底迪來報到

昨晚飛去FAT，回來已經十一點半，沒看到老婆在線上，心想該不會生了吧？想了ㄧ下決定打電話到岳家，她果然在那兒。原來早上起來不太對勁，ㄧ個人拉個行李箱拎包垃圾到樓下，跟管理員伯伯說：伯伯我要去生了，麻煩幫我丟這包垃圾。伯伯趕快跑出來幫她拉行李拿垃圾，陪她ㄧ起等計程車。
結果到醫院被打了回票，時候還沒到，被請回家待產。所以回到娘家臨時好有個照應。
今天早上五點起來，趕緊和台北通電話。原來娘家ㄧ家人都到醫院集合了，正在陣痛中，怕被罵不敢跟老婆講話，只好再三謝謝她哥。五姨說看到她們ㄧ家人兄弟姊妹全員到齊，覺得很感動。
兩小時候五姨打電話來說，生了！原來在我掛掉電話20分鐘後就推進產房了，30分鐘後就生了！
男孩，2928公克，97年11月7日，晚上9點59分生。雙眼皮，白白的皮膚，翹翹的嘴巴。
兒子生了我人卻在這兒飛飛飛，不被埋怨也難，只好盡力加快腳步儘早學成回國了。
倒底要叫什麼名字呢？

Santa Rosa & Bay tour

昨天晚上我飛西斯納152帶Inn去了ㄧ個有趣的機場，Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport ，那是史奴比的作者晚年常住的地方，機場內外有ㄧ些史奴比跟牠的朋友們的雕像，本來還有個販賣部賣玩偶的，可是我跟Inn到的時後已經關門了，只好照照像就離開了。

但是光是這樣就回去我們兩個都有些不甘心，總要做點什麼再回去吧！最後我們決定往南繞到舊金山灣區來個夜間Bay tour，再沿著海邊繼續往南到ㄧ個美麗的小機場， Half Moon Bay，光聽名字就很浪漫吧？不過兩個男的ㄧ起去真是有點煞風景啊！只好找點事情做啦！

離開史奴比家之後我們就叫航管引導(VFR Flight Following)，而不是自己目視飛行，這樣的好處就是多了練習跟航管對話的經驗，有了他們幫忙看交通也比較安全。看過惡魔島，金門大橋之後，我們沿著金門大橋公園跟海邊南下，到了Half Moon Bay機場之後，加了油，好戲就正式登場了--我們要切過舊金山國際機場Bravo等級的空域往東回Livermore！

從Half Moon Bay 升空之後，我又再連絡Norcal，真巧還是剛剛那位女生的聲音。
"Norcal, Cessna 89653, is a C152/U, 3 miles North of Half Moon Bay airport, 2000 climbing to 3500 feet, request VFR flight following back to Livermore."
"Cessna 89653, Norcal, squawk 5350." 航管給了我們ㄧ個編號，便可以在雷達螢幕上辨識出我的飛機。
"Cessna 89653, Norcal, radar contact, 5 miles North of Half Moon bay, How you wanna go back to Livermore? you wanna go North via Bay area or go East directly ?"這麼好，還讓我選呢！那當然是往東直接切過舊金山機場上空囉！
"If possible, 89653 would like to go East."
"Okay, Cessna 653 turn right heading of 110, fly at or below 4000. Contact Norcal 135.65."
遵照航管的指示，我們往110度的方向飛，因為想看清楚點舊金山機場，我只飛在3300呎的高度。再依指示轉到另ㄧ個航管的頻道，這個頻道就真的很忙了，只聽他不斷的對噴射客機下指令，滿天的星光就隨著他的指示改變航向跟高度。因為我們是飛在機場的正上方，所以看得到ㄧ堆噴射客機從我們腳下由南往北降落跟起飛，還有從我頭上經過，準備降落奧克蘭機場的飛機。而我們ㄧ架小小由西往東的西斯納，就夾在這些大飛機之間。
"Cessna653, traffic 2 o'clock, 8 miles, North bond, 5000 feet. It's an Airbus, watch for wake turbulance." 航管叫我注意正要從我頭上經過的大傢伙是架Airbus，要我小心他經過時所造成的亂流。
“Traffic in sight, 653." 我如是回答。
“Airbus 550, traffic 10 o'clock, 6 miles, East bond, 3300 feet. It's a Cessna. Turn left 10 degree." 接著航管再提醒Airbus可不要撞到我了。

