A long awaited post on this blog, especially by dear little Heidi, is finally here...
Right on this blog!
Some Updates for the 29 days when James was M.I.A...- My back finally healed on the end of May..=) However physical fitness plunged to a 5-month low, and lagged behind other stocks (canoeing boys), for the time being...=(..
- James was also rather demoralised over the past 3 weeks for obtaining low grades (super low grades!) for his 4th and 5th sorties for his flying training.. Apparently, he was super sad and felt that his aviation future was at stake.. (will elaborate more on this later in this post..)
- Yet, James was happy from the 31st of May to the 3rd of June when he went to serve as an instructor in NCC East District Specialist Course Phase 1.. There, through visits to SI SPEC (the camp in Singapore where real army specialists are trained) and the SAF Warrant Officer School, and experiences of coaching and commanding squads of NCC soldiers, he sort of found his future calling (another one again!) to be a soldier for Singapore.. He like the feeling of staying in the army, doing military-related stuff, and interacting with fellow platoon mates and even the higher-ranking sergeants and officers.. (Maybe that can be an alternative if he fails to become an Air Force Pilot!) An officer, high ranking, with the responsiblities of defending the country put on his shoulders.. Sounds cool huh? (Let's see if I can talk more about this in my next post...=P)
Now, back on track...
I went to fly my 6th sortie for my fying training today.. It was on the second wave of the day (1120hrs take-off time) and the weather was clear and fine, and in line with my mood!.. This time, I went fully prepared.. I was not going to get the "just-passed" grade anymore.. Hours of intensive mugging and memorising flying stuff were not going to give me just 4 points out of 7 anymore.. This time, I was aiming for a 5.. I was absolutely ready to break the 4-4 pattern and get a grade 5, just like before!
Today's assessment was on climbling and descending. This would be a hard task for me and i was still not well-versed in Striaght and Level yet, let alone to climb and descend the aircraft, while maintaining it towards a specific direction.. However, i knew i was not going to be put down by my own limitations and some of the others who have gotten grade 4 for this sortie for my flight today.. This time, i made sure i read absolutely all the stuff available and practised flying mentally..
For straight and level,
- Check and Maintain reference point -ailerons
- Check and Maintain wings Level -ailerons
- Check and Maintain Attitute -stabilator
- TRIM IF NESSCESSARY! -trimmer
- Then, check and maintain height -stabilator
- Ball in the centre! -Turn Coordinator, if not use Ailerons, DON'T USE RUDDER!
- Lookout
For Straight and Level at low airspeed (75 knots),
- Push throttle to 2100RPM!
- Raise aircraft nose progressively to S&L low power attitute
- TRIM, TRIM, TRIM!!!
- WINGS LEVEL ah...
- Check speed, too high, lower power A BIT,, raise attitute A BIT..
- THEN TRIM!!!
- Check S & L finally...
See? I know my stuff..=P
But, but, but, shall not write the techniques for climbing and descending.. TOO LONG! Not that i don't know ok! haha..
Anyway, back on track, Prittipal (my primary instructor, sounds like Pretty Bao huh?) said i made improvments today.. However, in terms of maintaining wings level and coordination of the different controls, i still need to improve! (Well, it's tough you know.. You would need at least weeks of practise, i estimate, to know exactly when you depress or turn the specific controls simultaneously and the duration and degree they should be deflected to fly the plane efficiently).. Said Pretty Bao that he would consider promoting me to the second phase if i made further improvements in the next sortie (sortie 7!! all the instructors and flying students have been emphasising a lot on it.. Sortie 7!!) as my performance for the previous flights have been "very average" so far.. So I MUST WORK HARD!!!
To conclude, i broke my 4-4 pattern and got 5 today, which has made me damn happy and the glimmer of hope can be seen again.. James shall continue to work hard and eventually make it second phase, and then Private Pilot Liscense (PPL!)..
Should he, i repeat, SHOULD HE fail, hmmm... There's still the army.. believe NCC experience should be able to help a lot..:P
HAHA Cheers,
take care everyone!
Joyful James , do comment
0118hrs
08/06/2006
