Stuff

Kaylee's choir practices are going full bore now.  She had one tonight until about 8:20 pm, and then came home to a LOT of homework.  I really don't miss being in school--do you?  ;)  She also practiced the song "Blue Christmas" for us at home tonight.  It's the song for which she's the alternate.  Sounded good, her voice is maturing and gaining strength quickly.  The concert is coming up fast, Dec. 7th.  She swears she won't be ready, but she says that every time.  Kaylee and I are going to start flying each weekend.  Her student pilot certificate came in the mail.  It'll be harder because it's, well, winter.  But we'll at least start in on weekly lessons as we can.  She was talking today about the fire drills they do.  She told me she learned today why they they do them so frequently.  She said that when emergencies or problems happen, people tend to freeze or do the wrong thing, so they do these fire drills all the time so that if it should happen for real, kids would be familiar and know what to do.  So of course I took the opportunity to tell her that's exactly what we do in flying, and why.  That it's sometimes instinct to either freeze or do the exact wrong thing if something goes bad in a fire, and that's what people do if something goes wrong in an airplane and they haven't practiced how to do the right thing over and over.  That way when the fire hits the fan, so to speak, you've practiced enough to just know what to do even if you're scared.  Knowing her, she'll want to focus on and practice those things regardless.  She likes to know everything that could happen and how to deal with it, in everything in life, from what a new restaurant has to offer before she goes there down to the last detail of how to handle getting on an airliner when she'd never been on one before and all the steps that would happen and various scenarios that could come up.  She wants to know.  In fact, I may go a little unorthodox on flying with her.  She's already done a lot of the basics over the years.  She might like to start with some more advanced stuff and then go back.  I'll feel it out.

I had one lesson today in the 172.  He brought along an adult step-daughter, who rode in the back.  About 30 minutes into the lesson she taps me on the shoulder and says "I think I'm going to be sick."  Magic words.  Vents open, sic sac handed back, and a bee-line for the runway.  No pattern, no turns, just drive it down to the runway.  When we landed, I wasn't sure if the bag was used or not, didn't ask, didn't look.  She said "Well, I made it longer than I thought I would, I'm not surprised since I get sick in the car on the way to Wal-Mart".   I'm just grateful that I'd told her to let me know if she wasn't feeling well, and that she actually DID, in time.  Most people are too shy or feel too weird or just don't want to bother someone or admit to anyone that they feel queasy and hope they can hold out until it's too late.  So I'm grateful when one lets me know in time and saves us all a mess.  :)

Tonight Steve and I went out to the Twin Beech, and sat in the cockpit with the checklist.  It has some differences from Jordan's that confuse me a little, but I think most of it is coming together.  After Dec. 8th, the next good weather window we get, Doug R will be flying back here and flying with me in Jordan's Beech.  I can't practice or fly ahead of time, so I'm going to try to at least chair fly some emergencies and look through the systems.  So far gear extension failure and engine failure feel pretty good...lots to go.

Sunset at OKK

The Twin Beech in the Dusk