It has been awhile...

I realize it has been a long time since I have posted a blog entry on my flight training. I began to run out of things to write, as all of the flights just started to run together. I eventually forgot about it completely. I would like to restart my blog again and get it moving with some of my newer flight training. First, a synopsis of my flight training since May of 2011, almost a year and a half ago... Around the same time I quit blogging, I had to switch instructors. Gerod Green, my instructor all the way up through early June, got a job at Great Lakes Airlines out west in Colorado. He did exactly what most airline pilots do these days, instructing until getting enough hours to get hired by a regional carrier. He is now flying Beechcraft 1900s. I did not fly very much throughout that summer. Due to the lack of instructors available at the school, and my rapidly depleting flight account, I slowed my training up a little bit until I was able to receive more loan money for training. It was a huge relief when I was finally approved for my loans. At that point, it was a guarantee: I am going to be a pilot. As the school semester started back up in late August, I began to fly more and finish up my instrument training. On October 17th, 2011, I took and passed my instrument checkride. I'll take a minute to explain a little more in depth about that checkride, since I remember it so well. Unlike my private checkride, the FAA examiner did not come to CKB, so I had to fly to him in Elkins, WV. It was a smooth flight down, which had me optimistic about the flying conditions, but I was certainly mistaken... We started out with the oral segment of the checkride, which was significantly longer than it was for my private license. After that we planned our flight, which consisted of takeoff from EKN, flying to the CKB VOR station, executing the published holding procedure for the VOR-A approach into CKB, followed by flying the VOR-A approach, then receiving vectors for the ILS approach into CKB, a hold at the missed approach fix, and then finishing up with a GPS RNAV approach back into EKN. Once we got up in the air, we immediately began to get thrown around all over the place. I messed up my entry into the hold at the CKB VOR (I flew the correct entry procedure, I just started my turn too early). Once I got reestablished in the hold he failed my attitude indicator. I then started the VOR-A approach, and upon seeing that I could easily maintain heading without the attitude indicator, he uncovered it. I flew the approach as best I could given the horrible turbulence. I felt good about it though because I was still able to maintain the course perfectly in spite of the rough air. We then followed vectors out and back in for the ILS approach into CKB. I didn't have any trouble maintaining the localizer course, but the turbulence and convective currents threw me off my glide slope multiple times. When he had me go visual, I was way above my glide slope and slightly off center (the bumps got much worse the closer to the ground I got). I flew the missed approach procedure with a parallel entry into a holding pattern. Upon completion of my entry, we decided to move on to the GPS approach at EKN. At this point, the ridiculous turbulence has me feeling quite queasy. I ask if it's okay for me to go visual for a while and if I could open the window. He agrees, since the next event in the RNAV approach won't happen for another 10-15 minutes (it's still about 25 miles away, and the wind was working against us). The 120mph air blowing on my face definitely calmed my stomach down. I think I about froze the examiner to death though. He's a little older, and it was getting significantly colder inside the cockpit. I breif the RNAV approach into Elkins Airport, and fly it perfectly. During the approach, he has me look out the left side window just to demonstrate to me how close the mountains were on this approach. I responded by saying that this airport would be a risky approach and that I probably wouldn't fly it in IMC in air like this that isn't smooth. He agreed. I finished the flight with an awesome crosswind landing that was just a little low for his taste but unlike my private checkride, the actual touchdown was flawless. He printed me off my temporary certificate and punched a hole in my old license. I hopped back in my plane and flew back to CKB. It was a long day, but it sure felt good. After that, I began my commercial training, which consisted of few dual flights and mostly solo flights for stage one. I flew solo cross country flights to Petersburg, Beckley, Lewisburg, Zanesville, Huntington, Charleston twice, Rostraver, Wheeling, and Parkersburg. I learned to fly commercial maneuvers such as the Lazy Eight, Eights on Pylons, Steep Spirals, and Chandelles. Then I moved up into the 172RG. The 172RG is just like the 172s I have been flying all along, except that it is considered complex. In order to be considered complex, an aircraft must have retractable landing gear, a constant speed (variable pitch) propeller, and flaps. I have found that flying a complex aircraft forces your mind to work harder and keep busy throughout the flight. After passing my commercial stage one check in the 172RG, I finally moved up to multi-engine flying. Learning to fly complex aircraft before beginning to fly the Duchess was definitely helpful. Otherwise, I would be overwhelmed learning twin engine operations and complex operations at the same time. At that point, I moved up into the Beech Duchess. I will discuss my multi-engine experience in my next entry.