So it's been a long (10x) time since I have posted here, and I don't really have a good reason so I'm just going to bluntly say it.
I haven't had ideas, time, or energy to really get my writing up to speed with the work I have been recently being pounded with at school. Many a times especially in my class have I seen people who fall under the smart group go and separate ways from the rest of our class. Many, if not all of them, have legitimate reasons for doing so as well, and sometimes it makes me think if I, as well, am wasting my time here doing this Bachelor Degree program.
However, I am not one about to give up or quit, it's just not in my veins to do such thing. I think that it's not really fair to myself to just give up without giving my very best effort in aviation or anything.
Anyways enough of that talk...
In order to graduate, one of the requirements is to have a Co-op job for one of the summers, either 2nd or 3rd. The coop has to last a minimum of 14 consecutive weeks around May-August, with a minimum 24 hours a week work and usually it should be a paid job as well. This coop term is to introduce or allow us to understand the aviation industry, small or big companies and how they operate and gain experience in it even if it's a ramp job.
I have applied for a ground operations attendant position at a charter company based in Yellowknife, NT. Along with four of my colleagues, we were supposed to be given phone interviews with a live video feed. However, we were spared the live video feed as it was not working at the moment so we just continued with the phone interview. I must say that the interviewer was really monotone and quite uninterested or so it seemed, to have these interviews. The next day, I find out that 3 of my classmates were given the positions available and I'm left here to wonder why I wasn't one of the three. It was all right actually, at first I was really interested of living somewhere far from southern Ontario for once, but started getting cold feet as the interview neared. I still wanted to work there, but getting declined for the job wasn't the end of the world either.
Now I'm here left stranded, waiting to secure a job over the summer or else I would be left alone not even able to fly because of difference in tuition fees and factors unknown to me, so I must get to it quickly. My last resort and very uninviting position is being a dispatcher for our very own summer operations, and even this isn't a 100% gurantee.
With most of the coop positions being some kind of dispatcher or ramp attendant, it reminded me of this funny video about what it would or could but maybe not should be like working on the ramp.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Night Before Christmas
I received this as an email from someone.
The Night Before Christmas
========================================
'Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.
The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.
When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.
He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.
He called his position, no room for denial,
"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!
With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?
While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their head,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."
He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh
And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."
He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.
His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.
He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.
And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"
And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"
He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed thru the night,
"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."
The Night Before Christmas
========================================
'Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.
The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.
When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.
He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.
He called his position, no room for denial,
"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!
With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?
While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their head,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."
He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh
And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."
He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.
His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.
He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.
And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"
And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"
He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed thru the night,
"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."
Sunday, December 21, 2008
upDATE
Nov. 19 2008 - Flight Test
- failed
- lots of lesson learned
- even more motivated to be a better pilot, and to come back swinging
- last time I've flown
- not gonna fly anytime soon until after January 18th 2009
Starting January 2009 - NEW C.F.I.
- Thank you Mr. ********** for all the hard work you put into the program
- Welcome Mrs. ********** I look forward to working with you, hopefully not for any progress review boards or flights...I dont mind a flight test with you though :D
- New year = new semester = new schedule = new classes!
December 12 2008 - GOT A JOB! @ a restaurant =<
- it's good way to make money during the break, and a little bit of cash during school
- it's a tough hard job, not like you sit in an office/or an airplane, and do your work, there's lots of carrying heavy things and walking around the restaurant.
- Working both Christmas and New years Eve =<<<<<
CHRISTMAS 2008 - FUN FUN FUN
- It's gonna be fun
- Spent a lot on presents but that's okay, it's only once a year.
January 16-18 2009 - PART 2 "SURVIVAL IN THE BUSH"
- back to Bancroft, in the middle of winter this time!
- going to sleep in the bush for the saturday night, with only 3 small pieces of beef jerky.
- have to boil our own drinking water, using our own fire, and sleep in our own shelters.
- gonna suck but I CAN'T WAIT!
I will try to update more from now on, and not just my training but anything aviation related or just cool news.
- failed
- lots of lesson learned
- even more motivated to be a better pilot, and to come back swinging
- last time I've flown
- not gonna fly anytime soon until after January 18th 2009
Starting January 2009 - NEW C.F.I.
- Thank you Mr. ********** for all the hard work you put into the program
- Welcome Mrs. ********** I look forward to working with you, hopefully not for any progress review boards or flights...I dont mind a flight test with you though :D
- New year = new semester = new schedule = new classes!
