Career Changer

While waiting for the plane to return to the line, I have scheduled my next few sim lessons.  Those are IFR and Emergancy Procedures IFR.  They are schedule for early next week (Tuesday), with the hope that the plane will be back online after that.  I already scheduled the flight for IFR, as they indicated it being back online on Wednesday.  I am getting ahead in the sims over that of normal flight, but I am trying to keep the training moving forward.

I was scheduled this morning for my second flight, but arrived at the airport to NOT find the plane in the hanger.  Waited until the instructor arrived and was informed that the heater was INOP and they were working on it.  We could not get into the offices or simulator as he does not have a key.  We discussed doing initial single engine work in the simulator and if the plane returned in a few mintues we could still get the flight in.

The instructor didn’t have the keys to the office or the simulator room, so we had to wait for someone else to come in.  It took over an hour before someone else arrived.  It wasn’t like it was now 7am or anything, it was 9:15 before we saw someone. 

Once in the sim we discussed single engine operations and he walked me through the first one.  He then would have me recover and make some heading changes and then fail one.  It was challengeing in the beginning, but after a few I was getting the hang of it.  He had me do some turns single engine, and then a vector to landing.   We did some IFR single engine work as well.  We also worked on power on and off stalls again.  We were in the sim under an hour today.

Near the end of the sim we were informed that the plane was going to be off-line as they were going to have to replace the heater.  They are not sure how long this might take.  I am only hoping a few days.  We will have to wait and see.

I decided that I would schedule some sim today to review normal proceedures and to maybe get into emergancy proceedures.  The plane has remained blocked out until sometime tomorrow for the out of state student, and I scheduled if for day after tomorrow.  I arrived at the airport and was told the plane was at the avionics shop at CAK, and if I could wait around an extra hour or so we could get my first flight in.  We would take that time to do some sim, but we would get ready for the flight.

We worked on normal proceedures again in the sim for about an hour and then the plane returned.  We did a quick walk around and sumped the tanks.  Interesting on this plane you have to change the fuel selector to sump each tank as there is only one port on each wing.  If you were alone, this alone could take some time.  We finished up and climbed in.

 While I have sat in the plane before, this time I would get to fly it!  It is definitely different the the Cirrus All Glass Cockpit.  This plane is old enough that it doesn’t even had the standard 6 pack, and a few instruments are on the wrong side from where they are in a standard setup.  We started the plane, did a few checks and then taxied to the end of the runway.  We then completed the run-up checklist and prepared for flight.

First flight would be a static takeoff.  We positioned on the runway and with brakes on we brought the power up, confirmed everything was good, and launched.  It wasn’t long until we rotated and began our climb.   We turned and started a cruise climb to the practice area.  Once we got out to the area we did steep turns, standard rate turns, and power off/on stalls.  We then proceeded to a local airport from there and did a few landings.  We did a rolling takeoff and then another static takeoff before leaving that airport.  It was then back to our airport to end the first flight.   It seemed to go very quickly, but we actually got 1.8 on the Hobbs.   I still have the plane scheduled for day after tomorrow, hope the weather will hold for that flight.

Attended another Ground class today.  It was combined with another student that is here just this week working on their CMEL.  This one was on Aerodynamics and performance issues related to a ME aircraft.  We also reviewed an incident in PA from late last year where a twin ended up going down as they worked a lost engine scenario.  Basically they kept trying to restart the engine after a training demo of zero-thrust and full feature and shutdown.  The additional drag never allowed the aircraft to climb, and ended up impacting trees.

 Training is proceeding slowly, but at least I am moving forward.

I scheduled some ground review and solo simulator time today.  While I didn’t do as much review as I had planned, I did get some solo simulator time.   I reviewed the ground sections that we had done the other day, but didn’t work on the ground to get ahead.  I need to review that before the ground lesson tomorrow.  Worse case I will have to come to the airport early to review (I can’t seem to find the time at the office to do it).

