Helicopter Dreams

Nice end of the week, I passed the Air Law (AL) and Operational Procedures (OP) exams for the authorities today. Now I deserve a hell of a midsummers eve celebration, cheers!

AL (Air Law): QT (PASSED) LFV (PASSED)
OP (Operational Procedures): QT (PASSED) LFV (PASSED)
RNAV (Radio Navigation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
HP (Human Performance):  QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
COM (Communication): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
AGN (Aircraft General Knowledge): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
AGN INSTR (AGN Instrumentation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
MB (Mass & Balance): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
FP (Flight Planning & Monitoring): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
PERF (Performance): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
POF (Principles of Flight): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
MET (Meteorology): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
GNAV (General Navigation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)

I thought I could share my study notes that I’ve put a lot of time and effort in here on my blog. I’ll upload it some time, really good stuff!

So, now it’s time for a new round of theory tests. Qualifying tests at school followed by a test for the authorities in all the subjects covered in the CPL(H) course that will finish in the end of 2009. As I mentioned the first period covers four of the thirteen subjects and last week I passed the QT’s in Air Law and Operational Procedures. My plan now is to write these tests at the authorities on Thursday, wish me good luck.

As I did before, here is the status:

AL (Air Law): QT (PASSED) LFV (NOT DONE)
OP (Operational Procedures): QT (PASSED) LFV (NOT DONE)
RNAV (Radio Navigation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
HP (Human Performance):  QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
COM (Communication): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
AGN (Aircraft General Knowledge): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
AGN INSTR (AGN Instrumentation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
MB (Mass & Balance): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
FP (Flight Planning & Monitoring): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
PERF (Performance): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
POF (Principles of Flight): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
MET (Meteorology): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)
GNAV (General Navigation): QT (NOT DONE) LFV (NOT DONE)

After gone through two weeks of hard study, covering Air Law, Operational Procedures, Human Performance and Radio Navigation, I now need to study even more to pass first the Qualifying Tests at school and then the exams for the Swedish Aviation Authorities (Luftfartsstyrelsen). A couple of days ago I decided to check on internet for good resources in Radio Navigation and then I found this database with 14 000 JAA ATPL questions that you can use for free! A perfect resource preparing for the exams. The alternative would be to subscribe to the Oxford Aviation database, now that’s just waist of money, I’ll stick to this site instead.

So, maybe you’re interested to check it out, here you are: http://www.aviationtire.com/atpl.cfm

Now it’s time for a glass of wine, it’s Friday night for gods sake, no study tonight!

I just love the web! Today I found a perfect summary of the ATPL theory course, thank you Rob Groothuis for that piece of paper! Well structured, divided in each subject. For those of you that are interested to take part of it, just click the link above (links to the pdf document) and you’ll save some time when preparing the exams.

Thanks Rob!

So, what happened? After two months of silence, a Private Pilot Licence in my pocket, I’ve now decided to continue with the next challenge, the Commercial Pilot Licence. Why stop now? Now it’s just to mobilise energy to go through the theory and start looking for some financing (if you have some extra money, give me a call).

This week I started the theory part of the CPL(H) course at Flygteoriskolan. The theory part is pretty much the same as in the ATPL course except from some parts. And instead of studying full time for 6 months as in the ATPL course, this on is based on a lot of home studies, then you meet for 3 x 2 weeks in class and examination.

The first part that started this week will cover the following subjects, Air Law, Operational Procedures, Radio Navigation and Human Performance. For those of you that have gone through the ATPL course you know that it’s shit loads of reading. I for sure know what to do this summer, fun!

Tomorrow I’ll go flying with SE-JUU (see picture below) from Bromma airport, so if you’re in Stockholm and you see a black little bubble flying over your head, wave to me!

Since it’s nowadays very seldom that you get something exiting in your mailbox I was super excited yesterday when I had a mail waiting from the authorities including my Helicopter licence and a bill of 9.500 SEK. The funny thing is that I didn’t ever care about the fat bill, smart strategy!

What surprises me is that I haven’t done my first flight on my own yet…hmm…I wonder where I’ll fly? Will probably be nervous as hell, or not, I don’t know, we’ll see.

Still haven’t decided if I’ll continue with the Commercial part at Flygteoriskolan that starts w.20, still waiting for more information about the course.

I will quote my instructor “It won’t be the best flight you’ve done!” and it wasn’t but I don’t give a shit, because I passed the flight test! I’m since about 4 hours ago a proud owner of a PPL(H) certificate. The weather was OK even though the cloud base was a bit low from time to time, about 600-700 feet.

I started my certification at Västerås Hässlö Airport (ESOW) about 2 PM going through my files, my flight planning for the navigation part of the test, some various question etc. Then we went out on a 1,5 hours sweaty flight going through all part of my flight training. Felt a bit tense but overall the exercises went well. At 4 PM I could put my curiosity aside, the flight inspector told me that I had passed the examination….ahh, finally!

So, what happens now when “Mission 1″ is completed, CPL(Commersial Pilot License)? Right now I’ll just grab a beer and celebrate, cheers!

So, finally it’s time for examination! If the weather is OK tomorrow I’ll get in the car and drive to Vasteras Airport (ESOW) tomorrow morning after finalizing my flight plan for the navigation part of the examination. The weather forecast says about 50/50 for tomorrow, please Mr Weather Guy, be kind!

I’ve gone through the pre-flight planning (weather, flight plan, weight & balance etc), located my certificates (Radio, Theory, Medical), gone through the exercises in my head (quick stops, autorotations, engine failure from hover, 360 hovering etc), what else can I do…hmm? Go to sleep, tomorrow is D-day!

OK, so “D-day” is getting closer! I have booked a rehearsal flight lesson tomorrow to go through all the phases of the PPL(H) certification. No date booked but probably mid next week

A large cup of coffee, cleaning up my map (that has become a bit messy) browsing the Robinson R22 Flight Manual, that’s my preparation for tomorrow.

With a bright blue sky and about 10 knots of wind I made my last solo flight before examination today. I flew Bromma - Bålsta - Västerås - Strängnäs - Bromma during 1.6 hours. Had about 20 minutes of instrument training since I had the sun like a spotlight in my face on my way från Västerås to Strängnäs, good training.

I still haven’t heard anything about the CPL(H) theory course at Flygteoriskolan that will start this spring. I want more information before I decide how to do. Sounds a bit strange to cover about 80-90% of the ATPL(H) theory (usually done in 6 months full time) in 2×2 weeks and home studies.

Good news today was that I might get a date for examination during the coming weeks

Accumulated flight time: 47.6 hours

090114 Flight time: 1.6 hours