Time For a New Ride
4 days ago
Friday, September 19, 2008
Vegas pics
Some pics from a Las Vegas trip. The corporation has an annual convention there each year.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Patriot Day
Most people in this country, if they are old enough, remember what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001.
I was ironing my clothes at my Denver apartment, getting ready for another full day of flight instructing. I had just talked to a briefer from the Automated Flight Service Station at Centennial Airport. The weather was looking very good for my flight with a student in N6270R ( a C172RG Cutlass ). I suppose the first Trade Center tower was hit while I was on the phone getting the weather briefing. As soon as I turned on the TV to CNN the story was already going on.
As is true with so many breaking news stories, the media was in high speculation mode. There were more questions then answers. One thing struck me as I watched smoke rise from the Trade Center, it was a beautiful day in New York City. I felt like something was amiss. Large aircraft don't just accidentally run into buildings like that, especially on a beautiful VFR day, especially in the busy northeast. Could a highly experienced airline pilot and his crew, operating in contact with highly experienced air traffic controllers accidentally steer his jet into a building? I suppose it could happen, but I didn't buy it. These were the things going through my mind as I dressed and grabbed my flight bag to head out the door. As I was reaching to switch the television off, I froze. The image of an airliner came into the picture. That was quickly followed by an explosion as the airliner smashed into the second tower. The sight of that aircraft hitting the World Trade Center literally put me on my knees. Shock, horror, grief and total disbelief all hit me at one time. I'm sure that this is what most people were experiencing when they saw that. I had felt that wave of terrible emotions just one other time that I could remember, the day that the space shuttle Challenger exploded.
After 10 minutes, I collected myself and started calling my family. I think it's natural to check on your loved ones when something like this happens, no matter how far away they are from the scene of the disaster. Called my wife, father and mother as I headed out the door. Had to get to the airport.
On the road to the Boulder Municipal Airport, the radio reported that the airspace over this country might be shut down. More shock. I arrived at the airport and my student was diligently pre-flighting the airplane. He hadn't talked to flight service yet. In fact, he hadn't seen the TV or listened to the radio that morning. He was just excited to go on his first instructional flight in the Cutlass. I informed him that something terrible had occurred that might affect his flight. We went in to call the FSS and we couldn't get through. We turned on the TV in the FBO. My student watched it for a few minutes and then said he didn't feel like flying and wanted to go be with his wife. I said go.
My co-workers began filtering in for the day. We watched as the news reported the Pentagon was hit by an aircraft. Frankly, when that plane hit the second tower, I knew we were under attack. The Pentagon strike just confirmed it. The President being flown to various locations in the US to protect him removed any doubt about the situation. Then started a period of confusion in the media as everyone began to panic. How many aircraft were up there with terrorists on board? I heard 5, 3, and 4 at various times that morning.
Then the towers fell. A new round of horror. After that we found out about the crash of Untied Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The news all day long was bad, nothing good.
About 1 pm I went out to the ramp to check the tie-downs on all of our aircraft. The silence was eerie. Normally, the airspace around Denver is full of noise. But standing out there on the ramp, I didn't hear anything. It was surreal. How could this be happening to this country? I should have listened to the radios of one of our planes, I heard that ATC had an automated message playing on all frequencies explaining that the airspace above the United States was closed. I think at that point it would have put me over the edge. There was just too much information coming in and I couldn't take anymore.
Later that afternoon F-16's from nearby Buckley AFB began flying patrols over Denver. The patrols went on round the clock for nearly 2 days.
By the end of the day, there were nothing but questions. Who were these terrorists? Are we going to be hit again? What is going to happen to the aviation industry? Will I have to start a new career in a different field? Will the families of the victims ever have peace? So much to contemplate. Of course, all of these questions would be answered with time.
Today we should take time to remember all those feelings that we had that day so that those who died are honored.
I was ironing my clothes at my Denver apartment, getting ready for another full day of flight instructing. I had just talked to a briefer from the Automated Flight Service Station at Centennial Airport. The weather was looking very good for my flight with a student in N6270R ( a C172RG Cutlass ). I suppose the first Trade Center tower was hit while I was on the phone getting the weather briefing. As soon as I turned on the TV to CNN the story was already going on.
As is true with so many breaking news stories, the media was in high speculation mode. There were more questions then answers. One thing struck me as I watched smoke rise from the Trade Center, it was a beautiful day in New York City. I felt like something was amiss. Large aircraft don't just accidentally run into buildings like that, especially on a beautiful VFR day, especially in the busy northeast. Could a highly experienced airline pilot and his crew, operating in contact with highly experienced air traffic controllers accidentally steer his jet into a building? I suppose it could happen, but I didn't buy it. These were the things going through my mind as I dressed and grabbed my flight bag to head out the door. As I was reaching to switch the television off, I froze. The image of an airliner came into the picture. That was quickly followed by an explosion as the airliner smashed into the second tower. The sight of that aircraft hitting the World Trade Center literally put me on my knees. Shock, horror, grief and total disbelief all hit me at one time. I'm sure that this is what most people were experiencing when they saw that. I had felt that wave of terrible emotions just one other time that I could remember, the day that the space shuttle Challenger exploded.
