Diary of a Private Pilot http://flying.guapacha.com - keeping the pointy end forward and the shiny side up Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:30:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en This Site is Moving http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/31/this-site-is-moving/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/31/this-site-is-moving/#comments Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:30:42 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/31/this-site-is-moving/ I’ve decided to move this blog to a new domain, and a whole new look. So…. this will be the last (possibly one before last) post here, not that there have been many recently.

The new site is at www.leftturnwhenable.us and I hope that if I still have any readers left you will follow me over there. I’ll be redirecting the RSS feed in a couple of weeks but this site will remain running indefinitely for old posts.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/31/this-site-is-moving/feed/ Back In The Air! http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/19/back-in-the-air/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/19/back-in-the-air/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:48:49 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/19/back-in-the-air/ Well, it’s been 5 months almost to the day but my logbook finally has some new ink in it. Some MRSA infections, colds, flu and other (mostly mental) factors have kept me on the ground but last night I finally kicked myself in the ass and got back behind a yoke. It helps that I found a new club plane that I wanted to fly, it’s only a C172 but has a great interior, nice looking panel and just a good feel to it. Also, it’s available to take to Mexico so I might get myself checked out for that.

I had no fixed agenda for the flight other than to head down the coast and back around, see how it was feeling and then to decide. It all felt good so I decided to head on east to Imperial and then to Brawley where I hoped to surprise my wife with a visit. Unfortunately she wasn’t home so after 20 minutes I turned around and flew back, mostly in night conditions, to San Diego.

I want to make some videos of the flights and although I have a decent camera I decided to try out the Flip for last evening’s flight. The mount I had bought was too big for the dashboard so the only way to take footage was to hold it in my hand: this meant no takeoff or landing clips! Yeah, I know, those are usually the best parts to watch. Next time I will try a different mounting idea, and the better camera which I can plug the radio into so you hear all the SoCal controller goodness.

Total time was 3.0 dead on, 3 day landings and 1 night landing, not to mention a good chunk of night flying. I plan to fly again on Thursday and restore the night currency as well.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2008/03/19/back-in-the-air/feed/ Looking Forward to 2008 http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/28/looking-forward-to-2008/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/28/looking-forward-to-2008/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:52:28 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/28/looking-forward-to-2008/ I’m not even going to bother reviewing 2007 as it sucked more than 2006 did. I was doing ok until some medical issues had me pretty much grounded from August onwards. Instead, I’ll do the usual ‘here are my aviation goals for next year’ and who knows, maybe I will achieve some of them this time?

  • Stay current on everything all year long
  • Make one cross country trip to Northern CA or out of state (and not Vegas)
  • Finish my Commercial certificate; I just need to iron some things out for a checkride
  • Win the AOPA Cardinal (and sell it for something I can afford to pay the tax on)

There, doesn’t that seem doable?? Anyway, wishing you all a Happy New Year and a safe 2008 in the skies.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/28/looking-forward-to-2008/feed/ Becoming a US Citizen This Friday http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/11/becoming-a-us-citizen-this-friday/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/11/becoming-a-us-citizen-this-friday/#comments Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:53:18 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/11/becoming-a-us-citizen-this-friday/ Not much to say flying-wise, I am still suffering from health issues that make it difficult for me to sit in a plane so the Commercial rating is for next year. However, the big news is that I am swearing the Oath of Allegiance this Friday the 14th and will become a US citizen. Apart from many benefits work-wise, I am excited that it will make additional ratings like the multi-engine easier to take. Not that I am sure I want to, but having to go through all the TSA hoops meant that I would never even consider it otherwise.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/12/11/becoming-a-us-citizen-this-friday/feed/ Still Grounded http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/11/14/still-grounded/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/11/14/still-grounded/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:20:43 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/11/14/still-grounded/ The fires are out but I am still on the ground. A week ago a nasty boil appeared on my leg making it very painful to sit down or lay on my side, got it lanced this weekend but now it’s painful to sit down while that heals. Hopefully, I can get back up in the air next week but all my plans for a big return are continually being foiled.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/11/14/still-grounded/feed/ Grounded Again! http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/26/grounded-again/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/26/grounded-again/#comments Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:53:38 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/26/grounded-again/ Just as I thought I was getting into a spell of flying I am grounded again - this time by the local wildfires. Numerous fire TFRs and, basically, why would anyone want to get in the way are keeping me on the ground for a while. I’m hoping next week or the week after I can do my night currency and some sight-seeing, maybe fly over the burnt areas and see just how depressing it all is.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/26/grounded-again/feed/ 2.3 Hours of Sim Time http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/16/23-hours-of-sim-time/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/16/23-hours-of-sim-time/#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:41:00 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/16/23-hours-of-sim-time/ Went to the airport first thing this morning to catch up on my instrument currency in the club’s Frasca 142. Two point three hours later my currency is extended 6 months:

