Flying Freedom – Part 3 – Conversion
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Flying Freedom – Part 3 – Conversion
Over the last month I have continued my dream to learn to fly and after my initial check flight in April, I have started on the path to not only continue to learn to fly but also fly a new aircraft. I am re-learning the basics of flying and undertaking lessons to convert to the Tobago TB10.
The Tobago TB10 is a four seat single engine aeroplane design for training pilots and private flying enthusiasts. It is not too different to the aircraft I have flown in the past which has meant that the refamiliarization has not been too painful.
This month I have 3.8 hours which is a little less than what I had hoped but there is not much you can do about the weather as in Adelaide over the last couple of weeks we have only managed a couple of good flying days, throw that in with my normal work schedule, family commitments and just life in general, I would say that I have been very lucky.
It has been a bit of an overload of information from radio procedures, weather, training area boundaries, basic aeronautical knowledge, performance and then trying to fly on top of all that.
Aviate, Navigate and Communicate. These are three words that my instructor has drummed into me. I know I am in a different place in my life from when I started on my flying journey 20 years ago, but somehow it makes a lot more sense now. That is not to say that my brain is not hurting from the information overload but I think I am more willing to take on board the information and look at ways of committing it to memory.
These last three flights have been building on long lost knowledge in areas like , lift, straight and level flight, medium level turns, stalls, forced landings and much more. It has been a great re-learning curve and great to be back into my dream again.
Aviate, Navigate and Communicate, again these words fill my mind as they have a real resonance with me not only in a flying scene but also in life. Too many people try to talk their way through life but their communication should be the last part of the chain not the first. Be the best you can be, build on your knowledge and follow the path of successful people before you. When you have successfully established yourself on that path then reach out and communicate this to your team and your mentors.
This last week has proved very interesting in many ways and has shown me both the bad in people but also reinforced the good in people. One night last week some things were stolen from my car, nothing much of value was taken just a backpack with all my flying gear in it, maps, licence, id, text books, check sheets, etc. Nothing of any value to anyone except maybe another pilot. The person who took the bag was obviously on foot as some the contents of the bag were found on the footpath leading away from our house. Unfortunately it had and was raining so the books got soaking wet but not damaged too much. I found some additional contents, including my pilot’s licence in a recycling bin around the corner. At this stage the bag, a hat, a high visibility vest and my security pass were still missing. A few hours later after searching the neighbourhood for my remains I got a phone call from CASA letting me know someone had found my security pass and high visibility vest floating in the Torrens River. I was truly thankful for this lady who took the time, firstly to retrieve the gear and secondly to report it. It really does restore my faith in humanity when people go out of their way to make things right.
All ended well with a flight this week concentrating on stalls and area awareness.
I look forward to blogging about this adventure on a regular basis as time goes on.
Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog and if the above is of interest, please comment and like and let me know what you think.
Yours in Success,
Dean Howell
Husband – Father – Entrepreneur – Business & Personal Development – Leadership – Connecting GeoSpatial Professionals – Fire Fighter – Pilot
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