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

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

AZ: last flights on the Archer & Fountain Hills

Falcon tower, Archer 4149 Yankee is overhead fountain hills at 3200 feet with information Echo, inbound for a full stop landing ....

Fountain Hills is a community in the north of Mesa with lovely houses, green fields, a mild climate and ... a huge fountain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_Hills,_Arizona). When departing or arriving at our homebase Falcon Fields, it's often a reporting point when we go / fly through the north east practise area. This weekend there was some kind of festival (brasserie in dutch), a good oportunity to have a look at that fountain, but this time not from a bird's eye perspective. And it's true what they say about it: it's impressive!

Almost all the VFR navigation flights are done, except for one: the last VFR progress check, which is mission 65. Tomorrow I'll have mission 64 with my instructor, I guess that will be also the last flight with him ... for the next phase (IFR) we'll start on a newer aircraft (the diamond DA-40) and also with new instructors. The check will include a bit of everything: navigation, manoeuvres, patterns, simulated failures, ... but of course, it should be good.

Time to review some manuals, hopefully the next post entry of this blog will be a good one ...

for pictures of fountain hills:

AZ - fountain hills festival

AZ: phase 3 & spotting!

Hi there

Finally everyone of prom 6B passed the pre-navigation check and so we're doing our last phase on the archer: the navigation phase. Not all the flights of this phase are navigation flights (god thanks!), but the majority are. You might wonder: what's so different then? Preparation! First finding your way through the VFR charts of Arizona, calculating distance, magnetic track, altitudes, ... and the day of the flight itself you have to calculate the magnetic headings (track corrected for the wind), true air speed & power setting (depends on temperature), ground speed, times, estimated fuel burnoff, ... and last but not least file a flight plan. Hell of a job if you have the early morning flight (take off at 6:30AM). Luckily the sun rises a bit later so the take off times are also delayed with 15 minutes :p. And of course you have to keep track of time, routing, ... during flight. But it's nice! If everything goes well (availability of archers & no cancellations due to wind / bad weather) we should finish this phase within 3 weeks. Last mission will be the navigation check and afterwards we'll start on the DA-40. But that's still future music ... .

This weekend the wind finnaly changed of direction (westerly instead of easterly) which gave us a nice opportunity to go spotting on a hill not far away from Phoenix Sky Harbour Intl.! The result? check it out:

AZ - spotting

What else can I say ... oh yes, "finally" prom 5 can go back home (the 2 last students will go back on Tuesday). Not that we wanted them away, on the contrary. But they spend more than 7 months (7,5 I believe) here in Arizona, instead of the "usual" 6-7 months. Problems with instructors and the DA-42's kept them here for 1,5 month extra. The 2 last ones will have tomorrow their CPL check. I hope they'll do fine back in Belgium!

Well, that's all folks! Cya!

AZ: some pictures

As promised, this post would be again one with some pictures. I hope I won't take the appetite away when I say it aren't some exotic pictures of "far far away". But for those that are wondering how the new appartment I live in looks like, feel free to click further to the pics:

Van AZ - new appartment

What else can I say? Not too much, except that the temperatures are falling like a bomb. This weekend the evenings became quit cold (11°C), now it's even during the day not that hot any more (26°C). Very pleasant when you have to fly, but horrible when you leave the "warm" appartment. But you don't hear me complaining at all ... .

AZ: almost cross country

Hello dear blogreaders

Finally again some time for an update (and something to talk about that's worth it). The last weeks I spend mostly flying solo/dual at falcon fields (touch & go's, full stop taxi back landings, different patterns and landing techniques) & in the neighbouring practise areas for the manoeuvres. Today I had (saturday the 4th) my 2 last solo missions before the pre-navigation check. 3 missions with navigation (complete a navigation log, calculate headings, speeds, power settings, ... and fly as precisely as possible) will follow next week, the check probably too. Lots of preparation and long flights (up till 4 hours), but I'm looking forward to it! (flying patterns and manoeuvres gets boring after a while).

Since yesterday I'm also living in another appartment! One of the students of group A of our prom wanted to change, and for me it wasn't really an issue. It was nice over there where I used to live, but here it's also ok. I'm now living with Pieter (Hutsebaut), Dan and Hannes. When they go back to Belgium, I'll move back into the appartment of Olivier, Kristof & Adrien.

What else can I say ... oh yes, the weather over here. Finally it's cooling down a bit. Today we have some clouds and lots of wind, maximum 28°C. Nice! (except for the wind if you have to fly).

The next post will be again one with some pics. And before I would forget about it: yes, I miss Belgium! (eventhough I know the weather isn't the best one for the moment).

Cheers!