Pt 2- First Update in a While (Thanksgiving Through Final Contact)

When I got back from Thanksgiving there was only three weeks until Christmas break.  I had seven flights to complete until my Final Contact Checkride.  Unfortunately weather and a fleet-wide technical problem with the aircraft prevented this from happening.

Anyway, in the block of training following the Mid-Phase checkride you have seven more flights until the final contact checkride.  These 7 flights introduce advanced aerobatics and include two area solos where you get to take the plane to the MOAs by yourself and practice your advanced aerobatics.  The advanced aerobatics are intense, but extremely fun once you get good at them.

The area solos were also pretty awesome. The previous two solos were in the pattern.  This time I got to take a $5 million jet off station by myself to practice advanced aerobatics.  I didn't scare myself but I was a too fast over the top of a cloverleaf and screamed downward, glancing at the altimeter watching it pass 7,000 (the floor of my MOA).  I think I pulled 6 g's through the bottom of that one, and I busted the floor by about 300 feet- you'll hook a checkride for that.  My second area solo was the Friday before Christmas break, and needless to say all the IPs wanted to get out Del Rio as soon as possible, so the last go of the day consisted of six students going on an area solo since solos obviously don't need an IP.  What could possibly go wrong with that?  It ended up being fine.

During this time I also started having instrument sims. Instrument flying is done when there is no reference with the ground (such as when you're in clouds).  This first block of instrument sims consists of practicing instrument maneuvers, and introduces the student to some instrument approaches in the local area.  Instrument flying is challenging in that it requires precise control of the aircraft to maintain altitude, heading, speed, and attitude.

Christmas break was a nice time off.  I spent most of my time in upstate NY and was able to make it to camp in Vermont for three days.  The pictures below are from that trip.  The first one is at my buddy Chuck's lodge that's about 1.5 miles from camp in a straight line.  Its a cool, off the grid place thats a bit more comfortable than camp. In the picture below is Matt, a college buddy that I'm still good friends with, Alida who i've known for over two years now, another guy named Matt who I met through Chuck who used to fly F-111's and C-5's, and who helped me get a foot in the door at Westover, and his friend Susie and dog Roxy.

I've only seen one other porcupine before.  This guy was chewing up trees around camp, so they are considered nuisance animals.  Its amazing how slow they are.  I could've shot him but figured I'd leave him alone.

Matt taking a nap after some evening reading at Camp. 

Chuck stopped out to visit us at Camp.

Of course Chet is still in bed, probably trying to avoid helping cleaning.

Anyway, the two weeks of Christmas break went by way too fast.  I returned to Laughlin to find that I was a bit rusty.  I would only have three flights until final contact to chip the rust off.  I had final contact on Friday and passed.  The winds shifted and it was a Runway 31 day.  I last saw 31 on my mid-phase checkride almost two months ago.  I should've hooked for at least three things, but got extremely lucky.  If you recall in my last post I discussed how "pattern delaying" was a smart move because the IP would usually fly the recovery for you.  This was awesome because the recovery for RWY 31 is different than that for 13. On 13 there's a point called "Rio" that has an altitude restriction of 2,100-3,100 feet- and I always fly it at 3,100 feet.  The corresponding point on a 31 day a point called "Creek" that has a hard altitude restriction of 2,100 feet that, despite studying the arrival plate that morning, I totally would've missed- but luckily I wasn't flying the plane.  

On my emergency landing pattern, this time a "simulated forced landing" where the engine is set to 4-6% torque to simulate a feathered prop, you have no use of the engine if you're off profile (obviously you can use it if things get unsafe).  Anyway, I rolled off of the low key position probably a bit early given that winds were calm and I got up to 143 knots according to the check pilot.  I saw 140.  The speed limit for the gear is 150.  He said I had 2 more knots until he would've taken the plane.  

And finally, I almost opened the canopy with the engine running when I was back in chocks after the flight.  The check pilot threw me a bone on that one.  I am now complete with the "Contact" phase of T-6 training and have flown about half the hours in the T-6 syllabus.  I'm up to 40 hrs, and the program usually takes about 85.

I have my first instrument flight tomorrow.  On these flights the student sits in the back seat with a hood blocking the view outside. 

Hopefully I'll be able to update this blog more frequently.

First Update In A While (Intial Solo Through Thanksgiving)

Its been a long time since I last updated my blog.  Partly because I've been real busy, and partly because I just haven't gotten around to it.  I think I'll make this one a two-part update.  First, I'll cover through Thanksgiving.

