CAPT

2006-05-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

to begin a new path, click here or to go nowhere, click here. this concludes the CAPT blog. if you missed anything in the previous year beginning January 2005, don't foget that the archives are available in the right hand side toolbar. just scroll all the way down.

Part II

2006-05-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

After the initial testing period, I had the drug testing at 10:00AM, then hung out till lunch. They ordered some really good pizza along with salad and garlic bread and we had it in about 12:00PM. Corey and Jesse from the CAPT program came by and had lunch with me which helped me relax a little bit more. I got finger printed around 1:00PM, then played the waiting game until around 4:00PM where we sat in the Hospitality Room with Greg Vanick (I'm not too sure on the spelling, sorry) and listened to him speak about the company a little bit. I met quite a few interesting people today with various backgrounds and some of them with the potential being future coworkers either in the flight deck, aircraft or in training. Definitely great people to talk to.

I'm definitely getting really excited about everything already. The individuals I met today from Focus Air were awesome. Fe was really nice and having a great and cheerful Director of HR is always a positive thing. You know that feeling you get when checking out a place, that feel good, things look great feeling...I got it today just by meeting these individuals. I also met Michael Klenz and his puppy today. He told me that I would end up working with him and that got me pumped. I'm all about being an assistant to anyone that I can learn from. I like to think of it as being an apprentice. I had a chance to speak to him on the phone for a bit prior to come here and it was great to actually pair a face to the voice. Tomorrow should be an interesting day. I have my HR interview, paperwork, the CEO David McElroy is giving a speech and then I will head over to the main building for more interviewing with Mr. Klenz and Greg. I can't hardly wait. I just wish that more of my friends from CAPT would come after me. There are openings too for more Cadets!!! *hint*

Test 1 Phase Complete

2006-05-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

Well, after a quick 27 minutes, I finished the first personality test at 8:27 EDT. It was the exact test that I previously had taken prior to getting accepted into CAPT. I was later notified that I would not have to take these tests because of the rigorous screening process that I went through in applying for CAPT so that took a little load off my shoudlers. Check back for a complete run down of today after lunch.

I'm a Mac / Cromartie #25 / No so "hot wings"

2006-05-01T23:43:00.000-05:00

I'm a PC, I'm a Mac! check it out. they're great!

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

The newest individual to become a Charger is yet another Antonio and he's saying some awesome things. If he says that he's amazing good, he better be especially knowing that the last time he suited up was in 2004!

- "Rookie of the year, go to the Pro Bowl
and also help the team win the Super Bowl."

*click on the picture

My first following of an NHL game was awesome. It does suck that the number one seed Detriot Red Wings ate it tonight with 2 minutes left. =( Sorry Greg.

Interviewing in...

2006-04-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

After an awesome weekend of LOFTs to Mobile, San Antonio then back, I'm beginning the awesome journey into preparing for my interview with Focus Air Cargo. They fly these planes (click on the word planes). So, once again, I will be blogging a little less. But still, I encourage you to check it out everyday! Who knows when the madness will start over again. I'll post something other stuff about the LOFT in upcoming days.

We stayed in Mobile, Alabama, yes I said 'bama! That was interesting. The Red Roof Inn wasn't that pleasant. The only thing that I remembered about the Alamo was that it was in the middle of downtown San Antonio (SAT) which was weird because I had always pictured it being in the middle of a desert. There was a river that ran through the city too, which was cool. Laura's house was amazing and her mom was more than hospitable. The friends were cool. Now I'm back. I'll up some photos later. Till then...

New things...

2006-04-20T00:32:00.000-05:00

And the new title is, "Life After CAPT" I can't really think of anything else right now.

Current Tunes I'm listening to on "elipod" (that's what adelle calls it...she of course calls hers "mipod") I love music! Anything goes really...

Reamonn - Wish Album / new album from Germany chill emo. I like it...
Corinne Bailey Rae - Self Titled / UK Pop artist kind of like Natalie Imbruglia & Norah Jones ish...
Third Eye Blind - Self Titled / living old school! oh come on, just gotta get high sometime. its a great picker upper esp. when going to the beach!

Google Calendar - good stuff...

and yeah...I'm planning a X-Country trip with Manoj and Laura to SD maybe. I'll keep you posted.

Hosting

2006-04-12T10:41:00.000-05:00

This website is hosted by SiteGround.com

Note sure if any of your guys are interested in who I am hosting this website with, but you can check out the banner down below on the right hand side of my page and click that link. Or, you can just click here too or the one above. No seriously...check them out! They rock!

lastest recap

2006-04-11T23:52:00.000-05:00

Well, my family and Adelle were here for quite a while hanging out with me in Sunny Florida. Check out the photo album for the latest.

