Texas Flyer 2010-05-29

I am on Southwest 461, Houston Hobby to LAX. Later I will board EVA Air BR015 to Taipei, and later again on to Hong Kong.

I completed my Seminole Multi-Engine Review Checkout last Monday at Anson Air, Sugarland (KSGR).

Over the week I gained some very useful IFR experience. The Seminole N2094C is equipped with a KLN 89B. A quite capable GPS system. The countdown display to the next point makes it very easy to work out when to descend to reach crossing altitudes. I backed up the routes with my GPS296 for situational awareness and a sanity check, and any appropriate VORs. I received some instruction on using the KLN 89B for approaches. I'd used the KLN 89B before but only for the en-route flight phase.

• Tuesday.
  • VFR (with flight following) to Fort Worth Spinks solo.
  • IFR back to Sugarland via the Fort Worth SID to CLL and the Blubell arrival and a visual solo.
  • Night Review with an Instructor.
    • Night departure from Sugarland.
    • 2 x Landings and departures at Wharton (KARM).
    • Landing and Departure at Houston Hobby (KHOU).
    • 2 x Landings and departures at Sugarland.
• Wednesday (with my Sister as pax.).
  • IFR from Sugarland to Brenham (11R), RNAV rwy 16 to the FAF where I cancelled IFR. We flew around Lake Summerville then landed at Brenham for Lunch in the 50's themed restaurant. Good food, well worth a visit.
  • IFR from Brenham to Georgetown (KGTU), Visual approach.
  • IFR from Georgetown to Sugarland. A very interesting visual approach: held at 3,000 by Approach until 2.5 NM final on runway 17 due to the Citation ahead of me orbiting ahead and a departure below us at 2,000 ft. The circuit was busy so to save more disruption to the pattern I continued with a straight in. No problem! The Seminole descends well with the Gear down and throttled back at full fine. I needed to land long in any case to avoid the wake of the Citation that preceded me. I picked up the power again on short final to stabilize at a normal descent rate before landing after the touchdown point of the Citation.

• Thursday (with my Sister as pax.).

  • IFR from Sugarland to Valley International, (KHRL). I flew the ILS 17R to get down through the scattered cloud with a visual break to 17L.
  • IFR from Valley International to Laredo, (KLRD) with a visual approach.
  • IFR from Laredo to Sugarland. ATC gave me a totally different but shorter route from filed which was good experience for me. I'd filed via SAT but went via CRP.

• Friday, I took the day off.

Flying High Again 2010-05-21

I'm on Southwest 368, San Diego to Houston, Hobby. It is 17:45 (California Time), and out of the window on my Left I can see Gillespie Field, KSEE; my base for the last week. A few hours earlier I was on approach to Gillespie Runway 27R PIC in a Cessna Citation II returning from Prescott, Arizona, KPRC. I went there for Steak and Eggs. A bargain at about USD 4,000. I have just redefined the USD 100 hamburger! Type rating courses and check rides major on flying the aircraft when things fail and maneuvers. After finishing my Type Rating Course I decided to get some experience flying the Citation on a normal flight. It was worth every cent.

I completed my Cessna Citation I/II FAR 141 Type Rating course at Jet Aeronautical yesterday, 20 May 2010. This was the missing objective that I had mentioned in a earlier post.

I received excellent instruction at Jet Aeronautical. I recommended Jet Aeronautical unconditionally. I'd had some TSA trouble in April on my last trip to the US (outside of my control; an apparent change in TSA requirements rendered my fingerprints invalid requiring re-fingerprinting and delaying my Flight Training). Steve at Jet Aeronautical went out of his way to re-schedule my Flight Training allowing me to complete the course as soon as I was able to return: thanks Steve. Jet Aeronautical offer a well paced course and I'll say it again: excellent classroom and practical instruction.

Over the weekend I'll try and relax. On Monday I have a Piper Seminole Checkout at Anson Air. Tuesday to Friday I hope to rent a Seminole to build multi-engine hours.

I have a C-500 Type Rating!