Date Night

My wife had been asking me two questions:

1. When were we going to have a date night?
2. When does she get to fly in the Katana?

Yesterday's weather looked good. The Katana was available for more than 2 hours. All we needed to do was decide on a destination. Somewhere within 2 hours (that's about as long as anyone could stand in a Katana) and easy access to dining. We decided on Laughlin/Bullhead. It's about 1:45 each way. The Riverside Resort and The Colorado Belle both offer shuttle service to and from the airport.

We headed out to Falcon Field and checked out the Katana.

The further on the edge...the hotter the intensity.

Yes, the Katana is that small. My wife is nearly 5' 11" with very long legs. Her knees were nearly in her face. Thank goodness no photo exists of my fat a$$ sitting in there!

As we taxied, we enjoyed seeing several vintage aircraft including this B-25 Mitchell named "Barbie III". Falcon Field is home to the Arizona Wing of the Confederate Air Force. Their prize possession is Sentimental Journey, a fully restored Boeing B-17G that tours the US during the summer and winters at the CAF museum.

We flew VFR and our route took us to Lake Havasu City (where London Bridge is for the older guys, where Spring Break is for the MTV generation) and then North up the Colorado River over Needles, CA and in to Laughlin/Bullhead City.

In the photo below, we are descending in to the right downwind for runway 16. On the left is Laughlin, NV where the casinos are. On the right is Bullhead City, AZ where the airport is and most of the people reside. The airport is just out of the photo on the right.

To the North is Lake Mojave which leads upstream to Hoover Dam. To the south, the river feeds Lake Havasu and Parker Dam.

Base.

The bridge below is the only bridge across the Colorado river for nearly 20 miles. Since 9/11/2001, no commercial traffic is allowed over Hoover Dam and all of it is re-routed through Laughlin and Searchlight. That bridge see A LOT of traffic and many accidents.

Final.

After another smooth landing (easy in a Katana), we found a primo parking spot, tied down and headed over to Sun Western Flyers for a top off and ride to Laughlin. The people at Sun Western Flyers are always super helpful and friendly.

On the complimentary shuttle ride to Laughlin, we met two young pilots from ATP. They were friendly and talkative, but I was surprised when they neglected to tip the driver. I know student pilots usually aren't dripping with cash, but come on. If they expect to be airline pilots, they better learn to take care of shuttle drivers! 'Nuff said.

We had a nice dinner and then sat down for a few hands of blackjack. I'm not a big gambler and just enjoy playing blackjack and poker. A few winning $5 hands, a blackjack and a couple of winning double-downs paid for our dinner and some fuel. Very nice. We left with Laughlin with full stomachs, a slightly fatter wallet and smiles.

On the ride back, traffic came to a stand still. There was an accident on the bridge and it was closed. Chaos was ensuing. The driver quickly turned us around and took us to the Riverside, where we picked up the river taxi across to Bullhead City. We were fortunate to run in to the Riverside's shuttle driver who was more than glad to take us back to the airport, since he couldn't get back to Laughlin.

The bridge ended up being closed for nearly 3 hours. Luckily, nobody was killed this time. We were glad to hear that and also glad that we hadn't driven there.

The flight home was very smooth. LA Center couldn't have been nicer and the same for Albuquerque. When we were handed off to Phoenix approach, she even asked our routing preference to Falcon. Very nice. As we got closer to Phoenix Sky Harbor, my wife said she thought it would be neat to land there in a small plane. So I picked up ATIS and asked approach for a touch and go. After a brief "stand by", we were cleared for a visual approach and handed off to tower. We were cleared for a touch and go on 7R. It was fun, but then again, we are easily amused people.

After a quick "thank you" to Phoenix for their hospitality, it was back to Falcon Field. 10 minutes later, we were back on the ground. The ramp was so dark and full that it took nearly 10 minutes to find a parking spot. How about some ramp lights FFZ?

Overall, it was a fun date. It did feel good to get out of the Katana. 2 hours is about all I can stand in that tight cockpit. It's still my favorite aircraft to fly.

To CFI Or Not To CFI? That is the question.

I finally get back in a Seneca today. As much as I have enjoyed the Arrow, the sound, feel and performance of a multi engine aircraft is wonderful. Besides, multi time is what it's all about...which leads me to my current dilemma.

