Inspired, contemplated, suggested, ripped, approved, critiqued and tested by United States Navy Chiefs throughout the United States Navy comes this Goatlocker Tavern Navy Chief shirt.
After delivering shirts to the Navy Chief selects at NAS Whidbey Island one perfectly rainy Pacific Northwest day we sat down and spoke with a few past and present US Navy Chiefs in their goatlocker as they exhanged salty sea stories and let me tell you they are more amazing than you can imagine, we got a chance to take out a pencil and some scratch paper made up of a bar napkin and began to take down their suggestions and ides for how to create a US Navy Chief Goatlocker design they thought would be better than a blast of saltwater to the face.
After a few minutes the Goatloacker Tavern Since 1893 shirt design concept was conceived. Born in a bar, ie Chief’s Mess and no not every Chief’s Mess is filled with lovely bottles and spirits, the old salty dog stories filled with a few olives and a Mariner’s blessing and this US Navy design was ready to set sail.
Our many thanks goes out to the Navy Chiefs we had the most amazing time with and for their invitiation to sit with them in their den of US Navy solitude as we listened to generations of US Navy Chiefs discuss the Navy, their brothers and sisters, its history, honor, courage and the committment of what it takes to ensure the longevity and desire to maintain the finest naval power in history.
I don’t really watch much TV, but I ran across SNL last night and figured I’d give it a go since I haven’t seen a funny episode of Saturday Night Live in years. When it comes to SNL, I’m in the old-school club of the golden years of SNL. However, Dwayne Johnson “The Rock” is pretty funny… then I saw the opening skit and I laughed my ass off.
Regardless of your politics, seeing Obama lose it like The Incredible Hulk was a good chuckle. And there is even a little bit of a twist at the end, so watch it and decide for yourself!
The Rock Obama on Saturday Night Live
“As a president, Barack Obama is typically calm, collected and cool-headed. But after Rep. John Boehner (played by Taran Killam), Sen. Ted Cruz (Bobby Moynihan) and Sen. Tom Cotton (Kyle Mooney) push The Rock Obama’s (Saturday Night Live host Dwayne Johnson) buttons, he gets a little angry and reminds everyone that he’s commander-in-chief.” (source: Tech Investor)
St.Patty’s Day has a proud tradition in the USA and around the world of people who don’t know how to handle their liquor getting out of control and doing stupid shit. Let’s hear it for Beginner’s Drinking Day! Better known as St. Patty’s Day.
Here is a small collection of St. Patty’s Day Fails for your enjoyment. So grab some cheap beer, add enough green food coloring to give you intestinal problems and let’s have some fun!
It’s An American Tradition
Drink Too Much And You Might Find Yourself Doing Some Irish Yoga!
The End of Rainbow Is Where You May Find Yourself
Everything Looks Great With A Splash Of Color!
Watch Out Or You Might Take A Spill And Get “Cheifed”
Watch Our For The Authorities And May The St.Patty’s Day Force Be With You!
Practice soft field landings in the pattern. Used 30 degrees Flaps to descend rapidly then throttle as I float in the ground effect for a soft field landing. Also worked on Slips and short field landings.
Practice Steep angle turns with Jimmy Carter, Nesreen and Sid over the Pacific Ocean. Starting with a right turn first becuase it is a more difficult maneuver ending with the left which is a less complex maneuver since the pilot has better visibility turning in the left direction. Once the turn is initiated the trim must be rotated 3 good turns to set the angle. Turns must be at least 45 degrees and not exceed 60 degrees. Demonstrated tis several times.
2. Mature Stage – Upward air is cooled and moisture forms cumulonimbus
3. Dissipating Stage – Raining
Temperature Inversion
Temperature Inversion Aloft
Icing
3 Main types of Icing are Structural, Induction, Instruments
Structural Icing occurs when visible moisture and below freezing temperatures at point moisture strikes the aircraft.
3 Types of structural icing are Clear Ice, Rime Ice, and Mixed Ice.
Clear Ice forms after initial impact when the remaining portion of the drop flows out over the aircraft surface, gradually freezing as a smooth sheet of solid ice.
Rime Ice forms when drops are small, such as those in stratified clouds or light drizzle. The Liquid portion remaining after initial impact freezes rapidly before the drop has time to spread out over aircraft surface.
Mixed Ice forms when drops vary in size or when liquid drops are intermingled with snow or ice particles. The ice particles become embedded in clear ice, building a very rough accumulation.
