A Missilier Flashback

It's Friday.  The only thing standing between me and the weekend is a 1600 instructor meeting.  The two instructors in charge of us have called this bimonthly meeting to give feedback on how we, as instructors, are doing.  As usual, the classroom is full of students so we congregate in the area right outside the classroom.  I'm sure the noise we create is distracting to the students inside but we don't care.  The quicker they get out, the quicker we get to start the weekend.

Walking around the room, it's possible to hear a variety of conversations.  Some people are discussing their weekly plans.  From the sound of it, it sounds like a bunch of guys are headed out to the bars tonight in hopes of drinking away the long work week.  Others make contemptuous comments about this meeting.  It's the only thing they had scheduled and really didn't want to come in.  "Whatever man.  It feels like I live in the simulators," one instructor snarled.  After a long week, tempers were running a little thin.

Five minutes after the time our meeting was supposed to start, the door to the classroom bursts open and students file out.  You can hear some of the more impatient instructors make sarcastic remarks under their breath.  We all file in and take a seat.  The room is nearly sterile.  The plan white walls have a few posters hanging from them, most of which mean nothing to me.  Just some blown up diagrams and random pictures.  At the front of the classroom, a projector is being shut off but I can see the remnants of what looked to be a very dry PowerPoint presentation.  Also at the front of the room is a whiteboard cluttered with drawings from an instructor too lazy to erase his work.

"Ok guys.  First off, I want to thank you all for coming.  Please sign the sign-in sheet that's being passed around so you can get credit for this meeting.  As I'm sure you've noticed, we are still pretty short in terms of instructors.  We are hoping a few more get hired next month but there aren't any promises.  Just keep doing your best.  Now, on to some more serious issues."  This was the chief of training talking.  As we've all been taught, it's always a shit-sandwich.  Start with the good then give the bad.  Follow it up with more good.  Shit sandwich.

First up was paperwork.  We all need to make sure we are documenting better.  It seems that there have been some issues with the training reports.  After a few minutes of gentle reminders, he moves on to the students.  As it turns out, there have been quite a few trends in the evaluations.  As it turns out, people keep messing up the same things and we get the famous rhetorical question, "you aren't teaching it this way, right?"  Of course we aren't.

As he moves on to the last subject, the sign-in sheet comes to me.  I print my name on the "official" piece of paper that was requisitioned from the community printer and pass it along.  I turn back towards the front where a "white-boarding" session has started.  It appears as if he's trying to explain to us how satellites work and I start to tune him out.  I know this stuff.  As my mind starts to wonder to something more pleasant, I feel myself picking up my pen and reaching to put it in my flight suit...

A chill runs down my spine as I look at my left arm and notice that I'm not wearing a flight suit but a simple white t-shirt.  My skin goes cold and I shudder as I realize that I'm not sitting in a classroom at Malmstrom.  This is Florida.  I'm a flight instructor and we are talking about airplanes, GPS, and check rides.  Our students are pilots, not missiliers.  Our chief of training is an assistant chief flight instructor.  I couldn't help but shake the feeling of deja vu for the rest of the meeting.  It was eerily similar but at the same time nothing like my previous life.  Much like seeing every girl with blonde hair or wearing pink shorts or whatever reminds you of an ex, I hope this feeling too will eventually fade away.

What a weird day.

Now that the story is over, I have great news!  I have been assigned two students and will start their training this weekend or Monday.  ATP was going to make me wait until April or later.  It's the end of January and I'm diving right in.  HUZZAH!  Oh wait...disregard.  Stop it!

(for those not exposed to missiles/USAFA, I hope this isn't too confusing!)

Civilian Job #1

Finally the time has come.  I suppose I have been putting off getting a real job long enough.  Tomorrow, the rest of my life begins.  It would have been easy to continue to delay the inevitable while living at my aunt and uncle's house on the beach.  Even though I was in "school," being with them was like a never-ending vacation ... especially after the last 2 weeks.  Now, it's time to try and contribute to society.

