The end of the beginning...

Firstly an apology for not updating this blog since July! It's been an extremely busy time and only now have I really come around to looking at what I've abandoned over the past few months.

Since my last post (which doesn't seem as long ago as it actually is!) my day to day life has changed completely.

Having passed the Instrument Rating flight test on a glorious Friday morning in July, I was in the airline's Exeter hotel on the Sunday afternoon ready to start my type rating the following day. It was such a close turnaround and without the help and swift action of a certain few people I'm sure I'd be sat here now still waiting to get my hands on the yoke of the Canadian Bombardier Dash 8 Q400.

As I said in the last post, some people wait months; years to get into the right hand seat of a commercial aircraft. I had less than 48 hours.

The actual type rating includes one week induction with the airline followed by two weeks of ground school covering everything from the structure of the aircraft to the day to day paperwork expected to be completed when on line. Following this we are sent back to base to jump seat four sectors to see what the world of a line pilot is. After picking my jaw up off of the ground I was quickly shipped off to Farnborough to jump in the simulator and finally get to learn how to fly this thing.

Post sim. training comes the 'base training' (explained below) and then finally they put you in the real thing, passengers in the back and a destination in the flight management system. A whirlwind three months. In fact this is the first time I have actually had time to think back and realise how much we have achieved in such a short space of time.

So, to that Friday in July. After the ninety minute flight test I was given the good news and it was full steam ahead to get home to unpack, repack and try to find some time to get some revision in before heading to the south coast.

Clothes washed and ironed, they were back in the suitcase and before I knew it we were over Bristol starting the decent into Exeter on an equally warm Sunday afternoon. Having only flown once before on the Dash it was great to see what was going on in the back before jumping in the front only a few weeks later.

Arriving at the hotel where I would be staying for the next three weeks I met up with my colleagues who I had spent the previous fourteen months with as we tried to plan out what to expect for the week ahead.

The following morning bright and early, after breakfast, we were dropped off at the airline's state of the art training centre. Currently housing two simulators and dozens of classrooms the building caters for both internal and external airline needs for carriers around the world. It was great to see such a professional image from the very beginning.

We spent the first day completing all the relevant paper work and being informed as to how the following three months would unfold and what was to follow that. It was great to finally get a detailed view of what was to come.

Days two to five were spent becoming familiar with the airline and the environment the company works in. We complete our first aid and water training, our security training and most importantly our CRM (crew resource management) course.

The latter is designed to coach people into dealing with colleagues in a professional and acceptable manner. We were able to look at a number of case studies where flight crew had had their 'differences' which had led to problems both on the ground and in the air.

With all the general company based training complete we were given the weekend off!

Again, bright and early on the Monday morning we were shipped back to the training centre from the hotel to start the aircraft systems course covering everything from the communication facilities to the two grossly over powered engines they've fitted to the thing. This lasted just over a week and, apart from the electrics (I've probably mentioned I'm not a fan of electrics...) it was all very interesting! Following CAA exams we were all then allowed to complete the final part of the ground school.

This was completed on the final week in Exeter taking all of three days. It covered flight plans to icing operations and everything in between. This, again, was followed by CAA exams before they could sign us off for the simulator.

The three and a half weeks in Devon were intense. It was a lot of information to take on in such a short time frame, and if I'm being honest I don't think half of it stuck. It wasn't until I got into the simulator where I could relate what we had been told to seeing it in operation could I come to terms with it's purpose. Having said that, it was no greater than the ATPL study. In fact, as much as I loathed the fourteen exams that we took at the end of 2011 and into the start of this year I do now feel it was good practice for what was to come during my time in Exeter, albeit on a smaller scale.

One note I would like to make about those short weeks 'down south' was my new appreciation for the work cabin crew do in the air. Before starting the course I was aware of the work that went on in the cabin but not to the extent that the authorities and indeed the airlines in the UK do. The amount they need to know is quite mind boggling. About their aircraft, first aid, emergency procedures, current commercial operations and at the end of it all how to keep a smile on their face after eight hours on their feet. Having been on line for a few weeks now it has only cemented my view of what a great job they do. They are arguably any airline's greatest asset and in my opinion should be rewarded by the general public with much more respect than they receive.

Happy to have completed the ground school I was more excited at the following day's prospect. As part of the type rating every new First Officer or Captain on type gets to jump-seat for a number of sectors, depending on experience and basic license type. Having completed the 'traditional' frozen ATPL we were to sit on the middle seat for four sectors completed in one day.

Having never sat in the flight deck of a commercial aircraft during the critical stages of flight such as take-off and landing it was something I'd dreamed about doing as a kid and I'd finally got that opportunity. The whole crew were great and finally I got to jump into the third seat and see how it all goes down.

Checks done, push back complete, we were cleared to taxi to hold short of Runway 06 at Edinburgh. Destination Knock, Ireland.

"Jersey XXX" cleared for take-off Runway 06, winds 030, 5kts."

The captain added juice to the engines and they reveled in it, rushing up to 90% of their maximum power within seconds. We were rolling, and fast. The aircraft is known for the disgusting amount of extra power Pratt and Whitney have fitted to it and I must say, I'm enjoying using it!

"80kts both." The First Officer checks both speed tapes but they're moving so fast the numbers are simply a blur.

"V1....rotate...V2." The Captain pulls gently aft on the control column and the nose duly follows pointing towards the sky.

"Positive climb."

"Gear up." The gear begin to stow themselves for the hour flight across to the west coast of Ireland. I take a small glance out of the side window and see the ground disappearing at over 4,000ft a minute. This thing is a rocket.

