It’s been a quiet week in Kandahar. Both of our aircraft are up and the missions have been running smoothly. Looking back at my last entry it is hard to believe it has only been a week since then. Thank God a lot of my concerns are no longer that. Our A/C was fixed and my sleep has greatly improved. I did the test flight on the new engine with Mariko and only managed two glaring errors – neither of which damaged the engine. I completed my annual check-ride in what seems to be the normal configuration for me – one IP evaluating another IP evaluating me. That is what happens when you share the same birth month as an IP. The good thing is if the IP makes a mistake it takes the pressure off me :). It wasn’t my best performance but it’s over and I am good for another year. Our missions have shifted back to the late night schedule which I prefer. I like the idea of staying up late, doing the mission then heading to bed as other people are going to work. What I really don’t like is getting up early and as our missions kept shifting right it was harder and harder to trick myself into thinking I was working late. By the time we were going in at 4AM it felt an awful lot like I was getting up early. The problem is we are the number one requested platform for what we do so they like to give us the high priority missions. We prefer that but it means we are trying to cover as much of a 24hr period as possible with only two crews. We just have to be careful in managing our crew rest and trying to stick to as consistent a sleep schedule as possible. Our mission was cancelled for last Sunday so I was actually able to make the Easter service (shouldn’t be flying on Easter anyway). It was low key and very basic but nice to be with fellow Christians worshipping God. I would really like to find a Bible study to attend but with my schedule that may not be possible. We have had a couple of beautiful days but it is definitely heating up. That being said every day I am here and it isn’t 100 degrees is one less day I have to spend in 100 degree weather :)
Clear H85 L59
Possible to describe your two glaring errors? So a non-flyer would understand? Maybe? Sorry to focus on mistakes. Like a small spot of chili on an otherwise clean shirt front; but mistakes are more interesting to the reader. (:
ReplyDeleteI agree mistakes are much more interesting - that is where all the learning occurs. Without going into too much detail here they are - the first one was was relatively harmless. I didn't have the props set at the right RPM when I did the power check so as a result the brand new engine I was checking just barely passed and the other engine failed the check. It's never good to bring an aircraft back with a problem you weren't even supposed to be looking for. After going back over everything I discovered my mistake and on recheck both engines did fine. The second one was a little more interesting. One of the checks we do is to shut the engine off and make sure the props feather in the required amount of time. It worked fine so I went through the checklist to restart the engine. The start was good but after I put the condition lever (think governor) to idle speed I noticed the torque was increasing rapidly well past the point it should have stabilized. I couldn't figure out why but as it shot towards 100% I pushed the prop out of feather knowing that would reduce the torque and it stopped right at 100%. Only then did I look over at the power lever (think gas pedal) and realized I had never reduced it to idle. When I told Rutledge (the guy who signed me off as a check pilot two days before) about it he said well I guess you won't do that again - I like that guy :).
DeleteGlad more sleep. Good that for a while your schedule will follow your preferred patterns. These seem in-born don't they? I like morning myself. I fade at twilight. (:
ReplyDeleteThey certainly do - I really like the idea of mornings but I really hate getting up early :). It took me quite a few years to finally admit to myself that I am a evening guy but now I embrace it :)
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