2006's last...n 2007's first...

over a month since i last posted.. due apologies! < wonder who i am apologisin to.. no1 really reads this neways!!)..hehehe..

lets c..lots been happenin since i soloed..
have started my cross countries..and finished all the requirements for the PPL..
night flying was fun..
the first cross country was to okeechobee..with Evie..was a quick one..
after tat.. as luck wud have it.. she too left me stranded.. n left for a vacation.. n i had to get back with Pete.. did a sortie with him to Lakeland..Now tat was an interestin trip..
when we had finished our lunch at the airport resto.. n were doin the pre flight for our aircraft.. this big piper comanche parked behind us on the ramp.. starts its props.. and jumps towards our aircraft.. n then the pilot of the piper realised he was in shit.. so instead of pullin the throttle out.. he slams the right brake and pulls off a tight and dangerous turn to his right..his left wing narrowly missin my aircraft's tail by abt a feet..i was near the nose section.. so relatively safe..Pete was next to the tail.. n he almost jumped 3 ft back to avoid the wing!
the SOB in the piper dint even stop to apologise.. just taxied off.. n flew away .. guess he knew he wud have a handful if he wud have stuck around..!

After tat trip.. pete signed me off on solo cross countries.. decided to take the notorious 771WA to okeechobee... n as expected.. 10 mins into my flight.. i have a trans failure on my hands.. since i was not goin to bust any airspace enroute.. i said to myself.."yaa khudaa..maa ch**aa".. n proceeded..
once i got to okeechobee.. i was in trouble.. cuz i cudnt announce my position.. and cudnt enter the traffic pattern at the airport.. to enter and put my aircraft on ground.. so i just circled the airport at 2000ft.. waitin for the right chance.. after a while heard ekam makin a left downwind entry.. n decided to follow in behind her.. did a touch n go.. n hauled my ass back to merritt island..

after tat...decided to do a more daring one.. and did 2 longish cross countries to lakeland-pahokee and back.. and gainesville-palatka n back..
both were uneventful..
a week back did the longest one yet.. to Venice n back..abt 5.7 hrs flying time.. n this time.. boy.. the flight time took its toll.. dozed off quite a few times at the yoke.. n when the aircraft used to roll to one side.. wake up n curse myself [:)]
finally figured out a solution.. kept my feet on the seat.. and placed the yoke in between my knees.. tat ensured i was atleast flying straight n level at all times!

in the midst of all tat.. been doin a lot of other stuff too..
witnessed the space shuttle launch on dec 12th..thanx to Dawn Elliot.. (she works with Nasa)..
she managed to get all of us inside the complex.. and we got to c the launch from right next to the vehicle assembly building.. and abt 3 miles from the launch pad.. he closest any human cud watch it from!!!
was an awsumm experience!!!
after tat.. we were invited to Dawn Elliot's wedding too.. at the Sheraton in Orlando.. never been to an american black wedding.. so tat was fun.. Akshay spent 350 bucks in buying proper attire.. but was mighty cross the next day when he discoverd tat apni Dawn n Faye were the only white women at the wedding!!!
for new yrs..we were invited over to apni Dawn's place for dinner.. n tat was fun.. atleast better than sittin at home n doin nuthin!!
watched the ball drop on tv.. n then were out burning some fire works of our own..

n now.. awaiting my PPL checkride.. which shud be on 24th.. have started my instrument training too meanwhile.. hopefully i shud be able to finish off my instrument rating too b4 i leave for cali on feb 14th..

phew.. tat brings this blog upto date!!
au revoir!