Here's some video footage of me flying photographers for KHQ news in Spokane over the Amaizing Corn Maze. You won't see me, but it's a fun view out the side door in High Def while circling the maze.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Flying With a Veteran
I was flying helicopter rides recently at a fly-in in Richland, WA. During the event, I was approached by a gentleman inquiring about the cost of a ride. I quoted him the day's pricing and he asked if that would allow him some stick time. I explained that I couldn't allow him to fly with other passengers in the machine but that I would be happy to give him a lesson at the end of the day's event.
We got to talking and I found out he had a couple thousand hours of Huey time flown in Vietnam. He hadn't flown a helicopter since leaving the Army more than 20 years ago and wanted to see if he could still do it.
After a thorough walk around with him, we climbed in and I oriented him to the instrument panel. I walked him through the start up procedure, picked us up into a hover, and departed the airport. Once we were at altitude and leveled off, I handed the controls over. He was a little shaky on the controls at first, but I quickly realized that was just him feeling out the machine. About five minutes into the flight, I saw something click in his brain and it all came back. His face lit up like a child at Christmas and an old Vietnam Veteran started flying again!!
Over the next hour, we flew approaches, hovered, practiced pick ups and set downs, and did several autorotations. It was amazing to see how smooth he was on the controls after all that time away. I'm sure I'll remember that flight for the rest of my career. It was truly an honor to be a part of that experience.
We got to talking and I found out he had a couple thousand hours of Huey time flown in Vietnam. He hadn't flown a helicopter since leaving the Army more than 20 years ago and wanted to see if he could still do it.
After a thorough walk around with him, we climbed in and I oriented him to the instrument panel. I walked him through the start up procedure, picked us up into a hover, and departed the airport. Once we were at altitude and leveled off, I handed the controls over. He was a little shaky on the controls at first, but I quickly realized that was just him feeling out the machine. About five minutes into the flight, I saw something click in his brain and it all came back. His face lit up like a child at Christmas and an old Vietnam Veteran started flying again!!
Over the next hour, we flew approaches, hovered, practiced pick ups and set downs, and did several autorotations. It was amazing to see how smooth he was on the controls after all that time away. I'm sure I'll remember that flight for the rest of my career. It was truly an honor to be a part of that experience.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Hi Everyone. It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been working a lot the last couple of months. It's been nice to build some hours. I've got a couple of steady students and I've set up helicopter rides at local festivals and events about every other weekend this summer. I've really enjoyed the rides. It's all R-44 time and I get to land off airport in some really fun places. It's a nice break when instruction is getting mundane.
I flew helicopter rides at the Water Follies boat races in Tri Cities last weekend. I worked out a marketing agreement with Budweiser and got to fly the Bud Girls into our helipad one day. I've got a picture below. It was a rough day :-). I almost called the boss to say I quit.
My goal is still to add to the blog and have one section for my training days and a separate section to follow my ongoing flying career. When I'm not working seven days per week I'll try to post more often.
Flying the Bud Girls
Ready to Pick Up for a Hop Ride (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
Leaving the Helipad (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
Final Approach to the Elementary School (Helipad) (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
I flew helicopter rides at the Water Follies boat races in Tri Cities last weekend. I worked out a marketing agreement with Budweiser and got to fly the Bud Girls into our helipad one day. I've got a picture below. It was a rough day :-). I almost called the boss to say I quit.
My goal is still to add to the blog and have one section for my training days and a separate section to follow my ongoing flying career. When I'm not working seven days per week I'll try to post more often.
 |
| From Flying Lessons |
Flying the Bud Girls
 |
| From Flying Lessons |
Ready to Pick Up for a Hop Ride (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
 |
| From Flying Lessons |
Leaving the Helipad (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
 |
| From Flying Lessons |
Final Approach to the Elementary School (Helipad) (Photo Courtesy of www.alpinesights.com)
Friday, March 25, 2011
How to Reach Me
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Zero to Hero... The Final Tally
Total Hours To Date: 200.0
Total Training Cost To Date: $56,966.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $10,352.26
Okay, so I don't actually consider myself a hero but it makes for good copy. I've finally reached the end of my formal training. When I started this blog two years ago, my goal was 200 flight hours and my Certificated Flight Instructor- Instrument. As of today, I have both!!!!
What's the final tally? Achieving my goal required two years of my life and $67,318.76.
