, I shook hands with my instructor and closed a chapter in my flight training.

Learning to fly has been one of the biggest dreams of mine since I first stepped foot on an airplane when I was in graduate school. Although it has taken me longer than average, I have no regrets in this journey. There simply is no greater satisfaction in life than making one of your dreams come true. Some parts of this have been difficult, and some parts of the time I have been ready to walk away from it, but I will say this: Having finally made this an accomplishment, I would never trade any of these experiences. Ever.

Changes

Wow, haven't made a post since November.  I'm getting good at this procrastination thing.  Eight long months have passed and so much has changed and so much has remained the same.  I still am not a licensed pilot.  Unfortunately, working a full time job with the availability of only flying on the weekends creates a limited schedule.  Throw in summer's heat and storms and the chances of flying drop down even further.  However, there have been some exciting changes:

Ground Instructor Certification.  That's right.  I'm not a licensed pilot, but I happen to be the holder of a shiny new Advanced Ground Instructor certificate.  This came about by an opportunity of creating accessibility to aviation for others who may not have the time to come to a seated class.  I wanted to create an opportunity to transition ground school work to an online format, and as a result, I had to earn my ground instructor rating.  After about 20 hours of studying, I passed my two tests and a few weeks later, I had my new certificate.  The online class has been a challenge.  To some extent it is easy, but the hours that are required to put into it for grading papers, creating quizzes and tests has been tiresome.  Best of all, I get to do all of this after my 8 hours in the office.

New Technology, new plane.  Since the previous post, no longer do I fly the slow "Pinto of the skies" C-152.  Although most of my training hours have been accumulated in the 152, I am now proud to say that I fly a Cherokee 140.  While I'm not crazy about the increase in the hourly rate, I am quite happy with improved power, cruise speed, and stability.  It seriously feels like driving a Cadillac after hours in the 152.  Furthermore, flying the Cherokee has influenced my preference in aircraft.  If it's not a low wing, I probably don't want to fly it.

Aside from the new airplane, I also upgraded a bit of my technology.  I purchased an NFlightCam, so I now have the ability to review my flight as well as what is said between myself, my instructor, and air traffic control.  I think it's an invaluable piece of technology to review your mistakes and celebrate your accomplishments for today, especially when you nail your soft field landing.  I never get in the airplane without my cameras now.  Furthermore, an upgrade to Final Cut Pro X on my Macbook Pro allows me to shoot different angles and edit my frames together to make a decent looking video.  I'm still trying to get things figured out there, but I'm enjoying the ride thus far.

Finally, I can sat that I'm now in the final stretch.  After nearly two years of work and flying, I have scheduled my private pilot checkride.  If successfully completed, I will be a certificated private pilot.  This has been a long endeavor and a costly one, but I have no regrets.  Learning to fly has been one of the greatest challenges and greatest accomplishments of my life to date.  From here, I plan to fly intermittently, while saving money to being working towards an instrument rating.  I am also determined that it will not take me as long to finish this next rating as long as it has taken me to finish the current one I am working on.

Racing to the Finish

Three months have passed since this blog was last updated and a lot has been happening as you could imagine.  Between this and the previous post, I have managed to complete my solo cross country, and begin preparing for my check ride.  I had the fullest of intentions to photograph and document my cross country venture, but once I was in the airplane, my focus fell to flying the airplane.  I had no time to take any pictures.  When you're up there by yourself, things tend to change a bit.  The security of the flight instructor is removed and it is your complete responsibility to ensure you're doing things right.

To sum that cross country up, it was one of the longest trips of my life.  Even though I had previously flown the same route with my flight instructor, I had no one to talk to, no FM radio to listen to, and at one point, I had to make sure I wasn't getting the C-152 I was flying caught up in the wake turbulence of a jet.  I even resorted to singing to myself while on the last leg of my route.  I had actually become that bored.  Never in my life was I so happy to see my home airport come into view on the horizion.  After landing and securing the plane, a feeling of satisfaction swept through my entire body, knowing I had just completed yet another milestone of my flight training journey.

Upon finishing one milestone, it is now time to prepare for the final stretch, which is preparing for the checkride.  For those who do not know what I am talking about, a check ride is a combination of an oral and practical examination from an FAA Examiner.  Think of it as an intensified driver's test.  To add further complications to the matter, my schedule is jam-packed with a rehearsal and performance schedule for a show that I am currently acting in.  This leave s little time for perparation.

However, I have discovered that I tend to work better when I have set a definitive deadline for myself.  This same thing happened to me during the portion of my written test.  I never set a deadline to prepare myself to take the test.  I kept (forgive the pun) stalling.  It was not until one day that I bit my lower lip, mustered up the courage, and set a date to take my written test. From that point, I began a rigid study schedule, preparing myself for that test and managed to successfully pass it.

