First flight in simulator!!

Heya!

I have finally started my FNPT-II simulator sessions and had my first "flight" yesterday afternoon. It was cool taking the right hand seat for the very first time! It really feels so realistic and it does feel that you're in a real cockpit. As soon as you sit down, you have the complex looking Garmin G1000 in front of you and dozen of other buttons and switches. The view is also great. This is what it looks like. I will try to take some photos myself next time!

I flew for approximately one hour and a half. I started on the apron at Falcon Field Arizona. I taxied to the runway and then took off and made some climbs and turns. The controls are very sensitive and you really have to be careful because the slight excessive movement can take you out of control. I then landed and that was the end of my first flight! It was great overall but now I look forward to start flying with radio navigation and all that stuff.

Today I also had the Performance test. I think I did well; I just have to wait for the result. Anyway I'm off to start studying some stuff. Tomorrow someone special is coming to visit so I have to get some work done

;-)

Till next time...

FNPT-II Simulator: Take off tomorrow!!

Hi all,

Tomorrow is my first day in the FNPT-II simulator, so I'm going to be a step closer to flying. Obviously I am more looking forward to the real thing in the air, but at least I'll start getting a taste of what it will be like in the air!

Unfortunately, my first session came a bit at the wrong time, because on Thursday I have the "Performance" progress test and so I am very busy with studying. Ye, thanks to SFA and their really efficient planning, I have a sim session on the eve of a test. Next week I also have the "Air Law" test. So having so much to do and adding a simulator session to it is a bit hard, but again, it is all thanks to the highly efficient SFA planning... obvoiusly I'm being ironic. Anyway, I'll try my best ;-)

So, tomorrow at 1500 I'll be in the DA-42 Simulator for my first ever "flight"!! Until then... study study study!!!

Garmin G1000...

Hello there...
So, yesterday we had another briefing about the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit which we will fly with on the Diamond DA-42 Twinstar, both in the simulator and in the air. The G1000 seems quite a good gadget but it also seems a little bith complicated in theory... lots of buttons and switches to press and turn!! The photo below shows the G1000 on a Cessna 172.

I don't know whether these briefing are actually helpful or not. I mean, trying to figure out what all buttons and switches do in a couple hours isn't the best helpful thing you can do. Ye but they told us we can "practice" using the Garmin G1000 on the computer simulator... one computer for 16 people (at least...) Never mind, we'll wait for the simulator, which we were told we will start "soon" but the word "soon" isn't really a reliable word here!

I'm off because I have to drive to Brussels to apply for my Student Licence today.

See you all and best of luck to those still doing exams... they're soon over!!

FNPT-II Simulator briefings...

Heya there...
Today we started with our FNPT-II simulator briefings. We had a funny instructor but he's quite good. The simulator is a Diamond Da-42 Twinstar. The real aircraft is shown below. (Credit to Airliners.net and the respective photographers for the photos ;-) ) The DA-42 is equipped with the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit so it seems quite cool to fly. Ye I can't wait to fly the real one but first we have to do it on the simulator of course.

We have been told we will start the simulator sessions soon after we finish the briefings but the school said a lot of stuff and lately I started to take everything with "a pinch of salt". Anyway if we do start simulator sessions soon, it will be hell... lessons till 1730, simulator sessions in the evening, simulator sessions in weekends, tests?! Ye sounds crazy eee... welcome to SFA.

Things are going ok so far but ye, getting busy and busy each day. Next Monday I have another test, Mass and Balance so this weekend I'll work on it. I also have to go and apply for my Student Pilot Licence next week.

Good luck to everyone doing exams in Malta, especially to my girlfriend ;-) best of luck!! They will soon be over!

Anyway, I'm off to start some studying myself!! Till later!!

Good Luck for exams!!

The exam period has started at University in Malta so I would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone the best of luck for exams.

Most of all, good luck luck to my girlfriend. Exams aren't the nicest happiest moment of course but they have to be done, and they'll be over soon... best of luck qalbi!

As for me, today I have my BFC "checkride" in the afternoon. I did well in mst session so I hope I'll keep up my performance during the test!!

Off to "fly"...

Johnny turns 23...

Hello,
It's been nearly two weeks since my last post. Again, I was quite busy preparing for tests. I had another progress test of Radio Navigation (which is over next week with yet another final progress test) and today I had the second and last progress test of Flight Planning. That also means I'm done with Flight Planning as well for the time being. I did well in both tests and I'm happy with the results.

Last Thursday I also "celebrated" my birthday. Yes, I'm getting older... 23! Note the "celebrated" of course; my birthday "celebrations" had to include the studying for the Radio Navigation test which was on Friday. But at least on Friday I went a bit to Leuven with my friends. It's very lively over there and so we went bar-hopping around! So at least I did celebrate a bit for my birthday.

I also had another BFC session this week and I performed great in it. Next week I have my BFC "checkride" which will conclude the Basic Flying Course. I hope I'll do well!!

Anyway I'm off to sleep because in 7 hours I have to be awake again to prepare for a day of Principles of Flight and Performance.

Till next time!! (hopefully soon)

Birthday surprise...

