After a short break on the ground, I finally went back up in the air today. I logged 1.4 hours today doing pattern work around KVDF. We did about 9 touch and go landings. The wind starting picking up towards the final few making for some good times. There were also alot of big birds in the pattern riding thermals. My instructor Wes said that I had two really good landings on my own with very little help.
There are so many things to remember while trying to land a plane. Landing seems like a pretty easy thing to do reading it in a book.
Total time logged so far: 10.7 hours
Next flight scheduled Sunday the 16th, 2007.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Flying Update and...
Well, as you can see by the dates it's been a while sonce I posted. Since my last post I have flown a few more hours. My main instructor got a job with an airline and is gone now. I wish Tyler the best and hope to keep in touch with him to see how he's doing.
I have 9 hours logged so far and am waiting for my medical. I need my medical before I solo. I think with a few more hours of touch and go's I will be ready to fly on my own.I have been studying hard for my private pilots written test. I am using the Gleim test prep software. http://www.gleim.com/ I have also found a bunch of free resources to help study for all the written tests. Here is some of the cool stuff I found:
http://www.atcsim.nasa.gov/ - Another ATC Sim Game
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/ - Links to FULL (FREE) books by the FAA
http://www.faa.gov/education_research/testing/airmen/test_questions/ - ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR THE WRITTEN EXAMS (no answers)
http://www.exams4pilots.org/ - Tons of FAA practice questions and answers in test format
It is hard to focus on just taking one written at a time when there is so much free information out there.
I have decided to keep going after my private license. I setting up a 2 year plan to get as far as I can with my licenses. The past few months I have been thinking about a little career change. The BIG problem: The starting pay for a First Office is only $20k. It's a little more than scary to think someone with so little pay is responsible for my life and the a multimillion dollar aircraft.
My next flight is this Sunday, the 9th of Dec.
My goal is to take my written for my Private by Jan 18th, 2008.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Hobby Turns Addiction
I have 5 flying hours logged so far. I have 4 more hours booked today (2 hours) and tomorrow (2 hours). I am determined to solo in 15 hours. So, this may be the month I solo. I have my flight physical scheduled for Saturday the 27th of October.
I found an ATC Sim game last night. Another addiction. I played it until 2am.
ATC-SIM
IT'S FREE! You can pay for additional airports, but they give you 7 airports for free.
Once you get the hang of the commands, it is a very addictive game.
I found an ATC Sim game last night. Another addiction. I played it until 2am.
ATC-SIM
IT'S FREE! You can pay for additional airports, but they give you 7 airports for free.
Once you get the hang of the commands, it is a very addictive game.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Leading Edge Aviation Website
I have just been awarded the contract for the redesign of the www.leadingedgeaviation.com website. Work has begun on finalizing the design and features of the new website. The work should be done and the site should launch within the next 30 days.
The best news is... I am working this website for trade in flight/instructor time. I should be able to finish my Private Pilot's license in trade for a new website.
The best news is... I am working this website for trade in flight/instructor time. I should be able to finish my Private Pilot's license in trade for a new website.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Aviation Links
Here are some good flying bookmarks I have collected. Some of them are links directly to airports I am near, but you can navigate to other airports when you get to the site.Links are in no particular order.
- Tampa Bay Area Aviation Weather Page
- AeroPlanner.com
- ADDS - METARs
- Aviation.com
- Sporty's Pilot Shop - Takeoff Page
- XML data feeds - Current Conditions - NOAA's Na...
- PilotMall.com Aviation Supplies - Pilot Shop
- Link to Skyvector.com - Online Aeronautical Charts
- AirNav
- Landings: Welcome: News: databases, aircraft sa...
- G1000 - Garmin GOS
- 7-Day Forecast for Latitude 27.96N and Longitud...
- AOPA Flight Training - Virtual Flight Bag: Plan...
- AOPA Online - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associ...
- Pilot Supplies from Sporty's® Pilot Shop - Home Page
- Live Air Traffic Control Audio Feeds | LiveATC.net
- FlightAware > Live Flight Tracker > Orlando Intl Airport (Orlando, FL) [KMCO/MCO]
- Gleim Publications
- KVDF - Vandenberg Airport
- Student Pilot - Flight Training Online
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Two Hours Logged
The weather this time of year in Tampa is very rainy. It has rained every time I have went to fly. My second flight was almost canceled. A severe thunderstorm rolled through just as I was doing my preflight. The worse of it rolled through pretty quick. We ended up just doing some taxiing practice and 4 touch and go's in the airport traffic pattern. The last landing I did all by myself. I guess learning how to fly in bad weather will help me be a more prepared pilot. If everything was perfect I wouldn't learn too much. I have the flying bug for sure. On average it is costing my about $140 an hour to fly with an instructor. His goal now is to get me to solo as soon as he can. After the last landing I was pretty confident that it will be soon.