Now in preparations for the checkride, my instructor and I have began going back to the basics.  Turns around a point, slow flight, stalls, engine out procedures, steep turns, navigation, takeoffs and landings, etc.  I tend to do well in everything, but my skills still definitely have room to improve.  Some days, I am able to go out and nail everything and other times things just seem to fall apart.  One of the many mysteries of aviation.

So from here, all I need to do is set a date for that checkride, and begin my preparations towards that date.  Feelings of nervousness and anticipation set in as the gravity of the moment begins to settle.  However, if I am able to pass everything completely, I will be a licensed pilot, and won't have to worry about another checkride again.  At least until my instrument rating.

Hitting the Books

This post is long overdue, but I figured since I have a moment, I'm able to provide this update. Better late than never!

Nearly a month ago, I managed to muster up enough discipline to sit myself down and initiate study sessions for the next milestone in my flight training: my private pilot knowledge test. This was something that I was actually not looking forward to. It meant that I would have to muster up enough structure and discipline to make myself study. To be honest, I had already had my fill of that lifestyle back in graduate school. The late nights, the rigid schedule, and the occasional naps. While the naps were cherished down time, I did not look forward to putting myself back through that structure. However, I also realized that putting off this knowledge test was not going to make it go away. Resigning myself to this thought, I began my study sessions.

Once I established my rhythm in studying, it came quite natural. Every night, I would sign myself away for nearly two hours and review practice test questions, make weight and balance and wind correction computations, review Federal Aviation Regulations, the list goes on and on. Then, using the study software I happened to be using, I would study the material that I was had just covered to see how well I retained the information. Scores were initially dissatisfying, but over time, they began to improve.

I found that using this method, I was able to cover all the material required for my knowledge test in about a week. This ended up giving me plenty of time to review and take more practice tests and after an additional four days of simulated practice tests, my test date had finally arrived.

A little anxious, I entered the testing site with my calculator, E6B computer, plotter, pencil and plenty of paper to make calculations on. I sat down at the computer, entered in all my information, and was soon taking my test. Again, I felt myself go into a cadence. I felt confident answering questions, because I knew the answers to each of them. Double checking my answers where I had to make calculations, I spent a little extra time on questions requiring numbers and mathematics. Finally, I came across one question that sent my head spinning. Trying not to get myself overworked, I concentrated, did my calculations, picked an answer, and moved on.

Time seemed to crawl by, but after about an hour and fifteen minutes I managed to complete my test. Upon completion, I receive a notification that I had not gotten all questions correct. While I would have loved to receive a score of 100%, I knew that this was probably not likely. I got the proctor's attention to let them know that I had finished my test, and also had the ability to review the questions that I had missed.

Looking at the test questions I missed, I suddenly felt myself get angry. I had actually missed questions that I knew the answer to, but in my cadence, did not fully read the test question. Still a bit irked, the computer graded my test- Pass. While my grade was not as high as I wanted it to be, a wave of satisfaction came over me knowing that I no longer had to worry about this test again.

While I never have to worry about this test again, I realize some mistakes I made that every student and student pilot out there can easily avoid:

1. Take your time. I knew I developed a cadence during this test, but it's a good idea to stop after every few moments and do a mental check of yourself. With the PAR test, you've got plenty of time to answer your questions, so take as much time as needed.

2. Read each question. Twice. This may sound stupid, but it works. The first time you read things, it can be very easy to skip over an important detail. The FAA test questions often want you to found out a few things to come up with your answer, and leaving out a word can cause you to miss a question.

3. Check your answers. No matter how confident you are in knowing that you got a particular test question right, re-read that test question and confirm to yourself that you got the question right. Don't just assume that you know you got the answer right and move on.

4. Develop a strategy. This is something that worked well for me in preparation for the test, as well as taking the test. I structured myself in a way that I would have a good amount of time to review for the test, put myself through some simulated tests, and then actually take the test.

5. Look at your available answers. The FAA likes to be sneaky with these. They can often put answers that have similar meanings together, or provide an answer that you may come up with if you make a miscalculation. Either way, these are some "gotcha" questions that the FAA uses. On the other hand, there are also quite a few questions that have answer choices that are completely illogical. These can definitely be thrown out, reducing your chances of getting a question wrong.

6. Practice, practice, practice. Once you've reviewed your test, put those knowledge bits into practice. Apply them the next time you fly or in the next opportunity you have to do them in real-time. This makes them practical, and easier the next time you do them.

7. Keep studying. Just because the test is over does not mean that you can give it up. This can be a pitfall to many pilots. You will need to be ready for your oral examination and your checkride as you continue on in your training, so make sure that these details aren't too fuzzy as you continue to build up your time flying.

While I can keep on making a list, I think seven tid bits of information will do for now. Remember to keep at it and don't give up. Once you build up enough motivation, you can make yourself do anything. Happy flying!