Around noon today I received a phone call from the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor in New Smyrna Beach.  He told me that if I could make it, he would want me to start observing flights tomorrow.  "Oh, of course!" I told him.  I still had to pick up some uniform items but I thought I would be able to make it up to Daytona in no time. Fast-forward almost 3 hours and I FINALLY left the house for the 3 hour drive to the east coast.  

It's getting harder and easier at the same time to say goodbye.  Since April (and even last year to some extent) my small group of friends has been slowly eroding.  In July, I was the only one left in Great Falls, MT and by the middle of the month it was my turn to leave.  After having lived there for over 4 years, it was a little hard to say goodbye but I had a strong network of family and friends back home in Ohio.  Even though I knew it was going to be a temporary location, a "staging area" if you will, it was comforting to have family around for the month and a half I used to make a decision about my future.  

Then, in September, having made a decision, I moved down with my aunt and uncle in St Pete Beach, Florida where I have resided for the past almost 5 months.  It was hard saying goodbye to my close family in Ohio but it was comforting to know that I was yet again moving to be with family.  Now, I've officially left the nest again.  It was easier to do when I was in the Air Force knowing that I would be making enough money and have a vast amount of resources available to help me find suitable living arrangements.  Now, I'm on my own. I've left the comfort of living with family for the last half-year and am on my own yet again.  Family will be close, but not close enough to lean completely on.  It was hard saying goodbye to my aunt and uncle.  After all, I've lived with them for almost 5 months.  Unfortunately, it is also the last in a long line of goodbyes so the sting isn't as bad.  It's as if I've become used to saying goodbye after having moved for the 4th time in 7 months.  

So, tomorrow at 8 am, I head off into my first civilian job.  I'm really nervous as to what the near future may hold but even more anxious about the possibility of this all coming crashing down on my head as has been the trend of the past.  I suppose only time will tell. 

My first interview

To be honest, I had no idea what to expect.  ATP, the company I paid A LOT of money to learn how to fly offers a guaranteed job if you complete the Airline Career Pilot Program.  Well, I completed it.  What I knew was that I had to attend their instructor standardization course in Jacksonville, Florida for two weeks.  Unfortunately, that course is backed up.  My friend who finished two weeks before I did got the last spot in February and they told him if he couldn't get in the course in February, it would be March.  So, my best guess would that I wouldn't be going through that course until late March into April.

To me, waiting around that long is completely unacceptable.  From what I have been hearing and from the response to the few feelers I put out told me that flight instructors are in demand.  Why should I wait around for 2-3 months to start what I can do elsewhere?  Even more frustrating is the course itself.  It probably doesn't need to take 2 weeks to complete the course.  When you aren't flying or sitting in class, you are manning the call center; making phone calls to prospective students (customers) or answering incoming inquiries.  While this opportunity MIGHT eventually create the best flight time in terms of quantity and quality, I very much wanted to look for other jobs.  From all the things I'd seen from my short time at ATP, unless it was my only option, I did not want to work for them.

So, I hit the job boards.  I knew there were people looking for flight instructors.  There were a few things I had to consider when looking for a job.  First, type of flight school.  While it would have been nice to stay in Tampa, besides ATP, there weren't any flight schools with the quantity of students that would allow me to amass enough flight time to make the relatively low pay worth while.  Also, the faster I accumulate time, the faster I can move up in the world.  From all the people I've talked to, I need at least 500 hours to be insurable by larger aviation operations like airlines or cargo or even drop zones.  Right now, I have 235.  Obviously, the more students a flight school has, the more flight time I'll get.

The other big thing I had to look at was location.  I had an opportunity to go and work in Cleveland at a flight school there.  It would be been good to be close to home but there was one big hurdle.  The weather.  After talking to the Chief Flight Instructor, she told me that they don't do a lot of flying in the winter because of the bad weather.  In the spring, summer, and fall, they are very busy but right now I wouldn't get a whole lot of hours.  So, I had to stick with a warm weather state.

