Post ICHT

Now I get into the truly fun flying and start doing aerobatics. So far I completed a couple Lazy 8's, Spins, and Wingovers. It has been a blast just putting the Grob through it's paces but as I'm being told this is really tame compared to what it's capable of doing. But it was great for me! Next flight I get to do Loops and Rolls followed by another short solo flight in the circuit. For the most part Portage has been a good stop so far. Winnipeg is close, making the weekends much more enjoyable and easier access to flights home. The long weekend I went home again to spend time with Teresa, Evan and Hannah, which was amazing. We went to the Metro Zoo while the weather was nice. Again, another great refresher in the middle of the course.

First Solo!!!!

WAHOO!!!!!

WAHOO!!!!!

What a feeling, grinning ear to ear and long into the night!!! I realise this is only the beginning of a long road ahead but the biggest hurdle of them all!!!! I had my ICHT (interim test) followed by my first solo......what a rush and shear exhilaration!!!! Now it's aerobatics and instrument flying!!! I enjoyed my 'bath' and will post the picks when we can download them!!!! After your first solo you get soaked, in this case we get carried from the Ops Desk after we sign the plane back in and get dropped in this bathtub on wheels!!! Luckily it was full of cold water, as it's been a hot and stressful day........need a nap soon! As you can tell that I'm still on my high from all the exclamation points I've been using.

Stand by for the pictures to be posted.

My second half instructor is Tyler's first half instructor. It's Cindy Klassen's sister!!!! Pretty cool, eh?

Landings

Ah yes, the hardest part of flying.......the landings!!! I've been working on those over the last flight or two, seems I land a little firm!!! Any of the flying I've done before has been with high wing aircraft like the Cessnas, where the wings are at the top of the body. The Grob has them on the bottom, making it a totally different landing technique!!! It's Monday and I'll be spending the day in the circuit just practising my landings!!!! Tomorrow is my practise flight for my test and my Mid-Flying test is Wednesday followed by 1/2hr solo time!!!! Once that is complete I can do up to 2 flights a day and try to complete this course as soon as possible. The second half is aerobatics, wahoo!!!

Well off to jolt my vertebraes some more!!!

As the flying continues.....or does it?

It's been two weeks since I've last flown........yup for real. As I stated before these are CH (clear hood) flights that are flown in beautiful sunny weather.....cause we're made of sugar!!! Actually everything we're getting taught needs to be flown in clear weather with good reference of the horizon. The weather systems that have been moving through over the last two weeks have brought low clouds and rain, making it challenging to get up and do our lessons. Oh well, keeping positive and waiting out the storm!!!

I took the opportunity to surprise Teresa and the Kids for Mother's Day by flying home for the weekend.......with West Jet as I'm a fair weather pilot-in-training. What a great visit and just what I needed. I was missing all of them terribly and this helped me focus and reset my clock to push through the remaining portions of this course.

Today is the second Tues since I last flew and we were able to get a small break and get up flying to see if we could get the objectives done, but to no avail we couldn't. At least I was up flying and enjoying the skies again. Man I love it so much!!!! The remainder of the week calls for clear sunny skies, or as Evan says "It's a happy sunny day!" and yes it will be!!!!

Clear skies ahead.....