Leaving the Nest

This past weekend, I accomplished yet another milestone in my flight training. I left the traffic pattern flying solo. A little apprehensive and nervous about this entire flight, I had to work my jitters out. As I walked from the ramp to the airplane, biting my lower lip, I prepared myself mentally for this short flight, and began my preflight inspection. After having a few preliminary items taken care of before I went up, I hopped in the plane and began running through my checklist. Cranking the engine, and tuning the radio to the ASOS, I set the altimeter, noted the wind direction, and switched to ground frequency to request taxi clearance. Once I received my clearance, I throttled the plane up just enough to start it rolling.

With my nervousness somewhat at bay, I continued my taxi to the designated runway, completed my run up, set my gages and called the tower. "Hickory tower, Cessna 411 is holding short runway one nine, ready for VFR departure to the north." "Cessna 411, continue holding short." "Holding short, runway one nine." Holding short gave me another moment to double check everything, and prepare myself for this flight. "Cessna 411, Hickory tower. Cleared for takeoff, runway one nine, right turnout approved." "Cleared for takeoff, one nine, right turn out approved." Pushing the throttle in once more, I taxied to the center of the runway, added full power, and began my takeoff.

Feeling comfortable with this procedure since I have done it many times, I continued down the runway, watching my airspeed begin to build, I began my rotation and started to climb. As the plane continued to climb, I noted that the air was smooth. Climbing to my turnout altitude, I began my right turn. It was at this moment, I took a moment to myself and looked around. There I was, alone, flying the plane all by myself, and things were going well. I felt a smile creep across my face.

Turning on a north heading, I began to make perform some maneuvers required for this particular lesson, S-turns and turns around a point. Things went as well as they could have for someone who hasn't done them in a while. Shaky, and then building with improvement. After performing these maneuvers to my satisfaction, I then headed to another local airport, where I would be meeting with my flight instructor to discuss our approaching night cross country flight.
Establishing myself on the pattern altitude, I entered the 45 degree for a left downwind pattern, announcing my position. Following through I turned to base, and then onto final. It was here that I noticed I hadn't timed things right. I had cut my downwind too short, and was now high on my final approach with a short distance to descend. Pushing the nose down, the plane began to pick up speed. Chopping all the power, I attempted to re-establish my airspeed, and stabilize the plane so that I could land it in an acceptable spot.

The closer I got the the runway, the faster the airspeed increased. From the plane, I watched my aiming point slide out from underneath me. Rather than trying to hold together an approach that was falling apart, I pushed the throttle to the wall, retracted a notch of flaps, and announced on the CTAF I was going around. Bringing myself back up to pattern altitude, I made my turn to crosswind, and then back to downwind Following through, I made sure this time to extend my downwind, turned base, and again on final.

Noticing once more I was a touch high, I pulled power and pushed the nose down. Getting a bit fast, I pulled more power, and pulled the nose up. Gliding down at a better rate, but coming in high from slowing the plane down, I touched the plane down somewhat abruptly a bit beyond the aiming point. Happy that I was able to put it on the runway, I taxied to the ramp to meet with my flight instructor.

After a brief conversation, it was time to return back to my home airport. Taking off, and leaving the traffic pattern, I received clearance to land. After turning base, and then to final, I found that I was established on the right path, the right airspeed, and was set for a nice landing. As I flew the plane just short of the aiming point, I leveled off a touch above the runway, and once over the aiming point, chopped the power. The plane gently settled right onto the runway, the tires releasing a brief squawk to confirm I had touched down.


As soon as the wheels touched down, I knew that at least with this landing, I could not have done any better. Sure, I could have been a little more to the right to be on the center line, but my goal here was to touch the wheels down in the aiming point. Having accomplished that goal, and having done it very smoothly, I was completely satisfied with my flight for the entire day.

The best part of all this, was that day, I decided to put my video camera in the back of the cockpit, and filmed my entire flight. So, not only was I able to remember my aced landing, but I could go back and watch it as many times as I wanted. Having been satisfied with my day's flight, and having the confidence and knowledge to know that I was capable of flying solo and able to leave the traffic pattern, I taxied back to the runway, shut the engine down, and secured the plane. I was proud of myself and what I had accomplished that day, and I looked forward to what my next day of flying had in store.

The Beginning

Today it occurred to me that while I have been posting many of my entries on my experiences in learning to fly, I have yet to mention how I developed an interest in aviation. To confirm my suspicion, I went back through all of my previous entries to see if I had written about it, and indeed I had not. So here it is, the event that set it all into motion...

It was September 18, 2009. The first time that I would step foot on an airplane, and a day that would spark an interest that eventually turned into a blazing fire. It was my first year of grad school. A month into classes, I was ready for a break. So I had decided, in a rather random plan, to visit a friend in Pittsburgh PA for her birthday. The plan was to see Wicked, and then to chill out in her apartment back at school. She also happened to be a Higher Ed student working in Res Life, and a fellow undergrad from UNCA. I booked my flight weeks in advance, and tried to demystify the new experience of air travel: what I should pack, what I can bring on board the plane, when I should get to the airport. All the basic stuff.

