Posted by Dave Minor
Sun, 08 Apr 2007 02:47:00 GMT
I wrote a bit drearily abou passing my instrument rating and not really feeling super excited about it. The time came when it really helped out and I failed to note it here.
On a recent trip (first trip after passing the rating in fact), the forecast was for partly cloudy skies on our return trip and Sarah was scheduled to work that night. When I popped my head out of the house we were at a couple of hours before our intended departure, the sky was about 2000 overcast. The airport lobby (KTKI on the edge of DFW Class B airspace) was filled with VFR pilots waiting for the ceiling to go up.
We filed, strolled in, and took off. Popped out on top about 4000 feet and enjoyed the remainder of the trip punching holes in the top of fair weather cumulus clouds. Sarah rode in the front with me for the first time in our plane. She flew a lot of the way home.
Later that week, I was able to take a business trip that otherwise would have been called off due to weather. It was a great feeling to be able to make those 3 flights that week without having to scrap them.
Tomorrow we were scheduled to make a 2 day cross country to Arizona. Easter winter storms are causing those plans to be rearranged. I’m not sure how fun dodging mountains with 25 knot headwinds would be….
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Posted by Dave Minor
Fri, 09 Mar 2007 20:32:28 GMT
I’m not sure why I haven’t gotten really excited about this yet. Without a lot of pomp and circumstance, I passed my instrument rating checkride this past Tuesday. I felt solid about the material and the flying, so I wasn’t worried about not passing, but I worked really hard to get it done and now it is.
Maybe I know that without a goal to work towards, I probably won’t fly as much for a while. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to use the rating yet. Maybe it’s because I don’t know what to work towards now.
I know that there will be times I will use my instrument rating, but I’m not sure what I would use a multi-engine rating or a tailwheel endorsement or even a commercial rating.
I really want to get a commercial rating, but I’m not sure what I would do with it. I don’t want to instruct and I don’t want to become an “on call” pilot for a charter. I would love to earn some money as a pilot, I just don’t know how to get there.
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Posted by Dave Minor
Fri, 13 Oct 2006 23:59:00 GMT
I was disgusted when Mayor Daley of Chicago illegally closed Meigs Field in March of 2003. Daley’s excuse was that having airplanes so close to downtown was a “security threat.”
Meigs was such a great general aviation field and a landmark in Chicago. Even when I’ve flown commercially into Chicago, it’s such a hassle to get downtown for the airports. Meigs was perfect!
With this weeks tragic accident in New York, Daley has again shown his ignorance in understanding general aviation by pushing for a no-fly zone over downtown Chicago. Give me a break. There are much bigger threats in downtown Chicago than airplances overhead. Daley just has a prejudice that flames it’s ugly head again and again. Phil Boyer, president of AOPA, has hit the nail on the head with his rebuke of Daley today. Too bad the nail wasn’t in Daley’s head. Go read Boyer’s post. I’ll wait… back?
So now when I fly my family to the Chicago area to visit our old neighborhood or go for business and land at a non-Chicago airport, I think I’ll spend my money at non-Chicago hotels and non-Chicago restaurants and visit non-Chicago attractions. If my airplane is not welcome in Chicago, then my money must not be welcome in Chicago either. I love Chicago, but Daley and his anti-GA attitude have to go before I enjoy any more time there.
Join me in boycotting the Windy City and let me know you’re doing it.
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Posted by Dave Minor
Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:19:00 GMT
Here’s a pic of the new plane. I spent some hours Monday and Tuesday and again tonight hanging around while they do the annual on it. It’s amazing to see everything pulled out and see how things work.
The plane is passing with flying colors. Compressions are very high. It is obvious that the plane has been very well taken care of. I can’t wait to fly it!
Posted in Flying | 2 comments
Posted by Dave Minor
Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:35:00 GMT
Whew! sorry it’s been a while. Things have just been insanely busy recently. and I don’t see anything letting up for a while.
Here’s some major things I want to note that have been taking up my excess time:
got a new macbookpro It of course Rocks! :) The conversion to it went pretty smoothly. I didn’t let the wizard transfer everything over because I hadn’t had a “clean” install since the pre-release of OSX I think.
went to RailsConf2006 It of course Rocked! :)
I’m not sure that I can share anything enlightening about RailsConf that others haven’t posted yet, but I loved getting to meet people that I had only talked to online. and meet new folks that I will now continue to talk with.
