Hello! Once again I have not been as diligent as I should be about updating this blog. Thank you Jon. It has been more than a little busy these last few weeks and I have several things to report on. My mother had knee surgery last weekend and after a couple days in the ICU she is doing much better and is back at home. My Instrument Ground School class has been completed and I am happy to report that all the students passed the final exam. I don't think I am any great teacher but I enjoy the subject matter, and I think all the students ended the class with a positive experience. They have a better idea of how the IFR system works and should be able to go and take the necessary written exam for the rating. As the weather improves I have been flying more which is always great.

A very experienced veteran of the Missionary Aviation world came and visited us here at SMAT a few weeks ago. Doug came from JAARS and spent the week talking to us about his many years of flying in South America. He flew in Ecuador and Peru before the area was even charted well. He is a product of true bush flying long before the days of GPS. I had the opportunity to go on an evaluation flight with Doug. We practiced low level cross country navigation using only a map and stopwatch and landing techniques very close to stall speed to get into short fields.

Today, our class went on a field trip to a visit the corporate hanger of a well know company in Grand Rapids. It was a very interesting trip and a great educational opportunity to look at some of the nicest business jets flying anywhere in the world today.

Exams for the FAA Airframe license start soon. I'll keep you updated.

JMG

Matt (left), Doug (Right) and I plan out our trip with minimal navigation equipment.

Our class on a field trip at a corporate hanger in front of a new Gulfstream V. This aircraft can fly nonstop from the Michigan to Bejing. It represents the pinnacle of luxury at a cost of about $50 million each. This hanger had 3.
Inside the rear access bay of Hawker business jet on our class trip. I don't know what everything is but I am working on it.