The WIND.
Holy shit, 20ktsG25 in a R22 is not fun. At least not yet.
I hope that one day I dont' completely go out of control as I turn my ass end into the wind, but right now I won't hold my breath.
Man.
So now I am sulking.
Oh, and did lots of auto's, so onto that now. Solo next week maybe he said? I dunno, I really don't care to do this by myself...LOL. Plus, not used to flying alone at all, had been working 2 crew since 2000 until now. EEKS.
I'll keep you posted. And if anyone has any wind tricks to pass along, would be much appreciated....man.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
This is AWESOME
You GO CS. Whoever you are. I salute you. Good luck with your new job. (and of course, taken with a grain of salt, could be just in fun as well. )
Subject: NWA Captain Retirement Letter
Northwest Airline Captain Retirement Letter
Well , The good news is, Today I officially Retire from Northwest
Airlines and I was hired last week for a Service Advisor job in the
automotive division of Sears (which is the first real job I had while
going to college and loved it and it's what I want to do in my old
age)--pay is good and it includes full medical,dental,401k & profit
sharing---should be more than enough even without the retirement
money---may still consider the same line of work at a regular
dealership at some point, covering my six for now---- I'll be home
every night---no more check rides--no FEDS or commuters on my jump
seat taking up my office space---no more 25% PENALTY for being
legitimately sick---no more scum bag hotels---no more old bitchy
flight attendants---no more 14 hour duty days with 10 hour
layovers---no more drafting my butt downline to fly the remains of
somebody else's trip because they can't staff the airline
correctly---no more zero/zero approaches into blinding thunderstorms
or blizzards--no more strip searches at the security checkpoints by
high school drop-outs ( my I.D. means nothing )--no more subway
sandwiches at the airport served by Somalis that can never get my
order right. Can't sit down and have a hot meal between legs at a
nice restaurant cause there's not enough time---no more missed
recitals, birthdays or holidays---no more 3:30 am (body clock) wakeup
calls on the east coast--no more number 20 for take off behind 18 little
regional jets at LaGuardia---no more company bus rides from the
employee lot in machines, where either the rear door doesn't work or
the A.C. or heat is out of order---no more "fear and intimidation
style management" to live under( the head honcho of the Sears store
actually gave me the second and final intervie w ( not normal) " he
actually wanted to meet me" and said I should consider a position in
management with my credentials and philosophies about how I believe
people should be treated and that he was really happy to see someone
like me consider a position with his company ..he told me I would be
an asset to any organization, unlike my current employer, that has
always "behind the scenes" regarded me and my peers as liabilities
and prima donnas..go figure ! I'm not unique. Most Pilots at this point
still fit the same mold. Unfortunately that mold is slowly and
methodically being reshaped by corporate robber barons into something
they can shackle to a Yoke and, who they hope, will never question
the methods to their madness.
The more I re-read this e-mail, the more I wonder why it has
taken me so long to come to this decision to hang up flying---oh yeh,
it's cause I couldn't touch my retirement money till now, penalty
free....I'm finally ready for the simpler life with considerably less
stress. It use to be that the Airline rewarded us for all these
little inconviences we take for granted and the time we spend away
from home and family that was part of our daily lives in this profession.
We made good money, had considerable time off and the benefits were to
brag about.That is no longer the case. My Plumber makes more a year
now than I do. His labor rate alone is $95.00/hr when he set my
kitchen sink last May and he's a high school drop out. His yearly
salary is based on a 160 hour work month (40 a week) --My $93.00/hr
and annual salary is based on an 80 hour month (hard time in the air)
which doesn't include all the on duty and time I am away from home.
I suspect the New Airline Pilot of the future will probably be one
of those kids you remember in high school that got out of classes
on a 2:30pm work permit to go learn a trade because they weren't
particularly bright. Of course he'll have to be on some kind of Government
program to pay for his training. There's no way he'll be able to come up
with the $100,000.00 in flight training costs to get his licences, and you'll
never see another Military Pilot leave the armed forces for an Air Carrier
position where it will take almost his entire career to reach the salary he
left behind at his Military job. I would not recommend this profession anymore
to anyone I really cared about. My guess is the Airline industry will have to
lower their Standards as well as their requirements as the airplanes get more
automated (the FAA will agree) if they're gonna get any applicants.
Let the buyer beware when he takes his next airplane ride in the future.
I have absolutely no regrets about getting out while the getting is good.
I use to love my job and the adventure that every trip brought. It's just no
fun going to work anymore. It's all about quality of life ---unfortunately,
you don't figure that out till you're on the back side of the clock in most
careers and in the Big Scheme of things, approaching your own ultimate demise.
Life is really too short to devote one extra minute of your time to a company
as well as a profession that is not everything you had hoped for,
I'm baffled trying to think of another industry that has so brutally passed
on the increased costs of doing business to their employees rather
than their customers. Even my garbage man is charging a surcharge
for fuel to me rather than rape his employees.
