Two HUGE things off my shoulders today...
1: I gave my boss notice...no sneaking around pretending I didn't just get a job!!
2: I'm FINALLY a full commercially rated pilot! No more of this "commercial multi-engine land, instrument airplane, private privileges single engine land" business. I can now officially say I am a "commercial single- and multi-engine, instrument airplane." Phew!!
The checkride went really well. I showed him the best steep spiral I've ever done and a decent 8s on pylons (during which he was getting the ATIS for Flagler and Ormond and calling each field to see how many airplanes were in the pattern). We then proceeded to Ormond for a normal landing, followed by a short-field takeoff, go-around on the first power off 180, damn good landing on the 2nd power off 180, soft-field takeoff (I LOOOOOVE SOFT FIELD) and a near-perfect soft-field landing in DAB. The checkpilot flew a lot, which was nice but also good for him because we got from point A to point B much faster. Basically we didn't get a plane until about 30 minutes after check-in time, and it took 45 minutes from engine start to takeoff (seriously it was like KATL today, the damned ground controller couldn't handle all the traffic).
Anyways! Woohoo!!
Oh geez I almost forgot...about an hour after my checkride David and I flew the club airplane to KMLB! His roommates were doing a CFII XC and we tagged along to go to dinner at Meg O'Malley's pub. Food: amazing. Stomach ache from overeating: not so amazing. But the air was smooth and the skies clear, so what else could you ask for?
And to think I used to say I didn't want a pilot boyfriend ;)
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Checkride, part deux.
I have my re-check tomorrow at 2...ack!!
But it's with the same checkpilot, who's really not going to want to fail me...so as long as I don't totally fuck up again, I'll be good.
But it's with the same checkpilot, who's really not going to want to fail me...so as long as I don't totally fuck up again, I'll be good.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
It's been too long...
I really should update more often. Now that Ravelry is up people may actually read this, hehe. So...updates!
STILL waiting on my single add-on checkride. I'll try to make this long story brief. I failed my checkride on the 26th. Oral went fine, but I totally screwed up my steep spirals and just couldn't concentrate enough after that to do decently. 25 knot winds from the south at 3000 feet, holy cow! And we had a solid 15 or 16kt crosswind on landing at Flagler. If I have landed in crosswinds like that, it's been a couple years. And on a checkride, geez!!
You'd think, what, a few more flights and back on for the flight, right? Well our team manager assigns a new student to his instructors as soon as they sign off a student, since there's a huge waiting list. So Henry had to figure out how to schedule us both...it wasn't really working out. On top of that Henry started getting on me for really really really minor things in my flying. If it was before my first checkride it would've helped, but I already had very little self-confidence after the failed flight, so this basically destroyed what I had left.
After 2 flights where I came home and had breakdowns, the boyfriend said that if I didn't ask for an instructor change he'd drag me to see our team manager himself. He had the same problem with his CFII and didn't want me to waste more time or money. And as much as I like Henry, I had to do it. On top of everything, I had only flown 4 times in the month since my checkride.
So last night I flew with my new instructor (who I flew with once before when Henry was busy) and things are much much better. This guy is a top-notch instructor. Lots of tailwheel and aerobatic time, and he's just amazing at teaching me the really fine control of the airplane that I need. We did 9 soft-field touch and goes and 3 power off 180s and my confidence is really coming back. The soft fields are getting sooooo pretty now that I'm being really aggressive with the rudder and not freaking out that we're using up 1/2 of a 3200ft runway just trying to bleed off airspeed. My power offs are really good, too!! I'm within PTS every time.
Gotta go out and practice, though....
Boyfriend update: he's fantastic. I don't want to get too mushy, but *twirls* he's awesome. We've had a lot of fun in the last couple months! Which makes the next topic especially hard.
I got a job. In Fort Lauderdale.
Spirit Airlines hired me and 7 other ERAU grads to be A320 first officers, starting January 28th. I'll have to write a whole post about it, because I'm freaking out over the whole thing. Neither of us are looking forward to our relationship taking on that airline feeling yet...but I really have to take this opportunity while it's available. I love him, honestly. At least I'm keeping my house in the creek, and he really wants to get on with XOjet, which is based in FLL, too. *crosses fingers*
Ok, I'll write more, but lunchtime is here.
Next time on my blog...
1. Spirit!
2. Knitting update. Or, revenge of the yarn fairy.
STILL waiting on my single add-on checkride. I'll try to make this long story brief. I failed my checkride on the 26th. Oral went fine, but I totally screwed up my steep spirals and just couldn't concentrate enough after that to do decently. 25 knot winds from the south at 3000 feet, holy cow! And we had a solid 15 or 16kt crosswind on landing at Flagler. If I have landed in crosswinds like that, it's been a couple years. And on a checkride, geez!!
You'd think, what, a few more flights and back on for the flight, right? Well our team manager assigns a new student to his instructors as soon as they sign off a student, since there's a huge waiting list. So Henry had to figure out how to schedule us both...it wasn't really working out. On top of that Henry started getting on me for really really really minor things in my flying. If it was before my first checkride it would've helped, but I already had very little self-confidence after the failed flight, so this basically destroyed what I had left.
After 2 flights where I came home and had breakdowns, the boyfriend said that if I didn't ask for an instructor change he'd drag me to see our team manager himself. He had the same problem with his CFII and didn't want me to waste more time or money. And as much as I like Henry, I had to do it. On top of everything, I had only flown 4 times in the month since my checkride.
So last night I flew with my new instructor (who I flew with once before when Henry was busy) and things are much much better. This guy is a top-notch instructor. Lots of tailwheel and aerobatic time, and he's just amazing at teaching me the really fine control of the airplane that I need. We did 9 soft-field touch and goes and 3 power off 180s and my confidence is really coming back. The soft fields are getting sooooo pretty now that I'm being really aggressive with the rudder and not freaking out that we're using up 1/2 of a 3200ft runway just trying to bleed off airspeed. My power offs are really good, too!! I'm within PTS every time.
Gotta go out and practice, though....
Boyfriend update: he's fantastic. I don't want to get too mushy, but *twirls* he's awesome. We've had a lot of fun in the last couple months! Which makes the next topic especially hard.
I got a job. In Fort Lauderdale.
Spirit Airlines hired me and 7 other ERAU grads to be A320 first officers, starting January 28th. I'll have to write a whole post about it, because I'm freaking out over the whole thing. Neither of us are looking forward to our relationship taking on that airline feeling yet...but I really have to take this opportunity while it's available. I love him, honestly. At least I'm keeping my house in the creek, and he really wants to get on with XOjet, which is based in FLL, too. *crosses fingers*
Ok, I'll write more, but lunchtime is here.
Next time on my blog...
1. Spirit!
2. Knitting update. Or, revenge of the yarn fairy.
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