December 12 2008 - GOT A JOB! @ a restaurant =<
- it's good way to make money during the break, and a little bit of cash during school
- it's a tough hard job, not like you sit in an office/or an airplane, and do your work, there's lots of carrying heavy things and walking around the restaurant.
- Working both Christmas and New years Eve =<<<<<
CHRISTMAS 2008 - FUN FUN FUN
- It's gonna be fun
- Spent a lot on presents but that's okay, it's only once a year.
January 16-18 2009 - PART 2 "SURVIVAL IN THE BUSH"
- back to Bancroft, in the middle of winter this time!
- going to sleep in the bush for the saturday night, with only 3 small pieces of beef jerky.
- have to boil our own drinking water, using our own fire, and sleep in our own shelters.
- gonna suck but I CAN'T WAIT!
I will try to update more from now on, and not just my training but anything aviation related or just cool news.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Upcoming Flight Test
So today I flew for the first time in three weeks. Everything was great but visibility was marginal- about 3SM. It's been like this for the past few days, shallow fog or mist and it doesn't really lift, it just stays there as haze! Anyways I went for my extra dual flight and things were better, a few minor tweaking is needed here and there but i get to polish that in my solo before flight test.
So currently I'm number 5 or 6 I believe for a flight test, a couple of PPL and a few CPL flight test are to be finished before me. However, two of Seneca's examiners are gonna be gone for ATAC i believe for the whole week so I'm probably gonna be scheduled the week after next.
I just hope it doesn't get pushed over again and again because I don't like flying after a long drought of not flying, it makes me lose a little bit of confidence and I need all the confidence I can get for the flight test.
They said you can never feel ready for the flight test, and I really think it's true, but I just hope and pray that I am ready as much as I can be, when the time comes, and it's coming soon.
Anyways,
I'm pretty stoked about this winter because it'll be the first winter for me on the flightline, it should be interesting...I know there'll be way more cancellations of flights but for some odd reason I don't really mind. Plus I think we get a break somewhere in December which is great.
So currently I'm number 5 or 6 I believe for a flight test, a couple of PPL and a few CPL flight test are to be finished before me. However, two of Seneca's examiners are gonna be gone for ATAC i believe for the whole week so I'm probably gonna be scheduled the week after next.
I just hope it doesn't get pushed over again and again because I don't like flying after a long drought of not flying, it makes me lose a little bit of confidence and I need all the confidence I can get for the flight test.
They said you can never feel ready for the flight test, and I really think it's true, but I just hope and pray that I am ready as much as I can be, when the time comes, and it's coming soon.
Anyways,
I'm pretty stoked about this winter because it'll be the first winter for me on the flightline, it should be interesting...I know there'll be way more cancellations of flights but for some odd reason I don't really mind. Plus I think we get a break somewhere in December which is great.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Storm system and Lake Effect Snow
So I got back from reading week hoping to have my preflight done by the first day or second day back. But both of those chances failed: Monday had rain and strong winds, and Tuesday had strong winds and low clouds. Both of these were caused by the storm over Eastern Ontario around Ottawa, Kingston Region.
The storm produced a very steep low pressure and so isobars were fairly close together around it, and that created strong gusty winds, around 20G38 kt winds from the northwest. The low over to the east created cloud formations over here because we were in the "tail-end" of the storm.
With the winds coming from the northwest, there was also an issue of Lake Effect Snow. Lake Huron was to the northwest and so any cold arctic air with strong winds create possibility of lake effect snow/precipitation.
Cold air gets blown over the lake and evaporation creates convective clouds over to the greater toronto area (GTA), it sucks because it is very short notice and as a result could be a reason for a lot of incomplete or cancelled flights in the winter.
So according to my instructor, instead of completing 0.3 hr of the preflight, he will just do a 1.5hr extra dual instruction to polish some of my weakness from the preflight:
Slow flight and Power On stall entries
Steep turns - to try and go back to entry altitude even within test limits.
Diversion - everything was perfect except I forgot to simulate a call to London
Soft-Field Landing- porpoising or not so soft landing
I won't be able to do this extra dual until next week because we will be away for a Search & Rescue Training weekend from Oct 31st - Nov 2nd. I am pretty stoked about this because we're going to Bankcroft area, and I can't wait how to really learn the things they will teach us (of course I'm not so excited because it's gonna be cold but I'm not complaining)
Anyway, I'll take my camera and post up some pictures of that here.
The storm produced a very steep low pressure and so isobars were fairly close together around it, and that created strong gusty winds, around 20G38 kt winds from the northwest. The low over to the east created cloud formations over here because we were in the "tail-end" of the storm.