The aircraft is quickly cleaned up and accelerating to it's 210kt climb speed. Air traffic control are kind and direct us straight towards Belfast.

During the cruise it was great to talk to the flight crew about what they like about the aircraft and more importantly what they don't like! They were also very informative about everything else I wanted to know during the four flights.

We were soon on the approach into Knock and we were cleared for the full VOR procedure to land on the easterly facing runway. Who said airline flying was all radar vectors?!

As well as being known for being over powered the aircraft is equally famous for being a 'hard lander.' I've heard it called more expletive things but I think that will do for now. Anyway, the Captain did a good job of "not breaking anything" as the First Officer called it and we were on stand on time.

Three similar sectors followed including a trip down to Norwich and soon enough we were back on terra firma in Edinburgh.

As sad as it sounds it was a day I had dreamed about for many years and it wetted the appetite even more!

Next stop - the simulator.

No rest for the wicked. We were soon shipped down to Farnborough, one of the world's busiest and well known business aviation airports. Every day we would pass through to the training centre and see dozens of jets sat in the Hampshire sunshine including a number of 737s and A319s, owned (obviously) by those from the middle east. A place where the recession clearly forgot.

We spent about two weeks in the simulator firstly becoming familiar with our surroundings then jumping into the emergencies and problems associated with the aircraft and trust me; there is enough of them!

These ranged from problems with the anti-icing systems to engine failures at the most critical point in any flight; take-off. We were taught to deal with dozens of different scenarios and before our check ride in the sim; I think we'd done more single-engine flying than two-engined!

The Line Standards Test (LST) which is taken over two days encompasses everything we had been practicing over the three weeks. It is a CAA conducted examination in the simulator which assesses our skills in operating the aircraft.

The two weeks in "the box" was arguably the biggest learning curve of my short career so far and I think we as student pilots underestimated what was expected of us. We were soon made aware, however!

Thankfully all went to plan in the machine and we were finally signed off to jump in that right hand seat. This was getting real.

Base training. Arguably the most enjoyable part of the whole Type Rating. Base training involves completing six landings in the aircraft with a specially qualified Captain. Doing 'circuits' is something I've done many many times in both single and multi-engine piston aircraft. Doing it in something with 10,000 horse power was a little bit different. Being extremely light it was indescribable as the nose pointed itself towards the stars. It was like something from the launch pad at NASA!

After departure from Manchester we headed over to Durham Tees Valley in the North East of England. The flight was short and we were soon in the pattern. Back to the Warrior days! Well...kind of.

While we were 'wizzing' around the circuit it wasn't until after the third landing that we heard there was another aircraft in the pattern making left turns as opposed to ours to the right. 

The Training Captain makes a comment "good to hear they're keeping the weekend flyers out of our way."

"Jersey 22T, the aircraft making opposite patterns will be completing two circuits for every one of yours. Expect long downwinds." Hold on a minute...what on earth was coming in?! "Jersey 22T, do you have the Eurofighter in sight?"

Through the morning's mist we could see a small figure moving at great pace through the lower altitudes. We're happily sat at 1,500ft scooting on along at approximately 200mph and watching the approaching fighter. The plane approached the threshold and suddenly pointed its nose to the heavens and just by watching you could feel the heat increasing on the deck as the Royal Air Force commander injected huge amounts of Jet A1. The most advanced aircraft on any frequency was climbing fast, and that really is an understatement.

It swings to the left before joining us on an opposite downwind yet gladly overtaking us with ridiculous ease. He made a similar approach as we turned onto the final before being told to maintain runway heading.

Unfortunately due to commercial problems we were called back to base early and in turn I wasn't able to complete my required six circuits to add the aircraft to my new license. Due to that I again had to return to Durham later in the week to finish the landings and then head down to the airline's HQ followed by a trip to the Civil Aviation Authority at London Gatwick airport to collect my new EASA license. As Europe becomes more integrated the new Flight Crew license is new to everyone and over the coming months every pilot flying for a European airline will need to be in possession of one of these books. I'm quite proud to say I am one of the first to be carrying one of these around with me every day!

So that was that. I'm now qualified to sit in the right hand seat of one of these aircraft. To say that at Easter I was flying around in a single engine piston aircraft and now I'm busy working in one of the most over powered aircraft in the sky it's quite humbling to think what responsibility the airline are willing to put on us and for ourselves, where I for one am amazed how much we have learnt and come to understand over the past eighteen months. 

Obviously giving us the license and then letting us loose on the aeroplane isn't as straight forward as it sounds. For a certain number of sectors running over around three weeks we're seated next to a Training Captain. Someone who is trained to a very high standard to instruct on 'the line' and familiarise us flying day to day with passengers and cabin crew sat behind us. 

This is designed so that at the end of the three weeks we can take a line check ride with a 'normal' captain where the training captain sits on the jump seat and assesses whether I am fit and able to operate to company standard. Thankfully the day went to plan and I was "released to the line."

I'm a very lucky person. I have a fantastic job, some fantastic friends and most of all a fantastic family. Without so many of them I wouldn't have been able to achieve what I have. Their support has been amazing. To think, two years ago around now I applied to attend an assessment day and this evening I'm sat in my hotel room having completed my first six monthly line check yesterday is truly unbelievable. 

