My blog has been pretty quiet since finishing my training and my first trip. Some of it has been because I was out of town (not enjoying sitting at the airport waiting to get on a flight), but most of it has been because I’m unsure what to write about anymore. I obviously want to continue my blog, but winter on the East Coast will stop a lot of my flying. I am also interested in getting a seaplane rating and doing aerobatics, both not ideal for winter weather. Also, trekking out to the airport in cold weather – now that I have to actually walk the 2 miles – is less than a pleasing idea. So it’s tough to get up. Today it was gusting to 31 knots, ouch.
I’ve pretty much come to realize I have to at least try to get my instrument rating. Flying was probably the worst thing to take up because if there’s a new challenge or goal, I’ll always want to try to get it. Now, it’s just working up the courage to do it. It’s not a thing to be taken lightly in my book. Not only is it more money and a time commitment, I have to convince those close to me it’s not a waste or a bad idea, specifically my boyfriend. I’ve been dropping the idea more and more, like originally doing a PPL, he’s not a fan. Now, for those who have read a good deal of my blog – you know that’s not going to stop me and I’m quite the stubborn person. It’s just planning it and doing it the right way. And then bringing it up to my mom, I think she’s realized by now I’m too stubborn to listen to her, that once I set my mind to something I can’t be stopped, but she still won’t be happy.
Then I have to build up 50 hours of cross country time – in winter. Most likely it’ll be slow going, especially since mid-January to mid-March I’ll be working with the NHL and won’t have any time to fly most likely, but then will have money to fly! But I’ve already started slowly going through the American Flyers Instrument Rating book, they send me the PDF for free, which was great and it’s much easier for me to read than the FAA Instrument Flying Handbook, which I’ll tackle later.
My master plan is to be able to pass the written and have almost all 50 XC hours before beginning formal training – but with Jake also being a CFII I hope during some XCs he’ll come along and “teach” or probably rather be a safety pilot. Also, the waiting period will help because the 152 is in the process of becoming IFR rated. But it would be kind of fun to fly the G1000! We’ll see what happens, I’ll keep you updated! And hopefully, I plan to have other things in the works shortly!