Finished up lesson 16 tonight by the absolute skin of my teeth. That stupid medicine makes me feel horrible and I knew I only had about an hour to study before I'd start feeling bad. Glad I made it though. This last chapter was on cross country flight planning and I can't wait to get to that part of training! It reminds me soooo much of my trip planning to Oshkosh. :)
I answered 30 practice test questions today at lunch. Was disappointed that I didn't get a 90% ... or even an 80% for that matter. Just need to learn from it and keep moving forward, that's all.
In the near future: Friend's bday party tomorrow night so taking a one-day break from studying, but need to have an early night because of 5k race coming up on Saturday. Tuesday of next week will be the PDK CAP meeting and Thursday of next week will be the EAA meeting. Hope to get in lesson 17 on Saturday, 18 on Sunday, 19 on Monday and finish up 20 by next Wednesday. A little far off from my prediction of finishing up Saturday of this week, but I'm still moving forward. Next will be working out of the textbook when I finish up the videos.
Sorry so short, but this little pilot needs to crash. I hate this medication and I've still got 2 weeks and 5 days of it ahead of me. Blah. :/
Showing posts with label exams4pilots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exams4pilots. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Haze
Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. Pilots experience low visibility in such atomospheric conditions.
Got in 17 minutes of video in chapter 16 tonight - only a teeny tiny bit. It was about cross country planning tonight. That's sooo cool! Can't wait until I get there!
Went to the doctor the other day, just for a recheck. My ear had started hurting two days before and when I told him, he told me I was about to get sick although I didn't feel anything except the ear pain. It's also not really my ear, but the canal between my ear and my throat. So he plopped me on antibiotics - the same high-powered kind that they use on the people who get anthrax in their system.
I hate it - it makes me feel sick. I don't get why they make meds that make you feel worse than whatever you have. Anyways, I had to take one after dinner and am not feeling so well now. Guh, I've got to take this stuff for 3 weeks. Blah! It's okay, it's okay - at least I got some work in tonight and as long as I'm moving forward, I can afford a night off. Health is most important to take care of, especially since I have a race coming up on Saturday as well.
Also, I took 2 quizzes today at lunch. Didn't get an 80% again and wasn't too pleased with my results, but I just need to keep plugging away. I'll get there, just have to give it time.
Got in 17 minutes of video in chapter 16 tonight - only a teeny tiny bit. It was about cross country planning tonight. That's sooo cool! Can't wait until I get there!
Went to the doctor the other day, just for a recheck. My ear had started hurting two days before and when I told him, he told me I was about to get sick although I didn't feel anything except the ear pain. It's also not really my ear, but the canal between my ear and my throat. So he plopped me on antibiotics - the same high-powered kind that they use on the people who get anthrax in their system.
I hate it - it makes me feel sick. I don't get why they make meds that make you feel worse than whatever you have. Anyways, I had to take one after dinner and am not feeling so well now. Guh, I've got to take this stuff for 3 weeks. Blah! It's okay, it's okay - at least I got some work in tonight and as long as I'm moving forward, I can afford a night off. Health is most important to take care of, especially since I have a race coming up on Saturday as well.
Also, I took 2 quizzes today at lunch. Didn't get an 80% again and wasn't too pleased with my results, but I just need to keep plugging away. I'll get there, just have to give it time.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Momentum
Just finished up lesson #15 (out of 20!) and I'm feeling very, very good. It's like when I run races, my body can automatically tell me if the finish line is coming soon, even if my eyes can't see it. I'm getting that feeling now - the only difference is that my eyes can see it this time!
I can't WAIT to take another practice test or two tomorrow over my lunch break at work! :)
Not to mention that studying tonight was a welcome distraction from constantly hitting 'refresh' on the MSN homepage for election results. :/
That finish line is rapidly approaching and I've got no CFI to sign me off. It worries me a little, but my inner voice tells me it will be okay and to keep pressing forward. At least this way I'll be ready for him when that time comes, and won't have to waste time playing catch-up. Plus, I still have my study guide and textbook to get through as well - the videos are just one step. A significant step, but just one of many steps I need to complete before going for that test.