I've experienced something amazing, too many high points to mention and thankfully only a small number of low points to brush over. Having said that; for those who have followed this blog for a long time will know, there was one major low point that when the company that were tasked with training us went into administration it put a lot of strain on hundreds of students and their families. I was one of the very fortunate ones and although in the long term it has added pressures being blessed with support from an airline the initial burden was managed so swiftly and professionally by those here in Exeter. The fight for those who have lost so much continues and I wish them all the very best of luck with their legal challenge and their continued training.

In my time in the United States, Ireland and the UK I have come across some indescribable people. Some I know I'll be in touch with for many many years to come. I have met characters from quite literally every corner of the globe. From America to Australia, from Sweden to Colombia and many other places in between. Not to mention some of the more 'exotic' destinations such as Kazakhstan! 

Now imagine mixing those people with experiences such as watching the sun rise over the Atlantic every morning from 8,000ft. Being raised to 25,000ft in a decompression chamber; doing barrel rolls in an Extra 300, flying across Ireland and into the UK in a Seneca and then finally taking the seat of a commercial aircraft are things I just can't put into words. 

I used to roll out of my pit at 8am and it was the hardest task in the world. I now wake at 4am and have no problems in getting out of bed. How many other people can say that? When we grow up we all change our mind in what we want to do to pay the bills. Everyone wants to be a fireman or a nurse, a policeman or a doctor. I never had that. I always knew what I wanted to do. It seems now that as people approach my ripe old age of twenty one years they have exhausted every career path in their minds and are simply lost in how to move forward. I, again, am fortunate to have had one direction since I was a small boy and I am now proud and blessed to be able to say I can enjoy my life as a pilot.

Thank you for reading over the past twenty months.

Never take your eye off the ball...or indeed the runway!

It's been a week of bits and bobs! Not much progress in the simulator but a few things happening outside of it to keep myself busy. The European championships are now in full swing which should hopefully take us through to the conclusion of our training here in Waterford. As well as that we've visited the tower on two separate occasions with things happening on both tours. There was also an interesting situation regarding a commercial flight doing a bit of 'off-roading!' I'll explain later on.

Firstly I managed to get in the simulator on Tuesday evening which was indeed quite challenging; as we come to reach the end of our time in the box. Since then I've observed one flight and had a ground lesson. Thankfully in the coming ten days or so we should really start to push to getting to the aircraft stage of the IR training. Having seen a couple of friends who have only just this week completed their course entirely it is time to start to come to terms with the fact that this part of our separate careers will shortly be coming to a close and we look to the future (which isn't too far in the distance!) where we begin training with the airline.

Having been told my base back towards the end of the ATPL period I have kept it quite low key (in fact hardly anyone knew until after we finished the exams - not wanting to tempt fate!) and in the same email we were given a start date for the commencement of our Type Rating which will be towards the end of July.

The Type Rating is the part of the training where we will be taught how to fly the exact type of aircraft we will be flying. This is done through ground school, simulator training and then finally taking to the right seat where we will be under supervision and scrutiny for a certain number of flights. I'll be sure to explain more how that works as the training continues.

So, with a short time until the commencement of our further training it's time to start to look at properties, cars, future plans etc. and try to build a life again after spending fourteen months cocooned in the world of PTC. It is going to be a weird feeling but one I am quite looking forward to!

But...before this takes place there are two final hurdles. The IR exam and the MCC/JOC (our final basic training course that I will also explain in a future post). 

During our ground lesson on Friday evening, we were given the opportunity to visit the control tower here at Waterford. The airport is not Heathrow by any means but does provide a valuable and in some cases is a critical necessity to the city. It was great to meet such an enthusiastic controller who is superb at his job. He was very kind in showing us a number of the systems they use in controlling and planning at such a small field. It was great to see him liaise between the main ATC head quarters of Ireland in Shannon as well as Aer Arann's operations department in Dublin simultaneously to make sure the aircraft rotation was completed efficiently and correctly.

What was interesting at the time of our visit was the potential problem facing the crew at the time. The winds had been terrible all day and had been the cause of two flights in the morning being cancelled. One to London Southend and the second to Manchester. The afternoon Luton flight had managed to depart and we had arrived just in time for their delayed arrival back from the north London airport.

Again the winds were causing a problem for the airport and inbound traffic. Throughout the approach the controller was talking to the flight deck of the Aer Arann plane giving him live (2 minute average) winds for the field. The aircraft, under orders from the company, would only be able to land if the winds were at or below 25kts crosswind. It was going to be close.

As the aircraft turned on to final the winds died down and the aircraft was cleared to land. It was certainly an interesting approach with mother nature giving all those on board a bit of a ride but the aircraft was soon safe on the ground after a firm arrival. A very good job by those at the controls.

Unfortunately their work wasn't done. They had passengers to disembark as well as board while the plane was fed fresh Jet A fuel for the ride back to London, this time to Southend. Again, we got to experience first hand the work involved by the tower in providing all the necessary information to the crew before departure. It was also pretty cool seeing the whole operation with an unobstructed view from above.

Following our first visit we again made arrangements to head on up to the highest point on the field on Saturday. This was to see the arrival and departure of the daily Flybe flight to Birmingham. This flight began only shortly before we began training here in Waterford and has since struggled with loads but with a revised summer timetable and a bit of advertisement and awareness this route will hopefully pick up.

We arrived in the tower and met two of the other controllers who we would be working with over the coming weeks when we get into the planes and begin to practice what we have learnt in the simulator. Both again seemed extremely competent in their roles and it's quite comforting to know we're in the hands of people who really know what they're doing and do so in a calm, concise and professional manner.

As we entered the room we heard the Flybe aircraft make it's first contact.