After 10 minutes, I collected myself and started calling my family. I think it's natural to check on your loved ones when something like this happens, no matter how far away they are from the scene of the disaster. Called my wife, father and mother as I headed out the door. Had to get to the airport.
On the road to the Boulder Municipal Airport, the radio reported that the airspace over this country might be shut down. More shock. I arrived at the airport and my student was diligently pre-flighting the airplane. He hadn't talked to flight service yet. In fact, he hadn't seen the TV or listened to the radio that morning. He was just excited to go on his first instructional flight in the Cutlass. I informed him that something terrible had occurred that might affect his flight. We went in to call the FSS and we couldn't get through. We turned on the TV in the FBO. My student watched it for a few minutes and then said he didn't feel like flying and wanted to go be with his wife. I said go.
My co-workers began filtering in for the day. We watched as the news reported the Pentagon was hit by an aircraft. Frankly, when that plane hit the second tower, I knew we were under attack. The Pentagon strike just confirmed it. The President being flown to various locations in the US to protect him removed any doubt about the situation. Then started a period of confusion in the media as everyone began to panic. How many aircraft were up there with terrorists on board? I heard 5, 3, and 4 at various times that morning.
Then the towers fell. A new round of horror. After that we found out about the crash of Untied Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The news all day long was bad, nothing good.
About 1 pm I went out to the ramp to check the tie-downs on all of our aircraft. The silence was eerie. Normally, the airspace around Denver is full of noise. But standing out there on the ramp, I didn't hear anything. It was surreal. How could this be happening to this country? I should have listened to the radios of one of our planes, I heard that ATC had an automated message playing on all frequencies explaining that the airspace above the United States was closed. I think at that point it would have put me over the edge. There was just too much information coming in and I couldn't take anymore.
Later that afternoon F-16's from nearby Buckley AFB began flying patrols over Denver. The patrols went on round the clock for nearly 2 days.
By the end of the day, there were nothing but questions. Who were these terrorists? Are we going to be hit again? What is going to happen to the aviation industry? Will I have to start a new career in a different field? Will the families of the victims ever have peace? So much to contemplate. Of course, all of these questions would be answered with time.
Today we should take time to remember all those feelings that we had that day so that those who died are honored.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Scenes from a recent trip to New York City
The following pictures are from a recent trip to the NYC area. We landed at Teterboro ( KTEB ) which is in New Jersey. I would have liked to have taken some shots from the cockpit during our approach to KTEB but we were far to busy. So these are a few pics from the trip into the city.
A shot from inside Central Park.
A shot of Central Park from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.
This is the other side of the Empire State
Building looking toward the financial district.
The Statue of Liberty from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.
Looking up the Empire State Building. It's
big!
Now for a few pics of the "people" that make
New York City an interesting place.
The iconic Naked Cowboy.
Yes it can be a strange place.
This is Times Square...much more
impressive at night.
More Times Square, very Vegas like when the
lights are on at night.
A popular place to take a picture. The Hello Deli
is right around the corner. I went in and there
was Rupert behind the counter. Very weird.
A shot from inside Central Park.
A shot of Central Park from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.
This is the other side of the Empire State
Building looking toward the financial district.
The Statue of Liberty from the 86th floor of
the Empire State Building.
Looking up the Empire State Building. It's
big!
Now for a few pics of the "people" that make
New York City an interesting place.
The iconic Naked Cowboy.
Yes it can be a strange place.
Monday, August 04, 2008
More Pictures of the flight to Sun Valley
The first picture is of a crater close to Hailey, Idaho. Don't know if it's man made or not. The rest of the pictures are mostly of Colorado from FL390 ( 39,000 ft) to FL410 ( 41,000 ft ).
Ah Sun Valley
Here are pictures from a quick turn trip to Sun Valley, ID. The winds were fierce at KSUN when we landed. Lots of LLWS ( Low Level Wind Shear ). Sun Valley Airport is one of those fun airports that is kind of boxed in on one side. So, as a result of the mountains, the typical procedure is to land in one direction and take off in the opposite direction. We approached the airport to runway 31 and then later departed runway 13. Beautiful area, great town. 