For those aspiring CFIIs reading this, note that it could have been done cheaper. My instrument time was all flown in the very expensive R44. My school didn't have an instrument R22 or flight training device (sim). Either of which would have saved me considerable money on aircraft rental. Access to an R22 would have saved me about $10,000 over the course of my Instrument and CFII work. Flying 20 hours of instrument time in the sim would have saved me about $3,000.
Also, $4,238.60 of my expenses were paid tuition to Utah Valley University. Those not needing the credits could get by without this expense. That means a CFII and 200 hours of flight time could, theoretically, be reached spending $7,200-$14,000 less than I did. The benefit of spending the extra money on R44 time is that I meet the requirements to instruct in the R44. I'm also familiar with the machines our school flies, so my flight school won't need to invest much to get me checked out in their helicopters. This makes me a more attractive instructor candidate.
I'm talking with my flight school now about teaching opportunities. I'll know more in the next few weeks. Will keep you all posted.
Total Training Cost To Date: $56,966.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $10,352.26
Okay, so I don't actually consider myself a hero but it makes for good copy. I've finally reached the end of my formal training. When I started this blog two years ago, my goal was 200 flight hours and my Certificated Flight Instructor- Instrument. As of today, I have both!!!!
What's the final tally? Achieving my goal required two years of my life and $67,318.76.
For those aspiring CFIIs reading this, note that it could have been done cheaper. My instrument time was all flown in the very expensive R44. My school didn't have an instrument R22 or flight training device (sim). Either of which would have saved me considerable money on aircraft rental. Access to an R22 would have saved me about $10,000 over the course of my Instrument and CFII work. Flying 20 hours of instrument time in the sim would have saved me about $3,000.
Also, $4,238.60 of my expenses were paid tuition to Utah Valley University. Those not needing the credits could get by without this expense. That means a CFII and 200 hours of flight time could, theoretically, be reached spending $7,200-$14,000 less than I did. The benefit of spending the extra money on R44 time is that I meet the requirements to instruct in the R44. I'm also familiar with the machines our school flies, so my flight school won't need to invest much to get me checked out in their helicopters. This makes me a more attractive instructor candidate.
I'm talking with my flight school now about teaching opportunities. I'll know more in the next few weeks. Will keep you all posted.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I'm a CFII!!
Total Hours To Date: 198.3
Total Training Cost To Date: $56,600.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $10,352.26
I passed my CFII checkride on Tuesday, and it feels great!! I tried to add a post as soon as I had a date established, but it all happened so fast I didn't have time. I was hoping that the examiner would be able to come to Spokane to conduct the checkride, but he didn't have permission from our local FAA office (FSDO). That meant I either had to wait a week or two until he could get permission from the local FSDO or take another trip to Oregon. Since it's so expensive to keep my skills sharp in the R-44, I decided I'd come out ahead if I just bit the bullet and did the flight in Oregon.
After several phone conversations between my instructor and the examiner, we set Tuesday as the date and I made arrangements for a road trip. I decided to rent a car this time so I wouldn't have to subject my trusty '96 Mazda Protege to another grueling road trip. I reserved an instrument R-44 at Sunset Helicopters in Aurora, OR (KUAO) and booked a hotel room for my instructor and I in nearby Wilsonville.
I was plenty nervous about doing this checkride at a different airport. I knew I'd be flying instrument approaches I wasn't familiar with. I know the local approaches around SFF pretty well at this point. That's one less thing to think about during the stress of a checkride. I'd also be flying an unfamiliar ship for the ride. The R-44 I normally fly, N7184G, is a carbureted Raven I. The instrument package has a separate CDI and Heading Indicator (DG). The ship I'd be renting from Sunset was a fuel injected Raven II with a much larger instrument panel and HSI.
UAO is at ~200ft and the more powerful helicopter at sea level (rather than ~2000ft at SFF) meant different power settings for straight and level cruise. The different panel and instrument package meant things would be in a different place than in 7184G. Couple those differences with the stress of a checkride and all new approaches and I was feeling nervous about this one.
My instructor grilled me on some last minute ground during the drive from Spokane to Aurora. We arrived at the hotel, checked in, and I spent another couple of hours reviewing for the oral. I was in that place before a checkride where you are second guessing yourself. I was certain I knew the material forward and backward, but still asking myself what I'd forgotten... what could I be studying that I wasn't? I finally had to just close all the books and go to the restaurant across from the hotel for a beer and some pizza with my instructor. I didn't sleep much that night, and was up at 6am for an early breakfast and more last minute review.
