My class mate Lu has his Multi rating and was going to go on a flight tonight up to Collingwood and Haliburton to build some PIC time.

I was going to go along for the ride until this happened:

070083 CYKZ TORONTO/BUTTONVILLE MUNICIPAL

CYKZ VDF U/S

TIL 0703302000

070084 CYKZ TORONTO/BUTTONVILLE MUNICIPAL

CYKZ ALL REDL AND PAPI U/S

TIL 0703302100

Runway lights didn’t come on when expected. We hung around the airport until 7:50 hoping they’d fix the lights, but no dice. Apparently there was some sort of power failure.

We’ll try again tomorrow.

I’m still alive, just extremely busy right now.

I did go flying on the weekend, but in the right seat. You can read about it at Marks Blog.

The two last credits I need from Seneca are being offered next semester. It’s going to be nice seeing my former teachers again. Frankly, I’m sick of my economics class.

My term paper for economics is due on Wednesday. My topic is the demise of JetsGo. What caused the company to fail (from an economics point of view) and has anyone else (ie, Air Canada, …

Argg!

My test is scheduled for 1300-1600 UTC, for which the TAF is forecasting 6SM vis in Fog with a broken layer at 1000′.

TAF CYKZ 130539Z 130618 18005KT P6SM OVC040 TEMPO 0814 6SM BR BKN010

OVC030

FM1400Z 23010KT P6SM BKN025 TEMPO 1417 BKN012

RMK NXT FCST BY 12Z=

A new TAF comes out at 1200 UTC – lets hope it’s more promising.

Went up yesterday for some last minute practice before my exam tomorrow. It was a beautiful day to fly: 5°C and not a cloud in the sky (although the ATIS was reporting few at 26,000′).

During my run-up I hear Ground telling everyone to contact Tower on 119.9 for departures. Oh no! I immediately flashed back to the “poker run” last summer.

I’m number three waiting to take off.. not bad. I decide to do a circuit before heading north to practice.

My second take-off was right behind a 150. The 150s are …

Got this via the Buttonville Flying Club:

On 5 July, 2007 there will be change in the classification and size of certain airspace near Toronto. Currently, the Terminal Control Area (TCA)extends to 26 nm with a floor of 3,500 feet ASL up to 12,500. The TCA is Class C mode C, meaning a clearance and a mode C transponder is required to enter.

A new ring of airspace will extend from 26 nm to 65 nm with a floor of 6,500 feet ASL up to 12,500. This airspace will be Class E …

Remember a while back when I went on the tour of the Toronto ACC? I had mentioned that my tour guide will be speaking at Buttonville at some point. Well, that time has come. This Monday, March 12th at 7pm:

The speaker will be Kurtis Arnold from Nav Canada who will talk about flying in the Toronto Class C airspace, including extensive changes to this airspace that will be coming along about July. I have heard him talk before about this and it promises to be a great and informative evening.

It …

There are 64,051 registered pilots (including Air Traffic Controllers) in Canada, only 4,021 of them are female.

And I thought the IT industry was bad.

The total number of pilots with ATPLs: 10,819 males and 496 females. There are 14,754 instrument rated pilots.

Aeroplane Licence Types

Number of Licences & Permits By Type

All of this information is current as of December 2006 and from the Transport Canada website.

I got the latest CFS from NavCanada today and was surprised to find a new look. According to the enclosed note the changes aren’t just going to be the cover:

While the cover of these publications look different from what you are used to, you should be aware that more substantive changes are planned as well. Over the next few months a number of changes will be made to the organization of data and the data itself that will both improve and standardize the products.

The letter also states that any upcoming …

Sulako’s recent post about stuck mikes gave me the idea to post all of the audio clips I’ve found with people in similar situations.

I’ve been in a stuck mike situation myself, but realized it before I made a fool out of my self.

Some of these clips may contain expletives, so be prepared.

(most of these clips have come from liveatc.net)

Circuit Training – This sounds like an instructor teaching a student how to land the airplane. This clip is over 4 minutes long!

Controller Change – This guy is talking like a mad …