The ups and downs of flying.

[Witch]

I didn't get my check ride today, so I went and grabbed a helo and went flying anyway. I needed another half-hour solo, and I figured it's a nice day to fly. Boy was I wrong. I was hitting thermals left and right. Bubble here, hole there. After a half hour, I was getting a little sick. Good thing I had the door off-just in case.

 

Because I didn't get the check ride, I really got bummed and severly depressed. It seemed that nothing was going right. How's that for a downer? I figure, Oh well, I'll come back next week and try it again. Then the frustration sets in. "I WANT THIS DONE NOW!!!". Well, it ain't happenin'

 

So, what's a pilot to do?

 

I could look at the bright side-um... Well, maybe next week it'll happen. Heck, maybe I ought to just give up and be satisfied having a low wage, dead-end job with no hope for advancement. Stuck on the ground looking up every time I hear the engine of an aircraft flying overhead.

 

 

Naw, that ain't gonna happen. I'm going to be the one in that aircraft dammit, even if it kills me so much that I die from it.

 

Do any of you ever get like this, or am I just needing a heavy prescription of lithium?

 

Later

[FLHooker]

I understand what you mean... It sucks thinking you are going to fly, and dont get to fly what you want to... like a checkride. I just had my final checkride for the CH-47D on thursday... NVG training was supposed to be 4 weeks long, yeah.. with all the weather days, it ended up almost 6. Damn depressing every night you go in, all ready to fly, and don't get to. Don't rush a good thing though. It will come in due time, and it will be good. Atleast you got to go fly solo! I don't have that privilege.

 

 

 

CHAD

[Hovergirl]

Yeah, I want it all done now too, not just for the prospect of a job but because every new skill or step forward makes it even more fun to fly. But I remind myself that it wasn't that long ago I knew NOTHING about helicopters, and how much I've had to cram into my head day after day. As long as I'm learning something I figure I'm moving forward and if I just keep going I will get there.

 

I've been learning a lot but I haven't yet gotten to the point where I can fly solo on a day with loads of thermals and deal with frustration like you've had to deal with. I honestly don't mean to sound flip but learning to fly on a really bad day, flying when you're maybe a bit pissed off at someone or something and focussing enough on what you need to do up there has got to be an important skill. If you fly for years and years (and you will) you are going to have to fly on a really crappy day once in a while. So there's one more skill you got to practice and you are a better pilot for having dealt with this.

 

So you're moving forward, learning new things, and you WILL get there.

 

 

Clear skies -- let us know when you get that checkride!

[Goldy]

Do any of you ever get like this, or am I just needing a heavy prescription of lithium?

Later

 

 

Witch, personally I prefer a cold MGD over lithium any day ! The more you fly, the easier the checkride, if I were you I would do two more flights b4 checkride day, and maybe one more batch of autos...hope you nail it when it comes !

 

Here's to your PPL...it will be here soon enough.

 

Goldy

[heligirl03]

I know what you mean, wanting to have it DONE. I get withdrawal when weather grounds me for a week. Heli flight is an addiction, no doubt. But I love DOING it so much anyway that I just know any day flying is a great day, and I've always loved being a student, there is so much to learn. (ok, i'm a little bit of a nerd) It'll be nice to get the money flowing the other way eventually though! Good luck, Witch, I'm not far behind you I hope!

[Superman]

Witch,

 

I know how ya feel, nothing worse than getting all pumped up for the ride, and having to postpone it. You'll get it done, don't sweat it too much. I would heed Goldys advise..... go up and fly with your instructor at least once before the ride. I know it taps into the ol' budget, but I think its good advise. Keep hitting the books and you'll be fine.

 

I have the Bud Light on Ice, waiting to hear that you've passed, Good Luck!

 

Fly Safe

Clark

[FLHooker]

Something I failed to mention earlier in my post... Last thursday night, I went into the airfield, like any other night, thinking that my checkride was either going to be on friday or monday night. Being the LAST checkride before you are pinned with wings, it's sometimes (depending on IP) the hardest.. the last chance they get to do QC on you before you depart... Well, anyway... I sit down waiting for the nightly brief with my plan in hand, my IP walks over and asks if I was ready... Um, ready for what? Yeah, you are checking tonight, with a Standards guy. GREAT! I had 15 minutes to quickly go over everything one last time before it all went down. Long story short, it was a good, stressful night, but ended up well. Moral of the story... You are prepared, be confident when it happens, and just do it.

 

 

 

CHAD

[ras]

FLHooker,

That is really cool that you are flying CH-47's in the military, yet you still take the time to offer words of encouragement to pilots working on their ppl. My hat is off to you. Thats pretty cool.

[FLHooker]

Thank you. We all share the addiction to flyin'. Not mentioning that I'm in the National Guard, so here shortly I will also be flying on the civilian side of things.

 

 

 

CHAD

[Goldy]

Thank you. We all share the addiction to flyin'. Not mentioning that I'm in the National Guard, so here shortly I will also be flying on the civilian side of things.

CHAD

 

 

Chad- Congratulations on the wings ! I would think Columbia would love to interview you when you get out !

 

Witch- Getting your PPL is a lot like watching your kid learn to walk. Some parents boast that their kid did it at 12 months, or 10 months..What is this, a contest?? Fact is, every kid graduates high school knowing how to walk ( physical ailments aside). At 18 years of age, it doesnt matter if they learned to walk at 12 months or 24 months....same with flying. Take your test when you feel pretty good doing solo's and you know you can nail an auto every time....and you'll be fine...next year it won't matter when you did it, just that you did it.

 

Tell us when its all over !! Goldy

[Crusty Old Dude]

Don't do the Lithium...you'll bolo the flight physical.