I used the Seminole model in the simulator and did slightly over 2 hours in the sim.  IFR conditions but just some basic manuevers and approaches to mins.  I attempted some single engine flight, and it is interesting.  I can’t wait to see it as zero thrust in the actual plane. 

 Training is progressing slowly, but at least progressing.  I know next week is a busy week for me, so not sure if I will get any training done at the field.  It will most likely be home study.

A few more issues found while converting the W&B Spreadsheet.  The CFI informed me to NOT include oil, but the CP indicates that we should.  This adds another 30 pounds to the equation.  We are still not to the max weight, its just C.G.  The fuselage of the Geronimo isn’t that long, so there is not an aft storage area.  There is 3 rows of seats (only 5 seats).  We have no problem getting inside the envelope for takeoff with weight added to the last row of seats, the issue is landing weight if the flight lasts for then 1.5 hours (or 30 gallons).   I still need to play around with the spreadsheet to see if I can do any better.  I will have to discuss this with the CP the next time I see him.

While the days will NOT be back to back and I will most likely NOT post on the day of training, I will detail them as each day I spend working towards me MEL.  I arrived early in the morning with a plan of doing some ground in the morning and actually fly in the afternoon.  They didn’t have the training material when I was there the other day, so I was not in a position to prep for this first ground lesson.  There was snow fog at the field, and while they indicated it was burn off by 10am, it didn’t.

We started ground with basic information about ME aircraft, and each time we discuss systems on aircraft, we pulled out the POH and discuss it more in detail and specific to the aircraft then the generic in the book.   I had to explain more electrical and hydraulic information to instructor, but that is my background.   The morning went actually quickly, and before I knew it I needed to leave for an eye doctor appointment. 

When I returned after the appointment the weather conditions were still not the best for an initial flight, so we decided to work on Weight and Balance and Performance.  Glad we did.  I am a bigger guy, and we actually found a small problem with C.G. related to myself and the MEI in the aircraft.  We worked a few things and determined the amount of weight that would be needed to be added to the back to get us back into the C.G. Envelope.  I decided I would convert a W&B Spreadsheet I have for the Cirrus to the Geronimo so we would have both the takeoff and landing spreadsheet.

We discuss performance both as the POH indicates (160hp engines) and the upgrades (180hp).  Single engine performance and how training is done for single engine.  They do a zero-thrust training most importantly to a single solenoid after the master switch for the starter system.  A single point failure with this solenoid could create a true safety issue to flight. 

I went to the flight school and discuss their ME package.  Basically a condensed Part 61 structure following the Jeppeson ME package.  Reviewed the aircraft and discussed about basic differences from SEL flying.   Reviewed my flight experiences.  Got a tour of the simulator, and was given .7 for ME Simulator time.  Just some basic manuevers: Slow flight, stalls, standard rate turns, steep turns.  He indicated that I did ok, and was ready for the actual first flight, but I question that.  We will have to wait and see.

Well, a new flight school opened on the field and rumor was that they had a ME for training.  I decided I would check them out and see what I might be able to do locally, since I can never find the time to go anywhere to get it.  I stopped by and found out that their ME is a 1950’s Piper Geronimo. 

It has some speed mods on it, but a NON-traditional panel.  It does have the 180hp upgraded engines, so that is nice.

We discussed their training and costing, and I have set up an appointment to meet with the instructor that I would be using to see what he is like.  That takes place later in the week.

It has been close to six months since I updated this blog, mostly because I havent moved forward with training.  The time is just slipping by, and that is not good for a mid-life career changer (want-a-be).  I have been flying alot, up to the week before Christmas, just all SEL.  Committments with the family (including mother and mother-in-law) as well as current career has always pushed training into the background.

 I am going to have to either get going on this, or realize that I will NEVER be a professional pilot.  If that is what is meant to be, then so be it.  Hopefully I can assist others with making their dreams for flying professional a success.  I don’t really have a problem with that, as my family means the world to me. 

To those pushing forward, good luck and safe flights!