It has been raining since yesterday evening until now. Yesterday was torrential rain with visibility reduced to less than 1km. Aerodrome was closed for 2hours or so.

Today is at least better. Just intermittent rain. Cloud cover 8 octas (total cover of cloud in the sky).

The non-muslims including me are scheduled to fly today. But weather does not allow us to do so.

Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS)

Output produced by METARs form (0733 UTC 30 September 2008)
found at http://adds.aviationweather.gov/metars/index.php

WMKL 300700Z 15001KT 9999 -RA FEW005 FEW016CB SCT025 OVC200 26/24 Q1009

WMKL 300300Z 300606 34006KT 9999 FEW017CB SCT140 BKN270
TEMPO 0610 4000 TSRA FEW015CB SCT018

*WMKL is the ICAO 4 letter codes for Langkawi International Airport*


If you don't understand and want to know what the are the codes, continue reading.
If not, I'd advise you to close this window ASAP. You will fall asleep.

METAR text:	WMKL 300700Z 15001KT 9999 -RA FEW005 FEW016CB SCT025 OVC200 26/24 Q1009
Conditions at:	WMKL (LANGKAWI INTL AR, MY) observed 0700 UTC 30 September 2008
Temperature:	26.0°C (79°F)
Dewpoint:	24.0°C (75°F) [RH = 89%]
Pressure (altimeter):	29.79 inches Hg (1009.0 mb)
Winds:	from the SSE (150 degrees) at 1 MPH (1 knots; 0.5 m/s)
Visibility:	6 or more miles (10+ km)
Ceiling:	20000 feet AGL
Clouds:	few clouds at 500 feet AGL few clouds at 1600 feet AGL scattered clouds at 2500 feet AGL overcast cloud deck at 20000 feet AGL
Weather:	-RA (light rain)
Forecast for:	WMKL (LANGKAWI INTL AR, MY)
Text:	WMKL 300300Z 300606 34006KT 9999 FEW017CB SCT140 BKN270
Forecast period:	0600 UTC 30 September 2008 to 0600 UTC 01 October 2008
Forecast type:	FROM: standard forecast or significant change
Winds:	from the NNW (340 degrees) at 7 MPH (6 knots; 3.1 m/s)
Visibility:	6 or more miles (10+ km)
Ceiling:	27000 feet AGL
Clouds:	few clouds at 1700 feet AGL scattered clouds at 14000 feet AGL broken clouds at 27000 feet AGL overcast cloud deck at 20000 feet AGL
Weather:	no significant weather forecast for this period
Text:	TEMPO 0610 4000 TSRA FEW015CB SCT018
Forecast period:	0600 to 1000 UTC 30 September 2008
Forecast type:	TEMPORARY: The following changes expected for less than half the time period
Visibility:	2.49 miles (4.01 km)
Clouds:	few clouds at 1500 feet AGL scattered clouds at 1800 feet AGL
Weather:	TSRA (rain associated with thunderstorm(s))

Credit goes to Focusilate Designs.

A refreshing theme to start my CPL flying hours! =)

I am going to change a new blog skin! Maybe like in an hour time, I think.









Ok, the new skin is not related to the picture on the right!

Finally, the day has come!!!!!!!

I have finished my ground school final examination!!!!! Muahhahhahhaha. Hopefully I should be able to pass all subjects!! :)

Ok..that's the good part.



Now the ugly part.

We were scheduled to have de-brief sessions with all the ground instructors this morning. De-brief is actually our job to give feedback to instructors about the questions that came out in exam.

The first 3 sessions went very swiftly and smoothly. But not the last. And the instructor, is the fella who gave me ZERO in my previous progress test.

This moronic instructor actually asked us to produce the complete 100% exactly SAME PAPER with answers ABCD altogether, no more no less!!

@*$#$#@$*& damn!

We managed to produce the 80% of what we could remember, but to demand for such 100%........IT IS JUST TOO MUCH!

I wish I could re-produce the whole recording and post it here. You should listen to how he screamed and shouted at us!! As he left the classroom, he slammed the wooden door so hard as if it owed him a million bucks!!