"Waterford Tower, Jersey 755 is 20DME, flight level 80."

"Jersey 755, good afternoon. QNH 1015, ILS runway 21 in use. You're cleared to descend at your discretion to 4000ft; report established on the arc."

The above gives the aircraft approach instructions as well as key information about the airfield at that time.

We could slowly start to see the aircraft approaching in the distance. 

"Jersey 755, report established on the localiser."

The aircraft continued it's approach until it received the correct information from the signal being sent from the far end of the runway.

"Jersey 755 is established on the localiser, 10DME."

This is the crew confirming that they're now established on final and reporting that they're approximately ten nautical miles from the airport.

"Jersey 755, roger, continue your approach."

As the aircraft became larger in view the time had come for the controller to issue the magic words.

"Jersey 755, you are cleared to land runway 21; winds are 250, 14 knots."

"Cleared to land runway 21, Jersey 755."

The aircraft arrived as smoothly as it is possible for a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 and backtracked to park on stand. A quick change around and the flight deck requested it's departure clearances.

"Jersey 2FV, you are cleared to Birmingham and filed, route direct Strumble; initial flight level 130." 

These words basically give the crew their instructions for the motorways (or highways) in the skies. In the aviation world they're called 'airways.' It also clears the aircraft up to 13,000ft. Before reaching that altitude the pilot not flying will be talking to Shannon control who will indeed clear the aircraft to the higher realms of the clouds.

There was a bit going on at the time the aircraft was waiting to depart including the local coast guard, the flight school and general aviation all causing work for the busy controller.

Soon enough the other magic words of "you're cleared for take-off" were issued by the man next to us and the turboprop engines were both filled with that all important juice. The Q400 accelerated down the runway at frightening speed before coming airbourne within half of the runway length and indeed followed by point it's nose towards the heavens. That thing climbs like nothing I have ever seen before. The words 'homesick angel' are often overused but I think in this case they're very relevant.

The controller said that for the Aer Arann flights he would ask that the crew report passing through 4,000ft where he would duly request they contact their next frequency. He then went on to say he asked the same question of the Flybe flight to which the reply was "we're already at 5,500ft..." I am certainly looking forward to getting to work in that office in the near future!

Finally, when we were in the simulator last week we were informed quite early on that the Flybe flight in from Birmingham had slipped a wheel off of the runway while trying to turn around to depart. Quickly enough we headed upstairs to a meeting room where we saw from the window the stuck aircraft.

I wouldn't like to comment on what took place as the report hasn't been released but unfortunately it led to the airport being closed for the evening due to the aircraft being on the only runway available at the field.

So a lesson learned - 100% awareness is needed 100% of the time!

Home for the weekend

It's been a couple of weeks since I've updated the blog. I've actually managed to get quite a bit in! I've been up for the first time into the air in Waterford, completed a number of simulator sessions and returned to the UK for a great weekend enjoying the early summer.

The simulator is progressing slowly, a little slower than planned or wanted but all the same it's moving. I've now completed thirteen simulator sessions with another seven to go. In the past fourteen days or so we have progressed from the basics to working with single engine and more in depth and demanding approaches. It's also great to see the instructors adding in certain tricks. Last night being a prime example.

An ILS approach is something that is the norm for most major and smaller airports across the glove. It stands for 'Instrument Landing System' and is designed for the final approach to landing by giving a vertical and horizontal approach path. The system is quite basic in design but in today's larger more advanced aircraft it can be used to put the plane on the ground in zero visibility and bring it almost to a stop on the runway, all with the use of computers.

Unfortunately for us our aircraft aren't capable of doing that and neither will our licenses be when we leave here from PTC. We are however trained to fly, solely by the use of the instruments, to follow the ILS down to 200ft above the aerodrome. Having yet to experience it in a real situation, the simulator can create something like what we can expect in the air. It is quite an amazing sight and satisfying feeling to pop out of the clouds only 200ft above the surface with lights glaring at you from the terrain.

Anyway, I digress. We were situated at Blackpool airport in the 'sim', a local airport in the UK where in the real world a small number of airlines use. We departed and headed towards the larger and more well known Manchester airport just 40 miles away. On approach we were giving our approach procedure. We were told to fly over the airfield and track a radial (track over the ground - I'll explain in a future post) to a certain distance from the airport. We would then make a series of turns to in effect make a 180 degree change of direction to follow the approach path to Manchester Airport runway 23R.

To follow the ILS we need to insert a frequency into the aircraft computers which in turn create the vertical and horizontal profiles on our dials in front of us. Frequencies obtained and entered in to the system we began the final approach. 

To confirm that we indeed have the correct signal we are required to 'ident.' This will give us a Morse Code to confirm we are receiving the correct signal from the correct station. They're usually identifiable by three letters. Manchester, being quite a large airport, has more than one ILS station (in fact it has three!) so there is the chance (well, in the simulator there is...) of there being an incorrect signal being received from a different runway which uses that same frequency.

It's all very complicated I know but the general gist of the story is that we had not correctly identified the signal and therefore were following a signal desired for the other end of the runway. Our confusion intensified as we continued on our intercepting heading for a far greater time than would be required. 

If this were to happen in real life and we did indeed overshoot and end up somewhere we really weren't supposed to be, especially in such busy airspace as the north west of England (I dread to even think about the south east near London!) then it could all get just a little bit messy...

Obviously the likelihood of this happening in real life is slim to none with the safety factors put in to such equipment and the procedures in place to make sure that only the correct signals are being sent on the correct frequencies. However, having experienced it in a simulator, it's certainly not something I plan to experience in real life any time soon!