I am going to be 37 here pretty quick. Now 37 isn't exactly old, but it's not 23-25 either. At my age, I want to get a seniority number as quickly as possible. I also want to take advantage of a job market that is beginning to favor job seekers. Airlines keep lowering their minimums. I've heard of a few regionals that are so desperate for pilots right now, that their interviewing pilots with less than 300 hours and 50 multi.

None of those airlines are necessarily places I want to work. I would prefer to work for one of a select few. I'm not as concerned about 1st through 3rd year FO pay as I am about working for an airline that I know is going to be there.

Anyway, since I've been doing quite a bit of flying outside of flight school, my times are going up rather quickly. I could have the minimums for the airline that is my choice by April or May.

Next month, I could either start CFI or FOS (Flight Officer School). FOS is basically 9 weeks of Part 121 Airline Regs and standards, high altitude training, jet simulator training, interview prep and so on.

I know that CFI/II/MEI are valuable and I great respect for everyone that has them. However, a day in the airline business is like a year everywhere else. Things change overnight. Right now and for the foreseeable future, hiring looks very good. But as the past has demonstrated, things can change in a heartbeat.

CFI/II/MEI would probably take 90 days to complete and then I would have to instruct for some time. Time is the factor for me.

Right now, I'm leaning towards FOS. My gut feeling is that it's the right thing to do for my situation. If I were 25 and didn't have a family, I would definitely be thinking differently. My friends that are airline pilots have told me that the airline doesn't care if you're a CFI. They want to know if you're trainable for Part 121 flight ops and if you're someone they could stand to be with for 4 days at a time. The earlier I get hired, the earlier I can get 121 turbine time and work towards ATP (Airline Transport Pilot).

There are a lot of people who have paid their dues through being a CFI. Being a good CFI is invaluable experience. But is it worth the time and cost for me right now? If the preferred route didn't work out, I could always go back and get CFI/II/MEI.

Hiring minimums are near an all time low. Just a few years ago, you needed a Space Shuttle type rating and 2,000,000,000,000 hours to be considered. September 11th demonstrated what can happen overnight.

To CFI or not to CFI? That is the question.

Commercial: Stick A Fork In It

I guess the image above answers any questions. Thanks to good fortune and a lot of hard work, I am finally a commercial pilot.

The check ride went pretty well. Before we took off, I mentioned to him that weather along the route wasn't looking good for VFR. There was ground fog and snow flurries about 15 miles South of Gateway and it didn't look too good. He said that we would depart towards the destination and he would divert me when necessary.

My first checkpoint was Coolidge Airport (P08). We ended up between a layer of fog and the ceiling on the climb out and I leveled off. I stated right there that 1. I wouldn't have taken off if I were actually going to Sierra Vista and 2. If I were en-route and came upon this on a VFR flight, I would divert now or cancel. He acknowledged and asked me to proceed. OK then. It began to snow. This was my first time flying in snow and it looks cool. It wasn't accumulating on the wings, but I could not see Coolidge or the sky above. I had a VOR radial backup and steered for it and used DME to measure my distance from Gateway. Dead reckoning and NAV radios said we were there, and just as I was about to tell the DPE that we should be over Coolidge, the fog cleared and Coolidge was below us.

At this point, I expected him to divert me. Nope. He had me go on to the second checkpoint, which was a cool little mountain called Picacho Peak. It was another 7 minutes away. So I steered for Picacho and enjoyed the view of the mountains covered with snow and fog. I wish I had time to snap a few photos, it was gorgeous. When I got on top of Picacho, he diverted me to Phoenix Regional (A39). I kind of expected to be diverted there, just not from so far away. We got into snow and MVFR visibility again and I found myself making sure the VOR backups were setup. I grabbed every ground reference point I could. My calculations were exactly on and we got to Phoenix Regional 17 minutes after starting the diversion. He complimented me on the accuracy of my diversion, especially considering the weather conditions. That felt good to hear.

At Phoenix Regional, we did the typical engine out maneuvers, short, soft and power off 180 landings. They all went off without a hitch and I was pleased.