I arrived at the airport about 9am for my 9:30 checkride. The Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) arrived just a few minutes later, ready to start early. Right before the DPE arrived, one of the CFIIs at Sunset told me that he had failed a different CFII candidate the day before. If I wasn't nervous before, I sure as hell was now. Some poor bastard had failed the same checkride from the same DPE just hours before... thanks for the morale booster. As with other checkrides, I schlepped my 40 pounds of books from the car up to the office where the oral exam would take place and organized my materials for the subsequent grilling. This was the same DPE who had conducted my Instrument checkride, so I was familiar with his style and knew he was thorough but fair. Still, I'm convinced that all DPEs can smell fear.
We started with the usual formalities, rules of engagement, possible outcomes, etc. Then he dove right in. The first thing he asked me to do was draw a picture of the pitot/static system and explain the various components. My small dry erase board came in very handy here. I sketched out a diagram and worked through all the components. Then he asked me to sketch all the pitot/static instruments, explaining how they work and what inherent errors exist. He made me do the same with the gyroscopic instruments. I had studied the instrument systems until my eyes glazed over, so did very well on this portion of the oral.
The next part of the oral focused on Federal Aviation Regulations. He asked me about required equipment, takeoff and landing minimums, fuel requirements, departure/takeoff procedures, GPS approach requirements, etc. Next was approach equipment. He asked about some differences between GPS and ILS components, CDI sensitivity, RAIM prediction, approach lighting, and a few other things.
After that, he had me pull out my approach plates and he asked me several questions about the symbols and numbers on the plates. He made me apply the regs to the plates. For example, in order to not file an alternate airport, you need to have ceiling at 1000ft above the runway or 400ft above the published minimum for the approach and 2 miles visibility. He showed me an approach plate and made me calculate the reported ceiling required to fly a given approach without filing an alternate. He was also big on airspeeds. He asked if the 90kts airspeed required to fly Category A approach minimums was based on indicated or true airspeed (it's indicated). He also asked about airspeed requirements for timing an approach (those are based on ground speed).
The next portion of the oral was based on the Low Enroute Sectional. He asked several basic questions about the sectional chart, mostly about symbols and listed altitudes. Also a few about radio frequencies and where to find them on the charts. Then he used the chart to see if I knew my lost comm procedures. He used a highlighter to mark a flight plan on the chart, pointed to a part on the route of flight, and told me I had just lost my radios. He gave me a scenario including my last instructions from ATC and asked me how I would complete the flight, including altitudes, reporting points, holds, etc. He drew a similar flight path on another part of the chart and used it to test my knowledge of required reports enroute.
There was a lot more, but those are the highlights. I can never seem to remember all of the questions that come up during these oral exams. The oral took just over three hours. At the end he congratulated me and said that I had obviously been studying. He was very impressed with my level of knowledge and said I did an excellent job on the oral. That was a great feeling, especially considering he had failed another guy the day before. He told me to go downstairs and check the weather.
The weather was crappy, but flyable. The METAR was saying ceiling of 3000 feet with 6 miles visibility. I wasn't convinced looking outside. It was currently raining. Fortunately there was no wind. Since I was trying to leave town that afternoon and the forecast at Portland International showed worsening conditions over the next 12 hours, we decided to give the flight portion a try. We decided on the ILS approach into McMinnville (KMMV) and then the LNAV GPS approach for RWY 35 back in to KUAO. This would give us time for me to teach straight and level flight on the way out, fly a precision approach, do unusual attitude recovery on the way back, and then fly a non-precision approach.
After a thorough preflight, we climbed into 166SH and I began the startup checklist. I was careful to explain every step of the checklist to the DPE as if he were a new student pilot. He asked me several questions about the instruments during run up, which I answered correctly. When I was 80% finished with the checklist and certain the gyro instruments had had plenty of time to spool up, I walked the DPE through a pre-takeoff instrument check. After setting up the GPS and HSI for the first approach into McMinnville and double checking the radio frequencies, I finished the startup checklist and picked us up into a hover. I could tell we were heavy... we had nearly full fuel and three people in the ship (my instructor was riding along in the back).
