Flight Test

7:00 am:

First check of the day's forecast. Hmm, doesn't look promising. The weather wizards are predicting a cold front passing through at the exact hour of my flight test. Maybe it won't materialize, or will swing through earlier. Flight tests and thunderstoms aren't exactly the best of friends. I'll have to check the updated weather in a couple of hours. Until then, it's 'what-haven't-i-learned-yet' study time!

12:15 pm:

I pull into the airport exactly forty-five minutes before the ground portion of the flight test is scheduled to begin. The cold front is closer now, but still, the sky doesn't look too angry. Maybe there's hope yet. I have the aircraft scheduled for 3:00 pm, so that leaves Mother Nature plenty of time to decide what kind of a mood she's in. I step out of the car, grab my overstuffed flight bag, and walk towards the main terminal building. Sweaty palms already? Oh c'mon! 

Inside, I claim one of the briefing rooms, where I'll present a ground lesson to the examiner. A few of the flight instructors I pass in the hall smile and nod knowingly at me as I scramble around, making last minute preparations. Ah yes, he's here for his flight test. Muahahahahahahaha.

1:01 pm:

I'm ready. The room is set up to provide a brilliantly planned lesson to my new 'student'. I'm feeling energetic, excited, and not the least bit nervous. Wait, why is my current instructor walking into the room? What? The examiner is going to be how late?

Drat.

The next forty-five minutes are spent having a mild panic attack, imagining far-fetched scenarios that ranged from the development of spontaneous lockjaw to a complete mental blockage of everything I know. When the examiner finally walks in, I discover that my brain is still functioning at its normal level and that the test can proceed as planned. He turns out to be a wonderful pilot and a fair examiner. The ground portion of the exam  goes quite well, and before long we're packing up our stuff in anticipation of heading out to the airplane.

3:30 pm:

Uh-oh. A quick look outside to the north reveals two important pieces of information. First, the cold front has passed through. And secondly, it's no longer necessary to use the computer to check the forecast; you can now hear the weather. It's raining.

Radar imagery shows that a couple of air mass thunderstorms have popped up all around the airport. The examiner and I decide to try and wait it out for a bit. He's a busy man, and the next available booking would not be for two more weeks. I don't relish the thought of having this monkey on my back any longer than necessary. Let's hope the aviation gods are feeling merciful this day.

5:05 pm:

Brakes are set. Power is full and steady. Gauges are green. Release the brakes, slight back pressure on the yoke and watch the airspeed rise towards 55 knots. Twenty-five seconds later the nose wheels lifts off the ground and we are climbing away from the rain-soaked runway. 

Waiting out the storm was a good decision. While I'm thankful that it's now driving away to the south-east, there's another one forming about 25 miles to the northwest. My best guess is that we have a 45 minute window of clear skies to get this test done. 

I start the instructing as soon as we're clear of the control zone. The first part goes smoothly and, in the interest of time, the examiner asks me to move onto the next portion of the test. He demonstrates a steep turn, throwing in a few mistakes, which I'll correct him on once we're back on the ground. 

The storm to the north is approaching quicker than we had anticipated. Skies to the east, however, look friendlier, so we head over in that direction. Cloud dodging becomes the norm for the rest of the flight. I demonstrate a Forced Approach and, while overshooting, am told that it's time to head back. So far, so good. I tell myself that, barring a disastrous landing, I've passed. Soft-field landing? You got it!

The runway is lined up. Height and airspeed are good. Flaps to 20 degrees. Approach profile looks good. Full flaps. Over the threshold and into the flare. Add some power and back pressure on the yoke. Hold it.....

6:10 pm:

It's raining again.

I don't care.

I'm back inside the briefing room, listening to the examiner as he goes over the flight test. I try to take notes on what he is saying, and occasionally nod in agreement. My instructor comes into the room and joins us. Words and gestures are flowing through the air faster than my tired brain can keep up. If I'm interpreting it all correctly, then it appears that I've passed. The examiner reaches over and signs a page in my licence. He shakes my hand, packs up his bags, wishes me well and leaves the room.

My instructor congratulates me, but his words barely register, as I'm too busy doing cartwheels in my head. My five-year old self has taken over and refuses to listen to anyone or anything. After seven months of hard study, practice and dedication, this journey has come to a successful conclusion. "What did the examiner say as he was walking out?" I asked my instructor.

"Good luck with your job search."

Ohhh. Right......

Back to reality.

Seven Crazy Days (and Nights)

Flight test booked? Check.
Aircraft reserved? Check.
Lesson plans complete? Check.