I have an interview with Focus Air on May 2nd and 3rd so that means that I'm going to be studying ALOT!!! Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.

CAPT Graduation

2006-04-07T23:03:00.000-05:00

*I added a link to the new photo gallery that I'm slowly compiling to the right...check it out*
This time, it was my turn! The morning started out great with my family getting a tour of the MD90 simulator in Daytona Beach at 7:30AM. That meant that all of us needed to be out the door at 6:45 in order to get there on time. After some strict regimenting, we stepped out on the minute.

We got into the sim and I demonstrated some hard landings as well as some soft ones just to show them the realism of the device. I had my dad, sister and adelle follow along with me while I was left seat. I let them try to land the plane and helped out whenever I saw that things were getting bumpy. Then off to the ceremony.

I graduated summa cum laude along with four stripes. It was definitely an awesome day. We even had a special individual, by the name of Dan Robertson, give a very intriguing speech about the status of our industry. The food service went well after a week long of setting up and confirming the necessary funds, but everyone really enjoyed it. It definitely beat out the traditional BBQ that we normally get, but it did come at a cost. Well worth it!

Check out the pix in the new photo gallery. Click here

LOFT 3 and 2...DONE!!!

2006-04-06T17:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I had these two LOFTs with #3 yesterday and #2 today. The biggest failure of yesterday was that both FMS computer failed and we became a slant alpha aircraft using traditional VOR navigation. It was exciting and crazy on how fast you come up on each nav aid. Taking into consideration the altitude that you are flying at and just being fully ahead of the plane was the biggest lesson. It was great because I sat left seat and got to strengten my understanding and adhearnce to the boundaries between being Pilot Flying and Pilot in Command. Flying the plane from the right seat is a little difficult with always being fuly conscience that the Captain is still the Captain and that you need to ask politely that things be done. It's quite weird.

Adelle came in yesterday and I introduced her to Tio Oxie's. It was good times. We also hung out with Manoj, Greg, Steph and her friends at Daytona Ale House for quite a while. Good times!

LOFT #2 was today and I hand flew the flight due to both our autopliots being inop. I was el capitan today and once again flying into JFK with negative temps and icing runway condidions was fun. I elected to use flaps 40 and got the plane done rather well. I'm now officially done with the CAPT program and what a feeling it is!

LOFT #1

2006-04-04T17:55:00.000-05:00

Today's first leg from LAX to LAS (Los Angeles to Las Vegas) went rather smoothly. I eleted to sit right seat because I haven't done a landing from that side before. This is course made me the First Officer and my flight partner Manoj the PIC. The whole first leg went without an event except for a closed runway forcing us to amend our approach into LAS. Nothing at all really too bad. We also were move aware of how much gas we had on board and how that would factor in if we were going to be holding for more than we had already begun to do so.

My leg, we had hell broke loose. The ground shift mechanism failed and that just caused all these aural alerts to go bezerk. We couldn't come back into LAS due to the weather minumums, so we just headed for LAX. Being that we couldn't get the gear up, we elected to just raise it using hte bypass switch but that caused us to not have it when we lowered the gear back down on the approach into LAX. I asked for a hold around Seal Beach to troubleshoot the problem and we deiced to go for the longest runway. It was a lot of communication between approach and company and the flight attendants, but it worked out well. Coming in for the landing was awesome. I was happy that I was able to hold the nose up for quite a while and didn't even put it down until around 70 KIAS. That made is rather smooth. We came to an abrupt stop and called for the passenger evacuation. Good times! Tomorrow should be even more fun. Adelle is coming!

You have to remember Zelda!

2006-04-04T17:53:00.000-05:00

This is just nuts. I thought that my other friend had some mad skills, but this is ingenuous!

Zelda Finished in 25 Minutes

DC9 type + 1

2006-04-04T03:57:00.000-05:00

Well, its a new day and I have a type rating!!! I still haven't really been able to digest that idea, but it feels so good. I've been awake since 2:00AM and couldn't go back to sleep. It's starting to get ridiculous why I keep on feeling refreshed with so little sleep. I feel awake, but then I get really exhausted later on in the day and my muscles are starting to ache like I've been awake for > 24 hours. Oh well...I'm sure that my sleeping habits will get back to normal. Make sure you read the post below.

It is done!!!

