Teaching ChinookDriver new Tricks!

[Ian J]

Started my multi training yesterday down in Leesburg, Florida at Triangle Aviation. I am having a blast!

The first day I arrived the owner met me and gave me a tour. Awesome facility; clean and organized; in-house maintenance; and even free bottled water. He also offered up the logbooks for the plane so I'd know it was airworthy.

First impressions are key, and the owner, Rhett, did a great job of making me feel welcome. You can tell he's proud of his little school.

I also learned they recently raised the rate on the Duchess from $150 to $170, but since I booked 3 months in advance I'd get the old rate. Thought that was a great thing to do. (170 still ain't bad.)

Met my instructor Joe- a very nice, laid back guy and a great teacher.

The plane is in good shape - has a Garmin 430 and an HSI - the ADF is inop (big deal!) and the interior is better than most trainers that age.

Flew 3.8 yesterday and did everything required in the PTS. Even logged some actual. Coming back yesterday the left alternator crapped out on us. Went to lunch, and by the time we came back it was fixed. That's good service!

This morning we went out and did instrument approaches, all in actual, which is always fun. Managed to handle the engine failures okay. This afternoon, its more maneuvers.

Checkride is on Thursday morning, then on to the MEI next week!

[Velocipede]

Well, its not like you don't know how to fly a big aircraft. Just don't try to autorotate a Beechcraft!

[Murdoughnut]

$150 per hour did seem freakishly low - I noticed the change on their web site the other day.

[Toria]

You go get um! Have lots of fun too!!!

[SeatClutcher]

Oh, is that where you've been?

I thought it seemed different at home...

[Chris_Ford]

Originally Posted by SeatClutcher

Oh, is that where you've been?

I thought it seemed different at home...

Insert joke about me leaving my pants there...

[aeronaut]

cool dude, how do you like the new tower they have at leesburg? i have yet to fly in there since it's been up. i'm sure it's gotten a lot busier there too lately. are they still only using one runway there (the second one was always not used)? most fbos at sanford used it as a private training airport back in the day.

[n57flyguy]

Sweet! Sounds awsome Chinook!

[surreal1221]

Good deal Chinook - enjoy it! Sounds like this place is a good organization.

[CapnJim]

Hey Ian! Best of luck! Let us all know how the Vmc demo and engine shutdown/restart go!

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

He also offered up the logbooks for the plane so I'd know it was airworthy...First impressions are key

Our flight school went out of business during the middle of my student's MEI checkride (initial CFI), right as they were about to climb in the airplane. I arranged later on that week to rent a Seneca from a flight school about 45 minutes away. When we showed up to get the airplane, they gave a couple of pages of photocopied pages from the logbooks. However, we wanted to real logbooks, because my student had brought along a list of all the AD's that applied to the airplane. They weren't happy, and were less so when we found an AD that had not been complied with. So they swapped the Seneca we had with one another instructor there was going to use, which he proceeded to take off in. So we then went through the logbooks of the other Seneca and found TWO AD's that hadn't been complied with.

When I told the owner that neither of his Seneca's were airworthy, he blew his stack and yelled at me about it, saying that the airplanes had been through dozens of checkrides and an FAA airworthiness inspection. He said he was doing us a favor to let us take the airplane in the first place, and that I should have agreed to his *his* examiner. I pointed out that using his examiner didn't magically make the plane airworthy. ;-)

He finally called in his mechanics (this was Saturday), and they went through the records, eventually signing off on the AD's. So, 5 hours after arriving, we had the airplane. The owner never apologized and so I walked away with a poor impression of the school. On the surface, it had looked very nice and professional, much better than ours, but the owner's behavior and attitidue suggested it was pretty paint over rotted wood.

[CapnJim]

And another thing Chinny, what were you thinking when this happened?

[Champcar]

How do you like flying the BE-76, I love that plane.

[SeatClutcher]

Originally Posted by CapnJim

And another thing Chinny, what were you thinking when this happened?

I'm going to guess he saw a Jack in the Box.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by CapnJim

And another thing Chinny, what were you thinking when this happened?

I think that is one of the RAF's Chinooks. But nevertheless. . . I love the guy standing in the doorway.

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by aeronaut

cool dude, how do you like the new tower they have at leesburg?

The guys working the tower in Leesburg are great. It's always funny to hear some old guy in a cherokee telling the tower what he's going to do instead of what they asked. It can get pretty comical sometimes.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by SeatClutcher

Oh, is that where you've been?

I thought it seemed different at home...

I thought you'd realize it when 3/4 of the food hadn't been eaten and the right side of the bed remained tucked!

Originally Posted by Chris_Ford

Insert joke about me leaving my pants there...

Here's how that would work: You'd show up at the door, then would be dazed and rendered helpless by the beauty who answered it. She would realize your nefarious intentions and use your bedazzled state as an excuse to publicly pants you in front of the neighbors.

Originally Posted by aeronaut

cool dude, how do you like the new tower they have at leesburg? i have yet to fly in there since it's been up. i'm sure it's gotten a lot busier there too lately. are they still only using one runway there (the second one was always not used)? most fbos at sanford used it as a private training airport back in the day.