This is not yet the end. He complained to the principal and Chief Ground Instructor, saying that we gave ZERO feedback to him!!! What the hell???

And of course, Mr Principal and CGI summoned us for that particular matter. Luckily, we were given chance to defend ourselves and both of them understand the real condition. Whether they are going to take action on the sucker or not, it's not our business. We are not under ground school anymore!!



Here comes the fun part.

Only me and another batchmate from Malacca staying here. Reason not going back: Home too far and break too short. The other 15 people all went back this evening. I am already in this crewroom, surfing net for more than 10 hours.

Not that I got nothing to do but I am trying to find myself SOMETHING to do.

If you remember what I said last time, the school computers did not have MSN, YM, flash player, java, chinese software,etc. We cadets could download the applications but could not get the admin passwords to install those stuffs. We had all those before the main CPU was infected with some kinda "Blue Screen of Death" virus.

Frustrated by these things, my friend (a computer expert) and I (a computer idiot) decided to take matters into our own hands.

Damn! Hacking was fun!! :)

Oh, did I say hacking just now? Just forget what I said 3 seconds ago.. :P

Anyway, the only problem left is how to use the chinese software. I installed it already but it's not functioning as it should be! If anyone of you has any good suggestions on where to download usable (and free) software to view chinese words, please feel free to post them in the chatting section.




Lastly, the best part.

After the senior batch completes their CPL hours at Kuala Terengganu, our batch is confirmed on the next list to go too!! The date is around end of October, but it may changed depending to the progress.

Singapore F1 night race is just around the corner!! This is the first night racing in F1 history, just in case you are not a fan of F1. :)


Friday 26th September, 2008.
13.00 Gates open for all ticket holders
14.00 Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens
15.00 – 15.25 Formula BMW Pacific Practice Session
15.50 – 16.20 Aston Martin Asia Cup Practice Session
16.40 – 17.25 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Practice Session
17.50 – 18.15 Formula BMW Pacific Qualifying Session
19.00 – 20.30 Formula One First Practice Session
21.30 – 23.00 Formula One Second Practice Session
Midnight Formula One Paddock Club™ , Sky and Club Suite Closes


Saturday 27th September, 2008.
13.00 Gates open
14.00 Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens
15.50 – 16.20 Aston Martin Asia Cup Qualifying Session
16.50 – 17.15 Formula BMW Pacific Race One (10 Laps)
17.45 – 18.15 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Qualifying Session
19.00 – 20.00 Formula One Third Practice Session
22.00 – 23.00 Formula One Qualifying Session
Midnight Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Closes

Sunday 28th September, 2008.
13.00 Gates open for all ticket holders
14.00 Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens
15.30 – 16.00 Aston Martin Asia Cup Race (10 Laps)
16.30 – 17.00 Formula BMW Pacific Race Two (10 Laps)
17.30 – 18.05 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Race (12 Laps)
18.30 Formula One Drivers Parade
18.45 – 19.15 Starting Grid presentation
19.46 - Singapore National Anthem
20.00 2008 Formula 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix (61 Laps)
Midnight - Formula One Paddock Club™ , Sky and Club Suite Closes



How's the weather at night down south recently? Raining cats and dogs very often? It's gonna be even more challenging with rain and reduced visibility in at night, I think.

I have to convert to Islam if I wanna go back for holidays. Still need me to explain further?



So, I shall report back to flying wing on the 29th September.

Send my regards to everyone down south there! :)

And wish me luck for my final exam on Thursday! =)

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has become the first higher education institution in Johor to establish the Anti-Corruption Secretariat.....Read On

UTM guys, if possible, please post on the programmes that they gonna organize for y'all. Thanks.

I don't think I will be able to take bus home (if there are holidays for me) during this coming Raya. Tickets will be sold out by the time the school sends out the notices.



I checked AK's website for any cheap fares on 27th Sept:
LGK - KL: $119. Earliest flight 0935 hours.
KL - JHB: $141. Only one morning flight available, 0800hours.
So obviously I can't take AK flight to reach home on the same day.



I tried go to Firefly website next.

