As expected, the cold front moved in and brought a few inches of snow along this morning. I was hoping it’d wait until later this evening, but it is what it is. I went in for ground school at 8AM (1300Z – see, I learned something!), and went over Radio Communications at towered and non-towered airports. Around 10AM, we did a quick review for the quiz and then took it. There were no real surprises on it, as my instructor is very thorough. He provided a great study tip, which I use. Basically, he said to bounce my notes off of the Jeppessen textbook and the Gleim FAA exam study guide. The Gleim study guide is a collection of ALL potential questions that could arise on the final exam. Studying the Gleim manual will ensure you pass the exam, however (wait for it…) it doesn’t cover everything you need to know as a pilot. I tried his approach, and felt very good about the quiz, but I will let you know how I did next week.
After the quiz, we were done for the day. The snow really started to pound the area, and since some students were coming in from Virginia and northwest DC, we called it for the day. The short video clip below shows you what it looked like at about 11AM this morning. Also, I wanted to try out my camera. Forgive the audio, as it’s a bit low and hard to hear. It will be very clear once I get the camera mount in the airplane, as I have the audio cable adapter for my headset. The video was set to “standard” mode, but has HD capability (not as clear as it could be). The positive to recording in “standard” mode is that you get longer recording capability, as opposed to HD. The camera is a a 20Twentry Contour HD 720 “helmet” or “bullet” camera. This is what I will be using in the cockpit, once I get back up. What I do like about it is, when set in HD mode, has wide-angle capability, which will hopefully minimize the “cramped” look in the cockpit. I will have to mess around with it to determine the best setting based on length of time in the air.
~ Brian
Runway 18 
Sucks you couldn’t go up, I’m hoping this snow doesn’t destroy my chances of flying tomorrow.
I was listening to your video from before, are you flying with Matt? The voice sounds real familiar.
By: John Conway on January 30, 2010
at 4:14 pm
Totally sucked that my day was cancelled, but what do you do? I have a ton of work over the next two weeks, but after that, I think I will schedule a couple of morning flights during the week before work.
Yeah, Matt is my CFI. Who are you training with?
By: 1studentpilot on January 30, 2010
at 5:14 pm
I am with Matt as well. It was cool listening the cockpit audio, especially as a review of everything we did when we did clearing turns and slow flight.
Which reminds we, what do you use for cockpit audio? I’ve been wanting to do that so I can review the flights and remember what I did wrong and right and all that.
By: John Conway on January 31, 2010
at 3:20 pm
John,
I use an adapter cable for my headset. I ordered the cable from Aircraft Spruce.
Here is a direct link to what I got: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/patchcord.php
Additionally, I have a small digital audio recorder that I plug into the adapter cable, capturing the cockpit communications. I did it for the exact same reason you want to: as a review tool.
What I will do with the video feed is overlap the audio. It’s not the most efficient way to do it, but the handheld video camera I have doesn’t support the input for the audio cable. The “helmet” cam is much smaller and more efficient for what my plans are.
Here is a link to the 20Twenty camera I have: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/346/21231/ITEM/Twenty20-720p-VholdR-Contour-HD-Camera.aspx?SiteID=CSE_GBase_346&WT.mc_ID=80003&zmam=88421133&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=21231
I also have the window suction mount for it.
Unfortunately I didn’t get up this weekend. I was due to go up yesterday, but the snow busted those plans. His schedule was packed today so I was (am) waiting on a cancellation call.
~ Brian
By: 1studentpilot on January 31, 2010
at 3:44 pm