Flew on the airways to Ipoh and then to Penang before coming back to Lgk.

After one night of practicing, I still couldn't remember all the procedures.

I seriously need to think ahead of the aircraft.




Anyway, in respond to weixi's request:

Both of these two sorties are related to SIDs and STARs.

SID - Standard Instrument Departure
STAR - Standard Instrument Arrival

Without going into the details, they are just standard procedures to depart and also to land at an airfield. Again, these procedures are listed in the charts for pilots to refer during flight.

Eg: ANDOK SID - take off Runway 21, climb to 500feet, turn left heading 205 climb 1000feet, then turn left heading 130 to intercept Radial 155 VPL to Andok and further climb to 8000feet.


So instead of such a long instruction, it is simplified to just ANDOK DEPARTURE.

Just in LGK here alone, we have more than 10 SIDs and STARs combined!

Tomorrow will have a tougher sortie to fly: Airways.

TE Sim L1/7

Instrument Landing System (ILS), most commonly used by airliners during an approach to land.

Unlike other non-precision approach systems, this one provides a more accurate guidance to pilots especially during bad weather conditions.

This kinda system not only gives lateral guidance, but also shows the vertical guidance (glideslope).

Now you see why some airlines have such psychomotor test?? To those of you who went for the test, I am pretty sure you were told to complete a task that required you to steer the vertical and horizontal axis to center position and then maintain it as long as possible.


Same concept as above, we applied it here in ILS, where we have to maintain the aircraft steadily on the glidepath and to the centreline of runway....

ALL the way down to a point called Decision Altitude (DA).

If we are visual with the runway at this point, continue with the approach visually to land.

If no, then abort the approach and carry out the Missed Approach Procedure (which is stated clearly in each and every Jeppesen chart in most of the airfields today). Different airfields, different procedures.

To remember all those procedures, you need superhuman memory power. Obviously, we don't. So we bring those charts along in flight. Something like a road map, in simple.

I am tired. Bye~

I had developed quite an avid interest in writing lyrics a couple of years ago. Many don't know about this, but hey I wrote Chinese lyrics.

I saw a friend's blog who wants to buy lyrics. And suddenly thought of selling mine to him (is it even worth a penny? haha). Of the 3 songs I wrote, only one is found.

Yes, I learned to write lyrics for the girl I liked, in Chinese. Hey, I am not Chinese educated!

Anyway, today's topic is not about me bragging about how a banana like me can produce Chinese lyrics.

It's more to realize the power of love...how love shaped me into a totally different person...how love can make/break a person...


A friend of mine who is in love with a girl, made all kinds of surprise, why, just to make her happy during Valentine! Handmade presents! How many guys are willing to go the extra mile to please their girlfriends? Ok, I know, the number of jerks are hell alot more than Mr. Nice Guys. ;p

There is another girl whom I know quite close made sushi for her boyfriend! Now, she wasn't the housewife type of girl. To ask her to step into kitchen was like asking her to jump off a 100-storey building.
But ever since she is trapped in the love web, I see 180 changes in her character!!
**Love for bf/gf**



Another friend loves to fly. I know the tons of effort she puts in to be in her position now today. She had to make difficult decision at some point in her life.
To pursue tertiary level education, OR to become a pilot?
To do something you don't want to do and regret your entire life, or to pursue your dream?
The path to be a pilot is not an easy one for her as a private cadet, mainly financial. But if she were to choose the first, I don't think she is going to live as happy as now! :) **Love for flying**



The examples above are just the happy scenarios. The heartbreaking ones? Alot! Mainly because of the love for bf/gf.
-B left C for D.
-Or X likes this guy, but this guy likes Y.
-Or a couple broke up after a year overseas due to career/studies.
-Or Z found out her bf was toying her feelings.
-Or G found out her bf two-timed.
-Bla bla bla..the list goes on and on.
The pain felt depends on how deep you put into that relationship. Some take more than a year to heal. While some just need few days (or maybe few hours!).
I once believed that time heals.
Not anymore.
Time makes you forget the pain.

6th simulator session: VOR DME approach, with winds this time.

Mental calculation has improved quite abit. Thanks to the mini clipboard that I bought two days ago.

