Category: fly

On paper, mod 3 is about general navigation. In practice, it trained something far less visible: the ability to remain emotionally level inside an unstable system. Towards the end of mod 3, friction had been accumulating for a long time… not through one dramatic failure, but through repeated pressure layered on pressure and an environment…

Flight training teaches you how to handle an aircraft.Decision making teaches you how to control yourself. I faced that call twice recently, circuits consolidation and my mod check.Both times, I WANTED to fly. I NEEDED to fly. But I chose NOT TO. Progress was already waaay behind schedule, and every cancelled sortie felt like another…

Forty days. Four subjects. 112 classroom hours, tho realistically, a little less once you account for the occasional off-topics discussions. Whoever designed this schedule clearly believes in the “sink or swim” approach. But to my surprise, it wasn’t as brutal as I’d imagined, maybe bc I stayed locked in during class, or maybe I pushed…

It’s been 10 weeks since my first sortie. As i write this, i’m done with phase 1 flying. Back to ground school next Monday, back to the routine. And honestly i missed it. 0630 gym, 0800-1530 classes, 1900-2100 study, weekend coffee runs. Comforting in its predictability. But prolly halfway through, I’ll be whining about missing…

Back from a break for pre-solo check This flight was my first one back after a 10 day break. 10 days doesn’t sound like much, and I didn’t think it would affect my performance that badly, but it did. I couldn’t even start the engine properly. Ouch. Something so basic, yet I fumbled it. It…

Sitting in my instructor’s office for circuit lesson 6 debrief. My instructor, all casual goes, “You ready for your first solo tomorrow?” like they’re asking what’s for dinner. “No, i’m not ready” I snap We keep talking, but my result in the RT listening test held back any solo plans. They look at my exam…

That morning’s flight still haunts me. After 2 circuits on 03R, my instructor asked, “Do you want to make this a full stop?” “Yeah…yes please.” I replied My head just wasn’t in it. It wasn’t like one big screw up. It was a bunch of tiny mistakes piling up before we even left the ground.…

I’ve finally sussed the taxiing on a DA40 which honestly is a real pain compared to Cessna 172 (and i already can’t taxi that thing properly either) There was one time on taxiway bravo, a long straight stretch, i was pedalling like a snake. My instructor, absolutely dripping with sarcasm and disbelief at how shockingly…