happylife

A special eye check

As I was requested a special eye check for the aviation test, I saw an opthologist near my house and took a complete eye check. It took $150 and my eyes were blind for a few hours because of the eye lotion which opened my pupils fully. Unfortunately the result was bad. My uncorrected distance vision was outside the standard of Canadian Aviation Regulations. I canceled the flight lesson this week. I have to do everything I can to get over this obstacle. It's really a long way.

Google Maps

Google Maps is an interesting service. We can see maps anywhere in North America at any scales. Linked to the Google search, the maps become much more convenient. For example, by searching keywords "Japanese restaurant in Vancouver" we can list up Japanese restaurants in Vancouver with maps. Directions service is also available. It works just as car-navigation system. I found the shortest way from my apartment to Boundary Bay Airport. I could save a little money for fuel. And the satellite mode is simply interesting. My apartment and even my boat can be seen on this satellite picture.

Collision avoidance

In order to avoid collision, rules are defined clearly for aviators. They resemble to the collision regulations for sailors, but seem to be much simpler. Basic rules are common; the more restricted maneuvering one has the priority and the one on the right has the right of way (sailors call it "stand on"). As for airplanes, these two rules cover almost every case. On the other hand, for ships, there are some exception according to the sea area. I think this difference comes from the time before collision. Pilots have few seconds between recognition and collision, and sailors have much more time to decide what to do for collision avoidance.

Lazy Saturday

It was cloudy Saturday and I had no flight lesson or ground school. I was a bit tired and had a touch of a cold. I took a dose of medicine and was on the bed almost in the morning. After getting up I did nothing productive and spent most of time just listening to music or watching TV on the sofa and net-surfing with my note PC. I should have taken care of my boat. I should have cleaned my room. I should have washed clothes. But I did none of them. It was really a lazy day. I have to do something to end up this laziness.

Pilots are poor.

I thought pilots are very rich people. But it was a misunderstanding. Most of them except airline pilots are poor. There are few recruitment for pilots and there are still a lot of pilots in Canada. The battle between pilots wanting for jobs is very hard. As they are evaluated by their flight time, they need to and have to fly as long as possible. But if they don't have jobs relative to flight, they have to fly spending their own money. Pilots are not a good occupation in terms of money. They know it very well and still they want to work as a pilot. I think this is because flying is so attractive that every other defects are negligible for them.

FC

FC is an abbreviation of funnel clouds which come up when atmosphere is unstable. Unstable air is very dangerous for airplanes because gust causes a serious damage on them, or forces them a great loss of altitude. And hail born in the funnel clouds has enough power to swat airplane down even if the pieces are as small as beans. The propeller of airplanes is one of the most delicate parts and just a small nick grows rapidly bigger while flying. So pilots are always careful of weather and trying to avoid clouds. They are as coward as sailors.

Gas rate

The gas rate is rising in Vancouver. Today I found this sign board. The price has gone over the barrier of one dollar per a litter and the tens digit of this board has been replaced from "9" to "10." This is an incredible figure in Canada because "7" or "8" was the normal rate a few years ago. As I have to drive to flight school 30km away from my apartment everyday, this high gas rate is a burden for me. I can't understand why the gas rate is rising in this country which yields a lot of domestic oil. Someone must be getting lucrative money.

Language barrier

While taking a flight lesson, I strongly feel a language barrier. Number is one of the most difficult things. It is required to respond to the instructor's indication such as "Keep level at 2,100 feet and 2,300 RPM." This is never difficult English, but I need several milli seconds to understand and act correctly, and the time is critical for airplane maneuvering. Communications with the tower seem to be the most difficult thing. I usually listen to English as a background music but that isn't permitted while flying because missing the direction from the tower might cause serious accident. It is really true that pilots' job is communication.

Re-examination

Today I received a letter from Transport Canada. I thought it was a medical certification which I had been waiting for these weeks because I need it to start solo flight. And it wasn't a certificate but a letter which says that I have to take a special eye examination again. I was shocked a bit because if I couldn't pass the medical exam I can't apply for the flight test and therefore I cannot get the flight license. I made a phone call and sent email to the doctor but I haven't reached him yet. There're a lot of obstacles before the flight.

Spice in life

It was my birthday. I almost forgot it. I don't like warring or thinking about my age, but I can't omit it. If I forget it, my body sometimes reminds me of it; trying to get over a fence, my leg hits it for instance. I think getting older is not always unhappy. I feel my characters are getting milder year by year and I rarely get angry now. I feel little stress and I'm living a happy, calm life. But I think my everyday life has been a bit too calm these days. So I've started taking flight lessons. It is exciting and stimulating enough to add a spice on my everyday life. Basically calm and occasionally exciting, that is an ideal.