When encountering icing conditions inadvertently the first course of action should be:
1. Leave the area of visible moisture.
2. Possibly Descending to an altitude below the cloud bases
3. Possibly climbing to an altitude above the clouds
4. Turning into a different course
Atmospheric Stability
Atmospheric Stability is determines the type of vertical and size of clouds
Hence, an unsaturated or saturated parcel will always be cooler than the
environment and will sink back down to the ground
Conditional Stability
• The unsaturated parcel will be cooler than then environment
and will sink back to the ground
• The saturated parcel will be warmer than the environment and
will continue to ascend
Neutral Stability
The environmental lapse rate is equal to
the dry adiabatic rate.
• Or when parcel is saturate
Absolute Instability – Stormy
Hence, an unsaturated or saturated parcel will always be
warmer than the environment and will continue to ascend
Convective Cloud Formation
Environmental Lapse Rate
5° Celsius/1000 meters
Dry Adiabatic Rate
10° Celsius/1000 meters
Wet Adiabatic Rate
6° Celsius/1000 meters
Dew Point
Dew Point is the temperature to which a sample of the air must be cooled to attain a state of saturation. When the temperature and the dew point are close together (within 5 degrees), visible moisture in the form of clouds, dew or fog. Conditions idea for carburetor icing.
Dew Point Formula for Cloud Ceiling
Temperature – Dew point / 4 x 1,000 = Base of Clouds
More IFR and Cloud training! Of all daysto forget my GoPro this was the most amazing flight. Slipping through the clouds was awesome! Also Navigated via IFR through the clouds with Jimmy Carter guiding the way. Next Stop Check Ride!
Initial Walk Up Inspection of Cessna 152 Aircraft
Windsock at Ramona Airport
Pre-Flight Inspection of Cessna 152 Airplane
Pre-Flight Inspection of Cessna 152 Airplane Continued
Cumulus Clouds
Cumulus Clouds
Cumulus Clouds
Cumulus Clouds everywhere in this wonderful cold front creating these great clouds!
Ramona Airport from 5 SM North at 5500 ft.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 32 – Ground Weather Review
November 20, 2014 · At Derek Mountain
Nature of the Atmosphere
Low Pressure – Inward, upward and counterclockwise
High Pressure – Outward, downward and clockwise
Low Pressure – Warm air rises . High Pressure – Cool air falls
Troughs and Ridges
Standard Temperature and pressure values at Sea Level
15 degrees Celsius
and
29.92 Hg Mercury
Isobars
What information can be obtained from isobars?
Closer the isobars are together the fast the wind speeds, the farther they are apart the slower the wind speeds
The Coriolis Force causes winds to flow parallel to isobars.
Surface Friction is why winds flow across isobars at an angle.
The rate in which the atmospheric pressure decrease with an increase in altitude is 1″ per 1,000 ft.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 31 – Cessna 152 IFR Training Part 3
This time I took the girls and you might see them popping their heads up in the back seat. As you can see I’m wearing a blast shield aka IFR training Goggles to fly by instruments only. The top part of the goggles are fogged out so I cant see the outside unless I lift my head up. This entire flight I don’t get to see outside until right before I landed. Jimmy gives me navigation, altitude and speed instructions to follow throughout the flight. Before landing we circled the Wild Animal park so the girls could see it from above!
I was wearing this style of IFR trainign glasses from Sportys
Another beautiful day of flying. Too bad I didn’t see a thing above the hood. Watching the gauges again for another hour. Winds were out of the NE at 10-20 kts so we had a 10+ crosswind component making it a lot of fun. Also used runway 9er instead of 27 so that was also more right traffic pattern training. In addition trained on unusual attitude recovery.
Training on IFR flying using glasses that obscure my view so I cannot see the outside terrain and can only fly using the instrument panel. Very Cool! Flew my girlfriend, Nesreen, out to the coast and back for an hour logged of IFR with 2 more needed for requirement.
Checking the fuel. 100L
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk 2 Cockpit
Preflight Check to make sure all elevators work
Checking the Cessna 172 Engine Oil
Inspecting the cowling for any debris or bird nests
Luke, use the Force!
Ft Pendleton USMC San Diego, CA
US Navy Hovercraft Base Del Mar Area 21
LHDs leaving the base
Mt Woodson
Landing At Ramona Airport
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 29 – Cessna 152 Night Flight Part 2
Wrapped up remaining requirements for night flights. Have not flown with my instructor since May. Not used to the extra load but he said my flying was top notch! 7 more night landings. Only 9 hours left! 3 hours of IFR and 6 hours to polish up my skills;)
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 31 – Ground School – 152 Lycoming Engine and Carburetor
Reviewed 152 Lycoming Engines and Carburetors. Specifically 4 stroke systems and carb icing.
