A Lot Has Happened...

So I was reviewing my last post and realized a lot has happened in just a week. I will try to make it fairly short even though a lot has happened. I guess the first thing I should bring up is that the maintenance folks rock at my airport. What I thought was going to take at least a week took only 3 days. Man, that is awesome. I was bummed out since they weren't giving me a good ETIC (estimated time in commission) and I just assumed the worst. I still don't know how much it is going to cost me, they said they are a couple of months behind in the billing department. OK, whatever.

OK, with that out of the way, let's get on to the flying. My new instructor actually kept his word and we were able to get the night cross-country requirement done. It was nice to fly when it wasn't so damn hot and bumpy. We cruised out about 50 miles, did a full stop landing, and came back. Just a little BS'ing on the way with the XM radio playing in the background (which will soon be Sirius..woohoo!!!). Anyway, I have done my FAIR SHARE of flying at night with the Air Force, so this wasn't anything new to me. If there was a non-event, this would be it. The only concern was deer on the runway (the airport is in the wood with LOTS of wildlife) when we got back, but we only saw one on the edge of the taxiway after we landed. I have seen my fair share of "deer strikes" on airplanes and they tend to tear up a lot of expensive stuff. With that out of the way, the only requirements remaining were:

1. A long solo cross country (at least 150 miles with 3 stops and one leg at least 50 miles).
2. A total of 5 hours of solo cross country time.
3. 3 hours of flight preparation for the practical test (checkride) within 60 days (or often called "3 in 60").

In the last couple of days, I have met all the requirements by flying two cross countries. The long one actually met all the requirements (solo cross country requirement) but I took the "extra one" to see the field I have been asked to "plan on flying to" by the examiner. With that all I am lacking is the "3 in 60" which I started today. I have taken a couple of days off (to preclude the scheduler calling last minute requiring me to cancel a flight) to do the "checkride practice" on Thurs, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I have also schedule next Friday and Saturday just to be on the safe side.

Today's practice was pretty simple; a couple of steep turns and stalls and some "soft field" take off and landings. I really haven't done very many of the "soft fields" and I thought I was really sucking at them, by my instructor said I was fine. As a matter of fact, he thinks I am ready for the checkride now, but I tend to disagree. I might be within the standards according to the FAA, but my standards are a little higher, so I want to continue practicing some. I do not want any doubt as to the results of the checkride (not only to mention that it's $350 a pop...you fail, you pay again!). Besides, is he really going to turn down the business?

Lastly, this has been a very busy last couple of weeks. I am cramming for the written (I take it in 2 days) and wrapping up the couple of classes for my master's degree. I am happy that I get a two week break before I start my LAST CLASS!!! WOOOOO HOOOO!!!!

After that, I will have my private pilot done (I hope, anyway), school will be over and I am going to "veg out" for a while. I want to get the instrument rating done (so you can fly in the weather but after the pain the PPL has been, I will do an accelerated program which will require more self-study and about 50 hours of cross country time, so I am not worrying about that until early next year. I am ready for a break, that is for sure!

So some stats:
Total Time: 52.7
Total Solo: 17.3
Total In MY plane: 16.4 Total (11.2 Solo)
Total Spend: Oh Shit!!! Don't look at that number!!!

So now you are caught up. The plan is keep cramming for written, study for the oral and fly with my instructor at least two more times (scheduled for 4).

Airplane Ownership

So there is a disadvantage to owning your own airplane. When you rent a plane and there is a maintenance issue, you simply "write it up" or tell the maintenance folks and that's it. When you own your plane, you have to get it fixed on your own. So I have had my plane for a week, and it's already down for maintenance. I sure hope this isn't a sign of things to come!!!

Well, I headed to the airport on Tuesday to go and get some solo stuff done. I am hoping to take my checkride in a few weeks, so it's getting down to the wire. As I started the preflight, I saw that the fuel indicator for the right wing showed empty. I knew it wasn't empty since I had fueled up after I flew last time. Just to make sure I didn't have a leak or that it was stolen, I opened the tank and verified that there was indeed fuel in the tank. Bummer. I rocked the wing a bit, tapped the gauge, turned it on and off a couple of times and even taxied the airplane around to see if I could "fix" it. Well, nothing helped. So, I wandered to the maintenance hanger and come to find out the guy who schedules the stuff was out. I was assured he would be back the following day. So, the following day I came down to talk to "the man" but he was off running errands. I did talk to someone else who at least took my keys, wrote down my info and told me that "the guy" would call. Well, it's now Thursday afternoon and I haven't heard from him. I tried to call, but the number goes to a fax machine. Ughhhhhh!!!! This is a little annoying. I have a good reason to believe that it is the sending unit which requires tank removal, shipping, rebuilding, reshipping and reinstalling the tank. In my estimation, a week at the very best. So this really sucks. I contacted the examiner and am trying to get the check done in mid-August, so this is all cutting it awfully close. I had also scheduled a few days off next week so I would 3 good days of "checkride practice" with my instructor...now that is in jeopardy. I went ahead and reserved another "rental" plane to at least get the night cross country done Friday (if the hurricane stuff is gone!). This will be the "last" of the requirements for the checkride and will be able to just focus on the checkride.

