Overheard in the pattern

Overheard in the pattern.
"Nice downwind landing."
"Thanks."
"That was not a compliment."

"For each 2 knots tailwind increase landing distances by 10%."  

What are they thinking?

As a pilot we are concerned with the effects of weather.  The forecasts are occasionally accurate.  They can tell us if we need an umbrella but the height of the clouds at exactly 10 o'clock is much more difficult to predict accurately.  There are many sources for weather information but I tend to use national weather service products to build my situational picture and use flight service as a sanity check.  

  When we call flight service and request a weather briefing there are three flavors: standard, abbreviated or outlook.  The standard briefing gives us the whole nine yards.  The abbreviated briefing is used when we only want certain types of information.  An example of this would be when the winds are a concern and that is all I really care about.  Generally we have already gotten a standard briefing earlier and just need an update.  The outlook briefing is for periods six hours or more in the future.  

  The forecasters are in a room with no windows, tossing chicken bones and rolling dice.  Not really but the farther into the future they predict the less accurate the forecast.  The cynic in me says "Beyond six hours they are just guessing."  It is a SWAG, not a WAG.  A Wild Ass Guess vs a Scientific Wild Ass Guess.  Many times we wonder aloud "What were they thinking?"  

  The area forecast discussion is, indeed, what they are thinking.  It has several sections: synopsis, near term, short term, long term and aviation.  I focus on the synopsis and the aviation portions.  This product, as its name implies, is the forecasters discussing the weather and the reasoning behind their forecast.  A better understanding of the soup in which I fly may allow me to live longer and happier.  Sometimes the forecaster will say "this is a difficult system to predict, this is what I think will happen but confidence is not high."   The hyperlinks located throughout the product elaborate on technical terms and abbreviations.  Sometimes the term makes sense to me and other times it merely points out another area of ignorance.  

  I understand that very intelligent people are throwing the best technology at a very complex problem.  I also understand that the cold front did not read the forecast and the weatherman is not in a tiny aluminum tube.  When the forecast does not match reality I like to say "What he meant to say was..."  I also tend to give a PIREP, which is another subject.  

Have fun, be safe.

Ronney    

Good Days

  One of the phrases cancer survivors use is that "I have good days and better days."   On good days I wake up.  The ups and downs of survival keep me honest.  I would like to imagine that I can work as hard as I did prior to cancer.  The reality is that I am older and my body has been through some trauma.
  It is important for us to recognize limitations.  That is not to say don't try to exceed those limits, but to be realistic about your expectations.  I tend to push very hard and then pay the price of more pain and fatigue.  I am not an old man, but I am not a spring chicken.  Before cancer I would wake up early,  work hard most of the day and then play hard until late at night.  I have come to recognize that taking time to rest is essential.  Duh.
  I feel angry at myself when I sleep late.  I am learning to let that go and recognize that my body and mind need rest.  I want to teach motorcycle safety again but I do not think I will provide excellent instruction if I am tired, grumpy and in pain.  It sucks to realize my limitations but working until ten o'clock on Friday and getting up at five thirty in the morning on Saturday is not the path for optimal performance.  One of the keys to being a good instructor is patience.  I am not very patient when I am hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
  I can give myself a better day by scheduling more objectively.  I guess the lesson for survivors is to realize your limits and set yourself up for sucess.  If I wake up, walk, study, stretch and exercise I function well.  This requires time and adequate rest.  The term adequate changes depending on how hard you work the day prior, stress, temperature and other factors.

One of the ways to make sure you have better days is to count your blessings.

I woke up.

I woke up under a roof.

I woke up under a roof that is not on fire.

I woke up under a roof that is not on fire with people I love.

Once I start the process I realize how cool it is to be alive.  Today is a better day.

Moving on up

A buddy of mine asked about moving up to the “big iron.” One of the coolest things about the club is the fact that we have several different types of aircraft. Two dozen questions later he had convinced me to write about aircraft checkouts.

The first subject is usually “How long will it take to get checked out in the X-27B?” The response depends on the answers to two additional questions. How good are you? How hard are you going to work? Natural talent aside piloting skill is a combination of currency, proficiency and experience. I remember getting checked out in the Cessna 172 shortly after my private checkride. I was green but had very recent training. The plane seemed huge and had an incredible array of sophisticated avionics…certainly a matter of perspective but I was stoked.