150 hp (112 kW) at 2700 rpm, Minimum fuel grade 80/87 avgas, compression ratio 7.00:1. Similar to E2A but with Slick magnetos and O-235 front.Used in the Cessna 172 I to M models.
Internal Combustion Engine
4 Stroke Compression System 1. Intake 2. Compression 3. Power 4. Exhaust
Internal Combustion Engine
Crank Shaft for Lycoming
Lycoming O-320 E2D CRANKSHAFT STANDARD MAINS & RODS
Pattern work, Touch n Goes, Non towered operations, Right Pattern Traffic, Short Field take offs and landings. Studying PTS and Oral exam books. 12 more hours of flight time to reach minimum for license!
Flight Training Day 27 – Cross Country Solo part deux!
Sept 21, 2014 · Taken at Ramona Airport, Blythe Airport
After a long wait and for the marine layer to burn off I finally got my last Cross Country Solo from KRNM Ramona to KBLH Blythe, Ca via KTRM Thermo! Absolutely great day! Logged flight plans and got her underway! Worked on VOR Navigation, Pilotage, and CFlight Following. All solo requirements are complete! 12 more hours of more training to take the Check Ride and get that license!
Flight Route on Los Angeles Sectional
All good and ready to go!
Lake Sutherland is super low! Year 3 of the California drought!
It was surreal to watch a cloud pass by like a car on the road.
Flight Plan
Chicken farms south of Santa Ysabel
Borrego Airffield
The Salton Sea
Looking towards Thermo airport. Returning I didn’t have to stop so I crossed the Salton Sea!
Looking back! Farthest I have flown from home base!
A very happy pilot!
Bye Salton Sea!
Solar panel array
Combat Crew No 412 of B-24 Liberator Bomber Group that was stationed in Blythe, Ca January 1945
Old school bomber hanga
KBLH Blythe Airport
Gas n up!
Heading towards Julian VOR. Last pic of the flight!
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 26 -Weather Delay on Cross Country Solo
Sept 16, 2014 · Taken at Ramona Airport
Weather has been super hot and storms linger from the Hurricanes in Los Cabos so I tried to practice some pattern work but hte winds got out of hand. Put her down after the Tower chattered the crosswinds at 22 knot!
Departed from Ramona Airport KRNM at 6:50am. Gorgeous day for a trip to Palm Springs Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport also known as Thermo KTRM located 82 nm out in the desert at altitude -115 below sea level. Used VOR navigating and pilotage. 2.0 hours logged as pilot in command for cross country solo. Awesome!
Route
Weather
Flight Plan
Plane Cessna 152 2
The Pilot
Ramona City and Airport. Mt Woodson in the background far right.
Beautiful early morning for a brush up on my skills. Solo cross-country is next! Looking forward to more ground school. Also preparing for high-performance and complicated retractable wheel aircraft.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 23 – Written Exam!
Aug 7, 2014 · Taken at Gillespie Field El Cajon Ca
More exercises in the playground north of Ramona Airport. Took off about 7 am and flew about an hour. Steep angle and S-turns along a road Circling around a point as well as operations within a non towered airport. Good stuff.
Took a few shots of the house from above and was filmed from below. After a reconnoiter of the house I practice more maneuvers north of the airport. More steep angle turns around a point at altitude.
House from above heading west
House from above heading east
On the ground in Hangar 1
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 20 Pilot in Command 152 Cessna
Great day to enjoy the Freedom of Flying! Practiced steep angle turns in the playground and flew over the house. Got some great pics of Ramona and Escondido!
More PIC training 10 touch and goes in 1 hr on a beautiful day! Practice engine fail and short field landings in less than 1000 feet! More solo and written test next!
Ramona Airport from left downwind turning base.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Day 18.5 Flight Training – Lost Procedures
June 13, 2014 · Taken at Frost Mountain
Lost procedures (Four Cs)
Climb for a better view, improved communication and navigation reception, and terrain avoidance.
Communicate by calling the nearest flight service station on 122.2 MHz. If the equipment is available, you may be able to get a direction-finding steer to an airport or another known point. If you can’t raise Flight Service, try calling the nearest control tower, center, or approach control. For frequencies, check the chart in the vicinity of your last known position. If that fails, switch to the emergency radio frequency (121.5 MHz) and transponder code (7700).
Confess to air traffic control that you are lost and need help.