The Evektor is a small plane and likes to fly slow. Average speed is around 80 mph. Climbs and landings are at about 70 mph.
I also purchased Gleim's FAA Test Prep 2008 software. Lots of test questions. I now know I have lots to learn. Flying is going to be the easy part.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Intro Flight Scheduled
My first "Discovery Flight" is scheduled for this Saturday. This is where an instructor takes you up for a 30 minute flight around the area to get you hooked on flying. I will be flying in N733UJ, a Cessna 172.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Brewing Beer
I have always been fascinated by beer. My kids bought me a Mr Beer kit 10 years ago for Christmas. I made a few batches and they were interesting to say the least. I like all kids of beer. Beer is yummy. So, I have been thinking about taking the plunge and buying a real beer brewing kit. While searching for beer stuff on the Internet I found a pretty cool store for brewing equipment. http://store.homebrewheaven.com/ This site has all sorts of kits. They even have user reviews and question that the staff answers.
I also found a magazine that's "All About Beer" http://www.allaboutbeer.com After receiving my first issue, I read it cover to cover. I realized I have alot to learn about beer.
I was standing in the bathroom at a micro brewery in Fort Walton Beach called Santa Rosa Brewery. I saw an old article from the 1800's about alcohol fermentation. Here it is:
SOLUTION OF THE SECRET OF ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION
by Freidrich Woehner and Justus von Liebig
Beer yeast, when dispersed in water, breaks down into an infinite number of small spheres. If these spheres are transferred to an aqueous solution of sugar they develop into small animals. They are endowed with a sort of suction trunk with which they gulp up the sugar from the solution. Digestion is immediately and clearly recognized because of the discharge of excrements. These animals evacuate ethyl alcohol from their bowels and carbon dioxide from their urinary organs. Thus one can observe how a specifically lighter fluid is exuded from the anus and rises vertically whereas a stream of carbon dioxide is ejected at very short intervals from their enormously large genitals.
- Annals of Chemistry, Volume 29, 1839
Good stuff, I love it.
Well, I hope you will follow my beer adventures. I am ready to buy my kit and try my hand and crafting my own beers.
I also found a magazine that's "All About Beer" http://www.allaboutbeer.com After receiving my first issue, I read it cover to cover. I realized I have alot to learn about beer.
I was standing in the bathroom at a micro brewery in Fort Walton Beach called Santa Rosa Brewery. I saw an old article from the 1800's about alcohol fermentation. Here it is:
SOLUTION OF THE SECRET OF ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION
by Freidrich Woehner and Justus von Liebig
Beer yeast, when dispersed in water, breaks down into an infinite number of small spheres. If these spheres are transferred to an aqueous solution of sugar they develop into small animals. They are endowed with a sort of suction trunk with which they gulp up the sugar from the solution. Digestion is immediately and clearly recognized because of the discharge of excrements. These animals evacuate ethyl alcohol from their bowels and carbon dioxide from their urinary organs. Thus one can observe how a specifically lighter fluid is exuded from the anus and rises vertically whereas a stream of carbon dioxide is ejected at very short intervals from their enormously large genitals.
- Annals of Chemistry, Volume 29, 1839
Good stuff, I love it.
Well, I hope you will follow my beer adventures. I am ready to buy my kit and try my hand and crafting my own beers.
- Intermediate Homebrew Equipment Kit -- Homebrew...
- All About Beer Magazine-Online
- Beer Brewing -- Homebrew Heaven Online Store
- Homebrew Heaven Beer and Wine Making Supplies, ...
- HOMEBREW Digest #1578 Mon 14 November 1994
- London pubs off the beaten path - Travel - MSNB...
- StoreFront -- Homebrew Heaven Online Store
First Blog
So, it looks like this blog stuff isn't going anywhere for a while. I've never saw the need for my own blog until recently. I have stuff to say and I hate mySpace. Postings may include beer, ColdFusion, life lessons, kids, babies, women, work, careers and other stuff.
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