It amazes me how much I know now. At the beginning, you look at everything and wonder how on Earth one person is supposed to cram that much information into their head at one time. Then you learn a little, step by step... and you still don't know *everything*, but you look back and see just how far you've come.
But for now, going back to nail biting over the election...
I can't WAIT to take another practice test or two tomorrow over my lunch break at work! :)
Not to mention that studying tonight was a welcome distraction from constantly hitting 'refresh' on the MSN homepage for election results. :/
That finish line is rapidly approaching and I've got no CFI to sign me off. It worries me a little, but my inner voice tells me it will be okay and to keep pressing forward. At least this way I'll be ready for him when that time comes, and won't have to waste time playing catch-up. Plus, I still have my study guide and textbook to get through as well - the videos are just one step. A significant step, but just one of many steps I need to complete before going for that test.
It amazes me how much I know now. At the beginning, you look at everything and wonder how on Earth one person is supposed to cram that much information into their head at one time. Then you learn a little, step by step... and you still don't know *everything*, but you look back and see just how far you've come.
But for now, going back to nail biting over the election...
Monday, November 5, 2012
Progress
10:44pm. I'm about to crash... no, not literally, but I'm fighting a losing battle with my eyelids and the guy in the video is starting to speak gibberish. Two signs I know it's time to stop for the evening.
Only had 18 more minutes of video to go until I reached lesson 15. It's okay, I know I know... This isn't a race and as long as I'm moving forward, it's okay. I get it, I was just excited about reaching a new milestone. Better to stop now then to push forward and have to repeat them anyways because I was too tired to understand it. Can barely stay up long enough to make this post.
A thought did occur to me earlier tonight though - in order to take the written test, you must have it signed off by your instructor first. How am I going to get that signed off so I can take the test when I get there? I guess I just need to focus on moving forward for now and worry about that when the time comes. Gawd, I'm sleepy...
Election day tomorrow, hoping for another 80% test and blue skies. Ya know, I'm hoping it's just being sleepy, but I'm getting more and more worried Merlin may come after me. Not physically, but try to ruin my aviation career by getting me grounded. He does that to people that dare to cross him, you know... I do feel much lighter without him though. Should have done it sooner. Maybe he was a boat anchor. Just hope he leaves me alone though. I just want to fly...
Only had 18 more minutes of video to go until I reached lesson 15. It's okay, I know I know... This isn't a race and as long as I'm moving forward, it's okay. I get it, I was just excited about reaching a new milestone. Better to stop now then to push forward and have to repeat them anyways because I was too tired to understand it. Can barely stay up long enough to make this post.
A thought did occur to me earlier tonight though - in order to take the written test, you must have it signed off by your instructor first. How am I going to get that signed off so I can take the test when I get there? I guess I just need to focus on moving forward for now and worry about that when the time comes. Gawd, I'm sleepy...
Election day tomorrow, hoping for another 80% test and blue skies. Ya know, I'm hoping it's just being sleepy, but I'm getting more and more worried Merlin may come after me. Not physically, but try to ruin my aviation career by getting me grounded. He does that to people that dare to cross him, you know... I do feel much lighter without him though. Should have done it sooner. Maybe he was a boat anchor. Just hope he leaves me alone though. I just want to fly...
The Private Pilot Practice Exam
I took two more practice tests today on my lunch break at work today. Put the ear buds in, turned the epic conquering music up and went to work with obtaining a passing score of 80% in mind. Each question I answered, I was chanting "80%, 80%, 80%" in my head.
...And the first time I didn't make it. Fell short by a lot actually. Then again, most of the randomized questions were about weather. I've yet to get to weather in my lessons yet.