Finally the day of my departure, I was dropped off at the airport ready for my flight to Pittsburgh. Flying with US Airways, I walked to the counter to check in. After presenting my ID, I checked in and paid for my checked bag. In doing so, the ticket agent laid two passes on the desk, which I then took and closely examined. Still somewhat confused, I looked up to the ticket agent and said, "Excuse me, but what ARE these?" "Those are your boarding passes," she said. Still not fully understanding, but knowing I just asked a stupid question, I replied a meek "Oh." Looking at the tab of my boarding pass, I headed to security.

I found security to be an easy process. With dozen of people in front of me, I simply followed suit. Removing my keys, watch, wallet, belt, and shoes, and then proceeding through the metal detector, I was cleared and then proceeded to the gate. Once at the gate, the rush of excitement of adventure ran through my veins. The excitement and newness of the airport environment had me looking everywhere. What caught my attention the most were the other planes at the gates. I was taken aback at how big these machines were. Since they appear to be tiny from the sky, being in close proximity and witnessing their true size was a new experience for me. My excitement was such that you could compare me to a dog being taken for a ride on a summer day. I wanted to take in and experience as much of this as I could.

As moments passed, my plane finally arrived at its gate. Paying attention to the gate agent, I waited for my loading zone to be announced and made my way down the jet way. With great excitement and eagerness my heart started pounding as I walked closer and closer to the plane. Finally, I arrived at the door, and started something I always do whenever I now board a plane: I casually touch the outside of the plane, just for a moment. I know it sounds quite childish, but the fact that the piece of metal I just touched will soon be thousands of feet above the air travelling at hundreds of miles per hour is a feat of astounding engineering to me.

I boarded the plane, found my seat, buckled up, and prepared for takeoff. The experience still new to me, I made sure when booking my flight I got a window seat. I was always looking out of that window, even when parked at the gate. I can still see the winglet at the tip of the left wing. The the rest of the passengers boarded, and the crew prepared the plane for departure. Sealing the cabin, the crew began to address the passengers. Many of what I would assume to be experienced travellers paid no attention, but I was a different story. Listening to every direction, I pulled out the safety card, and studied it, then quickly put it away. Soon after, I felt the slight jolt of the push back, and from that moment I knew we were on our way.

Still in push back, I then heard the the low groaning sound of an engine beginning to spool up. First one, then the other. My palms began to sweat. This was actually happening. I was actually getting ready to fly. Never before, in my 23 years of life had I actually even been in an airplane. I felt my heart racing as we began our taxi. The plane taxied to the end edge of the runway, and then paused for a moment. Soon after, the pilot addressed the passengers that they were cleared for takeoff. This was it. My palms wet, and my heart racing, the plane inched forward to take the runway.

Once lined up, I heard the whirr of the engines for a second, and then a gigantic roar. Suddenly a controlled, violent force pushed me into my seat. The plane began its run down the runway, picking up speed every second. I was elated with excitement. Looking out the window I saw the shadow of the airplane begin to drift father and farther way. It then occurred to me, we were flying. "Oh my God, I'm flying!" I said to myself with a smile across my face, as we continued ascending into the skies.

The entire leg of this trip, I could not stop looking out of the window. Cars, houses, land patterns, it was all a new sight to me, and something the other passengers were taking for granted. About an hour later, we landed in Charlotte. I deboarded the plane, now familiar with the experience and sensation and went to look for my connecting flight. Very satisfied with my first flight ever, and feeling quite at home, being a North Carolinian who hadn't been home in months, I enjoyed the sights of planes at the terminal as I walked to my gate.

Once at my gate, I again sat down and enjoyed the scenery. I was actually glad that I had a connecting flight, because it meant that I would once again get to experience the rush of takeoff, and the views from the sky. Now that I had one flight under my belt, I knew what I was doing. The plane pulled to the gate, and once again, I boarded, and buckled in. Ignoring the emergency brochure this time, I departed to Pittsburgh, again with a smile on my face during takeoff.

Enjoying a great weekend and a great trip, I returned back to Norfolk, enjoying both legs of my return flight. Once back in my apartment, I began my research. I began looking at planes on YouTube, trying to figure out what I flew on, and what kind of other planes were out there. I made trips to the Norfolk airport to watch the planes come in and out when I was stressed out from grad school. I knew once I had made that first flight I had to explore this newly found interest as much as I could. Every opportunity I got to fly, I took it, enjoying every part of the experience.

Little did I know that taking that first flight would lead to an exploration in learning how to fly. Little did I know that I would become somewhat obsessed with aviation. And little did I know of the challenges that would be ahead of me in discovering and exploring this newly found interest. I can say with all honesty, that I've enjoyed the experience, and I am looking forward to what will be happening as I continue.

Addiction.

