Category Archives: Just Words

Maybe a little too much writing, right?

Yankee Flyer

Posted on October 23, 2006 by Colin Summers

On the eve of my instrument check ride, I will write about yet another VFR rated pilot flying in marginal weather conditions. With a little luck (and all my hard work since April) tomorrow evening I will no longer be … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Yankee Flyer

More Progress

Posted on October 6, 2006 by Colin Summers

There are just a couple things left to do to get my instrument rating. Today I completed my IFR cross country flight. It had to be at least two hundred fifty nautical miles, have three different kinds of approaches, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Flight, Just Words, Training | Tagged | Comments Off on More Progress

One Step Closer

Posted on September 29, 2006 by Colin Summers

It isn’t really the surly bonds of earth that bother me anymore, it’s the damn clouds. More specifically, the clouds which cover airports and keep the airplanes on the ground. It doesn’t keep all the airplanes on the ground, just … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on One Step Closer

New Passenger!

Posted on September 22, 2006 by Colin Summers

Adam hasn’t written into the blog in a while, but he has good reason. This is Eleanor Elektra Lehman, his daughter. She already has a headset (well, earmuffs), and has already flown across the continent. In a couple weeks she’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on New Passenger!

Engine Out

Posted on July 19, 2006 by Colin Summers

Here’s the thing about emergency landings. I don’t expect to have to do one, but I’ve trained to do one, I’ve practice them a number of times, and my training keeps me focused on one question while I am flying: … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Engine Out

The Trip We Wouldn’t Have Taken

Posted on July 18, 2006 by Colin Summers

Nell has friends, Tom and Marcy, who live up in Sonoma Valley, north of San Francisco. We visited them when Rudy was too small to walk and had a great time. Rudy and I stopped by again when Rudy was … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words, Trip | Tagged | Comments Off on The Trip We Wouldn’t Have Taken

Learning to Fly Better

Posted on May 23, 2006 by Colin Summers

If one took no chances, one would not fly at all. Safety lies in the judgment of the chances one takes. That judgment, in turn, must rest upon one’s outlook on life. Any coward can sit in his home and … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words, Training | Tagged | Comments Off on Learning to Fly Better

Watch Me Fly

Posted on May 15, 2006 by Colin Summers

Okay, this is pretty cool. You can click on that link and it will show you the last time I flew the DiamondStar on an instrument flight plan. Amazing. It will show you the actual radar trace of the flight. … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words, Training | Tagged | Comments Off on Watch Me Fly

SBA Redux

Posted on May 11, 2006 by Colin Summers

I didn’t know I had connivance. I’ll have to get those inserts for my shoes, which I think takes care of that. Axel was a great passenger. He loved the entire ride and he pointed out all sorts of interesting … Continue reading →

Posted in Flight, Just Words, Trip | Tagged | Comments Off on SBA Redux

Fixing the Plane

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Colin Summers

Adam thinks that the plane has been in the shop more than it should, given that it is a new plane. I’ll admit that a few of the times I would like to have taken Nell and the boys on … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Words | Tagged | Comments Off on Fixing the Plane