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an acorn is a chav

Family

One day before my birthday, Aug 30 of this year, I had the opportunity to take my parents flying for the first time since obtaining my Private Pilot Certificate. While the two of them have flown in planes before, neither had flown in a tailwheel. Upon arrival at the airport, my excitement level was no different than any other flight I had made before. My parents were excited, but no more than the parental-pedestrian excitement expressed for their children after a significant accomplishment.

As we waited for the lineman to fuel up the plane, I could see that my mother, who hates flying and heights, was becoming more and more apprehensive. Unfortunately, her butterflies managed to migrate and stir in my stomach as well. Prior to boarding the plane I made sure her headset fit comfortably, and that she had an opportunity to pose wearing her newest accessory.

After getting into the plane, which was a feat, I explained some basic safety considerations and made sure she was buckled in appropriately. To make her more comfortable, I made sure she was aware of all of the forces she would experience on take-off so that nothing would surprise her. After the run-up I received my clearance from both the tower and my mother. Having obtained both, we taxied out and began rolling down the runway. Shortly after the tail raised off of the ground, we effortlessly flew off of the runway. Amazed at how smooth everything was going, she sincerely asked if we were airborne. I jokingly responded that she needed to open her eyes and to see for herself. For anyone who has experienced a seamless transition from earth-to-air, they can appreciate my mother's reaction.

During our climb to 2000' AGL my mother inquired as to why we were going, 'so high'. I explained that it would be a little smoother and decrease our chance of CFIT. At cruising altitude, we hit a rough patch of air which made her uncomfortable, and me even more nervous. I could tell it was time to get her back on the ground before she made use of the sick sack.

After landing, with a forward-slip, which she did not seem to mind/notice, she hopped out of the plane with the biggest smile and most excitement in her voice that I had experienced in a long time. I don't know if she was more excited for being on the ground or for having flown with her son, 'the pilot'. I would like to believe it was the latter.

Now, it was my dad's turn. I provided the same safety briefing and explanation of the forces to be experienced, that I gave my mother. We taxied to the runway and passed from earth-to-air with another peaceful take-off. The morning was warm enough that we could leave the door and window of the cub open for our 20 minute flight around our town. We flew south and he photographed my house from the air and captured many other images during our flight.

Throughout both flights, the atmosphere is the airplane was quiet. For my mother's flight I attributed this to nerves. However, the quiescent mood during my father's flight relinquished within me, a genuine sense of accomplishment and pride that made his previous feelings for other achievements seem hokey and unnatural. This was a true father-son moment that could not be trespassed by the usual incredulity evoked by other pursuits. My ability to fly had become the one unequivocal accomplishment for which my father could not develop any doubt.

As we left the airport for early morning mass, I felt the relationship between myself and my parents had matured and been revived. For sometime, our familial bond seemed apathetic paralyzed. We had been going through the motions of being a family, without experiencing the emotions of a family. On this day, I witnessed aviation transcend flight and rekindle the bond of a family trying to understand one another.

Images to follow...

Morning Flight

I could not have picked a better time to fly than Monday morning of this week. Although a fine haze limited visibility to about 6 miles, the air gratefully greeted me free of any agitation. This flight was made that much more satisfying after a ground conversation with two Challenger pilots.

After the preflight, the aforementioned Challenger pilots, acting like children at this point, gathered, in admiration, around the Sport Cub. They both loved the cockpit and were astonished that a later re-model could resemble the cherished, time tested, Piper version. Their excitement bewildered me and provoked the question, 'Which would you rather be flying, the Challenger or the Cub?'. Both agreed that they would rather be logging time in the Cub. However, I suppose the monetary needs are not quite satisfied if all of your time is spent in a Cub playing, and not working. I informed them that my PPL training, including cross country trips, were completed in the Cub. I think they were a little impressed.

After prostrating themselves before the Cub, I told them I would take them up if I ever saw them in town again. Maybe we can swap rides :)

Images to follow!

No flying today

I decided not to go flying today in an effort to save money. I was able to receive the wife's blessing to take her sister inlaw's mother flying some evening in the upcoming week.

