Hola Amigos,

Wow, I have been packed since my last post. I finally started forms on the 16th of January. The first form flight was the first time I felt seriously behind the airplane in a long time. Basic intro flights and aerobatics built a lot off the first few flights, and we do many of the same maneuvers in the late aerobatic flights that we have been doing for a while (like emergency landing pattern practice, landing pattern, etc.). However, formation flying was so completely foreign to me and my form partner. It gave me a whole new appreciation for what the Blues do.

Needless to say, I was not very smooth or controlled on the first flight. The instructor took the controls a lot. However, he assured me that was normal and I would catch on fairly quickly. With that in mind, I made sure to enjoy the weekend, but I was looking forward to my next shot. The next week (last week), I flew five flights in two days...it was awesome! I really got the hang of the whole formation flight sequence we run through down here (Parade turns into and away, crossunder, fuel check, break-up and rendezvous, running rendezvous, lead change). The best part was the last flight of those five flights which was our form solo. My buddy was solo as in his aircraft, I was solo in mine, and an instructor was flying chase behind us. Also, we found another SNA to ride with the instructor to take pics. Here is a link to my mom's picture page which has the best ones.

http://www.dropshots.com/juliemrn

It was without a doubt, one of the best times I have had to date. Lastly, we wrapped up forms with three cruise formation flights. These are more relaxed and focus on more dynamic maneuvers in the "cruise" formation position (who would have thought?). We did wingovers and sharp turns in formation, and then we went to an airport near Houston for lunch. An awesome time in total. Now, I have to wait until next Monday to start radio instrument ground school. This puts me about 6-7 weeks out from selecting for advanced. I am ready to get that going.

Anyways, that is what is going on down South. Hope things are going well out there.

Chris

Yo folks,

I hope the holiday season was enjoyable for everyone. Afterwards, it was weird leaving to go back to "work." The school mentality is slowly escaping me as I realize that it is not just a sprint to spring break and then summer vacation. On the flip side, I do not have to start a new semester with a whole new set of classes. Plus, it is pretty hard to be frustrated with my "work" schedule since I drove back from Southlake on 28 DEC. I got back on a Sunday to find the squadron and airfield operating on holiday hours. Because of that, I was scheduled for one flight the entire week. It was a mandatory warm-up (because I had been out of the cockpit for over two weeks) with the XO. He was awesome to fly with...very relaxed and let me knock the rust off. That being said, I played golf twice that week, celebrated New Years with buds down here, and tried to find the motivation to study for formations once I finished aerobatics.

As you can see, I had very little to complain about with regards to "going back to work." Plus, it helps when work is getting paid to learn how to fly. This past week has been slightly busier but to a welcome degree. Monday started off with a Safety-stand-down for the entire training wing. The staff is getting better about running those things. While it was not what I would call captivating, it helped get everyone back in the flying mindset after the holiday leave period.

I was weather cancelled again on Tuesday for my last aerobatic re-check (since I did not fly my solo within five days of the first checkride, I had to get a new one). No sooner had I gotten back to my apartment when the clouds parted the sun shone brightly. It was a beautiful day...bummer. However, I finally got the last check in the block done Wednesday before my solo (which I had been trying to fly since before Xmas).

Yesterday, I finally got that solo in...my last aerobatic solo. Bittersweet to say the least. The ODO (officer solos brief with before mounting up) told me to enjoy my last solo unless I go TACAIR. I certainly did enjoy it. I knocked out some touch and go's and tooled around for a solid 35 mins in a working area by myself. A loop? why not...maybe I should do a barrel roll. Needless to say, life is pretty good when I am getting paid to do that. My father reminds me that the pay back will come later on with deployments, alerts, and combat. However, right now...what a life.

Alright, I am back...head is out of the clouds. After my flight, the other guy in my form pair and I studied for a couple of hours for a prospective first form flight this morning. Well, scheds hooked my entire class up for some reason. We all have a three day weekend...and on the night of the BCS championship! So, I assume we will start on Monday, which gives us a little more time to prepare. I am thankful for the extra time no doubt, but I am pumped to start. I have heard from multiple people that formations are their favorite part of primary.

Anyways, that is the first update of 2009. I hope the new year is starting off well for every one else out there. Now, let's all take a moment and morn the passing of another college football season...haha, alright...I am out.

So apparently...more folks are tunin into this thing since it was in the family xmas card. That means more pressure to get this thing knocked out.

As of last post, I was in the middle of DIVOLC wishing I was flying. Well, I am out of DIVOLC...still wishing I was flying. We finished the class early on Thursday, and they scheduled me for my 2nd to last aerobatic flight (and most importantly last aerobatic checkride) on Friday. It was a good way to finish off the week, and the gang decided to head to San Antonio for Friday night. None of us had a flight until Sunday night...so it was game on.

Wouldn't you know it...they called and moved my flight to Saturday night....sweet. So, I turned in early, and got back to Corpus early enough to hit it. My first Night FAM(iliarization) was a great time. I had an awesome reservist for an instructor who gave me good gouge on smooth landings at night. Well, the planets must have aligned because I was ON, baby! I had some of my best landings that night. I was pumped.

Awesome, great weekend flight and Monday morning I was scheduled for my last aerobatic solo. And then...I took a look outside. I drove in to the squadron...where I was promptly cancelled. Infact, I was cancelled each subsequent day after that until Xmas leave. Somewhat frustrating...but that is the way it goes.

So, I am here at home, enjoying life. I was moved from RI's to formations...which means that after my aerobatic flights I will move right into basic formation flights. I am really lookin forward to it.

