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One day, September 24, 2000, I decided to go out to the Waterloo Airport to take a $35 intro ride in a Cessna 172. That decision, as it turns out, would determine to me that my future would be in Aviation. Ever since, I've been training to get my Private Pilot License. Once I get that done, I start training on additional licenses, like my Instrument Rating, Commercial Rating, CFI, etc...
Execpt for climbing, I have never found something that I have had so much fun participating in. It's a challange and a lot of hard work, but the payoff is amazing. On a recent flight from Mankato, MN to Waverly, IA, my instructor and I were climbing through some clouds when we broke out on top of the clouds. It was perfectly clear above and the sun was setting to the west... I wish I would have had a camera with me, as the view was *AMAZING*. I have done that in a commerical plane before, but to be flying the aircraft (my instructor had me flying when it happened), it was a totally different feeling. From that point on, my mind was made up.
The picture above was from January 3, 2001, a day that I will remember for a very long time... It was the day of my initial Solo flight. For a month I had been battling the weather to get my solo endorsement, and finally on that day, I was able to take the plane and fly it by myself. The date of the initial solo flight is a date that most pilots can still recite to you if asked.
After about six months of training, on April 4, 2001, I flew the same plane photographed in my solo picture to Forest City, Iowa, to take my Private Pilot Checkride with an FAA Designated Examiner, Ed Schoolcraft. After a 2.5 hour oral exam and a 2 hour flight, Ed typed up my Temporary Pilots Liscense. I passed :). The flight home, it felt like little 'ole 62842 was happy, because it was bouncing around. I refuse to believe it was turbulance :). I called up waterloo approach with something like "Approach, Cessna 68242 with you bouncing around over Allison at 3500', inbound for landing... you're talking to a newly liscensed Private Pilot". It was a great day! For the complete story, click here.
I have a lot of information in this section including an online flight log, planespotting tips, pictures I have taken of various aircraft, and a METAR (Aviation Weather Routine) Decoder -- figure out the weather at your airport! I hope the information that you find on this page helps potential pilots get a few good ideas about flying... Enjoy!
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