Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Guess what?

Flying continues to go well. I've been very busy with some secret side projects related to flying and aviation. Sadly, it's a bit too late right now to go into any detail about them. The following photo should speak somewhat for itself.


The private pilot's license is getting closer and closer. Currently, I'm logging instructor based "cross country" time. That's basically any flight longer than 50 miles. Today we flew from Charlottesville to Lynchburg and back. Lots to learn about charting, setting checkpoints on a map, using visual queues, radio navigation, and "dead reckoning." Interesting Wikipedia read on that term by the way. I did pretty well for my first time implementing several of the techniques.

Soon, I'll be logging my own cross country flights. I was fortunate today to get as close as legally possible to some cloud formations. I've always enjoyed flying among the clouds on commercial airlines. I didn't anticipate how magical it would be to do so in my own flying machine. Clouds feel as though they are very real yet angelic airborne life forms. Like whales, they float along in graceful silence wondering why we humans fuss about so many things in our world. Their beauty so powerful that it demonstrates instantly and precisely, the utter lack or need whatsoever to prove any point or have any agenda.

Yes, we can take lessons from them. Right now, however, I have more a mundane curriculum to attend to so that I can spend more time soaring among the white angels of the air.