James:
Thanks for checking out the blog, here's a little bit about me: I'm a Naval Aviator and a flight instructor based out of Meridian, MS. I fly the T-45C Goshawk and instruct U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and French Navy pilots in everything from basic aircraft carrier landing techniques to low-level attack navigation. I have over 1700 hours in the T-45C, the E-2C Hawkeye and handful of other aircraft here and overseas. Let's just say that although I'm no Chuck Yeager, I can land a plane on a boat and I've got a few decent stories if you ever want to catch me for a beer...
So how did this project begin?
It all started this summer when I flew my little plane up to Tennessee to visit my cousins vacationing there and met my second cousin (twice removed, I think that's right), Maitland. She's 18 years old and a freshman at UNF. On a slow day, I took a number of folks flying, including Maitland, and she loved it. She told me right there on the spot that she wanted her pilot's license and wanted to know how to make that happen. I gave her some basic info and encouragement, but honestly didn't think much of it until well after I'd returned to Meridian and was flying with the Navy again. She called to tell me that she'd already bought the books I'd suggested and had questions on the Aerodynamics chapter. I then knew how serious she was, which I thought that was pretty awesome and I told my buddy Joel about it. He's also a Navy instructor and was able to take an equivalency exam to get his FAA Certified Flight Instructor License. He suggested that I get mine and just teach her myself.
My first thought was, 'how cool would that be to have another pilot in the family and be involved in her training??" My second thought was "Oh crap, now I have to figure out how to take everything I've learned in the Navy flying high performance military jets and apply it to a tiny 150hp Cessna 152..."
Right now, I'm trying to study up for my test. Maitland is coming up to visit for a week on December 16th and I need to have my license squared away before then. I've downloaded a study guide from Sheppard Air (www.sheppardair.com), the same one I used to prepare for my Airline Transport Pilot written exam which I took last summer, and I'm trying my best to cram for the test. Another friend said he'd take it with me this weekend and we heard that the Coast Guard base South of here had a free testing center for military guys like us. If we can fly down, take the exam, pass it and then get the results to the Birmingham FAA "Flight Standards District Office" (FSDO), we'll be good to go!
Maitland:
I'm a freshman at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, majoring in business management with plans to open my own coffee shop in the future. Right now I work at a bakery making and decorating cakes, cupcakes, bars and anything your heart desires. I've always had a craving for adventure and exploration, but I've never quite been able to find the thrill I've been looking for. Not until a little green RV-4 landed in Sewanee, TN.
Three weeks into my first semester in college, stressed out of my mind I took a week off to go up to Tennessee and stay with extended family like we do every year. Within a day of my arrival I come to find out I have a cousin I've never even heard of before (oh and he has a plane?? what??? So Jamie is automatically the coolest cousin in the house). When Jamie offered to take a group of us out to the airport to fly around, and at the time I didn't even understand that was even possible. The only other times I'd been up in a plane I had to make sure all my liquids were under 3oz and remember to leave my pocket knife at home. So to simply walk up to a plane on a runway was in itself mind blowing. When it was my turn to go up I was just in awe. Overwhelmed with happiness, smiling uncontrollably, and turning my head from left to right, trying to take it all in. Getting to see how a tiny planed looked up close was so fascinating to me, and the view from the sky was absolutely breathtaking. I'd never seen anything like it in my entire life, and this was Jamie's life.
I'd never really put any thought into aviation, yes I always loved to fly in giant commercial planes but on the downside they smell like stale air, and airline peanuts are only found enjoyable by my 13 year old brother. I had always assumed the only way to fly was to either suffer through flying commercial, or to be a millionaire and have a private pilot and plane to fly around in. But listening to Jamie spew out all these super cool stories of all the neat places he had the opportunity to go to all because he had a simple license and a plane. Making it all sound so realistic, and when he offered to teach me how to fly himself I just knew I couldn't let something as life changing as this just pass me by. We started crunching numbers and I began to buy all the student pilot books I needed, and started looking for a job. I've been saving up money and studying my pilot books all semester and I can't wait to finally get started on this incredible adventure in just a couple weeks!!
