From the archives: Bring it on

The last few flights have been awesome. Bob seems to have been going out of his way to throw everything he possibly can at me. I feel like I’m flying in this constant maelstrom of information, sensations and new experiences.  Some of it I’ve coped with, some of it I’ve needed assistance with. Whatever the case may be I’ve certainly been on the edge of my comfort zone that’s for sure.

Bob never actually lets me reach my comfort zone. The second he thinks I’m managing he has another thing up his sleeve to chuck at me. It’s brilliant! A couple of months ago I would happily have pushed him in front of a moving propeller for the kind of stuff he’s been shoving at me. Now I have a certain grudging admiration for his deviousness. Seriously I’m having an absolute blast.

There’s so much I have to look forward to, Bob talks about diversions to unknown airports, cross country routes, various emergency scenarios that he plans on throwing my way. All kinds of weird and wonderful stuff designed to help strengthen those all important decision making skills. Again, something which I seem to be slowly developing.

I can’t describe the feeling of confidence and satisfaction I get from a preflight briefing where I can actually answer Bob’s questions. One where I can either rattle off or reason my way through the answers he seeks. I’m slowly cracking the map reading stuff, the local navigation and path finding.

Last lesson Bob shoved me into an unfamiliar control zone leaving me fumbling with my charts to find the ATIS frequency and then quickly think my way through my radio calls. I managed it. I may have been a little behind the plane, I may have benefited from a little prompting from Bob but you know, if I’d have been there on my own, I’d have muddled my way through it without causing too much mayhem.

I have so much to learn but seriously bring it on. I’m so up for it right now.