Comply with the controller’s instructions. ATC wants to get you home. You can reduce your chances of getting lost in the first place by using flight following when it is available, monitoring checkpoints no more than 25 miles apart, keeping navigation aids such as VORs tuned in, and maintaining good situational awareness.
Early departure for 1.1 hours of touch and goes. 98 landings under my belt with a few more including night landings left to mark off that requirement. Next big thing is the written text! Study study study!
First day flying completely solo. Checked out the plane and headed out after all pre-flights. Felt great! This is the best feeling! Can’t wait to get my license!
Started out a bit stressed but worked it out and flew around then went for it! Pilot in Command for 3 take-offs and landings in .7 hours! The pattern was very full and i was dealing with many airplanes lining up for approach. Now I can train without the instructor. Next is the big written and Oral exam then Flight Check!
Getting ready to solo! Holidays slowed things up a bit but now back on track! More Cross Country training and Weather! I’m going to be taking my written test soon! Lots of stuff to learn and know. My brain hurts:)
KRNM – JLI – KTRM Had to get up early to do this trip. It gets crazy out over the Salton Sea. Cross Country today takes me to Thermo or Jacqueline Cochran regional airport which is 115 below sea level. This makes for an interesting climb out of a very hot place;) Absolutely no lift! Ramona airport and surrounding locations provide the largest range of environments in such a small area. An amazing trip over the desert and Salton Sea. Julian from above is gorgeous.
Working on Solo test and another cross-country to Borrego, CA. WHile in Class we had some visitors stop by the little Ramona Airport. B-17, B-25, P-51 Mustang and a couple of USMC Huey Cobras. I will post some videos next. What a show!
FAR AIM 2014
Private Pilot Oral Exam Single Engine Land
Filling out the Logbook!
B-24 Liberator
Video of B-24 Liberator Bomber Landing At Ramona Airport
B-17
Video of B-17 bomber landing at Ramona Airport
P-51 Mustang Fighter
Video of P-51 Mustang Taking Off
USMC Huey Cobras flew by
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 14 Cross Country C172 Skyhawk2
KRNM OCN KTOA- Ramona Airport to Torrance Airport for cross country training. Headed out to Oceanside VOR then along coast over Camp Pendleton then Flight Following through John Wayne Airport Class C Airspace
The Cockpit
Torrance Municipal Airport California
Frost Call delivers!
P-38 434th Fighter Squadron
P-51 434th Fighter Squadron
Army Air Corp Uniform
The Great Zamperini
Trophies of War…A Nazi Flag at Torrance Municipal Airport
Olympic Torches
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 13 – Cessna 152 Bail Out Airport
Flew the “Bail Out” route down to Gillespie Field. Been 3 weeks since I flew so really felt rusty. Botched the first landing but circled around and did a beauty. Returned to KRNM and did a few touch and goes to brush up. Next week I fly to Torrance Airport and back. More Cross Country Practice!
Pick one of these up today. Hope it is a good value.
Preparing for Cross Country Flight. Bail out Flight for backup airport to KSEE Gillespie Field and Ramona to Torrance, CA and back next week with Vision-Strike-Wear business partner and US Marine Todd Gilbert
Piper Cub
Vision-Strike-Wear.com at Jimmy Carter’s Flight Training
Cal Fire ready for action
Weather Briefing
Ramona Airshow Chalks
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 12 – Night Flight! Cessna 172 Skyhawk 2
Full Moon. Great night for flying. Clear skies and no other traffic until we reached Ontario Approach. Flew from Ramona Airport to Corona Airport. 1 hour flight each way. Landing at night was very cool! Once we returned to Ramona I did 3 touch and goes to practice night and non towered landings! Awesome!
Checked out the Velocity Experimental Aircraft here at the airport. Met the owner and pilot of this cool aircraft. Jimmy gave us the tour. More Nav and Communication work preparing for Night Flight this Saturday!
More Navigation! Next weekend is my first NIGHT FLIGHT so we are preparing the charts and the nav log for the journey. Mastering the E-6B Flight Computer to figure True Headings etc. Need to get a new Kneeboard Tri-Fold!
The E6B Flight computer! Calculating and computing flights and reading charts. Figuring distance traveled by gallons used by time it takes etc…Almost ready to go SOLO!
USMC Veteran trainer
San Diego Sectional
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 10 – Cessna 152 Pre Solo Flight Test
Getting closer to flying solo! After that I will be able to train more on my own for the big Written and Flight Test for the final Pilot’s License! 8 more landings running the pattern with less and less assistance! ThanksJimmy Carter for the excellent training!
Pre-flight Check!
