Standardization is almost complete. I have completed three flights, and a simulator lesson. These were basically evaluation lessons, but the aim was more how I teach the subject material. They want to make sure I’m teaching it the way everyone else is, to provide consistent training. You learn that some have different opinions about different subjects, but overall it’s been a learning experience.
I’ve come to the point where I have to accept that I’ll never be perfect. I was having issues with a maneuver for quite some time. It’s something I’ve been doing since day one here, and I wasn’t quite getting it right. It was very frustrating to struggle with something so basic, but it was a reality check for me. I put in some time in the plane flying solo, and the next flight I had I redid the maneuver and it worked out much better.
The past few weeks have been some firsts for me. I’ve been able to sign some logbooks recently. Some friends have needed some help with simulator stuff and I was able to sign off on their time in there as a CFII. It was a pretty cool thing for me to be able to do that for them. This week I signed one of the standardization pilots logbook who has nearly 12,000 hours! I have 300! I thought that was pretty cool. It shows what a tight community aviation is. My name will always be in his logbook, as well as my friends. In 20 years when we’re working for different airlines, I can brag that I signed his logbook first!
I’m getting pretty excited to start taking on students. I’ve been in training mode for nearly a year and a half. Although I’ll be training people, and still technically be in training mode for the rest of my career, this is a big step for me. I’m going to put to use all this stuff that I’ve learned. To see skills be put to use, and knowledge lent to another person, will be a new experience.
I keep thinking of when I first started my flight training. How much I looked up to, and wanted to be like, my flight instructor. Someone is going to look to me for all the answers, and is going to trust me with their life. I’m looking forward to the challenge, and hope I can handle the responsibility.