Elevation

el·e·va·tion

/ˌɛləˈveɪʃən/ Show Spelled [el-uh-vey-shuhn]   

noun

1. the height to which something is elevated or to which it rises: The elevation of the tower is 80 feet. 

2. the altitude of a place above sea level or ground level.

3. an elevated place, thing, or part; an eminence.

4. loftiness; grandeur or dignity; nobleness: elevation of mind.

5. the act of elevating.

Last week consisted of a CAP meeting, an EAA meeting and a FLIGHT (!!!!), so lots of aviation goodies to update on.

I got all of the sign-offs I needed to become a Mission Observer, however, I still don't think I'm ready to be qualified. First, I may have completed the tasks, but I don't perform them perfectly. The pilot I flew with said you didn't need to and each flight would be a learning experience. Getting my rating was like getting my license - doesn't mean you know everything, but is a license to learn. Still, an Observer is supposed to be in charge of the mission and help the pilot. I'm more of a liability than an asset to the pilot right now. We're going to be a team up there, trying to help someone on the ground who needs help. I won't be much of help to someone on the ground if I don't know my stuff and have to have someone else take away time from trying to help someone on the ground if they have to help me.

Plus, I wanna be happy when I get my rating and feel like I've actually earned it. Perhaps I've internalized Merlin too much inside my head. The pilot on Sunday said I did a fine job and it was just a matter of doing things over and over and over. Merlin would have yelled at me for my performance. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it), I was/am much harder on myself than Merlin ever was.

The pilot I flew with knows of Merlin quite well and was surprised to hear that I knew him (and flew with him for about 6 months). I told him he was my former flight instructor. He winced and asked how my experience was. I dodged the question, half-jokingly answering "I take the 5th". He laughed and tried again. More seriously, I said how things may not have worked out for me, but I wasn't going to say anything about it. It was in the past and over with now. I just wanted to keep moving forward and leave that all behind me. It wasn't worth it. He was shocked and said how good it was/how much control I had to be able to do that. lol If only you read my blog... haha. No, I'm done with that. No more negativity in this blog.

After the flight, the pilot got a call from one of the guys on the ground radio. "The person you flew with...", he said. "Who WAS that? She sounded so confident...". That was a pretty nice ego stroke. I did feel more comfortable on the radios this time. Although, what they don't know is that it was my best acting to date. I didn't feel confident. Just tried to act it more. lol Oh well, fake it till ya make it, right?

I got to fly a little bit as well. Having to do my job while flying was a little bit crazy. I've been told trying to do both IS crazy, but you never really know until you are put in that position. Plus, it was from the right seat, so that's disorienting as well. The pilot would switch my display (we were in G1000) from the PFD (primary function display - where all the instruments I need to be looking at are) to the MFD (multi-function display - where all the nav instruments are... which I didn't need at the moment). That would throw me off a bit - airspeed would speed up or slow down and I'd get off course. I need to be looking out the window anyways.

At the EAA meeting, upcoming activities were discussed. Lots of talk about fundraising, which I am more than happy to help out with. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand then came the mention of building a plane together. I nearly blasted off in my chair I was sooooooo happy. I tried to sit still to not look like a total goober. Squeeing, acting like a little kid on Christmas morning and bouncing up from one's seat with a giant WHOOP!!!! are somehow not seen as professional. lol  I understand it, but I wish being excitable wasn't so frowned upon in society.

So the President mentions how he wants us to think of "wives activities" to have at the plane building sessions because "no woman wants to help build a plane or watch you build one". That comment was met with an intense glare. I'm sure he felt the heat from it because he looks over, laughs guiltily and says "Oops, sorry, except maybe you". I suggested that perhaps we try to get the wives involved. They may not be interested, but if you isolate them, then they definitely won't be interested. Show them what you are doing, put a wrench in their hand, or do something to get them involved if even for only a few minutes. Even if they aren't interested, they will appreciate being involved. Plus, who knows, you may awaken a love for aviation in someone who never knew they had it. If you only reach one, then you would have done your job.

The President also mentioned fly-in days and Eagle flights, where they take adults up for a flight who have never flown in a small aircraft before. I already talked with another group I'm apart of - The Geek Girls - about coming out for it. We're a group of females who love geeky things - science, museums, comics, etc. Collectively, they seem very excited about it. I'm excited too! I can volunteer that day and make sure all of my friends get to experience the magic of flight.

Last CAP meeting was on the G1000. Lots of good information, although mostly geared towards the pilots. Just think - when I'm a pilot, look at all the free resources available to me and I'll actually understand it all!!! I understood most of this presentation... but the presenter lost me towards the end. I feverishly wrote all of the terms I didn't understand to look up later. Once again, the only student pilot in the room... and the only one taking notes. haha  Guess I should be used to that by now.

Next week... or rather, this week... GAH!!! Tomorrow!!!!, I'll be on the radios. It's okay - I felt very lucky to have sat with someone who could show me the ropes a few weeks ago. Glad I did it when I did because I got sick after that and missed that week's meeting. I think this is actually good -- the way to become more in-charge in the airplane is to increase my confidence and I increase my confidence by doing things that I'm not comfortable doing. Besides, I rocked the communications in the plane on Sunday. It'll be okay, I can do this. I'll have a script in front of me this time. ;)