After shooting out a BUNCH of resumes to various companies, I had several people show interest.  There were a few in Maryland, a few in Ohio, and one in Florida.  The Florida company asked if I would come out to their facility near Daytona Beach for an interview.  On Monday, I went out to the flight school for my interview.  When I arrived, I filled out an application and when I was finished, was handed a 25 question test. As I was taking it, I was fairly confident on a majority of the answers but there were still a few that I wasn't 100% sure about.  How embarrassing to fail a test in my first interview so close to my instructor check rides to fail a test.  After I handed in the test, I met with the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor for an interview.  We talked a little about my history and then jumped in talking about approach plates, fundamentals of flight, and ground reference maneuvers.

After a little while, we left and went over to hop in the simulator where I flew an instrument approach and an unpublished missed approach procedure.  That only took about 30 minutes and after it was complete, we went out to hop in the airplane for a flying interview.  It was very similar to my CFI check ride I had taken the week prior.  After over an hour flying around the skies of eastern Florida, we landed and walked back to his office.

He said down across from me and asked if I had any more questions.  I asked some questions and then put the ball back in his court.  He said, "Well, you only missed one question on your test, a question that no one ever gets right.  I was very happy with your flying ability and am very impressed with your background.  If you are interested, we would like to offer you a job."

WHAT?!  I was shocked.  I fully expected a "we'll be in touch" or "I have to confer with my boss and I'll give you a call when a decision is made."  I know it doesn't mean much coming from someone who's never been offered a job, but I never expected to be offered a job on the spot.  I asked if I could take the next few days to consider it.  My motivation was two-fold.  First, I didn't want to make a hasty decision.  I wanted to look around a little more about the company before making a decision.  Second, I was scheduled to meet with some people that were friends of Charlie or one of his pilot friends.  While it wasn't an interview, I wanted to get a little thoughts on best paths to success from the corporate side of the house.

So, after my meetings last week, I made my decision.  On Saturday, I called up and accepted the guy's offer. Next week, I am going to shadow an instructor for a few days and then go up and have the chief flight instructor teach me how they want some of the maneuvers to be taught.  They have a ground school class ending Friday and would like me spun up by then.  Wow.  That's quick.

Now, I'm looking for a furnished apartment on the beach.  As my uncle said, you're single, you're young and you may never be able to do this again.  Why not look for a place within walking distance of the beach and living it up for a little while?  Great question Charlie!  Why not?!

I just can't believe I got a job so fast and one that will provide a decent amount of flight time and decent pay.  So, I am very soon I will be paid to fly.  Jackpot!  I'll be sure to update you on my trials as a flight instructor.  As one of my instructors said, "your students are going to have a million and one ways to try and kill you."  Sign me up for that! Haha!

Is it possible to fly backwards?

Exactly four months ago, I packed two suitcases, filled up my car, and headed south.  I arrived in St Petersburg, FL on September 11th and planned to start my program the next morning.  I really had no idea what was in store.  What I did know was that I was taking a big chance.  I had no idea how I was going to do or if I would even like it.  Now, January 11th, I have finished the program.

I suppose I should pick up where I left off.  The last most of you had heard, I busted a check ride.  After much reflection, retraining, and a recheck, I came to one simple conclusion.  I just made a bone-headed mistake.  It wasn't a lack of skill or knowledge but a brain fart.  After all, I pretty much flew the recheck perfectly.  The next day, my instructor and I hit the ground running.

All I had left to do were two simple tasks.  I had to hop back in the single engine Cessna to complete about 11 hours of flying before I could take my commercial single engine and CFI single-engine check rides.  Over the course of 3 days, I did just that.  We went up twice a day and practiced various maneuvers, landings, and emergencies.  The first few flights were a little discouraging but by yesterday, I felt completely confident.  I could do this.

My check ride was scheduled for this morning at 7 am.  I was a little unhappy about the early morning start especially considering the half an hour drive to the airport.  My examiner had instructed that I complete a lesson plan on a maneuver called "Lazy Eights" and be prepared to teach him in the morning.  So, after a little preparation last night, I went to bed early so that I could wake up refreshed.