I'm out - a - here.......
CS
ps: I will forward a short movie to some of you of my Northwest
Uniform going up in smoke so no terrorist can ever use it. My Eastern
Airlines uniform and my Navy uniform still hang proudly in my
closet....
Subject: NWA Captain Retirement Letter
Northwest Airline Captain Retirement Letter
Well , The good news is, Today I officially Retire from Northwest
Airlines and I was hired last week for a Service Advisor job in the
automotive division of Sears (which is the first real job I had while
going to college and loved it and it's what I want to do in my old
age)--pay is good and it includes full medical,dental,401k & profit
sharing---should be more than enough even without the retirement
money---may still consider the same line of work at a regular
dealership at some point, covering my six for now---- I'll be home
every night---no more check rides--no FEDS or commuters on my jump
seat taking up my office space---no more 25% PENALTY for being
legitimately sick---no more scum bag hotels---no more old bitchy
flight attendants---no more 14 hour duty days with 10 hour
layovers---no more drafting my butt downline to fly the remains of
somebody else's trip because they can't staff the airline
correctly---no more zero/zero approaches into blinding thunderstorms
or blizzards--no more strip searches at the security checkpoints by
high school drop-outs ( my I.D. means nothing )--no more subway
sandwiches at the airport served by Somalis that can never get my
order right. Can't sit down and have a hot meal between legs at a
nice restaurant cause there's not enough time---no more missed
recitals, birthdays or holidays---no more 3:30 am (body clock) wakeup
calls on the east coast--no more number 20 for take off behind 18 little
regional jets at LaGuardia---no more company bus rides from the
employee lot in machines, where either the rear door doesn't work or
the A.C. or heat is out of order---no more "fear and intimidation
style management" to live under( the head honcho of the Sears store
actually gave me the second and final intervie w ( not normal) " he
actually wanted to meet me" and said I should consider a position in
management with my credentials and philosophies about how I believe
people should be treated and that he was really happy to see someone
like me consider a position with his company ..he told me I would be
an asset to any organization, unlike my current employer, that has
always "behind the scenes" regarded me and my peers as liabilities
and prima donnas..go figure ! I'm not unique. Most Pilots at this point
still fit the same mold. Unfortunately that mold is slowly and
methodically being reshaped by corporate robber barons into something
they can shackle to a Yoke and, who they hope, will never question
the methods to their madness.
The more I re-read this e-mail, the more I wonder why it has
taken me so long to come to this decision to hang up flying---oh yeh,
it's cause I couldn't touch my retirement money till now, penalty
free....I'm finally ready for the simpler life with considerably less
stress. It use to be that the Airline rewarded us for all these
little inconviences we take for granted and the time we spend away
from home and family that was part of our daily lives in this profession.
We made good money, had considerable time off and the benefits were to
brag about.That is no longer the case. My Plumber makes more a year
now than I do. His labor rate alone is $95.00/hr when he set my
kitchen sink last May and he's a high school drop out. His yearly
salary is based on a 160 hour work month (40 a week) --My $93.00/hr
and annual salary is based on an 80 hour month (hard time in the air)
which doesn't include all the on duty and time I am away from home.
I suspect the New Airline Pilot of the future will probably be one
of those kids you remember in high school that got out of classes
on a 2:30pm work permit to go learn a trade because they weren't
particularly bright. Of course he'll have to be on some kind of Government
program to pay for his training. There's no way he'll be able to come up
with the $100,000.00 in flight training costs to get his licences, and you'll
never see another Military Pilot leave the armed forces for an Air Carrier
position where it will take almost his entire career to reach the salary he
left behind at his Military job. I would not recommend this profession anymore
to anyone I really cared about. My guess is the Airline industry will have to
lower their Standards as well as their requirements as the airplanes get more
automated (the FAA will agree) if they're gonna get any applicants.
Let the buyer beware when he takes his next airplane ride in the future.
I have absolutely no regrets about getting out while the getting is good.
I use to love my job and the adventure that every trip brought. It's just no
fun going to work anymore. It's all about quality of life ---unfortunately,
you don't figure that out till you're on the back side of the clock in most
careers and in the Big Scheme of things, approaching your own ultimate demise.
Life is really too short to devote one extra minute of your time to a company
as well as a profession that is not everything you had hoped for,
I'm baffled trying to think of another industry that has so brutally passed
on the increased costs of doing business to their employees rather
than their customers. Even my garbage man is charging a surcharge
for fuel to me rather than rape his employees.
I'm out - a - here.......
CS
ps: I will forward a short movie to some of you of my Northwest
Uniform going up in smoke so no terrorist can ever use it. My Eastern
Airlines uniform and my Navy uniform still hang proudly in my
closet....