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Reminds me of the old days
This past week I got the chance to once again fly the mighty Cessna C210 Centurion. It's been awhile since I put my hands on the control yoke of this type of aircraft. I was looking forward to the flight.The Centurion is a relatively fast single-engine aircraft with a big heavy feel to it. I got my first taste of the C210 during my initial year of instructing in Boulder, Colorado. The airplane was plenty powerful with a lot of space in it for stuff. I eventually became the primary instructor for the C210 at Dakota Ridge Aviation. Also, part of our flight school's operation was a service provided to NOAA to check for green house gases. Essentially it was a flight in a 210 to a predetermined point ( usually the 21 DME of of the Cheyenne Vortac ) starting at an altitude of 26,000 ft and ending at 7,000 ft. I would fly a holding pattern from the point and circle down collecting data at every 1,000 ft. The collection of the data was done via a "magical" electronic box provided by the NOAA scientist. The "NOAA flights" were done by me on the average of once a week.
I started to get some good experience in the 210, by doing things like the "NOAA flights", student instruction, and things like that. Then on November 14, 2002, flying a 210 from Boulder, CO to Cheyenne, WY I experienced an engine failure in flight. I was on a modified left base to land at KCYS when the crankshaft decided to break into pieces. I chose a field to land in and successfully put in down with no damage to anything on the ground, the airplane or myself. I'll never forget that moment.
So me and the Cessna C210 has had some good times and some bad times. I enjoyed all of the flying that I did in it. So when I had the opportunity to ferry the aircraft above from Detroit to Tulsa, I jumped at it. And it reminded me of all the times I'd spent in this aircraft. I hope more of these opportunities come around.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Random pictures from my travels lately
Here are some pictures that haven't been included in other posts. Some are interesting and some are not.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Recurrent Training
Just got back from Tucson, Arizona. I spent some time at Flight Safety International doing recurrent training. It is essentially refresher training in an aircraft. It's something that we have to do on an annual basis. Flight Safety is a world-class training facility. The instructors there are outstanding.
All of the training is done in a Level D flight simulator. These are moving simulators that have to be certified by the FAA in order for training to take place. It's pretty close to flying the real thing and the instructors can program your "aircraft" to experience several malfunctions ( some all at once ) in flight. During my training I experienced an engine fire, lost pressurization, complete electrical failure, runaway trim, and windshear, just to name a few. It's great training designed to push the pilot to the limits of his/her abilities. If you have to get training for a type rating, I highly recommend Flight Safety.
Here is a picture of the Lear 60 sim at the Tucson
training facility. I was too busy to get any pictures
of the inside.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
International Flight
Here are some pictures from a trip to the country of Mexico. Arriving in Mexico can be an interesting experience. When we landed in Mexico we were met by our handler ( a native whos job it is to make sure your paper work is in order ). Along with the handler, were several armed soldiers. There is a lot of paperwork to have onboard the aircraft when you arrive in Mexico. You'll need a passport, pilot certificate, medical, custom documents and a Mexican Insurance Certificate to name just a few. If you're planning to fly to Mexico make sure you get some help from the FAA, NBAA or AOPA. Once the soldiers had seen our paperwork it was time to drag all the bags out of the aircraft so a drug dog could sniff them. During this time the handler took the flight crew's passports, pilot certificates and medicals. He took them away, I'm assuming that it was to fill out more paperwork, and they were gone for a good deal of time. This is a scary step of the process. Standing there on the tarmac of a foriegn country is no place to be without your pilot credentials. Eventually they were returned and we went on our way.
Going back to the US was a little less complicated. The handler will fill out your flight plan. You have to estimate the time you will cross the ADIZ. One note, make sure that you have a credit card that works in Mexico ( for the fuel load ). If you use multi service, make sure the N number on your aircraft matches the N number on the card or they won't take it. If you have to use a personal credit card for fuel, most likely there will be an extra charge for that. Ours was 500 US dollars. If you have enough cash to get the fuel load you need it will save you a little money. Keep in mind that there is a ground control fee at some airports and that has to be paid in cash.
The pictures are mostly of the storms we encountered enroute. These storms were near the Houston area as we made our way towards the Gulf of Mexico. We were flying at FL390.
