Not the most productive weekend I’ve ever had, but a nice balance of doing and not doing.
Continue reading “Random thoughts on the weekend”
Category: Flying
The flying dream
You know, normal people have “flying dreams” where they’re floating above the surface of the earth. Last night I had a “flying dream” where I was sitting in an airport pilots lounge shooting the shit with my pilot friends. And one of them looked a lot like Bill Law, although not enough to make you think it was him, although at first the guy was pretending to be him, but trying to give people very dangerous advice about flying in ice producing clouds. Then he admitted to being Bill’s long lost brother from Canada.
Very weird.
Well, I guess I can say goodbye to that float plane rating…
Short summary – any non-citizen wanting any sort of flight training has to get TSA approval, and as well as the cost and hassle of getting the photos and fingerprints and stuff, there will be a several hundred dollar fee. Oh, and knowing the federal government, probably a 6 month wait for approval.
KROC – CYKZ
Vicki and I flew across the lake this weekend. Except for a day trip to Ben and Jerry’s, we haven’t flown an “away” trip together since 1999, when we went to Piseco, NY for a weekend. I love it when we get to fly somewhere together – it sort of makes me feel like all the money I’ve spend on my pilot training wasn’t totally selfish.
Continue reading “KROC – CYKZ”
One bullet dodged, how many to go?
WEINER WITHHOLDS “OUTRAGEOUS” ANTI-GENERAL AVIATION BILL IN HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE
This bill would have essentially outlawed general avaition. For one thing, it would have required the Department of Homeland Security to security screen general aviation flights – I could see them rushing out to put screening stations in all 18,000 general aviation airports in the country. And what about private airfields? And for what? To make sure my friends and family don’t threaten me with a box cutter when I’m taking them flying?
Another provision would have forbidden me from flying within 1500 feet of any structure or building. I don’t see any exemption for airport buildings. I wonder where I was supposed to land?
Oh, and it would have required all aircraft to remain in contact with the FAA (presumably by radio), regardless of altitude or location. Remember that 18,000 airport figure? Guess how many have control towers. About 600. Somehow I don’t see the FAA rushing out and building 17,400 control towers.