We then departed North and did eights on pylons. In my second turn, the throttle got bumped and decreased manifold pressure by 2". I adjusted my altitude for the decreased speed and it worked out just fine. He said that I did the right thing.

Then we did slow flight, stalls, Chandelles, Lazy Eights and Steep Turns. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to Gateway. On the way back he cut my engine at 4,500' and I picked a dirt crop dusting strip that was about 4 miles away. We made it with altitude to spare. Nice.

After that, we headed back to Gateway. He just asked me for the nicest, smoothest landing I could give right on the numbers and exit at taxiway Lima. That was as perfectly reasonable request and a great way to end a successful check ride. We parked, he said "You did great, no suspense. I'll see you inside after you shut down and secure the aircraft."

3 for 3! With any luck, I'll be ready for my multi-engine add on in the next week or so. I have to say, it feels good to be a commercial pilot!

It's The Little Things In Life

My wife got me this for Christmas. The planes are tiny and sometimes my fingers are too big to do some of the intricate folding required, but I still have fun trying to fold them. It's a neat gift and constitutes one of life's little daily pleasures.

---

The weather is a little crazy here in Phoenix. It has been cold and blustery since Thursday. The forecast called for clearing skies, so I went flying this morning. Ceilings were broken at 7,500. After we landed, the sky turned ominous and the rain started coming down. It rained off and on for the better part of the day.l

AND THEN...

It started to snow! In Phoenix. Snow flurries, during the day no less! It's a very big deal to see snow in Phoenix. Unfortunately, it was still too warm for any accumulation. The National Weather Service says that the accumulation level will be as low as 2,500 feet tonight.

I'm glad to see this weather. I just hope it's clear enough for the check ride tomorrow morning.

FM1200 04008KT P6SM SCT070 BKN140
FM1700 03006KT P6SM FEW070 SCT140

The check ride is scheduled for 9 a.m. which is 1600Z. I guess we'll see.

The Sandwich Artist

Learning to fly costs a lot of money. The FO job I'm working so hard for isn't going to make me wealthy, either. So I've been getting in the habit of eating for less. That means a 6" Cold Cut Combo, or the sandwich of the day from Jared's place much of the time. The problem, other than my low opinion of Subway in the first place, is that the sandwich "artists" aren't. Granted, if my full time job was being a sandwich "artist", it would make me very unhappy. So much so that I would probably consider staking out a freeway off-ramp with one of those "Will work for food (but would rather just have you give me cash)" signs.

So the other day I was pressed for time (and money, duh) before the check ride and headed over to Jared's place for a Spicy Italian. I ordered. The artist told me "We don't got no white bread". Umm this is Subway and you sell sandwiches, right? OK, I'll have Asiago cheese. Again, "We don't go no cheese bread". Ok, I'll have a Spicy Italian on whatever bread you have. "We don't go any pepperoni either, dude". This was starting to get old. Finally I said, "I'll take whatever you have as long as you promise not to call me dude again".

The point? This experience reminded me of a bit about Subway from one of my favorite stand-up comedians, Bob Marley. Here it is. Enjoy:



If you like this, you can hear more here. We've seen him several times at the Improv and he's hilarious.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The Good: The oral exam was smoother than I could have possibly imagined. Everything came to me. Nothing stumped me. It was awesome. The DPE told my instructor, "It was excellent. He really knows his $hit." Thanks for the crude vote of confidence. I'll take it anyway it comes.

Also, the brain trust at school decided to put my plane in maintenance early for the 100 hour inspection. Apparently, nobody was aware that I had a check ride scheduled today. The maintenance guys are great. They went the extra mile to get it done before the flight. I can't say enough great things about them. They're like a group of McGuyvers the way they keep such crappy planes on line. Kudos. Unfortunately...

The Bad: The METAR at flight time: 100@18G28. That's a direct crosswind exceeding maximum component for the Arrow, forget about the gusts. Winds aloft were worse, plus an airmet for turbulence. Who wants to do a steep spiral from 7,500' with crazy winds and turbulence? How about soft field landing with maximum crosswind component? In a pinch, maybe. Being held to PTS, no way. I called the flight and asked for a letter of discontinuance. Mr. DPE had no problem with that.

