OK, time for an update.
First, I thank God that we have no 20 series aircraft, only 35's and a 55.
I had a part 91 flight yesterday with my company owner as PIC and the jet's owner in the back. Apparently, it was time for this Florida "snowbird" to return to New Jersey.
The boss and I went down from PHL on AirTran, in a brand spankin' new 717 that smellled like a new Corvette. We drove from Lauderdale up to Boca, met the owner (along with beaucoups baggage, after all, he had been there since last fall) and flew him home to Jersey. I was so awed by the sheer speed on takeoff (I was once a drag racer, so I enjoyed this part a lot) that I missed the first two calls, airspeed and power set, but luckily I came to my senses in time to call V1 and rotate. We don't wear headsets, so I was missing my ususal "head clamping" from my DC's, and now I have to get back to my roots and use a speaker and hand mike...the same model mike I used in the Cherokee 140 I started in! I guess I could call it the circle of Aviation Life.
The flight from jersey back to Pa went a liitle better. We left VFR just after that rain had cleared out, and it was sunny all the way. I had the calls, and missed none on the radio. It was starting to feel like home. I had never before travelled at 2,500 MSL while doing 250 indicated.
Today I finished the formal systems ground school, and tomorrow we fly all morning to work on my official SIC status, file the background check papers for my airport ID, and then I go and get a passport for those three day island trips.
You know, I can get used to this.
