oibal60
27th May 2010, 15:45
(News to some ...but maybe not to all....)
Well, as of 9AM, (Sat. 22nd.), I am now (also) an FAA qualified Helicopter (R-22) Pilot.
:)
Due to weather (howling winds) back in April, I was forced to split the 'ride into two parts (oral - 2.1 hrs.) - receive a 'letter of discontinuance'- then do the flight portion (at a later date).
Well, as said, I completed the "flight portion" of the checkride and had no problems, even getting the 'thumbs up' (from the DPE) for many of the required maneuvers that I 'demonstrated'.
(He actually remarked to Conor, back at the office, "that he'd just witnessed THE best 'hover auto' that he'd ever seen from any candidate from any flight-school EVER!").
Saturday - a beautiful day to boot - Islip (KISP) airport, as you might imagine, was a bit of a zoo -- so I had my work cut out a la 'division of attention' monitoring all the ATC call-outs / keeping tabs on the Southwest 737's and GA a/c -- whilst also remaining within PTS tolerances (altitudes/airspeed etc.) whilst answering more 'verbal' questions - as he sought fit to squeeze in, whilst we waited for e.g. ATC clearances, etc. --- but I'd been taught well.
Since my instructor was 'up with a student' - when I came down - Conor decided to pull a fast one - and texted him that I'd flunked. What a bollox! (but, gotta admit, funny as hell!).
So imagine Mick, up with a student, getting this text. I played along, sitting myself outside the office, on a plastic 'bench', trying my best to look dejected - with my head in my hands etc., as Mick walked back from 'echo-hotel'. For a couple of minutes I kept a straight face and went on about not being able to do the hover-auto - to spec. Poor Mick was absolutely SHOCKED as we discussed my 'failure' --- but I just couldn't hold it
in - and I eventually my facial muscles 'took over' and revealed my true inner feeling - and I broke out into a HUGE smile. (BTW, remind me never to play poker !) Mick was VERY happy! ...after he'd calmed down!
All those effing cold mornings at unGodly hours with crusty-snow still on the ground, all those sweaty and tension-filled moments doing 'slopes', all those pickups and setdowns (ad nauseum), all those times getting the Clearance (Clarence? ...what's the vector Victor? ...Huh?), all those times scraping the bejeebus off the bottom of the skids doing 'running' t/o's/ldgs. --- I tell ya -- it was ALL worth it.
See u guyz at the LZ !
Gerrry
CPL-A/S-MEL-IA
PPL(H) <--- :)
Well, as of 9AM, (Sat. 22nd.), I am now (also) an FAA qualified Helicopter (R-22) Pilot.
:)
Due to weather (howling winds) back in April, I was forced to split the 'ride into two parts (oral - 2.1 hrs.) - receive a 'letter of discontinuance'- then do the flight portion (at a later date).
Well, as said, I completed the "flight portion" of the checkride and had no problems, even getting the 'thumbs up' (from the DPE) for many of the required maneuvers that I 'demonstrated'.
(He actually remarked to Conor, back at the office, "that he'd just witnessed THE best 'hover auto' that he'd ever seen from any candidate from any flight-school EVER!").
Saturday - a beautiful day to boot - Islip (KISP) airport, as you might imagine, was a bit of a zoo -- so I had my work cut out a la 'division of attention' monitoring all the ATC call-outs / keeping tabs on the Southwest 737's and GA a/c -- whilst also remaining within PTS tolerances (altitudes/airspeed etc.) whilst answering more 'verbal' questions - as he sought fit to squeeze in, whilst we waited for e.g. ATC clearances, etc. --- but I'd been taught well.
Since my instructor was 'up with a student' - when I came down - Conor decided to pull a fast one - and texted him that I'd flunked. What a bollox! (but, gotta admit, funny as hell!).
So imagine Mick, up with a student, getting this text. I played along, sitting myself outside the office, on a plastic 'bench', trying my best to look dejected - with my head in my hands etc., as Mick walked back from 'echo-hotel'. For a couple of minutes I kept a straight face and went on about not being able to do the hover-auto - to spec. Poor Mick was absolutely SHOCKED as we discussed my 'failure' --- but I just couldn't hold it
in - and I eventually my facial muscles 'took over' and revealed my true inner feeling - and I broke out into a HUGE smile. (BTW, remind me never to play poker !) Mick was VERY happy! ...after he'd calmed down!
All those effing cold mornings at unGodly hours with crusty-snow still on the ground, all those sweaty and tension-filled moments doing 'slopes', all those pickups and setdowns (ad nauseum), all those times getting the Clearance (Clarence? ...what's the vector Victor? ...Huh?), all those times scraping the bejeebus off the bottom of the skids doing 'running' t/o's/ldgs. --- I tell ya -- it was ALL worth it.
See u guyz at the LZ !
Gerrry
CPL-A/S-MEL-IA
PPL(H) <--- :)