No problem. Go over wrong answers, print out test. I'm getting this. I'm gonna make it. 80%, 80%, 80%... Restart epic conquering music. Set back to work again. Answer the questions I'm confident I know first and then go back to re-work the others. Fish around for a post-it note to calculate zulu from one time zone to another. Calculate magnetic heading... when two of the answers were 2 degrees off from one another. Check over answers, change one of them. I know one of them is a trick one, but I don't know the proper answer. Double check again. I'm not so sure... some of those questions are tripping me up. Am I gonna make it this time? I've checked enough times and need to stop second guessing myself. Time to see how I did. I position the mouse over the "Grade!" button and hold my breath... please, please, please, please.
The results come back: 80%!
I did it, I did it, I did it!!! My FIRST 80%!!!! I only have a little bit more to go and I'm almost there!!! First I need to make sure it's a consistent 80% all the time, every time and then go up from there. My boss was even excited for me and looked up the minimum score on the test - 70%. :)
...And the first time I didn't make it. Fell short by a lot actually. Then again, most of the randomized questions were about weather. I've yet to get to weather in my lessons yet.
No problem. Go over wrong answers, print out test. I'm getting this. I'm gonna make it. 80%, 80%, 80%... Restart epic conquering music. Set back to work again. Answer the questions I'm confident I know first and then go back to re-work the others. Fish around for a post-it note to calculate zulu from one time zone to another. Calculate magnetic heading... when two of the answers were 2 degrees off from one another. Check over answers, change one of them. I know one of them is a trick one, but I don't know the proper answer. Double check again. I'm not so sure... some of those questions are tripping me up. Am I gonna make it this time? I've checked enough times and need to stop second guessing myself. Time to see how I did. I position the mouse over the "Grade!" button and hold my breath... please, please, please, please.
The results come back: 80%!
I did it, I did it, I did it!!! My FIRST 80%!!!! I only have a little bit more to go and I'm almost there!!! First I need to make sure it's a consistent 80% all the time, every time and then go up from there. My boss was even excited for me and looked up the minimum score on the test - 70%. :)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Holding Short
Hold short: An instruction given by the ATC (Air Traffic Control) to the pilot, telling him to remain at the taxiway/runway threshold (usually because of other traffic in the area) and to wait until further instructed.
In last week's meeting, Merlin brought an aviation trivia game called "Hold Short". We had fun playing... or at least I did. There were 4 of us total. There were different levels with different levels of questions, based on your rating.
The boys started fighting over whose turn it was because they forgot. Seriously, the scene at the table was:
"It was my turn!"
"No, mine!"
"No, MINE!"
Silly boys. Aviation is for girls. But we had fun and I started enjoying the meetings again. Merlin told the others what a great job I did on the Gx60.
My training hit a complete stop after this, due to financial and medical reasons. Merlin wasn't happy and morphed from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde - "Do you want to be a pilot or are you just a thrill-seeker??", he told me angrily over the phone. He asked if I had given up. I was confused, nothing I had done recently indicated this. Sure, I have moments... but none recently.
I was so taken aback and wasn't sure what to say. I wrote a respectful email later, and said how I could be both a pilot and a thrill-seeker. I had spent the majority of the weekend inside, during beautiful weather, because I knew I had to make sacrifices in order to do this. Actually, I was feeling pretty good about my progress that past weekend... until the phone call from Darth Merlin.
So in the email, I told him that his attitude wasn't helping and outlined everything I had accomplished that weekend. I asked him to believe in me - that I really needed to do that for myself, but it would really help if he believed in me too.
I didn't want to go to the next meeting and found myself relieved that no meeting reminder came through my email. I messaged him - no response. I figured he must have been pissed about my response to him. 5pm - still no response, so I figured I was free. I got on my running clothes to run out of my frustrations.
I literally had one foot out the door when he texted me and said to meet in 20 minutes. I was furious. Learn to respect my time. I texted back, saying how I'm at least 30 minutes away. He doesn't reply. I waste so much time waiting for a reply that it would get dark out before I could finish my run. I was cutting it close as it was when I had one foot out the door. I grumbled, thinking he'd be upset if I didn't go and I really couldn't make it before it got dark, so I changed my clothes to regular ones and went to the meeting. DV Merlin was slowly becoming DB Merlin.