Initial wave of panic? You bet'cha!

In one week's time, I'll be strapped into an airplane, undergoing a flight test for a Class IV Flight Instructor Rating. Until then, I'll be studying, reviewing, fretting, and caffeining the hours away!

The Exam

It's a small, two syllable word, yet it carries with it a tremendous weight. It has the ability to disrupt sleeping patterns, reduce the size of fingernails, and wreak havoc with one's social life. Depending on what is being tested, it can take several different forms, including The Written, The Oral, and The Practical. Three days ago, the Exam and I did battle. I won.

Exams have been a part of my life since Grade 7. The high-school I attended thought it was a good idea to introduce us to exams at a young age. Looking back, I have to agree that they made a good decision. By the time I was ready for university, exams no longer filled me with thoughts of dread and despair. Instead, my study habits were relatively well-developed and I managed to pass most of the exams that were thrown my way.

My love-hate relationship with The Exam did not end after four years of university. Instead I found myself studying the wonders of aviation and preparing for, yes, more exams. Almost from the beginning, I noticed that something was different. The type of learning that was required to become a proficient pilot involved skills other than the ones I had honed over the previous ten years. Essays and short answers were a thing of the past, and instead I had to develop new motor skills, perform challenging manoeuvres, and demonstrate the ability to control an aircraft. "Book learning", while still an important part of this process, was now accompanied by its evil-twins, The Oral and The Practical. I had forgotten about these two side-kicks. It's taken some time and effort, but I've been able to conquer them both.

Last Friday was another step along the long and winding path to professional pilot-dom. I passed the Class 4 Flight Instructor Rating Written Exam (or AIRAF, for short). Three solid weeks of studying proved enough, and I've now focused my attention to the Oral and Practical portions, scheduled to take place towards the end of August. I can finally see the end result of what I've been working towards over the past six months.  And I still want this more than ever!

The $425 Butter Tart

The majority of time that a flight instructor student such as myself spends in the air is devoted towards learning how to teach the various air exercises and flight manoeuvres required for the completion of a Private or Commercial Pilot License. It is hoped that by this point in their flying career, the "instructor student" (Me) knows how to perform them properly, and it is simply a matter of learning how to effectively communicate and teach this knowledge to others. Among the roughly twenty-five exercises that students learn to accomplish throughout the course of training is the Diversion.

Diversions occur when, during a flight from A to B, the need arises to discontinue the flight to the original destination, and instead change course, or divert, to a new destination. Reasons for a diversion can range from bad weather to a sick passenger to a simple decision to land somewhere that you didn't originally intend to. They are an important exercise for all pilots to know, as every flight has the potential to end in a diversion.

I'm not ashamed to say that, during my own initial flight training, diversions were the bane of my existence. I practiced and practiced and practiced, until finally I knew and could execute the procedure perfectly. As I'm quickly learning however, it's one thing to know the procedure youself, and an entirely different thing to teach it to someone else.

So it was that I found myself and my Class 1 Instructor sailing through the clear blue sky at 2500 ASL, when he turned to me, pointed to a little town on the map, and asked me to "teach" him how to divert there.  

He had chosen as our destination, Lindsay, Ontario. My map now out on my lap, I quickly ran through the procedure in my head, and then began the instruction. Circle destination, circle set heading point, draw line between the two, then heading, distance, time and fuel estimates. Lean mixture, set power and compass, and then it's time to turn onto the estimated heading, note the time, and away we go.

A few more calculations enroute, ensuring that the inital estimates for time to destination and fuel required are relatively accurate, and before long the field is in sight and we are on the ground.

I have flown over Lindsay's airport many times in the past. This was, however, my first time landing there, and I had heard a rumor that the airport cafe has excellent butter tarts. This is no longer a rumor; it's a fact. They are amazing. A goey explosion of sugary goodness in your mouth. If you're ever in the area, either in the air or on the ground, do stop in and try one. You will not be disappointed.

Our coffee and butter tart finished, we climbed back in the ship, taxied to the runway and climbed back in the sky. The return back home was spent working on precautionary landings, another important skill that all pilots should know.

Back on the ground, I was told that the diversion instruction went well. A few tips to keep in mind, but no major concerns from my instructor. All in all, it was a great day. Next time I'm Lindsay, I'm getting a box of those tarts to go.

Information Overload

I've entered the second Week of Study for the written Flight Instructor Rating Exam. So far I've completed 13 practice tests, have read countless sections of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR's), and have reviewed most of what I learned for the Private and Commercial Licenses.