It's true. I think I have a problem. I've been trying to stave myself off of this, but it is a difficult, up hill battle. Before I go too much into this. This addiction is not a bad one. (Or is it?) I would like to hope that this habit is helping my skill. It all started about a week ago. A feeling of nostalgia came over me, so I decided to try something. When I was younger, I had these two combat flying simulation games, Jane's Longbow (1&2) and Jane's F-15 Strike Eagle. These games ran on my family's old Gateway 2000. If I can remember correctly, this dinosaur had a Pentium II (233MHz) processor, 32 MB of RAM, and a 4GB hard drive, running Windows 95 and later on a Windows 98 upgrade.

I would spend hours on this computer, playing Longbow 2 (my most favorite of the games) flying around in an AH-64D Apache Helicopter, launching hellfire missiles at enemy tanks. Flying missions with the joystick, I was unstoppable.

So, this past weekend, I decided to see if I could rustle up that old nostalgic feeling. I found those games, and attempted to install them on my desktop computer. My current system, compared to that old Gateway is miles ahead, featuring a Pentium 4, 2.26 GHz, 1.5 GB RAM, and a 160GB Hard drive, running Windows XP. A custom built machine, it was a high school graduation present. After an attempt to install these games, to my surprise, I found that they successfully ran. With a smile across my face, I then looked to find my old joystick, the Microsoft Sidewinder 3D pro. Unfortunately, I did not have so much luck with the old joystick. I assume the years of storage, coupled with the years of use finally took its toll. A tad disappointed, I began a search for a replacement joystick. When I bought the old one new, I recall a $70 price tag. I'm not that big of a computer gamer, so I set out to find one at a reasonable price. To my luck, I found a nice $35 joystick a Best Buy, and after a quick plug and play connection, I was off again, flying that Apache, shooting off hellfire missiles at those enemy tanks.

This nostalgic feeling of satisfaction caused the gears in my brain to begin turning. My focus turned to aviation. Initially in the start of my flight training, I had considered buying Microsoft Flight Simulator to add to my training experience. I decided against this, because my instructor mentioned that most students who come off Flight Simulator tend to be unable to take their eyes off the instruments. I figured by now that I had enough experience under my belt, that I could be able to avoid this.

After coming home and installing the game on my machine, I was immediately blown away by it's features. What surprised me the most was the fact that I could fly out of my home airport that I do my training out of. What was even better is that I can actually get simulated weather accurate within 15 minutes of what is occurring at the actual airport. The icing on the cake is that I can also fly the airplanes I my dreams, Mooneys, Learjets, and CRJs. Of course, I have to adjust to each aircraft, for now, I'm sticking with the 172.

Upcoming in my training is my first cross-country flight. So as an added idea, I decided to fly my cross country in the sim. Everything went well, and from what I did in the sim, I feel even more comfortable getting in the actual airplane. Tracking VORs has become easier to understand, and flying traffic patterns has sharpened my skills too. At least in flight simulator.

Since I have installed this program, I have NOT been able to take myself away from it. As soon as I am home from work, I am on it, getting in as much practice as I can.

I think I may have a slight addiction.

Another Step

It was a warm March day. Sunny skies, calm winds, and great visibility. Translation: a good day to fly. This wasn't another ordinary day of flying for me. It was time to solo again. After being unable to solo the past few weeks due to sickness, weather, and other issues, there was finally a break in the weather. My instructor and I jumped in the plane, ran through our checklists, and to make a long story short, we taxied to the runway. Several planes were out that day, giving air traffic control a run for their money. After concluding our run-up and a few other items, we were ready to for takeoff.

We were cleared for takeoff, but not before ATC snapped at us for asking which traffic pattern to fly. Apparently, asking for traffic pattern before you take off was too early for them. Lining up on the runway, pushing the throttle to the wall, the airplane slowly picks up speed and in a few moments, lifts off the runway. We continued up and climbed to 500 feet above the ground and began making our designated traffic turns. Everything went smoothly as we followed the downwind leg, to base, and then on final. The plane glided onto the runway, the main gear touching first, as the front wheel drifted down slowly as the plane bled off airspeed. One landing down, two more to go. Clearing the runway, we returned to the taxiway and prepared for two more take offs, all which went very well.

After making our other two landings, we returned the plane to the ramp for fuel. We had a lot of flying to do afterwards. As the plane was fueled, the feeling of excitement and anxiety crept its way through my veins. It was time for me to solo once again. Although I had done this before, somehow, this only slightly eased my tensions. With a few last pointers from the instructor, I hopped in the plane, ran through my checklists, and received clearance for taxi to the designated runway.

