Ebbs and Flows of Flight Training

Each time the tide recedes, it leaves an entire ecosystem stranded, hanging on for dear life, waiting for the ocean to rise and bring back that which sustains life. Sometimes, on great journeys, one will hit a low much like the low of a tide. Feeling stuck, stranded, looking for something to breath life back into the heart, muscles, and mind that drive us forward. This is where I was yesterday, feeling low and lacking motivation. Another flight canceled, this time an alternator failure on the aircraft I was going to fly. It had been almost two weeks since the last flight, and people were saying I was cursed. I was starting to believe in superstition. Maybe I was cursed. I was stuck. I felt like quitting. It was the low of the tide. For every ebb there is a flow, and just as fast as the tide recedes, it rises again fresh and new. Today, my motivation is through the roof. I went flying today. No, let me re-emphasize, I Went Flying Today, and it was a perfect day. I am now endorsed and scheduled for my Commercial License checkride. March 16th is the day. The tide is high, life is flourishing, the dream is alive and well.

More soon…

Video Blog: Night Flight

I officially suck at updating this blog. In my defense, I haven’t had much to write about lately. A flight here and there, but mostly weather cancellations. If it’s not cloudy, raining, or foggy, its extremely windy. The other day we had a direct crosswind of up to 28 knots. The joys of flight training in the winter.

On a positive note, I am getting most of my maneuvers down to test standards. I went on a flight last week with a different instructor to gain a new teaching perspective. Two more flights this week with him, then its back to my original instructor. Hopefully by the end of this month (weather gods permitting) I’ll be ready for my checkride.

When I’m not working or flying, I’m studying. I’m in the first week of what should end up being an intense three-week long study session. My method for studying is to learn the material to the level at which I could teach it to someone else. And anyone who is lending an ear around me these days is being taught something about flying. Not only is this the ultimate level in understanding the material, it will certainly help me when I am an instructor.

On to the video: In a previous post I had a lot of trouble explaining how beautiful flying at night is. My current (and soon to be retired) camera just cannot capture it. I came across a video last week that does a good.. no, great.. no, extraordinary job at capturing the magic. It’s taken from the front seat of an airliner on approach and landing into LAX (Los Angeles International) during sunset. I’m currently looking into portable mounts for cameras that would allow me to duplicate this video in my own way.

I’ll make a conscious effort to update next week!

Eight Days A Week

I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life stuck working in an office. It’s one of the reasons I want to be a career pilot. Yet, in the last week I spent nearly 70 hours working in one. Why? I’ll let the pictures below do the talking (I can’t wait to get paid to do this!).

The Hazy Central Valley

Pulling Out the Los Angeles Sectional Map

The Grapevine Covered in Snow

I’m Mesmerized

Los Angeles

Palm Springs

The Desert – Quite a Contrast

The Sun Sets Near Mojave

Sunsets Never Get Old

Heading North in the Twilight

My airplane is broken again, waiting on it to be fixed. Hopefully (finally) getting some training flights in this coming week.

Video Blog: Last Flight Of 2010

2010 was a good year: graduated college, got a job in the aviation industry, and resumed my journey to the flight levels. I have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot to look forward to in 2011. In the year to come expect exciting things from this blog. Here are a few of the things planned (who knows what unplanned events may occur!):

• Commercial License (hopefully in late Jan or Feb)
• New Camera: Expect better cockpit shots and more HD videos!
• Multi-Engine License
• Flight Instructor Licenses
• Job as a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor)
• Near daily flights and continued blog updates

As you can see, 2011 is going to be a busy and exciting year! I’ll leave you with a video of the approach and landing of a joy ride I went on with a student at our school taken at Fresno Yosemite International. I was the safety pilot for this ride and he was the PIC (Pilot In Command). Happy New Year everyone!

Landing 29L at FAT in HD