Kick The Tires And Light The Fires!

[Cole]

Ill start off by throwing a merry Chistmas out to everyone reading the blog on here. Sorry for the long gaps between posts but I've been really busy getting the last bit of studying in befor my exam which I have yet to book but will be while I'm in Penticton.

 

Iv'e just rolled over the 50 hour mark this morning befor the 4.5 hour trek in my trusty escort back to Penticton (be careful on the roads this winter, 4 rolled over vehicles between my house in Penticton and the hangar in Creston) and recieved my reccomend after 90% on my second practice exam.

 

Ill be writing a practice exam per day until I write the CPHEL Exam hopefully on friday (have yet to hear back from TC's Kelowna office but I told them Im ready to go with a few hours notice).

 

So after my last entry the next day was amazing, the sky was virtually clear, the winds were up enough to bring a challenge up high in the mountains, and I had the flirst flight of the day. In stead of flying the 300 we decided to seize the oppertunity and head back up into the mountains with the jetranger.

 

Man do I ever love flying up in the mountains! We landed on a few different hydro pads along the powerlines to the East of Creston, some crowns, a few pinnacles, and a couple of cirques... what great fun. I love to fly in that kind of environment! Its somewhat depressing knowing I wont be back into it for a few hundred hours if circumstances dont line up just right.

 

I solved my problem with the back pain, little bit of lumbar support did the trick!

 

That brings us to yesterday where we did more 5000ft+ landings in the jetranger, I did the startup totally unassisted (developing a bit of flow now, becoming a lot more proficient at the proceedures) and Wendell jumped out in one confined area to let me solo the jetranger and get a feel for it empty... while mabey snapping a photo or two off for me with my camera. (D'oh, wish I didnt forget the memory card)

 

I guess this is another milestone and the next one is the test.

 

So thats present and past, lets look at future a bit.

 

Ill be back to Creston on the first of January, or mabey very early on the second. I have 6 days to get another 25 hours, some of which will be spent in the mountains in the jetranger and the 300 and a few hours shooting autos and doing various review for my flight test which is on the 8th.

 

At the current rate Ill be out fighting some of you for a job on the 14th or there abouts.

 

As for the few people that seem to think I'm in the mountains and the jetranger too soon, I respect your opinion, but im more than certain my instructor knows whats best for me and when to do it and I don't believe theres been anything that has me in over my head thus far. A 16,000 hour pilot would not let me fly into these scenarios with his own personal machines if he wasnt positive I was ready and able, I am quite certain of this and have discussed it with him along with many other high time pilots at great lenght and have come to the conclusion that my instructor knows whats best for me as he is the only person who has actually flown with me.

 

Enough of that though, thanks for all the kind messages, you can bet Ill post again following the completion of my written.

 

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Cole

[Guest Jerry]

Ill start off by throwing a merry Chistmas out to everyone reading the blog on here. Sorry for the long gaps between posts but I've been really busy getting the last bit of studying in befor my exam which I have yet to book but will be while I'm in Penticton.

 

Iv'e just rolled over the 50 hour mark this morning befor the 4.5 hour trek in my trusty escort back to Penticton (be careful on the roads this winter, 4 rolled over vehicles between my house in Penticton and the hangar in Creston) and recieved my reccomend after 90% on my second practice exam.

 

Ill be writing a practice exam per day until I write the CPHEL Exam hopefully on friday (have yet to hear back from TC's Kelowna office but I told them Im ready to go with a few hours notice).

 

So after my last entry the next day was amazing, the sky was virtually clear, the winds were up enough to bring a challenge up high in the mountains, and I had the flirst flight of the day. In stead of flying the 300 we decided to seize the oppertunity and head back up into the mountains with the jetranger.

 

Man do I ever love flying up in the mountains! We landed on a few different hydro pads along the powerlines to the East of Creston, some crowns, a few pinnacles, and a couple of cirques... what great fun. I love to fly in that kind of environment! Its somewhat depressing knowing I wont be back into it for a few hundred hours if circumstances dont line up just right.

 

I solved my problem with the back pain, little bit of lumbar support did the trick!

 

That brings us to yesterday where we did more 5000ft+ landings in the jetranger, I did the startup totally unassisted (developing a bit of flow now, becoming a lot more proficient at the proceedures) and Wendell jumped out in one confined area to let me solo the jetranger and get a feel for it empty... while mabey snapping a photo or two off for me with my camera. (D'oh, wish I didnt forget the memory card)

 

I guess this is another milestone and the next one is the test.

 

So thats present and past, lets look at future a bit.

 

Ill be back to Creston on the first of January, or mabey very early on the second. I have 6 days to get another 25 hours, some of which will be spent in the mountains in the jetranger and the 300 and a few hours shooting autos and doing various review for my flight test which is on the 8th.

 

At the current rate Ill be out fighting some of you for a job on the 14th or there abouts.

 

As for the few people that seem to think I'm in the mountains and the jetranger too soon, I respect your opinion, but im more than certain my instructor knows whats best for me and when to do it and I don't believe theres been anything that has me in over my head thus far. A 16,000 hour pilot would not let me fly into these scenarios with his own personal machines if he wasnt positive I was ready and able, I am quite certain of this and have discussed it with him along with many other high time pilots at great lenght and have come to the conclusion that my instructor knows whats best for me as he is the only person who has actually flown with me.

 

Enough of that though, thanks for all the kind messages, you can bet Ill post again following the completion of my written.

 

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Cole

 

Two things, Cole:

 

(1) There is no such thing as, "Can't get in the mountains soon enough", and;

(2) If Wendy says you're good to go, well, like, "Duh".

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours and all of Wendell's,

jerry

[Cole]

Haha, thats pretty much my exact thoughts on the situation. One arguement 3 different people used was that I "Don't know what the helicopter will do up there"... Okay haha.

 

I love the sound of the startup in the 206, at some point today Ill find somewhere to put some of my pictures up and mabey even some video.

 

Ill pass on your wishes to Wendell when I talk to him later today, Wish me luck on the written, and Merry Christmas to you to!

 

Cole

[Cole]

Alright for the hundredth time lets try some pictures.

 

 

(Above) The other student lifting off on his first flight.

(Below) The good old 300 sitting on the ramp with a dead battery, Cole freezing waiting for the other student to show up with alternate power.

 

 

(Above) Myself landing our converted B3 C-GKVH on Thompson East of Creston

(Below) Again me landing GKVH, this time at a forestry repeater on the East of the valley.

 

I have more photos then most people could even dream of so Ill upload more as I have time over the next few days befor I head back to Creston.

 

Little update on the training side of things, My written is to be completed on the second and the eighth is still the target date for the flight test. (Meaning I have from the third to the seventh to fly 25 more hours, a fair amount of flying considdering theres 2 of us, we expect to have both machines flying at once for a good portion of the week.

 

Back to the books.

Cole

 

-Edited fer spellun

[twinstar_ca]

excellent pics, cole... keep up the good work!!! :punk: :up:

[Cole]

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks twinstar.

 

I cant wait to get paid for this :punk:

 

Cole

[Mark_]

Good work Cole...hope you're going to post lots more pictures!!

 

Mark

[ScottyJ]

Nice pics - I'm physced just looking at them. Good luck with the flight test etc.

[Daz]

:punk: :up: :afro:

 

 

Thanks for the photos. Keep 'em coming!

[dimit]

Hey Cole,

 

Not gonna wish you luck on the written tomorrow, 'cuz I know you'll do jest fine!!

 

Happy New Year,

 

D!ck