I haven't been making it to many of our lunches lately; I've missed Glenndale's Friday lunch for what, 1-2 months straight, and I've missed most of our daily lunches too. Trips, busy, etc. Today was no exception to that, nor will tomorrow be.
I flew this morning at 9:30, then flew from 10-11:15 in something else, flew the first plane back to where it came from from 11:15-11:40 or so, got in my car and ran back to the other airport, grabbing Taco Bell in a drive-thru on my way there, then flew from 12:20 - 4:30 p.m. with one stop in there to get more gas. After that I flew from 4:30 - 6 p.m. I did get to go to the bathroom and drink some more water/Diet Coke in between the flights. ;)
The flights today were all students. Another asked me to go up and do twin emergency procedures, but I was just flat out of time. I hadn't ever flown with any of the students before, so that actually makes it harder on my end. You play a part as you figure out their personalities, figure out what they need, and try to match/meet that, and it's almost kind of a game, but it's a little exhausting too. One was having fun, one was dead serious, one was hesitant/scared but didn't want to admit it, one was an engineer/math type, one was a feel/art type, one was on a mission, one was over confident, one was under confident. And you adapt and adjust and pour a lot of energy into each flight and the needs therein, and afterwards, I'm kind of drained. Not in a bad way, I'm not complaining. In fact, it's a pretty good feeling to feel everything clicking, to know that you're getting through and have found the right combination for the particular individual. The flights where everything is a half bubble off, when you can tell that you're not reaching the person, that there's a conflict all the time, that the communication isn't there, they're frustrated, you're frustrated, you spend the whole flight feeling like you're banging your head into a wall...now THOSE are exhausting. None of those today. ;)
Not too long ago I had a nice almost direct crosswind on concrete in a taildragger with someone that had never flown one before, and people who haven't flown tailwheels before will make big oscillations with their rudder, aileron and elevator all at the same time, leaving you careening around on the runway in all sorts of messed up attitudes and scenarios. I've saved some pretty bad situations before (and one pretty bad one this day.) I've out-wrestled people who froze on the controls in the wrong position. I've had a guy with giant feet who stomped a rudder and left it in as we headed for the weeds. Had several folks who shove the stick the wrong way at the wrong time, or do something random and frightening. The one that stomped a brake on me on concrete in a crosswind when he let it get crooked and when I didn't have brakes on my side which took me most of the 150' wide runway to recover from. (This did prompt a new pre-flight briefing topic for the future.) And I didn't save one once, too, that wasn't nearly as exciting as anything above, but still got away. Ty does a lot of that instruction, and he's talked about his trips into the weeds and how he was aimed at a tree once and got stopped just before it, along with the usual stuff I mentioned above. Tailwheel instruction is either good for or bad for your heart, depending, but it keeps you awake. I've heard "old-timers" in flying say they'd rather be lucky than good. I always said I'd rather be both, but if I had to pick, I'd pick good. Now I don't know so much. I'd still rather be both, but having been lucky (or not) more than a few times...it's hard to dismiss it.
Kaylee's play is gaining momentum. She had practice tonight, make up and all, and this weekend is the play itself. Just like dance recitals, we get to go Friday night, twice on Saturday, and add once on Sunday, and it's a lot of work. Wish you all come come and join us. The girl has one line in the Second Act, but I'm looking forward to seeing it. Once, anyway. I don't know about four times in three days. ;)
Well, tomorrow looks as busy as today, and I'm worn out and ready for bed. The End...
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