Friday, May 8, 2009
In the note book I have been using for ground school I discovered all my notes I had made prior to my interview with Air Canada, which included a bunch of stories I wrote down so I'd have examples of stuff.
So I think I'll work on putting a few together, read them yesterday and they made me laugh. :)
So I think I'll work on putting a few together, read them yesterday and they made me laugh. :)
Training so far.
Guess I should fill you in on my progress! So here goes.
Flight #1 (1.0 hours)
Get in R22. Omg. Small! Jeff my instructor starts up, and gets us going. Once we are in the air and going forward I get to try cyclic and pedals together. He's on collective.
Jeff: You have control.
Me: Ack!!! What the hell. This is crazy. I'll never be able to fly this thing!
First exercise is airspeed changes. cyclic back. Cyclic forward. Keep yaw at bay. Ok, I can do this...maybe.
Second one is climbs and descents. He's on cyclic and I'm on collective and pedals. It seems less like it hates me now. But still. This is a crazy beast!
Back to zone and time to try a little hover, with me just on cyclic.
Holy shit. What the hell???
This is impossible. I will never fly helicopters well. I just know it.
Jeff says good job.
Flight #2 (1.2 hours)
Into the circuit.
Now this is more like what I am used to. Using all controls today by myself. Go me. ;)
Get the hang of the hover taxi, and lift off and circuit. All in all not too bad.
More hover practice after. I use all controls this time. And basically go out of control. heh. Ok, not really, but I won't say he didn't have to take it a few times. Damn oscillations! But better than flight #1, and I was totally in control so yeah, not terrible anyway.
Flight #3 (1.3 hours)
Back in circuit. This time I'm not arriving to hover taxi, I'm arriving to the hover. It's starting to make sense now! The slower you get forward the more collective you need until you reach the hover and need 22"MP. Ok, kinda like slow flight, check. I'm able to arrive at my pre picked spot. Awesome. Hovering MUCH better. YAY!
More hover practice when we get near the base. A few take off's and landings. And I air taxi up the hill to the ramp. EEKS! That's a tight spot. But I'm sure I'll laugh at myself for thinking that's a tight spot in a few more hours...like when I start on confined landing areas maybe. LOL
Flight #4 (1.2 hours)
More circuits. I won't even bother to mention the actual forward flight part much anymore, that's all under control.
Arriving to pre planned spot and into the hover. Basic hover under control.
Start 360 hover turns. Not horrible, but not great. It's a bit windy..and well, it's windy!!
Also many take offs and landings. Takes offs not so bad, landings a bit tricky. I still want to pull back in the cyclic which in turn starts me backwards, which is the opposite direction I want to be heading when landing. Small forward movement preferred. Back...bad. LOL
Flight #5 (1.1 hours)
Circuits. And much hover work. 360 clearing turns are good, and also sideways and backwards flight. And the wind will not defeat me today. I anticipate the push when I turn to tail wind and manage to not drift. WOOT! Told "good job" :D
More take off's and landings. Getting better. Still a bit strange though.
Back to hover practice area. There is a big circle of pylons, and you hover in the middle. So Jeff says new exercise. Hover in the circle with tail to middle. Around the circle. Good precision practice. And I did good! This hover stuff is awesome!!!!!!!!
Hover taxi back up hill to ramp, turn 180 and land. Still a bit shy of the closeness of trees and buildings, but a to be honest, a lot less than I had been thinking. Landing soso. Damn you landings!! Also, big crowd there watching as the company had just taken possession of a brand new jet ranger. Apparently I'm not in the show off category just yet.
So there you go. I was supposed to be flying today, but my car is screwed and I can't get to where I need to be. So that's all until Monday. And then it's more landing and take off practice and possibly the start of auto's. Now that should be exciting.
Helicopters are so freaking awesome. I'm having a blast. And boy, it will be hard work to get really good, but I love that kind of stuff. I mean, I flew a mu2. LOL
Any fixed wing pilot that thinks they know it all should go for a spin in one. I have always thought that chopper pilots were the shit, but now I have a WHOLE new level of awe. You guys are awesome.
I'm so happy right now. I feel like I am where I should be. And I like that. :)
Flight #1 (1.0 hours)
Get in R22. Omg. Small! Jeff my instructor starts up, and gets us going. Once we are in the air and going forward I get to try cyclic and pedals together. He's on collective.
Jeff: You have control.
Me: Ack!!! What the hell. This is crazy. I'll never be able to fly this thing!
First exercise is airspeed changes. cyclic back. Cyclic forward. Keep yaw at bay. Ok, I can do this...maybe.
Second one is climbs and descents. He's on cyclic and I'm on collective and pedals. It seems less like it hates me now. But still. This is a crazy beast!
Back to zone and time to try a little hover, with me just on cyclic.
Holy shit. What the hell???
