Ok everyone I've been throwing around the idea of going for my commercial. The primary reason is that I'd like to instruct part-time at some point, so of course I need it for the CFI. But another reason happens to be my dwindling flight hours per year. My first year flying I logged about 100 hours, and about 70 hours per year in the next two years, including the instrument rating. But last year I only flew about 30 hours, and this year isn't looking much better. The primary reason is that I moved to DC last year and its either the airports that are nearby are under the FRZ, or I have to drive an hour from Arlington to HEF or somewhere similar. I took for granted how easy it was to fly in NJ, as the airport was only 11 miles from both home and work. In fact I still haven't flown in the DC area, as it's easier to wait until I go back to NJ on the weekends.
So I didn't fly at all between October and April. I flew three times between April and May, with two of those flights used for regaining my instrument currency. I felt as though my instrument skills, although they hadn't been used in months, were better than my VFR skills. This week I decided to do a little solo pattern work. Unfortunately my last time flying solo was more than a year ago, so I decided to keep it local. Well, not only did the mid-day heat make it a tad bumpy, but the winds were starting to pick up as well. I was done after two trips around the pattern, and while some things still felt natural, overall I felt like I did when I soloed. So my hope is that the commercial will help to bring my VFR skills back up to their former glory.
I'm scheduled to do some aerobatics with an instructor in DC on Friday, which I haven't done in almost nine months.
Dave
So I didn't fly at all between October and April. I flew three times between April and May, with two of those flights used for regaining my instrument currency. I felt as though my instrument skills, although they hadn't been used in months, were better than my VFR skills. This week I decided to do a little solo pattern work. Unfortunately my last time flying solo was more than a year ago, so I decided to keep it local. Well, not only did the mid-day heat make it a tad bumpy, but the winds were starting to pick up as well. I was done after two trips around the pattern, and while some things still felt natural, overall I felt like I did when I soloed. So my hope is that the commercial will help to bring my VFR skills back up to their former glory.
I'm scheduled to do some aerobatics with an instructor in DC on Friday, which I haven't done in almost nine months.
Dave