Alongside the simulator I have also managed to jump in the back of one flight around the local area here in Waterford. The weather after arriving hadn't been spectacular but this particular afternoon the weatherman was on our side and I headed up in to the Irish sky for the first time. 

It was such a change from what we have experienced over in the US. First and foremost the radio telephony is far more strict and advanced here in Europe and the there was no doubt from the tower of what he wanted us to do that afternoon. It's very impressive to hear the crisp, professional and efficient radio calls being used. It's something I think I am going to like.

Anyway, we headed out to the south Irish sea and performed a number of approaches in to Waterford. It's great to actually see them being performed in the aircraft as opposed to just in the simulator - it's also seems much easier as well! The flight was quite short at just over ninety minutes and soon enough we were back down on the ground.

The whole operation with regards to the flying stage over here is a complete contrast from that in Melbourne, Florida. 

With over forty aircraft, state of the art ground facilities and hundreds of students, the FIT facilities at Melbourne International; as I have referred to before, are some of the best you can experience anywhere in the world. The size of the operation makes everything much more affordable and accommodating.

Here in Waterford, where the operation is on a much smaller scale the facilities are there to mirror that. For example, in the States the majority of aircraft parking spots were 'drive through' style where one could park and then the following student simply taxi the aircraft forward and back onto an active taxiway. This worked very well and meant there was no need to push the aircraft. 

Here the process is a little different. The aircraft is parked near the hangars and pointed in the direction easiest for the re-fueler. It is then the duty of the instructor and student to push the aircraft back in to a suitable position for start up and taxi.

All in all the flying when airbourne is very similar. I'm not saying the facilities here are any worse than those in Florida, just that they shouldn't be compared for obvious reasons.

In the simulator last week, both myself and my simulator partner were unfortunate enough to have three sessions cancelled between us due to the simulator having technical faults - we still say that it wasn't our faults! This was something that was quite frustrating but obviously there is nothing we could do! 

Fortunately, after the final cancellation I was able to jump on a plane from Dublin back to the UK for the weekend. It was great to get home and enjoy the fantastic weather that we seemed to be missing down here in the south east of the Republic. 

Having enjoyed the great weather at home hopped back over the Irish Sea early Monday morning to head straight back in to the simulator in the afternoon. Upon our arrival back here we were told the weather hadn't much improved and they had only had one day of sunshine - this made the trip home sound even more rewarding!

The arrival of the remainder of our class two weeks ago from the US has added a little bit more life in to the place with the downside now being that there are a lot more students to use the facilities here. We have received our schedules for the up coming two weeks and thankfully we should be getting a significant number of 'events' but there is still a lot of downtime to play with. 

With a completion date now set to be at the start of July here in Waterford we'll head up to Dublin for a week to complete our MCC/JOC in the larger, more sophisticated simulators. This will realistically leave us with about two weeks before starting the the Type Rating in England.

This will be a very short space of time to sort out housing and transport etc (I love car shopping!) but we are some of the very fortunate so it's something we're just going to have to put up with...

Back in at the deep end

So I'm now back in Florida and it's been a tough couple of days with more to come!

I left a very windy Manchester on Thursday morning and made my way back across the Atlantic to Orlando and then on to Melbourne in the Sunshine state. Leaving Manchester was quite interesting. As many in north western Europe will know the winds have been extremely strong over the past week and come 10.30am on Thursday it was no different. The winds were so strong that as we boarded and waited to leave the gate the plane could be felt rocking in the airflow. Not only this, upon pushing back from the gate we had to wait for twenty minutes due to cargo containers sat by aircraft stands which had been carried by the weather and were now sat covering the main taxiways. The captain advised he would refrain from starting the taxi until all had been safely removed to save 'embarrassment' on behalf of the airline and airport in the case of one again been thrown into the air and in the worst case scenario striking the aircraft.

Anyway, we were soon airborne and after an extremely bumping departure we quickly got above the clouds and on our way to the US.

After landing in Orlando I joined the long and laborious immigration line which lived up to it's infamous name. Finally arriving at the desk I was asked kindly to follow the immigration official into a room for secondary checks. I wasn't thoroughly informed as to why this was the case at the time but soon enough my documents were returned and I was able to leave the arrivals facility and meet up with some of my fellow students before the journey back to Melbourne.

Shortly after arriving back and unpacking I was on to the computer to see if any flights had been scheduled by my instructor. True to his word the following morning I would be flying bright and early - at 7am. I'd been awake many hours and with the five hour time difference it added extra time on to an already long day. I had to get some shut eye.

Waking up the following morning bright and early (not long after 5am!) I headed to the Flightline. Since returning I was quickly informed that the weather was not what it had been when we left less than three weeks ago. It was apparently much cooler when the sun set and as was said I soon felt the chill (even after enduring the English winter for two weeks) of a cool Floridian January morning.

The aircraft was prepped and ready to go. Just one problem - mist. Unfortunately until the obscurity had burnt itself off it wasn't possible to get back into the air for the first time in 2012. To keep the plan alive I delayed the flight and went for breakfast at a local diner with three other students. Arriving back around 10am the weather had improved quite considerably and I was able to soon get back into the seat and head towards the runway.

The checklist had been thoroughly 'checked' and I sat there, waiting to make my first radio call of the new year. If I was to ask every student here the worst part of the flying (apart from the paperwork of course) the majority would most likely say it is making that initial radio call at the run up area. It's a very simple request to the controller and we have all done in many times yet it's one of those things that we all just have to sit there for all but a couple of seconds and just think - "what on earth do I have to say?!"

