Dear readers,

There is a lot to tell this time! First, SFA decided that we will not fly on the archer in the States, but on the diamond 20 (below)! The advantage of this is that the change over to IFR (diamond 42) is more easy. However, this has got some disadvantages as well, for example 30 hours of backseating are lost.



As for the integrated practical part, we have finished our last BFC (Basic Flying Course) session. In this last session (actually it was a checkride) we had to show what we had learned during the BFC-course. In our promotion, 14 people passed the check (I am one of them), and 2 people still have to do an extra session before they can do the check. Since that we have finished BFC, I started studying for the FNPT2 simulator (The diamond twin star simulator). Studying for these simulatorsessions is big fun, and when I say this I am very serious (finally some "real" flying!). The first session for us can be expected in approximately 2 weeks, but studying the pitch-power table, flows, checklists, manoeuvres, .. requires some time. Besides the large amount of information, it is important that you don't only know all this stuff, but you have to "master" it! And to do so, it is important to repeat it over and over again, day after day, between the studying for the theoretical part. Below you can find some pictures of the diamond 42, the simulator (on the whiteboard) and the studying for it. The picture of the simulator in my room, is used to study the flows etc.







The theory course is still going fast as well. Up to now we have had approximately 1/4 of our checks, while we are halfway our training in Belgium (Offcourse this is logic, first receive course, then make the test). The results in our promotion seem to be very good (that's what they tell us), my average result on the checks is 95% for the moment, and there are 3 people whose results are a bit higher.

The last part of this post will be about observation flights. In the mean time, I did one observation flight (Jetairfly) with destination Malaga. It was a really nice flight on the Boeing 737-500 (below you can find a picture, but not of the -500). The APU (auxiliary power unit) was out of service that day, so we had to follow certain procedures. For example, for the startup of engine1, we had to obtain compressed air (instead of using bleed air from the APU, if I am correct) from an external source, some kind of truck, of which I don't remember the name anymore. After starting engine1, we could use the bleed air from engine1 to startup engine2. Unfortunately for you guys, I didn't make any pictures. Sorry! :-). The reason for this is, well actually I just didn't take the time for it. For the moment I am waiting for the confirmation of the next observation flight with Thomas Cook. I really want to do this one because it has a lot of legs, and a very nice destination (Brussels - Tenerife - Ostend - Liege - Brussels)! If it gets approved, it will be (offcourse) on the A320.





So, I guess this will be it for today. Excuse me if my english is not very proper (I know, everyone says this) but I didn't really take too much time for it this time.

By the way, it is not prohibited to post something in the shoutbox! :-)

More next time!

Dennis

Hi guys,

Again, it has been a while since the last post! Week 9 has already begun, things are going fast and there is not much time left to post messages every week!

In the mean time we have started Basic Flying Course (BFC), in which we, as the name says, learn the very basics of flying! What we have learned up to now (session 2/6) are different step techniques (pitch-power table), and different eye scan techniques! Instructors tell us that this is one of the reasons why SFA should be one of the better FTO's, because it is the only FTO in which students receive this course (Other FTO's tell students to look at the basic T, but not HOW to look at it and how to work with it!). The sessions find place on a relatively small Piper Archer simulator.



And yes, where many of you have been waiting for, I had booked an observation flight as well! But, indeed, but, 3 days on advance it got cancelled! Too bad, because it would have been a very nice 3-leg observation flight (At least that's what I think). It would have been on the Fokker 50 from VLM, from Antwerp to Manchester, from Manchester to London City (steep approach!) and from London City back to Antwerp. For the moment I am waiting for the schedule of december, before I book a new one. By that time I should have my drivers licence as well, which can be very useful since public transport isn't that good in the early morning!



Before I forget to tell you, next friday (21/11) there will be some fresh blood in the SFA buildings, SFA promotion 12 is having it's welcome briefing!

Well, this is going to be it for this time!

Dennis

Week 2 - 4

Hello,

It has been a while since the last post. This is because there is not happening much yet for our promotion. We have had theoretical courses only so far, we have learned to work with the pooleys CRP-5 analogue flight computer, and today we have had our first progress check (DC electrics). There will be 3 more progress checks in the next 3 weeks so we have to study a lot already. Below you can find our schedule for week 3 - 5 (without the changes in it), to give you an idea of what we do in Brussels.

tbc = to be confirmed
pof = principles of flight
bfc = basic flying course

Dennis