Well here we all are in the sunshine state of Florida for 3 months!!
All fun, just getting that hang of the controls, and the turbulence! Only one scary thing to happen, our traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) informed us that there was traffic right on top of us!! After a few manoeuvres later, we still couldn't see the traffic, then the TCAS stopped bleeping. It turns out that the system was triggered by a mobile phone, whoops!
Unfortunately no one had a camera on board so no pics :(
However, some I have managed to obtain a camera for our next trip so as promised there will be photos
We do have a facebook group which is open to all to join with a collection of photos already on
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=56465029626&ref=nf
Enjoy, and watch this space!
Sunday 20 September 2009
Saturday 22 August 2009
All done!
Well ground school that is. Just 2 more exams to sit!
All things sorted for Florida. Accommodation, hire car, and the annoying visa application process.
So watch this space for some vids and pics.
All things sorted for Florida. Accommodation, hire car, and the annoying visa application process.
So watch this space for some vids and pics.
Thursday 25 June 2009
Bit of excitement today
Something interesting and different rarely occurs in the ground school students life, however, today was a little bit different
It seems that our resident BAe 146 codename "METMAN" suffered a hydraulics failure whilst doing his usual MET stuff in the air.
Luckily for him, his secondary hydraulics system was working fine so was able to land at Cranfield airport without incident. However, that didn't stop all the fire engines and air ambulances scrambling to assist.
Most exciting thing to happen in weeks.
Oh and the group ahead of us have finished their ground school, so that gives us only 2 months left!!!
It seems that our resident BAe 146 codename "METMAN" suffered a hydraulics failure whilst doing his usual MET stuff in the air.
Luckily for him, his secondary hydraulics system was working fine so was able to land at Cranfield airport without incident. However, that didn't stop all the fire engines and air ambulances scrambling to assist.
Most exciting thing to happen in weeks.
Oh and the group ahead of us have finished their ground school, so that gives us only 2 months left!!!
Friday 12 June 2009
Just that little bit closer..
It just seems that Florida is that little bit closer.
Half the ground school is done, weather getting better. Plus our visa preparations are well underway. We are now registered as Alien Flight Students and our fingerprints were taken.
Seems fun, however, some people just can't give finger prints. Not that I have sweaty palms or anything, it is just that I can't seem to roll my finger properly within the small square (plus I think I bust my ring finger playing football the other day)
Then again, I would view someone who is a natural at finger printing with suspicion, if you know what I mean!.
Just 12 weeks to go!
Half the ground school is done, weather getting better. Plus our visa preparations are well underway. We are now registered as Alien Flight Students and our fingerprints were taken.
Seems fun, however, some people just can't give finger prints. Not that I have sweaty palms or anything, it is just that I can't seem to roll my finger properly within the small square (plus I think I bust my ring finger playing football the other day)
Then again, I would view someone who is a natural at finger printing with suspicion, if you know what I mean!.
Just 12 weeks to go!
Monday 8 June 2009
Half-way!!
As the title says, we are halfway through ground school. Block two exams all done. Although we have only done 5 exams out of the 14 required, the worst (debatable) is over.
Block three kicks off this week, topics include:
Flight Planning
Air Law
Principles of Flight
Mass and Balance
Radio Navigation
IFR and VFR Comms
Although it seems a lot, these are rather small subject. The two comms and Mass and Balance exams are a measly 20 questions each.
Flight Planning should get us to really apply our gen naviagtion and met knowledge into practise.
PofF is just maths, Radio Nav, erm, like instruments I guess
Air Law, well ........ZZzzzzz *hits head on desk*
Oh and here is a pic of Block 2 notes. Note the pound coin and the empty bottle!
Block three kicks off this week, topics include:
Flight Planning
Air Law
Principles of Flight
Mass and Balance
Radio Navigation
IFR and VFR Comms
Although it seems a lot, these are rather small subject. The two comms and Mass and Balance exams are a measly 20 questions each.
Flight Planning should get us to really apply our gen naviagtion and met knowledge into practise.
PofF is just maths, Radio Nav, erm, like instruments I guess
Air Law, well ........ZZzzzzz *hits head on desk*
Oh and here is a pic of Block 2 notes. Note the pound coin and the empty bottle!
Tuesday 26 May 2009
Some pics
In response to popular demand, I have some pics. Nothing to fancy.
All pics shamelessly stolen from our Facebook group
View from our classroom mainly
And there is me, all hard at work (at the back that is)
All pics shamelessly stolen from our Facebook group
View from our classroom mainly
And there is me, all hard at work (at the back that is)
Sunday 17 May 2009
FSX for revision??
It takes some guts to admit that you have dabbled a lot into Flight Sim X, prior and during you flight training. It does sound rather nerdy especially to outsiders that you consider yourself a trans world explorer without even leaving your house.
Well anyway, may people may have this question on their minds, but are too afraid to ask it to avoid the "You are a nerd" look, does Flight Sim X (or other Sims) help you in flight training.
Well after going through the Instruments syllabus I must admit, the answer is yes. If you purchase one of these custom made addons that have been made by people in the know, you could find yourself visualising all those complicated instruments. You could also place yourself at a certain altitude, and see the relation ship between your Indicated air speed, True Airspeed and Mach number. Want to see the effect of temperature changes for "real"? Simply change the temp. Pressure changes? Is it really "High to Low, down you go"?
However, I must stress the need for custom addons. It seems that the default Flight sim x aircraft have a lack of detail when it comes to the more complicated instruments, like the INS and FMS. It seems that the makes think that everyone will be using the GPS these days, when in reality we don't. So avoid. Also do bare in mind that there are no 100% accurate models, but something that shouldn't trouble you in the ATPL ground exams, Type ratings maybe, but that is something that we don't have to worry about just yet.
So hold you geeky chin up high simmers, you are almost "as real as it gets"
Well anyway, may people may have this question on their minds, but are too afraid to ask it to avoid the "You are a nerd" look, does Flight Sim X (or other Sims) help you in flight training.
Well after going through the Instruments syllabus I must admit, the answer is yes. If you purchase one of these custom made addons that have been made by people in the know, you could find yourself visualising all those complicated instruments. You could also place yourself at a certain altitude, and see the relation ship between your Indicated air speed, True Airspeed and Mach number. Want to see the effect of temperature changes for "real"? Simply change the temp. Pressure changes? Is it really "High to Low, down you go"?
However, I must stress the need for custom addons. It seems that the default Flight sim x aircraft have a lack of detail when it comes to the more complicated instruments, like the INS and FMS. It seems that the makes think that everyone will be using the GPS these days, when in reality we don't. So avoid. Also do bare in mind that there are no 100% accurate models, but something that shouldn't trouble you in the ATPL ground exams, Type ratings maybe, but that is something that we don't have to worry about just yet.
So hold you geeky chin up high simmers, you are almost "as real as it gets"
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