The lack of funding has led to, not only a lack of flying, but also a diminished level of confidence when I do fly. I should be more specific, my confidence isn't in constant jeopardy, it becomes most susceptible during the landing phase of flight. All other phases, though just as important, remain relatively docile and less threatening. While I am able to make nice approaches, both crabbing and slipping, I find it difficult to keep the appropriate aileron correction applied throughout the entire landing. Consequently I develop significant apprehension about flying when prevailing winds greater than 5 knots. I am as picky with winds as some children are with trying new foods. I really hope to get over this soon because I don't want it to ruin my love for flying. I know that the only way to cure what as me is more practice. Unfortunately, my practice is compromised by low funds.

I'll get there. I feel slightly embarassed admitting this after obtaining my license. Maybe I should keep this achievement in mind and use it to build my confidence by knowing that I possess the required skill sets to manage situations. At the same time, if conditions aren't within my confidence range I know not to fly. There has to be a happy medium, right?




-- Post From My iPhone

First Passenger and "The windsock never lies"

Until yesterday, I have not had time to get back into the air. I had the itch and needed the appropriate fix. I had been looking at the weather all morning and decided, at lunch, that the conditions would fall within my comfort zone. I grabbed a neighboring co-worker (who is going for his private pilot's license) and we headed over to HKY for a quick flight around the area.

We departed rwy 19 with one of the smoothest take-offs I have ever made headed west to the surrounding foothills. The humidity was very low so the usual summer haze was non-existent; giving way to a very crisp view of the mountains. Being summer however, there were some bumps which to my surprise the passenger enjoyed. As we made out way closer to MRN I decided that we should get back to avoid missing too much work and spending more money than I should.

As I entered the downwind and advised the tower I was doing so, another pilot was landing on rwy 24. When there were safely off of the taxiway, the pilot (my instructor) told tower to let me know that the winds were actually favoring 06. After waiting for a few seconds for tower to relay the message, I announced that the windsock, although flaccid, was favoring 06. As a result, I asked if it was possible for me to use this runway instead. Tower replied that they were observing variable winds and I could take 06 if I wanted. I should have gone with my gut and taken 06. After turning final the plane was subject to a tail wind. With two notches of flaps and the throttle pulled back, the plane refuse to descend. I threw in a forward slip to help it out a little, but we ended up landing long.

After the wheels touched, the plane weather-vaned to the right. I corrected with some right rudder, and observed no drift. A few seconds later I found myself left of center. Although it wasn't significant, I was still disappointed that it wasn't down the centerline. For some reason I find it difficult to keep the upwind wing down when faced with the crosswind. I tend to relax and focus on the rudder. I am thinking that the next time I fly with a significant crosswind I will have my instructor there to help a little and give me some advice. I am also curious to see if I would benefit from flying the length of the runway, at about 25' from the surface, in a side slip, to help build muscle memory.

When we got out of the plane my instructor called and said, "the windsock never lies" and went on to remind me the importance of not landing a tailwheel airplane in a tailwind. I should have heeded his advice, and will gone with my gut.

I would not have passed myself

Well, it is with excitement and disbelief that I announce the achievement of passing my private pilot checkride and oral exam. This announcement is two weeks delayed for a few reasons. One, I wanted to make sure that my dream was no longer a dream, and I wanted to have more than the temporary paper license issued as proof that I am in fact a pilot. On friday the proof arrived. I think I might need to find a safe place for this...

Although I am now considered a fully capable pilot, I am still in shock that I passed. Although nothing horrible happened on the checkride, there were a few minor errors that worried me along the way. Before the DPE arrived I was sitting at the FBOs computer preparing to discuss the weather when she arrived. However, she had different ideas and asked what I thought about the visibility. I mentioned that everything looked good for our planned route and she accepted my answer and we proceeded to preflight the airplane.

The preflight was uneventful until she asked why I hadn't lowered the flaps to examine their integrity before departure. I proceeded to explain that the sport cub's checklist did not outline this as a necessary check while my previous trainer, the 172, did in fact require full flap extension during the preflight. She accepted my answer and went on to explain that I might not have all of the information to make confident a go/no-go decision. Although the checklist for the cub does not require this, I will continue to use this step to gain that much more information concerning the plane's airworthiness before departure.