Monday, April 28, 2008
My Airport List
I have been converting my logbook to electronic format and I wanted to make a list of the airports that I have visited while flying an aircraft in some capacity (PIC, SIC, student, etc). I don't have a great reason for this other than it reminds me of all the cool places that pilots can go on their journeys. Here's the list:
US Airports ( ) indicates new identifier
US Airports ( ) indicates new identifier
0G7 Finger Lakes Regional Airport-Senaca Falls, NY
18v Platt Valley Airpark-Hudson, CO
1V5 ( KBDU) Boulder Municipal Airport-Boulder, CO
2V2 (KLMO) Vance Brand Airport-Longmont, CO
2V5 Wray Municipal Airport-Wray,CO
3F7 Jones Memorial Airport-Bristow, OK
3V4 (KFMM) Fort Morgan Municipal Airport-Fort Morgan, CO
3V5 Fort Collins Downtown Airpark-Fort Collins, CO---CLOSED
48V (KEIK) Erie Municipal Airport-Erie, CO
4O4 McCurtain County Regional Airport-Idabel, OK
6K4 Fairview Municipal Airport-Fairview, OK
7V5 Brush Municipal Airport-Brush, CO
KAAO Colonel James Jabara Airport-Wichita, KS
KABE Lehigh Valley International Airport-Allentown, PA
KABI Abilene Regional Airport-Abilene, TX
KADH Ada Municipal Airport-Ada, OK
KADM Ardmore Municipal Airport-Ardmore, OK
KADS Addison Airport-Addison, TX
KAKO Colorado Plains Regional Airport-Akron, CO
KAMA Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport-Amarillo, TX
KANY Anthony Municipal Airport-Anthony, KS
KAPA Centennial Airport-Denver, CO
KARG Walnut Ridge Regional Airport-Walnut Ridge, AR
KASE Aspen-Pitkin County Airport/Sardy Field-Aspen, CO
KAUS Austin-Bergstrom International Airport-Austin, TX
KAVK Alva Regional Airport-Alva, OK
KAVP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA
KAZO Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport-Kalamazoo, MI
KBFF Western Nebraska Regional Airport/William B. Heilig Field-Scottsbluff, NE
KBGR Bangor International Airport-Bangor, ME
KBHM Birmingham International Airport-Birmingham, AL
KBJC Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport-Denver, CO
KBNA Nashville International Airport-Nashville, TN
KBOS General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport-Boston, MA
KBTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport/Ryan Field-Baton Rouge, LA
KBUF Buffalo Niagra International Airport-Buffalo, NY
KBVO Bartlesville Municipal Airport-Bartlesville, OK
KBWG Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport-Bowling Green, KY
KBWI Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport-Baltimore, MD
KBZN Gallitan Field Airport-Bozeman, MT
KCAK Akron-Canton Regioanl Airport-Akron, OH
KCEW Bob Sikes Airport-Crestview, FL
KCGX Merrill C. Meigs Field-Chicago, IL---CLOSED
KCHA Lovell Field Airport-Chattanooga, TN
KCHS Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport-Charleston, SC
KCLT Charlotte/Douglas International Airport-Charlotte, NC
KCMH Port Columbus International Airport-Columbus, OH
KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport-Colorado Springs, CO
KCPR Natrona County International Airport-Casper, WY
KCUH Cushing Municipal Airport-Cushing, OK
KCVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport-Covington, KY
KCWF Chennault International Airport-Lake Charles, LA
KCYS Cheyenne Regional/Jerry Olson Field Airport-Cheyenne, WY
KDAL Dallas Love Field-Dallas, TX
KDCA Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport-Washington, D.C.
KDEN Denver International Airport-Denver, CO
KDFW Dallas/Ft Worth International Airport-Dallas/Ft Worth, TX
KDLH Duluth International Airport-Duluth, MN
KDPA Dupage Airport-West Chicago, IL
KDSM Des Moines International Airport-Des Moines, IA
KDTS Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport-Destin, FL
KEGE Eagle County Regional Airport-Eagle, CO
KELD South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field-El Dorado, AR
KEWR Newark Liberty International Airport-Newark, NJ
F01 Quanah Municipal Airport-Quanah, TX
F05 Wilbarger County Airport-Vernon, TX
F22 Perry Municipal Airport-Perry, OK
F92 Kingfisher Airport-Kingfisher, OK
KFAT Fresno Yosemite International Airport-Fresno, CA
KFNL Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport-Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
KFSD Joe Foss Field-Sioux Falls, SD
KFTG Front Range Airport-Denver, CO
KFTW Fort Worth Meacham International Airport-Fort Worth, TX
KFWS Fort Worth Spinks Airport-Fort Worth, TX
KGBD Great Bend Municipal-Great Bend, KS
KGCC Gillette-Campbell County Airport-Gillette, WY
KGCK Garden City Regional Airport-Garden City, KS
KGCN Grand Canyon National Park Airport- Grand Canyon, AZ
KGGG East Texas Regional Airport-Longview, TX
KGKY Arlington Regional Airport-Arlington, TX
KGLD Renner Field-Goodland, TX
KGLH Mid Delta Regional Airport-Greenville, MS
KGOK Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport-Guthrie, OK
KGRI Central Nebraska Regional Airport-Grand Island, NE
KGRR Gerald R. Ford International Airport-Grand Rapids, MI
KGSO Piedmont Triad International Airport-Greensboro, NC
KGUY Guymon Municipal Airport-Guymon, OK
KGVT Majors Airport-Greenville, TX
KGWS Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport-Glenwood Springs, CO
KGXY Greeley-Weld County Airport-Greeley, CO
KHHW Stan Stamper Municipal Airport-Hugo, OK
KHOU William P. Hobby Airport-Houston, TX
KHPN Westchester County Airport-White Plains, NY
KHRL Valley International Airport-Harlingen, TX
KHYS Hays Regional Airport-Hays, KS
KIAD Washington Dulles International Airport-Washington, D.C.
