Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GQQV
Dual Time: 0.0 Total: 52.1
Solo Time: 2.6 Total: 18.0
CYRO -> CYGK 1.1 Hours
CYGK -> CNL3 0.7 Hours
CNL3 -> CYRO 0.8 Hours
IT IS DONE! I write this with the utmost feeling of accomplishment. I feel even better than I did the day I passed my flight test. Mostly because I have actually achieved something. Short of some bureaucracy and a few signatures I am Canada’s Newest Private Pilot!!!
Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GWZA
Dual Time: 0.4 Total: 52.1
Solo Time: 0.0 Total: 15.4
Pesky rules and pesky policies! Since the club policy calls for 30 days since the last flight to remain current I was out by almost 2 full weeks. Last weekend was a major flu weekend for me so even though the weather was good, I was not! I knew that today there would be flying and if all went well, I’d be finished my PPL before the sun went down. I logged in from work on Friday and as luck would have it I could book an aircraft AND Steven for a flight prior to my booked x/c to Kingston. This way I would obtain currency, get a chance to fly dual prior to my solo and overall just feel more comfortable with the entire process.
I feel good today. I don’t know if this is a relative thing however as I have been with the flu for the past week. It at began last Friday with a small cough and weakness in my upper lungs. By Sunday it was full blown drag em out delirium. I honestly remember asking my doctor “If you seriously think you are going to die, does it mean anything?” (It does affect morale that’s for certain) I had to cancel two bookings for my Kingston X/C. No way that IM SAFE. That was an extra blow to the morale. After our return to Montreal I was off work for most of the week, laid up I had time to do some thinking. I considered how far I have come and yet have still not finished what I came here to finish. I’m not mad about it, those feelings are long gone. I’m almost sad about it if I had to choose one emotion as it’s so close. I have but one simple flight to complete then I’m done.
Getting closer to the goal of PPL each and every day. The Written, Passed! The Flight Test? Passed! The language proficiency test? Yep got it. Even the Medical test was a pass. Everything is a go except for one “t” to cross and one “i” to dot. I needed 0.8 Instrument and I need my Solo X/C to Kingston finished then they will grant me my license!
So today I worked with Steven Hyde and we dotted that i beautifully. I had booked the 4040 simulator and knew all week that I would be asked to do something more than a simple 180 to get out of simulated IFR conditions. Since the simulators are mostly alike in their operation I brushed up at home in Flight Simulator X. All week leading up to today I was working on getting exact numbers for descent rates, power settings for a 90 KT 500 FPM descent. Basically creating “profiles” for flight which I could recall later. I realize that even though I know how to track a VOR and how to work an NDB I’m generally lazy in FS and use the autopilot too much. This would not be the case in the 4040!
Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GYWN
Dual Time: 1.2 Total: 50.9
Solo Time: 0.0 Total: 15.4
The weather forecast was pretty good this morning with BKN cloud layers at 2500 and then over 8000. I could see that the air was mostly clear over the airport and although it was cold (-8) I was excited to be back flying again.
My booking was with Steven today to accomplish some hood work as well as regain currency. Since I knew we would not be doing much maneuvering this flight I invited Rica along. Steven didn’t mind and soon we were almost ready to go. Steven offered that we will create a “diversion” using Constance Lake as a SHP and pick up a heading of 220. This ought to get me to Kingston.
As stated in a previous entry, it is now mandatory for pilots in Canada to pass an ICAO language proficiency test. I was unaware of this requirement until after I passed my flight test. I would think that this would be done differently for someone who has english as a second language. (Get this test out of the way first in case it disqualifies you!) The test is straightforward with some situational questions. The best advice I can offer is to LISTEN to the examiner. It’s not a skill test, there isn’t a trick question but if you look at the diagram and begin applying all of your fancy pilot knowledge and don’t listen, you’ll miss a question or two!
Well sort of. I hate to seem as if I have blogfaded and headed on to greener pastures. It’s not true. In fact I have been thinking a lot about the blog and just have been entirely wound up with the wedding and flying to get any writing done. Well that is ok, because today, I effing PASSED!! I took my flight test this morning and passed the test! I still cannot believe the words. Of course there is still a bit to do, and I will get back to you all on that but I wanted to share this huge moment with you now.
Stay tuned for the deep down version coming shortly……..
Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GBRI
Dual Time: 0.0 Total: 49.7
Solo Time: 1.7 Total: 15.5
Mark the calendar! It happened today. I got my first real “PIC” flight with my first official passenger! All I can say is wooo hoooooo!
The weather was calm, light winds, sky clear. I had taken the entire week off as the wedding is coming up on Saturday. I was in the middle of moving drinks to the caterer and setting up to have the tent arrive on site but all of this would have to wait for me to pass my test. I drove to the airport knowing that this would be the make or break. I wasn’t overly confident but Simon did make me feel good during our last flight and therefore what did I have to lose?
Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GBRI
Dual Time: 1.3 Total: 49.7
Solo Time: 0.0 Total: 13.8
Since last time, I have not gone flying. There was bad weather, I had to re-write my PSTAR because my student permit expired and this preempted me from any solo flight and I also had a lot on my mind due to the wedding coming up on the 18th! Mat had made a good suggestion that if we forget the Kingston Solo X/C and just get the flight test done, then the pressure will be off and I can go on honeymoon with little worry. I like the way he thinks.
I was scheduled to fly in QUO but was told by dispatch that there was a funny thing happened to her. I guess after a maintenance issue the aircraft was returned to service. An instructor and student were ready to fly and after starting the engine, turned on the avionics master. They then smelled and saw smoke in the cockpit! After shutting down and checking things over there was no fire, but the aircraft would need inspection before flying again. Back into our favorite C172, BRI!
Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GQUO
Dual Time: 1.5 Total: 48.4
Solo Time: 0.0 Total: 13.8
The only flying I have gotten in since my last Supervisory check was a single solo performing circuits in C-GBRI. This was not great but I did have a lot of things on my plate. I knew that my weak area was still in the forced approach and also now in the steep turns. Everything else was in pretty good shape. (Or so I figured!) Kathy was flying with me today and would give me a good indication as to if I were ready. Contrary to the last time I flew with Kathy, the weather today was actually pretty nice!
The startup and take off was very straightforward with little to go wrong. Since Kathy knew we would be flying out to the West practice area I obtained a VFR code prior to departure by calling 1-866-VFR-CODE. This would come in handy as I was climbing out of Rockliffe and contacted Ottawa Terminal. They knew where I was coming from and where I was going to and simply cleared me on thru at 3500′.
