Getting on a New Aircraft (DA-40)

Hopefully tomorrow (If the weather holds up!) I will be flying the DA-40 for the first time. I have so far been rated in a few gliders, Learned to fly in a DA-20 and have flown a C-172 for a year now. I am very excited for this new experience, and cannot wait for the stories I will have to share.

I have been studying the aircraft for a while now: checklists, the 'red' pages, airspeeds, systems, etc... I feel a little odd about being able to "feather" the propeller, but I feel I will manage just fine with a little practice. Best of all, the aircraft that I will be flying out of Collingwood has a G1000 glass cockpit - even newer than the G500 glass cockpit and normal steam gages that I am used to. I cannot wait to get flying! Here's hoping that the weather holds up for us!

Flying friends and family

While my life in the world in aviation is only beginning, I can safely say that one of the most joyous and heartfelt experiences is taking friends and family flying. Sharing the gift of flight is a remarkable feeling, and never grows old. Every flight is different and unique in its own way. The best part is that is is ALWAYS fun to do. Letting someone fly for a bit, to even doing a few "exciting" aerial manoeuvres keeps the heart, as well as human spirit going at a fast pace. In a way, this is also how my story in aviation took off. Flights bought by my parents and those given to me through Air Cadets brought me the goal to pursue my pilots licence, and that I did. I learned that if you want something, go for it. Dream big, you deserve it! And this experience through flight, I can share, and prove to others that anything is possible.

Drones = Debate!

An MQ-9 Predator drone taxing. Source

Today, technology has come such a large way in a mere hundred years. For example: flight. Starting off with a little wood and canvas, the flying machines then gained larger fuselages, better engines and eventually weapons as a tool of war. Throughout time, the airplane has become such a remarkable feat of human engineering. Being able to take people around the world, transport cargo anywhere you want, send relief supplies around the globe and of course, be a means of military air superiority.

Today, drones are being used by countries around Earth, most notably the United States. While it is remarkable what they can do while not putting a human pilot's life on the line such as having the drone fly over Afghanistan while the pilot drinks coffee at home in the good 'ol USA. Drones are becoming today's keepers, but without the human element.

It is a very scary thought that these machines can have a mind of their own. Executing orders without human interaction. The loss of the human element of decision making means that it basically comes down to the numbers. When human judgement can save lives, a drone only has programming that serves as its morals. One day, the US may be in the situation when drones such as the MQ-9 predator drone (see photo above) may be authorized to patrol across the United States. It is a very scary thought that a government can have so much control with machines.

A big concern is a sense of "Battlestar Galactica Syndrome."  While the machines may not start thinking for themselves, hackers can basically hack into any computer. It has already been proven that hackers can hack into, and control US drones.

While they can provide protection, drones can also become the bars of the cage that can hold the world under fear.

Source

First time as the PIC in a Cessna 172

Flying away in my first conversion flight!

It felt nice getting current on another aircraft. While feeling a little more slower and sluggish than a Diamond Katana, the Cessna 172 is by far a great aircraft for learning on. This also marked the first time I flew around my home town, so now I can take family and friends flying more easier.

Super Arrow: The Dream Lives

The beauty from ww.superarrow.ca/

Personalty, I believe that the Super Arrow, even if it may be just a dream of many Canadians including myself, it is the best choice for the future of Canadian aviation as well as Canadian defense. Just like when the Arrow was first developed in the 50's, the Super Arrow would be a much better choice than the F-35. Much cheaper, better specifications and a Canadian aircraft that would be built by Canadians, even the idea can make one drool.

While it might be true it is just a dream now, this is how all great things start.

Why Canada REALLY doesn't need the F-35 OR the Conservative government

While a beautiful aircraft, it really isn't the right fit for Canada... At all.
(Picture from article mentioned bellow)

For many, many long months now, the Canadian acquisition of the still under construction high tech F-35 fighter jet has been in the news in a negative light. In both a professional, and personal voice, I cannot see why we as a country need the F-35. With problems with flight systems, avionics and multiple design problems (National post article here ) The aircraft is plagued with horrible budget problems, and is millions, if not billions of dollars over budget, and is STILL not approved for active flight status.

Even if the aircraft WAS approved, the overall design would still be inadequate for what Canada needs it for. At the moment, Canada's aging CF-188's are old, but reliable. The two engines they have provide at least one back up in case one is shut down due to problems. Having two engines are a must for Canada's next fighter, due to them having to patrol thousands of kilometers of unforgiving arctic.

What I absolutely love is this article from the National Post. The CF-105 was, and in my opinion one of the best aircraft ever produced. Even today, it could outperform most aircraft, and it was 100% Canadian designed and built. Unfortunately due to the narrow-sighted conservative government (who probably made a deal with the USA) They canceled the program and bought poorly made American aircraft instead and Nuclear missiles that we would never use (Never a nuke in Canada that we know of) So why can't the conservatives  TODAY suck it up and avoid this black main from the US? We need better leadership (but that's for another rant)

In conclusion, the conservative has to grow a pair, admit that they made a LOT of mistakes, and look for another aircraft like we did in the 50's. Who knows, we might get the newer F-18F (would be cheap due to less training for pilots and mechanics due to the similarity of the CF-188) or maybe even bring the Arrow back. Only Time will tell.

Yes, we Canadians rule.

Leave your comments below, people! Thoughts?