How to Stack Airplanes in the Sky

Sometimes it still blows my mind that we have the technology to fly without being able to see outside!  This is called instrument flight.  Check out my video to see how planes are "stacked" in the sky as they wait to land at the Casa Grande airport!

Glass Cockpit

One of the things I really like about being a CFI at Westwind in Phoenix is that they have their Cessnas equipped with the G1000.  So much prettier than the round gauges I learned on, as you can see.  Obviously round gauges were more difficult to learn on.  The G1000 just has so much information available.  You practically have to try to lose your situational awareness; whereas, you have to work really hard to know where you are at all times when flying under the hood.  I do appreciate that I learned without it though!

G1000

Round Gauges

Multi Engine Check Ride

Today was a long day.  I went in early this morning to get a haircut at Gents.  I took the day off from school because it was one of the only times available to cross off my multi engine check ride. Before my check ride, I had exactly 15 hours of multi time (which is the minimum; therefore also the cheapest!).  This was definitely my favorite check ride yet.  My instructor for this rating said he loves being an MEI because its more like coaching at this point in someone's training than instructing.

I loved training in the Seminole.  Being a complex aircraft, and just so much faster, I had to be faster.  Shooting the instrument approaches, setting up, and anticipating just made me feel on my game.  I'm going to miss flying a light twin for a while.  I'm not planning to get my MEI...at least not yet.  We'll see.

The actual check ride was the least stressful yet.  I was also fortunate to have the same examiner from my commercial check ride, so I already had expectations for his style of exam.  All in all, it was a good day.  The only thing I'm not happy about is the length of time it has taken from my Commercial check ride to this multi check ride.  It's taken 3 months to fly 15 hours.  No one's fault really... just Minnesota spring with low cloud ceilings, maintenance repairs, and my limited availability.

Onto CFI!

IFR to Chicago for Deep Dish Pizza

Today I flew under the hood (check out those foggles) to Chicago.  We stopped at LaCrosse and Madison.  In Madison I got to shoot an ASR approach.  I was excited because it is less common and it provided practical experience for something I had just read about.

Flying to Chicago left me feeling starstruck.  I was handed off from Minneapolis Center to Chicago Center where I shared the same radios with the airline jets flying above me into O'Hare.

Once we landed at KPWK (Chicago Executive), we were able to use the courtesy car...my instructor and I grabbed some deep dish pizza, then we flew home. 3.5 hours both ways, for total time of 7 hours.  I brought home some pizza to Sara, but at that point it didn't look as appetizing.