At 4:45 this morning, I awoke to the sound of someone trying to break into my room.  I know I didn't lock my bedroom door which made this door handle jingling sound even creepier.  Outside my window, it seemed like a bright orange light shone at the house and swept across my window in a nearly rhythmic fashion.  I had a fleeting moment of panic as if aliens or zombies were attacking but after gathering my senses, it didn't take long to realize that the cold front that was forecasted the night before was beginning to move through.  I got up to see what was wrong with my door only to find that when I got up sometime after 2 to use the restroom, I didn't fully shut my door and the wind outside the house was causing my door to bump against the frame.  So, I closed the door.  I had also forgotten to close my blinds last night and the palm trees danced in front of the street light outside the house causing the orange flashing.  

As I got back into bed, I looked at the clock.  It was only 10 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off.  As I laid there staring at the ceiling waiting for my phone to alert me that it was time to wake up, I culdn't help but think of the impending doom.  I had unexpectedly failed my last check ride when I was confident I would pass.  To make matters worse, the wind was REALLY blowing outside.  I picked up my phone and opened a weather application to check the winds at the airport.  The winds were 30 degrees off the centerline gusting to 22 knots with light rain.  This would make it a 11 knot crosswind, 4 knots lower than the airplane's max allowable.  Gusty winds also meant turbulent.  Great.

By the time I headed to the airport, it had started to rain again on the beach.  I caught myself wishing he would postpost my check ride but quickly pushed that thought out of my mind.  I needed to go into this confident.  I arrived at the airport, did a quick preflight on the airplane and set up my materials in the office.  My examiner arrived and before I knew it, the check rides started.

We talked for about 30 minutes before I could feel it getting close to the time I was supposed to teach him my lesson on lazy eights.  I REALLY didn't want to do this because I knew there was little I could do to teach him anything.  My examiner has literally 10s of thousands of hours and has conducted countless commercial check rides.  I'm sure this lesson wasn't going to be any more memorable or different than any of the others.  So, I decided to try something.

During my initial commercial check ride, he has brought up a weather topic with me and proceeded to tell me I was wrong.  In fact, he told me there were two kinds of pilots, those who really love to get into weather and those who just lock it away and don't try to understand it.  I knew he was insinuating that my knowledge of cold fronts and pressure systems was inadequate so I made a power play.  "Yeah, I know what you mean.  I love weather.  That's why I majored in Meteorology at the Air Force Academy."  

Oh? He had said.  Did I not agree with his interpretation of how high pressure is formed.  I WANTED to say, was, "absolutely not.  Your understanding of pressure systems is fundamentally flawed and completely contrary to what I learned in my undergrad and in all of the aviation texts that the FAA has mandated that I read."  What I said was, "WELLLL, not entirely."  We talked a few more minutes about it but it had been almost 6 years since I had really thought about weather from a fundamental standpoint and couldn't tell him exactly why he was wrong, just that he was.  I then went home and did a quick brush up.  It only took a few minutes to realize why he was wrong and I came prepared today ready to learn him.

So, I asked him if he remembered our discussion on weather last month.  Of course he did.  I said, "well, I went home and dug up one of my aviation texts and found out where the disconnect may be."  He sat back in his chair and motioned with his hands to proceed.  For the next 15-20 minutes, I talked to him about weather and even gave him a website that he could watch instructional flash videos on weather.  After all was said and done he said something like, "well, I learned something today.  I had always had this picture in my head of what high and low pressure was but after looking at the pictures you drew on the board, I know that it was completely wrong.  What do you say we go fly?"  