I hover taxied to the hold short line at the active runway and checked the instruments one last time. Then it was a departure on Runway 35 with a left turn toward KMMV. I talked through a very good normal takeoff, which helped me to relax a bit. Once up, the DPE made a position report, took the controls, and had me put on my Foggles. It took me a couple of minutes to feel out the proper power setting and get a feel for the new panel layout and HSI. I made sure to let the DPE know that's what I was doing and turned it into a teaching opportunity, explaining to him my procedure for finding a straight and level power setting for 90kts airspeed.
Once I'd found the proper power setting, he asked me to teach him how to fly straight and level. I explained to him about airspeed indicator, altimeter, and heading indicator being primary instruments for power, pitch, and bank respectively. I explained how to set up an instrument scan and use other instruments as supporting for the primary. Satisfied with my lesson, we continued toward KMMV and set up for the ILS approach. He gave me several vectors, making me explain how to make the standard rate turns and what rules of thumb to use for rollout on a given heading (half my bank angle, etc.).
He handled position reports on the radio, moved the heading bug on the HSI, and identified the localizer for me at my request while I flew the approach. I was doing well on the approach until I got to about one mile from the airport. I let my scan break down and almost had the glide slope indicator at full deflection. I knew full deflection was an automatic failure, so immediately requested a go around before the approach could get too messed up. The DPE said good call and we began a climbing turn to set up for another shot at the ILS. I flew much better on the second approach. I was still a little wobbly on the last portion of the approach, but acceptable. Given the work load I was under with the new ship, new approach, and new instrument package, I was pleased with my performance.
On the way back to KUAO I taught unusual attitude recovery with and without the Attitude Indicator and then gave the controls to the DPE so I could set up the GPS and HSI for the last approach back to Aurora. I flew a good non-precision approach into KUAO. Before I reached the Minimum Descent Altitude, the DPE removed my Foggles and gave me a simulated engine failure at 600ft agl. It wasn't my best work, but I managed to do a power recovery where he told me to. He said he wanted to see how I would react to breaking out of the clouds and transitioning from looking at the panel to being able to fly the last part visually. I air taxied us back to the ramp and shut down.
He shook my hand and congratulated me on a passed checkride!! I walked over to Sunset Helicopters to settle up my bill for the ship rental while the DPE went upstairs to start the paperwork for my temporary certificate.
I'm all but finished with my training. That was the last checkride. I still need 200 hours to be employable, that leaves 1.7 hours of flight time. I'm planning to burn that up in the next week or so taking some family up. It will be nice to fly again just for fun. Once that's done, I'll be able to put up a final tally for my training costs.
Total Training Cost To Date: $56,600.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $10,352.26
I passed my CFII checkride on Tuesday, and it feels great!! I tried to add a post as soon as I had a date established, but it all happened so fast I didn't have time. I was hoping that the examiner would be able to come to Spokane to conduct the checkride, but he didn't have permission from our local FAA office (FSDO). That meant I either had to wait a week or two until he could get permission from the local FSDO or take another trip to Oregon. Since it's so expensive to keep my skills sharp in the R-44, I decided I'd come out ahead if I just bit the bullet and did the flight in Oregon.
After several phone conversations between my instructor and the examiner, we set Tuesday as the date and I made arrangements for a road trip. I decided to rent a car this time so I wouldn't have to subject my trusty '96 Mazda Protege to another grueling road trip. I reserved an instrument R-44 at Sunset Helicopters in Aurora, OR (KUAO) and booked a hotel room for my instructor and I in nearby Wilsonville.
I was plenty nervous about doing this checkride at a different airport. I knew I'd be flying instrument approaches I wasn't familiar with. I know the local approaches around SFF pretty well at this point. That's one less thing to think about during the stress of a checkride. I'd also be flying an unfamiliar ship for the ride. The R-44 I normally fly, N7184G, is a carbureted Raven I. The instrument package has a separate CDI and Heading Indicator (DG). The ship I'd be renting from Sunset was a fuel injected Raven II with a much larger instrument panel and HSI.
UAO is at ~200ft and the more powerful helicopter at sea level (rather than ~2000ft at SFF) meant different power settings for straight and level cruise. The different panel and instrument package meant things would be in a different place than in 7184G. Couple those differences with the stress of a checkride and all new approaches and I was feeling nervous about this one.
My instructor grilled me on some last minute ground during the drive from Spokane to Aurora. We arrived at the hotel, checked in, and I spent another couple of hours reviewing for the oral. I was in that place before a checkride where you are second guessing yourself. I was certain I knew the material forward and backward, but still asking myself what I'd forgotten... what could I be studying that I wasn't? I finally had to just close all the books and go to the restaurant across from the hotel for a beer and some pizza with my instructor. I didn't sleep much that night, and was up at 6am for an early breakfast and more last minute review.
