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A Pilot's View On Approach....

When days of overcast skies weigh on my mood, my secret medicine is to get an IFR clearance, drill a hole through the soggy mess, and spend a few minutes in endless blue sky and sunshine. After descending, even the most dreary weather has lost its grip until the sun warms the ground again.

Speaking of music, there is IMO only one song that does the emotional dimension of flying any justice: Translation of "Über den Wolken" by Reinhard Mey from German to English (Version #1)
 
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When days of overcast skies weigh on my mood, my secret medicine is to get an IFR clearance, drill a hole through the soggy mess, and spend a few minutes in endless blue sky and sunshine. After descending, even the most dreary weather has lost its grip until the sun warms the ground again.

Speaking of music, there is IMO only one song that does the emotional dimension of flying any justice: Translation of "Über den Wolken" by Reinhard Mey from German to English (Version #1)

Exactly what I like to do. There's nothing like being on top with the beautiful virgin clouds underneath........we. are talking about flying......correct!
 
Just another day at the office...

Scenery like that almost makes up for the days where you have to threaten declaring an emergency to get 30 degrees right around the Level 5 thunderstorm off your nose, or those days where visibility is at or below minimums for every suitable airport within 300nm of your destination.

Almost.
 
Did it for 40 years...no accidents!

Ahhh... All those crashes were on purpose then...










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Pretty sweet. Seemed like a pretty treacherous approach with all the mountains and clouds. Well done.
 
A Pilot's View On Approach....

There's nothing like a single-pilot IFR approach at sunset.... Unless it's also in shitty weather with poor visibility.
 
Yup, most flights arrive from the north and fly pretty close to the Remarkables mountain range.

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Above is the view looking north where most flights arrive. And this is the other direction, south...

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The jets feel like they get closer to the mountains, but it's been my experience that they arrive on the same flight path as the majority of the turboprop planes.
 
I got my license when I was 16, everyone in my family has a private pilots license. If you have never done it, I suggest you at least, at the very least take your introductory flight. The AOPA can help you find one, and they are usually really cheap. If nothing else you can say you took controls for a couple min.
 
Thats awesome! Probably my biggest regret is not finishing up my pilot's license when I was 16. Might go back and do it some day
 
Thats awesome! Probably my biggest regret is not finishing up my pilot's license when I was 16. Might go back and do it some day

Sooner rather than later is surely best. When I got my license wet rentals were less than half what they are now. About 130$ an hour in my area from about 45$ an hour when I got my license (I kept the rental receipts, don't know why, they are in my original flight log)
 
Sooner rather than later is surely best. When I got my license wet rentals were less than half what they are now. About 130$ an hour in my area from about 45$ an hour when I got my license (I kept the rental receipts, don't know why, they are in my original flight log)

I remember those days. When I learned to fly, a Cessna 152 was about $20 an hour. The instructor was about $8 an hour. When I started instructing before I got hired by United, I was making about $12 an hour as an instructor. And that was for advanced instructing which included the ATP, instrument and multi engine ratings. Now the pricing is absurd.
 
I remember those days. When I learned to fly, a Cessna 152 was about $20 an hour. The instructor was about $8 an hour. When I started instructing before I got hired by United, I was making about $12 an hour as an instructor. And that was for advanced instructing which included the ATP, instrument and multi engine ratings. Now the pricing is absurd.

you have to be careful too around here. A lot of instructors are only out for hours so they can push on to small airlines. Ive seen friends get dropped before they finished their license, and have to pick up a new instructor costing them 3 to 5 hours. Simply because the instructor finally made the hours they needed and were gone the next day.

I believe I paid 15$ an hour for the instructor.
 
I was one of those instructors that was using it as a way to build time toward something burning kerosene...but I gave my students the customary two weeks notice and transitioned them to a new instructor instead of simply dropping them, because that's a douche move.

Some instructors are crappy teachers though, and short-time it from the day they get their temporary certificate.

December will be a decade since I finished the MEI...and thankfully I still actively teach (albeit in a Cirrus).
 
Sharpsman you have so very fine photos in your flicker Album for some reason I keep going back for a look. I like the rifles also the two boys shooting, all the best.