Well I've got 11 days till my IFR checkride and I still have 11 flights to conduct as per the ATP syllabus... I've technically only flown one of the 12 flights required... Talk about accelerated!! Fortunately the FRASCA sim and I have become best friends and I spend most of my free time during the day flying in it, with or without an instructor and it has really helped me nail down precision and non precision ATP procedures. It makes shooting the approaches in the plane SO much easier. Especially because normally you aren't going to have an equipment or engine failures on approach as I do 90% of the time I shoot one on the sim... thanks to Bill lol. Yesterday I shot 4 more approaches in a 2 hour window on the FRASCA with Bill, again he killed my engine just before glide slope intercept and on my last approach he killed both the heading and attitude indicators on a circle to land approach. The amount and level of training he's giving me in the sim I know is really helping because when and if these things ever do happen to me in the real plane I'm going to feel that much more confident that I can handle the situation and not freak out. I've noticed most the other students aren't getting the same training on the FRASCA as Bill's giving me... I guess that makes me the lucky one. Most of the other instructors, it seems, only go as far as cutting an engine out on their student, but with all these extra instrument failures I'm receiving I feel like I'm getting the better more rigorous training.
I'm supposed to fly and sim today, I'll let you know how it all goes tomorrow. Sorry for the misspelled words sometimes in my posts... I usually update the blog first thing in the morning at the executive terminal before heading to ATP so I don't have much time and the spell check on this blog site is horrible... seems like it doesn't catch single letters like "o" instead of "to" or "do". Glad to hear you shared the same turbulence yesterday Rod... Except I don't feel the least bit bad for you since you are flying a freakin' F-18!!!! Thanks for the comments Ken, Rod, and family.
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I really like the picture of you in the pilot's seat. Don't you wish all of life allowed us time in the simulator before we do the real thing? So many less trials and tribulations. However, since we learn from our mistakes, I can see that they can serve a purpose. You are inspiring me with our blog to keep pressing on to be the best that I can be.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you, you are in my prayers.
Carol Wright
Not quite the Hornet yet bud, just the good old T-45C. But you're right, I probably wasn't getting bounced around quite as bad. Anyway, I feel your simulator pain. Feels like I'm married to it. It makes flying the real thing so much better though, things do usually get as crazy...usually. So it sounds like you're doing awesome enough to get the "special" treatment. You'll be glad you had it when things go south. Keep up the good work man. Sounds like things are going really well.
ReplyDeleteRod
Eleven days and eleven flights? You can probably blame all that on bad weather, hah.
ReplyDeleteThank God for the FRASCA, but tell Bill not to get as crazy with you up in the air, OK!
Looking forward to reading about your next adventure. L- M & D