With the winds coming from the northwest, there was also an issue of Lake Effect Snow. Lake Huron was to the northwest and so any cold arctic air with strong winds create possibility of lake effect snow/precipitation.
Cold air gets blown over the lake and evaporation creates convective clouds over to the greater toronto area (GTA), it sucks because it is very short notice and as a result could be a reason for a lot of incomplete or cancelled flights in the winter.
So according to my instructor, instead of completing 0.3 hr of the preflight, he will just do a 1.5hr extra dual instruction to polish some of my weakness from the preflight:
Slow flight and Power On stall entries
Steep turns - to try and go back to entry altitude even within test limits.
Diversion - everything was perfect except I forgot to simulate a call to London
Soft-Field Landing- porpoising or not so soft landing
I won't be able to do this extra dual until next week because we will be away for a Search & Rescue Training weekend from Oct 31st - Nov 2nd. I am pretty stoked about this because we're going to Bankcroft area, and I can't wait how to really learn the things they will teach us (of course I'm not so excited because it's gonna be cold but I'm not complaining)
Anyway, I'll take my camera and post up some pictures of that here.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
0.3 hr
So I "finished" my pre-flight test today. Okay, well I was short on time by 0.3 hours because I had to get to class. I believe it went pretty good...I think I just have to do precautionaries and practice soft field landings again.
This is my problem, in normal or short field landings, I land it pretty good at least no hard bounces or porpoising. But when I try to do soft field landings, it always lands hard or bounces or something wrong happens. Maybe I'm doing the procedure wrong. When I add power to soften the landing, I balloon and then instinctively (which is wrong) I pitch it down a bit and I end up landing flat, harder than usual.
Sometimes, my short field landings are way softer than my soft field landings. Maybe I should just pretend it's a short field landings minus the flaps up and maximum braking.
Anyways, I don't know when I'm gonna get that 0.3 hr left before I get recommended. But next week is study week so there's no flying. Maybe I'll go to the sim just to keep refreshing my mind.
Hopefully the week after study week, I can get the solo flight done then my flight test, and I really hope I don't get partial or have to repeat it or have it postponed.
I was flying today, and it was really nice out, the orange, yellow, red, and all the other fall colours was perfect...made it a little harder to find small towns but it was a nice view.
But in other news, I have two more midterms, an essay and a lab to do for the rest of the week...good fun!
This is my problem, in normal or short field landings, I land it pretty good at least no hard bounces or porpoising. But when I try to do soft field landings, it always lands hard or bounces or something wrong happens. Maybe I'm doing the procedure wrong. When I add power to soften the landing, I balloon and then instinctively (which is wrong) I pitch it down a bit and I end up landing flat, harder than usual.
Sometimes, my short field landings are way softer than my soft field landings. Maybe I should just pretend it's a short field landings minus the flaps up and maximum braking.
Anyways, I don't know when I'm gonna get that 0.3 hr left before I get recommended. But next week is study week so there's no flying. Maybe I'll go to the sim just to keep refreshing my mind.
Hopefully the week after study week, I can get the solo flight done then my flight test, and I really hope I don't get partial or have to repeat it or have it postponed.
I was flying today, and it was really nice out, the orange, yellow, red, and all the other fall colours was perfect...made it a little harder to find small towns but it was a nice view.
But in other news, I have two more midterms, an essay and a lab to do for the rest of the week...good fun!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Pre-flight test
Hey so today I got to finish my last solo flight before the pre-flight test.
I was really hoping to get at least to the flight test before study week which is going to be the week after next week. But I don't think that's gonna happen.
But I have the pre-flight test to do next and hopefully I can pass that before study week and I can just study and prepare for the actual flight test during the study week.
It's time to really get serious, because if all goes well, I'm 3 flights (including the flight test) away from freedom from the stress this is giving me. PLUS ofcourse the freedom to take passengers finally!
Anyways, whoever is reading this who has flight test experience. (PPL standards i guess), any tips/advice or anything that can help me for the flight test?
Thanks...and happy thanksgiving!!
I was really hoping to get at least to the flight test before study week which is going to be the week after next week. But I don't think that's gonna happen.
But I have the pre-flight test to do next and hopefully I can pass that before study week and I can just study and prepare for the actual flight test during the study week.
It's time to really get serious, because if all goes well, I'm 3 flights (including the flight test) away from freedom from the stress this is giving me. PLUS ofcourse the freedom to take passengers finally!
Anyways, whoever is reading this who has flight test experience. (PPL standards i guess), any tips/advice or anything that can help me for the flight test?
Thanks...and happy thanksgiving!!
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