Runway 18

It has been awhile since I’ve last posted; quite a bit has happened, so here goes an update.

As you know, I finished my Private over a year ago, and decided to take a year off of training for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted to just enjoy my Private and being out of training and 2) The Veterans Affairs amended it’s stance on how much they pay for flight training.  It used to be only 60% of ATP training.  As of 1 October, 2011, you can get your Private, Instrument, Commercial, etc all under your GI Bill.  So, January rolled around and I thought, “why not take advantage of this before the lifers in Congress change their minds”  and enrolled in training in January.  The course I am enrolled in is a Commercial course, and I get my Instrument along the way.  As a side note: I got my Private at Freeway Airport (W00), which was a great school, training environment and staff (I’d recommend to anyone), but I am going through Navy Annapolis Flight Center (NAFC) at Lee Airport in Annapolis (KANP) for my Instrument and Commercial).  The only reason is because they are the only ones in the area certified by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs for reimbursement.  Freeway, at this time, is not certified, otherwise I would have completed everything there.  I will also say that NAFC is great too!  I do head over to Freeway at least every 60 days to remain current so that I can rent their planes without having to go through a check ride.

I just finished my last flight before my Stage 1 Progress Check, which, weather pending, I will do on Monday morning.  I have been doing tasks “under the hood”.  You know, I always used to say during my Private training, “Man, it’s beautiful up here, but I never get to enjoy the sights because I am so focused on training.”  Well, if I thought I couldn’t see much then, I don’t see ANYTHING now with the “foggles” I wear (see below).  From just after takeoff to just before landing, I see my instruments.  That’s it. 

I started my training with the basics: straight and level, turns, climbs, descents, climbing turns, climbing descents, unusual attitudes, stalls (clean and dirty) and I was able to get night current again 🙂  Lately, I started some work on the VORs again, and coupled that with flying a 23NM DME Arc at BWI yesterday.  In the rain and low clouds.  I’ll tell you, just like many of things you learn, it’s easier to “do” than “read” about.  Fairly simple once you get up there.

I have my Stage 1 progress check on Monday, then head out of town for work, but will dive into Stage 2 once I return.  We’ll focus on approaches at that point.  As soon as I finish my Instrument, I’ll jump right into my Commercial training. 

As for video, I hope to have some up soon.  I forgot my camera the last time I flew at Freeway.  As soon as I get it back, I’ll be back up with audio/video of my instrument training.  Thanks for stopping by!

~ Brian

Last flight: 1.0 hours

Total: ~ 100 hours