This post is becoming traditional when I resume my flying after 1-3 months interruption. The blog is still alive, and my goal is getting closer.
I am grateful to be flying again. Today, I spent over an hour in the air, practicing various types of take-offs and landings: normal, short field, and soft field. I also performed stalls and steep turns. I’ve truly missed flying!
For my CPL (Commercial Pilot License), I opted for Part 61 instead of Part 141, and it has proven to be a perfect choice. Yes, it requires 250 hours of total time compared to 190 hours under Part 141, but I have serious doubts about finding a job with less than 200 hours of flight time anyway. Besides, I already have 150 hours from my EASA/FAA PPL (Private Pilot License) and FAA IR (Instrument Rating), with 50 solo cross-country hours I completed in August to meet my future EASA CPL requirements.
This approach allows me to progress faster. If the instructor is unavailable but the weather is good, I can fly solo. If the weather is unfavorable for cross-country flights, I can focus on practicing commercial maneuvers near the aerodrome. And even if the weather is bad, I can still fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). Part 141 doesn’t offer such flexibility, as it follows a strict syllabus.
Additionally, I am preparing for the FAA written test. Currently, I am scoring 90% or higher in aviationexam and Gleim. I am considering purchasing Sheppard Air, but I’m not entirely sure at the moment.
In other news, I have ordered an iPad. Although I’m not a fan of Apple products, I want to use ForeFlight, which is only available on iOS. I understand that there are plenty of alternatives, but why settle for less? ForeFlight is widely recognized as an excellent aviation tool, and it is widely used by pilots.
I am also thinking about a portable ADS-B receiver for better situational awareness. Our airplanes neither have a weather radar nor TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System), and having a portable ADS-B could really help =)
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