Stay tuned
Thanks for checking out the blog, here's a little bit about me: I'm a Naval Aviator and a flight instructor based out of Meridian, MS. I fly the T-45C Goshawk and instruct U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and French Navy pilots in everything from basic aircraft carrier landing techniques to low-level attack navigation. I have over 1700 hours in the T-45C, the E-2C Hawkeye and handful of other aircraft here and overseas. Let's just say that although I'm no Chuck Yeager, I can land a plane on a boat and I've got a few decent stories if you ever want to catch me for a beer...
So how did this project begin?
It all started this summer when I flew my little plane up to Tennessee to visit my cousins vacationing there and met my second cousin (twice removed, I think that's right), Maitland. She's 18 years old and a freshman at UNF. On a slow day, I took a number of folks flying, including Maitland, and she loved it. She told me right there on the spot that she wanted her pilot's license and wanted to know how to make that happen. I gave her some basic info and encouragement, but honestly didn't think much of it until well after I'd returned to Meridian and was flying with the Navy again. She called to tell me that she'd already bought the books I'd suggested and had questions on the Aerodynamics chapter. I then knew how serious she was, which I thought that was pretty awesome and I told my buddy Joel about it. He's also a Navy instructor and was able to take an equivalency exam to get his FAA Certified Flight Instructor License. He suggested that I get mine and just teach her myself.
My first thought was, 'how cool would that be to have another pilot in the family and be involved in her training??" My second thought was "Oh crap, now I have to figure out how to take everything I've learned in the Navy flying high performance military jets and apply it to a tiny 150hp Cessna 152..."
Right now, I'm trying to study up for my test. Maitland is coming up to visit for a week on December 16th and I need to have my license squared away before then. I've downloaded a study guide from Sheppard Air (www.sheppardair.com), the same one I used to prepare for my Airline Transport Pilot written exam which I took last summer, and I'm trying my best to cram for the test. Another friend said he'd take it with me this weekend and we heard that the Coast Guard base South of here had a free testing center for military guys like us. If we can fly down, take the exam, pass it and then get the results to the Birmingham FAA "Flight Standards District Office" (FSDO), we'll be good to go!
Maitland:
I'm a freshman at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, majoring in business management with plans to open my own coffee shop in the future. Right now I work at a bakery making and decorating cakes, cupcakes, bars and anything your heart desires. I've always had a craving for adventure and exploration, but I've never quite been able to find the thrill I've been looking for. Not until a little green RV-4 landed in Sewanee, TN.
Three weeks into my first semester in college, stressed out of my mind I took a week off to go up to Tennessee and stay with extended family like we do every year. Within a day of my arrival I come to find out I have a cousin I've never even heard of before (oh and he has a plane?? what??? So Jamie is automatically the coolest cousin in the house). When Jamie offered to take a group of us out to the airport to fly around, and at the time I didn't even understand that was even possible. The only other times I'd been up in a plane I had to make sure all my liquids were under 3oz and remember to leave my pocket knife at home. So to simply walk up to a plane on a runway was in itself mind blowing. When it was my turn to go up I was just in awe. Overwhelmed with happiness, smiling uncontrollably, and turning my head from left to right, trying to take it all in. Getting to see how a tiny planed looked up close was so fascinating to me, and the view from the sky was absolutely breathtaking. I'd never seen anything like it in my entire life, and this was Jamie's life.
I'd never really put any thought into aviation, yes I always loved to fly in giant commercial planes but on the downside they smell like stale air, and airline peanuts are only found enjoyable by my 13 year old brother. I had always assumed the only way to fly was to either suffer through flying commercial, or to be a millionaire and have a private pilot and plane to fly around in. But listening to Jamie spew out all these super cool stories of all the neat places he had the opportunity to go to all because he had a simple license and a plane. Making it all sound so realistic, and when he offered to teach me how to fly himself I just knew I couldn't let something as life changing as this just pass me by. We started crunching numbers and I began to buy all the student pilot books I needed, and started looking for a job. I've been saving up money and studying my pilot books all semester and I can't wait to finally get started on this incredible adventure in just a couple weeks!!
Stay tuned
