AZ: DA42 (Multi engine)

Jambo!

A couple of weeks ago I did the last flight on the DA40, the final IFR check before the IR/ME check we'll have in Belgium. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end, so Mission 104 brought us up to the final phase in the training ... flying the twin engined Diamond Twinstar (DA42). 2 engines instead of 1 sounds better and safer, which is actually also true: Although the degradation in performance can be as high as 80% if there is a powerloss on one engine (and thus 50%), you're still able to fly with only one engine for a period of time. Unfortunatly those engines on the DA42 aren't the same as the ones on the DA40. Still reliable, but more sensitive to the excess of temperatures they have to withstand during summer/winter. And that's one of the reasons why only 1 or 2 of the 5 are available on a somehow regular base ... for too many students, ending up in delays. By the end of march everyone of prom 6B should be finished with the training, here and in Belgium because our MCC (training in a simulator) starts april the 6th. Hmmm ... .

Some pictures of the navigation to Tucson today can be found here:

AZ - x-country to KTUS (DA42 N4130M)

AZ: IFR cross country & more pics

AZ - Long Beach IFR navigation

AZ - Naar Flagstaff

AZ - Grand Canyon

AZ - Williams, hooverdam & Las Vegas

AZ - Las Vegas by night

AZ - KLAS > KPHX

Update about the last weeks:
- One more week on the Diamond DA40, next week we'll be done (I'm currently at Mission 99, mission 104 is the final IFR check on the DA40)
- My parents are in town! I spend a couple of days with them and we went to flagstaff, the grand canyon, williams, the hoover dam and las vegas. While they are spending time in national parks in Utah, I fill my time with flying, preparations and eating chocolate.
- Today we had again a hot day. 28°C. *smile*

AZ: KFFZ & Biosphere 2: some pics

AZ - SATC met Bert & Alvie

AZ - Biosphere 2

Merry christmas and a happy 2009

AZ: Electricity bill

Why are the electricity bills during this holiday period higher than average? Find the answer in this video, made during the wonderful light and sound spectacle, every evening between 7PM and 10PM.

AZ:Happy holidays!

Hmm, the last post was about one month ago ... time flies and so do we! Although we'd like to fly a bit more ... Due to weather and unfortunatly also some adminstrative reasons, we fly less than we're supposed to. We got 2 *brand new* instructors which got all their training and checks they need to become an instructor, but since not all the paperwork is done in Belgium they are not allowed to fly. Just a couple of papers and stamps keeps them away from flying ... . Until yesterday (friday) we could fly with 2 other instructors, but one of them is now on holiday for 2 weeks and the other one flies with the students of prom 7A. We can only hope (and pray?) those new instructors will be qualified on monday!

First time I'll pass the christmas holidays somewhere else than Belgium. It feels strange: although there is some kind of x-mas hype going on, with decoration, lights, (plastic) trees, irritating music and fake santa clauses, it doesn't feel the same. We don't know yet how much we're gonna fly during the holidays (24/12, 25/12, 31/12 and 01/01 are holidays, the other ones not) so it's difficult to plan a trip. At least I hope I'll fly because I'd like to have some days off to join my parents on a trip in january.

the weather I mentioned above was really bad weather. Low cloud base, the freezing level as low as 6000 feet high, rain and sometimes gusty winds ... even snow storms in the north (Flagstaff). Quit funny to see when you're used to the always-blue-skies-and-cute-clouds.

Family and friends who read this blog: happy holidays, don't drink and drive, I als don't drink when I go flying ;-) and all the best for 2009.

Pieter

pictures for this post:

AZ - Weer, Kerstmis, ...

AZ: Diamond 40 (2)

pics!

AZ - DA40 & night flight

enjoy