The lessons I learned centered on the fact that the four fundamentals only required minor adjustments. Straight and level flight, turns, climbs and descents were familiar but the sight picture, power settings and airspeeds required a slight readjustment. Steep turns, slow flight and stalls are essential maneuvers when learning the personality of any airplane. After getting the feel of the plane we returned for some pattern work. It was a challenge to “stay ahead of the airplane.” The slightly different visual cues and higher airspeed took some getting used to but it reacted kind of like a big 152. The additional horsepower made throttle changes more dramatic but soon my landings were consistent and controlled. How good are you? If you are attuned to your current airplane and strive for precision then the monkey skills are relatively easy to pick up. But we strive to be more than monkeys driving airplanes.

How hard are you going to work? Learning the systems in any aircraft requires effort. Written tests can only sample a small portion of the information. Knowing the V-speeds and other numbers are essential. Does it have enough oil? What is best glide? How much fuel do I have? How far can I go at this power setting? Can I take Martha, the kids and the anvil? Is this runway long enough? A deep knowledge of the systems becomes more essential as you change planes. Some have fuel system quirks, some have electrical system tricks, and these “oh by the ways” remain hidden unless you study the books with intent. Your flight instructor will try to cover critical items but the pilot in command is ultimately responsible.

Learn the POH. Imagine your life and the lives of your passengers depend on how well you know your machine. Picture yourself trying to sell the plane and impressing the customer with your knowledge of all the bells and whistles. Then step into the role of a skeptical buyer and research the limitations of the machine. Some of the systems may require in-depth training; GPS and autopilot are the most glaring examples.

Take advantage of the variety in the fleet. Each airplane has a unique personality. Which one is my favorite? The one I am flying…that way the other ones don’t get jealous.

The FAA has a useful pamphlet "Meet Your Aircraft" P-8740-29

The article below is also an interesting read.

http://www.airbum.com/articles/ArticleCheckout.html

The purpose of this blog

In 2013 I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and some of my buddies suggested I start a blog.  The original purpose was to help people dealing with cancer.  I was also able to vent my feelings.  That purpose remains.  I survived the treatment and have no evidence of disease.
  Praise God.  He blessed me with a brilliant treatment team and an incredible care-giver.  The aftermath of the treatment still provides challenges.  I  hope I can help people facing similar life events.  As time passed I quit writing as often, mainly because I am trying to live as actively as I can handle.

  I determined I would set up a blog rather than post on Facebook because I am not seeking attention.  If you read this blog it is because you sought it out rather than having it constantly on your timeline.  I like Facebook.  It has a purpose.  I am was able to reestablish contact with many of my friends and family.  One of my Air Force buddies was coming to Fort Bragg on business and we were able to have dinner together.  I try to wish people a happy birthday when I am notified but I refrain from much else.  I like seeing the photos and getting updates but it is often too much information and the political/religious discussions are rarely productive.

  That being said, I am going to try to write more often.  This is a place for me to write about stuff I love: family, flying, faith, motorcycles, gardening and the general human condition.  My  flight students suggested that I place study materials on the site.  They also suggested I review products that I use and monetize the process.  It makes sense to take advise from people who can afford to fly.  It is my understanding that I can make fractions of cents but it will provide more incentive to write.

  I enjoy writing and do so regularly but I tend to keep it to myself.  The process is generally reflective in nature and I use it to capture lessons and organize my thoughts.  My good friend had a website way back in the 1990s and had fun with it.  http://specialtactics.com/forums/ubbthreads.php
  He was helping people who were interested in joining special tactics units in the USAF.
  I do not think I will get that specialized or elaborate but I look forward to writing more.  Feedback is welcome.

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One of my buddies suggested I do this...maybe I will be able to make tens of dollars

Reflections on my Sabbatical

  I am returning to instructing after a year of reflection.  "What do you want to do with your life?" is a question we should ponder.  In the rush of daily life we sometimes find that ten years have passed and we wonder about eternal questions.  I survived cancer; is this what I want to do with my new lease on life?

 I think it is called a mid-life crisis.

Have I lived a meaningful life?  What type of legacy have I left?  Am I on the correct path?  How does one measure success?   

More specific questions.

Do you want to be an airline pilot?
An aerobatic instructor?
A retired dude surfing in the Philippines?

These are questions should not be answered lightly.

I read the good book and several other good books searching for answers.  I spent time with my loved ones and time alone. 

I determined that my mission remains unchanged.  I think sharing the joys of life with others is an appropriate occupation.  I remain enthusiastic about human factors and physics.  I love learning and sharing that process with others.

The FAA rewrote most of the books but the laws of gravity remain unchanged. 

I am glad to be back!  Retirement does not suit me.