Operations Log
Checking the plane
What lands at an airport…
Need Petro! 100LL
Fill’er Up!
The Pilot’s Seat!
Jimmy talked to 4 people in this stroll from his car to the me- lol!
The “Teach” has arrived
breaking it down.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 9.5 – Aeronautical Decision Making
D- Detect that the action necessary E- Estimate the significance of the action C- Choose a desirable outcome I- Identify actions needed in order to achieve the chosen option D- Do the necessary action to achieve change E- Evaluate the effects of the action
10 landings in 1 hour. Ramona Airport is the best place to learn to fly! No traffic just one touch and go after the other! Certainly made the right decision to wait and train here rather than at Long Beach Airport.
8:00 AM: Early morning and both planes wouldn’t turn over. Got down in the 30s last night- brrrr. Jimmy Carter tried to crank start her but nothing. Had to wait for the mechanic to show up and jump her off. Once we did it was training Steep Turns from 45 to 60 banks for 360 degree arcs including S turns and a couple touch and goes. Almost lost my lunch on the 2G turns. Ugh.
Computer prepared chart that covers the contiguous 48 states and adjacent areas. The chart is transmitted every three hours. Ready means of locating pressure systems and fronts. It also gives and overview of winds, temperatures and dew points AT CHART TIME.
Weather Depiction Chart
the Weather DEpiction Chart is computer generated with a weathr observers analysis of fronts from METAR reports. This chart gives valid time of chart. The chart begins at 01Z each day, is transmitted at 3 hr intervals, and is valid at the time of plotted data.
Radar Summary Chart
is a computer-generated graphical display of a collection of automated radar weather reports (SDs). This chart displays areas of precipitation as well as information about type, intensity, configuration, coverage, echo top, and cell movement of precipitation. Severe weather watches are plotted if they are in effect when the chart is valid. The chart is available hourly with a valid time of H+35; i.e., 35 minutes past each hour.
Short Range Surface Prognostic Chart (Progs)
The Charts protray forecasts of selected weather conditions at specified valid times 12, 24, 36, 48 hour progs.
Significant Weather Prognostic Chart
Significant Weather Prognostic Charts are available for Low-level significant weather from the SURFACE to FL240 (24,000 feet), also referred to as the 400 millibar level, and high-level significant weather from FL250 to FL600.
Connective Outlook Chart
Depicts areas of forecasts to have the potential for severe )tornado, wind gusts 50kts or greater, or hail 3/4 inch diameter size or greater and non-severe convection and specific sever weather threats.
Constant Pressure Analysis Chart
Any surface of equal pressure in the atmosphere is constant pressure surface. A constant pressure analysis chart is an upper air weather map where all information depicted is at the specified pressure of the chart.
Practice stalling and recover exercises at 8k feet. That is a lot of fun…not. Sphincter Factor of 10 when the stall happens and the plane goes out of control for a moment. More touch and goes. Great day of flying!
Took the girls with me to class last night. Jimmy Carter was too cool to let them join so I can get more ground instruction on Airspace and Chart Reading
More Touch and Goes to get better at landings. 7 Unassisted today! 5kt crosswind made things interesting. Worked on communications as well. Feeling more and more comfortable at the controls!
Jimmy has Vision-Strike-Wear.coms Made in America Hoodie for the USMC- Semper Fi!
Another fine day of flying. Although Im getting over a bug was still able to handle the Skyhawk 2. More Touch and goes to practice landings. My instructor Jimmy Carter was a good choice and is letting me push the envelope on my training. All 8 unassisted landings are with no throttle or 0 power to simulate landing with engine failure. Good shit to learn.
The Drive to Ramona Airport
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk 2
Jimmy Carter giving the day’s training a thumbs up.
Jimmy wants me to remember this chart for after the written test I will never see it again-lol.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 4.5 – Aviation Weather Forecasts
Severe thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms are those that may create surface winds of 50 knots or more; hail at the surface greater than or equal to three-quarter-inch in diameter; or tornadoes.
Embedded thunderstorms. These are thunderstorms that exist within a greater mass of clouds. The danger here is stumbling into a cell while flying in instrument conditions. Without any storm-detection equipment you can’t see trouble coming, although the Center Weather Service Units at air route traffic control centers can provide—via controllers—information useful for vectors away from areas experiencing heavy precipitation rates, or radar signatures associated with tornadic activity—hooks, scalloped edges, pendant shapes, and zones with very steep radar contours.
A line or lines of thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms greater than or equal to VIP (video integrator processor) Level 4, affecting 40 percent or more of an area of at least 3,000 square miles.
