Nice landing ! Captain Mekhiya ! Friday, March 09, 2007
I have been working to get Private Pilot License for last few months. I had target to go solo (start flying all alone) in feb last week and give a checkride (final exam where you fly with US gov. appointed Examiner from Federal aviation), howeevr everything got delayed bcos of bad weather & rain in feb. I am suppose to fly VFR(visual flight rules), these are set of regulations/rules imposed because of weather conditions. low cloud layers or bumpy wind or any weather unusual conditions cancels vfr flying.
but anyways i am back on track and now shooting for April.
i am waiting to get that small piece paper called "License" in my hand, which will read
"Pilot Nitin Mekhiya"
my instructor was telling today that "its really wonderful to be a Pilot, I walk inside a store with some doctor. other guy says, I am a doctor and I say : I am a pilot, and you know people just look at me"
I agree with him absolutely.
In last 2-3 months I had many similar experiences.
I take Bart(bay Area rapid Transit) Trains from Fremont to San Francisco. And I read my books/notes for my Private Pilot exam. As soon as someone sitting close to me notices something related to aviation, they go ahead and ask abt it..
someone: hey what are u working on ?
me: oh you know i am working to become Pilot!
someone: oh wow! really !
me: yap!
someone: you know i always wanted to learn how to fly ?
me: ok.
someone: isn't it scary to do landings ?
...
and talking goes on.
I have met many Desi who end up getting so excited that they give and take mobile number and say that they want to keep in touch :)
its fun when you start experiencing the charisma around you.
This is one of landings at Oakland international Airport
i was discussing this my instructor and told him that although i come across people who love and get excited to talk about aviation, i personally don't feel that way.
He explained that I don't feel any excited bcos I am working on it, I am going through lot of challenges, I have to do lot of reading, get up 4 in morning to reach airport at 6, fly 6.30-7.30 and then reach office at 9. While flying I am completely engrossed with all check lists & procedure, theres is no moment when i realize that WOW effect!!!
its all hard work & learning involvement.
its like when i was learning riding bike, i wasnt excited, i was worried about handling it and that continued till i actually mastered it and then riding was all pleasure most of the time..
Today was great day for me, cos i was able to do good landings and go one step further.
My instructor asked me to change the touch down point. When Pilot does landing, he is suppose to fix a target point at the start of runway, where numbers are written.
today i was asked to come close to runway and continue to fly parallel to runway and touchdown at different points. It was amazing experience and i was glad that i was able to do it after 2-3 landings.
1) the usual landing with keeing numbers as target and do touchdown on numbers.
2) & 3) these are shifted touchdown points which i was able to hit and do landing. You come close to runway and continue flying parallel to it and idle throttle (reduce power) just enough when you are exactly at your touchdown point. i have no idea how exactly i do it, its lot of adjustments of power, speed pitch and vision.
I did one amazing touchdown and my instructor said
"Nice landing! Captain Mekhiya!"
I smiled and said "roger" (roger means "all-right" in aviation)
posted by Nitin @ 10:55 AM,