Approaching the hold short line, I did my run-up, and ran through the final points of my checklist. Now it was time to fly. I radioed the tower, and was cleared for take off. To my relief, all the busyness of the traffic had dissipated, leaving the entire runway and traffic pattern to myself. As I had done many times before, I lined up on the runway, added full power, and began my takeoff. Seconds later, I was airborne. With long range fuel tanks filled to the top, I noted the plane took a little longer to get off the ground, but soon enough was flying. I climbed to 500 feet above the runway, and began making my turn from crosswind to downwind. Announcing my pattern position, I was cleared to land. I continued on my downwind, turned to base, final, and glided to another decent landing.

To make this long story short, I did the same thing two more times, and called it good. I was half tempted to make another takeoff, but decided against it, as I had probably given fate enough opportunities to mess with me while in the plane all by myself. I taxied to the ramp and shut the plane down with complete satisfaction knowing that I had done well.

My day, however, was only half over. I now had to wait until it was dark. As you continually build on your flight training, new challenges come your way, and on this day I was presented with the first opportunity to fly at night. My flight instructor and I went off into the city to run a few errands and to waste some time so that it would be dark enough for us to fly. After tinkering around a bit, we returned to the airport and began making our preparations. With everything taken care of, we again hopped into the plane and received clearance for taxi to the designated runway. By this time, the sun had set, and only a few rays of daylight remained. The only useful light available was the little red cabin light in the cockpit that shined just enough on the instrument panel to barely discern the gauges. I was already nervous. We were cleared for takeoff. Able to use only my landing light to center the plane on the runway, we picked up speed and slowly rotated to lift off to begin our climb.

By the time we cleared the airport, it was completely dark. It was about at this time, as we were making our climb while tracking a VOR, that I noted how differently the airplane was acting. The plane seemed to be flying itself. All I had to do was set the proper trim level, and keep a few fingers on the yoke. The plane practically did the rest. As we continued flying, I was making turns so smoothly, it reminded me of what if felt like to fly on a commercial airliner. Really, I'll give all this credibility up to the weather conditions. Less winds to kick you around, and cooling temperatures with clear skies and a full moon. It was a beautiful night to fly.

As we continued, we transitioned to some aspects of flying that really make me nervous: slow flight and stalls. I generally don't like to fly a plane using these maneuvers, but you have to learn them in order to be safe. Adding the condition of doing this at night contributed more to my anxiety. I did find however, that after utilizing a trick another instructor taught me, slow flight came very easy, and to my benefit, I was considerably less nervous. It did me well to hear my flight instructor giving me positive feedback.

Then came the stalls. First a power off. These aren't so much an issue with me, as they are considerably less "violent" than their counterpart, power-on stalls. Without loosing so much as a hundred feet, I was able to stall the plane, recover, and climb out of the stall. The power on stall was a bit different. After initiating the stall, I had an adequate recovery, but not well enough to meet practical test standards. Perhaps another day. Power on stalls are a little more "violent" because the plane struggles to continually fly with the wings pitched at an angle that prevents airflow over the wings to generate adequate lift . This creates a necessity to utilize more input of the control surfaces at the occurrence of the stall, and if not corrected properly, can result in dangerous situations.

After taking care of the slow flight and stalls, we moved on to some night landings. This was by far my favorite part of the flight. Continuing to track a VOR, we discovered that we had overflown our intended airport. So we turned a 180 to see if we could catch sight of the airport beacon. After a minute of searching, we finally located the beacon, but no runway lights were in sight. This didn't really cause me much concern. Airport lights at uncontrolled fields are usually on a timer, and can be activated by clicking the airport's radio frequency a few times. After getting the weather conditions at the airport, we clicked the airport's frequency. Seconds later, the airport lit up in colors of blue, yellow, and red. It was like a Christmas tree. We entered the pattern and prepared to land.

Landing at night is a little tricky. Visibility is reduced, and you can only rely on your landing light and airport lights to determine where your position is relative to the runway. As we continued on our final approach, I noted that the airport lights drifted closer to the plane than what I was used to. Although it was the same rate at which I make landings during the daylight, I felt as if we were flying faster than what I was used to. However, I was able to make a good landing.

After making our first landing, we practiced a few more take offs and landings, and then decided to head back to our home airport. While en route, I noticed that while I could see the beacon of the home airport, I could not see the runway lights. After a few clicks of the frequency, I again saw the lights magically come up. Nothing is more gratifying than see the airport you're going to land at after a long day of flying. We landed, taxied back to the ramp, and secured the plane for the evening.

Overall, it was a great day to solo, and a great day to discover the wonders of night flight. Slowly but surely, I am drawing to a close of my flight training, but coming up are a few cross country trips that I am looking forward to making. That night, I left the airport wearing a smile on my face, having the satisfaction of a job well done.

Reality Check.

My last post was about owning an airplane. This post is a little more realistic. A few weeks ago, I was obsessed with the pursuit of owning an airplane. I did the research, I looked up prices, and played with finance calculators. No matter from what perspective I tried to look at it, the numbers didn't look favorable. I just couldn't afford to make such a purchase, whether in part, or in whole. A few weeks have passed since the last entry. My head is a little more stable, and my goals, a bit more manageable. While at some point I would hope to own an aircraft, I have come to terms with the fact that ownership is not possible for me right now. Airplanes are expensive. There's the cost of the actual plane, plus maintenance, avionics upgrades, insurance, hangar fees, fluctuating fuel prices, the list goes on and on.