I realized that my mental calculation was slow NOT because I calculate slow. It's because I have a lousy short term memory power.

It's like, given information A, B and C,

I need to count D and E while trying to fly the aircraft and keep a mental picture of the aircraft location and what I have to do next.

After 5mins, I need to calculate F and G using info A, B, C.

And now the problem comes, I forget what are the values of those.

Yes, I can ask the instructor again for the info, but that is gonna make me look like fool who does not pay attention to what he is saying.

So the mini clipboard comes in handy. I just need to put it on my right thigh, jot down those values and a quick glance helps to refresh what I forgot!

Just finished the exam two hours ago and now I am free!

Going for DotA now.

But before that, a million thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!

Quite alot of you sent me the message on the midnight. Particularly the one I got at time 00:00:01 am. Timing damn cun. Sorry for not replying cuz I was asleep!

But anyway, if YOU are reading this (if you are not, then that's better :p)...

here's the prize: Free 22 hits on my arms ONLY.

TE Sim L1/4

TE Sim L1/5

Imagine you are descending steadily from 3000feet along the approach path with intention to land.

Suddenly the aircraft you are flying went out of control.

It starts to make a gradual left bank. 10degrees, 20degrees, 30degrees.

No matter how much rudder input you give, the aircraft keeps rolling to the left. Rudder trim is put to fully right.

You notice altimeter reading is dropping like mad. Rate of descent 800feet per minute and still increasing.

Realising that rudders have become useless, you slam the control stick to the right, trying to keep the aircraft in control. Almost 30degrees of bank angle.

Both engines are not giving maximum power.

You reduce power on the right engine to 20percent while keeping the left one at 70percent.

Altimeter reading 2000feet. You look around for places to make a forced landing. But it seems  a populated area is below you. No clearings, no forests, no rivers, no sea. 

Only the runway ahead is available.

There is no other choice left. It's either you make it to the runway, or you die, together with people who are unlucky enough to be in your way.

Left engine power cut further and you bank more to the right. Aircraft descends further.

1000feet. Landing gears down. Flaps to Approach position. Then to Landing position. Runway is just ahead. 

500feet

300feet

200feet

And you try to flare using wings level. But the moment you release the pressure on control stick, aircraft starts moving to the left.

Using your 1,000,000,000 hours of experience, you decide to use your modified Wing Low method (without the aircraft nose aligns with runway centreline).

Land on the right main wheel, you release the control pressure slowly together with left engine power.

The moment aircraft nose aligns with runway centreline you let the left main wheel touchdown.

And finally the nose wheel.

You think you made a perfect landing already. However right after touchdown, aircraft turns left and heads towards a building. 

You tried to stop the damned aircraft but to no avail. There is only word in your mind now.

"Wtf!"

You crash into the building.

The end.

That is what happened to me yesterday in simulator.

Ok, the last 4 lines are exaggerating.  I made it up. For fun. -_-"

Right after landing I engaged on the parking brake and the screen paused.

The simulator got some problems, you see. Rudders especially were unserviceable.

So while waiting for technician to come and repair it, my instructor and I took turns to fly it. ;p

Quite fun seriously. It's not like you can get this kinda situation often in the actual flying!

To those aspiring pilots who are thinking to work with this company, think again. Especially if you are more than 25yrs of age.

Just for your information, the seniors who graduated from here JAN 2008 until now still haven't started working!

They finished their ground school and sim training (with the company) very long ago and now still waiting for endorsement (which is going to take another 8months!).

And these seniors are the first batch of B737 in 2008. More than 10 batches are queuing after them up until today.

*faint*

Yeah, the ground school and sim training are getting faster now. But to wait for the endorsement can take a very long time (I dunno why). Plus there won't be allowance during the waiting period!

Now how the hell am I going to survive in KL?

If you are asking me when I gonna start working...hmmm..year 2011 perhaps?

I am going for simulator now. Bye~

Yesterday night went out for a drink with a bunch of batchmates.

Yeah, it was like more than a year already since I last had liquor.

Well...not really liquor this time. Just cocktail.

Pinacolda. ;p

Now..where is my girlfriend.....oh yeah, let me show you her picture..

