Winging It

Great Pilots Never Stop Learning

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 16:16:20 GMT

My road to Oshkosh has brought me to my final destination! The world’s greatest aviation celebration – EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. It’s time to invite others to join me on this journey in the Pilot Proficiency Center. To get an in-depth look at some of the scenarios available to pilots this week, I’ve invited pilot and YouTube sensation, FlightChops (aka Steve Thorne)to come fly with me.

Keep 'Em Flying!

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 20:54:17 GMT

I was honored for the opportunity to get hands-on with The Yellow Rose, a 1943 B-25 bomber owned by the Centex Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Even though this CAF hangar is located close by, it was my first time checking it out and meeting the members. I had such a great day learning and enjoying the company of the Centex Wing that I made sure to pay dues and fill out a membership form before I left… I wanted to keep coming back to be a part of something so special!

Let's Jet!

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:51:20 GMT

It’s always fun to expand your piloting horizons by getting into a new type of airplane or aircraft. The experience and challenge will make you a better pilot. I had the wonderful opportunity to learn from the experts at Angel City Flyers and make the transition to the Cessna Citation Mustang jet and earn a second-in-command type rating.

Those Unexpected Events

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 14:10:23 GMT

I left my lesson in Camarillo feeling different than I had on some of my other visits along this journey. I was exhausted and not so confident. And, that was a good thing. Thanks to the feedback and guidance from my expert instructor, Michael Phillips, I left with many useful takeaways. And, I left knowing that I still had some areas to improve upon to continue towards solid proficiency. For this visit, I was challenged and left to my own knowledge and skills to follow through an emergency situation in the simulator. It was fun, but it was humbling.

A Flat-Lander in the Rockies

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 21:33:48 GMT

Every stop so far has been amazing and I’ve learned a lot. Getting specialty training on flying in the mountains has been no exception. In fact, I feel like everything I’ve ever learned in past ground schools through books, charts, PowerPoint, and “hangar talk” was put into the ultimate, real-world application with mountain flying. I loved that. Mountain flying requires you to plan ahead, stay fully aware of where you are, laterally and vertically, and where you’re going. You have to precisely apply performance charts, regulations (think oxygen requirements), weight and balance, and planning to each flight. It was my first time flying on a sectional chart that was completely tan and brown… meaning lots of high terrain and mountains. I enjoyed my time learning from three experts, Taylor Albrecht, Lonnie Hilkemeier, and Jay Cronk.

Getting Upset at 5,000 Feet

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 15:06:07 GMT

That was AWESOME! This was one of the most memorable flying days of my career and I still can’t stop smiling. I learned so much at Executive Flyers and had so much fun. I got to see what it’s like to make unusual attitudes the usual. Getting specialized training in upset recovery, unusual attitudes, and aerobatics let me explore the edges of the airplane’s envelop and build confidence to react properly and safely if I were to ever inadvertently put myself in that situation.

Around the World in Two Days

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Tue, 24 May 2016 14:02:38 GMT

It’s not hard to tell when you’ve seen something special. After spending nearly 48 hours with the middle school and high school students of Aspen, CO, I am nothing but impressed. The high expectations, the great tools provided, and the community support from teachers, fellow classmates and parents, contributes to what is truly an amazing environment for learning and growing.

Saving a Life in a Helicopter

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 04 May 2016 11:33:33 GMT

Our visit to Cleveland was a little crazy (with two cancelled flights), a little overwhelming, and incredibly interesting! After arriving a week later than planned, we finally made it to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The University’s nursing program is one of the best in the country. They have a one-of-a-kind full motion Redbird simulator that is used to train flight nurses and provide them real-world practice in the unforgiving and confined environment of a Med Evac Helicopter. The simulator is also used for research that will continue to pave the way for the future of flight nurse training.

Britt Tries Out for Flight Team

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 14:00:00 GMT

Trying out for the The Ohio State University Flight Team was a whirlwind, but it was such a blast! It was fun to be back in a college environment and on a beautiful campus. Students in the OSU aviation program really get the best of both worlds – they get to have that large Division I college experience while still being a part of a small program with a tight knit community of fellow aviation-lovers hanging out at the airport. The flight team exemplifies this the most. One look at their crazy practice schedule as the team gears up for competing at the national SAFECON competition this May proves that. The team practices on campus one day a week and out at the airport twice a week. Many of the team members also show up at the airport at sunrise to get some precision landings practice in, on their own, before class. As part of the flight team, you definitely take your piloting skills to a whole new level and caliber.

Simple Mission, Complex Problems

info@redbirdflight.com (Redbird Flight) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 22:00:00 GMT

It was a successful visit to the Washington D.C. area! The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the crazy windy days made for some fun flying and “sporty” landings. I went to D.C. to complete a marketing photo mission for a golf course just south of Lake Manassas. The catch… the golf course was inside airspace that intimidates the heck out of me, the Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA). One look at the Baltimore-Washington Terminal Area Chart and you’ll understand why. Then, a look at the 8-page NOTAM and you’ll start to sweat! Thankfully, I had the guidance of award winning flight instructor, Bob Hepp of Aviation Adventures to take me through the process. I can say now, without a doubt that anyone can, and should, fly through the SFRA. The inner ring, the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), however, is still definitely no-way-jose airspace. You’ll just have to land nearby and take a 30 minute metro ride into the heart of the city for touring the monuments and museums.