Passing

in

I passed and so did Manoj. There were some maneuvers that were combined during the test that kind of caught me off guard, but I was still able to fly just as well. It was a nice checkride in that I got some night time in and a night landing. The best thing about the flight was that I flew with a damn great pilot. I mean, the confidence level and the way that he handled the plane, it was almost as if the plane was just another part of his body. Amazing aviator!

1st Instrument Checkride

in

Tonight at 1830EDT, I will be in the Diamond Star DA-40 with Manoj (my flight partner) and a Mr. Mike Schrier showing him that I can fly under the hood safely. I think I also have to demonstrate a DME Arc or some sorts. That should be fun. I'll post later on tonight on how it went. But tomorrow, if everything goes well, Manoj and I will be flying some instrument approaches all around Florida. Who knows, maybe this time we'll hit up the Keys!

FRASCA Time!

in

So, Manoj and I opted to fly two lessons each in the FRASCA simulator. It was long and arduous, but damn worth it just to stay with the schedule. The very first 20 minutes of my first flight went smooth with almost perfect (98%) 45 degree steep turns to the right and then to the left. After that, Partial Panel work came alive (I love two instruments, specifically, the heading indicator and the attitude indicator) and my sim session just went to...umm...hell? I don't know what else to call it really. I had to take a step back and breathe, then correlate the interpret the instruments that were left working. I was heading westbound but then when the instruments failed, I turned around for some reason instead of maintaining my heading with the compass.

Finally, I got squared away and the instruments came back online, and I shot the VOR approach alpha into Gainesville (KGNV). I also did a 12 DME Arc which I have to say I was rather impressed with. Things went well. Got the simulator to work for me and trimmed that bad boy out. Of course, on the second lesson, which was just a continuation from the first, I saw the two instruments fail on me again. This time though, I was invincible! Bring it on!!! I wanted to keep going, it was sad.

Tonight, I'm just sitting here bored to death in Palm Coast, wanting to go out with some of my friends from back home. I miss everyone. Come visit guys!

FTD

in

So, doing a DME arc with an HSI is a little different than using an OBS. Being that it may, we have an HSI in the FRASCA simulator (and I'm familiar with one from the other DA-40 in San Diego) I thought that I could have it pegged down. I ended up turning 90 degrees the opposite direction and just messing up entirely. It has to be jotted down as one of my worse flights at CAPT. Then Jenn (my instructor) failed the HSI and the Attitude Indicator, and I was just all over the place for a bit.

Finally, I squared things up and got the aircraft simulator into straight and level flight. I did another DME arc and got it down, and just flew the plane with correct timing and compass turns pretty close enough. Tonight is going to be a fun night on MS Flight Simulator.

3rd Ins.

in

Today was another (FTD - Flight Training Device) in the Frasca B 142. It sucks doing some stalls and unusual attitude flight recovery w/o feeling the plane but you have to get use to it. Didn't have to wear the stupid instrument goggles though. Got to do a DME 16 Arc into Daytona Beach along with an ILS approach to 7L. We did another approach into Flagler County Airport using the VOR-A and then just going missed. Instrument flying is where its at I tell you.

2nd I-Flight

in

In the rain and greased the landing. I mean my instructor looked at me, and quietly said, "Like butter!" I have to admit, I was so happy of my landing that I almost forgot to do the after landing checklist. It was just jaw droppingly sweet! I also got to fly underneath some crazy clouds with some turbulence and rain. The rain was cool. You could actually see just spoltches around the Palm Coast Area where it was raining and where it wasn't. It was definitely a great day.

Now I have to finish my report on Airbus and their A380.

1st Ins. Flight...

in

It was in the FRASCA. I can't complain. It was somewhat necessary I guess to learn how to scan the instruments properly. Jen is a great instructor, so far so good. Manoj and I do have some work cut out for us and I should probably get started on the reviewing. I haven't done any basic maneuvers (slow flight, stalls, etc) in quite a bit.

I started on my presentation too. I chose to write about the Airbus aircraft family concentrating on the famous A380 Double Decker. Check it out! http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a380/ and then just navigate yourself to the A380 page. Boeing definitely does have it cut out for them competition wise.