*Bluetooth On*
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*Menu*
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*Gallery*
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.
*Images*
.
.
*Send via Bluetooth*
.
.
***Ta~da~~***
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Bottom right corner: A 20cents coin as comparison.

That's the Aircraft Flight Manual for the aircraft I gonna fly, DA42. Functions very well as a pillow ;p

I have been dating with her for 3 days already.

See the white switches on the left?

They are in the OFF position, fyi.

The ON-OFF positions in planes are the opposite of what we use at home.


Reason: Human beings are lazy. Our body tends to follow the flow of gravity.

So all the switches require some energy from pilots to activate them. This can prevent them from being switched on inadvertently.

Even some of the emergency-only switches are guarded, like this:

I did not realise today is












until I saw my friend's FB shoutout. Today is supposedly The Day Of Bad Luck.

Believe it or not, there is even phobia for Friday the 13: paraskavedekatriaphobia. Haha.

While I admit I am more of the superstitious type, but I am not to the extreme level. It's not like I gonna stay inside room all day long fearing about THAT something or anything.

But anyway, some shocking news for you:

Plane crash in New York state kills 49 people.

This is the Fuel Control panel for the DA42. One for each engine.

3 selections available: ON, CROSSFEED, OFF.

If let say we put Crossfeed Left, then fuel will be transferred from right to left.
Do I even need to explain On and Off? ;p

Anyway, just finished our first type tech classes. Exam date on next Thursday.

if you haven't seen this one yet....

Performance in simulator is better than yesterday. At least the departure and take-off briefs are more fluent.

Autopilot makes life so much easier. To climb/descent/turning, we just need to turn the knobs and the machine does everything for us.

Mental calculation is lesser today but not for tomorrow.

Such calculations involve sin and cos angle to correct for wind and drift effect.

Then we have the descend/climb and turning calculations.

Eg:
A rate one turn--->> 180degrees/minute = 45degrees/15second.

Rate of climb/descend--->> 500 feet per minute = 125feet/15seconds.

Every 15seconds, we have to call out the heading and altitude, at the same time we have to monitor the speeds, descent/climb rate, calculating the next heading&altitude for the next 15seconds.

Sounds alot of work to you?

Autopilot can reduce the workload but we cannot fly on that all the time. At least not for now.

I will try to memorize the figures for the next training.

I've passed! :) Dunno my marks though. But more importantly is PASS!!!

My flying hours still lack 40minutes so tomorrow will do an additional sortie to complete it. I think I will try for flying around the island anticlockwise.

No time to celebrate this yet as I still have to go for TE Sim. Type Tech for DA42 exam has been postponed too.

So more time to study.

Super tired now. Ciaoz!

Total Flight Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Endurance: 7hours




































**Anyway, I passed this PT with flying colours. 96%. ;)**
**Later at 1400hours local time, I will go for my last PT in single engine phase (PT4). Wish me luck!!**

1st - my batchmate YJ
6th - my primary classmate MH
8th - my buddies SG and KC
10th - my sis YY
12th - my daughter KL
15th - my batchmate ZA
17th - my godsis KX and buddy ZX
18th - my junior CK
20th - my secondary classmate HC
21st - my karaoke partner HE
25th - my crazy badminton challenger LL

Happy Birthday to all!

Almost two weeks already since I last played guitar. It's not that I am lazy to practice it, but I left it at home (purposely) when I went back for CNY holidays. I don't want to carry so many stuffs back after graduate.

I was planning to learn more songs but the-not-so-musically-talented-me only managed to 'master' 11 songs in 6 months..namely,
Betterman - Intro (Robbie Williams)
Simple Love (Jay Chou)
Empty (Click Five)
Fall For You (Secondhand Serenade)
Love Me Then Don't Leave (Zhang Zhen Yue)
Regular Friends - Intro (David Tao)
Fine Day - Intro (Jay Chou)
The Love You Want (Penny Dai)
Dandelions' Promise - Intro (Jay Chou)
Spanish Romance (Autumn In My Heart soundtrack)
Rainbow (Jay Chou)


Without constant practice, I don't think I can even play Fine Day now.

Same for flying. I can only maintain my best performance for 5 straight days of non-flying. After that, it is going to deteriorate exponentially.

Today is the 4th day.

Reading The Squid's blog reminds me of my brother.

