ET's Info-Stew

Jenny's OB plans turned out not to require a year long commitement, but I still think now is the best time to do my flight training.

On Friday March 30, 2007 I took the private pilot written test and passed with a 100%! All the studying paid off, but more importantly I've finally officially started my training. In general, all there is left to do is get my medical certificate and start taking lessons. I'm going to contact the flight school this week in order to set up a schedule and get an instructor assigned. I could be starting my flight lessons within a couple weeks!

Jenny is greatly considering switching her nursing focus from ER to OB. The OB has a special training ciriculum that might require a one-year commitment. We had expected to be moving in early 2008, but if Jenny makes this commitment, we will be putting off moving for another half year. This change of plans brings up the potential for a new opportunity for me. I was hoping to get my pilot's license in 2008, but there wouldn't be much time left in the year to do it after we moved. That means my best opportunity to get my license in the next two years to to go through training here.

Mike took me up in his Ercoupe again today, this time to practice landings. He thought I did pretty well with normal flight last time, so he wanted to see how I handled landing. We tried going up yesterday, but the valley was so hazy that conditions were IMC the entire day. It wasn't a wasted day, though. Spending time at the airport, even just sitting there, is enjoyable. I must really have an affinity for this.

At 7:45 I checked the KLVK ATIS from our apartment (I figured out how to get good signal). Information Quebec said winds were calm, the sky was clear, and visibility was good. No doubt about it - we'd be flying today. Jenny came along to take pictures. I feel bad dragging her along for this, but she said she really enjoyed herself. After dropping Jenny off at a place she could park and observe, Mike and I headed back to his hangar. After we walked around the Ercoupe and added some oil, he pulled out the plane and tried to get it started. For thirty minutes he tried to start the plane.

The father of Jenny's friend Crystal, Mike, owns an Ercoupe 2-seater and stores it in a north-east hanger at Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK). He is a very nice guy and likes taking people up in his plane, if nothing else than because it gives him an excuse to fly. All he asks in return is a Mountain Dew, though I think in the future I will offer to pay for half the fuel if he takes me up.