Last year this time, I was just passed my first solo in the Cherokee Warrior. It was not my first solo ever, however, it was my first time soloing in the plane I really wanted to complete my training in. Since then, I have experienced a range of emotions, mostly positive. I overcame many of my fears and finished my training in a very short period of time. When I say fears, I mostly mean anxieties of flying outside of my safety zone. I have not admitted this but I do have a fear of heights. Pretty strange, huh? I have always prided myself on being safe and prepared. Most of my landings are in the category of 'short field', as in placing the airplane where I want, within 100 feet. A friend, Carolyn, helped me to get over my cross wind anxiety and the end result is not sweating the 20 knot cross wind as much as I did before. My goals for the year are to start instrument training and also take more cross country flights. Most of my flights have been no longer than an hour in one direction. From my location here in Cleveland can take me well into Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, into parts of West Virginia and Virginia, and even Kentucky. Since my goal is to be able to take mini-vacations, it only makes sense to prepare myself for longer flights into new and exciting locations. While it is always fun to fly into locations such as Put-in-Bay (party center of Ohio and Michigan) and Kelly's Island, to fly into West Virginia and other areas to the south will be more exciting for me personally. I also plan to get checked out in the Piper Cherokee Archer, which is slightly more powerful than what I fly currently, the Piper Cherokee Warrior. On warmer days with 2 to 3 passengers it will be much safer with the Archer. I must say that flying the Bonanza was a very humbling experience! WOW, what a rush.
2016, should be a lot of fun as I continue to grow and move towards the Instrument and Commercial ratings.
Been flying a lot! Next step, Instrument Rating. Been to areas across Ohio, and this year I plan on taking longer trips and fewer local jumps. I did get checked out in the Cessna 152 and then the 172 Skyhawk, and find them both appealing. Plus, I am checked out in 3 airplanes and always a plane available for those last-second decisions to go fly. The most fun moments were taking friends from the Cleveland Clinic up for a trip to Port Clinton to eat at the Tin Goose Diner. I also flew into Put-in-Bay, just to say that I did. PIB is a weekend hangout for those with lost morals. (LOL I'll go back soon). The fun part was taking a few people up for their first small airplane ride and all but 2 will gladly go again. A couple relatives went up for short rides and can report back to the family that I was a safe pilot. Hopefully, the best is yet to come!
I am a two time organ transplant patient chasing my childhood dream. In 1997 I had a liver transplant and in 2007 I had a liver/kidney transplant. I applied for my Class 3 medical April 1 2008 and was issued on July 16, 2008. Now, its time to fly.