This is impossible. I will never fly helicopters well. I just know it.
Jeff says good job.
Flight #2 (1.2 hours)
Into the circuit.
Now this is more like what I am used to. Using all controls today by myself. Go me. ;)
Get the hang of the hover taxi, and lift off and circuit. All in all not too bad.
More hover practice after. I use all controls this time. And basically go out of control. heh. Ok, not really, but I won't say he didn't have to take it a few times. Damn oscillations! But better than flight #1, and I was totally in control so yeah, not terrible anyway.
Flight #3 (1.3 hours)
Back in circuit. This time I'm not arriving to hover taxi, I'm arriving to the hover. It's starting to make sense now! The slower you get forward the more collective you need until you reach the hover and need 22"MP. Ok, kinda like slow flight, check. I'm able to arrive at my pre picked spot. Awesome. Hovering MUCH better. YAY!
More hover practice when we get near the base. A few take off's and landings. And I air taxi up the hill to the ramp. EEKS! That's a tight spot. But I'm sure I'll laugh at myself for thinking that's a tight spot in a few more hours...like when I start on confined landing areas maybe. LOL
Flight #4 (1.2 hours)
More circuits. I won't even bother to mention the actual forward flight part much anymore, that's all under control.
Arriving to pre planned spot and into the hover. Basic hover under control.
Start 360 hover turns. Not horrible, but not great. It's a bit windy..and well, it's windy!!
Also many take offs and landings. Takes offs not so bad, landings a bit tricky. I still want to pull back in the cyclic which in turn starts me backwards, which is the opposite direction I want to be heading when landing. Small forward movement preferred. Back...bad. LOL
Flight #5 (1.1 hours)
Circuits. And much hover work. 360 clearing turns are good, and also sideways and backwards flight. And the wind will not defeat me today. I anticipate the push when I turn to tail wind and manage to not drift. WOOT! Told "good job" :D
More take off's and landings. Getting better. Still a bit strange though.
Back to hover practice area. There is a big circle of pylons, and you hover in the middle. So Jeff says new exercise. Hover in the circle with tail to middle. Around the circle. Good precision practice. And I did good! This hover stuff is awesome!!!!!!!!
Hover taxi back up hill to ramp, turn 180 and land. Still a bit shy of the closeness of trees and buildings, but a to be honest, a lot less than I had been thinking. Landing soso. Damn you landings!! Also, big crowd there watching as the company had just taken possession of a brand new jet ranger. Apparently I'm not in the show off category just yet.
So there you go. I was supposed to be flying today, but my car is screwed and I can't get to where I need to be. So that's all until Monday. And then it's more landing and take off practice and possibly the start of auto's. Now that should be exciting.
Helicopters are so freaking awesome. I'm having a blast. And boy, it will be hard work to get really good, but I love that kind of stuff. I mean, I flew a mu2. LOL
Any fixed wing pilot that thinks they know it all should go for a spin in one. I have always thought that chopper pilots were the shit, but now I have a WHOLE new level of awe. You guys are awesome.
I'm so happy right now. I feel like I am where I should be. And I like that. :)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
I need a helmet...
And I really have zero clue what I am looking for.
I know I NEED ANR since my former ride caused me some hearing damage. But other than that...I'm kind of at a loss here.
Any fling wingers out there with any advice for me, good types, price range (They seem to be around $2000, is that about right?), and if you have tried any, what's your favourite?
Thanks in advance. My skull is telling me that I should get on this sooner than later...better safe than sorry. ;)
I know I NEED ANR since my former ride caused me some hearing damage. But other than that...I'm kind of at a loss here.
Any fling wingers out there with any advice for me, good types, price range (They seem to be around $2000, is that about right?), and if you have tried any, what's your favourite?
Thanks in advance. My skull is telling me that I should get on this sooner than later...better safe than sorry. ;)
Running into the Ex
Ex Airplane that is.
When I was at my helicopter training the other day I heard a very familiar sound.....of my airplane.
I didnt' go to see her, I just couldn't.
Then she left.
And came back.
I went to look at her. I saw others with her. And it hurt.
I went back upstairs. And I felt like crying.
I heard the first engine start up. The second. The sound getting quieter as it taxied to the runway.
And I felt even more like crying.
And I realized. I have not seen or HEARD my plane since the day I got hurt.
And I began to see just how much I miss flying that plane. I loved her. And I miss her. And I had to see her with someone else today. And I could not go and run my hand along her side. I could not open the door and walk up to the cockpit. She was not mine anymore. And I realized I was heartbroken.
I still feel like crying. Stupid I know. But I can't help it.
But I guess now that I saw her, maybe I can move on. Date my new machine, see how that goes.
I don't think it will ever be the same though...you know what they say about first loves....
*sigh*
I miss you my noisy rice rocket. And always will. You were and are very special to me.
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