Airplanes are a great way to travel. If you can get with a pilot who is safe and has some experience under their belt, you're in for some great experiences in the air. It's faster, considering there isn't a speed limit, unless you're within specific altitudes and airspace (at which, most airplanes, aside from jets won't normally cruise at 200 knots), and through effective navigation and communication with air traffic control, those long car rides turn into relatively short airplane rides. Plus, when you consider the General Aviation sector, you don't need to worry about baggage fees, lines, the TSA, layovers, and other commercial airport hassles. In general aviation, you can most likely arrive at an airport that is closer to your final destination than most commercial airports. The only drawback to all of these conveniences is...money.

In ground school, you learn about the four forces of flight: lift, weight, thrust, drag. These are, "physically" speaking, what keeps planes maneuverable in the air. This is the proper answer to give when you are asked this question on your knowledge test, or by your FAA examiner.

However, ask any pilot what the four forces of flight are, and they will most likely give this "humorous" answer: dreams, reality, money, FAA. As a favorite comic of mine often says, "It's funny because it's true." Airplanes are money hogs. That's a fact. So if you happen to make enough money where you can continue to keep one of these things in the air, then I would love to be like you one day. Unfortunately, today is not the day, and I do not see that day in sight any time soon.

However, while I have accepted that now is not the right time, I have continually planned on what I would like to accomplish while I continue in my flight training.

1. Finish my private pilots license- This has been a slow process due to being employed full time, and only being able to fly on the weekends. I do not complain about this. I'm thankful to have a job, and one I love at that. I have set a goal completion date, and I am constantly working towards that goal by studying for my knowledge exam, and continually practicing in the air.

2. Take a year off from training- Some may say this is a bad move. I agree. But the sabbatical from training will allow me to replenish funds for my next round of training, and in the time between, I can continue to build flight hours. Remember, flight training is expensive.

3. Add an IFR rating- An IFR rating becomes very beneficial to pilots, because you're no longer restricted to visual flight rules (VFR). This means if you happen to get in some soupy weather, you can be all the more proficient in flying your plane through it. Although IFR rated or not, it's best to avoid bad weather. Sometimes it can be unavoidable. I would much rather have an IFR rating and feel comfortable flying by gages, than being a nervous VFR pilot who has found himself in a tight spot.

4. Add a Commercial rating- This is where it gets fun. At this level, you can start charging your passengers. This doesn't mean that you'll be flying a jet for an airline (but if you've got the money, you can get the training). But if someone asks you to fly them to the beach, it's perfectly legal to charge them for it. This means that if things go wrong in the air, you're paid the big bucks to make sure that people stay safe.

5. Add the CFI- I'm still not sure how I feel about this one yet. Being a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) requires, you guessed it- time and money. Working full time doesn't really allow me to fly often, so this CFI rating would require some patience. However, both the commercial rating, and the CFI rating are a great way to generate some return revenue on your investment in your flight training. More often than not, I would say that you can get more students than you can passengers wanting to take beach trips. Being able to teach on the weekends, I wouldn't be able to have many students, but that's ok with me. I prefer to work closely with a few students, especially in the flight training environment.

So there it is, my expensive and (forgive the pun) lofty goals. Each one will require time and money. I always seem to find myself chomping at the bit in an effort to move forward, and often times I find that I'm not ready to make such an advancement. With these goals, as with all the other aviation goals I've had, I have to keep telling myself one thing. "Small steps."

Chasing the Dream

I'm beginning to feel like a broken record. Once again, my attentions in this post have been directed towards aviation. A lot has happened since I've chosen to embark on this adventure. Since my last post, I've experienced my first solo, and have continually been able to enhance my piloting skills in the left seat. Learning to fly has been interesting. There have been times when I've been ready to walk away from it all, but after some down time, I start clamoring to go back up again. It's an obsession. Maybe an unhealthy one.

My attentions have started to turn to ownership. Aircraft ownership. After doing just a minimal amount of research, I've quickly learned that owning an aircraft is extremely expensive. A simple airplane will cost a little over $100,000. The one I want costs right over $600,000. Or course, these are brand new models. Still, pre-owned airplanes, even ones close to 30 years old can still cost around $30,000 to $80,000. That's still too much to sink a wad of cash on. For me, at this point in my life, anyway.





Yet, there are still a multitude of options. Home built kits are available. I've happened to recently find one that is comparable to the plane I would love to have (which is posted above). All for a considerably lower price- $50,000. Still, that's quite a chunk of change to sit down on an aircraft. Not to mention the amount of hours that you have to put into assembling the aircraft yourself.