I arrived at the airport about 9am for my 9:30 checkride. The Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) arrived just a few minutes later, ready to start early. Right before the DPE arrived, one of the CFIIs at Sunset told me that he had failed a different CFII candidate the day before. If I wasn't nervous before, I sure as hell was now. Some poor bastard had failed the same checkride from the same DPE just hours before... thanks for the morale booster. As with other checkrides, I schlepped my 40 pounds of books from the car up to the office where the oral exam would take place and organized my materials for the subsequent grilling. This was the same DPE who had conducted my Instrument checkride, so I was familiar with his style and knew he was thorough but fair. Still, I'm convinced that all DPEs can smell fear.
We started with the usual formalities, rules of engagement, possible outcomes, etc. Then he dove right in. The first thing he asked me to do was draw a picture of the pitot/static system and explain the various components. My small dry erase board came in very handy here. I sketched out a diagram and worked through all the components. Then he asked me to sketch all the pitot/static instruments, explaining how they work and what inherent errors exist. He made me do the same with the gyroscopic instruments. I had studied the instrument systems until my eyes glazed over, so did very well on this portion of the oral.
The next part of the oral focused on Federal Aviation Regulations. He asked me about required equipment, takeoff and landing minimums, fuel requirements, departure/takeoff procedures, GPS approach requirements, etc. Next was approach equipment. He asked about some differences between GPS and ILS components, CDI sensitivity, RAIM prediction, approach lighting, and a few other things.
After that, he had me pull out my approach plates and he asked me several questions about the symbols and numbers on the plates. He made me apply the regs to the plates. For example, in order to not file an alternate airport, you need to have ceiling at 1000ft above the runway or 400ft above the published minimum for the approach and 2 miles visibility. He showed me an approach plate and made me calculate the reported ceiling required to fly a given approach without filing an alternate. He was also big on airspeeds. He asked if the 90kts airspeed required to fly Category A approach minimums was based on indicated or true airspeed (it's indicated). He also asked about airspeed requirements for timing an approach (those are based on ground speed).
The next portion of the oral was based on the Low Enroute Sectional. He asked several basic questions about the sectional chart, mostly about symbols and listed altitudes. Also a few about radio frequencies and where to find them on the charts. Then he used the chart to see if I knew my lost comm procedures. He used a highlighter to mark a flight plan on the chart, pointed to a part on the route of flight, and told me I had just lost my radios. He gave me a scenario including my last instructions from ATC and asked me how I would complete the flight, including altitudes, reporting points, holds, etc. He drew a similar flight path on another part of the chart and used it to test my knowledge of required reports enroute.
There was a lot more, but those are the highlights. I can never seem to remember all of the questions that come up during these oral exams. The oral took just over three hours. At the end he congratulated me and said that I had obviously been studying. He was very impressed with my level of knowledge and said I did an excellent job on the oral. That was a great feeling, especially considering he had failed another guy the day before. He told me to go downstairs and check the weather.
The weather was crappy, but flyable. The METAR was saying ceiling of 3000 feet with 6 miles visibility. I wasn't convinced looking outside. It was currently raining. Fortunately there was no wind. Since I was trying to leave town that afternoon and the forecast at Portland International showed worsening conditions over the next 12 hours, we decided to give the flight portion a try. We decided on the ILS approach into McMinnville (KMMV) and then the LNAV GPS approach for RWY 35 back in to KUAO. This would give us time for me to teach straight and level flight on the way out, fly a precision approach, do unusual attitude recovery on the way back, and then fly a non-precision approach.
After a thorough preflight, we climbed into 166SH and I began the startup checklist. I was careful to explain every step of the checklist to the DPE as if he were a new student pilot. He asked me several questions about the instruments during run up, which I answered correctly. When I was 80% finished with the checklist and certain the gyro instruments had had plenty of time to spool up, I walked the DPE through a pre-takeoff instrument check. After setting up the GPS and HSI for the first approach into McMinnville and double checking the radio frequencies, I finished the startup checklist and picked us up into a hover. I could tell we were heavy... we had nearly full fuel and three people in the ship (my instructor was riding along in the back).
