Tuesday, July 15th

Sorry for the absence and for the quick 'n' dirty update, but we're cramming for the written exam on Friday and starting to go over the oral checkride exam, which comes in a few weeks. All this fancy book learnin' seems to be sapping my time and wit, but I'll recharge after this week's test.

Sunday - two flights. Morning had me doing maneuvers in 2746F over Venus, TX. Disappointingly turbulent flight for such a still morning. Most days the bumps add a fun element to learning the craft, but today I'm in the mood for some smooth air... not to be. Slow flight, stalls, ground reference maneuvers. Getting the hang of them and learning the area more and more. Afternoon flight was also quite rough. Touch-and-goes at Mid-Way again. Had one fantastic landing surrounded by about 8 marginal ones. Took a long 5-mile final for landing into Arlington (which we were approved for by Tower), where a wayward Cherokee drifted from his extended downwind leg into our path. Cleared to our right at the same altitude by about 1000 ft. after veering slightly away. Strange sight.

It's my last day with Sean... he's been bumped up to teaching the Seminole for the ACPP (career program) and starting Monday. He's been a terrific instructor and I'll probably have him again when I start that program in September. He weighs about half as much as me, so I'll need him back for weight-and-balance compliance.

Monday - no flight. Thunderstorms rolling in but they sent up some of our guys ahead of them. Since I was about 1.5 hours ahead of everyone I volunteered to be last up, and wound up being odd man out. Now we're all about even. Odd.

Tuesday - one flight. Study time and videos all morning, then an afternoon flight in 2656G. My first flight with Walt, an sickeningly pleasant Texas native and ATP grad. He throws a curveball immediately after going full-throttle on takeoff.

"Engine problem! Pre-rotation, and you have plenty of runway... what do you do?"

THINK. "Cut throttle... full brakes... avoid obstacles... stop the plane." It wasn't quite that smooth, but the result was the same... successfully stopped on the runway. After we leave the ground, that drill becomes much more complicated, but now I'll know to watch for it.

Touch-and-goes at Grand Prairie Airport, a towered airport merely 3 miles away. More rough landings, but Walt's really hammering good technique into my head. On to Dallas Executive Airport (formerly "Redbird"), further east from GP and due south of Love Field. Had the opposite trouble at this airport... my glideslope for landing was high almost every time and I had three go-arounds. One good landing to end the day made me pretty happy, though. Back to Arlington. Walt says I'm right where I need to be at this stage, which kept my spirits up nicely.

13.4 hours logged. Rumor is we'll be soloing sometime next week. I'll be ready. For now... bedtime.

-Zulu Zulu Zulu