Well, not too much new going on...hope everyone is doing well over the holidays.

Oh, btw...if you have not heard, Alyssa has her own blog for her cruise between Hawaii and San Diego (tough life huh). The URL is as follows: http://jepense88.blogspot.com/

I encourage you to visit her ramblings, for they are communicated much better. She is out away for Xmas, and I know she likes knowing people enjoy what she is writing.

Alright, Chris...out...

Hello?...Uhhh, hello?...Is this thing still on?

Wow...there has been a lot going on since the last post. I will try to adequately convey it all here in some coherent sequence.

As of the last post, I was preparing for my check ride and first solo. I was finally able to finish all of the prep flights. Then, it was off to the check ride. Luckily, I had a pretty easy going guy who wasn't inclined to jump all over me before I could any small mistakes I made. So, while it was by no means a "perfect" flight, I got the required "safe for solo." As it turned out, my Dad and little bro had come down that weekend to hang out and play golf since they both had a couple of days off. That made it pretty cool because I was able to share the joy of passing my first check ride with both of them. The timing could not have worked out better because I soloed the next day right before going on leave for Thanksgiving. What an awesome time! Without a doubt, the best part of flight school so far was launching with no one in the back for the first time. I simply got enjoy flying on a beautiful day.

The next day, I drove back home for Thanksgiving. Talk about a great week. The next week, I was right back into the cockpit to start PA's (precision aerobatics, they might have had to drop the P for me). The PA block is one of the best blocks in the entire syllabus. There are seven flights, and three of them are solo. Since then, I have flown five flights with two of them being solo. The PA solo's are just as much fun as the first. I could just tool around in a working area doing loops, rolls, wingovers, and 1/2 cuban eights. I pretty much just roll and loop for about half the flights, then I just cruise around a bit and enjoy being in the air.

This next week will be somewhat frustrating because I will be in a mandatory Navy class called DIVOLC (Division Officer Leadership Course). So, I have to stop flying for a week to take it. However, I can use the time off to set my new furniture up in my room (a scant 2.5 months after I moved in huh) and figure out what I am doing for Christmas. Then next week, I will finish PA's and a couple of night flights before going on Christmas leave. I am scheduled to roll into radio instrument ground school when I get back in the new year.

Alright, well...essay comeplete. Oh yeah, in case any of you did not see...Navy DOMINATED Army for the 7th straight year. The final was 34-0 yesterday in Philly.

Anyways, hope things are going well out there. Have a great Christmas season!

Wow...this is frustrating! So instead of maybe soloing this week, I have not flown once. Nothing! There have been a number of reasons why, and they are legitimate for the most part...however, it is still very annoying. I have three flights before I can solo, and I am in a purgatory of sorts. I was hoping to build a solid rhythm in these last few flights...oh well. It will work out, and not flying at all helps put a perspective on how great my job is. I am happier when I can actually go to work each day.

Anyways, that is what is happenin down here...nada...except Lys came down for a day at the beginning of the week. It was great to see her before she heads to San Diego for a few months. She tries to convince us that she is getting a bum deal, but she is having a tough time getting me to believe her.

By the way, Navy was literally a fingertip away from beating Notre Dame once again! They thought they had it sealed up and then Navy scored a touchdown, recovered an onside kick, scored another touchdown, recovered a SECOND onside kick, and missed a receiver my about a foot all in the last 3 mins of the game. That is why I love service academy football...you get to be the underdog a lot and they always play it out. Hell, thats why i love college football in general.


Alright, I am out...catch y'all later!

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...

Alright, finally, I am back at the blog writer. At the time of my last post, I was finishing up my BI sims. Luckily, those went off without a hitch, and I was able to get back into the plane. After the sims, we do three BI flights with us actually flying in the rear cockpit. The instructor takes the forward cockpit and does most of the flying into and out of the working areas. It was pretty cool watching the instructors go through the procedures which I am used to doing. They fly through the checklists and knock stuff out pretty quick. Once at altitude, I threw the hood over (which I of course found a way to make way more complicated than it should be...took about 5 mins the first time I tried to use it) and took the controls to fly my maneuvers.

My last BI flight was scheduled as an out-and-in with a mandatory warm-up. No worries, translation to follow. An out-and-in just means we conduct one flight event on our way to another airport, land, take a break, grab a bite, and knock a second event out on the way back to NAS Corpus. The mando warm-up is something they give us if we go 14 days or more without flying in the front cockpit. It is basically a "free" flight. We have a normal brief, but the grades do not count like a normal flight. It helps a ton. It was pretty cool to get away from the rest of the training squadrons and drop into a smaller municipal airport for a quick bite.

The next two days I got back into the regular graded flights. They were pretty exciting for me because I could tell that I was finally showing significant improvement. The mando warm-up allowed me to knock some of the rust off...trust me, there was a LOT of rust. However, it all paid off in my next two flights. To date, they have been the best I have flown so far. I am getting into the heavy build-up to my solo, which could happen as soon as a week and a half from now...wow...that thought is somewhat daunting. The flights focus on handling in flight emergencies, recovering from out-of-control flight and spins (which are wayyyy cooler than I thought they would be, though my stomach is still trying to get used to them), and working the landing pattern constantly.

I get back into the plane tomorrow after an awesome weekend going back to Annapolis to see my sponsor father do the flyover at the Navy vs. Temple game and having a mini-reunion with my buddies. It was pretty weird seeing good ol' USNA without being a mid anymore. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Anyways, I am gonna go hit the books. Hope things are going well for everyone. Take care.

Chris