Wednesday, May 31, 2006















I can teach twins

"You fly very well, and that xwind landing was very nicely done", said the examiner as he typed up my new temporary airmans certificate. I am officially licensed to teach students in multi engine aircraft. Just the next step in this venture of mine.

The checkride wasnt bad. Started off with about a 2 hour oral exam, and then we went flying. We went out over the Atlantic for some airwork, then over to Vero Beach for some landings. All in all it was about a 4 hour ordeal with about a 1.1 hr flight. The icing on the cake was the return to Ft. Pierce. Winds were 040 at 15gusting 20. We landed runway 9 so we had a 50 degree xwind component. It was probably the best xwind landing Ive ever pulled off. I think I really impressed the examiner.

Then it was off on a x-c up to Tallahassee FL in the Duchess. A nice evening flight up there and then a night flight back. I flew the first leg up, and we got the visual approach to runway 36. The way home was Adams leg. I was tired, and sat there staring out the window for traffic. A bright star caught my eye. It stood out from all the rest. Mixed in with the various constellations a bright star stood out, shining down on me. Perhaps it was a planet; it certainly wasnt the north star as we were headed south. Maybe it was just a bright star.......or maybe it was a sign that there might be someone from above looking down and taking care of us.

I cant help to think that perhaps that star was David's way of communicating to me that he was there. It was almost as though I could feel his presence in the back seat of that beat up old twin engine airplane. I had a patch with his name and number on it(ktown team made them for their rugby shorts) in my pocket, and have been flying with it all week in my bag. Dave was with me on my checkride today, and he helped me to fly better than Ive flown ever.

As I sat there and thought good thoughts about the day I had just enjoyed on this earth and in the air, and found comfort in the thought that Dave was with me, I looked forward to my future and imagined where my life will take me. Will I end up in the left seat of a 777 some day, or perhaps I will end up in corporate and charter aviation. Whatever or wherever I end up, I will enjoy the journey that is going to take me there. My training for a career in aviation has been amazing, and the people Ive met and things and places Ive seen from the air have left a lasting impression on me that I will never lose.

Tomorrow morning I have an 8 am departure to Key west. We are going VFR and plan to fly the coast at 500 feet. Ill try to get some pics that actually post this time. For some reason I couldnt get the last batch to post.

Instrument instructor checkride is next week.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Space Coast express

For the second time in as many flights I flew to Key West international. Yesterday morning we climbed into the Beech Duchess for a 4 hour round trip and and airport hamburger in Key West. The flight down was nice. We filed for victor airway 3 which goes overhead Miami international. ATC wanted no part of that and sent us direct to Key west almost immediately to keep us west of Miami approach's airspace. We flew at 8000 ft right over Lake Okkachobee(sp?) and then out over the Gulf of Mexico for a visual approach to runway 9 at Key West. The leg home was my leg and we climbed to 11000 ft to try to get over some build-ups west of miami. We ended up penetrating several buildups and got bounced around a bit. Miami arrivals were coming overhead at 13000 on the downwind to Miami international. Saw a 757, and a bunch of southwest 737 aircraft......you are now free to move about the country.
The evening flight was kick a$$. we flew up Victor 3 to Daytona beach....right over the airport and the speedway, then east on a victor airway that sent us about 8 miles off shore. We had a nice haze layer and little or no horizon so it was a good instrument flight. We passed abeam Kennedy space center and got a look at the Vehicle Assembly building and the launch pads. The arrival into Savannah was awesome. We were vectored onto a right base for runway 9, then cleared for the visual into the Savannah airport. The leg back was mine, and again we were bounced around in some cloud buildups. Radar vectors to the ils runway 9 at fort pierce concluded a 5.7 hour flight.

Today is my multi engine instructor checkride. I am nervous about the oral, but I think I will be fine. The flight should be a more fun learning experience than anything else. Here is a pic from the final into runway 9 at Key West. Enjoy....

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Free light show

"66366, miami center squawk 3014, turn right heading 360 to join victor 3 northbound..." was all I heard as we departed Ft Pierce last night and was met with a tremendous light show at our 12:00 and 20 miles over the Melbourne VOR. Miami Center informed us of an area of severe to extreme weather over the airway we were to fly. I replied with...."roger that center, we are looking at it.....we'd like to go gps direct to a fix and then on to gainesville for an approach and then to jacksonville Craig municipal for a full stop." This took us west of the storm and gave us a great show as it passed us off the right wing.

Lat night was my first timebuilding flight in the Duchess--BE76. What a sweet airplane. We went to Gainesville for the ILS and low approach, then we went to JAX-Craig(kcrg) for the vor rwy 14 approach. Then on departure from CRG we picked up clearance and shot approaches at Daytona, Titusville, melbourne, Vero beach, and then back at Ft pierce. It was a hell of a night. Even had a door pop open on our takeoff roll from ft pierce. My door----unnerving to say the least and resulted in an aborted takeoff. 5.1 hours total in the airplane....today is a day trip...probably to Key west, and then maybe back up for Fuel and then north to shoot approaches at Titusville-Space coast so i can get a look at Kennedy Space center.