At the meeting, he did the unthinkable - he apologized in front of everyone. He told them that he thought I was doing a great job and he did believe in me. The whole meeting was kind of geared towards helping me, so I was happy.
We agreed for me to update him constantly on where I was on the videos and to email him whenever I finished a quiz (with the answers) on tests4pilots.com. He said it would be more productive and he could keep up with my progress more. Done!
I'd watch the videos at night after I got home from work and would stop watching when I got so tired, they didn't sound like they were speaking English anymore. I started taking the tests on my lunch break at work. One test was 10 questions, which he told me I needed to do more because the actual test was 60 questions. I had only gotten 15 minutes for lunch that day, so chose a shorter test. He was satisfied. I began getting feedback like "Excellent!" or "This is fantastic!" or "Good job!". Things were good.
I went to the meeting last night. Got in a run before the meeting and was quite happy to be able to fit all of my activities in. Life is good. The topics for the meeting were more geared towards the pilots, but I can still listen and learn. The meeting ended with Merlin asking how I was progressing in my studies. I was confused, but laughed and said he knew because I constantly updated him.
DV Merlin comes out and says I'm not working hard enough, as I haven't sent him a test I've taken in over a week. Actually, it was 5 days. I was too busy for lunch at work on Friday, I was out all weekend with my friends, too busy for lunch on Monday and too exhausted on Tuesday, so I took a nap. Granted perhaps I shouldn't have spent alllllll weekend out and maybe I can scale back on facebook to fit in some more study time. Still, I was taken aback from him praising me behind closed doors and berating me in front of everyone.
So the last flight we took, there was something wrong with the plane. Just an engine cylinder temp gauge - nothing critical and he was able to fix it. Even still, I asked if we should squawk (report) it anyways, just in case? He says we should, but people get upset at him if he does, so I asked if I should do it and he said no. He reported it and nothing happened. I asked a bit later if it had ever been fixed and once again, he said no. He said he didn't like having people upset at him, but was pleased that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
Last night at the meeting, he brings it up... but it still hasn't been fixed. He says he wants to show me the emails to prove he has reported it and that no one has replied to him about it. So he shows me the email and it says that I keep bugging him about it and its making him uncomfortable. This was the last straw - telling me one thing to my face and then saying another in front of others or when my back is turned is not cool.
I wrote him another email when I got home, saying I needed to suspend all CAP activities for the next two weeks. I needed to think about things. I'm tired of being treated like a yo-yo.
So, two weeks. I already think I know what I'm going to do. Doesn't make it any easier though.
In other, happier news - just heard the flight school I trained with is closing their doors at that location. Makes me feel better about the decision to leave them. See? Everything does happen for a reason and karma DOES work! :)
And there's a new movie with Denzel Washington coming out soon called "Flight". I have two free tickets to see an advanced screening of it next week, so R2 and are going to see it!
In last week's meeting, Merlin brought an aviation trivia game called "Hold Short". We had fun playing... or at least I did. There were 4 of us total. There were different levels with different levels of questions, based on your rating.
The boys started fighting over whose turn it was because they forgot. Seriously, the scene at the table was:
"It was my turn!"
"No, mine!"
"No, MINE!"
Silly boys. Aviation is for girls. But we had fun and I started enjoying the meetings again. Merlin told the others what a great job I did on the Gx60.
My training hit a complete stop after this, due to financial and medical reasons. Merlin wasn't happy and morphed from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde - "Do you want to be a pilot or are you just a thrill-seeker??", he told me angrily over the phone. He asked if I had given up. I was confused, nothing I had done recently indicated this. Sure, I have moments... but none recently.