The Ugly: The weather for tomorrow and Saturday looks bad. The next possible time to reschedule is Monday morning at 10 a.m. That's a long way away and to ensure completion, I'm going to have to do a review flight on Sunday. With just 20 hours in the aircraft, I fear that I might lose the PTS edge. So Sunday morning at 8 a.m., my instructor and I will go up one last time to brush up on ground reference, performance and emergency maneuvers.

Did I mention that I was disappointed? CRAP. I really wanted that rating today.

Panic Attack

Well, it's just about 7 p.m. I just got home from a business trip. On my way home, I start going through about 15 voice mails. Voice mail number 10: "Hi this is ***** from XYZ flight school, your check ride has been scheduled for tomorrow at 13:00. Your DPE is John Doe and he says to plan to San Diego. He weighs 220 and will be bringing 160 pounds of baggage. Good luck!"

Wow, 18 hours notice? Gee thanks. It would have been nice to at least have 48 hours.

Tonight: Proof read 8710. Make flight plan. Review, review, review. Systems, aerodynamics, regs, weather etc.

Tomorrow: Early morning review flight, then final review with my instructor.

Get me a paper bag...or some oxygen. Wait, is it hyperventilation or hypoxia?

Just breathe, you big doofus.

The People With The Shiny Airplanes

Well it's January 14th and still no check ride scheduled. End of Course check ride complete, 8710 complete, ground knowledge peaked and already diminishing.

We had near record cold temperatures in Phoenix this morning. It was -8C/18F at Gateway this morning. That is bitter cold for us desert dwellers. The National Weather Service says it hasn't been this cold since 1990. Why mention this? The plane wouldn't start this morning. The Arrow that I prefer to fly has always been rather difficult to start, but today difficult was an understatement. One look at the oil and I knew that flying wasn't happening. It looked like hot fudge...only I knew it wasn't hot.

It does take more cranking to start an engine when it's cold outside, but the starter on this particular aircraft is the biggest challenge. It's barely adequate when it is warm. Today, it just wouldn't turn the engine fast enough. Out of pure frustration, I actually ended up flooding the engine too...my first time. Like re-priming it over and over is going to make the starter crank faster.

So today was a bust. No review flight and no check ride on the schedule yet.

---

Tomorrow, American Eagle is coming to the school for some recruiting and some interviews. Even though I'm not really ready for an interview, I would like to speak with a recruiter. I will probably be ready to meet their minimums in about 90 days.

It seems like just about everyone is down on American Eagle. The number one complaint I hear is their upgrade time, which is currently believed to be about seven years.

In theory, I expect that number to go down considerably for several reasons. All of American's pilots have been recalled, a HUGE number of American and TWA pilots will be retiring soon, which will send many Eagle captains to American.

The things that appeal to me about American Eagle: It is wholly owned by AMR, American's parent corporation. Unless I'm mistaken, there is a direct upgrade path from Eagle to American. Other than San Juan, their bases aren't hard to get to from Phoenix. Since I will be living in Phoenix and jump seating to wherever I'm based, ease of commute is a consideration.

Most people in my position are a little younger and have different needs than I do. Based on my needs, it looks like Eagle might be the one. It doesn't hurt that they'll be hiring over 700 pilots in 2007, either.

If anything, tomorrow should provide me with a few pieces of the puzzle for the rapidly approaching hunt for the job.

Three Powerful Words from Bob Loblaw

At my school, the end of course exam is designed to be twice as difficult as any check ride. This is to ensure that you don't bust the real thing. My end of course has been a little drawn out, but it is finally over. Total oral exam time: 5.5 hours. Long...grueling...over. The second half was focusing on systems, aero medical and dreaded aerodynamics.

Happily, I can say that the worry over aerodynamics has paid off. I'm not ready for a PhD in fluid dynamics, but a few weeks of intense studying did the trick. I just finished my 8710, have a review flight scheduled for Sunday and will request a check ride on Monday. It looks like next Thursday, Friday or Saturday depending on DPE availability.

One more week and I'll be a commercial pilot. I can already hear the phone ringing with lucrative flying job offers!

---

Before finishing up my end of course, I had to get my "no-fly" status taken care of. Their stance: pay now. My stance: I don't owe any money until the end of the month and that is when I will pay. Big divide.

