Cleared for take off !

1. Medical certificate: confirmed that everything is OK, will be send on monday
2. introduction day at SFA: cool, received my flightcase, 2 ties (for the uniform), some other stuff I'll need and already 9kg of books :p. That are 6 books, there are still 9 missing ... .
3. # Holidays: very low. Pressure: very high. Workload: very high. Observation flights: 14. Motivation: very very high :-)

Courses will start on monday, from 8:20AM - 4:50PM. Let's get started !

Still on the ATC Clearance channel ...

Since a few days, I am again able to walk normally, to use my bike, to take the stairs several times a day to go to my room without the need to take a break after every 4 steps ... that feels good :-). As I'm still waiting for the piece of paper that says I'm qualified to become a pilot (professionalism of the belgian government), I already started refreshing my knowledge of physics (thanksfully, it isn't that long ago I studied all that). My room is totally clean, my bookshelves are almost empty, ready to receive the books I'll have to study the next 8 months.

one more week to go ... I'm getting pretty excited about it by now !

Swiss International Airlines vs. Sobelair, Airbus vs. Boeing

physics

desk #1 (study)

desk #2 (computer)

You know you want to become a pilot when ...

Hi folks,

rest vs. busy
stay in bed vs. move your apartment
don't use stairs vs. my room at the 2nd floor
don't raise overweight boxes vs. pack stuff into boxes and unpack them back at home

the text before vs. was the advise of the doctors after the research and test of my heart, last wednesday. The part after the vs. is what I did the last days, because I had to. I guess that's why I feel a bit tired now ... .
One may wonder: what the hell did they do? Well ... they connected cables trough my heart via the groins (they say it's the easiest way like that ...) and did some tests for about one hour. They made my heart beat faster and harder, but the hardest part was actually when they put the cables into my body. Even with 3 anaesthesias it could feel it quit well ! Thanksgod the doctor and assistants were very friendly. There was actually also a handsome assistant, maybe it was because of her that my heart beated that hard and fast ;-). The principle doctor told me everything was ok, so he wrote a report that stated my qualification to become an airline pilot. What a relief !!

Afterwards I had to lay in bed, totally flat, for about 3 hours. After those 3 hours I could get up, but as I was still a bit tired and felt groggy after standing up, I decided to stay in bed for another hour before trying to get up again.

another sleepy hour passed by when a doctor woke me up and told me that everything was fine. Normally, the research was going to be in the afternoon, but they managed to put me on the schedule in the morning, so I didn't have to spend the night in the hospital. At about 8 o'clock in the evening I could leave the hospital.

You know you want to become a pilot when ... you feel happy after such an examination, just because it saved my future plans and desk above the clouds :-)

I guess I'll spend a lot of time in my bed the next days, hopefully I can walk again "decent" next wednesday.

to be continued ...

every new beginning ...

... comes from some other beginning's end.

Today it was my last day at the RVP/ONP. I worked there for about 1 year and 11 months (started in october 2005), as webdesigner. My colleages described me as a crazy person, I guess they were right ... :-).

co-workers from over there, if you read this: TAKE CARE AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING !!! I will never forget about you all, even not at 40 000 ft. ASL with a crew of nice female flight attendants ;-). Don't forget to do the scrum meetings on time, don't spend too much time at the coffee machine and don't forget to feed the plants ! ;-)

Hasta la proxima, chicos y chicas, que te vayan bien !!

Welcome

Welcome !!!

After about 20 years of dreaming, I decided that the risk is worth it and so I'll start with the integrated ATPL course to become an airline pilot. I'll use this blog site to share my experiences, feelings, stories and the progress of my training.