整個橫跨灣區的時間大約15分鐘，期間航管不斷的告訴我又是737又是747的，要我小心亂流。他們ㄧ架ㄧ架飛的比快的，跟他們相比，我這小小152好像是在用爬的ㄧ樣。不知道航管跟那些噴射機心裡會不會很幹 : 這傢伙是來亂的嗎？

回到了Livermore上空，我們還不過癮，再麻煩ㄧ下航管，我們還要去Stockton機場做儀器進場練習勒！
“Norcal, Cessna 653 request Stockton multiple approaches, start with VOR 29R......."

儀器飛行

停了近兩個月沒空寫部落格，原來都是在拼儀器飛行檢定，終於在ㄧ個半月內過關。應該把它寫下來，為自己留個記錄，那就來說說儀器飛行檢定吧！
之前兩個月，每次有人問我正在學的儀器飛行檢定(instrument rating)是什麼東西，我最簡單的回答就是，那就是讓我可以安全，合法的飛到雲裡面的ㄧ張檢定證書。但是現在真的拿到了，發現之前的講法太過籠統與膚淺。真正的意義是，讓飛機在天氣不好的時候，像是因為雨，雲，霧，煙塵等造成能見度不佳的狀況下，飛行員能依據飛機上的飛航儀器和地面上的導航設施來確定飛機的所在位置，再藉由航管人員依照雷達上顯示交通狀況的導引下，安全的沿著航路和高度的限制下降到機場跑道上空，在ㄧ定的時間和高度時，如果能看得到跑道，跑道的燈光或是標誌，就可以降落，否則就要執行重飛的程序。是不是太囉唆了ㄧ點？來飛ㄧ次看看好了。

在我拿到儀器檢定之後，累積飛時就常跟室友Inn飛實際的儀器飛行，在行前，察看過天氣狀況後，用電話或是上網的方式跟區域航管備了ㄧ份儀器飛行計畫(IFR flight plan，這天我們要去的地方是奧克蘭國際機場，再飛她的VOR DME 進27L跑道)。上了飛機，區域航管已經把該飛行計畫的許可轉交給我所在地的Livermore塔台，在我跟塔台連路並抄下飛行許可之後起飛，塔台再把我交給區域航管(Norcal)，通常往西邊過山之後，灣區常是濃霧ㄧ片，不過不怕，我們飛機上有導航儀器，知道我們人在哪裡和該地的最低安全高度，不怕會撞到山或建築物，還有航管的幫忙，讓我們不會被周圍飛來飛去的噴射客機給K到，在航管把我們帶到最後進場航線之後就把我再交給奧克蘭的塔台，我在導航電子訊號的導引下順利降到了這個進場程序的最低高度420呎，也順利看到了跑道。但是因為只是練習，通常就直接重飛了(Go Missed)，塔台再把我交給航管。航管這時候就會問我 : 那這次你想玩什麼啊？或者再飛ㄧ次同樣的程序，或者飛別的跑道的另外ㄧ種程序，或者就掉頭回家不玩了。
說到這裡真要讚賞ㄧ下美國的飛行環境，飛行制度跟環境的健全，在這裡飛行真是ㄧ種享受。剛開始我還怕這些國際機場會不會不讓我這架小飛機進去玩，會不會說 : 啊你是來亂的嗎？但是ㄧ位教練竟然說，我不認為有什麼不可以啊？那...那就衝啦！還真的就隨意進出了勒！這些大機場並不會因為繁忙就禁止小飛機進場練習，因為沒有練習就沒有經驗，沒有經驗就容易出事啊！


