My Flying Career

Well, I have that on top of the world feeling once again. I just passed my Private Multi-Engine Land checkride! It felt so good to log my first few hours of PIC multi time! Instead of paying all that money for non-PIC multi time.

I learned something from this multi-engine training experience. I am better at learning knowledge as apposed to learning a skill. This is the first checkride (since my private) that I had to learn a new airplane. And not just a new airplane, but brand new concepts to the plane. So what I took away from this was that I could learn the concepts of how things worked on the plane, and why the plane moved and operated the way it did. But actually flying the airplane was more tough.  I felt like I was back at square one when I learned to fly the Cessna 172.  I was an infant learning to walk with new legs.

Having said all that, my next step, my commercial multi-engine rating, will be a very challenging one.  As I basically have to do the same checkride, but with stricter margins.  For example I have to do a short field landing on a point +100 feet, -0 feet.  As opposed to a short field landing on a point +200 feet, -0 feet.
I also have to study for my knowledge test.  I’ve gotten above 90% on all my other knowledge tests, and I would love to keep that streak going.  However, I have heard the commercial knowledge test is much harder than the Instrument and Private knowledge tests that I have already taken.  I guess that means I just have to study all that much harder.  Again, my strength, I believe, is in the knowledge, so I’m not sweating it too much.  I am more concerned about learning to fly the airplane to these stricter standards without paying an arm and a leg in aircraft rental (and instructor) fees.

So begins the Commercial Knowledge Test studying.  Back to the King Videos.

Well not a whole lot to tell, but I have been studying hard trying to be as prepared as possible for my first lesson of my multi-engine rating.  And for those of you that have watched any King Schools DVD’s (or VHS’s), I’m getting to that point where if I hear Martha say “Stay out of the trees” one more time, I’m going to punch something.  I’ve started to see it coming and quickly hit the next chaper button on my dvd player…hehe

On the time building side of things, I’m still trying to get more total time.  But holy crap, the weather here has just been terrible.  I flew down to Corvallis a while back and was planning on checking the VOR instruments and I couldn’t find the VOR ground checkpoint.  The A/FD said it was located on the south side of the terminal ramp.  Well it was night time and I couldn’t find the darn thing.  I wish they would put the location on the airport diagram.  Anyway, after taxiing around at night looking for the thing, I decided just to head back to Salem and do an airborne check, checking the two VOR’s against each other.  The problem with that is I think they are BOTH a little off.

Anyway, I’m rambling…I’m just waiting for a little better weather and thought I would update you all on the happenings, or lack thereof.

I received my loan check in the mail yesterday.  I have never seen a check this big before in my life.  Too bad they have to show how much you owe back on the same page.  What a downer there.

First things first, I plan on purchasing the Instrument and Multi-Engine ground school courses from King Schools and start studying for my knowledge tests.  A lot of people think the Kings’ videos are boring and I can definitely see why, but for some reason they work for me.  I have used them on my Private and Instrument knowledge tests, and got above a 90% on both.  So no complaints coming from me.

I also will start flying as much as possible to accumulate as much TT (Total Time) as possible in the club plane I use at Salem.  I plan on making as much of this TT cross-country time as well.  Might as well hit two birds with one stone right?

Hope the weather holds out, I need to do a VOR check before I can fly IFR in the club plane again.  And it hasn’t been too promising.