2. SIGMET
Sigmets are issued for severe icing not associated with thunderstorms; severe or extreme turbulence or clear air turbulence (CAT) not associated with thunderstorms;
dust storms, sandstorms; volcanic ash lowering surface or in-flight visibility to below three statute miles; or volcanic eruptions.
3. AIRMET
AIRMET Sierra – Describes IFR conditions and or extensive mountain obscurations.
AIRMETTango – Describes moderate turbulance, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or greater, and or nonconvective low level wind shear
AIRMET Zulu – Describes Icing and Freezing level Heights
Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecasts
Forecast Winds and Temperatures Aloft is a forecast of wind direction and speeds and of temperatures at different altitudes for specific locations.
The CWA is an aviation weather warning for conditions meeting or approaching national in-flight advisory (AIRMET, SIGMET or SIGMET for convection) criteria.
First time in a Cessna 172. Way more room than the 152. 2 more unassisted take offs and landings for the log! Was able to take my grandparents and my parents up for a spin around San Diego. Flew out to the coast over the ocean and down to city and back. Great day for flying.
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 3.5 – Aviation Weather Reports and Observations
November 23, 2014 · At Derek Mountain
METARs
Hourly surface observation of conditions observed at an airport.
2 Types of METARs; a Routine METAR report and a Special Weather Report (SPECI)
Reading a METAR
Types of Weather Observing programs available are:
Manual Observations – Reports from FAA or NWS personnel.
Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) units are automated sensor suites that are designed to serve meteorological and aviation observing needs. There are currently more than 900 ASOS sites in the United States. These systems generally report at hourly intervals, but also report special observations if weather conditions change rapidly and cross aviation operation thresholds.
PIRPEPs
2 types of PIREPs ROUTINE or UA URGENT contain information concerning weather as observed by pilots en route.
Reviewed written pilot license test requirements and flying in a pattern. A coyote crossed the runway. Studied on ground for 2 hours then practiced “touch and goes” for an hour with 4 unassisted take offs and landings. Landings were at zero throttle or no power and approach was on glide speed. This is to practice landing with engine failure. Needless to say I wasn’t taken pics while flying this time;)
Planned Flight with Jimmy. Pre-flighted, Taxied, Communicated with the Ground and tower for clearance. Took off, flew over Mt. Woodson then headed south over San Vicente Reservoir to Gillespie Airfield in El Cajon and had an assisted landing. The rudders when taxiing are a bit tricky but I got it this time. On return to Ramona Airport took off and landed unassisted for the first time! Jimmy says its rare that folks can do the whole trip on their own this early. I told him I had a good teacher;)
About to turn base leg on Ramona KRNM airfield. Overlooking town of Ramona.
Jimmy points out the way to El Cajon. SSE to Gillespie Field KSEE
ME actually flying a REAL aircraft no Flight Simulator!
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 1.5 Obtaining Weather Information
Primary Source of obtaining Weather Briefing is from the briefer at the AFSS/FSS by calling
1-800-WXBRIEF
Toll free 24 hours a day.The following is a list of the pertinent information a weather bringing includes:
1. Adverse Conditions
2. VFR Flight Status
3. Synopsis
4. Current Conditions
5. Enroute Forecast
6. Desination Forecast
7. Winds Aloft
8. NOTAMs Notices to Airman
9. ATC Delay
10. Upon Request
Special Use Airspace SUA, MOAs Military Operations Airspace, MTRs Military Training, ADIZ, Search and Rescue, RAIM services
Other means are
TIBS- Telephone Information Briefing Service (AFSS)
NOAA- National Oceanic atmospheric Administration.
DUATS- Direct User Access Terminal Systems can be accessed by pilots with a current Medical Certificate toll-free in the contiguous states via personal computer and internet.
TWEB- Transcribed Weather Broadcast and telephone access in Alaska.
These AFSS/FSS and other Weather Services contact numbers are found in the Airport Facility Guide
AFSS- Automated Flight Service Station
FSS – Flight Service Station
En Route Advisory Service (EFAS)
Specifically designed to provide enroute aircraft with timely and meaningful weather advisories pertinent to the type of flight intended, route of flight and altitude. Also where PIREPs Pilot REported Weather Information.
Hazardous In-Flight Weather Conditions (HIWAS)
A continuous broadcast of in-flight weather advisories including summarized Aviation Weather Advisories, SIGMETs, Convective SIGMETs, CEnter Weather Advisories, AIRMETs, and urgent PIREPs.
Flight Information Service (FIS)
FIS is a method of receiving aviation weather and other operational data in the cockpit that augments traditional pilot voice communication with FSS or ATC facilities.