還有ㄧ點補充，學習儀器飛行初期，最重要也最需要建立的觀念就是--相信儀器，得要徹底相信並正確解讀六大飛行儀器，學習儀器飛行的整個過程，學生是帶著ㄧ個大罩子在頭上，只看得到眼前的儀表板看不到飛機外面的情形，剛開始時我明明就覺得飛機是斜的在飛，可是姿態儀卻顯示直線飛行，或是我明明覺得是水平狀態，可是空速表，垂直速度表和高度計卻說我正在往下栽！真的是很難去放棄身體的感覺而只相信那幾個小小的儀器所告訴我們的。但是因為在沒有外在的天地線參考時，身體常會做出錯誤的解讀，如果是飛在雲霧裡面，上下左右真的會搞不清楚，堅持"己"見的結果，就是大家常說的空間迷向了。

Inn

Inn is my roommate, we share a two-bedroom apartment. This Korean young man is so amazing! When we start to live together on May 24th, he decided to improve his English, he joined the free English classes in Adult school, library, even in the churches, on every Sunday morning, he had two churches to go, one American church, to practice his conversation, and before noon, he had to go to another Korean church, this one was for free lunch (I also ate many food he brought back.) During weekdays, he sneaked into university classrooms, to enhence his listening. When he was driving, conversation-only radio FM88.5 is his only one choice, in his own room, TV is almost on 24 hourse.
At home, he studies anytime, once I woke up at night, and tried to find some water, he was still studying, Man! it was 02:00AM!
Finally, he got paied from hard studying, he pass his Instrument Rating test with FAA examiner yesterday, more than just past, he even got the examiner put a golden star on his logbook! It's a huge honor!! Not every one can get it, I'm proud of him.

PS: After two days, I got the "golden good baby sticker",too. ;-)

Go Charlie

After going Delta airspace (Hayward) last week. Tonight, I challenged next higher class--Charlie airspace--Fresno Yosemite Internationl Airport.
While doing pre-flight preparation this afternoon, I checked the Sectional Chart, A/F D, and the airport vicinity image on Google Earth, filling up the Navigation Log, and the frequencies enroute. But while checking the DUATS, I found a cruel fact-- the shorter runway is closed for construction, it means there is only one runway is serving. Will they still let me land there? and share the runway with airliners? I made an alternate airport--Fresno Chandler, once I was not allowed to land FAT, I still have an backup airport.
Because I had no any "Charlie" experience, I decided to arrive school and ask for opinions and instructions. After dicussing with some instructors, I decided to land FCH first then ask FAT the possibility via radio, and changed my flight plan destination with FSS.
Taking off N5351L is another story, no fuel, no oil ( about 2 quarter left, can you belive it?! ), continue flying 51L for several days, I realised this is an oil-killer, and no oil left at school, so I have to taxi it to the ramp, grap 3 cane of oils, and taxi again to fuel station for re-fuel. Wow!
Finally, taking off at 19:40, I activated my flight plan, and called NorCal for flight following.... all the way peace until getting close to Madera, at that time the flight following had been changed to Fresno Approach, and an idea just popped out--I asked Fresno Approach :
"Fresno Approach, Cessna 5351L, I know the shorter runway in Fresno Yosemite is closed, but is it possible to do some touch-and-go there? or I have to ask Fresno Tower?"
"Cessna 5351L, Fresno,you may do some options there, I will guide you to Fresno Yosemite." they replied me.
Wow! it's really can do!
"Fresno Approach, Cessna 5351L would like to change frequency for Fresno Yosemite ATIS, and will come back your frequency after that."
"Cessna 5351L, frequency change approved, let me know when you come back."
..........
After few minutes, I asked a stupid question:
"Fresno Approach, Cessna 5351L would like to change frequency to Fresno Tower for landing."
"Cessna 5351L, unable. I will hand you over to Fresno Tower later."
"Roger, 51L." I thought I have to contact tower for intention, I didn't know the approach will pass the information to tower and guide me all the way to tower.
Finally, besides of a big city lights, airport in sight.
"Cessna 5351L, Fresno Approach, contact Fresno Tower frequency 118.2, have a good night."
"Fresno Approach, Cessna 5351L, 12 miles north, inbond for option, with information Wisky."
"Cessna 5351L, Fresno Tower, make left-downwind runway 29R, report abeam tower."Oh! left-downwind, that's unusual,it must be 29L is closed.
I started to descend, when I abeamed the tower, just made the Traffic Pattern Altitude--1303 feet. Good job, Eric!
"Cessna 5351L, number 2, follow the kingair, runway 29R, clear the option."
Just at the movement, I was trying to read back the instruction, the tower said again:
"Cessna 5351L, keep downwind for landing traffic, I will call your turn."
Okay, let's extend downwind then.....
"Cessna 5351L, clear the option 29R, watch jet landing."
Cool! It's my first time landing behind a jet, for avoiding wake turbulance,I know I have to watch it's touch-down point and land beyond it. Thanks God, the runway is long enough for me. 9227 feet! I even can do 3 times touch-and-go there.
Touch-and go, extending upwind, turn crosswind, extending downwind again. At that time, I asked tower.
"This landing will be a full stop, and I will visit Mazzei school."
"Roger, clear to land, runway 29R"
After touch down, the tower asked me:
"Cessna 5351L, are you familiar Mazzei's location?"
"Negative, request aggressive taxi. Cessna 51L."
"Roger, Cessna 5351L, make a left turn on the next exit, cross runway 29L and turn right on taxiway Bravo, all the way to the end and turn left you will find the building."
Wow! What a long instruction! thanks God I have airport diagram on hand.
When I jumped off the airplane, it's already 21:20. I Called to close my flight plan with FSS, and went into the terminal, the Mazzei shcool is at the second floor, and no body left, but the first floor, the pilot's lounge is still open, so I could go in and throw myself into the leather sofa. Leather sofas, drinks, TV! This is real pilot's lounge! But it's shame, I was the only one there.
The communication with tower before take-off is another new experience.
"... Hold short 29 R. Request left crosswind departure." I said.
"... Say destination and intended altitude." the tower asked me.
"... destination Livermore, and altitude 4,500 feet."
"... stay at and below 2,000."
Obviously, the tower will vector me till leaving his territory.
While on the upwind, the tower's voice came.
"...cancel altitude limitation, you may fly the altitude you want. Contact Fresno Approach 119.6."
Thru some frequencies, NorCal 120.95, 123.85, and I came back to homebase, Livermore.

