Helicopter Dreams

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!

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.

FINALLY! Bell Helicopters have applied for a patent (CRASH ATTENUATION SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT) using an advanced system of airbags under the helicopter to minimize the impact when crashing the helicopter.

Really strange that no one have done this before. Would be interesting to see the tests of the airbag, I wonder where they got the kamikaze pilots to try it out!

No flying today because of bad weather conditions. Instead we decided to do the technical course that you have to do before examination. We went through the R22 Operating Manual, discussed the various parts of the R22, followed by a test that I passed, nice!

Had lunch at Bromma airport, followed by a visit in the Bromma Control Tower. Nice to meet the guys that you talk to on the radio and see what they do.

Still haven’t decided how to do with the CPL theory that starts in november…hmmm.

I pray for better weather next week!

Ahhh, great to be back up there! Nice weather and a nice feeling starting up the R22 after 1 month without flying.

Instrument training 

Started the day with som instrument training. First step was to try to maintain altitude, direction and speed with my eyes closed, shit that was hard. My mind played me some tricks, I had almost made a 360 turn and lost altitude. After that I had to fly with some prepared glasses that made ony the instruments visible to me.  Really good practice since you hade to trust the instruments. You realize that you really need to rely on the horisontal gyro.

Since we were out in the Stockholm archipelago we decided to have a lunch break on Grinda, a really nice place to land for lunch.

Navigation and solo flight

After a nice Fish burger, coffee and a snus we headed back doing some spot landings, navigation until we got to Ekerö where Jon wanted me to fly some solo. Felt very secure today and the about 30 min of flying solo was my best so far. This was the last part of the solo flight with a very satisfied and happy pilot inside…

Accumulated flight time: 23.1 hours

080806 Flight time: 2.4 hours

OK, after a month of vacation up in the wonderful northern parts of Sweden I’m back in Stockholm, ready to begin my most intence part of my flying. Target is set to do get the PPL in beginning of September. I’ll start tomorrow with a double session, then I’ll fly almost daily during rest of August. Need to refresh my mind tonight, check my wallet for some money and prepare for tomorrow, over and out!

Shit, need to sign up for the language test also, need to show that I can make my self understood in english…