Another Year...

another truckload of money converted into noise+fun :)

Looking back over 2008, it certainly was quite eventful. I reached some personal milestones... like getting my PPL ;)

And started knocking off my CPL exams... only Met to do (and I am currently working my way through the study guide)

I managed to get rated in the 172 and the PA-28. I even did some aerobatics in the Warbirds CT-4A.

And I managed to get around a few different locations like Taupo, Rotorua, Whakatane, Opotiki, Pauanui, Whangarei, Keri Keri, Kaitaia, Kaikohe and even a scenic flight out to White Island.

I managed to do the odd bit of night flying and even managed a couple of night cross country's!

Hopefully 2009 will prove just as fruitful in terms of hours in the book... and hopefully might even include a sticker labeled "CPL" ;)


In other news I flew down to Hamilton on the weekend with the aim of joining up at the Waikato Aero Club... this should hopefully provide a couple of benefits (like access to a certified sim, membership in the RNZAC along with reciprocal rights at other RNZAC clubs and access to other training should I need it etc.)

Unfortunately, the usual office administrator was away, so I will need to go back again at some point and complete the paperwork. Although, I did run into Chris while I was chilling out in the Pilots Lounge... although I did not realise until I read his posting about failing to make it to Masterton. Nice to finally put a face to the name.

I also got a good wake-up call... as I finally came face to face with 'Cessna Bounce'. The grass runways at Hamilton have been baked pretty hard in the summer sunshine and it showed when the 172 hit it and bounced like it was on a trampoline. Thankfully, I had read somewhere that the trick is to give it a bit of power just after you reach the peak of the bounce to lessen the descent rate and break the cycle. So after the 2nd bounce (at which point I was starting to picture the aircraft stalling and nosing into the ground), I gave it a quick burst of power.

It worked a treat and the aircraft settled onto the ground nicely.

The landing after the return journey was much better ;)


This flight: 1.5 PinC
Total Hours: 172.0 (78.9/71.4 Day, 8.6/13.1 Night, 7.0 IFR)