2006-04-03T17:07:00.000-05:00

I am an official DC9 rated pilot (w/ the limitation of initial operating experience required). Just to clarify, I did all the training in an MD90 Simulator, which is of the same family and aircraft type as the DC9. It was a rough ride to start out with but the circle to land I executed went really well. I'm just happy that I'm done and ready to begin the infinite search for a career with thousands of hours of flying. I graduate this Friday, April 7th.

Here are more photos of the MD90 type aircraft. Click here!

I still can't sleep

2006-04-03T02:02:00.001-05:00

So, I've resulted in reading, "What's the funiest things you have ever heard on the radio," on Airline Pilot Central. Good stories there. Check it out! http://forums.airlinepilotcentral.com/showthread.php?t=2263

i.e.

ATC to Northwest enroute from Florida to NYC: NW123 turn right 20 degrees for spacing into NYC.

5 minutes later - ATC to NW: NW123 did you turn right or left????

NW 123: ahhhhh which way did you tell us to turn?

This is getting ridiculous!

2006-04-03T00:44:00.000-05:00

It's Monday April 3rd at 1:38AM and as I am writing this blog I have my final checkride is at t-minus 7.5 hours. I've already gotten 5 hours of sleep by going to sleep at 8:00PM, but now I can't sleep. I already woke up at 11:00PM and was able to go back to bed, but now it's just getting hopeless. I'm not having nightmares like last nights "QRH on fire!" I'm just not getting proper sleep or something. It really stinks. Tossing and turning...blogging, oh well, back to the bed!

is it the uniform?

2006-04-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

Finally some recognition / respect is back and we are all once again in the lime light. Check it out...Pilots are ranked as the 3rd most sexiest job for 2006. I just thought that this was a fun fact. http://www.salary.com/advice/layouthtmls/advl_display_nocat_Ser388_Par594.html

This actually reminds me, after this coming Friday, this blog will have to change to something else being that I'm going to be done with the CAPT program. Should I just start another one or just continue it with a tag line, "Life after CAPT." We'll see which way I head, but in the mean time, any suggestions out there?

Tomorrow is the day of judgment

2006-04-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

After today, it showed that I hadn't flown in quite a while. I mean the circle to land was great except getting blown a little too far right, but it was probably one of the best that I have done. I also was able to exit on the first taxiway. The emergency descent flow went really well, but I did have some issues on coming down. Coming out of a hold at flight level 290, I was set at 265 kts and I noticed the cabin altitude increasing rapidly. I initiated the Cabin Altitude procedure and when I put on my mask, I just started coughing and sneezing. It definitely wasn't a good sign, but I pulled the throttles too early and had a hard time getting to a descent speed of 320. On an engine abnormal on takeoff prior to V1, I yelled out, "Abort!" instead of "Reject!" which I have always done before up until the time where I get tested. Of all the times I said it outloud in the car on the way down, or chair flying, I still said the wrong thing.

As most of the instructors have noticed, I try to rush things or execute procedures too quickly. It's definitely just a time to reflect and really really consciously get myself to think, think, think, rather than speak or react instantaneously.

Here's a nice picture of the type of plane that I have been training to fly. I only wish that I could get a chance to fly the real thing, even if it is as a first officer or jump seater even. I've sit as a passenger on an MD88, but sitting in the cockpit is always a different story.

+1 / T-minus 1.5

2006-04-02T02:54:00.000-05:00

So, with the time change already affect here on the East Coast, I've been awake since 1:00AM tossing and turning. My mind has been all over the place from failing to passing, to just contemplating all the possible scenarios that I might be given. It's racing at .84 mach! (okay that was retarded) but there are definitely too many things going through my mind. I finally just gave up on sleep and cooked some Campbell's Mushroom Soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I've brewed my coffee and am ready to head out! It's 3:56AM here and its just amazing how long I've been awake. I think that it is the longest weekend of my life. It's the anticipation that kills.

Counting down...

2006-04-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

Well, its Saturday and I'm eagerly awaiting my turn for the pre-rate ride tomorrow morning at 5:30AM. If you take into account the time change where we "spring" the clocks forward, its a wake up call at 2:30AM and leave the house by 3:30AM to get there before the 4:30AM start. It's going to be awesome. I'm just kicking back today a little and going over some final points about the MD-90 including limitations and chair flying. Should be a great day! I just thought that this picture was awesome. Only if...someday

Sim #13 + 5 days until...

2006-03-28T23:23:00.000-05:00

Well...today's flight was deifnitely productive. I thought that I was able to perform adequately so that I feel comfortable for the up coming events, but I wouldn't of liked to have 5 days off between now when I'm feeling good till my pre-rate. I'm sure that it'll still go well, I'll just keep on chair flying and going over the maneuvers more and more. It's exciting to know that I graduate in less than 10 days, but its scary not knowing what lies ahead.