Well, I am throughly depressed now, so that's all for today.

A Little Solo Action

This morning I got up nice and early (well, 0930 is early to me) to head to the airport and get a little flying in before it got too hot and bumpy. I would actually prefer to fly earlier, but here in South Texas, the ceilings are always around 1500-2000 feet until about 11 in the morning. Then, the clouds lift/burn off and the wind kicks up. Today was no exception to this rule. By the time I got to the airport, preflighted the plane and was ready to go...the weather was great. My "new" field is home to a lot of gliders, so I went south a little bit to my first airport to get gas (much cheaper there, too) and practice a couple landings. They went OK, but the wind was trying to get the best of me. Without the instructor weighing the plane down, there is a little more float and *a little* bit more challenging. After playing in the pattern, I went out west and just cruised around some and then do some "turns around a point". This is an exercise about 800 feet off the ground where you have to manage the airplane with the given wind conditions. Since it was fairly windy, today was a good day for that. After about 8 or so laps around the "point" I headed back up to my primary field and wrapped it up for the day. It was a fun way to enjoy an early Saturday afternoon. I am looking forward to having my checkride so I can explore a little more than right around home...so many airports and so little time!!!

Long Time, No Fly

So as you can see, I hadn't flown in quite a while. I could ramble on for pages about why, but it boils down to scheduling issues. Basically, my instructor was busy doing other things and I was having a tough time getting my night cross country scheduled. Also, the school had a rule that I couldn't solo unless he was physically at the school which also created scheduling issues. The school is really catering to international students, and the "pay-as-you-go" students get the short end of the stick.

OK, so here's what has happened. I have wanted to get an airplane for a really long time and after lots of contemplation and using Microsoft Excel for WAY too many hours (building rent vs own spreadsheets) I decided to buy an airplane. Most people think that I am crazy, and maybe I am, but you know what? I don't care!!! The numbers really paint the picture that for the flying I want to do (1000+ hours in 5 years) it is much cheaper to own. Now, ask me again if I have to sink an incredibly large amount of money for something that tears up!!!



OK, so I was waiting for the plane to get here (was down South) before I started flying again. My intention was/is do all the training in the plane so I KNOW what I will be using for my checkride. I even had an instructor lined up, but Murphy's law was in effect and he now has a medical issue that will keep him grounded for a couple of months. Well, he recommended a guy who might be able to help me out. He did "warn" me that he doesn't really "plan" anything and he thought that wasn't the best thing. I am of the mindset that it is my training, and I would like to do it "kinda" the way I want to do it as long as I am learning something....so he seems like the kind of instructor I want/need. I met him and he is a younger guy, but very laid back. I thought that he would fit the bill, and I scheduled the first few lessons.

Fast forward to yesterday...FIRST FLIGHT IN MY AIRPLANE!!!!

So, it was a little different preflighting my own airplane. Very surreal feeling, really. Anyway, we taxied out and took off. The plane is awfully quiet and the first thing I noticed was that flying it was VERY easy. I always felt like I was "fighting" the Cessnas and it was annoying. This plane flew VERY easy...it was kinda weird. So why fly out and so some maneuvers. Again, they were all very simple. So, we come back and I do the first landing and it was a 9 out a 10!!! In my opinion, the best landing I have had. I asked the instructor if he helped out some and he said, "Nope, it was all you." Go figure...I thought it was a fluke. We flew a couple more patterns and those landings were just as good. What a great first flight.

Alright, today we went back up and flew to a new field and did some power-off 180s (engine out landings), some stalls and slow flight. The crosswinds came around to try and "throw me off" and create issues, but no way man! The first landing was a bit off of centerline, so on the next one, I did a "practice approach" where I flew about 10 feet off the ground to get a good feel of the crosswinds on the plane. That worked out well and the next couple of landings were spot on. Crosswinds? Not even an issue! We then did a short field take off and that too went well. We wrapped up there and cruised back to the field and do a couple more power off landings and called it a day. The highlight was getting the solo endorsement to go fly my new toy...very cool in my opinion. After all the issues with the Cessna, I thought it would take a few more lessons, but in only 2.3 hours I am legal to fly it all alone. We have scheduled my night cross country for next Friday...which is what was holding me up with the last instructor. He told me that I *appear* to be ready for my checkride, so as it stands, I will go fly the next few days enjoying my new acquisition before my cross country. I have also taken 3 days off the last week of July for "checkride" practice. Hopefully, I will take my checkride the first part of August...but we know how that works!

Well, you are now up to speed on my progress. Hopefully, there will more entries in a relatively short period of time. OK, time for bed...