There once was a man who flew in to Boston and wanted to have some of their famous tasty small cod, oft referred to as scrod.
So, leaving the airport he got in a taxi and asked the driver:
"Can you take me to where I can get scrod around here?"
The driver replied: "Sure," said the cabdriver. "I know a few places and get asked that a lot... but I can tell you it's not often I hear someone use the past pluperfect subjunctive anymore!"
In short, I am now scrod.
Hadn't heard from my primary instructor since December 10. He's off doing charters for the company and apparently doesn't get or respond to texts etc while doing so as they oft go international this time of year.
All other instructors were stating I'm ready, but they couldn't and can't sign me off.
Finally still not hearing from my primary, I call the school today and talk to the head instructor after not hearing back from mine and she says I can book it now, but their preferred examiner is now not available until January 19 and others similarly won't be available given the time of year.
Well, great.
Problem is, I have surgery set for January 13 (more on that upcoming fun later and the fun I've been having leading up to it) that will knock me off flying for at least 8 weeks at best and possibly longer.
Oh, and my flight review is due in March 2022, too.
So I'm ready now, but will now have to spend a lot more time and money to retrain, and then get back up to proficiency after not flying for a few months to do the test.
I'll have to keep studying ground stuff at the same intensity for even more months, including remembering the really important stuff like how the inside of an altimeter works and how to explain the electrical system of the plane down to the last resistor (yes, their preferred examiner really gets off on you having to explain the entire electrical diagram in the POH and correctly identifying all the unmarked electrical symbols on the diagram - for your IFR exam no less), and of course how to do the paper Nav performance and wind correction heading calculations that no one uses in real flying anymore.
I also now have to pay for and do a flight review (would have been automatic with a new rating, now I need to hire an instructor to get that done - potentially post-haste as it expires in March), and all that due to people not doing what they are supposed to do. Really hate that.
Should simply tell myself there's no rush and I'll do it when I do it, and what's another additional unnecessary kilobuck, or two, or three, down the drain when dealing with flying, which is exactly what is now going to happen.
But, I was sure as heck primed and ready now for both the ground and air portions. Drat.
3 comments:
That is bullshit... But also typical aviation. Sorry...
"Here's the fid, kid."
Nothing much changes. Knowing every wire of the electrical system is going to be of what use if there's a problem; it's not as though you're going to slide under the panel in solid IFR and rewire something. It's more hazing than anything else.
Old NFO: Too true I don't mind his being busy on charters that's important too, but responding to texts sent to him weeks ago and telling me to book it then would have helped a lot.
I've found aviation is always:
More expensive than expected (Never believe a flight school estimated budget for anything, hell, add 50%-100% to get to a realistic number);
More time-consuming than expected; and
More frustration than expected.
Comrade Misfit: Yep it really is. I figure being forced to memorize and explain information not useful to actual flying is done only to weed out those who don't or can't sit and memorize this crap and as you say, hazing.
I mean, I'm so glad I know there's aneroid wafers in an altimeter, or if the calibrated leak in the VSI is hooked to the diaphragm or outside the diaphragm in the case of the instrument, very useful info when flying so I can disassemble and fix it in flight along with the electrical system, right? But apparently it's all fair game to get your Instrument rating.
Imagine if everyone getting a drivers license had to explain how an internal combustion engine, transmission, and brake system works as well as all the wiring in a car. It's kinda ridiculous.
Post a Comment