Whew, long week! Four flights this week, and it would have been five had I not been maintenance cancelled on Monday. So, on Tuesday I got back in the airplane after a four day break. I could without a doubt tell I had been out of it for even just a few days. I felt a little slow and a touch behind the airplane. However, I was able to knock the rust off about half the way through the flight. During the flight, my instructor's microphone went on the fritz right in the middle of the landing pattern. So, while he tried to troubleshoot in the back, I kept flying the pattern. After finally taking his helmet off to diagnose and fix the problem, we were able to re-establish comms. However, for that short period, I was pretty much solo. I got an entire pass and landing with no input from the rear cockpit. It was pretty cool as it dawned on me that I had absolutely no help bringing the plane in.
The rest of the week held a flight each day. These flights are all check flight prep, so they have been heavily focused on emergency procedures and problem management. With luck, and good weather, I could solo as early as this coming Friday. I have two more flights before my check flight. Once I pass that, the solo flight will probably be later that day.
It has started to dawn on me how quickly they move a student from knowing next to nothing, to trusting them to take an aircraft out on their own. And that is when it dawns on ya that maybe...just maybe...there is a method to the madness. There is a great emphasis on instilling an independent nature which is a hallmark of military aviation, and for that case aviation in general.

Alright, enough lofty thinking from me...it is the weekend. I am out to go meet up with some friends for the night. Ready to get back in the cockpit with that solo flight sitting so close.

Chris, out...