No flight available. Great service!


Then MH.

Cannot find server. Amazing!!!

Nur Moana Ishak is flying high these days, literally. She is one of the first female commercial airline pilots in Malaysia and is now a first officer with AirAsia.

Her small frame belies her ability to control and fly multiple-tonne hunks of metal high above the earth. She says she certainly gets surprised reactions from people.

“At first, they don’t believe me because of my size,” she says, smiling. “When I meet people and tell them I work with AirAsia, they immediately respond, ‘Stewardess?’ I’d tell them ‘no, I fly the aircraft’. I do get that a lot.”

Her interest started when she was 11 years old. She says she loves the sound of the aircraft engine, for reasons she herself can’t explain.

“At first, I wanted to become a fighter pilot,” she reveals. “I sent in my application but was unsuccessful. Then I applied to be a commercial airline pilot. After finishing school, I had my training in Malacca at the Malaysian Flying Academy. I went through 15 months of intensive study, both theory and practical, and had to accumulate 200 hours of flight.”

Nur Moana was one of the pioneer batch of female pilots to graduate from the MFA. She recalls that there were only three women in her batch of 21 students.

In AirAsia, there are currently 10 female pilots, while three are still in training. Asked if her male colleagues treat her differently, Nur Moana says they treat as just one of the guys.

“During training, everyone has to be on par with each other.”

For Nur Moana, the most difficult thing about flying is going through bad weather, which is when her skills are really put to the test. But she says the responsibility towards her passengers is really what drives her confidence.

“It drives me further to take them safely to their destination,” she says.

While some pilots might think that commercial flights are not “real flying,” because everything is programmed, Nur Moana believes otherwise. The human touch is always needed, she says.

“We still have to monitor the system, every minute, every second,” she says.

As for being one of the very few female pilots in the country, she says: “I do feel proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve had this dream since I was a kid.”

Source - The Star.

Just one more week to go and I will be free from ground school!! Woohooo!!

*dancing around* =D


Before that is of course to clear my final exam. I seriously don't wish to resit for any paper! Double work, double trouble!

PA and Mass&Balance are relatively more risky subjects compared to the others.

PA consists of 20 questions while M&B has only 8!

Passing mark is still the same: 75%. "Safety margin" is thus lesser. I have failed quite a few times in PA, ranging from 60% to 70%.

And not forgetting that ONE failure in M&B. *grrr*



But I guess I should be fine. :)
Not overconfidence, just optimistic!

I saw Chew Hui's blog mentioned about her Chinese Lunar Birthday. I surfed all over the net to find a English site which can convert our birth date to Chinese Lunar Calendar.


Gregorian Date of your Gregorian Birthday Thursday, February 19, 1987

Chinese Date of your Gregorian Birthday Anniversary this year cycle 78, Chinese Year Wu-Zi (25), year 2008, month 1, day 13 (2008-01-13)

Gregorian Age today 21 years old

Chinese Date of your birthday cycle 78, Chinese Year Ding-Mao (4), year 1987, month 1, day 22 (1987-01-22)

Gregorian Date of your Chinese Birthday Anniversary this year Thursday, February 28, 2008

Chinese Age today 22 years old

Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Rabbit.

Source: http://www.asia-home.com/china/cncaps.php



I googled more about the meaning of Chinese Year Wu-Zi and Chinese Year Ding-Mao.

Wu- Earth
Zi- Rat
Ding- Fire
Mao- Hare


I am not really sure what's the use of our Chinese Birthday. It seems like it has something to do with marriage or health. Maybe fortune-telling?? I don't know. I DID NOT really believe in fortune-telling until one day my family went to this very famous fortune-teller. I forgot the location but it's down south. He lives in a small house. His source of income is from the donation of people who come to ask for his advice. He only attends to a limited number of people a day. I think it's 10 if I am not wrong.

Below is a summary according to what my parents told me. I was at here already when they paid him a visit.

The queue was very long during the first day they went. Nearly 10+ people when they reached there at 7am. Numbers were already fully booked for the day but lucky enough to get the second day's numbers.

