Pilot or gourmet chef?

Two things have kept me from flying in the past week: the rainy weather and planes in maintainance. The weather has been quite rainy here which doesn't get me the kind of weather I need to do my flights. One night that I was going to fly, I got a call before I went out to the airport that the plane I was going to be using had a mechanical failure. The ailerons stopped responding in the middle of a flight. The plane is the only one that Hesston has of its kind so I wasn't able to fly in a different plane.

The greater amount of time I've been spending here at the apartment has been hungrily acceptable to friends who drop by. Because of the rainy weather I've been able to broaden my cooking experience. Thanks to Mom, we had our first Crock Pot dinner of many.

I started out by putting the pot roast into the Crock Pot. I then chopped some celery, onions and some baby carrots and added those ingredients to the mix. After that I added four medium sized potatoes. I used two seasonings: my trusty cajun and Montreal Steak Seasoning. I filled it with water and put it in the fridge. This morning after I ate my breakfast, I simply put the Pot into the Crock and turned it on low. I started it at 7 am. When I came home for lunch there was a wonderful smell. I got off work at 3:30 and checked it, but still let it slowly cook. By the time I took it out at 5:30, it was the most tender piece of meat...the knife was almost useless! Too bad the following pictures don't have Smell-O-Vision...

Some pictures from the past 20 mos.

Well, here is where you'll be able to see my life in aviation take off...as it has since I began learning how to fly in August 2005. I'll try to keep this updated once or twice a week as I fly with my camera and let you see what I get to see almost every day.

I'll also try to keep my logbook information updated on here. So here's what I have so far...
Number of instrument approaches: 84
Most recent instrument approach: Localizer Backcourse 31 @ KHUT
Number of landings: 302
Day Flight Hours: 157.3
Night Flight Hours: 8.6
Pilot-In-Command Hours: 116.9
Total Flight Hours: 167.0



January 7, 2006 - KEWK (Newton) to KHUT (Hutchinson)



Pulling into the tiedown spot at KHUT.


The Alps after departing Zurich en route to Dulles Int'l Airport after a month in Europe with the Hesston College European Chorale.


Maybe someday? The advanced cockpit of the Boeing 777, getting ready for push-back from the gate at Dulles.



Giving Nana the tour of the Hesston College Aviation Hanger.


Flying amongst the clouds on July 28, 2006 during an instrument training flight - KEWK - KSLN (Salina) - KGBD (Great Bend) - KEWK.


On final for runway 17 at Newton.


Flying above home, dad took this.


Taking off after refueling at KLBL (Liberal). We were en route to Raton, NM, for mountain flying. Because of construction, only one taxiway was open to get to this runway. With the wind the way it was, about seven planes taxied along with us and awaited their turn for takeoff...we were first in line.


Flying in a valley on our way from Raton, NM, to the ski-resort of Angelfire.


Just a cool picture...still mountain flying.


Yep, that's me.


Thanks to the Wright Bros. for putting us where we're at in the aviation world. The Wright Flyer at the National Air and Space Museum.


3O9 (Grand Lake Regional Airport, OK). I flew right seat with Grant Baker on a cross-country flight.


Boeing 737 full-motion simulator at Continental Pilot's Training Center in Houston.


The most recent picture of me in an airplane.


Absolutely gorgeous.


Hope you enjoyed it, there'll be more to come.