I was so pumped today all day because of the Civil Air Patrol meeting. Still haven't completely come down since my flight Sunday and I did an aeronautical test for CAP early in the week that kept my attitude elevated.
The test was called the Yeager Exam and it was 100 questions about the history of aviation. It took a long time, but was pretty fun. It was open-book too (there was a powerpoint slide to read with it). I turned on this epic conquering music and just went to it. The first 50 questions took a long time, but once I was in the grove, things went pretty quick after that. Most of the questions I knew the answers to already and would have been interested to take it once without reading the powerpoint and once with reading it. Although you are only given two chances to pass it.
One of the cool things about passing it is that you get an extra patch on your uniform. It's required for level 4's, however, if you take it before you finish level 2, you get an extra award. I just started level 2. ;)
Anyways, I was jazzed when I was taking it. It was like a massage to my brain. I LOVE this stuff!! It ignites something within me and only makes me ravenous for more.
So I finish the test with such a huge smile on my face and hit the "grade the test" button. You needed an 80% to pass and I got a 96%... which stung a little because I thought I should do better than that on an open book test. The head of our flight crew/my new instructor got notification of it, apparently, and wrote me an email the next morning. I get a little certificate with it too. <3
Anyways, so at the meeting tonight, he tells the rest of the senior crew and they congratulate me. Okay... so it was fun and a minor accomplishment, I guess... but it was pretty easy, so I'm not sure why all the fanfare.
So he asks me in front of everyone how long it took me to do the test. I just so happen to know how long it took because the epic conquering music track play time was just over 30 minutes. I had completed the first 60 questions at that point. Three more songs played after that until I was finished, so it was just under an hour or at most, an hour.
When he asks me in front of everyone, I'm a little embarrassed. All of these other guys know aviation backwards and forwards. Most of them are pilots. Surely this test must have been even easier for them and completing it in an hour would be laughable to them.
"About an hour", I manage to squeak out. I tried to say it as confidently as I can.
A silence falls over the room. Now I've done it. These guys think I'm an idiot for sure.
"An hour?", my instructor asks.
Now I squeak for sure. "Yeah..." I just know I'm shrinking back into my chair now. Maybe I can backpedal and say it's been awhile since I've studied or had a long day at work or something...
"One hour." It's a statement this time, not a question. C'mon, dude, don't rub it in.... Why'd you have to ask in front of everyone anyways?? He's not going to ever want to teach me again. Ever. I just KNOW it. This plus all of the questions I bugged him with earlier.
He laughs, but not laughing AT me. I look up. The room is silent. The look on his face is one of disbelief."One hour. I know guys who took 2 or even 3 hours to take that test."
And I think know who those people are because suddenly some of them are looking down. I don't think it really sunk in while I was there about what I had done. Although on the way home, I thought about how I should really have more confidence in myself... which will come in extra handy with this instructor. Found out tonight that he's pretty tough and doesn't let many people solo. It's okay - I like a challenge. ;)
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