We are moving across the country!

I just passed my CFII check ride Wednesday!! It's amazing how much one event can completely change your anxiety levels.  So much was banking on this timeline.  I accepted a job with Westwind School of Aeronautics in Phoenix, AZ with a start date of September 21st (10 days away), with an apartment lease start date of September 13 (2 days from now) and with my family joining by plane on the 15th (4 days from now).  A fail could have really messed everything up... but God's got it.


My buddy Chris is making the trip with me and Sara and Isaac will follow by plane next week. Time for an adventure! It was nice to see our stuff again too, it's been in storage for a while.

Young Flyers Camp

This summer I've been able to combine my teaching background and aviation knowledge to teach a Young Flyers camp at Thunderbird Aviation.  Each session the kids have been so enthusiastic about learning to fly.  I wish I could have had this experience at their age.  Their background knowledge ranges quite a bit...I think some of these guys know more than me!  But we've had a fun week learning some of the basics about flying. As I continue in my career I'd love to keep finding ways to help educate kids about aviation.

80/20: The CFI Checkride

Study, study, study

It's common knowledge within flight training that the fail to pass ratio for the CFI check ride is 80:20.  That is, 80% fail the first attempt.  Up until this point, I've passed each check ride. Unfortunately, I have joined the 80%.

In all honesty, I was underprepared and unable to correlate multiple subject areas into one cohesive lesson, as expected by the examiner.

Over the next week I was able to really focus on the areas in which I needed to improve, and was able to come back to attempt #2 and pass. Although I felt stressed about it, it was actually a neat check ride.  I created a plan of action with the examiner in which you decide a sequence of maneuvers and who is to fly the airplane during each maneuver. I was expected to instruct through every maneuver.  Much like my private pilot check ride, everything fell into place.