To all my Canadian readers: Happy Thanksgiving!
Sorry I’ve been quiet. Don’t expect things to change. I’ll try to write more, but I’ve been crazy busy.
<-My desk is marginally organized!
So I’m still in flight training, back in June I passed my PPL (Private Pilot License), so I was now a licensed pilot. I then spent some time learning how to fly in controlled airspace as well as learn how to handle long cross-countries.
After that, I learnt how to fly a conventional geared aircraft. For those of you who aren’t familiar with those, they are a lot more challenging to fly, though much more fun.
After that, I did some Advanced Time and Experience, in which I do longer cross-country flights (my longest was seven and a half hours) as well as night flying.<-Climbing above the clouds east of Edmonton.
<-The town of Red Deer as seen from the sky
Back in June I started ground school to get my CPL (Commercial Pilot’s License). To fulfill the requirements, I have to receive 80 hours of classroom time (to put that into perspective, an average college course is 32 hours of classroom time). I finally finished that last week. We split it into two courses, CPL ground school, in which we learn meteorology, general knowledge (theory of flight, etc.), air law, human factors and navigation. The second class is CPL Aircraft Systems, in which we learn about all the system in our aircraft (control systems, electrical systems, hydraulic systems, pressurization, engines, etc.).
<-If you are unfamiliar with what a "conventional gear" is, this is the one I did most of my training in.
So I wrote the school’s Systems and CPL Ground School exams (two separate exams), I got 90.7% on the systems exam, but I haven’t received my mark for the CPL Ground School one yet. Assuming I do well on both, I will get a letter of recommendation from the school, and I will be able to drive down to Calgary to write the Transport Canada CPL written exam (CPAER). Yeah, I’m stressed.
<-This guy came to visit one morning, out of the blue.
Once I’ve written, and passed my exam, I will begin ground school for my instrument rating (It seems there is no end of ground school in sight). Eventually I will get my instrument rating, which allows me to fly in clouds, with no visual reference outside.
Now for some more unfortunate news. I am sad to announce that due to lack of finances, I will not be able to go to Chad this Christmas. Thank-you all for your prayers and support. I will contact those who have provided me with financial support to discuss what they want done with their donation.
Thank-you all and blessings.
Î- In Slave Lake, the farthest from home I've ever flown.