My desk and its immediate surroundings are covered by no less than 15 manuals/reference books. Any areas of desk surface free of books are home to a random assortment of essential study 'accessories' - things such as coffee cups and candy bars. Finally, there is a section of my floor occupied entirely by random notes on looseleaf paper that do not have a place anywhere else, but that I'm sure are important in some way.
Yup, I've reached the point of information overload.

It's a better situation than having too little information, especially if the information, as is the case here, is to used by the flight instructor on a daily basis. However, a part of me feels that I could sit here and study until the next Olympics, and still feel underprepared. 'Sigh'. Oh well. I sometimes think about what I would be doing if not studying and preparing for a career in aviation. I can never come up with anything, so I take that as a sign that this is the path for me, and I carry on. Plus, flying is just super fun!

Thankfully I'm able to write the exam whenever I feel ready, which is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because I'm not quite ready yet. It's a curse because the procrastinator in me thinks he has all the time in the world to study. Drat!

In any case, I do want to write this exam by the end of July. Once done, I'll be able to focus my attention completely on the Flight Test. Hurrah! Until then, it's back to multiple-choice tests and abundant amounts of caffeine.

Mickey vs. The Airplane

Looking back, that poor mouse never had a chance.


It was March of 1993 and I was seven years old. In a few short hours I would be in Disney World with the family, having the time of my life. With bags packed and guide books in tow, my family and I headed off for the most magical place a seven year old can imagine.


The airport!


Yes, that’s right. The journey to Florida also happened to be my first time on a major trip, and hence, my first experience with The Airplane. Up until that point, my knowledge of aircraft had mainly consisted of the toy variety. Trains, trucks, and cars gathered dust in forgotten corners while I zoomed and swooshed around the house and yard, making airplane noises and having way too much fun. But this time it was different. Here was a real airplane.


I didn’t know how to react or what to do. So, I did nothing. Instead, I clammed up, sat down and looked around in wonder at the beauty and size of it all. During the cruise portion of the flight, a stewardess came to my seat and asked if I would like to see the flight deck. WOULD I? Yes-please-and-thank-you! She escorted me up the aisle, past the first class seats and knocked gently on the closed door. Bright sunlight spilled through as it was opened, and I was invited to step inside.


I stood there with a huge smile on my face and looked around at the large number of dials, gadgets and lights in front of me. The view out of the front windows caught my eye, and I stood on my toes in order to see it. Unbelievable! My next thought was to look at the two men dressed in white shirts and black pants who were able to fly this thing, day after day. Yup, I thought, this is not bad at all. I could get used to this.


The rest of the flight seemed incredibly short and before I knew it, we had arrived. My mother had to practically drag me off the airplane. My last thought as I left the plane was that if I could just get through the next six days, I could see it all again. I ended up having a great time at Disney World as well, but I never forgot that first flight. Sorry Mickey.

In The Beginning...

I don't know a great deal about Jacqueline Auriol. I came across her name a few years ago while reading about some of the men and women responsible for the many "firsts" in aviation. Turns out she was one of the first female test pilots, set at least five world speed records, and was one of the first people to fly the Concorde. WOW, I thought. And all that after taking up flying at the age of 30. Remarkable!

I later stumbled upon her auto-biography, 'I Live to Fly', and found the above quotation, part of which forms the title for this blog. I have to agree that there is a "little touch of madness" inside most pilots, some indefinable quality that pushes one to experience life in a way few others are able to imagine. This is not to say that this 'touch' is exclusive to the pilot and I can think of plenty of other occupations or pastimes which would qualify for inclusion in the Madness Club. Matadors, window washers, crab fishermen, racecar drivers, and those brave souls who participate in the winter sport of skeleton are just a few who choose to live sizeable chucks of their existence in ways that others would find less than appealing. And yes, I'm quite happy to be able to count myself a member of this group.

For the past three years I have been working towards a single goal - a career in the aviation industry. It started, as it must, with the Private Pilot License, continued on to the Commercial Pilot License and now after many long nights of study and toil, I'm on my way to becoming a Flight Instructor. Yipeee! A written exam, a practical flight test, and a successful interview are all that stand in my way. The ultimate goal is a left seat on a major airline, and while I realize that a few rungs of the proverbial career ladder will need to be climbed, I like a good challenge and look forward to the journey.

 

I have no intention of stating exactly what this blog will be comprised of. In all likelihood it will include thoughts on the job of a flight instructor, the Canadian aviation industry, and all sorts of other pilot related goodies. Occcasional rants will also be included. My hope is that these pages provide an inside look into the career of a professional pilot. Everyone has to start somewhere, and I'm just about ready. Here we go....