Juxtapilot’s Blog

I’ve been doing UND’s Private pilot review course and tomorrow I have my last lesson. Well actually I’m finishing up my stage check, which I started on Sunday. We had a late launch and didn’t have enough time to finish. The stage check is basically the same as the PPL check ride, pass or fail. I think if I failed it I would feel pretty goofy. I have had my private license for over a year, and while it’s been good to review the manuvers I think that the amount of flying they have made us (Test Course students) do has been a little excessive. My skills haven’t improved that much, but I guess I have some more experience under my belt which is always good. Anyway, the “review” course has cost me over 4500 dollars, which I guess is actually average, or maybe slightly above average for people doing that course. I’m pretty glad I will be done with the course soon, but it will be a bummer to not be flying all the time! I will have to wait until January. When I get back home in December I will go up a few times I think.

It’s been one crazy sad week. It’s always sad when I read about aircraft accidents, but even worse, is when you have seen the people involved, before they depart. The crash on Tuesday was no doubt very sad for the University, there isn’t anything anyone can do to “rewind” and change what has happened. That is what is so hard to imagine, that the flight instructor and her student will not return from this last flight. It’s always comforting to know that they were doing what they loved, but it never seems to be enough. This has really got me thinking. It truly could happen to anyone, myself included. Yet this is what is so strange about this kind of a career choice. It never passed my mind to stop flying, as my personal passion for flight exceeds and danger that may exist. I hope people won’t stop flying because of this, but I do hope they will never forget what happened last Tuesday. The crew of that flight were doing what they loved. Isn’t that what life’s about?  Annette Klosterman from Seattle, and aviation student Adam Ostapenko from Duluth may the memories of your lives live on!