Flying Today (As a New Private Pilot)

Sorry to be out of touch. It is funny how I was building up to this grand finale of getting my Private Pilot License and then I put a video saying I passed it but I never put any text on the blog that I passed the checkride.....so....I PASSED THE CHECKRIDE!!!! YIPPEEE!!!

I have been able to fly every weekend this month, but I was not shooting any video. Today I took up my friend Jason, and he took some pictures and we got some video so I will get out a podcast soon. On another note, I got a chance to talk to a student pilot this evening who has a podcast that you should check out. His name is Bill Williams and he is the host of The Student Pilot Cast. He has a few audio podcasts as well as a couple of video podcasts. Bill had emailed me right after my checkride, but I finally got around to actually talking to him last night and today. Be on the lookout for a podcast with the 2 of us. We have been bouncing some ideas off each other for future podcasts. Be sure to check out his blog here.

Aside from flying the norm, I got a chance to fly in a 2007 Cirrus SR22 G3 Turbo. A friend of my instructors took me up as a treat for passing the checkride. Can you say...nice? Can you say...AC?

Student Pilot Journal Podcast #20

No flight video yet. Just me talking for a minute or two. That is all I will say. More flying videos to come.

-Greg

Download the video

Student Pilot Journal Podcast #19

Checkride Update and Status:

This is a brief update of what has been going on. My checkride is scheduled for tomorrow, May 29, 2008. Sorry, but no flight video...just me driving. I am stuck on editing the Seneca flight, because I have not had time to put music to it. Hopefully, I will be able to post something after the checkride.

-Greg

Download the video

Checkride Scheduled

I finally got a date for the checkride. It is scheduled for Thursday, May 29. Flying has been sporadic this month due to various aircraft maintenance issues and environmental reasons. We have had some major forest fires in the area and the division of forestry put a TFR out that included Valkaria so that caused a weeks worth of headaches because we could not even get to the plane to fly it somewhere else. I got checked out last night for the 172 so that will be good. When I pass the ckeckride I will be able to take a couple of people and actually carry some fuel. :-) I don't really have any new video to show since we have only been drilling in the same maneuvers over and over. I have been editing a flight that I took in a Piper Seneca so I will at least show that and also give a brief video update of my progress before the flight video. Stay tuned.

Student Pilot Journal Podcast #18

Check Ride Prep

A little late, but here is the footage for the short and soft field takeoffs and landings. I also included another day in here due to the fact that my camera continued to fall throughout the short/soft video. The last half of the podcast documents our return to basic maneuvers such as power on and power off stalls and emergency procedures. As of this journal entry things are progressing as planned. We are having some difficulty scheduling an FAA examiner, though. The DPE that the club primarily uses is having a medical issue that is under review from the FAA. Our other option is an airline pilot from Merritt Island. Unfortunately due to the current Delta/Northwest merger, he has been out of reach...not sure what the deal is with that. -Enjoy

Greg

Download the video

Student Pilot Journal Podcast #17

This episode documents my long cross country from Valkaria (X59) to Pahokee (PHK) to Vero Beach (VRB) and back to Valkaria. Aside from a couple more hours of hood work, this flight marks the completion of Part 61 requirements for the private pilot certificate. To date I have logged just over 40 hours and move on to my next phase of check ride prep. Yesterday we brushed up on short and soft field landings and I will release the video footage for that later in the week. For this episode I left in a lot of radio work, since that covers most of the CC. Towards the end of the video we have some humerous audio from Miami approach which proved to be entertaining for my wife and I when we watched the orginal footage. Maybe it is one of those "you had to be there" moments but I enjoyed it. Enjoy.

-Greg

Download the video

FAA Private Pilot Written Exam.....Passed!!!

I took my private pilot written exam this morning and passed with a 92%. I can't help but be bummed that I did not score higher, but I am trying to look past it and realize that I am through with the written and can focus on check ride prep. Weather and skill level permitting, I should be able to take my checkride this month. I picked up a copy of the PTS (Practical Test Standards) and oral exam guide and we will take the PTS along with us when we fly to go over each manuever and mark them as pass/fail to get ready for the test. I need to squeeze in a couple hours of instrument but we can do that during prep. I am so excited and of course nervous, but will be glad when I can pass the checkride. Thanks for all of the emails and feel free to contact me anytime at greg@studentpilotjournal.com.

Thanks,

Greg