1st day of flying

in

It's great to be back in the air! I was able to do great takeoffs but my first landing was pretty bad. :-) Of course, I came back around with the proper correction and nailed that sucker. Flying the DA40 with 200 pounds extra in the back (my stick-buddy) changes the dynamics and I should have known that. I powered off and just thumped back to the ground. Wasn't that bad, but not good enoung to pass my standards.

Recap of Last night:

Got home and needed to get rid of this pressure crap that is making me partially deaf in my right ear. Something about getting sick and getting all clogged up back there. So, I took some Nyquil, and ate some dinner. Laura told me that that always makes her pass out about 45 minutes after initial digestion, I wanted to prove her wrong. I just about started feeling really whoosy right there and then. I decided to go to bed and I passed out!!! --> there goes my studying that I thought I was going to do for the Physiology Final today.

I woke up a couple of times during the night just feeling kind of weird but I was able to get some good rest (the best ever) and woke up early to get ready for my first flight. After the flight, we (as a crew) went back home, ate some lunch, headed back to school, had a Red Bull and a Nerd Rope, and then took the test. I passed w/ a 94%. I tied once again with the Indian dood who spent the previous night watching 6 hours of the O.C. Man, I guess I still have it in me!

Going flying tomorrow...of course, if that SoCal storm doesn't get in the way.

FAA Test #1

in

I passed with a 98% (59/60) on the test today which only took me about 30 minutes. It was great, but I really thought that I got a 100%. I came so close. Oh well, I tied with Manoj. I'm happy. Things are going well. I'm so tired. We start flying next week on Thursday. In the mean time, we have two finals next week. One in communications and one is flight physiology. Should be a fun weekend!

[time]

in

Time is of the essence. I have no time at all (of course besides this time that I'm putting away writing again). It is not hard to keep this updated, but I've been studying. Learning just about everything and anything that I can take in during my Private Pilot Course on Weather while learning more and expanding my knowledge knowing that I will have an upper division course on weather once I get to commercial and jet training. Right now, we are doing Weight and Balance of an airplane in respects it and our capacity. It was a funny thing because after doing all this, I got worried that my trip to Vegas in the DA-40 was over weight. I did the computations and boy, we just slid right under the Normal Category for operation. I mean I did it before hand, but I felt that I might have missed something. It was a great relief to me that I didn't. It's just way too crazy how much you really have to plan out before you actually attempt to go anywhere. I can't wait to get back home and start flying to Vegas. Who's coming with me?!

I have a quiz tomorrow on airplane performance, have the final stage 3 exam (QE 3) and the FAA exam next week. I'm going to take it home! Oh yeah, and I scored a 95% on my last QE. I fell down to second in the class out of four...but I WILL REDEEM MYSELF!!! MUUWAH HAHAHAHHAA!!!

Superbowl Party

in

What a party I had today. It was great! I guestimated that about 15 - 20 would show up and I was right. I was right that the Pats would win, but they didn't make the spread. Oh well. Anyways, I had a great time cleaning up and now I'm done. Back to sleeping and studying! My girlfrien is coming this weekend! I can't wait! Oh yeah, and my roommate's car, which is the only means of transportation around here, broke down today. I had to push it around the corner. It was exciting!

so get this...

in

My morning went schedule was as follows:

-Went to bed around 12:00 AM.
-Woke up at 5:00 AM but got up at 5:10 AM to start studying for my first QE (qualifying event = final / midterm) while listening to Sirius Channel "The Beat" (kind of like electronic / dance music)
-Got dressed around 7:45 AM and packed a Red Bull and a Nutri-Grain Bar
-Got to school very anxious to download all my knowledge at 8:15 AM
-Downed the Red Bull in a matter of 10 seconds
-Got WIRED and I mean WIRED for the test
-I received the test and answer sheet and started backwards form question 50 (my anxiety really gets to me so I just play along with it and do things weird)
-I finished all 50 in about 8 minutes

The bad news is... I did not get a 100%. I missed two questions, one of which was just marked incorrectly by yours truly and the other I completely missed. Stupid me. But, if you count all the quizzes and this QE, I'm still ahead. But then again, if you only count this event, everyone missed two except my Crew Buddy Minoj who missed only 1. Oh well, I got another exciting day like this one on Tuesday. Apparently, we will be flying within the next two and half weeks making our way into the final parts of the Private Pilot Ground Course. I can't wait to get my wings.

testing in...

in

So the test was postponed for today, February 3, 2005, and I'm awake at 5:00 a.m. studying. It really shouldn't be that bad, but I'm studying all I can so that I can ace this exam. I need a 90% but I want that 100%. Stay tuned! Check back at 12:30 EST and I'll post my results. This test is only on the intro stuff to the Private Pilot Course. I've learned it before but now I know it much better. I can't wait!

I also start flying in about 2.5 weeks which means I have a total of 3 QEs and 1 FAA Exam within this time period! It's going to be insane!

