i'm bored.. so this is gonna be long.. since i'm in the midst of vnav and stuff..

a typical day in the office..

-brief with instructor-
-head to paraloft to grab my g-suit, harness, helmet and mask-
-walk over to maintainence to sign the aircraft out-
-walk out to the apron-
-approach the aircraft and remove chocks and bungee cord on prop-
-climb aboard, checking for generator off, ignition and starter norm, ejection seat pin and cfs pin is installed, iss to solo, 'off, normal, normal, 2 pins and solo'-
-pre-exterior checklist-
-exterior check-
-strap in-
-cockpit checklist, engine start (auto) checklist, before taxi checklist, brakes check-
-switch to channel 1 on rmu to get atis-
-switch to channel 2 on rmu 'clearance buck 310, ifr to npa 622' "buck 310 cleared to npa 622 as filed, i dme pass the tacan turn right 150, maintain 3000, expect 10 thousand 10 mins after departure, departure freq 270.8, squawk 2310" 'buck 310 cleared to npa 622 as filed, 1 dme pass the tacan turn right 150, maintain 3000, expect 10 thousand 10 mins after departure, departure freq 270.8, squawk 2310'-
-switch to channel 20 on rmu 'base buck 310' "go ahead buck 310" 'buck 310 taxi outbound, aircraft side number 73' "roger 73, have a good flight"-
-taxi out to runway-
-switch to channel 3 on rmu 'ground buck 310, taxi with information Bravo' "buck 310 taxi to runway 7 right, altimeter 2997" 'taxi to runway 7 right, altimeter 2997'-
-reach the hold short line, conduct overspeed governor checklist, before takeoff checklist, switch to channel 4 on rmu 'tower buck 310 take off ifr' "buck 310 winds 090 7kts, cleared for takeoff runway 7 right, switch to departure" 'cleared for takeoff runway 7 right, switching buck 310' switch to channel 6 on rmu-
-departure brief, elapsed timer hack and lineup check-
-pcl max, 85kts rotate, 2 positives 110, gears and flaps up-
-'departure buck 310 passing 1000 for 3000' "buck 310 radar contact, climb and maintain 10 thousand, cleared direct TRADR" 'buck 310 passing 1500 to 10 thousand, cleared direct TRADR'-
-ops check-
-passing 4200ft 'departure buck 310 cancel ifr' "roger buck 310, squawk vfr, frquency change approved" 'buck 310, squawk vfr, switching'-
-'sir, turn right 260, climb and maintain 6500ft. i'm switching up to channel 15, squawking 1200'-
-switch to 123.65 on vhf 'anniston radio, anniston radio, buck 310 with you on 123.65, anniston radio' "anniston radio, go ahead" 'anniston this is buck 310, requesting the weather, winds surface to 3000 and altimeter for the Mobile area' "buck 310, we have broken at 7000, scattered at 11 thousand, visibility better than 10 miles, winds are 080 10kts, altimeter 2998" 'roger, thank you very much and have a great day' "you're welcome, have a safe flight"-

after all that, i haven't even started on the low level vnav route yet.. what fun..

chiyu

i'm in the midst of vnav.. ie visual navigation.. 3 flights down, 3 to go.. supposed to fly an out and in to mobile downtown over at 'bama but.. cancelled due to weather.. but flying tml though.. provided the weather holds out.. fingers crossed.. visual nav.. what's that all about u may ask.. well.. i'm just starting off with it on the T-6 so we operate at about 2000ft.. high, considering we do it at 500ft on the T-39.. 2 more weeks before T-39 ground school.. another step closer to finishing up.. go go go.. 57 more days before i head home for the hols.. haha.. looking forward to that.. 2 weeks back at home will do wonders for me.. once again, i stand at this point of the road where i look back at the past and realise that alot's happened this year.. especially how i've progressed from api to vnav.. felt like yesterday.. but its long gone.. how i used to struggle with aerodynamics class to how i struggle with spotting my targets on a vnav route.. when i wake up every morning (esp recently since winter's rolling in) feeling 'a long long way from home~ and i miss my lover so~ in the early morning run~ when the cold wind blows~'.. army dudes will understand this.. formation flying is just a week away.. lots of studying to do.. feels weird now since hongye, raj and jermaine's back in singapore.. but soon.. soon.. i'll be joining them back home.. when the cold wind blows..