I hover taxied to the hold short line at the active runway and checked the instruments one last time. Then it was a departure on Runway 35 with a left turn toward KMMV. I talked through a very good normal takeoff, which helped me to relax a bit. Once up, the DPE made a position report, took the controls, and had me put on my Foggles. It took me a couple of minutes to feel out the proper power setting and get a feel for the new panel layout and HSI. I made sure to let the DPE know that's what I was doing and turned it into a teaching opportunity, explaining to him my procedure for finding a straight and level power setting for 90kts airspeed.
Once I'd found the proper power setting, he asked me to teach him how to fly straight and level. I explained to him about airspeed indicator, altimeter, and heading indicator being primary instruments for power, pitch, and bank respectively. I explained how to set up an instrument scan and use other instruments as supporting for the primary. Satisfied with my lesson, we continued toward KMMV and set up for the ILS approach. He gave me several vectors, making me explain how to make the standard rate turns and what rules of thumb to use for rollout on a given heading (half my bank angle, etc.).
He handled position reports on the radio, moved the heading bug on the HSI, and identified the localizer for me at my request while I flew the approach. I was doing well on the approach until I got to about one mile from the airport. I let my scan break down and almost had the glide slope indicator at full deflection. I knew full deflection was an automatic failure, so immediately requested a go around before the approach could get too messed up. The DPE said good call and we began a climbing turn to set up for another shot at the ILS. I flew much better on the second approach. I was still a little wobbly on the last portion of the approach, but acceptable. Given the work load I was under with the new ship, new approach, and new instrument package, I was pleased with my performance.
On the way back to KUAO I taught unusual attitude recovery with and without the Attitude Indicator and then gave the controls to the DPE so I could set up the GPS and HSI for the last approach back to Aurora. I flew a good non-precision approach into KUAO. Before I reached the Minimum Descent Altitude, the DPE removed my Foggles and gave me a simulated engine failure at 600ft agl. It wasn't my best work, but I managed to do a power recovery where he told me to. He said he wanted to see how I would react to breaking out of the clouds and transitioning from looking at the panel to being able to fly the last part visually. I air taxied us back to the ramp and shut down.
He shook my hand and congratulated me on a passed checkride!! I walked over to Sunset Helicopters to settle up my bill for the ship rental while the DPE went upstairs to start the paperwork for my temporary certificate.
I'm all but finished with my training. That was the last checkride. I still need 200 hours to be employable, that leaves 1.7 hours of flight time. I'm planning to burn that up in the next week or so taking some family up. It will be nice to fly again just for fun. Once that's done, I'll be able to put up a final tally for my training costs.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Weather Delays
Total Hours To Date: 195.0
Total Training Cost To Date: $55,163.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $9,519.21
Mother Nature is again showing me the cruel bitch she can be. I was hoping to have my CFII checkride scheduled for last Friday, but there was only one day last week where the ceiling and visibility were above minimums long enough to fly. I waited at the airport for three hours on Wednesday hoping the weather would clear at GEG or COE so that I could practice a few approaches. The sky over SFF was clear and blue, sun shining down. GEG and COE were both socked in and under IFR conditions, a big F-You from Mother Nature. I hate Mother Nature, I hate her so much. So many children's books portray her as a sweet old lady with birds and bunnies prancing around. I think a more fitting visual is a leather clad dominatrix with a riding crop. A bit ironic that IFR conditions are what prevents me from practicing instrument flying, don't you think?
The weather this week has been more of the same. I've been hitting the ground study hard since I can't fly. Hoping things will clear up enough next week so I can get this checkride over with.
Total Training Cost To Date: $55,163.50
Total Books, Supplies, and Tuition To Date: $9,519.21
Mother Nature is again showing me the cruel bitch she can be. I was hoping to have my CFII checkride scheduled for last Friday, but there was only one day last week where the ceiling and visibility were above minimums long enough to fly. I waited at the airport for three hours on Wednesday hoping the weather would clear at GEG or COE so that I could practice a few approaches. The sky over SFF was clear and blue, sun shining down. GEG and COE were both socked in and under IFR conditions, a big F-You from Mother Nature. I hate Mother Nature, I hate her so much. So many children's books portray her as a sweet old lady with birds and bunnies prancing around. I think a more fitting visual is a leather clad dominatrix with a riding crop. A bit ironic that IFR conditions are what prevents me from practicing instrument flying, don't you think?
The weather this week has been more of the same. I've been hitting the ground study hard since I can't fly. Hoping things will clear up enough next week so I can get this checkride over with.
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