>First Trip??? I haven't got that far yet!
>
>I expect a flight down to Manhattan, KS, for the first cross
>country with my instructor. After that it is going to be
>determined by the check book.



a big congrats to ya dan! i never made it that far, D#mn that check book! you may have just inspired me to get back into it though. i miss flying. the only flying i do now is on the various flight sims i have.



Way to go man!

 

The new flight sims (MS 2002) I felt, helped me out quite a bit. The programs do help you to become more familiar with the protocal. Icelander, if you thinking about it - all I can say is it's worth it.





I've been grinning just like the green guy there all day today.

 

Congrats on the solo! When you parked and saw your instructor, was his grin just about as big as yours? Nothing makes a CFI feel better than seeing the excitement from a student who has just soloed. People outside of aviation don't realize how much work, stress, and practice go into that first solo (student and instructor alike). It is an amazing feat that can not be compared to much else. Every pilot remembers his/hers like it was yesterday.

I imagine the next step is groud reference and cross countries. Best of luck, but don't forget about that instrument rating.

Send me an email anytime you would like to talk flying. I fly for an airline now, but maintain my CFI/II Currency. Let me know how that first XC goes. I also did my first solo XC to Manhattan, KS!

Congrats again!

 

>The new flight sims (MS 2002) I felt, helped me out quite a
>bit. The programs do help you to become more familiar with
>the protocal. Icelander, if you thinking about it - all I
>can say is it's worth it.



i have FS2000, flight unlimited III(which is GREAT!) and a few other military sims. my big thing was approach and the flare. i do both flawlessly in the sims but cant do it in the real thing. i dont know why. ive done some insane landings(short feild, ice, downslope, upslope ect..) in the sims but cant hold it toghether in the real thing. in the military sims, i can land an F-18 on the carrier in weather without boltering.

in Iceland i fly my uncles 172 with no problems . i can navigate, fly the airplane and (sometimes) land on any surface .

 

Rockying M: He was almost more excited before the solo. I think it was because he knew how I would fly and it was sorta anti-climatic after I did it. That handshake from him though was priceless.

The IFR rating....... That has always been my ulimate goal and I still plan on going for it. Since the FAA raised the minimum hours to 120 it will take a little more time and money to get there.

I do have an ace though, my dad is a instructor for PIC

I'll let you know about the cross country.

 

Icelander: That is interesting. I've done some radical landings as well (on the sim) but with the sim I found it really hard to land since you cannot see the runway from the cockpit since your depth and peripheral perception is limited.

I would think your landings would be improving though in the 172. I know I sure bounced that thing down several times before it started to jell. And I am not perfect but I can set her down now without blowing the tires or breaking the wings off . That gentle chirp from the tires though, I don't think I will ever forget that sweet sound.

 

Ok more useless triva on the term shave tail. Today it seems to mean a new 2nd lieutenant- the intial rank of an officer in the US military (Except the Navy).

From the site: http://www.mindspring.com/~cjenkins/17fotws.htm

2. General: The Spurs program is an old tradition practiced by every cavalry unit. The Order of the Spur is as old as the cavalry itself. Following is a brief summary of this tradition: When green troopers first arrived at their new cavalry assignments they were assigned a horse with a shaved tail. This led to the nickname "Shave Tail" for newly assigned, spurless soldiers. When they arrived at their first cavalry assignment they were in need of extensive training, especially in the area of swordsmanship from atop a horse. The horse with a shaved tail was given extra space in which to operate since it's rider was marked as an amateur. During this phase of training the troopers were not allowed to wear spurs because this would only serve to compound their problems. Only when they were able to prove their ability to perform with their horse and saber were they awarded spurs. Keeping to the traditions of the cavalry, the 1-17th Cavalry has it's own spurs program to fit it's unique mission and organization.

I still think that for some reason at some point in time new officers had to cut the tails off their shirts. I seem to remember this was for officers who came up from the enlisted ranks.

 

Keep it up man. My only reget in life is that I did not continue my flying. I have my pilots licence. That left seat on a 747 is waitin for you.

Jim
CYWG

 

Congrats on your solo. I had only 6 hours when my instructor stepped out and told me to do 3 T&G, then a full stop. I had no problem that day but later was scared s---less doing my first crosswind landings - something about flying sideways that bothered me. Good luck with cross-country.
Dono