The rest of the check ride was pretty uneventful with the exception of the extremely strong winds.  In fact, we did a maneuver called "slow flight."  In this maneuver, you slow the airplane down to it's slowest controllable airspeed and maintain straight and level flight.  In the Cessna, that's around 42-45 knots.  So, I pointed my nose into the wind and started to slow the airplane down.  As I added power to keep us level, something felt wrong.  I looked out the window and at the ground.  It appeared as if we weren't even moving.  I looked at the GPS and saw that we were only doing 10 kts or about 12 mph.  CRAZY.  So, I tried one more thing.  I pulled the power out a little more to slow us down even more to get us as close to the stall as possible.  My examiner was looking at the GPS and started calling out the speed.  8 kts, 4, 2....-2, -4, -5.  I looked out the window and we were slowly moving backwards along the ground.  I looked at the GPS and it showed us moving 5 kts in the opposite direction that we were pointed.  He laughed and told me to recover.  So yes, it is possible to fly backwards...and kinda disorienting too.  Never have I ever been a pilot of an airplane while it was moving in a direction other than forward...even on the ground.

And then it was over.  Four hours after it had began, it was over.  In the outbrief, he told me that he was impressed with my piloting skills especially considering my total experience and with the winds as strong as they were today.  He said I will do great things and looks forward to hearing from me.  

So, where do I go from here?  Your guess is as good as mine.  It's time to find a way to build hours.  I heard from the rumor mill that the instructor standardization course for ATP is backed up until March.  If they think for one second that I'm going to wait around until then to start instructing, they have lost their mind.  So, even though I'm completely done with all the ratings I need for the time being, I am still Chasing a Dream.  

That only took 4 days

What a great New Year it has been.  Starting with New Years Eve all the way until noon today.  I can't even begin to describe how awesome the last 3 days have been. And then I busted my check ride today.

I promised you an accurate account of my time doing this and this is part of it.  Even from when I started this blog, I had contemplated whether to only share good things but decided it against.  This is supposed to be a realistic account of what I am going through. So, I am sharing this.  Maybe it's an over-share.  Whatever.  I'm going to treat this as a coping mechanism.  I am not, however, going to turn this into a pity party.

So, where do I begin?  I thought everything was going great.  I had a little over hour and a half oral exam in which everything seemed to be going great.  I went out to preflight the plane when the examiner told me he had to run to a meeting and should be gone less than an hour.  So, I sat around.  An hour later, we hopped into the plane and started the check ride.  We went up and flew two approaches into the main runway at St Pete and then proceeded out to the hold.  After one turn in the hold, I requested my last approach, circle to land and then taxi to parking.  As I set up for the approach, things seemed to be going well.  I tuned into the navigational aid and and was getting ready to line up on the final approach course.  As I turned toward the runway, I rechecked my approach plate.  Yep, crossing the final approach fix, descend from 1000 feet to 520 then circle to land on the North-South runway.  Good.  

I loaded the approach into my GPS (which is optional for this approach) for some added situational awareness.  It would help me with an appropriate wind correction angle and help me identify the fixes as I flew over them.  Ok, 2 miles from the Final Approach Fix.  Gear down.  Half mile...I'm getting slow so I'm going to add power.  Final approach fix, chop the power and descend to 520 feet.  As I watched the altimeter needle start to drop, I had this sinking feeling and looked back down at my approach chart.  That's when I realized that the fix that I used was not the final approach fix but a random GPS approach fix.  I added full power to try to get back to 1000 feet but the damage was done.  I was 250 feet below my required altitude and the testing standards say you can be off of your altitude by +100 feet and -0 feet.  As I was turning final to line up with the North-South runway, the examiner says, "you know that you can't go below minimums during a check ride."  Yeah.  I get it.  Why not just ask me that question as I'm flaring to land?

So, 2012 started off with a bang and it only took 4 days for things to return to situation normal for me.  In the last 6 years of taking "evaluations" I've yet to fail one...until today.  I honestly felt like someone had taken the air right out of my lungs.  To be honest, I'm super embarrassed because I know I'm a better pilot than that.  The rest of the flight was dead on.  Until you misinterpret a chart.

I guess I'm just tired of getting my hopes up for great things and then letting myself down in the end.  This was no one else's fault but my own.  Had I spent the extra 10 seconds to really review the chart instead of getting excited that the check ride was almost over, this would not have happened.  Period.  10 seconds.  One extra ounch of mental effort and this wouldn't have been me telling myself how awesome I am.  Not so much this time.