Rubik's cube. You know, the 3D puzzle with 6 colours on all 6 faces. I am sure most of you played it when you were young. Don't tell me you have never seen it at all in your life.

I am always amazed at how the hell some people can solve that thing in less than a minute. And when I said SOLVE, I mean this:





Not this:
I tried to solve that since I was like....5? haha. But it always ended up with just ONE side solved.
The other five faces: scrambled.
Damnit. I thought of pulling out all the pieces one by one and arrange them back again in same colours.

Ta-da~~

-_-"

No, it's going to spoil the fun. And I didn't even know how to take the pieces out anyway.

Well well well, it was when I went back for CNY holidays last month that I realized that crazy brother of mine solved it already!

Goddamn. His record time is 23seconds, I think.
World record 7.08seconds (source: http://www.recordholders.org/en/list/rubik.html)


He told me he learned it through Youtube. Alot of people, probably hundreds or thousands of them posted ways of solving the cube. But only a handful are Real& Serious ones.

He brings the cube with him everywhere so that he can practice it anytime. My dad even invested on him higher quality cubes and petroleum jellies (to lubricate the cubes).

Not enough of practicing with two hands, now he is into the 'one-handed' solving method.

Apparently he is gonna join the Singapore Open 2009 Rubik's Cube Competition on the 28th February.

Do you know: The youngest person who solved a Rubik's Cube in a competition was Enxi Xie (China), who was 4 years 6 months 10 days old when he solved the cube in 1:28.06 minutes at the Guangdong Open 2007.

Twin Engine Simulator or TE Sim in short.

First, checklist! Pre-flight check is a must. Obviously there is no external checks. So we started from internal checks.

Kinda slow in the checks cuz I needed some time to familiar myself with the hell alot of buttons, knobs and switches inside.

Next, the FMS setup. *Click Click Click* *Twist Twist Twist*

Needless to say, I was slow in that too. The instructor guided me step by step while explaining to me where is where and what is what. ;p

Fyi, the image projected in front covers the peripheral vision. It's not like playing videogame on TV because what we see only a small part at the center of vision.

We have 'other static' objects around the TV (and those fall within our vision) to tell our eyes that only the objects in the screen are moving (not you!).

So in simulator, our eyes are telling us one thing but the body feels another. At one point, I needed to perform a medium turn to the right.

Control stick and right rudder were applied simultaneously (Method: Bank, Balance, Back pressure).

I saw the screen outside and knew that I was climbing but my body registered zero G force. And hence resulted in disorientation. Haha.

Well I accidentally found out 2 ways to counter it though. One: Look at the instruments ONLY.

Two: Hmmm, a trick, I'd say. But to all the cadets who are going to fly sim one day, you will find out this method yourself. ;p

Main Route: WMKL - WMKP - WMKL
Total Flight Time: 2 hours 30minutes.



All SOLO sorties have been completed.

No more 943.

From today onwards, I will use other people's callsigns (ie instructors or airlines).

Some of us have completed their Single Engine phase and now doing simulator for Twin Engine phase.

Just hope I can get my PT3 (Nav check) and PT4 (GH check) done by end of this week and then I can proceed to Twin Engine phase.

If no, I think I will be doing TE Sim at the same time wait for PTs.

Type Tech examination for DA42 will be on the 11th Feb. Study time!

Nav 12 to Ipoh again this time but duration only 3 hours. The route to Penang was excluded.

Kinda unlucky that I had to take off at 1100hours local time and so I brought two packets of biscuit along to fill my empty stomach.

I felt mild vibration along the way. I thought maybe the strong wind was the cause. But the aircraft vibrated from take off until I landed. Haha.

When I was approaching to land, I was told to descend from 2000ft to 1000ft.

I cut power from 70% to 30%.

And suddenly the power dropped to 0%!

And the engine felt suddenly like switched into silent mode!!

Damnit. I think my heart stopped beating for that 1 sec!

But anyway, I applied full power back. Oh man, a noisy engine felt so much better..........(lucky me??)

Tomorrow morning going for my last navigation sortie in single engine phase! And it will also be the last time I gonna use my own callsign.

My last ever SOLO sortie.

I am so gonna miss 943~~