Hey Kim,

During half of November and all of December was nothing but bad luck with weather and scheduling. Just can't get frustrated though. I'm about 2/3 of the way to ppl going part time 3x per week. It took me about 6 hours of extra training for me to get comfortable with normal and shallow approaches because the margin of error is slim and it can be dangerous.

So I just got my endorsement to go solo (yahoo!) and I was supposed to take some baby steps, like hovering and maybe a pattern or two on Wednesday, but solo students have a 12 knot wind limitation and the wind was gusting to 16 knots. So instead of wasting another $250 on a lesson, we're hoping to do that Saturday. BUT is supposed to be rainy and windy then too. So then it will be Sunday. Fucking winter. Every other lesson has been cancelled at least these days. Ah well.

Anyway, I'm super excited. It's just starting to get fun. I started basically right after burning man so it's only been about 2 1/2 months part time due to my lame December. Also if you have a lot of delays in your training you have to re-learn some things.

I still make errors and will for a long time. There's just so much to remember. The tower instructed me to make a 360 turn around a hotel when I was on a final approach last time. So I obeyed, but my instructor corrected me -- you should not turn downwind if you are under 500 feet. Safety margin. The tower should not have asked me to do that. Things like that.

My takeoffs and landings are gradually improving, and i'm pretty sure I could do an autorotation if I had engine failure. I may break the skids but I'll liv and walk away. Good feeling.

This is a long process, especially if you are part time. One could go to the Florida main facility in Titusville, fly and train full time, and be done in 11 months. But I'd have to borrow $70,000, quit my job, move, etc. Then I have to try to get a job that can pay the $800 per month loan payment. yikes.

The guy just got his CFI and I may get him as an instructor. It took him 2 1/2 years going part time, and he took a summer off to go to Florida for his instrument. He is not a double i though (CFII). Very cool guy.

I am absolutely thrilled though -- I talk to guys that have awesome pilot jobs after being an instructor for 1000 hrs. One guy's company is 45 pilots short. Fantastic.

Anyway, thanks for the cheering. What is going on with your training? Have you started, part time or full time?

Keybank won't loan for flight training anymore so i had to apply for a higher interest loan with Sallie Mae. Some other options are in the works too.