Those who got the numbers are invited to sit in the small hall awaiting their turn. The Q&A session was done in the center of the hall itself, so that everyone could hear.

Due to my serious memory loss, I am unable to recall the questions they asked. Haha. But I know that my parents shifted some of the furniture here and there. And, things started to get better!

I guess even some of the "side effects" are spilling to me too! Not in terms of finance, but for health, yes! At least, the illness is not coming back until this very second.

As for love....hmmm..we shall leave it for another day. Time to have dinner! :P

Another air crash..

Sunday September 14, 2008
Russian plane crashes, killing 88 people... Read more..


****************


So the reporter has been released. Reason for her detention: her safety was under threat.

Wao!

I didn't know that April's Fool actually fell on 12th September!! Were they trying to make a joke? Yeah, the whole world is laughing at us now. Another world class achievement!!

There is no shop selling mooncakes nearby and I am craving for one!

MIRI: A light passenger aircraft crashed after overshooting the runway while landing at the Ba’Kelalan airport, about 120 miles east of here, on Saturday.......Read on..

Ok..first RPK was detained..and then the Sin Chew Daily reporter, HC Tan..and lastly the Seputeh MP, Teresa..

Oh, sorry. She might not be the last one to be arrested under ISA.

There is one big question mark in my head about the reason for police to detain the reporter.

"Tan, 32, reported former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election. - The Star."

So, the one who reported the racist remarks is wrong while the one who TALKED about racism does not deserve the same fate as her?

I smell something fishy about this.........

And, do you know about this?

""The Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. Any person may be detained by the police for up to 60 days without trial for an act which allegedly prejudices the security of the country or any part thereof. After 60 days, one may be further detained for a period of two years each, to be approved by the Minister of Home Affairs, thus making indefinite detention without trial. In 1989, the powers of the Minister under the legislation was made immune to judicial review by virtue of amendments to the Act. Now, only the courts are ‘allowed’ to examine and review technical matters pertaining to the ISA arrest.

Since 1960 when the Act was enacted, thousands of people including trade unionists, student leaders, labour activists, political activists, religious groups, academicians, NGO activists have been arrested under the ISA. Many political activists in the past have been detained for more than a decade.

The ISA has been consistently used against people who criticise the government and defend human rights. Known as the ‘white terror’, it has been the most feared and despised, yet convenient tool for the state to suppress opposition and open debate. The Act is an instrument maintained by the ruling government to control public life and civil society.

The ISA goes against the right of a person to defend himself in an open and fair trial. The person can be incarcerated up to 60 days of interrogation without access to lawyers."" - www.gerakmalaysia.org

Today..
Prominent Malaysian blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who has targeted government figures on his website, has been arrested under internal security laws.... click here to read more

Singapore has imposed a new ruling which has been described as "unfriendly" — including introducing restrictions against Ma­laysian VIPs and High Commission staff ve­hicles entering or leaving the island republic. click here to read more



Do you have any past experience stuck in a massive traffic jam at the long stretch of road towards Singapore Custom and being honked by a VIP's car?

I do.

There were 3 lanes. Around 100m ahead, the right lane was closed due to maintenance.
I was stuck in the traffic jam for like 50minutes already and the other cars hardly moved an inch!
And so I was in the middle lane, right beside was the road barrier which closed the right lane. And suddenly...

A black metallic Hummer came from the right.
Heavily-tinted glass.
Bright shining sport rim.

The traffic stretched so goddamn long, and you are thinking to cut MY queue just like that?!
Sorry mate, I am not in the mood to do charity today.

So the driver kept honking like for 20minutes. Yes yes, I can see you. So what???

The thought of "showing him the finger" came across my mind, but nah, that would be too much. I showed him my idiotic face though.



Finally traffic police officers came. The chauffeur wound down the window to talk to the officers. They shifted the road barrier aside for him to pass!

Just because you are from some royal family, you think you no need to queue up in traffic jam, izzit?! You !@!@#!@##$%$&..

Yeah, you don't have to remind me. But I know they have the privileges. Sigh....