Pre flight Planning
1. Location of Fronts
2. Cloud Layers
3. Freezing Levels
the lowest altitude in the atmosphere over a given location at which the air temperature reaches 0°C
4. Air Temperature and Pressure
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 1- Cessna 152
November 6, 2013
Took off, flew around for a hour practicing rolls, pitch, and yaw maneuvers. Stick and rudder flying. Basic navigation and VFR review. Did an assisted landing. Flying to Gillespie Airport in El Cajon on the 14th! Absolutely awesome!
Learning to Fly an Airplane
Flight Training Day 0.5 Obtaining ATIS Information
Automatic Terminal Information Service
KRNM Ramona ATIS Frequency 132.025
The recording is updated in fixed intervals or when there is a significant change in the information, e.g. a change in the active runway. It is given a letter designation (e.g. bravo) from the ICAO spelling alphabet. The letter progresses down the alphabet with every update and starts at alpha after a break in service of 12 hours or more. When contacting the local control unit, a pilot will indicate he/she has “information <letter>”, where <letter> is the ATIS identification letter of the ATIS transmission the pilot received. This allows ATC controller to verify whether the pilot has all the current information. From Article in Wikipedia- read more
Updated during Tower Operating Hours. After hours is default traffic announcement.
The Phonetic Alphabet is used for ATIS report
Message
Explanation
This is Schiphol arrival information Kilo
Indicates the broadcast is for aircraft inbound to Schiphol, and the bulletin’s identification letter
Main landing runway 18 Right
Main runway used for landing is 18R, which indicates the direction (180 degrees magnetic) and Right implies there are other runways with a similar direction (18L (left), and perhaps others, such as 18C (center))
Jimmy Carter is my flight instructor! Lol! Not the President but actually a USMC veteran and highly regarded pilot trainer.
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward for there you have been and there you will always long to return” Leonardo Da Vinci
FAR AIM 2013
Choosing a Flight Instructor is critical and future pilot should find a one that they can learn best with. I choose Jimmy Carter because of his love for aviation and genuine personality.
Learning to Fly – Top Petty (C) 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Learning to Fly – Pink Floyd 2011 Remaster Originally released 1987
There is a common thread behind so called “homegrown extremists” in France, England, and even in the USA. Surviving family members and friends who had no idea their children, friends or even siblings had become radicalized.
There the mother who had no idea that her child or children met extremists online. The wife who thought her husband was just taking the day off from work, or the sister who realized she had never met her brother’s new gang of friends. Transformations, especially in young people can be subtle, taking place over months and eluding relatives along the way.
Mia Bloom of the University of Massachusetts says groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda go after young women in the West by using other young women as online recruiters. The tactics they use are similar to that of an online sexual predator: establishing a rapport and building trust.
“It’s another woman. She’s cool. She’s just a few years older. And so this is how they will initially approach,” Bloom says. It’s an attempt to dupe unsuspecting young women in places like the United Kingdom, France and United States into joining. But it begs another question: Are the young women who end up being recruited victims or terrorist masterminds?
Countries in Europe, like the England, are often arresting “fighters” who return from Syria or Iraq and sentence them to prison trying to avoid more home-grown terrorist attacks. When their families cooperate with authorities and their children are imprisoned, it could discourage other families from working with police or security organizations to bring their kids back home.
“In the same way that we have former gang members talking to high school students to prevent them from entering gangs, we may be missing out on an invaluable resource to have these girls speak to other young women not to get involved,” she says.
[Tweet “Is ISIS Learning Recruitment from Online Sexual Predators? #isis #vsw”]
20-year-old Aqsa Mahmood from Glasgow is a case in point. She traveled to Syria in 2013 and married an ISIS fighter. She then starting promoting terrorism back home via Twitter. Dr. Bloom says they try to recruit others by selling an idealized version of what life will be like in Syria.
“She’ll be online extolling the virtues of living in the Caliphate and how wonderful it is to have this sisterhood, especially if you are the second or third wife,” Bloom says.
Some of the other tactics used to recruit young men and women to ISIS and al-Qaeda resemble those used by cults or online sexual predators who prey on children. One technique is ironically called ”love bombing.” They attempt to influence a person with continuous and lavish demonstrations of affection and attention. Expecially to people who already feel alienated in their local city, town or culture. They also can work by putting some kind of prize in front of potential recruits in exchange for an agreement.