chiyu

i know i know.. real late on the previously promised update.. but i've been disgustingly busy mah.. i'm done with I-nav on the T-6.. now its on to vnav.. visual navigation.. just had my first flight today and boy was it disgusting.. my performance that is.. its cool flying so low and getting to actually 'bomb' my target but the amount of preparation needed for each flight, as well as workload during the flight is just disgusting.. -_-" sigh.. anyways.. about my cross country to charlotte.. the reason why i head up with LT Martin is that he was my 'on wing' when i 1st started flying here so i've flown several flights with him.. plus, he's a pretty nice chap so.. why not? we headed up there mainly to attend a funeral.. well.. he did at least.. his grandma, more affectionately known as 'farma' to them passed on a month or so ago and was cremated.. that weekend was just a family ceremony for them.. i spent most of my time up in charlotte with his family.. the 1st american family i got to meet.. and boy am i glad i met them.. this is something i've only seen on tv.. they were like the nicest bunch of people i've ever met.. they were really hospitable and from the way i saw them interact with each other, i'm really sure they are a very closely knit family.. they welcomed me into their home like i've known them for years.. his other grandma, more affectionately (again) known as 'mimi' to them really struck me in terms of her personality and care for her family.. she's over 80 years old and still drives about in her car.. she treated me like i was her very own grandson.. (yes.. i do realise i'm of a different colour).. what remains unforgettable was when she told me to 'visit your american grandmother when u have the chance'.. she even asked for my email/mailing address so that she and the rest of LT Martin's family can write me.. aww.. haha.. despite the low temperature at in charlotte, i remained warm at heart.. i'll take a trip up to charlotte again any day..

chiyu

just got back from Charlotte, North Carolina.. some pics for you..




that's me in front of the Charlotte Bobcat Arena (NBA)..




from left, me, LT Martin, Grandma, Aunt Trisha, Alyssa (Josh Martin's sister) and Miss Elaine (His mom)




the aircraft i fly in.. the T-6 Texan II.. check out the rainbow!




LT Josh Martin and i..




that's me..




some of my instruments onboard.. reaching 25000ft..




me again..

tired now.. will update more later..

chiyu

Day 174

time flies.. sometimes, too slowly, and other times, to fast.. i've been here close to 6 months and it seems like another kajillion years before i head back home.. on the other hand, kes and aleah have already gotten their wings.. kes, safely back at home, aleah, getting ready to leave for whidby island for Prowler conversion.. it seems so surreal.. people you see every week moving on with their lives while you are standing at the same old street corner, watching the world go by.. i guess this is how the world (or at least my world) looks like from the bottom up.. in another week and a half, 3 more, or should i say, the last 3 wso ftr trainees will be arriving and i will be taking over steven as the I/C as he pushes on for his final leg of the race.. 10 days ain't alot but yet, it seems a distance to me.. for now, i worry about hitting my point to points, making sure i interpret the approach plates correctly and remembering all my inflight procedures.. who knows, several months down the road, i'll be worrying about where to take the guys when the hurricane evac is issued.. or even further down, who can i swap sdo duties with.. life is one big worry.. well enough of my gripe-ing.. lets move on to the more exciting stuffs.. eh.. hmm.. i haven't got anything for that.. did i mention i was going to court next tuesday? for a speeding ticket? haha.. that's fun~.. eh.. how about i'm starting VNAV ground school tml? erm.. ok.. so much for being on the 'highway to the danger zone'.. yeap.. i admit.. its not all 'danger' and 'excitement'.. that's just an illusion the military likes to pull.. yes, i do get my frequent dose of vitamin 'G', i do see the world from the top down sometimes, i do get to wear green pajamas to work each day and my office is 20000ft above the ground but it IS hard work.. very hard work..

chiyu