Especially enjoyed getting to meet in person Jason Perkins who I’ve know online for several years. “You Da Man!” for helping me out with a room when my original plans fell through!
The last news is late breaking. I finalized a deal this morning to purchase a 1977 Cessna 172 180hp conversion. I’ll get some pictures of the actual bird next week and post them. I’m pretty pumped. I’ve been looking at several airplanes and this one just completely Felt Right to me. There were pros and cons to all of them, but my gut feeling was very different with this plane. Which is weird since I’ve really been a pro-piper guy. Anyway, I can’t wait to start flying it.
Posted in Ruby on Rails, Flying, Hardware | no comments
Posted by Dave Minor
Mon, 27 Mar 2006 16:27:52 GMT
In the flying community, there is a term known as “the $100 hamburger” which references the cost to load some folks into an airplane and fly somewhere for a meal.
Last week was spring break and it rained most of the week. The kids played pretty well inside most of the week although my nerves were getting pretty sparse by the end of the week.
On Friday, the sun was out, the wind was fairly calm and we got an urge for an ice cream cone. Not just any ice cream would do though. We needed some Braum’s. So we took our first family flying trip to get some.
The closest Braum’s to us is in Poteau, OK which is a one hour flight takeoff to landing. I was most concerned about Kyle would deal with the noise, but he did fine. Slept on the way there and smiled all the way home.
BTW, this was my second Braum’s experience this month without having to drive hours to get it.
I was remiss in not getting any pictures of us at Braum’s. Here are a couple of shots of some of the family in the plane.
Posted in Family, Flying | 3 comments
Posted by Dave Minor
Sun, 22 Jan 2006 03:05:57 GMT
Today marks the completion of a dream that I’ve had since childhood. One in which I know I share with a lot of people. I feel very honored to be able to say that, as of today, I am a private pilot.
It may have taken 8 scheduled days to get the winds to cooperate, but today was a beautiful day finally!
I spent the morning taking the practical test and hanging around the airport hoping to find an instructor on the field who had time to check me out in a larger plane then the Cessna 152 I’ve been training in. My hopes were to take my boys up this afternoon in a Piper Cherokee 140, but the schedules didn’t work out today. Probably for the better.
After lunch, I gave short rides to very special people in my life. First, I got to take my dad flying. He is the man who I got the flying bug from when he went through this process years ago. He hasn’t flown in about 15 years, and I was almost as nervous with him flying with me as I was with the examiner!
Next, I took each of my older boys, one at a time for a short ride over our neighborhood and through a couple of landings. They all had a good time. Sarah was taking care of the Kyle, so I’ll have to steal her away soon to go with me on a special day trip.
I noticed that Weston immediately figured out what the yoke controlled and how that would affect the direction of the plane in the air—even while we were on the ground. He’s definitely got some engineering blood in him!
Hopefully one day soon, I’ll have the opportunity to take you on a ride in the sky!
Posted in Family, Flying, Look Inside | 2 comments
Posted by Dave Minor
Thu, 19 Jan 2006 16:53:54 GMT
So today is attempt #7 to finish my pilot’s license. and the winds are extremely high. surprise surprise.
Friends at the airport are starting to forecast the weather based on whether I have a checkride scheduled that day or not.
#8 scheduled for Saturday morning.
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Posted by Dave Minor
Fri, 06 Jan 2006 05:03:29 GMT
but I’m trying really hard!
Thanks to the weather and lots of busy and conflicting schedules, it’s been very difficult to take my checkride. Today was attempt #3 at getting together with the FAA Designated Inspector. The good news is that I passed the oral portion of the checkride! The bad news is that high winds and a missing ”’approved’ pilot operating handbook” kept me grounded yet again!
Now to try to get the DI to come back and do the flying portion with me very soon…..
I guess I should be pleased. It’s all just a bit anti-climactic. I’m ready to have this part behind me.
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Posted by Dave Minor
Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:17:35 GMT
So no posts about flying lately. Between work and family and Christmas and other things, I haven’t been flying much lately. I’m actually ready to take my checkride and have been trying to coordinate with the FAA evaluator for two weeks to get on his calendar.
So I’m in that dilemma of being ready, but needing to practice regularly to keep my skills polished. That’s an expensive dilemma to be in. :-/ I was really wanting to get this done before Christmas, but there’s no way that will happen now. Maybe next week before New Years.
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