Solution: I met with the new president of the school briefly today and laid out my case. 1. I have paid as agreed in advance since day one. 2. My next payment isn't due until 1/31. 3. I have paid $XX so far and have yet to receive a commercial pilot's license. 4. Three powerful words: No commercial license, NO MORE MONEY. Period.

It appears that they have renewed clarity regarding my position. Within five minutes, I was off the "no-fly" list. Kind of like The Far Side comic about Ginger the dog. It went something like this:
Owner says: "Darn it, Ginger, how many times have I told you to stay out of the trash? Ginger, when will you ever learn? Bad dog, Ginger! Bad dog!"Ginger the dog hears: "blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah GINGER blah blah blah GINGER blah blah!"

I say: "Darn it XYZ flight school. NO MORE MONEY! How many times do I have to tell you that I pay on time and to never put me on the "no-fly" list. Bad flight school. NO MORE MONEY!

They hear: blah blah blah NO MORE MONEY blah blah blah blah blah NO MORE MONEY

Should I let them know that my name isn't Bob Loblaw?

---

I was chatting with the chief flight instructor today. He had the impression that I was angry about everything with the school. I challenged his notion and suggested that maybe because of the school's situation, wasn't it possible that he was feeling a little defensive? I explained what was making me angry (the no-fly issue and the manner in which it was brought up) but also told him the things that I did appreciate about the school. No matter how crappy the aircraft are, the education I have received is excellent. Flight instructors at most flight schools are there simply to build time, but the ones that I have had (other than the one I fired) did their personal best to teach me what they knew.

I am glad that the school is surviving. The president has stepped down and a new one has been appointed. I don't know if they are still hanging by a thread and operating on a day to day basis, but I am rooting for their survival. Other than the fleet of flying fright pigs, it's a pretty decent place. Word is that if the current plans survive, several new additions to the fleet will be in order, including a few Seminoles. That being said, I still won't give them another dime until I have my commercial check ride(s) completed.

Coping With Frustration

Today was marked with frustration. The end of course exam that was supposed to begin at 7 a.m. didn't start until 8:30. This limited the time available for the ground portion of the EOC. We covered rules and regs, weather, charts, flight planning and aircraft log books. It was already nearly 11 a.m. and the check airman wanted to get the flight out of the way today, so we put off the second half until Friday morning. At that time, we'll cover systems, aero medical and aerodynamics.

The flight was just o.k. The school has two Arrows, one of which I like and one of which I really don't care for. Guess which one we got? It's called "The Pumpkin". It's painted a hideous orange color and looks like the flying equivalent of a '72 Oldsmobile that's been rusting in Jersey since the '80's. The biggest difference between the two planes, other than one being old and faded and the other being uglier than a Pontiac Aztek is the props.

The Pumpkin's 3 blade prop makes it sink like a rock. Also, there is a lot of vibration at high pitch, low rpm settings. Even though they are the same model and vintage, they fly like completely different models.

I'll start by saying I didn't bust the end of course check ride, but it wasn't exactly a resounding success either. Not only were we starting the flight later than expected, an intake hose had come loose and needed to be fixed. Once we finally got in the plane, everyone on God's Green Earth was departing. The run up box was full. It took a few minutes for a space to open up only to have 3 aircraft waiting at our mid-field departure point, as well as a Lear 45, MD-83 and two T-38's at the long end. Of course all of the jets got priority departure and we had to wait over 10 minutes before it was finally our turn to depart.

The first part was a diversion. It was pretty simple and went off without a hitch. New magnetic course, new distance, new fuel consumption and new ETA with a mock report to FSS. Then it was time for steep turns. On my right turn, I was about 10 knots slow at one point, but within Practical Test Standards (PTS). I need to scan faster in the steep turns. Next was Lazy Eights and Chandelles. They were fine, other than forgetting to call out my final altitude on the second Lazy Eight.

He tried to trip me up by having me do Chandelles up to 7,500 in an area where the Class B airspace shelf was 7,000. Luckily I caught it, or just approaching it with the intention of going to 7,500 would be a bust. I followed the DME out to past the airspace and finished the climb to 7,500 where I was instructed to do a steep spiral. It worked out OK, but in my nervousness I didn't trim the aircraft for the proper speed and ended up working too hard to maintain the correct airspeed. Dumb.