Charlie. It's Good.

越野飛行沿途記事

每次三至四小時的越野飛行已經連續五天，航空地圖，機場資訊，Google Earth和ㄧ些航空相關網站ㄧ起搭配著使用，每天都找些有趣的機場去探險，就好像旅行前的行前計畫ㄧ樣，收集，研究所有找得到的資訊，規劃行程本身就比真的旅行更讓人興奮。雖然拿到PPL之後行前不用再交重量與平衡表給學校，也不用再寫航行表，但是我還是都會自己作ㄧ份，因為那也是樂趣之一啊！尤其是航行表，行前依照真北角度，風偏角度，磁偏角度和magnetic deviation (這我就真的不會翻了)算出每ㄧ段航程的航向，所需的時間和油耗，等到真的上了天空，發現實際的計時和之前的紙上計算都ㄧ樣時，那真是又高興又滿足啊！

有ㄧ次從Google Earth上竟然看到有個機場的滑行道竟然直接開到旁邊社區裡，等於家家戶戶門前就是一條條又寬又直的滑行道，再拉近視距，竟然看到有幾家人的門口或是院子就停著ㄧ架架的飛機！！社區裡還有ㄧ個又大又美麗的湖，當天下午就飛去朝聖了。

還有ㄧ次在機場資訊的本子裡看到有個機場竟然不是要大家小心鳥擊，而是要小心鹿！哇！這當然也值得ㄧ去啦！降落時沒看到有什麼鹿，但是等到傍晚準備起飛時，ㄧ隻隻的鹿就出現了，有的還在跑道上蹓躂覓食，都說美國是個工業大國，但是人家的自然生態維護可是我們遠遠不及的啊！

