The Pilot’s Way

  • Pilot’s blog: My Route to the Sky

    Pilot’s blog: My Route to the Sky

    Quick navigation: First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Viktor, and I hold Commercial Pilot Licenses (Transport Canada, FAA and EASA). In 2022 I moved to Canada, flew skydivers for one season, and now I am instructing in a local flight school. My quick CV: It’s been a while since I got…

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  • The Hard Work Finally Pays Off: I Have a Job!

    I am at a loss for words, unsure of how to begin this post, so I’ll simply say it: it appears that I have landed a flying job! I joined the local skydiving club, and not as a jumper, but as a pilot. How did this come to be? To be frank, I still find…

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  • Yet Another First Solo: Flying a Tailwheel Airplane

    I still vividly recall my my first solo flight ever in an airplane. It’s hard to believe, but more than six years have passed since then, and my life has undergone significant changes. Now equipped with a Canadian pilot’s license, I am actively seeking employment or, at the very least, opportunities to log more flight…

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  • Rediscovering the Joy of Tailwheel Flying: A Delightful Experience

    Rediscovering the Joy of Tailwheel Flying: A Delightful Experience

    As you may already know from my previous posts, I am pursuing a career as a pilot, and currently, I am working on obtaining my Canadian Flight Instructor Rating. In the meantime, as I already hold a Commercial Pilot license, I have been actively searching for job opportunities or more affordable options for flight experience…

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  • Regaining Confidence: Finding Comfort from the Left Seat

    As I mentioned before, I am currently enrolled in a flight instructor course in Canada, and lately, my progress hasn’t been as smooth as I had hoped. Specifically, I’ve been struggling with consistently executing smooth landings. While they meet the required standards, I don’t feel satisfied with them as a demonstration for future students. I…

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  • Right Seat Transition: Returning to Basics from a New Perspective

    Right Seat Transition: Returning to Basics from a New Perspective

    Recently, I began my flight instructor training in Ontario, and I am still getting used to sitting in the right seat. Initially, I had a tendency to lower the left wing, especially in turns, but I have since improved. It’s like being a student all over again, but now I am learning to be a…

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  • First Time in The Canadian Sky: The Flight Instructor Course

    First Time in The Canadian Sky: The Flight Instructor Course

    As I have already mentioned, I finally converted my FAA license to the Canadian one and received my aviation booklet in the mail. Now, I am a certified commercial pilot in Canada, which allows me to fly here and even get paid for it. However, finding a job is a different story as I have…

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  • Passing the IATRA Exam: My Experience and Lessons Learned

    Passing the IATRA Exam: My Experience and Lessons Learned

    One more exam is passed on the way to the professional pilot career! As I mentioned previously, I converted my FAA Commercial Pilot License to the Canadian one, and I am currently searching for my first flying job. In contrast to the US, Canada allows pilots to fly as a First Officer before reaching the…

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  • Long-Awaited Canadian Aviation Booklet

    I’m thrilled to announce that I have finally received my Canadian aviation booklet in the mail! No, seriously, I am really happy! It’s been almost a year since I started the conversion process. During that time I got a Canadian medical, passed written exams, got my radio operator certificate, applied for an aviation booklet, and…

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  • Multi-Engine IPC – Yet Another Skills Check

    Legally FAA IPC (Instrument Proficiency Check) can be done in any airplane, it just validates the Instrument Rating. After that a license holder can fly by instruments any airplane class mentioned in a license. For example, if I have Single Engine Land, Multi Engine Land and Single Engine Sea class ratings and a valid Instrument…

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  • IPC – Instrument Proficiency Check

    Hi folks! After a long pause I am flying again, and now I am in the Rocky Mountains! The weekend weather turned out to be great. It was a little windy, but sunny and not gusty. As I already mentioned (and you probably know) according to the FAA rules one needs to comply with the…

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airports approaches ATC ATPL BE76 C150/C152 C172 Canada check checkride citabria complex CPL cross-country EASA endorsement Europe exam FAA FAA/EASA FI flight time Icaro IFR IR Italy landings logbook malfunction ME medical mood navigation night paperwork plans PPL rating tailwheel TCCA theory thoughts travel USA weather

Milestones

04/09/2017: My First Flight
04/25/2017: EASA PPL written exam (6 exams passed)
05/21/2017: Radio Operator Certificate (Europe VFR)
05/22/2017: EASA PPL written exam (all passed)
05/26/2017: The First Solo!
05/28/2017: Solo cross-country >270 km
05/31/2017: EASA PPL check-ride
07/22/2017: EASA IFR English
08/03/2017: 100 hours TT
12/04/2017: The first IFR flight
12/28/2017: FAA IR written
02/16/2018: FAA IR check-ride
05/28/2018: FAA Tailwheel endorsement
06/04/2018: FAA CPL long cross-country
06/07/2018: FAA CPL written
07/16/2018: FAA CPL check-ride
07/28/2018: FAA CPL ME rating
08/03/2018: FAA HP endorsement
06/03/2019: EASA ATPL theory (6/14)
07/03/2019: EASA ATPL theory (11/14)
07/15/2019: FAA IR IPC
07/18/2019: FAA CPL SES rating
08/07/2019: EASA ATPL theory (done)
10/10/2019: EASA NVFR
10/13/2019: EASA IR/PBN SE
11/19/2019: Solo XC > 540 km
12/06/2019: EASA CPL
12/10/2019: EASA AMEL
02/20/2020: Cessna 210 endorsement
08/30/2021: FAVT validation
05/27/2022: TCCA CPL/IR written
05/31/2022: Radio Operator Certificate Canada