Qualifying Event #1

in

As the days grow nearer until my first Qualifying Exam, distractions get larger! It's always convienent that my computer (HP Pavilion dv1000) doesn't want to talk to printer (Photosmart 2610) and causes Windows to crash. So I've been working on that instead of studying for a while.

This exam covers quite a bit. It shouldn't be that bad, but I have another QE next week and then week after, then my FAA Final, and man...its going by so fast! I've been in Florida for about 4 weeks now. I can't believe it. I guess its okay and its working out great. Anyways, I'm going to get some of that sleep that I need.

Oh yeah, I'm still running too!

flying around

in

Today, we had the best time flying around Palm Coast and Daytona. (X47 to DAB back to X47) It was awesome flying around and finally checking myself familiar with the terrain. I'll tell you this much...it is nothing like San Diego. There are no mountains in sight whatsoever. Just a bunch of little lakes, the Daytona 500, other airports and a couple of waterways. Here's a picture of the view that I took while sitting in the back seat.

The is one of the local main roads bridging over the Intercoastal Waterway leading into the Atlantic Coast. Well, I'm going out to check out this country themed club, Rockin Ranch. Come along!

Qualifying Events

in

Well, after my first three weeks at CAPT, the first Qualifying Event arrives next Wednesday. A Qualifying Event is basically a final. Passing is considered 90% or higher which gets you 4 points and if you don't pass, you take it a second time for 2 points where you still have to get a 90% or higher. Well, there are a bunch of QEs and with that, the total amount of points in the program equate to 169. There is some bonus point or something like that. But to graduate Summa Cum Laude, you need to have 163 or more. That's what I'm gunning for. This first QE is 100 questions, multiple choice, so I'm hoping that I can get 100%. We'll see.

I have a quiz on Friday with about 83 questions and then I have that other set of essay questions due tomorrow. Better get going. Oh yeah, we fly on Friday if it doesn't rain. And the weather is great!

The Truth has Come!!!

in

For sometime now, the program that I am in has been getting a lot of negative views from current pilots (those who did their time), Embry Riddle Undergraduate Students and quite a few others in the aviation field that are...you know what...ignorant. That's all I can say. I have always been open minded about quite a lot of issues, especially those that offer a different opinion and idea and research and then form my base. The information that I'm about to share with you guys, I have known for a while but only until now went public. Here is the link to the press release by CAPT.

http://www.erau.edu/capt/home/milestones.html

The first three grads, the first three job placements. There are actually other grads that are also getting jobs, but I cannot disclose that information just yet. So far, 100% of the graduating classes (8 pilots total) have received contracts. *nuff said*

Here are two pictures of the MD-90 Simulator that is just so good, the hours you spend in there count towards your real jet time.

This is is a pictures of the outside of the simulator. For perspective, you can fit about 3+3 sitting down and still enough for standing room. Here is the picture of the inside.

Running with the Bose QC2s

in

Everyone has to try this out. Buy these wondrous Bose QC2 headset and use them w/ your iPod or whatever musical output device you have and run. Just run until your music library runs out! It was amazing. I finally got to use the treadmill that came with my house and I used my G4 Titanium Powerbook as my iPod. (for those who don't know what that is, its a bigger and badder version of the iPod...it has a 15.4 inch screen!) Anyways, I just ran 1 mile, felt like I could do more and more and more...I stopped at 2 miles because I have to study, but by gawley gee, the sound is bolstering and energizing! Here they are in picture form and if you want to know more, just click on it and it will take you to Bose's website. They are not one bit overpriced. Trust me, its been almost a year since I've had them! Oh yeah, they cancel out the airplane jet noise too. This totally helps me when I'm on those long cross country commercial flights. :-)

Maintenance

in

Hello all. I'm sorry for no update yesterday. It was a long day with both my NFL underdog teams losing. :-( Oh well.

Today, I got 100% on my Aerodynamics Quiz which was exciting! If all 4 of us crew members get 100% our instructor will take us out to lunch.

It was a really cold day today! 22 degrees in the morning and throughout the day, we had a temperature of 52 degrees F. Freaking cold and frigid! Anyways, today's topic in class was all about engine and airplane instruments. It was a new fresh course and we actually got to see the 100 hr inspection being performed on the Diamond Star DA-40 today (only for about 10 minutes). It was completely gutted. Pretty interesting how simple but yet how complicated the airplane actually is. I'm really tired and the heater being on all day is making me more comfortable and tired too. Looks like I'll be wearing my uniform tomorrow because Tally-Ho finally sent them to my roommate. It'll be soooo comfortable! Casual days were good while they lasted. Oh yeah, I got my Black Members Only Jacket in too. That'll fit right in with my uniform!

assignments: Review questions being given tonight which are due Wednesday. Flow and checklists memorized for before taxi and before take-off procedures. Read chapter 2. <- not that bad eh?

Here's a picture of a dismantled DA-40.