How Aviation Ruined the Theme Park

Shortly after I got my first taste of aerobatics, I found a Super Decathlon I could solo after 25 hours dual. Now, I'm checked out in the Decathlon and I've got about 10 hours of aerobatic time under my belt. In fact, this weekend, I'm going to go get my first solo loops and rolls in.

So, when I went to Six Flags over Georgia with my fiancée and her church group not long ago, I realized once again that Aviation Ruined my Life. You see, we got in line for the new Superman Ultimate Flight ride which is where we stood for longer than two hours. We got on the ride and for 3 minutes we were thrilled with 60 mile per hour rolls and loops as tall as 11.5 stories.

Well, some of us were thrilled; others were somewhat disappointed. You see, if I had never become a pilot and had never starting flying aerobatics, I wouldn't have known that for about the same price as a trip to Six Flags, I could've spent an hour out doing aerobatics, that I could have done loops and rolls at 140 MPH instead of 60, that when the weather got too hot I could just climb a few thousand feet and cool off, and that the longest line I would have to wait in would be a 4 minute wait watching jets take off and land.

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.

I really appreciate comments so please feel free to comment on my posts. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Also, feel free to link back to your own blog in your comments. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed of the comments on this thread.

© 2008 — , D. Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group, LLC

Top 10 Reasons Flying is Better than Sex

10) You have something to do with your feet
 9) Inoperative equipment is placarded as such
 8) There's no such thing as a flying transmitted disease
 7) You're required to have sufficient solo time before you can fly with anyone else
 6) Nobody complains about the plane being too small
 5) You don't get in trouble if you're caught flying in public
 4) You can fly all month
 3) Pilot ISO
 2) A plane doesn't mind if you want to experiment with other planes
 1) It's legal to rent a plane for a few hours

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.

I really appreciate comments so please feel free to comment on my posts. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Also, feel free to link back to your own blog in your comments. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed of the comments on this thread.

© 2008 — , D. Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group, LLC

How Aviation Ruined My Life

I realized not too long ago that aviation has ruined my life! Unfortunately, at this point, there is no turning back. I'm going to have to live with the consequences of my actions.

I set out to become a pilot, I did become a pilot, and I cannot make amends. So, I've decided to use this venue to lament my situation and, perhaps, to meet others in the same predicament. So, this is a section introduction for my newest blog section I like to call How Aviation Ruined My Life.

Allow me to give you an example. There once was a time (about 4 years ago) when I could walk from my car to my office and I could look forward to the work day. Then, I became a pilot. Now, I get out of my car and I look to the sky and think, "Man, what a great day to fly." But, instead of flying, I dutifully and sorrowfully continue walking into the office and sit at my computer.

To make matters worse, about a year ago, I got my instrument ticket. Now, even on days with bad weather, when I step out of my car and look to the sky, I think, "Wow, about 400 foot ceilings! What a great day to fly."

So, the first way that aviation has ruined my life is that now, invariably, no matter what I'm doing (unless I'm flying), I wish I was flying.

I could be at a birthday party having a great time, but I'm still left thinking, "I should've taken him on a plane ride for his birthday." I could be on the best date with my fiancé having a great time, and I'm thinking, "I'll bet she'd love to go for a plane ride." Heck, even when I go out to dinner, I could be at the best restaurant around, but still . . . I'd rather have dinner at the Downwind.

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.

I really appreciate comments so please feel free to comment on my posts. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Also, feel free to link back to your own blog in your comments. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed of the comments on this thread.

© 2008 — , D. Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group, LLC

Communication Clarity Fail

So, you may or may not know that I write software for a living. Just like flying, it's always best to keep abreast of current literature and techniques so I spend a lot of time working on my software blog and reading other people's blogs about software. Sometimes, I even crack a book from time to time.

Yesterday, during the agonizing hour I waited to make my first solo in the Super Decathlon, I was reading a book called The Pragmatic Programmer. There's a section called "The Specification Trap" where I found this little jewel that truly epitomizes the communication awshit

This is a British Airways memorandum that was published in Pilot Magazine in 2006:

From British Airways Flight Operations Department notice:

There appears to be some confusion over the new pilot role titles.
This notice will hopefully clear up any misunderstandings.
The titles P1, P2, and Co-Pilot will now cease to have any meaning,
within the British Airways operational manuals. They are to be
replaced by

-Handling Pilot,
-Non-Handling Pilot,
-Handling Landing Pilot,
-Non-Handling Landing Pilot,
-Handling Non-Landing Pilot,
-Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot.

The Landing Pilot is initially the Handling Pilot and will handle the
take-off and landing except in role reversal when he is the
Non-Handling Pilot for taxi until the Handling Non-Landing hands
the handling to the Landing Pilot at 80 knots.
The Non-Landing (Non-Handling, since the Landing Pilot is handling)
Pilot reads the checklist to the Handling Pilot until after Before
Descent Checklist completion, when the Handling Landing Pilot
hands the handling to the Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot who
then becomes the Handling Non-Landing Pilot.
The Landing Pilot is the Non-Handling Pilot until the 'decision
altitude' call, when the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the
handling to the Non-Handling Landing Pilot, unless the latter call
'go-around', in which case the Handling Non-Landing Pilot
continues handling and the Non-Handling Landing Pilot continues
non-handling until the next call of 'land' or 'go-around' as appropriate.
In view of recent confusions over these rules, it was deemed
necessary to restate them clearly

Oh, thanks for clearin' that one up fellas!

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.

I really appreciate comments so please feel free to comment on my posts. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Also, feel free to link back to your own blog in your comments. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed of the comments on this thread.

© 2008 — , D. Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group, LLC

First Solo in the Super Decathlon

I haven't been posting much about my recent tailwheel time. Mostly because it has been going so well. Turns out, I don't tend to feel like blogging about all the good times and instead blog about the tough times.

Well, last night I soloed the 8KCAB at SkyBound Aviation and I've been approved to rent it solo from now on. The cool thing is, I also have about 20 night landings as well so I can solo at night too. I'll be going up next week to get some more dual for aerobatics, to get some more landings in, and to build a few more hours before I decide to take my friends and family for rides.

When I got back from doing my solo landings, my instructor and I had dinner with Evanthe (the lady who owns SkyBound). We were talking about what an accomplishment it is to become a proficient tailwheel pilot. It really is a lot of work and there are very few things in aviation that are more humbling. Evanthe decided that, even though I already have 200 hours and am an instrument rated pilot, my first Decathlon solo warranted another shirt cutting.

I objected of course because I was wearing a shirt I really like, but when my fiance showed up, she took Evanthte's side (and you can see the result). Anyhow, last night I got signed off to really learn tailwheel flying and I couldn't me any more excited.

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.

I really appreciate comments so please feel free to comment on my posts. Whether you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Also, feel free to link back to your own blog in your comments. You can even subscribe to an RSS feed of the comments on this thread.

© 2008 — , D. Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group, LLC