  1. Montgomery Field to Brown Field, VOR approach and full missed approach
  2. LOC approach at Gillispie, usual missed approach (as opposed to the published)
  3. VOR approach at Oceanside, including extra holds, full missed approach
  4. ILS approach at Carlsbad
  5. VOR approach to Brown Field, partial panel to missed approach
  6. LOC approach to Montgomery Field and full stop landing

Quite a work out but the good news was that my skill and knowledge were still pretty sharp, didn’t make very many mistakes (well, that my CFII caught!). I’m now all caught up except for night currency which will come this week or next depending on the weather.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/16/23-hours-of-sim-time/feed/ Airports That Scare Me http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/08/airports-that-scare-me/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/08/airports-that-scare-me/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:39:07 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/08/airports-that-scare-me/ There are a few places I want to fly into but so far have not for one fear or another:

  • Big Bear - tales of high winds over the mountain pass to get into the Lake Arrowhead area have put me off flying into here. Oh, and in the summer density altitude is scary, and in the winter I worry about ice and snow on the runway.
  • Sedona - it’s very busy, it’s uncontrolled, and usually you land in the opposite direction to the take off. I think I have this image of me on final with another guy playing chicken towards me. Oh, and of course it’s a carrier landing, downdrafts and all that.
  • Santa Ynez - mostly this is due to tales of crazy antics, mass disregard to the procedures for getting in and out of an uncontrolled field, just sounds crazy dangerous.

I’ll get to them some point, and perhaps Big Bear for my birthday later this year, but they definitely stand out.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/10/08/airports-that-scare-me/feed/ McKinley Flightseeing Pictures http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/09/18/mckinley-flightseeing-pictures/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/09/18/mckinley-flightseeing-pictures/#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:19:39 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/09/18/mckinley-flightseeing-pictures/ Had a great time in Alaska, only one bad weather day in the two weeks that we were there. Only got to do one flight - around and over the Mount McKinley base camp. Unfortunately we were too late in the season to make a glacier landing, the snow had already become too hard. Also unfortunate, we were two days too late taking the flight for perfect weather. Two days before our flight it had been cloudless over the mountain but the day we did it, the clouds were around 16,000 feet so we did not get to see the summit (but had enjoyed great views from the ground earlier in the week).

Hoping to get my flying club annual review taken care of on Thursday. There is a big storm coming down from British Columbia right now which may get in the way, we shall see. But in the meantime, feel free to take a look at my McKinley flightseeing pics or, if you have lots of time on your hands, take a look at the entire Alaska album.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/09/18/mckinley-flightseeing-pictures/feed/ Grounded For a While http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/08/20/grounded-for-a-while/ http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/08/20/grounded-for-a-while/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:05:48 +0000 Administrator http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/08/20/grounded-for-a-while/ In my younger days as a latin dance competitor, being grounded was a great thing, it’s one of things to be striven for, but in flying it’s not such a good thing. Well, it’s not good at all, actually.

My flying club requires an annual flight review to remain current in the scheduling system and my club review expires at the end of this month. No big deal but a couple of week’s ago I had a little tender surgery that has left me very not wanting, or able, to sit in a plane. I had to cancel the flight portion of my review (but did get the groundschool taken care of) and now just as I feel that I might be ready again, I am off to Alaska for two weeks. Then, when I get back, my CFI is in Italy so currently my flight review is scheduled for Sept 20th which seems a long time away. It’s possible that I might find someone else, especially as it seems like a good idea to have someone else criticize my flying for a change.

Looking forward to Alaska. On the advice of my CFI I have a ride booked to fly around Denali and then land on the Ruth Glacier. My CFI says that because you take off downhill, you get to watch the VSI show a descent even while climbing off the ground. Cool.

]]> http://flying.guapacha.com/2007/08/20/grounded-for-a-while/feed/