Luckily I got the first call under my belt correctly and it all flowed back. Within minutes I was pointing towards the sky and heading south. The air was still cool which helped the aeroplane climb much quicker than would normally be the case. Soon enough I was at my cruising altitude of 6,500ft. Aircraft configured, radio checks complete and check lists again re-checked I got to again appreciate some of the glorious views on offer here on the east coast of the United States. Only twenty four hours earlier I was being rocketed into the tropopause in a metal (well...composite...) tube containing some of Europe's latest technology while now I sat in an aircraft designed in the seventies (albeit kitted out with twenty first century navigation equipment) cruising at 117 knots (135mph) just a mile above the earth's surface. The difference being, this time I was in control.

Soon enough I was ready to begin the descent into Okeechobee, somewhere I had been many times before. With the terminal information gathered (the weather for the particular airfield and any other relevant information) I began the approach. One thing was for certain - it was going to be quite windy!

After a few landings (which went OK - safe but not what passengers would 'appreciate' had their been many in the back) I headed back to Melbourne, this time at a lower altitude of 3,500ft. This allowed me to experience a more detailed view of the landscape and get some great shots.

"FIT 37, cleared to land Runway 5."

So that was that - first flight of 2012 complete. Although it had been quite an effort to get myself organised and ready for the trip so quickly after returning to the US I was especially pleased to get it under my belt.

Again today I was scheduled for a 7am solo flight. As yesterday I arrived nice and early and again the weather told the same story - fog. Due to me also having a dual flight with my old instructor at 10.30am I unfortunately had to cancel the flight as I simply did not have the time to wait and fit the journey in before the following lesson.

I'm hoping to get my FAA PPL in as soon as possible and after cancelling the mock check ride before going home for Christmas this has now been reorganised for Monday. Before this I wanted to get a flight in with either my current or old instructor so that I was able to iron out any creases that had formed over the past few weeks on the ground while at home in Europe - and indeed there were a few!

Luckily I was able to get a flight with my old instructor who took me up for two hours and went through the majority of the procedures and manoeuvres that would be covered in the FAA check ride. It was great to get some feedback on areas I need to work on and hopefully there will be an improvement come the mock flight.

So, having gotten out of bed at not long after 5am for the past couple of days I was looking forward to taking the Sunday off to relax before the flight on Monday and the ATPL classes which start again on Tuesday but no, tomorrow morning by 6am at the very latest I'll be at the Flightline preparing another solo cross country flight. It's certainly not something that I am complaining about and I am extremely happy to be getting as many flights as possible under my belt as the CPL training lies only nine weeks away.

So, a busy few days and a few more to come - and that's before we start class again this week!

Next week I'll give more information on the final module including the subjects and the new changes with regards to the timetables.

Time for bed - another early start in the morning.

Enjoying Christmas

As someone once said “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

Having arrived home last week there was little time for rest. We moved home on Thursday meaning I spent the first few days of my time back here in the UK packing boxes and then come the 22^nd move to our new home. It’s not the best time to be moving so close to Christmas day but it’s nice to be somewhere new.

It’s also been great catching up with family and friends including a couple of late nights and rough mornings! What has been most interesting has been the lack of change here – it really does feel like I haven’t been away!

The biggest shock has obviously been the weather. As I mentioned when landing in Manchester, it was clear to see the UK wasn’t enjoying the delights of Florida but as crazy as it sounds, it’s nice to be out of the sweat box for a few weeks. Another downside of being home and moving house is the fact we are without the house internet for some time – it’s almost like losing a limb. 

Apart from Christmas day and catching up with numerous people I’ve also been to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United demolish Wigan Athletic. The ground is somewhere I used to spend a lot of my weekends and many a weekday evening and it was thoroughly enjoyable going back to somewhere I know so well.

The ATPL results were released last week but as I’m not in the US at the moment I will have to ring up tomorrow to obtain my results. Having spoken to a number of fellow students who have been lucky enough to already have got hold of theirs it’s great to hear of so many good scores – hopefully mine will be something similar!

So as the 25^th has now passed it’s time to continue to demolish the remainder of the food in the cupboards and look forward to the new year.

I started this blog early this year before starting my training out in Melbourne. The main aim was to keep family and friends updated on my progress but it seems to have grown a bit bigger than that with over 13,000 views from 85 countries and over 850 cities. It’s something I enjoy updating and hope to continue doing so in 2012.

Speaking of 2012, the year will hopefully bring the end to my initial training and switch over to airline job. I have three more months is Melbourne, two spent completing the final set of ATPL exams followed by the CPL course which should last just three to four weeks. Following this I shall travel to Ireland, more specifically Waterford, to take on the Instrument Rating before heading to the Irish capital to complete the training in the simulators. Following this it is will be time to await the airline’s word as to when and where the training will continue!

It’s going to be a busy twelve months but at this moment in time I’m more looking forward to new year’s eve and to whoever has been reading this blog I hope you have all had a good Christmas and are looking forward to a prosperous 2012.

Home

Whether it be in the centre of a bustling city or down a quiet country lane it’s always the same – it’s home.

We now live in a world where we can travel with ease across boarders at costs unimaginable twenty (even ten!) years ago. As the world becomes a smaller place and business moves ever more quickly ; the phrase “leaving the nest” has become a lot more distant than ever before.