This goes without saying that to accomplish such a dream as this, you first need a lot of commitment. In an effort to make such an investment seems intimidating to someone such as myself, having no ability to make such a large investment. What can be even more intimidating is not knowing when, if ever you will be able to make such an investment.

Before I go any further, I want to stop right here and add something. When I look at all things, I'm pretty blessed. I've been able to to go to school and earn a Masters degree. I've been able to land a job right out of grad school. I've been able to move back to my hometown and be with my family. I've had unbelievable support from family and friends that have enabled me to accomplish what I have so far. I've been able to buy a new car, and afford flying lessons. I am blessed to find myself in a position where anyone who is less fortunate than I am, who has a greater amount of responsibility to their family would give anything to be able to spend money the way I do.

I am not using this post as a way to whine that I'll never be able to afford my own airplane. I'm blessed enough to be able to afford to pursue my interests. However, what I am saying is that for anyone who has any desire or goal that seems overwhelmingly huge, it IS intimidating. It is BEYOND intimidating. It seems impossible. If I am to buy my own plane, I don't even know where to begin. The same goes for a lot of other things...buying a house, for instance.

I'm not sure where to go from here. I certainly can't add the "It'll all work out in the end", or the "If it's meant to be, it will happen." Frankly, I can't help but wonder if this entire aviation pursuit has been a horrible waste of money and time. The further I get into it, the more I start to wonder.

It's been fun discovering aviation so far...but the amount of uncertainty for what the future holds still remains intimidating.

Reality

In my office, I have a poster from the "glass-half-full" folks of Despair, Inc that features a beautiful orange sunset sinking into a crystal blue ocean, while a hang glider soars out into the sunset. While it is a pretty picture, the caption reads, "There is no greater joy than soaring high on the winds of your dreams, except maybe the joy of watching a dreamer who has nowhere to land but in the ocean of reality." Better yet, just look at the picture below.



No doubt, it's a pretty funny quote. The Germans actually have a word for this- schadenfreude, which literally means "happiness at the misfortune of others." As long as something bad is not happening to us, things can be as funny as hell. Yet, when something happens to us at our expense, it's us who is doing the suffering, and others who are doing the laughing. That's just the nature of life.

As I put this into perspective, I see countless students come into my office looking to start something new or start over. They will tell me about all the things they would like to do. Some want to make money, some just want to explore a new area of interest. And as I sit there and chat with these students, I find myself telling them to chase that dream. Pursuing your dreams has always been sort of a mantra for myself, and something I tell others. I believe that we cannot find any value or satisfaction in our lives until we are pursuing something that gives us personal satisfaction.

However, as we continue to chase the dream, it seems we drift further and further from reality, and it's not until some mishap, some shaking event that brings us back down, crashing into the ocean of reality. It's a sad fact, and it happens more often than not. Perhaps what hurts more than crash-landing in this ocean of "reality" is the recovery. The feelings of uncertainty and not knowing the answers to the questions of what to do next, how to recover, if the dream can be chased again, or if it should be abandoned all together.

It is unfortunate to fall short of your own expectations when it comes to accomplishing something. It's pretty much devastating. But, there is always a tactic to use to avoid crashing into that ocean of reality- HAVE A PLAN!

As simple as it seems, I've seen countless people go into something without ever fully thinking it through. Sometimes, this blind faith is necessary- to go without knowing where you are going. In fact, this lack of planning can sometimes put you in a place that you didn't expect to find yourself in, and what's more is that you've found that you're in a great place to be in. But more often than not, my life experience have taught me that if you're going to act on something, you'll need to think about the options that lie ahead of you before you proceed.

When it comes to education and training, I think the greatest short sight is the lack of financial planning. People underestimate the cost of the endeavor they pursue and when the money runs out, progress stops. This is a result of improper planning, and failing to budget time and money adequately. Sometimes, we find that we're guilty of not cutting costs- we buy that movie, or indulge ourselves in the $5 lattes from Starbucks without ever thinking how this affects us financially in the long run. But, it all adds up. If you spend $5 on a latte Monday through Friday, you've spend $25 in one week. Over a month you'll have spent $100 on lattes alone. Continue to add it up and that's about $1,200 for the year. Just for a frozen coffee drink.

While lack of financial planning does have the impact on your plans for the future, a lack of planning on the future also has devastating effects. Often times, I have found myself guilty of planning only one goal without considering any other alternatives. When we find that something does not go our way in this plan, we don't have any other alternatives. **CRASH** Hello ocean of reality.

With all that said, here are just three easy steps that I believe will ensure that dreams can continually be pursued:

1. Make a plan- It's better to know what you're going to do, how you're doing, and when you're going to do it.

2. Discipline yourself- Stick to your plan. Don't deviate away from it or distract yourself.

3. Create alternatives- When something doesn't go right, having another option is better than none at all.

On a final note, I think it's great to soar on the wings of your dreams, as long as you also have a parachute packed.