My MEI checkride is scheduled for Tuesday. I still have a written to take for the CFII(instrument instructor) and most likely the checkride for that around June 7 or so. Anyways, I feel absolutely comfortable in the new airplane now. It was tough for about the first 2 hours, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. The Duchess is a very forgiving twin, and flies great on one engine.....is a breeze to land as well.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

And then there was 600

Yesterday I hit 600 hours in airplanes. Seems like I was just posting that I passed 500. The hours are adding up quickly. My students are progressing. Im having a blast. Ive got my guys landing the airplane now safely, and some smoother than others. This is by far the most rewarding job I have ever had. I leave Monday for FL. I will try to post some pics from FL when I get down there.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Pattern A

"Ok, Larry, today we stay at home and work the traffic pattern." Larry was excited and very eager as I sent him next door to file a flight plan with flight service. We walked out to the airplane after I explained the traffic pattern to him.

"Larry, downwind power setting is 2000 rpm, 100 knots and 1200 feet. Abeam the numbers we bring the power back to 1700 and put in 10 degrees of flaps below 110 knots. when the runway is 45 degrees off our landing gear we turn our base and put in another notch of flaps....20 degrees. We leave the power in and let the flaps slow us down. On the base I like 80 knots and as we turn final, last notch of flaps and then power as needed to maintain 65 knots and a stabilized approach to the runway....this is where all good landings begin."

Larry was doing great. We took off nicely, he maintained Vy(best rate of climb) until 1200 feet. He pushed the nose over and leveled off, accelerated to 100 knots then brought the power back to 2000 rpm. he flew a nice pattern but it still left something to be desired in the flare.

Larry and I flew about 10 patterns and he had 2 decent safe landings...the rest were either assisted by yours truly or were complete scheauwwws. anyways, for his first real pattern work i was happy at the overall effort. his patterns were square, his descents stabilized and procedures were good. I am sure the flare will come in due time. hes flying with a different instructor this weekend as I will be out of town, so hopefully that will help him.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Reading Railroad

This past weekend was special for myself and a couple friends of mine. I flew myself, my buddy Chris and 2 of our friends up to Reading, PA (KRDG). the Kutztown Univ. up in PA was holding and alumni weekend for grads, and specifically the rugby team that our fallen friend Dave played on had invited us all up for his induction into their hall of fame. It was a really special day and I was glad I could attend.
The morning started at 7 am. I arrived at the airport and printed out the information I would need up at Reading from the internet. I stopped into the Flight service station to file my ADIZ flight plan and get a weather briefing for our flight from JYO to RDG. I planned for a VFR(visual flight rules) route on a heading of 056 direct. The weather was spectacular. Light winds and high pressure dominated. visibility was greater than 50 miles and hardly a ripple in the air. I loaded up the airplane with fuel to the tabs(17 gallons a side). Weight and balance dictated that I not take full fuel due to the fact that I had 2 120# females in the back seat, some bags and a 190# male in front along with me. No problem though. We lifted off and climbed to 3500 enroute to RDG. We transitioned between EMI and LRP, using GPS primarily but backed up the nav with VOR signals. Our arrival into Reading was uneventful. A slight crosswind on runway 36. Winds 040 at 12kts. The heavy airplane sat into the x-wind rather nicely and the thump of the wheels and deceleration was a welcome feeling for my backseat passengers.
After a great day of rugby, food and some adult beverages we were wheels up around 1030 am the next day. The 22 kt headwind from the day before now became a 27 kt tailwind at 4500. After we leveled off GPS showed a groundspeed readout of 152 kts. Not bad for a PA28R-200. Coming back into JYO was uneventful as well. We had to circle north in order to get set up on a left downwind for 35. Winds were calm....a welcome site for my pax.

Student load here has been tremendous. Ive got several guys on my schedule who are hard at work here at the flight school. I am having a blast, and really learning alot. Next up is 3 weeks in Florida to get my MEI and 100 hrs of multi.

Reading Railroad

This past weekend was special for myself and a couple friends of mine. I flew myself, my buddy Chris and 2 of our friends up to Reading, PA (KRDG). the Kutztown Univ. up in PA was holding and alumni weekend for grads, and specifically the rugby team that our fallen friend Dave played on had invited us all up for his induction into their hall of fame. It was a really special day and I was glad I could attend.
The morning started at 7 am. I arrived at the airport and printed out the information I would need up at Reading from the internet. I stopped into the Flight service station to file my ADIZ flight plan and get a weather briefing for our flight from JYO to RDG. I planned for a VFR(visual flight rules) route on a heading of 056 direct. The weather was spectacular. Light winds and high pressure dominated. visibility was greater than 50 miles and hardly a ripple in the air. I loaded up the airplane with fuel to the tabs(17 gallons a side). Weight and balance dictated that I not take full fuel due to the fact that I had 2 120# females in the back seat, some bags and a 190# male in front along with me. No problem though. We lifted off and climbed to 3500 enroute to RDG. We transitioned between EMI and LRP, using GPS primarily but backed up the nav with VOR signals. Our arrival into Reading was uneventful. A slight crosswind on runway 36. Winds 040 at 12kts. The heavy airplane sat into the x-wind rather nicely and the thump of the wheels and deceleration was a welcome feeling for my backseat passengers.
After a great day of rugby, food and some adult beverages we were wheels up around 1030 am the next day. The 22 kt headwind from the day before now became a 27 kt tailwind at 4500. After we leveled off GPS showed a groundspeed readout of 152 kts. Not bad for a PA28R-200. Coming back into JYO was uneventful as well. We had to circle north in order to get set up on a left downwind for 35. Winds were calm....a welcome site for my pax.

Student load here has been tremendous. Ive got several guys on my schedule who are hard at work here at the flight school. I am having a blast, and really learning alot. Next up is 3 weeks in Florida to get my MEI and 100 hrs of multi.