Better

The stimulator session yesterday afternoon was an improvement on the shocker in the morning and the one this afternoon was satisfactory too.

Yesterday, I also had the dressings taken off my ankle to reveal that it is healing nicely.

I have just been told to expect my IR test in 4 weeks. This is good news as it means that we can slow down from the pace we have been going at to one event per day. Far more productive as we'll have more time to digest the previous session and prepare for the next. It also means that I am half way through my IR training and feeling more confident than the equivalent position in my CPL course. This can only be a good sign.

Stinker

Had a howler of a Sim session this morning. They had been going alright recently but I am cringing just thinking of it now.

I've also just been back to the Doctors to have the dressings removed from my ankle, it is healing nicely. The surgery I went to is so well organised and efficient it is embarassing to think of the equivalent in the UK.

Hoping to have a better Sim session this lunchtime. Well, it can't be worse(I hope) and it can't be good enough to make up for the one this morning. A decent improvement is needed

Fins are sharp

Managed to get away to the beach on Sunday. It was pretty gnarly out there dudes:

Cross-on with double overhead waves breaking about 60 yards out, leaving lots of flat(if a bit mushy) sections in between the white waters in which to finally nail frontloops(floaty ones, not low powered ones yet). I was however totally rinsed by one of the monsters that was too big to jump so turning tail, I tried to outrun it. It was about to collapse and I didn't have the power to beat it, so I sucked in a big lungful of air, got slammed and waited until I saw the surface again. What seemed like an age and a full wash cycle later, I surfaced to find my kite had crashed. Luckily both the kite and I survived the pummeling and we made it back to shore.

Later while running along the beach with my kite, I accidentally stabbed myself in the ankle with my kiteboard fin. Unfortunately, I didn't realise the depth of this gash until late last night. Now I have been to the health centre and realise that I should have gone for stitches and not back out for another session. Oops.

Happy Valentines Day

Good news, Sarah passed her CPL with a partial pass. She just had to do a few touch and gos the next day. A pass by all accounts.

Unfortunately while Sarah and myself got through, Gareth and Jamie didn't. Gareth failed the CPL. Harsh but fair as he was on target for a partial pass but coming into land after 2+ hours of flight, he cut another plane up. Jamie failed the mock twice and didn't get put forward for the test so is still on for a first time pass. We are all starting the Instrument Rating and Gareth and Jamie will take the CPL when the examiner is next here at the end of this month. I feel really bad for them as 2.5 hours is a long time to keep your stuff together and they are both more than capable of flying better and safely, but messed it up for the test.

The instrument rating is very hectic flying. I am really enjoying it. While it is all Simulator(stimulator) work at the moment, we will be in the aircraft too but not till next week. No more admiring the views from above. Heads firmly planted in the cockpit, we will be attempting to fly holds, approaches and departures based on "plates". These are small bits of paper that contain an incredible amount of information and tell you all you need to be able to fly safely in the vicinity of aerodromes, when neither you or any of the other traffic can see anything.

Last week, we cycled to Jerez motor circuit where several Formula 1 teams were putting their cars through their paces and occasionally into the gravel traps. I had never seen the cars up close but I know that people talk of how loud they are. Despite this, I still wasn't prepared for the headache inducing whines as they whizzed by. Annoying and impressive all in one.

Popped down to Tarifa for the weekend. For the second time(out of two), we bumped into some guys from down the beach in Shoreham. Is there no-one left on the South Coast?

Day 34 - Passed the CPL!!

4 weeks and 1 day after starting the flying here I now have my Commercial Licence.

For the first time, I am not just someone who flies planes, but am a pilot.
I had a pretty good flight, had good feedback, loads better than the 170A yesterday and am obviously really pleased. Pleased and very relieved.

Well I am starting the next phase, the Instrument Rating at 7am tomorrow so better have a couple of beers before it gets too late.

Wahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Day 33 - PWB

170A today and I passed. By the skin of my teeth apparently, which is fair enough as in some respects, it was a pretty shocking flight. A couple of things that normally I don't have any problems with I really struggled with today.

My actual CPL test is tomorrow and though annoyed with todays flight, I am trying to take the view that if I passed today with a stinker, it puts me in good stead for tomorrow. Still lots to think about in order to be ready.

ps. PWB = Passed With Bollocking

Day 32 - Still no test

It was foggy today so again no test.

Tomorrow I hope. It had better be soon because I am going to forget how to do it soon.

Day 31

Well, I had a 170A scheduled for yesterday(Friday) that didn't happen due to weather. The 170A is a Commercial Test profile flown with a senior instructor/examiner from the school. The school want to get an idea of our progress from someone apart from our instructor and also to check that we have a reasonable chance of passing the CPL test. For us, it is basically a mock test, but one that is probably just one or two days before the test actual. Hence, still quite scary.

So if I pass this 170A test tomorrow then I will probably be put forward for the CPL test on Monday. At the moment, I feel that I should be ok unless I do something stupid. The problem is that during a 2.5 hour test, there is plenty of scope for stupidity.

Please send positive vibes this way. Thanks.