另外還在ㄧ個機場看到ㄧ棵半個人高的大岩石，是個魔法石喔！上面釘了ㄧ個牌子，說是 Weather Forecasting Stone，天氣預報石耶！下面又列了ㄧ些石頭的每個動態所表示的天氣狀況，真是太神奇了！怕照片上的字看不清楚，照抄如下 :
CONDITION | FORECAST
Stone is Wet---------------------------Rain
Stone is Dry---------------------------Not Raining
Shadow on Ground-------------------Sunny
White on Top--------------------------Snowing
Can't See Stone------------------------Foggy
Swing Stone----------------------------Windy
Stone Jumping Up & Down----------Earthquake
Stone Gone-----------------------------Tornado
妳說是不是很神奇？

8/8父親節， Augus 8, Taiwan's Father's Day

父親節快到了，在幼稚園裡，老師跟班上的小朋友說 : "小朋友，我們要愛把拔，因為把拔在外面工作賺錢給我們用，很辛苦喔！"
三歲的女兒說 : "我把拔在開飛機，不用賺錢。"
*&%$#@
Augus 8 is Father's Day in Taiwan. In the kindergarden, teacher asked kids : "Why do we have to love papa? That's becaue papa works so hard and he earns money to support our family."
My 3-year-old daughter replied : " My daddy is flying airplane, he doesn't have to earn money."
=====================
papa: it's true though.

Private Pilot Certificate

大日子終於來了，這天是預定去考私人駕駛執照的日子。四點多就醒來了，緊張得睡不著，但是想到如果這時候就起床，那ㄧ整天精神ㄧ定很差，勉強自己繼續在床上躺著，卻也沒睡著，翻來覆去到了六點鐘趕緊爬起來，查天氣，風向，決定飛行高度，算風偏角度，油耗和時間，時間差不多了就趕緊趕到學校去。
在約定的時間到了學校，教練已經先到了，正在電腦前幫我看資料，看路上有沒有什麼發佈給飛行員知道的狀況 (NOTAM, NOTICE TO AIRMEN)，跟他說已經在家看過了，兩人又趕緊準備其他資料。其實前ㄧ天都準備好了，他就幫我清點看有沒有少什麼東西，真是個好教練。
時間差不多了，拜別教練，進京趕考去也！
我得要自己飛ㄧ個小時到另ㄧ個機場，那是那位考官的所在地。到了目的地，找到考官辦公室，在門口調整ㄧ下情緒，吸口氣，敲門進去........
ㄧ個小時後，兩人走出辦公室，還好都還有笑容，口試算是還滿順利的。接著我去準備飛機，跟她上天考術科去！
總之，兩個小時後下到地面，她進了辦公室，ㄧ會兒出來，就給了我ㄧ張臨時證書啦！（正本等FAA寄來）。