Guess what was the car plate number? TMJ. *ooopss*

*I doubt I'd be alive if this incident occurred in his country. Probably there were only his subordinates and his chauffeur.*




A commercial break during a news program last night showed a Mid Autumn Festival local variety show. I thought that the festival was over a month ago! Wait...........

Mid Autumn Festival = Chinese Lantern Festival??

Mooncake pairs with Chinese Lantern and Tang Yuan with Mid Autumn?

Or izzit the other way round?

I googled for the answers. And it solved my confusion. For now, that is. :)

5x + 14y = 10
7y=4

Solve the equations above. How many steps are you going to write to arrive to the final answer?

Like this?

x = [10 - 14(4/7)]/5

= 2/5




Or like this?

Let 5x + 14y = 10 ---> (1) and 7y=4 ---> (2)

From (2): y= 4/7 ---> (3)

Substitute (3) into (1):

5x + 14(4/7) = 10

5x + 2(4) = 10

5x + 8 = 10

5x = 2

x = 2/5


*The question above is actually from Mass & Balance, but I changed it a little so that everyone can understand.*
I believe people with common sense with certainly use the first method. But there are some people in my school...wait...not "some people"...there is only one person in my school who likes to use the longer way!!

That special person is my ground instructor, who is responsible to teach me Mass & Balance.

I tried to argue with him. It saves candidates the time to allow for checking other questions (and can save ink summore ;P).

His reasoning: No. You don't take shortcut. It's because of shortcuts, you make errors. In flying, we should follow all the procedures laid down. If you follow those, you can't go wrong, bla bla bla...


Oh shut up already..


My comment: He is just to rigid. Pilots should be flexible and take the best actions in accordance to situations! I got all the questions correct but he gave me ZERO for all that! Just because I did not follow his "procedures"?!! Damnit.


This is mathematics! Not flying, you stubborn old man.

Among the highlighted features:
-carbon fibre, titanium, polished glass and stainless steel.
-unique tap-for-time feature - consumers can tap the steel surface below the display twice and a clock appears on the screen.
-Background images organically change during the day, giving a unique appearance to the display.
-turn-to-mute silencing mechanism allows individuals to silence incoming calls in a discrete manner by turning the phone over, screen-side down.

I figured that if I shave my sideburns, I could delay a haircut for another 2 weeks. It turned out that the Chief Ground Instructor (CGI) noticed my long hair and told me to get a haircut by next week.

For goodness' sake,my hair was actually short! I guess the CGI is jealous because he is hairless. ;p

Like what I said last time, the barbers of this island don't know how to cut hair. I had no choice.

I told the barber, potong sikit cukup.Tepi dgn belakang. Atas cukup pendek, takyah potong.

But her eyes got some problem, I think.

She cut left, cut right.

Then she found out that left was higher than right.

So she cut left left again.

Right side looked higher instead.

In the end, my hair became so short! Much shorter than I thought! Just like this:




Damn....what a day....

Income Tax Rates For Resident Individuals With Effect from Year of Assessment
2002

Chargeable Income	RM	Rate
On the first	2,500	0%
On the next	2,500	1%
On the first	5,000	-
On the next	15,000	3%
On the first	20,000	-
On the next	15,000	7%
On the first	35,000	-
On the next	15,000	13%
On the first	50,000	-
On the next	20,000	19%
On the first	70,000	-
On the next	30,000	24%
On the first	100,000	-
On the next	50,000	27%
On the first	150,000	-
On the next	100,000	27%
On the first	250,000	-
Exceeding	250,000	28%

CURRENT personal income tax at LHDN (http://www.hasil.org.my/english/eng_NO2_1_1K.asp).

If are a young adult and about to enter the working world like me, the above chart is something that you should take note.



Some extracts from the proposed Budget 2009:
* The current tax rebate of RM350 per person be increased to RM400 for those with taxable income of RM35,000 and below.

* All interest income from savings for individuals be tax exempt.

* The highest marginal tax rate for individuals be reduced from 28% to 27%, effective the year of assessment 2009. In addition, the marginal tax rate of 13% will also be reduced to 12%, which will benefit the middle income group.