How to have fun flying with no medical.

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Bruce Fenstermacher
Posts: 10313
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am

Re: How to have fun flying with no medical.

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

George, me and simulators do not get along. I get sick very quickly and in the past the effect has lasted for days.

14 months ago I had my last simulator periods. 6 hours total training ending with a 2 hour check ride. For me it is the visuals that get me. My brain can't handle the disconnect between the visuals and the motion.

Until the first two hour period of this 8 hours I'd never made it more than 20 minutes of the normal syllabus with visuals. My instructors trying to work them in on occasion to acclimate me to them but basically staying in the clouds is the only reason I got through it.

BTW if you didn't know the entire VFR helicopter check ride including of course emergencies one could never see before, is accomplished in a sym. In fact you can be hired, having never flown the make and model of helicopter you are going to fly, receive your initial transition training and VFR and IFR check ride in a sym, arrive at your duty station on your first day and never have flown the real helicopter your expected to fly. The company I worked for does graciously allow a pilot to take the real thing around the patch before they are a duty pilot but they wouldn't legally have to do this.

Anyway with twice the dosage of Dramamine and a shock "watch" on my wrist, I did make it through most of the 6 hours of required training finishing the last about 10 minutes early with a few dry heaves in the quickly grabbed trash can. Every advantage of in the clouds time was used by my check pilot with occasional VFR maneuvers with minimal required time, was used to pass the check ride. To be honest I fully expected that at some point in the near future, my career would end because of the emphasis being put so heavily on using symulators for required training and check rides.

So, a job that involves a symulator is not a good fit for me. Sure, I'll bet if I got to endure 20 or 30 hours in one, I'd get acclimated.

But George once again you have hit on something. You see while I am apprenticing for my A&P, supposedly being trained in the methods and ways of aircraft maintenance, what I'm actually doing is teaching the young fairly new A&P mechanics about the world before a plastic Cirrus was created and airplanes had, oh no, take a deep breath, a carburetor. It is a nice day when I can show one of them something I've learned in the last 35 years around aircraft or 50 years of mechanical experience taking things apart and reassembling them again with no extra parts left over. So it's not flying or passing on my flying experience to pilots but I'm passing on all my experience, including flying, as I am the only rated pilot in the hanger.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!

Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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GAHorn
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Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: How to have fun flying with no medical.

Post by GAHorn »

One of the differences between the FAA and many other aviation authorities that occasionally makes mention is the fact that the U.S. does not issue “Pilot Licenses” but instead certifies airmen and issues “pilot certificates”, the major difference mainly being that while pilot licenses “expire”.... certificates do not. This can provide certain benefits to holders in the event of medical certification issues, one of which is the ability to continue to exercise/enjoy the benefits of instructor certificates under some circumstances in which medical certification is not required.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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MoonlightVFR
Posts: 624
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 5:55 pm

Re: How to have fun flying with no medical.

Post by MoonlightVFR »

Enjoyed reading all the post.

A couple of "key word" points jump out.

You have a "pilot certificate" not a license that can expire.

You own an airplane - "ownership" is steeped into our personalities like hot tea.
gradyb, '54 B N2890C
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