Tuesday, January 20, 2009

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*

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008

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.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

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, ...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Thursday, November 27, 2008

AZ: Diamond 40

About a week ago, November the 19th, I had my last VFR check, mission 65. I had to plan a flight to Gilla Bend (E63), southwest of Phoenix. There were many items we discussed during the debriefing, things I should keep better in mind but also positive points, overall the flight was good (and that was the most important). A few days later there was a briefing about the Diamond 40 and now I already performed 3 flights on it. It's much different than the Archer ... more sensitive controls, a glass cockpit, a stick instead of a control wheel, ... it takes some time to get used to it but overall it's nice to fly on it.

Yesterday (wednesday) the weather wasn't that good, Rain, wind, low cloudbase ... but still good enough to fly. But as weather can change rapidly, we had to divert to Gateway airport and wait there for about half an hour before we could go back to Falcon Fields. For a few moments I had the feeling being back in Belgium :-). Afterwards I flew a mission and backseated another time ... and in the evening Pieter, Bert and I went to a concert of coldplay. back in my bed at 2AM, a day of 22 hours ... long enough to sleep a bit longer in the morning :). Today it's thanksgiving, tomorrow I'll fly again. And in the weekend I'll start probably with the night flights.

pics:
Van AZ - Belgisch weer