Sunday, July 22, 2007

PSTAR Complete

I did some studying over the past few days for the PSTAR exam. This morning I went to the flight school and wrote the exam. 49/50. I missed a question regarding minimal visual range for helicopters flying through a Control Zone in Special VFR - NOT something that is going to cause me concern. Solo students can't even fly Special VFR, so one has to wonder why TC would have such a question on the pre-SOLO exam. Oh well......

So I now have my Student Pilot Permit. Time to go flying.

References:

Thursday, July 19, 2007

New CFI

I received notification that the flying school has a new Chief Flight Instructor.

Carpe Diem.

So I visited the school earlier this week and sat down with her for an hour to:
  • Introduce myself,
  • Discuss how I learn (I'm an analystic internalizer connect-the-dots person),
  • Discuss the next steps in my development,
  • All the full-time instructors at the school have changed since I last flew. I wanted to see if I would be happy with her as my primary instructor,
  • Find my ground school exit exam, and see where my areas of weakness are (she couldn't find it),
  • Discuss how best to make up the three Ground School sessions I missed due to business travel,
  • Procedure for writing PSTAR (drop in any time),
  • Had her photocopy my medical certificate for the school's files.
It was a good meeting. We have an action plan.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Itching to fly

Happy Canada Day!!!

So much activity, so little time.

Work is busy - in addition to lots of North American travel, I've been 'across the pond" three time in the last three months for sales calls and business development. Since my job isn't directly in sales my own job (I am a Product Manager) continues, so when I get back home I have to do 4 weeks of work in three.

Aviatrix has a new job! Congratulations to her, I read her blog every day.

I haven't flown since October -and it bites to not be flying. A positive financial change is rumoured, so I'm taking the plunge and re-applying myself.

I have been reading constantly. PSTAR study is ongoing. I need to make-up three sessions from last winter's ground school. And I scored a solidly passing mark on my exit exam from ground school (despite missing a few sessions due to business travel), but it was too far from 100% to satisfy my personal safety standards -- so I have some remedial work to do in both making up the sessions, as well as the knowledge. The objective of the learning is not to pass the exam, it's safety - and it's my butt that up there.

I get emails from the glidng school mailing list, and they are building my desire - the weather has generally sucked in the last few weeks for gliding/soaring, but they are still getting up there and flying. Gliding is the most exquisite way of falling, and I am still lured.

The front hall still needs painting, the front sidewalk needs to be lifted and re-aligned, and the front lawn needs to be re-built. She Who Must Be Obeyed has a list.

My frustration is showing - I really want to go flying again. Based on past history, strong desire the first step in moving forward.