Week 17...and things start to come together

For the first time since I have been here, I am starting to feel like I am getting the hang of flying this jet. I still have a long ways to go, but I got a couple of high grades on sorties this past week. Little things like that go a long ways to building confidence that has been absence since the beginning of the training.

I am into the advanced "aerobatics" (not acrobatics) part of the training. I was pretty nervous about getting airsick, but I survived. I felt a little queasy on the day I was getting the maneuvers demonstrated to me, but after I started doing them all, I felt fine. I had probably one of the best feelings ever when I was solo and at the top of a loop, upside down, looking at the world four mile below and realizing that I was all by myself doing what most people only dream of doing. I won't lie, I had a strut the rest of the day.

I am doing maneuvers like the: loop, split-s, aileron roll, barrel roll, cloverleaf, chandelle, Immelman, lazy 8, and the Cuban 8. I had a hard time trying to find diagrams of these maneuvers, but you can Google them if you want to know what they are. Here is a Cuban 8, it is basically a loop with a roll on the down side and then doing it again to make an 8. The cloverleaf is pretty cool as well. It is a turning loop done four times in a row to make it look like a cloverleaf. I pulled up to 6.5 Gs the other day and that made me feel like a real Thunderbird pilot...minus the skills and ability.

I am suppose to have another checkride this week before Christmas, but the weather doesn't look like it is going to cooperate, so we will just have to see.

Speaking of Christmas, it is definitely different here in North Mexico. I have not seen one place selling Christmas trees, unlike at home there are stands on every corner. The other thing is the streets are filled with slow driving Mexicans. All of Mexico comes across the boarder to shop at the fancy department store in Del Rio...Wal-Mart! They must not be use to driving at such high rates of speed as 30 mph because they go about 15-20 and clog up all the roads, and all roads in Del Rio lead to Wal-Mart.

I am really looking forward to being home in six days and 10 hours. I definitely need some time off studying and just relaxing...not to mention getting presents. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, even if you all don't want to comment anymore. I keep enclosing regular pictures of me for all of you that never e-mail, call, or post a comment. I don't want you to forget me, since most of you are doing a good job of it...hopefully at least you are still reading this blog. Below is a picture of me in my apartment in the Del Rio ghetto. See ya!