Boeing Training / Flight Training

For the past seven weeks Boeing has been training me to be an assembly mechanic for their new 787 Dreamliner. The training has involved a combination of classroom theory lecture and hands on application in their high bay facility which houses two 767 wings, a 787 body section, and a plethora of workbenches with vises. Essentially, the job is simple. At any given time I am drilling or countersinking precision holes of various sizes on either aluminum alloys, carbon fiber reinforced plastics (composite), or simulated titanium (steel). While the job doesn't directly challenge my A&P skills or abilities, there is a lot of technique that requires constant practice to maintain a proficiency level that will allow me success when I get to the production factory line ultimately building airplanes that are designed to last indefinitely given proper maintenance and care. Additionally, the job is a great income generator which will help us pay off the Civic and finance future mission aviation training endeavours. That said...

Yesterday was a red letter day in my book. My training school, Mission Aviation Training Academy, has been blessed by generous donors lately. Last January (I think?) a friend of MATA's director donated his high performance Cessna 182. This aircraft is a 1969 model, but it is in immaculate condition and flies like a dream. Last week, another person affiliated with Pilots for Christ volunteered to donate their Cessna 172 to MATA. So yesterday, I flew MATA's 182 with my instructor, MATA's chief mechanic, and another student in the 182 to a small private grass strip airfield just east of Bremerton to inspect the aircraft. I'll center the focus on that last point. It was a small private grass strip!

As a missionary pilot I'm going to be flying in and out of all sorts of grass, dirt, or gravel airstrips all over the world. To date, I've never performed a takeoff or landing on a strip carved in the middle of a forest of trees. Yesterday I did that. And in an aircraft that's high performance (more than 200 Brake Horsepower)! I wish that I had a panel mounted camera to record the experience. For those who have never experience an approach that glides you down to treetop level for landing, let me tell you its a rush!

Currently, I have over 270 flight hours. I have roughly 20 hours left before I'll be ready to test for commercial. I've been flying after work almost every day this past week. I'm ready to get it done! There is an opportunity arising that might allow me to fly cargo for private businesses in a Cessna 182. Pray that I'll be able to take advantage of that opportunity!