day 23 - 17 okt 2007 (updated)

Since last week, we have "flight planning". This week, we started to use a VFR chart, used for visual navigation (so using landmarks, but also VOR's, NDB's, DME's, ... at low altitudes). The chart we use is the ED-6 chart, which covers the southern part of Germany and of course also a part of Switserland, Austria and France. It is a very interesting course, given by an pilot of brussels airlines who loves the avro's :-). And what makes the courses the more interesting is that I know some places on the chart ! (I have a friend who used to study/live in Friedrichshafen and I visited her in march, just before my selection tests in april). So this is a special one for Melanie and Annika :-).

observationflight #01: LELC

only 1 word: GREAT ! Takeoff in Brussels on runway 02 (works in progress on 07R which is normally in use for takeoffs with easterly winds), good weather, no fog. Flight to Murcia was smooth and a nice visual landing afterwards on runway 05 in Murcia. 1hour between arrival and departure, takoff on 05 and afterwards landing on 02 again.

Conclusion: I'm quit impressed about the workload during takeoff and landing, communications etc. but it's very useful and it's realy motivating. The crew was also very friendly and kind to me, special thanks to captain B. Dierickx and first officer Roby !!!

some pics:





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LELC Murcia information
with OO-JAT

day 19 - 11 okt 2007

results Internal Progress Check basic radio: 80% :-)

day 17 - 09 okt 2007

results of the internal progress check DC (Direct Current, electrics and electronics): 75%. So that's ok :-) We're still waiting for the results of the basic radio test (that was our first test, also electrics and electronics).
My first observation flight will be this saturday, 13 october 2007, flight 6501 from jetair (BRU-MJV and back). Nice !
but first: this thursday (11 october 2007) test of instrumentation.

07 okt 2007 - on the radio

SFA students talking about their passion on radio 1

day 14 - 04 okt 2007

Channel Z tonight (Kanaal Z, Canal Z):
Vanavond in het journaal o.a.:
Aantal studenten in pilotenopleiding stijgt explosief
Het aantal jongeren dat zich inschrijft om lijnpiloot te worden in ons land, is op een jaar tijd meer dan verdubbeld. De vliegscholen kunnen de aanvragen nauwelijks bijbenen. Deze zomer smeekte de Belgische luchtvaartsector nog om nieuwe piloten, en blijkbaar krijgt hun oproep ook gehoor.
http://www.kanaalz.be

Guess where they filmed? ...Good guess, @ SFA. And they did some interviews with students of our promotion. Maybe me, maybe not :p.

Update: SFA and 2 future pilots including a 25 year old one on the news ... .

day 12 - 02 okt 2007

The train.
Only 3 weeks ago I started with the ATPL program, hunting my dream. And when I make a comparison between my life before the start of the training and now, it's more than a day-and-night difference.

Take for example the daily trainride between Leuven and Brussels. I remember the feeling I had every time the train passed the lightning of the short final of runway 02, with a plane making his final corrections for a touchdown on that runway. Or the noise when a plane passed just over the train ... it was always with the feeling I belong up there, above the clouds or at least in that plane instead of in the train and later on at my desk, in front of a computer. I've always been motivated to do my work as a webdesigner, but now I realize every morning that this was the right decision I made. And even with the sometimes very difficult courses, almost all evenings filled with studying, no income anymore and a less secure future, I feel myself at ease at night, just before I go to sleep.

When I was a kid, I used to spent some time at my grandparents place, playing in the garden or watching tv. They live under the final route for that runway 02, which they use when there are northern/easterly winds. And every time I heard a plane arriving, I ran outside (when I was watching tv) and looked at it as it was gliding in the air, just as long as possible. Even now, if the weather is good and I hear a noise of a plane, I tend to have a quick look or step outside to see what kind of a big bird will touch down in a few moments. Realizing that one day I'll be sitting in front of that plane, maybe even seeing my grandparents house ... priceless.

There is something like human performance and limitations, we learn about that :-), but motivation realy can move the borders of the limitations.

Time for some basic navigation exercises, about great circle traks, rumb line tracks, convergency angles and earth convergency, HOORAY :-)