Trials and tribulations

Well, training is coming along. I've got around 11 hours or so now. With every hurdled cleared there is another waiting in the wings. My current frustration is throttle control. Some helicopters (I think most actually, but don't quote me) have a governor that adjusts the throttle as needed. The helicopter that I'm learning on does not. With every turn, with every altitude adjustment, with just about everything move the throttle must be adjusted. There's a low RPM horn that signals you if the RPM has dropped below the optimum level. Right now this horn is pretty much going off the entire time I'm flying. My brain understands what adjustments are needed and when...it's just getting my body to follow. To add insult to injury, there are so many things that you are doing at once that when I lose my focus because of the throttle..everything else seems to go to shit. gggrrrrrrr. At the beginning of my training I thought that the cyclic was the most challenging control to master...I think I'm going to have to take that back and say that it's throttle control. Serious FRUSTRATION!

Other than that, I fly a helicopter much like I drive a car. I'm a bit of a swerver and I can't park to save my life. I also had a bit of taxi way phobia, but seem to have gotten a little better with that one on my last flight. If it wasn't for throttle control I think I would have conquered the taxi way! My take offs have been pretty decent, but landings and set down have been a challenge. Saturday I'm going to get the "short bus" lesson on landing, which basically means we are going to do everything in slow motion so I can get the pictures (that's one thing I like about helicopters...the versatility! I bet I couldn't get the slow version of landing in a plane unless we were practicing engine out landings).

The book work is coming along, albeit boring. I totally couldn't get through the chapter on weather last night...kept catching myself going in and out of consciousness (damn ADD!). I'm sure that all of this will come with time. Just trying to keep you all updated of my progress.

Gettin' hosed

What's with the wind? You'd think I lived in Florida or something...oh wait, I do. :o( I guess I picked the wrong (windy) season to start helicopter training. So far my first two flights have been cancelled due to high and gusty winds. Helicopters can fly in the winds, no problem...it's just training in windy conditions is not ideal. It's like being on student status again...sitting on my ass watching all the up jumpers jump. Oh well, maybe today will be better.

All signed up

I have lessons scheduled for every day this week. Unfortunately, the wind is looking a little iffy today but hopefully it will calm by this afternoon or tomorrow. My text book is a little scientifically over my head...but I'm sure that if I have the right tutor it will click. It's been years since I've had to study! Need to bust out the index cards and make some flash cards!!

Next step, Done!

Welp, just got home from getting my FAA Medical Certificate. I have to admit it was a bit of a joke. The doctor took my blood pressure, listened to my heart and lungs, looked down my throat and it one ear and charged me $90. The entire process took maybe 10 minutes. Oh well, it was a necessity.

Some of you have asked for a link to the training facility I will be using...so, here it is - Air Orlando. I will be setting up my first lesson with Roar next week. My plan is to go balls to the wall so be prepared to be bombarded with overly excited training blogs.

I did it!!

My first flight was yesterday and it went well. I was actually given more control than I expected. There are three major controls in the helicopter that the pilot must use during flight. They are: (1) Collective pitch control. (2) Anti Torque Pedals or Tail Rotor Control. (3) Cyclic Stick Control. The collective is a lever located to your left side. This control controls rpm and altitude. The pedals turn and prevent turns and the cyclic is the stick between your legs that can control small altitude adjustments and turns. We went on a short flight from Orlando Executive Airport to downtown Orlando. During this flight I took control of the cyclic and tried to keep us at 600 ft and on heading (it's so not as easy as it sounds!). Then we came back to the airport and played around with hovering. I got to try each of the 3 controls individually. The cyclic was the most challenging...you don't think that you're even touching the thing and the helicopter is going every which way. It became rather amusing. Ian was off on the side watching and could totally tell when I was in control. Anyway, I can totally bored you all with all the details, but I will leave it here. It was fun, scary, and very challenging...I wasn't a natural like I expected, but oh well. Nothing worth doing comes easy.


This school is a little different than Bristow. It's a little more self guided and is smaller with more family like feel. I will be starting as soon, I get my medical Thursday and hopefully be in the air for my next lesson next week!!

I'm going flying, I'm going flying!!

That's right, I'm taking the next step! Monday afternoon at 2:00 I'm heading to the Orlando Executive Airport for my introduction and first flight with Roar (skydiver friend who is also an instructor at the school, Air Orlando). Hopefully, if all goes well, I will start school really soon. I don't know what the admissions is like there, but I WILL start as soon as possible.

I can not express how excited I'm am!!!!! :o)

Dreams, Goals, Aspirations: Ambition

This past weekend was our 6 year anniversary so we packed up the car and headed over to Tampa for a little escape and some roller coaster fun at Busch Gardens. We got a room at a nice B&B and made reservations for dinner at a place on the water (my camera totally hosed me and deleted all my pictures and started to give me an error message so no supporting pics for this blog).

Over dinner Ian and I got in a deep discussion about life and aspirations (mine mainly). I've known for a long time that I'm stuck in a rut. I work in a dead end job that has been sucking the life out of me for years and I don't really have any extra curricular activities that really get me excited anymore. Don't get me wrong...there ARE things that I dream about and would love to do...I've just never been one to follow my heart and that's where this blog is heading. Ever since I graduated from High School I've had a full-time job. I've always been responsible, I've always been good with my money and work hard to have the material things that I want and need. This, I suppose, was the way I was raised.

Whenever I consider things that I can (should) be doing to make my life more meaningful, I usually end up talking myself out of it. Where will I find the time, where will the money come from, what if I fail? I know everyone must ask themselves the same questions when making a big life decision, but I've never gotten past the what ifs. I know it's possible, I see people do it all the time...hell, I live with a man who is living his dream.

So, here it is. For as long as I remember I have wanted to fly helicopters (most of you probably already know this). My dream job used to be to fly for a TV station doing traffic reports. I've since changed that dream because I don't care much for the media or their (lack of) morals. I would HATE to be that helicopter flying around the DZ after an accident or around someone's home after a family member was murdered. Anyway, I digress, I still want to fly. And, one of the best helicopter schools in the country is less than an hour from my house and training takes less than a year...it is expensive though and I may suck at it. But with some help and support of my friends and loved ones...maybe I will make this dream come true. I've filled out the application, started retrieving my transcripts, and plan to sit down and talk to Trond (who is a current student at the academy). The wheels are in motion! Wish me luck! and kick me in the ass if/when I start to run away.