KIAH George Bush Intercontinental Airport-Houston, TX
KICT Wichita Mid-Continent Airport-Wichita, KS
KIND Indianapolis International Airport-Indianapolis, IN
KIWS West Houston Airport-Houston, TX
KJAN Jackson-Evers International Airport-Jackson, MS
KJAX Jacksonville International Airport-Jacksonville, FL
KJBR Jonesboro Municipal Airport-Jonesboro, AR
KJFK John F. Kennedy International Airport-New York, NY
L06 Furnace Creek Airport-Death Valley National Park, CA
KLAA Lamar Municipal Airport-Lamar, CO
KLAR Laramie Regional Airport-Laramie, WY
KLAS McCarren International Airport-Las Vegas, NV
KLAW Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport-Lawton, OK
KLBB Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport-Lubbock, TX
KLBF North Platte Regional Airport/Lee Bird Field-North Platte, NE
KLBL Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport-Liberal, KS
KLEX Blue Grass Airport-Lexington, KY
KLFT Lafayette Regional Airport-Lafayette, LA
KLGA La Guardia Airport-New York, NY
KLIT Adams Field-Little Rock, AR
KLRD Laredo International Airport-Laredo, TX
KLXV Lake County Airport-Leadville, CO
M39 (KMEZ) Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport-Mena, AR
KMAF Midland International Airport-Midland, TX
KMCC McClellan Airfield-Sacramento, CA
KMCK McCook Regional Airport-McCook, NE
KMDD Midland Airpark-Midland, TX
KMDF Mooreland Municipal Airport-Mooreland, OK
KMDW Midway International Airport-Chicago, IL
KMEM Memphis International Airport-Memphis, TN
KMHT Manchester Airport-Manchester, NH
KMKC Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport-Kansas City, MO
KMLC McAlester Regional Airport-McAlester, OK
KMLF Milford Municipal Airport/Ben and Judy Briscoe Field-Milford, UT
KMLI Quad City International Airport-Moline, IL
KMSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport-New Orleans, LA
O53 Medford Municipal Airport-Medford, OK
KOKC Will Rogers World Airport-Oklahoma City, OK
KOKM Okmulgee Regional Airport-Okmulgee, OK
OOV Meadow Lake Airport-Colorado Springs, CO
KOUN University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport-Norman, OK
0V2 (KANK) Harriet Alexander Field-Salida, CO
KOWP William R. Pogue Municipal Airport-Sand Springs, OK
KPDK Dekalb-Peachtree Airport-Atlanta, GA
KPHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport-Phoenix, AZ
KPIT Pittsburgh International Airport-Pittsburgh, PA
KPNC Ponca City Regional Airport-Ponca City, OK
KPNS Pensacola Regional Airport-Pensacola, FL
KPSN Palestine Municipal Airport-Palestine, TX
KPTK Oakland County International Airport-Pontiac, MI
KPUB Pueblo Memorial Airport-Pueblo, CO
KPVD Theodore Francis Green State Airport-Providence, RI
KPVJ Pauls Valley Municipal Airport-Pauls Valley, OK
KPVW Hale County Airport-Plainview, TX
KPWA Wiley Post Airport-Oklahoma City, OK
KPWM Portland International Jetport-Portland, ME
KRDU Raleigh-Durham International Airport-Raleigh-Durham, NC
KRIC Richmond International Airport-Richmond, VA
KRKS Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport-Rock Springs, WY
KRNO Reno/Tahoe International Airport-Reno, NV
KROA Roanoke Regional Airport/Woodrum Field-Roanoke, VA
KROC Greater Rochester International Airport-Rochester, NY
KRQO El Reno Regional Airport-El Reno, OK
KRVS Richard Lloyd Jones Jr Airport-Tulsa, OK
KSAT San Antonio International Airport-San Antonio, TX
KSBS Steamboat Springs Airport/Bob Adams Field-Steamboat Springs, CO
KSGF Springfield-Branson National Airport-Springfield, MO
KSGR Sugarland Regional Airport-Houston, TX
KSGU St George Municipal Airport-St George, UT
KSJC Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport-San Jose, CA
KSLC Salt Lake City International Airport-Salt Lake City, UT
KSLR Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport-Sulphur Springs, TX
KSNL Shawnee Regional Airport-Shawnee, OK
KSNY Sidney Municipal Airport/Lloyd W. Carr Field-Sidney, NE
KSPS Sheppard Air Force Base/Wichita Falls Municipal Airport-Wichita Falls, TX
KSTK Sterling Municipal Airport-Sterling, CO
KSTL Lambert-St Louis International Airport-St Louis, MO
KSTP St Paul Downtown Airport/Holman Field-St Paul, MN
KSUX Sioux Gateway Airport/Colonel Bud Day Field-Sioux Falls, IA
KSWO Stillwater Regional Airport-Stillwater, OK
KSYR Syracuse Hancock International Airport-Syracuse, NY
KTEB Teterboro Airport-Teterboro, NJ
KTRL Terrell Municipal Airport-Terrell, TX
KTUL Tulsa International Airport-Tulsa, OK
KTUS Tucson International Airport-Tucson, AZ
KTYR Tyler Pounds Regional Airport-Tyler, TX
KTYS McGhee Tyson Airport-Knoxville, TN
KVGT North Las Vegas Airport-Las Vegas, NV