 

 

As for the missing the check ride...did I read you right, that the weather was bad w/ the thermals and all? Then why would you want to do your check ride on that day? Sounds like to me a positive of all this would be that you didn't do a checkride on a bumpy day. Personally, I'd be looking for that mighty fine VFR flying day myself, with little to zero outside distractions. Isn't a check ride hard enough?

 

But if you're ready, you're ready. Don't worry about it.

[Goldy]

Don't do the Lithium...you'll bolo the flight physical.

 

 

As for the missing the check ride...did I read you right, that the weather was bad w/ the thermals and all? Then why would you want to do your check ride on that day? Sounds like to me a positive of all this would be that you didn't do a checkride on a bumpy day. Personally, I'd be looking for that mighty fine VFR flying day myself, with little to zero outside distractions. Isn't a check ride hard enough?

 

But if you're ready, you're ready. Don't worry about it.

 

Crusty- I did my PPL checkride in gusty 25 knot winds in an R22. Granted it was bumpy, but that just hid my inability to hold altitude ! It also made auto's a BREEZE ! Could have done full downs each time with that headwind !

[Witch]

Maybe that's why I can't auto for crap in calm winds.

 

As for the thermals, yeah it was bumpy, but with two people in the machine it's less bumpy.

 

I have another set for Saturday. GO ME!!!!!

 

Oh, I just had a flashback of Nickas..Nickalous...Nickilas... Ah crap, Nick Cage in Firebirds when he's in the simulator going "I am the greatest...I am the greatest...etc", and ends up just yelling and being cocky.

 

I don't want to sound like that.

 

Ya wanna hear something stupid? I have tennis elbow. It's a work-related injury caused by lifting heavy objects. The good thing is workmans comp should cover it. But I wonder if a workmans comp claim might hurt employment opportunities in the future?

 

Gotta go.

 

Later

Edited July 17, 2007 by Witch

[FLHooker]

Goldy, Thanks! Not 100% done yet... I still have to get through SERE C first. Yippee.

 

Witch, good luck for Saturday! Just relax, take a shot of Crown Royal (just not within 50 feet of the A/C) and you'll do fine.

...Or is that smoking within 50 feet, I don't know, can't ever remember.

 

 

 

 

CHAD

[Crusty Old Dude]

Goldy, Thanks! Not 100% done yet... I still have to get through SERE C first. Yippee.

 

Witch, good luck for Saturday! Just relax, take a shot of Crown Royal (just not within 50 feet of the A/C) and you'll do fine.

...Or is that smoking within 50 feet, I don't know, can't ever remember.

CHAD

I did SERE with the Air Force out at Fairchild...good times, good times.

 

You're sure to like that!

 

[FLHooker]

OH YEAH! I can't wait to go to Camp Slappy... Oh well, whatever

 

 

CHAD

[dogdaddy]

FLHooker,

That is really cool that you are flying CH-47's in the military, yet you still take the time to offer words of encouragement to pilots working on their ppl. My hat is off to you. Thats pretty cool.

Yes, I feel the same way!

Witch, from reading your posts I can tell you know your stuff. If your instructor didn't think so you wouldn't have a check ride scheduled. Just relax, and have fun! Remember taking your automobile driving test? You got through that, and you will get through this. We'll all be here to cheer you on.

[Crusty Old Dude]

OH YEAH! I can't wait to go to Camp Slappy... Oh well, whatever

CHAD

"Let the beatings begin..."

 

Actually, you'll learn a lot...mostly about yourself. Stuff that needs to be thought out well ahead of the combat situation that it's geared towards. Personally, in this day and age, capture would not be an option.

 

Back to scheduled programming....

[palmfish]

OH YEAH! I can't wait to go to Camp Slappy... Oh well, whatever

CHAD

 

Congrats on your ride Chad! 6 weeks of NVG training?!?! I got a whopping 6 days of NVG training during the CH-47 qual course I attended last year (and boy, goggles have come a long way since the PVS 5's I last flew with).

 

Witch, I can relate to your frustration. I started working on my Airplane Instrument Add-on rating back in February and was constantly stymied by low-level (3000') icing conditions (gotta love the Pac NW) that kept me grounded almost every other day! I managed to get my Airplane Instrument rating in May and just got my Commercial Airplane ticket 2 weeks ago. What I thought would take about 6 weeks to complete wound up taking almost 6 months - by the end of my training, I was SOOOO sick of being a student I was pulling my hair out - I just wated to take my checkride and be done with it.

 

Just know that when your instructor signs you off for your eval, you're ready and will do just fine. You'll be done in no time and soon, you won't even remember what it was like to be a flight student.

[FLHooker]

Thanks dogdaddy, palm, and crusty...

 

Crusty, That's what I have been hearing. I start SERE on 12Aug... We'll see what happens

 

Palmfish, Nights is supposed to last only 4 weeks, either way you end up leaving with about 23 hours of goggle time.

 

 

 

 

CHAD

[Crusty Old Dude]

Thanks dogdaddy, palm, and crusty...

 

Crusty, That's what I have been hearing. I start SERE on 12Aug... We'll see what happens

 

Palmfish, Nights is supposed to last only 4 weeks, either way you end up leaving with about 23 hours of goggle time.

CHAD

That sounds SWEET. I'm sincerely jealous (except for SERE...which I would do again if I had to...but I don't have to!). Actually, if you know of openings for a 37 year old Army veteran, then I'd go there again...

 

[FLHooker]

That sounds SWEET. I'm sincerely jealous (except for SERE...which I would do again if I had to...but I don't have to!). Actually, if you know of openings for a 37 year old Army veteran, then I'd go there again...

 

 

 

Well, believe it or not, 1 of my roommates at WOCS was 38, had 21 years in... Just graduated from flight school as a hawk pilot last week.

 

 

CHAD