In many cases, ISIS themselves could be considered sexual predators as many of the women recruited to marry ISIS fighters are under the legal age of consent. Some of the “officers” in the ISIS military groups take multiple wives, many of them as young as 14 year of age.
People drawn to both terror groups, online predators and cults tend to be seeking something missing from their lives. ”They’re not necessarily going to be damaged individuals,” Bloom says. “But I do think that the terrorist organizations do prey upon a certain kind of individual, especially converts to Islam who, because they converted, tend to overcompensate.”
Sometimes that compensation, especially for Western recruits, is for a lack of success in life. ”They are tired of being objects of history and want to be agents of history,” Bloom says. “Being in the caliphate is a way of being someone important. You’re making a difference — even though it’s a terrible difference.” (Source: OPB)
Radio Interview with Dr. Bloom:
As crazy and it sounds, these people are going to be coming back from Syria, Iraq and other countries and in some cases, there is no way to know who they are. In Europe, some experts are suggesting there could be potentially thousands of extremists who were fighter or conspirators of ISIS. Without programs to “de-radicalize” these people, the potential for acts of terrorism is a matter of “when”, not “if” it will happen.
A representative from France (unidentified in the radio interview) said, “the [government] is starting to realize they cannot capture or kill them all. IS Fighters could be coming back tomorrow or a year from now, but they are returning. And when they return, they have the will, the training and the contacts to coordinate attacks. Our best hope may yet lie with de-radicalization programs, like those currently used in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.”
Regardless of the consequences, the increasing threat may be slowed or stopped by using tactics that are currently employed to fighter online sexual predators. The US government and many local police forces already have programs in place to find online predators and these programs may be able to be used to track ISIS recruiters because they are taking their game plan from existing tactic used by online pedophiles and predators.
On January 30th, 2015 in Portland, Oregon, Webmaster Matt went to see Star Trek (2009) with the Oregon Symphony playing the soundtrack live and it was fantastic! But did you know that Star Trek was based on the US Air Force? And that Gene Roddenberry was both a police officer and has flown combat missions?
Here is a short clip from the end of the show.
Gene Roddenberry Was A U.S. Combat Pilot
“In 1941, he joined the United States Army Air Corps, which in the same year became the United States Army Air Force. He began training at Goodfellow Field (now Goodfellow Air Force Base) in San Angelo, Texas with other Civilian Pilot Training alums and graduated as a second lieutenant in September 1942, Class G.[11] ”
“He flew combat missions in the Pacific Theatre with the “Bomber Barons” of the 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bombardment Group, of the Thirteenth Air Force and on August 2, 1943, Roddenberry was piloting a B-17E Flying Fortress named the “Yankee Doodle,” from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, when mechanical failure caused it to crash on take-off. In total, he flew eighty-nine missions for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal before being honorably discharged at the rank of captain in July 1945.” (Source: Wikipedia)
After his military service, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department (Feb. 1, 1949). He became a Police Officer in 1951 and made Sergeant in 1953. It is widely believed that his experience as a combat pilot and police officer molded his vision for the future where “The Federation of Planets” would be a combined exploration, military and police force and later doing diplomatic and scientific missions. He original sold the series as a “Wagon Train To The Stars.”
Rank Structures In Star Trek Based On United States Navy
“According to Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, Roddenberry’s original idea for the organization of the USS Enterprise was that the ship would be based on a merchant marine type organization with a Captain and various mates overseeing a large crew. In the pilot episode “The Cage”, the only ranks spoken of were Captain, Lieutenant, Chief and Crewman. All officers wore a single rank stripe and, according to Roddenberry, everyone aboard the Enterprise was a qualified astronaut making rank titles a formality since all crewmembers basically had the same type of training.
When the second pilot was being developed (TOS: “Where No Man Has Gone Before”), Roddenberry shifted focus from a merchant marine vessel to a military ship very clearly modeled after the United States Navy. The ranks of Lieutenant Commander and Commander were both spoken of and the Captain (James T. Kirk) wore a “two stripe” insignia to differentiate him from the rest of the crew. When Star Trek: The Original Series came into full production, Ensign and Lieutenant Junior Grade were both either seen or discussed and the concept of staff versus line officers was introduced, most predominately in “Court Martial” where an officer of the Judge Advocate General Corps is seen and Starfleet is referred to as “the service”.” (source: Ex Astris Scientia)
In the end, Star Trek may not have been completely based on the US Air Force, but we will never truly know. It is known that Gene’s Combat Pilot training and missions were a large factor in his choices of space combat in Star Trek shows. Also his knowledge of the US Military led to help with ship designs, ideas and naming conventions and the military structure of The Federation in the show.