Complete

The T-6 checkout is complete, after 8 hours of flying together.  We did just about everything except aerobatics.  I told him ahead of time I don't teach that (yet), but we hit about every real world flying scenario possible, and he left really pleased.  He said he got exactly what he came for, that he'd recommend me to his friends, and that he loved the various experiences and fine-tuning that we did.  He picked it up fast.  I even had him fly into Glenndale, after practicing awhile at Kokomo on spot landings.  I didn't have him land on the 50' runway, but I had him take off on it.  He was lined up and he said "Man, I am blind.  How can you see traffic and the runway in front of you?"  Exactly.  lol  So we talked about strategies on how to handle that.  (Which is better than going in for the first time, starting to flare and the runway disappears and a person may think "CRAP!!" ) ;)  We also had a day with about 15-18 knot winds, only about 30-40 degrees off the runway, so he got to see the wing start to pick up when he didn't get enough aileron in the first time on roll-out, which is good experience.  So today when we had a 40-50 degree crosswind gusting to 25-27 knots, with a 10 knot gust factor, I know we could have gone flying.  I think he'd have handled it.  But it pushes my comfort from the back seat, and the conditions are at the point where you question whether you really need to be doing it anyway.  So he and I mutually concurred that this was training, not combat, and that it seemed the risk was higher than necessary just to get one last flight in.  It would have been good experience in a way, but... So I filled out some paperwork, gave him a letter of completed training, shook his hand, and I think he'll go buy a T-6 in the not too distant future and be pretty good at flying it, too.  :)

Now, tomorrow morning I have T-6 checkout student #2 for the week coming in at 8:30 am.  We'll meet for awhile until we have to go to Crawfordsville for a ground briefing for a formation fly-over in Lafayette at 1 pm.  I'm a little unprepared for tomorrow.  I've just now got the info on the location, I won't get a chance to see it ahead of time, I only have two airplanes, maybe three if I get lucky, and we're not organized.  I need to get that way fast as it's the night before.  ARGH.

Meanwhile, MBros texted at 6 pm last night and asked if I could go to Alabama in the morning.  No, I couldn't, I had a guy from Alabama here to fly with me.  The weather was supposed to be IFR down there, and D wasn't IFR current, so he asked if Steve could go instead of me.  Steve said okay.  So he got up at o-dark-thirty and was wheels up around 6 am.  It's now dark and 7:40 pm and he's still not home, though about an hour out.  He texted that he's coughing and feels like he has a head cold now.  So he'll be down for the count tomorrow I'm sure.  I'm going out to the airport tonight (again) to help rearrange the airplanes since I'll need the T-6 out at 8:30 am again...   Steve is probably all caught up on doing corporate flying again though.  I didn't realize they'd be down there all day and I don't think he knew that either.  lol

Kaylee had a band concert last night.  So Steve, Ann and I went out and enjoyed the concert.  Steve had bought tickets online, and we left them at home, so we had to buy them again when we got there.  But at least an extra $15 goes to the band, I guess.  They can use it.  Kaylee was featured doing a Renaissance piece.  She keeps bringing a recorder to band practice and to school.  So they did this piece that used a recorder in it as a real musical instrument, and she got to play it.  The band director talked for several minutes about why they were doing the piece, that it's Kaylee's fault for bringing in that instrument and sometimes being very annoying with it.  I know it, you should see her at home!  ;)  Anyway, that was funny, and we enjoyed being out for the concert.

The part that wasn't as fun was afterwards.  Because MBros called so late, the airport was closed, the 340 was tucked behind the T-6 which they didn't want to rearrange at 5:30 a.m., and we had to get to the self-serve fuel pump and get it topped off and ready for the flight.  So after Kaylee's concert, we dropped the other two ladies off at home, then Steve and I drove back out to Kokomo and rearranged everything.  I taxied the 340 over and topped it off, grumbling in the dark and the cold at 10 pm that the next person that called me "Princess" might get bopped.  ;)  Got home kind of late, had to be up way early.  Good times...

I have a few pics, but for now I'm going to head out to the airport to help rearrange again...even though Steve has my gate key which means I'll have to walk from the parking lot. Hmm...