The day started with getting my 7 year old son on his school bus. This involves a well orchestrated routine of snack preparation, homework in bag, scooter ride to the bus stop, chat with other parents, and good bye hugs. After swinging by the office, I met my friend and fellow CFII, Brendan,for our mutual Instrument Competency Checks at Augusta State airport.
My friend has a deal worked out with the owner of a well-equipped Bonanza 36, and I was going to finally learn about the elusive WAAS approaches! We filed and departed Augusta, headed to Bangor with a broken layer at 2000 feet, perfect weather to get some actual while learning power settings, autopilot functions, and the Garmin 430 approaches. After the GPS LPV approach to minimums, we went missed and held as published with the autopilot doing a great job and my brain sucking in as much as it could. This aircraft with all its gizmos is a far cry from the C172 (soon to be switched over to floats) I'm used to flying. I was having a hard time keeping up, but if pushing my mental envelope was what I'd signed up for, I was getting my money's worth!
Once back on the ground in Augusta, we both checked our cellphone messages (am I the only pilot who'd occasionally like to throw it out the window at 6000 feet?) Fortunately I had a message from a friend who deals Cessnas asking if I was available to go to New Bedford to pick up a new Skyhawk that he was demo-ing. After crucnching some quick time schedules in my head, I thought, "This might work." I asked Brendan if he'd like to alter plans. I still had to fly my legs to get my ICC done, but perhaps we could kill two birds with one stone (as opposed to one prop). He heartily agreed. We ran over to a local sandwich shop and grabbed a bite to eat before heading down to Portland in the Bonanza.
My leg from Augusta to Portland was uneventful and with the aid of Brendan's outstanding instruction (and patience) my arrival and landing were pretty smooth. I can see why these airplanes are so popular, and why they're deemed a "pilot's airplane". It was rock solid in the clouds and light bumps and very fun to fly (assuming you follow the numbers).
Once in Portland we met up with my friend and after quickly checking the weather, forecast to be scattered to broken at 4000, we were off VFR to New Bedford in a sturdy Cessna 172 RG. Unfortunately Boston airspace was busier than we thought and rather than being cleared into the Bravo airspace we either were going to have to go over at 7500 or head out over the water and remain 15nm DME outside of BOS. In vain we tried to climb over the crud at 7500. Seeing that that wasn't going to work out, we opted for the 3000' over the water and hoped that the engine ran as smooth as it had to this point (is it me or do all engines run rougher over the water? Or perhaps that's the sound of my gritting teeth.) The arrival into New Bedford was uneventful as we dropped off our friend to return the new Skyhawk while we took off in the RG back to Portland.
Weather in Portland was less than forecast as rain showers and low visibilities were scattered throughout the area. After trying to sneak in VFR, I finally admitted defeat and we ended up getting cleared for the ILS to Runway 11. Again, I was reassured by Brendan's presence and understood the adage of one of my former CFI's- "I'd always rather have a second pilot than a second engine!" (I'd actually like both, but we'll have to wait for Lotto to fulfill that dream!)
Once on the ground in PWM we headed inside to eat a cookie and check the actual weather, not just the optimistic forecast. I was actually beginning to see and feel what the life of a busy charter pilot might look and feel like. We'd seen a lot of airports, lots of approaches, lots of people, and the day still wasn't over! I was scheduled to teach our final ground school class that evening in Waterville and it was clear that getting back to Augusta and hopping in my car was going to leave me really late. But wait, we've a Bonanza sitting right here! You guessed it, Brendan kindly agreed to shuttle me to Waterville and I'd worry about how to get back to my car after class. Taking off from Portland, we stayed west of the "red stuff" (did I mention XM weather?) and had a smooth flight touching down in Waterville at 5:02 pm with private pilot students eager to learn.
I finished class on time and handed out the diplomas, ending with phrases that I'd stored in my own head over the years..."You're not a real pilot until you've taken the bus!" and "The superior pilot uses their superior knowledge to avoid having to use their superior skill!" I suspect we've all got our favorites, but the point was hopefully hit home...don't do anything dumb, this is really just a license to learn.
After class I asked one of the students who'd recently earned his private license to fly me back to Augusta, and he readily agreed. So at 730 pm I literally hobbled my way to my car and went home to pass out in bed.
Much of my life I've spent fantasizing about what it must be like to fly for a living. Sturdy equipment, exotic landing sites, technical avionics that keep us safe amidst mother nature's fury; but at the end of the day, I was probably like a lot of people who had put in a hard day's work...TIRED! But ask me tomorrow if I'd do it again. I bet you'd see a smirk come across my face and I'd think about all those people, airports, and picturesque landscapes and I'd nod, "You bet."
No comments:
Post a Comment