KWDG Enid Woodring Regional Airport-Enid, OK
KWLD Strother Field-Winfield/Arkansas City, KS
KWWR West Woodward Airport-Woodward, OK
KZZV Zanesville Municipal Airport-Zanesville, OH
Canadian Airports
CYHZ Halifax International Airport-Halifax, Nova Scotia
CYUL Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport-Montreal, Quebec
CYYZ Lester B. Pearson International Airport-Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, April 19, 2008
A day in the life of a corporate pilot
You may be wondering what it's like to fly in the corporate world. Like many other corporate pilots, I am on "call" 24/7. My company has provided a cell phone so they can get in touch with me at any time. Being available at all times is not as bad as it sounds. Luckily, my company and especially my Chief Pilot do a good job of informing the pilots of upcoming trips in advance when possible. We had a few trips throughout the year that we know are going to happen, but most are scheduled a week or so in advance. Then there's the dreaded "pop up" trips that can happen with very little notice. Here's how it all happens.
My boss calls me at 10am to tell me I have been assigned to fly a trip at 3pm the next afternoon. My job starts right after he calls. The first thing that I do is call the other pilot assigned to the trip so that we can coordinate the trip. After that initial call to the other pilot happens, I get on the internet and go to http://www.fltplan.com/ which is a great site, and it's free ( so far ). On fltplan.com a pilot can put in the departure and destination points to get a general estimate of the time required enroute. So, if I have to get passengers to a scheduled meeting I know what time to leave. Fltplan.com also allows you to file flight plans and check weather. I like to augment Fltplan.com with http://www.airnav.com where I can get the Standard Instrument Arrivals (STARS) and Departure Procedures (DPs). I take that information and come up with a flight plan that makes sense. With the flight plan filed for the following day, I figure the fuel required and place an order.
The initial call from my Chief Pilot should contain the destination airport and most likely the Fixed Based Operator ( FBO ) that the passengers want to go to. Our staff coordinates with the office staff to make sure transportation is arranged for our passengers and, of course, the crew (depending on how long the stay is). Our flight listing usually contains our overnight arrangements, if they're needed, and if they aren't taken care of then we do that too.
Once I arrive at the hanger, I verify the fuel load and figure the weight and balance. Then it's on to weather planning. If the weather looks questionable we come up with a plan for getting the passengers to their meeting. On every flight our department adds an alternate to the flight plan, to us it just makes sense.
An hour prior to the departure time the aircraft is pulled out of the hanger for the pre-flight. During the pre-flight stage, we make sure the aircraft has the passenger comfort items aboard. This would be items like coffee, ice, snacks, soda, catering if needed, and newspapers. Yep, the pilot's do all that stuff.
Next comes the aircraft "setup". On the Lear 60, we follow a checklist just like a student pilot does, although ours has a lot more items to accomplish. This is the time to run the before starting engines checklist, get the APU started and fire up the FMS. Then it's a waiting game.
Soon are passengers show up. We load the baggage, get the passengers into their seats, brief them on safety procedures, and then shut the door.
Time to go flying.
My boss calls me at 10am to tell me I have been assigned to fly a trip at 3pm the next afternoon. My job starts right after he calls. The first thing that I do is call the other pilot assigned to the trip so that we can coordinate the trip. After that initial call to the other pilot happens, I get on the internet and go to http://www.fltplan.com/ which is a great site, and it's free ( so far ). On fltplan.com a pilot can put in the departure and destination points to get a general estimate of the time required enroute. So, if I have to get passengers to a scheduled meeting I know what time to leave. Fltplan.com also allows you to file flight plans and check weather. I like to augment Fltplan.com with http://www.airnav.com where I can get the Standard Instrument Arrivals (STARS) and Departure Procedures (DPs). I take that information and come up with a flight plan that makes sense. With the flight plan filed for the following day, I figure the fuel required and place an order.