We then went to my favorite runway, Phoenix Regional (A39) for landings. Soft field, short field and then power off 180's. Power off 180's are night and day between the two Arrows and I had to go around on the first one. The second one was right on. After that, it was time to start heading back towards Gateway.

On the way back, he said we would be doing Eights On Pylons and to pick a place to do it. He then instructed me to climb to 4,500 feet. That told me it was about time for an emergency. Sure enough, he cut my engine. Pitch for 105MPH, find a suitable landing spot, fuel on fullest tank, alternate air on, mixture rich, fuel pump on and check mags. There was a dirt crop duster strip close enough to make with a full downwind pattern and I made the strip.

Next was Eights On Pylons. Thanks to a suggestion from John, aka Aviation Mentor, I had already created a pivotal altitude chart. One look at the map and I figured a 100' adjustment and made the entry. The first turn was perfect. I started the second one a little early, causing me to go about 100' lower than if I had waited, but it was still PTS. I prefer perfect, but will take PTS on check ride day.

On the way back to Gateway, he had me do a simulated engine fire with an emergency descent. I didn't pick up as much speed as I should have, but it was acceptable. It was back to Gateway with another soft field landing.

Overall, I would give it myself a B-. Still looking for a solid A. Something to aim for on the real check ride.

---

When I got back, the instructor and I were debriefing when someone from the admin side of the school interrupts to tell me I'm on the no-fly list. Huh? He said I couldn't fly again until I had put more money on account. Keeping in mind that I have a negotiated fixed price and payment schedule which I have adhered to without deviation since day one, I started to get a little irritated.

I know they're having some serious financial difficulty, which is all the more reason for me to be cautious about money. I've told them to expect further payment FOLLOWING my commercial check ride. If they want to fight about it, I'm ready to walk away. All I need is 3 hours with an instructor at either of the FBO's I work with. Both have Arrows. I can get my own check ride. So as of right now, it's a game of chicken. I have the power. They do not. If they choose to make the wrong decision, it would be a case of cutting off their own nose to spite their face.

---
*OT*

I took my little Audi in for some warranty work. Usually they give me an Audi loaner, but were out of them this time. They set me up with a car at Hertz. Because of the BCS game and everything else that goes on in Phoenix during the month of January, they were out of nearly everything. It was either a Taurus or pay a little extra for a nice little Mini Cooper convertible. What the heck, it was only for one day. Why not go for the Mini. Who wants to drive a Taurus?

I was supposed to pick up my car today following the end of course. My phone never rang and I had to be in Wickenburg. I headed over to Falcon to pick up the Archer and flew to Wickenburg. When I got here, there was a message from my service advisor that said, "Your car is finished, but we need to talk. Please call me."

Apparently, the mechanic did some damage to the front of my car. They need a week to fix it. I'm glad they are honest about it and will be fixing it without question, but this is the second time my car has been damaged while there for service! Now I have to take the Mini back and pick up a loaner. I know the loaners are nice and I'm not complaining about that. There's just too little time. Ugh.

End Of Course...Finally

My end of course if finally scheduled for Wednesday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. That sounds like about 3.5 hours for the ground portion and 2 hours for the flight.

Time to re-review:

• V-speeds for the ancient Hershey Bar winged Arrow...all in statute miles per hour
• memory items for emergency procedures
• maneuvers...maybe a little chair flying is in order. (don't knock it 'till you've tried it)
• drawing the constant speed prop system. I really can't draw. Even my pre-school aged son makes fun of my stick people.
• Lot's of other things that I'm too dumb to remember

If all goes well, I hope to have the check ride scheduled for Saturday.

--

I heard a Canadian guy on the radio today. He was very polite on the radio and was doing his best to be clear and concise on the radio. However...he ended every transmission with "eh". Apparently, the controller didn't like it. He asked the pilot if Americans flying in Canada ended every transmission with "dude"? That was the last time I heard the Canadian pilot say "eh".

I have yet to fly in Canada and wonder if Canadian air traffic controllers are that hard on Americans. I'm sure the controller was just having a lousy day, but it was a bit harsh.