There are certain times of year, different in different cultures, where those, wherever they may be, come together to celebrate or simply to reunite for old time sake. For those in the Christian world, this time of year is more prominent than any other.

Over the past seven months away from home I’ve worked pretty hard. Through long days and short nights it has been a rollercoaster of emotions and something twelve months ago I would never have dreamed of encountering. It’s almost been surreal but here I am, back to spend three weeks with family and friends over the festive period.

Having concluded the short stay in Orlando we headed to the airport for the flights back to our respective countries and more particularly cities. The flight to Manchester was delayed by one hour due to snow the previous day here in the UK; having a knock on effect on the airline’s schedule. As predicted the plane arrived sixty minutes late into Orlando International and the operation got underway to turn the aircraft around as soon as possible.

Plane fed, cleaned and refreshed we took off into the night sky and headed north east bound out into the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to some impressive tailwinds the flight time was reduced to seven hours meaning an on time arrival into the northern city.

Living in a climate that would feel embarrassed below twenty degrees Celsius, landing in Manchester where a frosting of snow covered as far as the eye could see was a bit of a shock to the system. The first time I’d seen the white stuff since I was last at the airport in January!

Touchdown was particularly impressive after a smooth ride. To add to a very good flight, spending only twenty minutes from disembarking the aircraft to leaving the terminal it was impressive to see the new passport chip system in operation – fantastic idea!

So here I am. Back at home. It’s been seven months; and it’s most certainly been worth the wait…

Operation Module 1: Complete

So they're done. Four exams and two hundred and ten questions over four and a half hours.

The exams were all taken at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne over three days. They were conducted by the IAA examiners and concluded on Wednesday afternoon.

Overall I thought they were as expected although the Instruments exam was something else and I'm more than interested to see what that particular result will be! Having spoken to a number of people who have taken the exam in the past the majority seem to find it the hardest to swallow of all fourteen.

Anyway, since Wednesday afternoon it's been four full days off from any form of aviation theory...well almost. In the evening I went out for something to eat with the rest of the class before getting a well earned lie in on the Thursday morning.

Thursday was spent relaxing and just enjoying not having to look in any books! Friday however was a bit different. I was in fact hoping to get a flight with my old instructor in the morning however having arrived at the Flightline there were no planes available.

Instead, we did ground school which was a little embarrassing. When becoming engrossed in the European material it is amazing how much of the American stuff I have come to forget! We covered different subjects regarding airspace, map reading and aircraft equipment - subjects I should really know!

Anyway, in the afternoon I was again hoping to get in the air and back seat a flight to Lakeland but again due to aircraft availability we were grounded. More ground school! I was kind of hoping that I would be able to avoid all forms of aviation related thinking over the six days off however I think it was invaluable to actually get back into it and realise how much I really do need to brush up on!

This morning I woke up early to watch the Manchester derby. Since Manchester City have seen unparalled investment over the past couple of years the team finds themselves the holders of the world's oldest cup, in the Champions League for the first time and making their way towards real title contenders come May. Thirty minutes or so into today's game I fell back to sleep and woke after the full time whistle - thank goodness I didn't want the entire game!

Anyway, having seen Chelsea lose and the thought of going to Tampa this evening (after I finish my flight plan!) on a night cross-country flight I am trying to stay positive.

Hope to have a post up about tonight's flight later in the week - back to ground school come Wednesday!

Visa has arrived...

Finally all my paperwork is now where it matters with those in Waterford (PTC HQ).

On Thursday my passport was returned to me with a new addition. The middle page was affixed with a US M1 (student) visa. The turnaround time considering the bank holidays we have been surrounded by is quite impressive and being safe in the knowledge that I now have completed is a great relief.

The whole process started in February this year in Manchester. Below is a recap of the processes I've already been through having not yet left the country.

Assessment day

The assessment was run in Manchester and involved a number of group exercises, written exams and computerised tests. The latter focused mainly on exercising the required skills involved in becoming a pilot. These included hand-eye coordination, mental maths and multi-task problems. Quite fun actually! An interview later and you await your fate. The whole process takes the majority of the day and begins bright and early at 8am.

Flybe selection

Having completed the assessment day I was put into the 'pool' which I received frequent updates on the list being reduced more and more. I was then offered a mock-interview, again in Manchester, before finding out as to whether I receive a full interview with the airline. It was a fantastic experience to receive first hand not only experience of a full interview but also the feedback offered by three men in extremely credible positions to comment and coach. 

I then received an email offering an interview with Flybe. Having received my time and date I headed to Exeter before finding out the following week. 

Medical

A night in Dublin and a day of medical tests later I was back home awaiting confirmation that all had gone to plan. Three weeks later I received my Class 1 IAA medical.

Visa

To train in the USA a student visa is required. This, as previously documented, involved a trip to the capital which was possible to fit into one day. The visa arrived last week.

The above is only a snippet of what I've had to go through and for anyone reading this that is also thinking about going along the same/a similar route, time and dedication are paramount. Having said that - if those two aren't there then I guess you're looking at the wrong career path!

I now await this coming week further information on Florida including outbound flights.

Penultimately, although not a follower of the Royals it really was a day to be proud to be British. There are two 'Global Cities' in the world today. New York and London. Friday, for me, showed the difference between the two hubs. It was a day for London and the entire nation to show what kind of a show we can put on. And it seemed to go quite seamlessly! Maybe not that British after all!