The initial call from my Chief Pilot should contain the destination airport and most likely the Fixed Based Operator ( FBO ) that the passengers want to go to. Our staff coordinates with the office staff to make sure transportation is arranged for our passengers and, of course, the crew (depending on how long the stay is). Our flight listing usually contains our overnight arrangements, if they're needed, and if they aren't taken care of then we do that too.
Once I arrive at the hanger, I verify the fuel load and figure the weight and balance. Then it's on to weather planning. If the weather looks questionable we come up with a plan for getting the passengers to their meeting. On every flight our department adds an alternate to the flight plan, to us it just makes sense.
An hour prior to the departure time the aircraft is pulled out of the hanger for the pre-flight. During the pre-flight stage, we make sure the aircraft has the passenger comfort items aboard. This would be items like coffee, ice, snacks, soda, catering if needed, and newspapers. Yep, the pilot's do all that stuff.
Next comes the aircraft "setup". On the Lear 60, we follow a checklist just like a student pilot does, although ours has a lot more items to accomplish. This is the time to run the before starting engines checklist, get the APU started and fire up the FMS. Then it's a waiting game.
Soon are passengers show up. We load the baggage, get the passengers into their seats, brief them on safety procedures, and then shut the door.
Time to go flying.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Watch the start up
This is a short video of the start of the # 1
engine during a maintenance check. Love that
sound!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Scenes from Arizona
Here are some pictures from a trip to Phoenix and Tucson
Here is a Delta Airlines 757 flying over the top.
We were at FL400.
This is the same 757 cruising by. This picture
was taken over KABQ.
This is a picture of an airliner "graveyard"
just north of Tucson. This isn't the famed
"Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB. That one
is much bigger than the one pictured here.
Here's our bird on the ground at KPHX. This
shot was taken from the old air traffic control
tower that is now owned by Cutter Aviation.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Update
It has been awhile since I have posted anything on this site. I thought it was time to start again. I made mention of my new position in my last post. Here are a few details. I'm working for a NYSE Listed corporation as a Lear 60 /King Air 200 Captain. This is my first job in the world of corporate aviation and I really like it. Unlike the airline industry, the people I fly for actually know my name and seem to appreciate the job that I do. I've included a couple of pictures of the Lear 60 that were taken from my phone. I just purchased a new digital camera, so I will be posting more pics.
Here is the Lear 60 on a beautiful Oklahoma morning. The Lear 60 has two Pratt & Whitney PW305 turbojets capable of producing 4,600 lbs of thrust each. With a Maximum Gross Weight of 23,500 lbs (at takeoff) the engines provide a good thrust to weight ratio. This aircraft will climb!
We typically operate the aircraft at altitudes around 40,000 feet and speeds near the .80 mach number.
This is a view of the awesome flight deck of the Lear 60. It's not as automated as the CRJ200, but it's pretty close. It comes equipped with FMS, and Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS).
Here is the Lear 60 on a beautiful Oklahoma morning. The Lear 60 has two Pratt & Whitney PW305 turbojets capable of producing 4,600 lbs of thrust each. With a Maximum Gross Weight of 23,500 lbs (at takeoff) the engines provide a good thrust to weight ratio. This aircraft will climb! We typically operate the aircraft at altitudes around 40,000 feet and speeds near the .80 mach number. Thursday, July 05, 2007
The Times They Are A'changin
News flash for everyone...I have resigned from my position as a CRJ200 First Officer. More details to come in the future, but for now let's just say that my airline time wasn't the most positive experience. Now I am off to training for a Lear 60 Captain position. I'm extremely excited and thankful about what has transpired during the last three weeks in my professional career. I'm off to Tucson for training from July 16 to August 3. After I finish I will furnish details.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Yep, Still Here
Franky, I've been busy since my CRJ200 checkride in December. I have been flying all over the east coast.
My time at JFK ( I was based there for only one month ) was very ...ah interesting. Such a large mass of humanity stuffed into one space. And I'm talking about the airport itself. Very confusing setup at the terminal. The actual flying part was cool. Very complex airspace and the controllers don't have a whole lot of patience. Even with that being said, the flying wasn't as hard as it might seem. Now I'm based in Cincinnati, and the flow into and out of there seems a lot easier. I continue to fly into New York on a regular basis and it's good practice. Incidently, if you fly into the JFK airport try not to schedule a flight into or out of there between the hours of 5PM and 10PM. That time frame is when the big international push happens each night. It is cool to be taxiing between a 747-400 and an Airbus A340, but when that taxi takes 2 hours it doesn't seem quite as cool.