Upon completion of the preflight, we contacted tower with our intentions and followed accordingly to make a departure form KHKY to the east towards KFAY. We departed using the shortfield departure technique and climbed to 3500'. We reached TOC at the exact calculated time and position. This trend continued for the subsequent two checkpoints until the DPE had me divert to KSVH. Heading towards SVH she gave a choice between shortfield or a forward slip to landing. I chose shortfield and set up for a left downwind. I applied carb heat abeam the numbers and throttled back to 1500 rpm. We turned base and I realized then that we were significantly lower than my previous approaches. I should have gone around here. However, I was confident I would be able to hold it off and make thousand foot markers. I used power to drag us in, something my instructor was not fond of, and touched one wheel before making the decision to go around. She said I should have gone around sooner, I agreed, and she asked if the displaced threshold threw me for a loop. Indeed it had, but it is no excuse; which is why I would have failed myself here. For whatever reason I neglected to consider the added distance before I made my base turn. We went up for round two and I greased it on the captains bars. The third landing was a forward slip that went off without a hitch.

After a few landings at Statesville, she had me don the foggles and navigate to the BZM VOR. This was quite boring and drawn out due to a nice headwind. Once past the VOR we made some constant rate turns to various headings. I took the foggles off and performed some steep turns, which she said felt shallower than the required 45 degree bank. She subsequently admitted that she could not confirm this since the the cub does not have an attitude indicator. Following this I performed a power on and off stall. I strayed a little on the heading for the power on stall, but was able to maintain enough of a heading not to fail.

Before heading back to KHKY she pulled the power on me and I had to run through the ABCs and checklists for an emergency landing. When she determined we would make the field we throttled up and headed back to KHKY for a soft-field landing that turned out to be less than a soft-field landing. I was sure this had been the final straw, but after taxiing to the FBO she let me know I had passed!

Since passing the checkride, I have not flown. In fact I am in considerable withdrawal. The next few years are going to be very difficult financially as my wife is going to grad school and we will be footing the bill without loans. We figured that I could have a $60 monthly allowance to fly. If I can split the cost with someone, this would allow for two bi-weekly, half-hour flights, or one monthly one hour flight. I can live with this as long as I am able to maintain my currecncy until she is finished with school. I am also to feed my addication by acting as a safety pilot for another pilot I work with who is going for his instrument rating.

More importantly, I have been trying to figure out how I might be able to use my license to help others by establishing a non-profit organization that might provide foster children with an opportunity to take free rides and expose them to something they may never have the opportunity to experience. So, if you have any ideas as to how I can use my newly learned skills to help others, please let me know.

The Checkride

Yesterday afternoon I met with my DPE and finished the oral exam section of the two part private pilot checkride. Being the over achieving worrywart that I am, I went to the airport 2 hours early to ensure everything was prepared and readily accessible for the DPE. On my way in the DPE was leaving to grab some lunch. She asked why I was so early and if I would want to bump it up an hour; for whatever reason I agreed. It took a couple of seconds for me to realize that my preparation time had just been cut in half. This turned out to be a fantastic decision even though my apprehension level doubled because I lost an hour of preparation.

Hastily, I laid out all of the maintenance log books, my flight logbook, sectional chart and flight plan so that I might estalish a decent first impression. When the DPE arrived, we immediately finished the IACRA application and began examining the log books. Everything went smooth barring a little disappointment with some sloppy entries into my log book. She then asked if I was seeking aviation as a profession, and suggested cleaning up the logs if I were. That said we moved on to the flight plan and began discussing my planned route from HKY to FAY. After a few questions her phone rang and she proceeded to talk for a good 5-10 minutes. This was no skin off my back; in fact it was a welcomed break for me to collect my thoughts. After her conversation was through she proceeded to ask me a few questions about airspace and my privileges and responsibilities as a VFR pilot.

During all of the questioning the DPE did a fantastic job of carrying on a conversation (with me) while making sure I had some knowledge about aviation. We talked a lot about some of the trips she made and was able to somehow incorporate aviation into all of the stories she told. One such story involved a trip to Alaska where she had the opportunity to fly around Mt. Denali in a Piper Seneca. During their climb out she watched the altimeter and the pilot to see when he would offer everyone oxygen. She stopped the story there and asked what aeromedical factor might be experienced at these altitudes. It was simple stories like these that made the exam comfortable and fun. Unfortunately, I worried way too much and could have gotten away with a lot less studying. Better safe than sorry, though.

I guess everything went well, because she didn't tell me I failed. I was supposed to take the practical today at 12pm, but it was slightly windy and very hot. When I got to the airport I asked myself, 'if it were any other day, would I fly by myself?' I answered no and decided to postpone the flight until tomorrow morning at 7:30. Hopefully by noon tomorrow I will be a private pilot!