My last update was just after my initial Solo.  The pace of learning definitely picked up since then.  Following that initial solo, I began the 4300 block of training, which introduced "baby" aerobatics (aileron roll, loop, and split-S).  This block also included a pattern only solo where you were completely on your own from the time you left the flight room to the time you got back- no IP shadowing you on the walk around and strap in).  It was definately cool to step to the jet all by yourself, but once I was in the plane and had it started up I couldn't help but have this feeling that I was forgetting something.  This seemed to be the case for the subsequent two solos I had.  If I was forgetting something it must not have been a big deal because in all three cases I brought the plane back in one piece.

Anyway, the 4300 block of training includes six flights where, as I mentioned, we are introduced to aerobatics. These maneuvers are intended to make you better at flying the plane, and they did.  This block also prepares you for the first checkride of pilot training- the mid-phase checkride which will occur in six flights.  The point of this checkride is to make sure you are progressing and are safe to take the palne by yourself to the military operating areas (MOAs), perform aerobatic manuevers, and come home safely.  This checkride is the most hooked (failed) checkride in UPT.  At Laughlin, 43% of students hook it, or so we were told.  I was lucky enough to have my checkride scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving.

I'll briefly explain what a checkride consists of.

First, you go up to the check flight (a group of IPs who don't know you and only give checkrides- the idea is they will be objective).  First, you fill about a "Boldface" which is a sheet of paper where you have to fill in all the immediate action items for nine emergencies exactly verbatim, and a bunch of ops limits for the engine, aircraft systems, speeds/altitudes, and prohibited maneuvers.  Even though I've filled these out literally hundreds of times you can't help but be a little nervous when you hand it in.  You also have to hand in your Dash 1 (the aircraft's "user manual," if you will), in flight guide and checklist that you are responsible for maintaining and keeping up to date with write ins and changes.  Hooking for boldface of pubs (Dash 1, in flight guide, and checklist) is pretty much the worst thing you can possibly do.  For this reason its a good idea to check all your pubs the day before and do a page count.
After you hand in the boldface the check pilot gives you his check pilot brief were he basically says he will be quiet in the back and only respond to mandatory "both" checklist items, and that a perfect sortie is not required, but rather he wants to evaluate if you are safe and able to fly within course training standards.

Then you'll step and go fly the profile you were given to fly.  These profiles consist of a normal landing, a pattern breakout, a no flap landing, a precautionary emergency landing, and some area maneuvers such as stalls, slow flight,a spin recovery and aerobatic maneuvers. Luckily my profile included aileron roll and a Split-S, and not a loop.  Loops can be tricky at first because you have to really use the rudder if you want to come through the bottom of the loop with the aircraft pointed in its original heading.  That turbine engine at MAX power applying 2,900 ft-lbs of torque to the 97" propeller really tries to torque and yaw the plane to the right.

Anyway, my flight went relatively well.  I smartly "pattern delayed" to get the landings and pattern work out of the way before heading to the MOA.  I made the mistake of not getting my breakout (where traffic forces you have to climb out of the pattern and reenter elsewhere).  Usually if you get all your pattern work in the check pilot will take the plane from you and fly the recovery for you because a.) they get bored and b.) to limit your chances of screwing something up.  Anyway, I came back and I was number 11 in the pattern so I immediately regretted not accomplishing that breakout when I pattern delayed.  I've never been in a pattern so busy. I ended up doing my breakout where I got stuck at VFR entry (with two guys in my flight- one also on a checkride and another on his pattern solo).  After three more breakouts at VFR entry I was able to sneak in and fly an overhead pattern to a full stop.  Thank god that was over.

After the flight you give your in flight guide and check list to the check pilot and go wait in your flight room for him to call.  In 30 minutes I got the call to go upstairs to check flight.  Next you are given an emergency procedure (EP) where you have to talk your way through  (in a very specific and pragmatic manner).  I got a confirmed fire light on departure.  Pretty straight forward.  After the EP, its time for general knowledge.  The check pilot will ask you questions about the T-6 and flying it.  Then they will usually ask you what is your favorite aircraft system and then have you draw it out. Luckily I did not have to do this because it was 5pm the day before Thanksgiving.  GK was pretty straightforward.  The check pilot then debreifed the flight.  I got a "Good" overall.  I'll take it.

The next day I flew to Washington, DC for Thanksgiving at my sister's.  It was nice to see my sisters, parents, and niece and especiallty nice to see Pop, my grandfather.
It was a nice four day break from pilot training.

The amazing thing about Thanksgiving break was it was the first time i'd really left Laughlin in almost four months.  This may sound strange but I didn't realize it was November already.  Being so busy trying to keep up with the training program combined with the warm climate of West Texas, made it hard for me to keep track of the passage of time.  What's even crazier is it has been 7 months since I left my old life in NY, but it feels like it was like a month ago.

Thanksgiving in Arlington, VA