"Sorry" for the Inconvenience

Last week, I posted about an unfortunate incident that took place at the Wickenburg Airport on December 23rd. Someone "allegedly" trying to hand prop a Cessna 175 and it got away from the pilot. It crashed in to a very nice Piper Archer II that belonged to some folks visiting Wickenburg from California for the holidays. I wrote "allegedly" because the story of the 175 pilot has since changed. Apparently it started all by itself as he was trying to tow it.

When I got to Wickenburg today, the FBO clerk told me more about the story. The aircraft was from Van Nuys and belongs to a G-IV pilot. He was overseas and his wife and daughter flew to Wickenburg for Christmas. When they came to fly home, they were hysterical. Since then, the insurance adjuster has been out, declaring it a total loss surprisingly enough. It is scheduled to be dismantled and taken away tomorrow. Luckily, I learned how to use the camera in my new "smart" phone. Here are a few photos. The tail number was obsured to protect the victim's privacy.

I feel bad for these people. This Archer was well-loved.

---

New Aircraft to Log

Today I rented a plane I had never flown before. It is a 1978 Cessna 172XP Hawk. I don't know a whole lot about the history of the plane, but I think 172 XP's were basically a 6 cylinder 172 with a constant speed prop. I think the "Hawk" portion of the name is an STC (Supplemental Type Certification) for a 210 Horsepower upgrade. Anyway, the FBO's checkout policy states that if you're checked in a 182, you're checked in everything below. The whole fuel setup on the XP makes it seem MORE complicated than an plain old 182, but that's just me.

Whatever it is, it is a nice flying aircraft. The starting procedure is different than anything I've ever flown. It's kind of complicated, but if you follow the proper sequence, it starts instantly. It only has about 1500 hours TT and it flies wonderfully. The interior is a pimped-out electric blue velour, but the avionics are nice. It has updated King NAV/COM's, HSI and VFR GPS. I had it cruising at 140 knots. Not too bad! It handles like a 172 (other than increased nose weight from the 6 cyl. Continental) and performs like a 182. Lots of fun.

Too Much, Too Fast

The title pretty much sums it up. I started CFI ground school today and just now made the decision to drop it until next month's class. Why?

The past week, I have been preparing for my Commercial Single Engine rating. Since switching to Part 61, the emphasis has been strictly on flying. Up until two days ago, I had not had a ground brief with an instructor since EARLY November...and that was an instrument re-orientation which is part of my school's Part 142 Commercial Multi Engine training. Since then, I have been through 3 instructors, 100 hours of flying and persistent rumors of insolvency.

Right now, I find myself 90% prepared for the check ride. 110% is where I expect to be when I complete the 8710 form applying for the rating and ordering the check ride. It's one thing to have a plan and a schedule. It's another to be in such a hurry that a busted check ride would be the result of too much, too fast.

The ground brief was eye-opening. If I were to fly the practical test tomorrow, I am certain that I would pass with ease. However, the oral portion is where I am severely lacking. The stuff that is OK:

• Commercial Pilot qualifications
• Rules & Regs
• Weather
• Systems (well, maybe except for drawing a constant speed prop system)
• Navigation
• Cross Country Flight Planning
• Aeromedical Factors

What I'm not OK with is Aerodynamics. It was as if I had absolutely no concept of aerodynamics...no training whatsoever. I had forgotten many concepts through disuse. After some studying, I'm able to recall most of it. However, it's going to require a lot of repetition to be able to fully correlate everything.

I'd like to put all of the blame on the school. Granted, they've really screwed things up for me and a lot of students. The responsibility lies with me. I should have continued studying all Commercial PTS on my own. In the end, everyone is responsible for their own success and failure.

I've spent the last few days gathering all of my study materials for Commercial and arranged them all in a 3-ring binder, separated by subject. It's nearly 200 pages! When I do get around to CFI, it should make lesson plans a little easier.

With the CFI monkey off my back, I can focus on my Commercial Single and multi-engine add-on during January. Once that is out of the way, I'll crack open the Fundamentals Of Instruction (FOI) material and be well prepared for CFI ground school.

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Grovel: If anyone has any aerodynamics training materials they are interested in sharing, please let me know! Format doesn't matter. Any and all content appreciated!