The tower is great, and all runways are in use!

Originally Posted by CapnJim

Hey Ian! Best of luck! Let us all know how the Vmc demo and engine shutdown/restart go!

Thanks Jim! VMC demo and engine outs are a piece of cake! I was prepared for a lot worse and it turned out to be a non-issue. The first engine cut on the runway was a bit surprising with all that yaw and swerving, but I got used to it pretty quickly. And admittedly, flying around with an engine feathered is pretty cool.

Originally Posted by tgrayson

Our flight school went out of business during the middle of my student's MEI checkride (initial CFI), right as they were about to climb in the airplane. I arranged later on that week to rent a Seneca from a flight school about 45 minutes away. When we showed up to get the airplane, they gave a couple of pages of photocopied pages from the logbooks. However, we wanted to real logbooks, because my student had brought along a list of all the AD's that applied to the airplane. They weren't happy, and were less so when we found an AD that had not been complied with. So they swapped the Seneca we had with one another instructor there was going to use, which he proceeded to take off in. So we then went through the logbooks of the other Seneca and found TWO AD's that hadn't been complied with.

When I told the owner that neither of his Seneca's were airworthy, he blew his stack and yelled at me about it, saying that the airplanes had been through dozens of checkrides and an FAA airworthiness inspection. He said he was doing us a favor to let us take the airplane in the first place, and that I should have agreed to his *his* examiner. I pointed out that using his examiner didn't magically make the plane airworthy. ;-)

He finally called in his mechanics (this was Saturday), and they went through the records, eventually signing off on the AD's. So, 5 hours after arriving, we had the airplane. The owner never apologized and so I walked away with a poor impression of the school. On the surface, it had looked very nice and professional, much better than ours, but the owner's behavior and attitidue suggested it was pretty paint over rotted wood.

That sucks! Luckily this place is no where near like in your experience. The aircraft are tip-top, and the books for the duchess were fine.

Originally Posted by CapnJim

And another thing Chinny, what were you thinking when this happened?

Well, I was diving to gain airspeed for an immelman, but then all my air-medals started hitting me in the face as I rolled inverted and I had to abort.

Originally Posted by Champcar

How do you like flying the BE-76, I love that plane.

Love it! Though my only other multi has been a helicopter and I have little to compare it to, the duchess is pretty sweet!

Originally Posted by SeatClutcher

I'm going to guess he saw a Jack in the Box.

Do they have those in Florida!?

[SeatClutcher]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

Well, I was diving to gain airspeed for an immelman, but then all my air-medals started hitting me in the face as I rolled inverted and I had to abort.

Ha!

[scottyboy75]

Do they have those in Florida!? [/quote]

That would be Checkers. The food there is just as bad and just as cheap.
But I will most likley eat there on Thurs when I arrive home for the weekend.
Shane

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by SeatClutcher

I'm going to guess he saw a Jack in the Box.

Whataburger!

[jml2992]

Rally's? Or is that the same thing as Checker's? OOooooo....do they have Steak 'n Shake??

[scottyboy75]

They do have Steak n Shake. I worked at one in high school for about 3.5 hrs.

[aeronaut]

Originally Posted by Skillet

The guys working the tower in Leesburg are great. It's always funny to hear some old guy in a cherokee telling the tower what he's going to do instead of what they asked. It can get pretty comical sometimes.

Hehe, yeah it seems like all of the private owners who hanger their planes there all fly cherokees or arrows.

[Ian J]

Well, Leesburg Tower just went down a notch in my mind today. On the way back in I called them my position and intentions and they told me to enter a midfield downwind for 13. I was more set up for a right base, and asked for it. This what happened next:

Tower: "Okay, we got two coming in on bases from opposite directions and one on final, do what ever you want, just try not to hit each other."

(He said that in a very resigned, annoyed tone.)

Me: "Duchess 79Z will enter midfield downwind for 13"

ATC: "I don't care. Do whatever you want."

Immedietely after he said that he was replaced and a very nice and accomodating controller came on.

I'm not sure why he was so stressed - there were only four planes on the frequency.

Anyway - Checkride is tomorrow!

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

Well, Leesburg Tower just went down a notch in my mind today. On the way back in I called them my position and intentions and they told me to enter a midfield downwind for 13. I was more set up for a right base, and asked for it. This what happened next:

Tower: "Okay, we got two coming in on bases from opposite directions and one on final, do what ever you want, just try not to hit each other."

(He said that in a very resigned, annoyed tone.)

Me: "Duchess 79Z will enter midfield downwind for 13"

ATC: "I don't care. Do whatever you want."

Immedietely after he said that he was replaced and a very nice and accomodating controller came on.

I'm not sure why he was so stressed - there were only four planes on the frequency.

Anyway - Checkride is tomorrow!

Wow that is pretty crazy usually the guys there are great. Good luck tomorrow with the checkride. I'll be out there around 9 to go up, so in the words of Leesburg tower "don't hit anyone!"