As Paul mentioned in his Florida report last week, I was his and Lauren's guest at their beautiful home 6-10 November while working on H4 at Quest. Took 17 pattern tows over 3 flying days to get the spot landings - and I will admit that the person witnessing the spots was a bit generous. The written test was difficult also - it takes 80 percent to pass and that's what I got. I could quibble with some of the questions (wing loading is the ratio of weight to sail area, not the inverse), but who cares. Why bother to get H4? There are some sites which are restricted, not because they are particularly difficult, but they just use H4 as a crowd control device: e.g. Yosemite and Torrey Pines. Also, with about 85 more hours, I can start training for a tandem rating...
Then I drove up to the Jacksonville area for my dad's 85th birthday - my real reason for being in Florida in the first place.
After a short week at work, I took the FAA practical test for Weight Shift Control, Land (trike) this past Friday the 17th. The examiner is in Lynchburg (he's one of only 13 in the country for this category, class, and set) and I had to be there at 7 AM, so I pre-positioned near Charlottesville Thursday night and failed open at 3 AM of course, so was there early. Took an hour+ of dual to get used to his high-end $40,000 trike with a Rotax 912 (I guess he's afraid of the 2-stroke trikes people would show up with, so you have to take the check ride in his trike - at $125/hour just for rental!) and to get familiar with the local area - you gotta demonstrate non-GPS pilotage skills. Then several hours of oral exam. I was sweating, but the airspace questions on the H4 test were actually quite helpful. We squeezed out an hour before sunset for the actual practical test. Fortunately, I nailed the landings - all those spot landings at Quest probably helped - angles are angles, no matter what aircraft you're flying. Left the airport at 6 PM - with a 4 hour drive to get home. Two aviation ratings in as many weeks. Whew!
Took Sallie up in my own trike at Front Royal yesterday (Saturday) at sunset. This was a bit of a hurdle for her, but she allowed as how it wasn't that different from flying in an airplane with me. It helped that the air was smooth, if cold. - Hugh
Aviation ratings
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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John Anderson
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:25 pm
- Location: Vienna, VA
Hugh--
Mighty congrats on getting your FAA Weight Shift Control/Trike certification! and the H-4 accolades, too.
Was that (Sallie) your wife who went up with you? Mine did once, and never again, even if my landing were satin smooth.
I am thinking of getting back in. But time!? And assembly space! And time!?
-- John
Mighty congrats on getting your FAA Weight Shift Control/Trike certification! and the H-4 accolades, too.
Was that (Sallie) your wife who went up with you? Mine did once, and never again, even if my landing were satin smooth.
I am thinking of getting back in. But time!? And assembly space! And time!?
-- John
Yeah, Sallie and I have been together 23 years. I think riding on the motorcycle with me was a bigger stretch for her. Main concern was orphaning our son if we both died in a crash. I persuaded her she was safer with me than with my partner Steve after he took out that runway light... The new helmets are great! Steve is still wiring up the intercomm/radio/cellphone interface from the manufacturer, which will really make the experience. The helmets have an air dam that tucks under the chin so your face doesn't freeze.
You need to get your priorities straight: (1) flying, (2) everything else including career. As they say, no one ever said on their deathbed: "I wish I had spent more time at the office...."
Could you rent a storage unit to build in? Start spending money so you have to get serious about getting it done.
Gotta work more paragliding into the mix. May have to go back to regular airplanes while it's so stinkin' cold. Four seasons, bah! Who needs 'em? Three oughta be enough for anyone! - Hugh
You need to get your priorities straight: (1) flying, (2) everything else including career. As they say, no one ever said on their deathbed: "I wish I had spent more time at the office...."
Could you rent a storage unit to build in? Start spending money so you have to get serious about getting it done.
Gotta work more paragliding into the mix. May have to go back to regular airplanes while it's so stinkin' cold. Four seasons, bah! Who needs 'em? Three oughta be enough for anyone! - Hugh
