Happiness Is...

Happiness is Lazy 8s for the fun of it. Solo flying just because I want to fly, need to fly, after another one of those weeks and those days. Where co-workers complimented me on maintaining my cool in very contentious conditions.

Happiness is leaving behind the cares of the world. Or the fact that two students cancelled on me making my revenue generating day a revenue reducing day. I got to fly and that's what matters.

Happiness is doing some darned good normal, short and soft field landings in gusty, crosswind conditions after not flying that type of aircraft for what seems like forever. Doing one of the hardest commercial maneuvers within PTS spec on first try (and 2nd and 3rd and 4th - I was having fun!) the first and only time I've done Lazy 8s after my CFI check ride in December.

Happiness is the joy of flight, of playing in the air, of freedom. That's happiness.

It Never Gets Old

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to fly this little 152 solo for the first time. You may recognize this plane from my spin training. I'd not flown it for anything but spin training and never solo.

I found a small break in my work schedule and went up. The winds were stronger than the usual at our airport. They started at 140@16 and then changed to 120@20 while I was flying. In spite, or maybe because, of the winds I had a great time.

We got bounced around a lot, the little plane and I, but it was fun, like jumping on the bed as a child. I stayed in the pattern because I didn't have a lot of time. The first takeoff I reminded myself I didn't needs as much right rudder as I'm used to flying more powerful aircraft. The plane climbed very well with just me and 16 gallons of fuel. Every landing was light on the mains, and right on the centerline. I didn't even need full flaps to nail short field landings with the strong winds.

There's a certain feeling a pilot gets when they fly a new plane solo for the first time, no matter how big or small that plane is. It never gets old!

It's Official !

Well... at least it's online! At the speed of government the online Airman Certificate lookup shows my Flight Instructor Certificate. It only took 6 weeks. While that's longer than I like it's certainly quicker than I've seen other parts of government work. I'll have to keep my eyes open for the actual hard card certificate in the mail.

I'm still really enjoying instructing. I completed my first complex endorsement training today and endorsed the pilot's log book. Then I turned around and did a ground and flight lesson for my private student. He is doing extremely well.

Yep, fun fun. Tiring but rewarding. I didn't even mind missing part of the Broncos game to do it!