PC does his PC

As a PPL license holder, once every two years, you are required to either do an hour with an instructor or if you haven’t flown your 12 hours in the last 12 months, a proficiency check which is slightly more comprehensive. In my case, due to studies, it had to be the latter one.

After a number of postponements due to weather and the my instructors license expiring it was finally d-day. It would also be a bit different compared to an ordinary PC as L. had to have his PC examiner authorization extended meaning there would in fact be an examiner examining the examinor. This turned out to be my check-ride examiner B-A from the Swedish CAA.

L. picked me up and together we drove out to Sundbro. When we arrived there was not a cloud in sight and it seemed as if everything would go according to L’s plan. However during the briefing, clouds came sweeping in reducing the vertical visibility to merely 1600 ft. However, still within the limits I completed my PFC and taxied out requesting clearance from Uppsala tower to “play around” in the sector between Sundbro and Lake Tämnaren from 3500ft and below.

Departed and left the control zone via the well familiar Skuttunge church and followed L’s instructions of headings and altitudes. When we approached Lake Tämnaren he asked me to slow the aircraft down and lift the nose until the stall warning sounded followed by the recovery procedures. The next task was to slow the aircraft down to 70kts (normally 65kts at higher altitudes) and do maneuvers  as instructed. When L was satisfied I returned to normal flying mode before commencing 45 degree turns to the left and right. On the return towards Sundbro we talked through the VOR and ADF and used it to navigate towards both ARN (VOR) and UP (NDB).

Back in the traffic pattern I performed a normal touch and go landing followed by a flap-less full stop. Backtracked and did a simulated aborted takeoff before heading up in the pattern again. This is where I made the absolute worst power off approach I have ever done and I decided to abort. The second try was much better but still not up to par with what I know I can do. Up again and simulated and engine failure after takeoff before deciding that this was enough and returning to the clubhouse after exactly one hour airborne or 1.2 hours block time in SE-GON.

After a quick discussion both L and B-A decided that I passed and we went in to do the paperwork. Now I am good for another two years in the air. I must say my ego did get a boost when the only word written on the whole protocol was “beautiful”

For those who wonder how L did, well, he passed as well and is now allowed to examine PCs on his own

I don’t like Mondays…

…was a hit by the Boomtown Rats. However I DO like Mondays (most of the time) and when having this scenery after dinner it can not be much better:

Also, this was the first time my father joined me for a trip and I think I satisifed his old pilot genes in the way I flew. Anders on the other hand……..

Thank you Arlanda TWR for the visit.

Going west yet again

Photo: visitingdc.com

Finally time for an update of the blog again. This time from the French Riviera where I am spending one week of well needed holiday before heading back to the mayhem of Arlanda Airport on the 29th. While travelling, my desire to travel more tends to get stronger and the next journey planned is to Washington DC in August to celebrate the 70th birthday of my father. The trip will include the usual sightseeing as well as a visit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum(s).

Thanks to good bargain hunting we have managed to find discounts on travel, car rental and lodging of close to 6.000SEK for both of us.

More updates about this trip and other events are to come.

After a long break

… due to school and work, I am now working on a few updates. Keep coming back!

Spreading my wings again

Not far from the 90 days/3 landings limit I received a question from my university colleague A if I could help him with a birhday gift for his girlfriend M. The idea was to fly from Sundbro up to her home in Furvik close to Gävle and return via Skutskär where both her parents worked. Having been forced to move the date once due to engagements at work, we made it on the second attenpt on a day when the winds were calm and the sun was shining and almost no clouds were to be seen.

We departed from Sundbro and set course north leaving the control zone via Skuttunge church as usual. From there we joined the new E4 motorway all the way up to Tierp. As the boys and girls with camouflage clothes were playing around the Marma area, I had to take a little detour well west of the restriction area. When we reached Furuvik I made a few laps over Ms house allowing her to take as many pictures she wanted and then set course to Skutskär following the same drill there. When my passengers were satisfied we took the same routing down towards Uppsala.

SE-GON gazing in the sun

Excitied passengers

Focus on climb out

Navigating

Stora Enso pulp factory in Skutskär

Heading in to the sun

Once at Sundbro again, it was time for a cup of coffee and change of passengers to my cousin, B and E for a short sightseeing of Uppsala on this fantastic day. This was somewhat more routine than the previous flight and gave me a chance to relax a bit more as well flying over Flogsta, the new IKEA, back over the city centre and in to Sundbro again, a flight lasting about 20 minutes.

Resting between flights

Flogsta

New IKEA with the old in the foreground

Uppsala cathedral with Fyrisån running through town

Due to the condition of the field, SE-GON was looking awful and hence we had to clean her with a high presure hose, a task I left to my passengers to take care of while I did the paperwork.

Cleaning up after a muddy landing

All in all 1,6 hours in the book and 5 very happy first time Cessna flyers and I am current to fly with passengers for another 3 monhts

Stockholm Arlanda

(Picture from tv3.se)

Yesterday was the first broadcast of the reality series “Stockholm-Arlanda” on TV3. The viewers followed airport profiles such as SGS station manager P-A, duty officer Marie and check-in agent Sara on “typical” days.
From the perspective of someone working at the airport I must say I am quite content about what I saw (we shall see how it unfolds). Some things may have been a bit over dramatized and I am hoping for other features to be shown more.
On a 1-10 scale I shall be fair and give it a 7 and I look forward to the coming episodes.

If you do not live in Sweden you can view it via http://www.tv3.se/play

P.S Anders has a competition running at http://tupplur.blogg.se

New toy enroute!

Looking forward to my new toy that should be arriving sometime this week:

A result of the tests will follow

Go East – A dedicated travel blog

As both Jocke and I inten to write travel reports we will be doing it jointly via http://goeast.vicestyle.se (in Swedish) However, there will be summaries here as well in addition to more common “A twist of life” content.

Enjoy!

I am leaving on a jet plane to Krung Thep and Kuala Lumpur

May 1-8 I am heading with Jocke to Bangkok to revisit the city I left 17 years ago. This time it is Malaysia Airlines that will take me there and on the way back we will spend 9 hours in the Malaysian capital:

You know it is late January in Sweden when….

…

SA 261520Z 35007KT 6000 -SN BR FEW002 BKN003 01/00 Q1009 RWY 01
WET 51-100 PCT LESS THAN 1 MM FC 0.76 RWY 08 WET 51-100 PCT
LESS THAN 1 M
M 26 0.73 RWY 01R WET 51-100 PCT LESS THAN 1 MM FC 0.78
TEMPO 2000 BKN005=