Licensed to Instruct...

 It's official, I'm now an FAA-official "Certificated Flight Instructor" (who knew that was what CFI stood for?), so if you want to learn how to fly anything under 12,500lbs, with a single engine, in or out of the clouds, I'm your guy!

I passed my 125-question multiple choice "Military Competency - Instructor" test before work on Wednesday and then after work on Thursday I flew my plane, a two-seat RV-4, up to Bessemer, AL (KEKY), borrowed a courtesy car and drove to the Birmingham FAA "Flight Standards District Office" (FSDO) where I met with Greg Muse, a former Air Force F-4 Phantom pilot, FAA inspector and great American, about 10 minutes before he was going to leave for the day, hooray for timing.  With my test completion certificate form paper thing with the raised seal (I got a 92%), my Training Wing ONE instructor qualification letter and my instrument checker letter we filled out the forms and he printed out a Temporary Airman Certificate, giving me single engine and instrument instructor privileges, pretty cool, huh?

So newly licensed, and after some tasty fried chicken at the on airport restaurant, The Hangar, I jumped in my plane, named "Sweet Pea", by her previous owner/builder and flew off, literally, into the sunset back to Meridian.

Then on Saturday, in between the half and 4th quarter of the Army Navy Game (14 years!!!), my friend Joel, another Naval Aviator and CFI for about a year, took me up in a Cessna 152 and not only got me qualified to fly it from the right seat, but gave me a bunch of tips on instructing as well.  I've been reading up on the FAA instructor handbook that the Navy actually gave me when I checked into my squadron and I've given serious thought to cleaning my house and doing the dishes before Maitland gets here this week...

So I have my license and I've got a plane I can teach in... we're good to go!  I hope she's excited, because I'm definitely looking forward to this adventure.  It's going to be a challenge, not just for her, but for me as well - to take her, who's never flown before and at least get her close to her solo before she leaves next week, ...while also still giving 100% at my actual job, but I can't wait.