I just found a flight for China just shy of $500 bucks! That's exciting. Too bad I didn't know about the program that my friend Andy is going through earlier. It's called the Konall Culture Exchange (KCE). You can check out their services at http://www.gatewaychina.net/ Check it out! $14K for a great year in the program with food, shelter and schooling. Now, that's an educational experience. Mine was an excellent program but it did cost just a little bit more.

1:00AM

2006-03-28T01:08:00.000-05:00

I had Sim #12 this afternoon and it definitely went well...at least for the first half. We took a class picture today and then finished up my lesson. Things just didn't start off on the right foot with a tail windshear on takeoff. It wasn't necessarily my fault but still, things just didn't work out. We tried it again and then once more before I made it out of there. In the air around 29000 feet, we had an explosive decompression scenario (my first) and I thought that I would be able to do well, but I got into a Dutch Roll with the initial blow out and was never able to recover. I did the following next times, but it just stunk. We did it over and over again and then my time was up.

I have a sim session at 5:00AM and as I'm writing this its alread 1:10AM. I did fall asleep at 1900 this afternoon and got a good 5 hours, but since then, I haven't been able to fall back asleep. It's frustrating but I'm just going to study and rehearse what my sim will be like for tomorrow. It is my last chance to iron out a few items before the pre-rate ride and the checkride. I will have a day or two off until those two events, but it going to get crazy and hectic. Wish me all the luck you can!

Here's out class pic from left to right:
Kevin Lubic, Kurtis Buffington, Manoj Osuri, Ryan Nay, Forrest Foust, Elijah Nicolas, Greg Farlow, and Laura Pigott. It will be a total of 15 months for some and 13 for the others who all started ab initio.

Sim #10

2006-03-25T21:12:00.000-05:00

Being Flight Riddle 410 wasn't easy today with me trying to rush to checklists, not being able to hold wings level while trying to fly a raw data single engine ILS, and just being all over the place. It's pretty crazy what we are going through everyday but it is coming down to checkride day. I'll keep on saying that until the day, but its crazy stuff. You look at everything that pilots prepare for and then you actual do it, it's ridiculous. I'm loving every moment of it, and still when I stand the throttles up, even though it is a sim, I get ansi in anticiaption that something will go wrong. I guess that its a good thing but it does take the "fun" out of it, unless you consider that all the emergency procedures are fun. Don't get me wrong, the flights wouldn't be anything but boring if nothing happenend. Every flight is exciting. You come to learn the famous quote that everyone should know: "If you ever experience a boring flight, you're pilot is doing his/her job well." I didn't word it the exact way, but you get the gist.

Checkout the trelijah blog. I'm telling you, you can only see it in Daytona Beach.

Sim #9

2006-03-25T00:54:00.000-05:00

Definitely not a good time...after the first half of the session (someone flies for two hours then we switch seats for another 2) where I was Captain first, I felt very disappointed and depressed on what just transpired. I felt like crap! During the intermediate break, I went straight to the briefing room, sat down and just contemplated why they heck I was all over the place. I really felt bad. I didn't know what to do or say or I don't know. Just wasn't happy at all. I gathered some thoughts, got back into it (this time in the right seat) and the second half was rather amazming. I'm able to do the right seater's duties well (at least I think that I can) but when it comes to the left seat, I'm just thinking about too many other things. I spoke to Adelle and she brought up a good point that I'm sure will help. I have to stop thinking about both jobs. I need to be Captain when I'm in the left seat and be the First Officer when I'm in the right. I'm not necessarily doing both jobs, but the tasks are going through my mind as if I am flying both seats I guess.

We'll see tomorrow. It should be fun...hopefully. I need a damn good flight to get me out of this failure feeling mode. I mean, a damn good perfect never been better type of flight. I am hard on myself, but I only have 4 flights until the pre rate then comes the checkride! I need everyone's prayers from here till graduation and of course afterwards so that I find a job quickly.

Last Day off until...

2006-03-23T23:32:00.000-05:00

Well, I woke up a little later than when I would have liked, but I got up, went to the bank to deposit some checks, picked up some Bonus S Lawn Fetilizer, fertilized the lawn both the front and the back, checked out the sprinkler system to see that everything was checking out (not that I knew off the bat on how to fix a broken on) but that was all good, played some piano, studied for a very short time, watched too much television and just sat around. I think about it and I can say that it was a good day. I have to definitely relax a bit and take this time off seriously! It's going to be some crazy times coming up with a checkride coming up in the next 10 days. Then graduation and everything else! Nutty!