First Post!

So, I've created this blog to post my thoughts and to keep people up to date on whats going on in my life and flying career. This seems rather self-centered to me for some reason. As if someone Really wants to know what little old Me is doing with my life.

I've noticed that there are a lot of blogs from pilots in the east and in the west of Canada, but not much in the middle. My goal is to put a bit of a face on what its like being a pilot-in-training in Canada. We've got a lot of open skies here with a lot of freedom in them, and it always seems to people that its a difficult place to get (ie: Very difficult to be a pilot, sideline career).

Currently, I'm attending Providence College in Otterburne, Mb. Its a former bible college, which now considers itself to be a Christian Liberal Arts college. Essentially that means you can have a degree/diploma in a variety of different specializations, but you take a core of bible courses. I'm not going to get preachy with this blog, in fact I doubt my beliefs in faith will ever come into this. I chose to go here because it was one of two colleges in Manitoba that offer a program in Aviation, and of the two, it was the cheaper of the two and since I am a Christian, it seemed like an obvious fit, the only downside being that I have to live on campus cause its located just to the left of the arse end of nowhere.

We do all of our flying here with a FBO called Harv's Air Service--which coincidentally is the same outfit that runs the Red River College program at St.Andrews Airport (CYAV)--in Steinbach (CKK7). Its fun, since they have no control tower here, which makes joining the circuit (pattern to those in the states) interesting. I've joined when there were 7 planes making their way around the racetrack and it was a hair-raising experience to be sure. Think of 7 aircraft in a mix of 152's, 172's, and Citabria's puttering around at a leisurely pace, and me entering in the schools 65' Beech Travel-Air. I was doing better than half again their speed and caused a slight ruckus...

In terms of my flying experience, I wish I'd started this back when I was a fresh and green pilot (though the fresh and green title, still somewhat applies since I'm not that far from the bottom of the totem pole as level of flying goes really). I (at this writing) have amassed a grand total of 170 hours of flight experience, and have earned my Private Pilot Licence, Night rating, and Multi Rating. In a few weeks, I'll be travelling to British Columbia to do my Float rating, so I'll be able to add another feather to my cap. I'm currently working on getting my Commercial Pilot Licence so I can maybe make a buck in the future. I haven't flown all that many different aircraft, though more than some perhaps. Currently I'm allowed to fly the following:

• Cessna 152's
• Cessna 172's
• Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II
• Diamond DA-40 Star
• Beechcraft Travel-Air (twin)

Now this isn't the list according to Canadian Air Regs, because according to them, I can fly just about anything that flies with wings on the sides and propellors pushing air towards the rear of the aircraft as long as I'm somewhat competent with the general characteristics of the aircraft.

I think this is enough for the first post, If I think of more, I'll just add it later.