The flight test that I have booked this Thursday might just be a go!

The weather looks “decent” and could quite possibly be good enough for the actual exam. I’ve already booked the time off work.

The flight is in the morning, which means getting to the airport for 7am.

I have already started prepping for everything though, as I have school tomorrow night until 9pm and wont be able to do much prep work then.

I also have an economics test tomorrow too.

When it rains, it pours.

There are two types of instrument approaches called precision and non-precision.

Precision: A precision approach is able to guide the airplane in both the vertical (altitude) and horizontal (alignment with runway)

Non-Precision: A non-precision approach is only able to guide the airplane in the horizontal plane.

The most common precision approach is the ILS approach. It uses a narrow beam of radio waves that the plane (or pilot) follows to the runway. Planes and pilots can be certified to perform different types of ILS approaches, called “categories”.

Each category has a set of restrictions …

I’ve added a new category to the website called “Australia”.

I’m planning a trip back to the land down under and I am looking into getting a PPL license down there so that I can fly.

I think it would be awesome to be able to rent a plane in Sydney, or Perth, and see the land from the air.

Right now the trip is tentatively scheduled for sometime in 2008.

Most big planes use an ILS approach. An ILS approach does not involve looking out the window at all, you just follow your instruments all the way down to the runway.

One of the downfalls of ILS approaches is that you cannot create “curved” paths to the runway. This means that you must have a straight line in and down to the runway. The MLS system was designed to fix this “flaw” but is not used at most airports (and most planes don’t have the MLS equipment on board).

The best way …

I arrived at the airport a little early to make sure that I got all the info I needed for the dual flight.

I had previously did less than spectacular on the pre-flight test and had to re-do a few exercises: The diversion, steep turn, forced landing, and precautionary.

I usually see paramedics coming and going all the time at the airport. There was an ambulance on the apron unloading a patient from an airplane. It was a plane that has been written about by Sulako and Clumpinglitter frequently. Just to confirm, …

SPECI CYKZ 271219Z CCB 11005KT 2 1/2SM -FZDZ BR OVC002 RMK ST8=

You know why if you can read the above.

Otherwise, it says:

“2.5 miles visibility in light freezing drizzle and fog. Overcast at 200′. There’s no way you’re flying in this weather buddy!”

Virgin America is trying to get a foothold in the US market. The Department of Transportation no diced their application and now VA has an online petition.

One of the coolest thing that they have showcased is their onboard entertainment system called “RED”.

Charles Ovilvie describes the system that they have developed in a video:

My lesson the other day was delayed because the runway friction index at Buttonville was .27. The minima for instructors is .30.

The Canadian Runway Friction Index (CRFI) is a way of measuring how slippery the runway is due to surface contamination. The scale runs from 0.1 to 1.0. The easier it is to stop on the runway, the higher the CRFI number.

The number is derived by using a decelerometer’s in a vehicle that zooms down the runway slamming on its breaks every 1000′ or so. The car is usually right …

There has been some discussion over the past few weeks for a get together for all of the “Blogging Pilots”.

The event has been spearheaded by IFR Pilot. Some pertinant details have been decided upon:

Date: June 23, 2007

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada (CYTZ)

The preliminary Agenda looks something like this:

Friday night – arrive when you can, and we’ll assemble at a local watering hole for a meet and greet. Dinner may be with the group, or on your own, as you so desire.

Saturday morning/early afternoon – BBQ at a local park.

Saturday, post-BBQ …

I’m trying to find a part time job to pay off some of my Christmas induced bills. The best case scenario would be something in the aviation related industry that I could transition into a full time position when I’m done school.

I’m impartial to what the tasks would be: washing airplanes, working at a desk, in a factory, anything really. Here is what I found with the “big boys”:

WestJet

Airplane Washer (Full Time)

Customer Service Agent (Part Time)

Airplane Stockperson (Part Time)

Porter

Various Customer Care Positions

Air Canada

Flight Attendant (Temporary)

Porter’s job descrition for a flight …