Much to do

Why does it seem that I am always catching up? I really must make time to write here--for what good are musings from above if they are not noted? Perhaps I can make a resolution to post more frequent updates!

It's a new year and there are so many items on my to do list. There's CAP, Aviation certificates and ratings, as well as more domestic goals.

Progressing through CAP is at the top of this list. In particular, I'm working to advance in Emergency Services, Specialty Tracks, Professional Development, and Rank.

To this end, I've completed the FEMA IS-800 course so that I have that preparation done for the staff-level Emergency Services qualifications. I will be looking to get into a IS-300 and an IS-400 class to round out the series.

Also, today was the first operational day of the first FTX of the year. I had initially planned on going only to one day and getting as much signed off on the Ground Team Member 3 SQTR. I did go out on one sortie and have only 4 items left to get signed off, including First Aid qualification. As this is a rather onerous qualification (10 hour class), I do not foresee completing GTM3 this weekend.

What was surprising, however, was that I was afforded the opportunity to review the academics for Mission Scanner today. As it stands now, I have only 3 demonstration items to complete and 1 sortie which is scheduled for tomorrow. In general, one gets Ground training at a FTX and Air training at a SAREX. I may very well qualify as a Mission Scanner tomorrow.

Since I wasn't planning on attending the two days, I wasn't prepared to stay the night. So, I'm planning on attempting to fly to Sand Springs (KOWP) in the morning. As I currently have 173.0 PIC hours, such a flight will put me in a position to enter training for Mission Pilot.

On the Specialty Track front, I determined that I had fulfilled the time-in-position for the Logistics track by holding the Supply Officer position for 6 months. This gave me the Technician Rating for that track. It looks as though continuing to hold the position to the period of a year is one of the main requirements for the Senior Rating for this track. Now I just need to determine how to progress in my other two tracks: Communications and IT.

Qualifying for the technician rating is a primary requirement for progressing in the Professional Development aspect of CAP. The other major requirements that I'm looking to fulfill are Squadron Leadership School and the Officer's Basic Course. Luckily, SLS is offered at the squadron level and I should be able to get it completed in the next few months. As for the Officer's Basic Course, I am signed up for the June iteration of the online class. By that point, Rank should pretty well fall into line.

Also of note is that I've taken on the position of Deputy Commander for Seniors for my squadron. As I'm planning my development, so now I must also look at planning the development of all the Seniors in the squadron.

Outside of CAP, I'm also looking at advancing my aviation career. Admittedly, I've been targeting the Instrument Rating for some time. Yet, I have accrued only 8.4 hours under the hood. The more I look at it, the more it becomes apparent that I just need to buckle down and study for the written examination. I have the Gleim and ASA books, Sporty's DVDs and books, and the Gleim CDs which I have ripped to MP3 and listened to once through.

If I can manage to get all the information from these materials into my head, conversing with an instructor on all the different facets of instrument flight should be much simpler and I'm certain that I'll get more bang for the buck in the end. I have contacted one instructor and am looking at starting some ground school in preparation for the written. I'm also looking at utilizing CAP instructors for some training, though I don't want to be construed as abusive at any level and so take some pause at pursuing that option.

At the conclusion of Instrument training I fully intend on pursing my commercial ticket. I don't know at this point if a paying career in aviation is in my future, but I want to be prepared for it, nonetheless. At the least, I expect both the instrument and commercial training to improve my overall piloting skill.

Also brought to my attention today is the Acro Camp being put on by Stephen Force of Airspeed fame. The upshot is that he's looking to make a movie of what transpires when "four pilots from different walks of life and around the country gather in Michigan in May or thereabouts to take over a Part 61 flight school for four days and fly aerobatics for the first time." I have already submitted my application for this adventure. Whether or not I'm selected, this will certainly be something very interesting to follow.