Jumping the hurdles

Last week I focused on the amount of paperwork involved in just being allowed to travel and learn on both sides of the Atlantic. It is very much built up like a 110-metre hurdle race. Speed and accuracy are of the essence. Jumping the different hurdles is proving to be difficult, tiring, time consuming and frustrating. However the final goal is always at the back of the mind and after leaping each hurdle the satisfaction outweighs any preceding problems encountered.

Last week's hurdle was most certainly the Class 1 medical all future and current commercial pilots much complete periodically to be allowed to fly. Having travelled out the night before, fasted for 14 hours and the medical beginning at 7.30am, I wasn't exactly in the best of shape for poking, prodding and even more paperwork. Having arrived at said time I began with eye tests. This involved initially what you would normally encounter at the opticians. It was quite embarrassing that although I could see the text the lack of sleep and starvation made it difficult to read the letters and words! Following this I had eye drops for both cataracts and glaucoma tests.

Paperwork again popped it's ugly head up throughout the morning. In between the dozens of questions I quickly completed my hearing test which involved sitting in a small room looking at a wall waiting to react to beeps in the earphones. If you've ever seen Mr and Mrs with Fern Britton and Philip Schofield it's just like that box but without the glitter. Following weight, height and blood pressure measurements I was sent for the worst part of the day.

The next three stages were very simple. ECG, blood tests and then a process of blowing into a tube. I'll come onto this later. Firstly the ECG took place with no problems whatsoever. I love how quickly private hospitals work - so quick and efficient. Then it was time for what I had been dreading the entire trip. The 'bloods.'

I'm very open in admitting I'm not the greatest fan of needles and blood. In fact the idea of a Saturday night with Casualty makes me feel sick even thinking about it. Who in their right mind thinks it's "interesting" as the trainee nurse said to me. "I don't watch Casualty - I watch the real programmes." Whatever rocks your boat love. Anyway, there is nothing worse than a student nurse standing there with a five foot needle (I'm not joking - honest!) while your strapped into a seat. Long story short she must have only just begun her on the job training as it took the senior nurse (on their fifth attempt) to get some blood out of my arm. Has left me with a lovely bruise as a memento. At least I got a free Lucazade.

Now that my torture was over I could start to relax a bit. I only had a few (most importantly non-intrusive!) processes left to complete. The next was the most peculiar. Sitting in a chair I then had to blow directly into this big tube which was connected to the computer. Apparently it is to measure the size and efficiency of the lungs and is only completed on one occasion throughout the career - I may be mistaken! I had to breathe in and blow out as fast as I possible could and hold for six seconds. The computer would then record the air flow and create this chart. I didn't really understand the process as at this point I was still tired, still hungry but worst of all down on the blood count but I did pass.

A urine test later I was then able to devour a lemon drizzle cake, Kit Kat and a bottle of coke to get the sugar levels back to somewhere near what they should have been.

A bit more waiting and paperwork it was now time to see the doctor who conducted a physical examination before giving me the good news he could find nothing wrong. All tests complete - it was time to head home (via the pub).

I'm a great lover of the art of people watching and the journey home was certainly no disappointment. Having played the 'Ryanair game' I'd bagged myself an emergency exit row seat with extra legroom for the short flight home. Another gentleman was also as fortunate on the other side of the isle. Having ordered a coffee and a small snack he duly went to lower his tray table in front of him. For both safety and practicality reasons the tray tables are, on emergency exit row seats, stored in the side of the seat. This elderly fellow was obviously unaware of this as he spent 10 minutes (and this is no exaggeration!) attempting to lower a table that simply didn't exist. After a good moan he finished his beverages and prepared himself for arrival. As he went to attach his seat belt for landing he discovered the tray table at the side of his seat. I've never seen an old man get so annoyed so quickly. I had a chuckle with the business man next to me as we descended into a murky Manchester.

Having completed the medical I now have to wait fifteen working days to hear as to whether I have been successful or not. I also now have to look forward to the visa interview in London in the coming weeks.

One more hurdle down.

Every story has a beginning...

I suppose this is where it all starts really.

In January 2011 I attended an assessment day in Manchester. Arriving early morning at the Crowne Plaza airport hotel I eagerly awaited the start of a day that would in effect put this whole process into motion and fuel the dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

The day consisted of a number of exams and computer based tests to determine both ability and suitability for a role in the skies. It was also a fantastic way to get a feel of what is involved in this fast (literally) moving industry. Luckily the day went very well and by mid-afternoon I was informed of my results. These marks led to an offer from the flying college. An added bonus was that I was also put forward for the Flybe Cadet Scheme run by both the pilot college and the airline. Flybe are Europe's largest regional airline flying from a variety of UK and European airports.

Fast forward to March and after much waiting and anticipation the call finally came to invite me for an interview at their home base in Exeter. Again nerves and apprehension on the long journey down the M6 and M5. Similar to the assessment day back in January, the interview went as well as I could have possibly hoped. It was then, again, a case of playing the waiting game.

At this point I was already hoping to start my training in May whether I did or did not attain the Flybe Cadetship. It really has been systems go since receiving confirmation. Forms, uniform, medicals, visas etc. all have to be sorted before my departure date to the States. However without having certain boxes ticked I can't tick others. For example, until I have a medical I cannot gain a US visa.

Anyway, Monday 14th March 2011. 16:30. I got the call. The lovely lady at the other end of the phone confirmed that I had been offered a place on the Flybe Part-Sponsorship scheme!

So now I know I'm flying out late May I now have to wait for my medical which I'll be taking in Dublin in the next couple of weeks. That will then allow me to apply for my US visa.

Roll on Dublin...