Did we really start 6 months ago? We were reminiscing today with the group how keen and enthusiastic we were on the first few days and now we look like the walking dead! Its been a long enjoyable slog to the finish line and we are very nearly over it.
Today we officially finished ground school, (subject to all EASA's being passed), as per tradition we all dressed up for the debriefs the day after our last school finals exams. Spirits were high and some were still a little worse for wear from the previous evening activities in the pub... I say no more. So we had Marios, Supermen, cartoon characters and Joao playing the role of an old lady who was partial to removing her dress- the photos will not be going on here! I played a fine umpa lumpa with matching orange face. It was good fun but now is just sinking in that we are done, no more sitting in class rooms, the next stage, after our EASA's is the real thing- flying. We have studied every aspect of flying and now we are all chomping at the bit to start.
We also went and said goodbye to the instructors and thank them for there teaching and patients! We don't have the same instructors for the different phases so it is a goodbye and thanks, we gave all 17 instructors wine and cards- some of them look genially surprised the affection we held for them!
However we still have 11 long working days until out final EASA exams, so again the hard work is not over, (probably never will be) then the week after that we have a 'Flight Safety Fundamentals' week at Oxford, then an exam for our degree then to move to Phoenix.
I'm looking forward to getting my head round a few things that I need to work on in the next few days for my exams, my housemates are both returning home so its going to be a bit quieter around here, its the final little push, I am not counting my chickens yet and my ticket to the USA is no means a done deal, I cannot let my focus slip, we have come to far for that- wish me luck.
Thanks for reading.
PS I have been running around with my GoPro recently getting footage if anyone wants to see it? I am hoping to make a big course video.
For those of you who are interested in the more technical side of what we have been studying in phase two here is a brief synopsis, we study Air Law, Operation Procedures, General Navigation, Radio Navigation, Aircraft Performance, Mass and Balance and Flight Planning, phase two is definatly a step up in the level of difficulty, overall it is more maths and physics inclined with much more 'hands on work' such as graph and map work. For example we use CAA caps for flight planning and have A/C data to analysis such as T/O performance for a medium range jet transport aircraft, 737, in the exams you have to be fast and accurate to interpret the data to the information given in the questions. Subject like Law and Ops are just factual based, can be quite tedious remembering number after number but eventually it should go in! Mass and balance is one of the more straight forward subjects where you are dealing with matter such and moment arms etc to calculate your CG position. General navigation is quite a daunting subject at first but soon becomes more straight forward, we look mostly at maps and what they represent, looking at e.g the effects of magnetic variation and learning how to calculate convergence angles and directions of rhumb line- all fun stuff! The time to learn is shorter than phase 1. It is hard work much of the time and we have had even less of a social life than phase 1- but my attitude is that its best to get it out of the way.
Overall Oxford is a great place to study, I cannot compare it to anywhere as flight schools are fairly rare! To do the ground school phase you have to be very self motivated, have a good work ethic and need to get on with everyone and have a general grasp of physics and maths. Oxford is one of the best, if not the best, last week it was announced BMI regional are now exclusively picking pilots only from Oxford, it looks like others agree so I still feel very lucky to be selected to train here.
Today we officially finished ground school, (subject to all EASA's being passed), as per tradition we all dressed up for the debriefs the day after our last school finals exams. Spirits were high and some were still a little worse for wear from the previous evening activities in the pub... I say no more. So we had Marios, Supermen, cartoon characters and Joao playing the role of an old lady who was partial to removing her dress- the photos will not be going on here! I played a fine umpa lumpa with matching orange face. It was good fun but now is just sinking in that we are done, no more sitting in class rooms, the next stage, after our EASA's is the real thing- flying. We have studied every aspect of flying and now we are all chomping at the bit to start. |
| AP360 with instructors |
 |
| Playing real 'Mario cart' |
We also went and said goodbye to the instructors and thank them for there teaching and patients! We don't have the same instructors for the different phases so it is a goodbye and thanks, we gave all 17 instructors wine and cards- some of them look genially surprised the affection we held for them!
However we still have 11 long working days until out final EASA exams, so again the hard work is not over, (probably never will be) then the week after that we have a 'Flight Safety Fundamentals' week at Oxford, then an exam for our degree then to move to Phoenix.
I'm looking forward to getting my head round a few things that I need to work on in the next few days for my exams, my housemates are both returning home so its going to be a bit quieter around here, its the final little push, I am not counting my chickens yet and my ticket to the USA is no means a done deal, I cannot let my focus slip, we have come to far for that- wish me luck.
Thanks for reading.
 |
| Today was not a normal day! |
PS I have been running around with my GoPro recently getting footage if anyone wants to see it? I am hoping to make a big course video.
For those of you who are interested in the more technical side of what we have been studying in phase two here is a brief synopsis, we study Air Law, Operation Procedures, General Navigation, Radio Navigation, Aircraft Performance, Mass and Balance and Flight Planning, phase two is definatly a step up in the level of difficulty, overall it is more maths and physics inclined with much more 'hands on work' such as graph and map work. For example we use CAA caps for flight planning and have A/C data to analysis such as T/O performance for a medium range jet transport aircraft, 737, in the exams you have to be fast and accurate to interpret the data to the information given in the questions. Subject like Law and Ops are just factual based, can be quite tedious remembering number after number but eventually it should go in! Mass and balance is one of the more straight forward subjects where you are dealing with matter such and moment arms etc to calculate your CG position. General navigation is quite a daunting subject at first but soon becomes more straight forward, we look mostly at maps and what they represent, looking at e.g the effects of magnetic variation and learning how to calculate convergence angles and directions of rhumb line- all fun stuff! The time to learn is shorter than phase 1. It is hard work much of the time and we have had even less of a social life than phase 1- but my attitude is that its best to get it out of the way.
Overall Oxford is a great place to study, I cannot compare it to anywhere as flight schools are fairly rare! To do the ground school phase you have to be very self motivated, have a good work ethic and need to get on with everyone and have a general grasp of physics and maths. Oxford is one of the best, if not the best, last week it was announced BMI regional are now exclusively picking pilots only from Oxford, it looks like others agree so I still feel very lucky to be selected to train here.
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