In June I make the transition from the CRJ200 ( 50 seater ) to the CRJ700 ( 70 seater ), so I'm excited about that. Hopefully, since our pilot group signed off on a new agreement so things within the company will settle down and I'll start moving a little in seniority.
Signing off for now. Cheers.
My time at JFK ( I was based there for only one month ) was very ...ah interesting. Such a large mass of humanity stuffed into one space. And I'm talking about the airport itself. Very confusing setup at the terminal. The actual flying part was cool. Very complex airspace and the controllers don't have a whole lot of patience. Even with that being said, the flying wasn't as hard as it might seem. Now I'm based in Cincinnati, and the flow into and out of there seems a lot easier. I continue to fly into New York on a regular basis and it's good practice. Incidently, if you fly into the JFK airport try not to schedule a flight into or out of there between the hours of 5PM and 10PM. That time frame is when the big international push happens each night. It is cool to be taxiing between a 747-400 and an Airbus A340, but when that taxi takes 2 hours it doesn't seem quite as cool.
In June I make the transition from the CRJ200 ( 50 seater ) to the CRJ700 ( 70 seater ), so I'm excited about that. Hopefully, since our pilot group signed off on a new agreement so things within the company will settle down and I'll start moving a little in seniority.
Signing off for now. Cheers.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
One fine day
It was a beautiful day here in Cincinnati, a gorgeous Saturday morning. It seemed like sort of a waste to spend such a nice fall day inside of a simluator training facility. However, it was time well spent. Today was the end of an endeavor that began on Oct 9th. Today, was the day that I took my checkride to become an official airline first officer. I have spend two months training, studying, and sweating for this one 6 hour period. Actually, this journey began back in the fall of 1997 when I decided to go to Spartan School of Aeronautics. Then came a long period of instruction in Boulder, CO. After that came the job that taught me the most about flying and my own abilities, my Cessna Caravan time. I learned a lot in the Beech 18 shortly after that as well.
Now finally, I'm in a jet and ready to give this airline business a try. It has been a hard couple of months that ended in a challenging test of what I've learned.
Now finally, I'm in a jet and ready to give this airline business a try. It has been a hard couple of months that ended in a challenging test of what I've learned.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
My new gig
Yes, after flying a Beechcraft Model 18 for the past six months it was time to move on to something new and a little faster.
This is the CRJ700 operated by Comair, a Delta Connection. I'm in training now to fly the smaller version of this airplane, the CRJ200 ( which will be pictured below ). The CRJ series is very popular throughout the regional airlines. Obviously, this is a step up from the Beech 18 in every aspect except oil usage.
Don't get me wrong, the Beech 18 was a very good airplane to fly. It was one of those airplanes that taught you something just about everytime the round engines were fired up. I will miss my time operating that aircraft. But, look at this new aircraft, it's beautiful. Sleek, sophisticated and quick. What else can you ask for? So it is in the CRJ that I start my airline career. Here's hoping that it's long and prosperous.
On the left is the new destinations that I could potentionally be flying to in the future. I'll be starting my career out as a First Officer ( what used to be called the "Co-pilot" ). I can expect to hold that position for a number of years, until my seniority and the needs of my new airline allow me to move into the left seat.
I'm not exactly sure when I'll be able to actually fly the aircraft. I have a lot of training to get through between now and then. I'll try to make some regular updates to this site when I start flying.
Below are some more pictures of both the CRJ200/700. Enjoy.
This is the CRJ700 operated by Comair, a Delta Connection. I'm in training now to fly the smaller version of this airplane, the CRJ200 ( which will be pictured below ). The CRJ series is very popular throughout the regional airlines. Obviously, this is a step up from the Beech 18 in every aspect except oil usage.
Don't get me wrong, the Beech 18 was a very good airplane to fly. It was one of those airplanes that taught you something just about everytime the round engines were fired up. I will miss my time operating that aircraft. But, look at this new aircraft, it's beautiful. Sleek, sophisticated and quick. What else can you ask for? So it is in the CRJ that I start my airline career. Here's hoping that it's long and prosperous.
On the left is the new destinations that I could potentionally be flying to in the future. I'll be starting my career out as a First Officer ( what used to be called the "Co-pilot" ). I can expect to hold that position for a number of years, until my seniority and the needs of my new airline allow me to move into the left seat.
I'm not exactly sure when I'll be able to actually fly the aircraft. I have a lot of training to get through between now and then. I'll try to make some regular updates to this site when I start flying.
Below are some more pictures of both the CRJ200/700. Enjoy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)