Beautiful Weekend

This was a wonderful weekend. I was able to see many of my flying buddies at the re-opening of the wings of Carolina Sanford facility. http://www.wingsofcarolina.org/
My first flight instructor student was there. Steve is now a check airman at a regional airline. It is one of the most satisfying feelings for an instructor to see their students excel beyond where they are. If we did not produce students that could exceed the "master" then we never would have gone to the moon or broken the sound barrier. At the stage that I teach of my students don’t have to break the sound barrier to pass up my level of expertise but three of them have interned at NASA, two are check airmen at the regionals and at least two are military aviators. I am proud as punch to have been able to help them in their journeys. I am honored that several of them have elected to make their living as professional flight instructors.
When Steve said he wanted to become a professional pilot I was happy to help him. He started his instrument training with me in March and had finished his instrument, commercial, and flight instructor by December of the same year. It is a pleasure to teach serious students. I realized I was going to have to step up to my best “A” game to give him the training he needed. One of the endorsements a flight instructor has to get is a “spin endorsement”.
The endorsement reads: “I certify that (First name, MI, Last name) has received the required training of section 61.183(i). I have determined that he/she is competent in instructional skills for training stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery procedures.”
I realized I did not have the level of expertise to give this endorsement so I signed up for an aerobatic course. http://www.aceaerobaticschool.com/ This is how I was bitten with the aerobatic bug. That was 2006 and I have loved every minute of the journey ever since.
It was very emotional to see all my flying buddies. Sunday was also very satisfying. After church my wife and I relaxed and enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather. Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I will post news of the family in the Philippines as soon as we get any. They were not in the center of the typhoon but the power is out. It is interesting that the kids on facebook will likely provide us with the first news.