Just a quick update on my progress. I have about 53hrs total flying time. I still need to complete the following: 1.5hrs of hood, 1.9hrs of solo, and 3 hours of dual within 60 days of the check ride. Written test is coming up soon. I am very happy with my progress up to this point. I don’t feel rushed or inadequately prepared. However when it comes to flying the learning is never over. I may be close to finishing the regs but have a lot of work to do to be confident and prepared for check ride day.
Posts from November 2009
Solo 150nm Cross Country – Waterbury & Sullivan
Caldwell to Carmel VOR to Waterbury to Sullivan to Huguenot VOR to Caldwell
What a beautiful day for flying. Today I completed my multi-leg solo cross country. I met bright and early with my instructor. Once he reviewed my flight plan and we double checked the weather he signed me off. The first leg was from Caldwell to Waterbury. I like flying in this direction because it takes me over the town where I used to live, pretty cool seeing it from above. I took off and maintained 2,500ft to stay under the shelf of the Bravo. I made contact with NY approach and received flight following. Once I squawked the code it was business as usual. The frequency was surprisingly quiet for such a nice day but I guess with the cold coming in and the holidays people fly less. I tracked Carmel VOR to and from to find Waterbury.
At about 10mi out I began my descent and told NY that I had the airport in sight. I called the tower and notified them I was 8mi SE of the field and they gave me a right base for 36. After thinking about it for a few seconds I realized that didn’t make sense so I called the tower back and tried to clarify. I realized I told him my position was SE when in fact I was SW. So after I told him what my ACTUAL position was he cleared me for a straight in 3mi final.
Review – Lightspeed Solo SSc Headset
A few months ago I purchased my first headset. Previously I had been borrowing a friend’s set of David Clarks. After countless hours of searching online for information and reviews I decided to go with Lightspeed Solo SSc. The specifications are as follows:
The QFR SOLO SSc has noise reduction rating (NRR) 25dB. Adjustable gain pre-amp allows for field ‘balancing’ of mic sensitivities. Includes cell phone interface, Confor-Foam ear seals and soft plush headpad, dual volume controls and stereo/mono selection switch. Features an electret microphone with windscreen. Weighs 14 oz., three year warranty. Imported. (From Sporty’s)
The headset arrived in a white box. Inside it was a headset bag, cell phone cable, and user guide. The first thing I noticed was how light they felt. Comparing them to the older set I was borrowing they were noticeably lighter. The build quality did seem a bit flimsier then the DCs but that is expected when you purchase something for half of the price. The cord is nice and long and not coiled/springy so it does not tangle as easily. There are two volume controls and a switch to select stereo or mono.
The ear cups are easy to adjust up and down and conform to your head. I noticed on my first few flights that the clamping force on my head was a bit too strong but that eventually got better. The microphone is very flexible and easy to move into position. One problem with the unit is the location of the headset cord. It comes directly out of the bottom of one of the ear cups. For me not being that tall (5’7″) I found it pokes me in the shoulder when I try to swivel my head around. While it isn’t that bad it is worse with the addition of jackets and winter clothes, still I can live with it. I had my friend who is a bit taller try them on and he doe not have any issues at all with shoulder clearance.