I was so taken aback and wasn't sure what to say. I wrote a respectful email later, and said how I could be both a pilot and a thrill-seeker. I had spent the majority of the weekend inside, during beautiful weather, because I knew I had to make sacrifices in order to do this. Actually, I was feeling pretty good about my progress that past weekend... until the phone call from Darth Merlin.
So in the email, I told him that his attitude wasn't helping and outlined everything I had accomplished that weekend. I asked him to believe in me - that I really needed to do that for myself, but it would really help if he believed in me too.
I didn't want to go to the next meeting and found myself relieved that no meeting reminder came through my email. I messaged him - no response. I figured he must have been pissed about my response to him. 5pm - still no response, so I figured I was free. I got on my running clothes to run out of my frustrations.
I literally had one foot out the door when he texted me and said to meet in 20 minutes. I was furious. Learn to respect my time. I texted back, saying how I'm at least 30 minutes away. He doesn't reply. I waste so much time waiting for a reply that it would get dark out before I could finish my run. I was cutting it close as it was when I had one foot out the door. I grumbled, thinking he'd be upset if I didn't go and I really couldn't make it before it got dark, so I changed my clothes to regular ones and went to the meeting. DV Merlin was slowly becoming DB Merlin.
At the meeting, he did the unthinkable - he apologized in front of everyone. He told them that he thought I was doing a great job and he did believe in me. The whole meeting was kind of geared towards helping me, so I was happy.
We agreed for me to update him constantly on where I was on the videos and to email him whenever I finished a quiz (with the answers) on tests4pilots.com. He said it would be more productive and he could keep up with my progress more. Done!
I'd watch the videos at night after I got home from work and would stop watching when I got so tired, they didn't sound like they were speaking English anymore. I started taking the tests on my lunch break at work. One test was 10 questions, which he told me I needed to do more because the actual test was 60 questions. I had only gotten 15 minutes for lunch that day, so chose a shorter test. He was satisfied. I began getting feedback like "Excellent!" or "This is fantastic!" or "Good job!". Things were good.
I went to the meeting last night. Got in a run before the meeting and was quite happy to be able to fit all of my activities in. Life is good. The topics for the meeting were more geared towards the pilots, but I can still listen and learn. The meeting ended with Merlin asking how I was progressing in my studies. I was confused, but laughed and said he knew because I constantly updated him.
DV Merlin comes out and says I'm not working hard enough, as I haven't sent him a test I've taken in over a week. Actually, it was 5 days. I was too busy for lunch at work on Friday, I was out all weekend with my friends, too busy for lunch on Monday and too exhausted on Tuesday, so I took a nap. Granted perhaps I shouldn't have spent alllllll weekend out and maybe I can scale back on facebook to fit in some more study time. Still, I was taken aback from him praising me behind closed doors and berating me in front of everyone.
So the last flight we took, there was something wrong with the plane. Just an engine cylinder temp gauge - nothing critical and he was able to fix it. Even still, I asked if we should squawk (report) it anyways, just in case? He says we should, but people get upset at him if he does, so I asked if I should do it and he said no. He reported it and nothing happened. I asked a bit later if it had ever been fixed and once again, he said no. He said he didn't like having people upset at him, but was pleased that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
Last night at the meeting, he brings it up... but it still hasn't been fixed. He says he wants to show me the emails to prove he has reported it and that no one has replied to him about it. So he shows me the email and it says that I keep bugging him about it and its making him uncomfortable. This was the last straw - telling me one thing to my face and then saying another in front of others or when my back is turned is not cool.
I wrote him another email when I got home, saying I needed to suspend all CAP activities for the next two weeks. I needed to think about things. I'm tired of being treated like a yo-yo.
So, two weeks. I already think I know what I'm going to do. Doesn't make it any easier though.
In other, happier news - just heard the flight school I trained with is closing their doors at that location. Makes me feel better about the decision to leave them. See? Everything does happen for a reason and karma DOES work! :)
And there's a new movie with Denzel Washington coming out soon called "Flight". I have two free tickets to see an advanced screening of it next week, so R2 and are going to see it!
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