Week 16...and I am a hooker!

Before most of you say, I knew that...in the military flight training system, to fail something is to "hook" it. For those of you that don't take straight lines between point A and point B, this means that I failed something this week. I only point out my weaknesses to make you all feel better and to know that I am not always perfect...just close. OK, JUST KIDDING.

I hooked my check ride this past week. I actually did really well on the flight, except for no flap landings (generally the hardest of all landing because you don't do them a lot and your whole descent angle is different, etc.). Apparently, safe landings are a big deal and he had to fail me for not doing them well. Out of all the items they grade you on, this is the only one he failed me on, so I was actually ok with hooking because I knew that I could fix that one little thing.

A sweet picture of me..sorry no good ones taken this week!

The next couple of flights went good and I am good to go again. It is really hard to explain what I really do because it is so much more than just moving a stick to control an aircraft, but just know that if I tried to explain it you would all fall asleep. I soloed once this past week and was starting advanced acrobatics, but the weather was so bad that we had to come back and not complete a couple of flights.

Speaking of bad weather, it has really cooled off in the last week and a half. It is getting down to the high 30s. I know that is warmer than back home, but when two weeks ago it was high 80s, that is a dramatic drop. I guess I am getting primed to go home in 13 days and 9 hours....but who is counting?

Not much else is new in North Mexico, but I did find out that you can use Mexican money to buy groceries...the lady did that in front of me this morning. I was so pleased to wait while they tried to convert the currencies in their heads. One thing about it down here, the locals are in no hurry and in fact if you stand there waiting for them to pick one side of the aisle or the other, they kind of look annoyed. Moving quickly is definitely optional, just as well as being aware that you share this world with others. Well, it is a long way down from my soap box, so I better get my ladder positioned an come on down.