Hello all
I havn't written anything for quite some time so I have a lot to say but I'll keep it very short. Last week we had 2 days of holidays so I had some time to roam about the place. I visited Aachen in Germany and also went to Mini-Europe in Brussels, next to the famous "Atomium". I have a couple of photos to upload so yes, more photos to be added to the list of "Photos to upload". Ye, I must find some time and put them up.

Anyway, on to more important things! This week, I had a big surprise... a VERY big surprise indeed!! Next week is my birthday, but I wasn't expecting such a great present and in such a way!! My girlfriend called me in the evening and told me to look around the room, because apparently my birthday present from her was here. And how could my birthday present travel all along from Malta to Belgium?! I looked around the room to find a BIG present, the Saitek X-52 Flightstick and Throttle (see pic below). My friends went down to Malta during the weekend and they got it with them. So ye, thanks a lot to you guys for bringing it up here!!

But above all, thanks to you my dear girlfriend for the wonderful present! I really appreciate it, but even more, I appreciate the planned surprise and all the effort behind it!! Thank you qalbi!!! It was a very big surprise. Thank you, thank you thank you!!

There were also cards & gifts from my parents, my sister and her husband and my cute little nephew and from my girlfriend's parents. Thanks to all for making my birthday a special day to remember. I really appreciate. Thanks everyone for everything and thanks again to my dear special girl ;-) XxX

As regards the course, I had two little progress tests this week; mass & balance and Physiology. All went well. Next week I have the second Radio Navigation test so I'm gonna be quite busy.

Anyway I'm off because it's about time I do some studying. Well had to spend some time trying out my birthday present ey?! :-)

Till later...

BFC Session 4... & visited Luxembourg

Heya! Time to write something...
Last Thursday I had my fourth BFC session. In this session, we were introduced to ATC, radio navigation as well as a 2-crew cockpit, with a "pilot flying" and a "pilot monitoring" so it got closer to the real stuff. We also had the chance to try out the new equipment, with three monitors, so the view was better :-)

I did quite well. I still have to improve some stuff but so far it's going well. In our next session, wind will be introduced so it will get a bit more challenging, especially in landings!

Last Sunday we also visited Luxembourg. It was really sunny and it reminded me of my days in Malta. I've got a couple of photos so I will try to upload them as soon as possible.

I'm off to start... take care everyone.

The dormant blog...

Hello... welcome to the dormant blog!
I know, I haven't updated my blog for more than 2 weeks! I have nearly forgotten this blog existed in the first place! These two weeks were like hell with tests and I was very busy.

I didn't even right something about my visit to Malta, something which I should have obviously done! Ye I was looking forward for that weekend! I arrived in Malta on Friday evening (that's 2 weeks ago) and was so happy to see my girlfriend and my parents again. The weather was brilliant, sunny and quite hot! Malta is so good for weather (ye Belgium, you wish the sun shines that much!) But the best part of Malta, was obviously the time with my girlfriend. I can't wait to go down again.

On the flight back to Belgium I also had the chance to go a bit to the cockpit and have a chat with the crew. They were very friendly and it was great to have a look at my "future office"!! I also witnessed the landing and it was so cool. Ye I can't wait to do it myself! :-)

During the past 2 weeks I had 2 tests as well, Electrics and Flight Planning, which is why I was really busy. I did well in both of them. Finally I have a week without any tests but May is going to be tough as well it seems. Today I also had another BFC session in which I did quite well. But I'll write about that tomorrow!!

Till later...

Basic Flying Session 3... and landing! 4 days to MALTA!!

Yoo!!
Once again I am late in writing something in this blog. I wanted to write this last Thursday but I was busy studying for tests; there's not much to do anyway!

Last Thursday I had my thirds BFC session and it was great. Things were pretty much the same as session 2 but more manoeuvres which need a bit more thinking were added, including taking time in consideration during combination of turns and climbs/descents. I did pretty well but I have to give more importance to the airspeed indicator. But really, there's a lot to do and think about when performing a simple climb or turn, and sometimes I miss something. So I have to practice more on that. Well, practice makes perfect ey! Session 3 was also cool because I made a full stop landing!!! I was given some instructions to descent and then "turn left heading..." until a runway popped up in front of me. It was then followed by "cleared to land..." WOHOOO!!! The approach was good but the landing was a bit bumpy. But ye, it was cool to bring the little bird down! I look forward to the fly the real bird of course! Below is a picture of the airport I "landed" in. Credit to the photographer and Airliners.net of course!!

Today I'm also very close to the day I'll visit Malta again for 2 days. That's next Friday and I can't wait for it. I'm looking forward to make the best of the little time I have with my girlfriend and my family. See you soon!! I miss you all! I'm sure it' going to be a great time over there. Tuesday... Wednesday... Thursday... Friday... soon soon...

Yesterday I also had the General Navigation test so yes I spent last weekend turning my flight computer around and working wind problems! I should have done well, just have to wait for the mark now. Next Thursday I have the physiology progress test, followed by AC Electrics on Tuesday. So, these 2 days are extremely busy because I have to study 2 subjects, since I'll be in Malta during the weekend and don't want to waste any time studying over there eh! So I'm off.
Till next time!!