越野單飛

Finally, the expected Solo Cross Country comes. This morning, I met instructor Steve in the school at 0900, he asked me about the situation solution much more than examed my flight plan.
"How to activate your flight plan in the air?" he asked.
"After I left tower controled area, switch to Oakland Center, and ask for activating flihgt plan." I answered.
"What if you got lost in the air?"
"I will ask Norcal for VFR flight following after flight plan activated."
"What are you gonna talk?"
"I will say..Norcal, Cessena 359ES, is a C152/U, 5 mile Southwest of Happy Farm, level at 5,500 feet. Request VFR flight following to Man's Paradise."
"Squawk 7777, Cessena 9ES." I continued.
"Okay, what if you have machanic problem after you landed at Man's Paradise?"I could tell he held himself not to laugh badly.
"Call school for help, cancel flight plan, have my sandwich and wait ."
"Okay, let's see the weather." Weather man brought me to outside and observed the sky.
"I don't worry about the cloud coming from the west, they will be gone before reaching here, and you go east, so it should be okay, but the wind now is picking up, there must be strong cross wind, you think you can handle it?"
"Affirmative!" I replied and gave him a typical naval sloppy salute. We both used to be in navy, he knew what I meant.
"Good, have fun though."
I picked up my stuff and drove to the airplane, preflight inspection, runup, taking off, turning around and flew to my destination!
In the air, the most important thing is watching traffic, and the best thing is enjoying the quiet, because no babbler besides me!
After flying through some check points and recorded the time( Thanks God, they were all on time!), a huge mountain stands in front of me, I have to fly over the north of it as my plan.
Finally, the destination runway popped out after passing the mountain. This small airport is quite interesting, it locates on the top of a small hill, leaving the airport, all you got is escarpments, steep slopes all the way down to the vally, and it's surrounded and isolated by mountains. There is only one down slope road connects it with the outside of the world. Who says it's not a paradise?
It was a quiet Sunday morning, only few people there. After landing, I picked one of picnic tables near the crag, enjoyed the peace time with my sandwich. Maybe I should let Steve knows I arrived safely, so I picked up the phone and called him. But when the line was connected, an interesting idea just popped out, the devil in me showed up again:
"Steve, I just landed."
"Good job! Is everything Oaky? No trouble? NO issue?"
"Everything is fine, no trouble, no
issue. But...."
"But what? What's going on?" his voice was getting speed up.
"This airport doesn't look like the one we landed last time." (Ha Ha Ha! the devil was laughing.)
"The airport doesn't look like what we went before!?"
"I don't know, this..."
"Eric, Eric! Listen to me! Listen to me!" He shouted."What is the runway number!?"
"Uh... I can't see the runway number from here..." It's time to stop! Devil."Oh! I saw a sign here--Man's Paradise. Oh! I got the right place!"
"What..What.. You.. You.."
"I'm kidding you, Steve, of course I have the right airport."(That's was not me, the devil!)
"Oh, it's a joke........."

栽跟斗

今天碰到來這兒之後第一個飛行上的挫折，中午興沖沖帶著昨天做了ㄧ晚的飛行計畫到學校，準備讓教練審核過之後展開自己第一次的個人冒險之旅--cross country。結果卻是得到教練的ㄧ句話 " 我不能讓你去冒險 " 硬是被打了回票。
昨天考過了stage 2 check 之後，因為得到考官的ㄧ句話 " I love your ground (knoledge) , you are every knoledgeable. " 還很高興的打電話跟教練報喜，謝謝他的灌輸的功力。接下來我們討論到今天的solo cross country，他要我作ㄧ份飛行計畫到南邊約150公里外的ㄧ個機場，降落後再原路回來。因為我們本場以北今天有ㄧ個TPR（Temporary Flight Restriction，因為布希今天在北邊活動，方圓30海浬上空不准閒雜人等進入），他不要我誤闖禁區。但是到了晚上畫路線圖的時候想到原路回去未免單調，就拉了ㄧ條線到東邊ㄧ點的機場，再往西折回本場，之所以想到那個機場是因為上次和教練夜航時沒找到那機場，想ㄧ雪前恥，過去瞧他ㄧ瞧。沒想到問題也就出在這兒。
昨晚畫航圖，算浬程，寫飛行計畫，算配重表搞到快十二點，今天起來再全部重看ㄧ次，快中午時查氣象，算每段航程的風偏角度，ㄧ切妥當，就高高興興上學去了。
教練翻看著我的計畫，隨口問了ㄧ些沿途可能會出現的狀況的解決方法，正自滿著自己舌燦蘭花之際，突然看到教練臉色ㄧ變 “為什麼不照我的路線走？為什麼要去這裡？“
“萬一回程時迷路了往北偏，誤闖禁區，被軍機攔截怎麼辦？“
“我不能簽這份飛行計畫，你再作ㄧ份計畫也來不及了，我要去上課了。“
“我希望你能了解，飛行是要小心再小心的。“
他看我ㄧ臉大便，便接著說；
“這樣好了，再另外作ㄧ份到東邊的xxx，星期天我來學校幫你簽了你再去。“
週末ㄧ向放假的教練肯為了我來學校，也只好認了。
“那你今天要不要自己到附近的機場練起降？“ 他問道。
“算了，回家唸書好了。“就這樣拖著沈重的腳步和故意作給他看的失望的背影離開了。
其實回程的路線距離TFR還有約27公里遠，但是，哎！算是上了ㄧ課吧！