Training Wheel

Since I've last posted a blog, I've been flying a lot. Which is awesome. Only once have I flown the Decathlon in a long while, due to it being down for maintenance or just generally unavailable. I received my tailwheel endorsement yesterday after making probably around 10 or so landings. From 3-points to wheel landings and bounce recoveries, it was extremely fun. Moving on to the final phase of the course, I'll be finishing up my aerobatics. If the weather holds up Monday then I'll be doing immelmans as my last maneuver. Then it's on to the advanced aerobatics course. Flying that airplane is literally all I can think about anymore.. It's almost sick.

A MAJOR opportunity was brought up to me yesterday while flying the Decathlon. Something that made my ENTIRE year just to hear. I won't tell anyone what it is yet, but look for me getting my commercial rating within the next few weeks. I cannot pass this opportunity up. One of my dreams is hanging right in front of me, and all it's going to take is a small step in the right direction to get me there.

More info on it in the coming weeks.

Keep the green side up, and the blue side down.

My job, and recent ramblings.

The thing is about my job is that.. I'm around airplanes. Today I parked two C130's full of reservists' doing there once a month duties. I parked corporate jets in a hangar, and I talked to an old, awesome dude flying a C337. I'm sharing knowledge amongst other pilots, young and old. It's a great feeling to talk to someone who knows what it's like to take to the sky, so I must say that I love my job. I'd love any job that has to do with being around airplanes. I consider myself damn lucky to be a part of it.

Other news, I'm taking up the SkyLane RG this week. Can't wait to get into something with a handful of power. Love the sound of the Lycoming IO540. Now.. if there was only a way to fit that into a Super Decathlon.. woah.. I'm thinking way too far ahead of myself.

Getting back into the Super D on the 23rd.. I can't wait any longer. Working at my other job doesn't make it any easier, seeing it out of the corner of my eye, yet I can't fly it. Oh well..only one more week until I'm hanging upside down by shoulder harnesses pushing negative two G's. Well, that brought a smile to my face.

And lastly, I've been flying with a kid who is too young to start taking flight lessons, I think he's only around 10 years old. He is a child prodigy when it comes to this. I let him take the controls and I sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. When he isn't flying with me, he's on his computer at home flying on Flight Simulator, and  to be honest, at his age I was doing the same thing. He has a natural talent for this, and there's not a doubt in my mind that as soon as he gets behind the controls when he's old enough to take lessons, he WILL solo in less then three hours. Teaching this kid how to fly is like taking a small step towards my dream of becoming a flight instructor. It's an amazing experience.

I'll be flying a whole bunch this week, and next.. so I'll try to get some good pictures. If you want to go up flying with me at any time, I'd love to take you. Facebook me.. ;)

Until next time,

Keep the green side up and the blue side down.

Always the biggest concern

Hey world. How was your week?

The thing that is constantly on my mind about aviation is, "How the hell am I going to keep paying for this, especially when I move out?" Truth is, I don't really know. I'll never know. I don't really know how I'm paying for it right now, and still have enough money to go out and get gas. I know I'll make it work, no matter if I have to work two jobs and go to college at the same time. I've already started coming up with ways to live cheaper, when I'm out of the house next fall. No TV, cheap cellphone plans, RAMEN, and I can go on to tell you another million different ways I'm thinking of. I have a few friends who are financially inclined, and they love to pay for the whole flight. I can't thank them enough for that help. It's really the only reason why I'm able to fly the SkyLane RG. Now that I've been bit by the aerobatics bug, I absolutely cannot put that down. It's a vicious circle that continues to run around my head, day in and day out, that scares the crap out of me..but as many other pilots who have been in this same situation, I'll get through it and I'll figure it out. No matter if my income allows me to fly ten times a month, or once a month.

As much as I hate talking about this, I still love it. It's flying. It's my passion.

Back in the saddle again.

Yeah, I'm sitting here at work again. It's the early morning on labor day, and I had to wake up at 5:00AM. Awesome.

Recently I was diagnosed with bronchitis. It kept me down from flying for about three weeks. Three weeks is a LONG time.. a very long time. I saw two doctors, and the latter is the one that figured it out right away. In due time, and a lot of medication later, I got better and was cleared to fly again. I've been throwing the 150 around the sky, surfing on top of clouds, and so on. I'd have to check my logbook, but I'm pretty sure I've been flying every single day since I was cleared to go. Five days straight? Yeah, that's a lot of flying considering I went for two hours a day. Yeah, that's a lot of money also.. even when flying a C150 that only costs me 30 dollars per hour, WET RATE!

Speaking of money, I need to fly the Skylane RG pretty soon. It's been a while since I have last flown it, but right now, something is in the works with a guy who needs me to fly it for him.. So if all goes well, it looks like I'll be flying it for free every week. In the picture above, you can see it in the background. Oh god, I hope I didn't jinx myself.

Flying acro in the Decathlon is going great. I haven't flown the Super D in a while, just due to my illness, but I'll be back hanging upside down next week. That's what I'm mostly looking forward to.

I'll call it quits for today, and hope noon comes around fast. At least I get paid a whole 4 extra magical dollars an hour.

Keep the green side up, and the blue side down.

The infamous first post

I'm new to this, but I'll give it a shot.

I'm bored at work, it has been raining since I've gotten here. I probably haven't moved from this work computer in over 7 hours. I'm aimlessly surfing the interwebs looking at pictures and videos of airplanes.

 Here is the reason why:

Yes, life is slow as a Line Service dude, but it's fun, and I cannot complain.

I promise not to bore you with ugly pictures and a terrible looking blog, but right now, I'm just a new blogger. I swear I'll make it look better. I figured I'd make this and share it with my other aviation buddies and whoever else that has a general concern with being bored and wanting things to look at. I'll post some videos of me flying every once in a while, and update with what I am doing in my aviation life.

I'll take these last few lines and say,

If you have never gone flying, please, please, please, tell me. The thing I want most in life is to share aviation with everyone. I went through getting my Private Pilots License thinking that all I want to do is share the experience.

Phew you made it, thanks for sticking it out with me.

Until next time,

Keep the green side up and the blue side down.