The Lake and IFS

So lately Del Rio has been nothing short exciting and surprising. Even at that level though we still need a weekend get away. The lake has come to be a favorite spot for everyone. For roughly a hundred bucks five people can rent a ski boat for about 4 hours; runs about 20 bucks a person including their choice beverages. I have attempted water skiing somewhat successfully but just can’t get wake boarding for the life of me. I have been out three times and I still can’t pick it up or get up for that matter….I have labeled it as one of my worst enemies right now. I vow to defeat it before I leave Del Rio though; Fun is not even in the equation on this one…I will get up on that board whether I like it or not! …..well other than that the lake is one of the greatest places to go around here. I don’t know how the temp is during the winter so I better get as much time out there as I can. Below are a few pics:

But all fun comes to an end……well not really. I am currently on my way to IFS (Initial Flight Screening) where I finally get to start the first official training to becoming an Air Force Pilot. I will miss the lake during the six weeks that I am in Pueblo but that will be quickly rectified with the flying time I will get and the many different people I will get to meet. I am overwhelmed that I am actually going to do this! The only down sides are the 0430 show times and the long days of studying…..but who cares…I am flying! A quick rundown of what I will be doing: It’s a six week program where I will learn about the basics of aviation as well as learning how to fly, maneuver, and land the DA-20 Katana. The program takes place in Pueblo, CO and is based around a UPT (undergraduate pilot training) training syllabus. Which means it will not be like learning to fly with a normal civilian instructor. I will be pressed to learn all the systems of the aircraft as well as the maneuvers in the syllabus in a relatively short period of time; if I don’t I fail…no extra time. The bar for passing is much higher than that of our civilian counter parts. I don’t know the exact numbers but basically you can’t score below an 90% or 95% on all your tests; don’t quote me. We will have daily stand-ups; where the class stands up and each individual is quizzed on a subject and whether or not he or she gets it right they have to sit down or stay standing respectively; standing is bad. Summed up: lots of learning in a short period of time. Its interesting to see how the Air Force trains their pilots. It reminds me of a movie I watch a long time ago, Robot Jox (look it up). The way the facility is set up is very similar to how the movie does it. Its one facility with everything under one roof: Our Dorms, gym, dining hall, flight rooms, classrooms, ground trainers, and even the hangar. The facility is a renovated storage facility that is now a state of the art training facility for the Air Force. We are groomed and taken care of during the time we are there the only expectation is that we stay physically fit, learn, and perform while we are there. I love it!.....Thanks goes out to all the tax payers I will be enjoying the next six weeks; I think.