Like taking a sip from a fire hose

Well my instrument training is nearing completion and I have been studying like mad to ensure I'm ready for my final exam. Today I took my Stage 3 oral exam which is quite a tough test as the examiner can basically ask you anything about instrument flying down to the minutest detail. I have been studying for my Instrument Rating (IR) for 4-5weeks now trying to learn to fly the procedure, learn the rules and regulations and all the other info that makes my IR book total 3" thick. Then one of the instructors told me an analogy for what we are trying to do on this course. He said "its like trying to take a sip from a fire hose!" and to be honest that's exactly how it feels.

The sheer amount of information that you have to take in over such a short periods of time is astounding and requires hours and hours of study and even then you'll have only learnt enough to pass the test but that is barely scratching the surface!

Stage 3 of my instrument rating focuses on cross country flying using only instruments to work out where on earth your going and wearing the silly looking foggles to stop you looking outside. This was the next step but also meant the moment had come to start my Cirrus training. The Cirrus is a new and high tech aircraft with all the bells and whistles. It isn't cheap to fly but it is a lot of fun and it is a lot faster. The conversion onto the Cirrus consists of 12+hrs of flying over 2 days (Which when your learning is very exhausting). The Cirrus is taught by Richard Gentil (aka Stevie Wonder) who is the owner of the flight school, Richard is notorious for the tricks/pranks he plays on the students so I found out as many as I could before flying with them so most would backfire on him.

The one trick I missed was what I have dubbed the Stevie Wonder moment, normally if i need to do something or change something you can hand the controls back to the instructor, make the change and then take control again. While flying Richard took my foggles off me fiddled with them and gave them back asking me to put them back on. I said "sure, you have control" next thing I know the Cirrus is banked about 60 degrees to the left and diving away. What the hell! I take the controls back and Richard with a big grin proceeds to do his Stevie Wonder impression.

This is his way of teaching the students to us the Autopilot when we need to be hands free but at the time I didn't find it funny.

The final Cirrus flight is my Long Cross Country, the weather was looking bad for the flight, predicting heavy rain, extreme thunderstorms and hail (Not something I want to be up in if I can help it). Speaking with Richard he believed we could get around it so once setup we set off. In actual fact the weather wasn't as bad as forecast and we were able to get around it, plus I even had some time to take a video and few photos for you to enjoy:

My favourite of all the photos taken, is the one above (click on it to enlarge). This isn't Google Earth, you are looking at Universal Studios Florida, straight down the right wing of the Cirrus (Stevie Wonder in control while I took the Photo)

Sunset on Cirrus.

MultiFunction Display showing the Weather (Outbound)

Sea World Orlando

Orlando International Airport

NASA Rocket Assembly building

Inside the Cirrus

Left below = Richard Gentil (AKA Stevie Wonder). Right Below= Proof of reaching 200kts

Now full from Richard buying me dinner in Gainsville we are on the way back and the weather is worse but bearable, aided by Richard piping music from his ipod into the Aircraft's radios. As you will know if you have read my previous posts, I love flying at night but this night there were Thunderstorms. I had never seen lightning quite like it skipping from cloud to cloud, repeatedly looping down and up back into the cloud and giant forks of lighting exploding through the sky. It was a great sight to see if not a bit nerve racking as this was my first time flying through a Thunderstorm.

Landing at Naples and the rain was pouring down and I was soaked, Richard drives a motorbike so was due to get soaked too but I kindly gave him a lift. When he jumped into the car I had Stevie Wonder ready on the radio to tease him with! It was a fun night

Study, Exam, Study, Exam

Yesterday I took my Stage II instrument flight review and oral test and passed. The pressure is now on, in order to come home I must pass all exams and check rides first time and in the minimum amount of time in order to be finished on time.


With so many exams I haven't really had time to do much else but study but managed to get some photos and a couple of videos for you guys.

BBQ's with house mates followed by a game of volley ball in the pool. Well done to Mig and AL for passing their CPL.




Back to the Beach
Today I have been studying on the beach (plus improving my pasty white tan) then watched the the sunset so took some more photos for you.

Here is a mix of pictures taken at the beach. I went for a swim and found that the water has now warmed up and is a nice temperature (but still very, very salty). Unbeknown to me my housemate took a photo of me studying on the beach! (Not impressed but it is proof I was studying).



Take a look at the pier during sunset compared to a photo of during the day and you'll notice it is really packed with people. Everyone comes to see the sunset which is a nice thing to see but what I don't understand is why the Americans clap once the sun had fully set! Why? Does it have variations on its setting performance? If its a bad performance does it shoot back into the sky and want to try again? Is it me?