Desert Pilot

Miramar Air Show it San Diego 2011

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:07:00 +0000

My 2 year old son Shad, brother in-law Jayce and I went to the Miramar air show a few weeks ago. It was way cool and Shad loved it. I really wanted to go and se the Blue Angels for the first time. And that was awesome as well. I don't know if it is because I'm partial to the Navy they performed much better then the Air Force Thunderbirds that I saw back in March. Their tolerances seemed much tighter, and precision just a little bit higher. I was a great time had by all.

[Video] Flying home (AA MD-81 into PHX)

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:54:00 +0000

Ok so I'm back after 5 month of Navy basic training and Operation Specialist (OS) "A" School. I'm now at my first duty station in San Diego, CA aboard the USS PRINCETON (CG-59). I have tons to learn now. It's nice to be finally where I'm suppose to be for I can do my job. Here is a small video I made on my flight home.

Shad's First Flight

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:19:00 +0000

Yesterday I took my son up in a small airplane for the first time. A fellow pilot friend Bill sent me a tweet that he needed a co-pilot for the fly to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) from Stellar Air Park (P19) for Cutter Aviation's free BBQ so I said sure then asked if Shad (who is 18 months-old) could come too he said he didn't have a problem with that. Below are some of the pictures from the flight and the audio from the short flight home. Shad had a good time the only part he cried was when the engine started and got hit with the wind from the prop blast but it was short lived. He did great.

Download the Podcast

Shad "helping" with the preflight

All strapped in ready to go.

This is taken in the air although you can't really tell. He was a little unsure.

Captain Bill

On Final Runway 25L

After we touched down he fell asleep I guess it was stressful.

the BBQ area at the end

flight crew

He slept the whole way home.

A good flight

On Top of the Clouds

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:34:00 +0000

This last week I went flying for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Unlike most days in Arizona where the skies are clear or maybe just some high stratus clouds in the flight levels we had a low level cloud layer. It was a cloud layer from about 6000 to 10000 feet of nice fluffy cumulus clouds. I had never flown above a cloud layer that I could not see the ground. It was a little disconcerting at first but it was nothing after awhile and fun. Here are a few pics from the flight.

Arizona's 99th Birthday

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:47:00 +0000

Today is Arizona birthday. My wife put this flag together for me and a friend, she can really do wonders with Photoshop. I love her. Also I found this creed that I thought goes well and something I'd like to pledge too.

The Defender's Creed
John Farnam

I accept and understand that human predators exist. Criminal or terrorist, they take advantage of our civilized society to prey upon the weak. They represent evil and must be confronted and defeated.

I believe that self-defense is a moral imperative, and that illegitimate force and illegal violence must be met with righteous indignation and superior violence.

I will not rely on others for the security of myself, my family and my community. I proudly proclaim that I run with a like-minded pack. I do not amble through life with the mind-numbed herd.

I will train with my chosen weapons, maintain them and carry them in a condition of readiness at all times. I will be mentally prepared and physically equipped to effectively respond to an attack or emergency.

I will constantly test myself against realistic standards to discover my strengths and weaknesses. I will turn weakness into strength.

I will seek to learn new skills and techniques, and then teach what I have learned to other members of the pack. Be it with firearm or blade, empty hand or blunt object, I will hit my enemies hard, fast and true.

I will live a quiet and unobtrusive life, but I will develop and retain the capacity for swift and decisive violence. I recognize that I am the modern equivalent of the traditional Minuteman, and that I may be called to service at any time against heavily armed enemies. I will respond effectively.

I accept that I am a pariah among some of my countrymen, and a quaint anachronism to others. I will not hold their ignorance against them.

I will win, or die trying.

I swear this creed before God, my family and my fellow citizens.

Flying with Brendon

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:13:00 +0000

So since my brother Brendon has been back from his mission he has not been flying with me. I got my private pilot certificate about a month after he left on his two year mission. I always wrote him on his mission about all the flying I was doing because at the time I was building my hours for my commercial. Since being back last September are schedules have never lined up until today.

We flew up to Payson to visit my Grandparents and an old family friend, Lou, that was there to visit. As most of you know I've done lots of trips to Payson before but this was my brother's first. I like the flight to Payson because you get to see lots of the desert and the Phoenix valley as well as go in to the mountains and see a bit of the rockys.

Me at the Controls

Downtown Phoenix

Brendon at Payson

There is the crew after Dinner-lunch (looks like an ad for Coke-Cola)

ah... the weather rock no airport should be without one.

Back on the ground in Chandler trying to figure out how to put the cover back on the plane.

Brendon did good he didn't throw up or even go for the bag. On the way up going over the ridge to get in to Payson was a little rough but coming back it was turning dusk and claiming down. It was a great flight.

FIFI the only Flying B-29

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:58:00 +0000

My youngest brother and I in November of 2010 got to go see the only flying B-29 when it came to the valley for a few days it was very neat. There was also a B-25 and B-17 there. We got to go inside of all of them and took lots of pictures. Below are some and on a link to even more.

B-29 on take off with the B-17 and B-25 in the foreground.

My little bro and the B-17

B-29 coming in for landing

inside the B-25

Manning the guns of the B-17

inside the cockpit of the B-29

Looking at the view

Check out more pictures of our flight here.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 05:03:00 +0000

Yep I did it, On November 1st I swore in and joined the U.S. Navy. I know there might be a lot of questions so I'll just tel the whole story.

Last year I got I changed my major to Air Traffic Management or Air Traffic Control (ATC) from the more general Aeronautical Management that I was doing. Really the only difference in the degree is that the last few classes in ATC are labs in ATC sims which seemed cooler then upper level management classes. Since taking these ATC classes I've found that I really do like them and would want to do ATC for a career. I do still want to be a pilot but I've since put that on hold. I need a job that I can support my family with. In order to be a pilot I would have to go at least another $10,000 in debt and after I get hired the average starting pay for a regional airline pilot is around $20,000 a year. With almost $100,000 (by that point) in student loans and a family to take care of, making only $20,000 a year won't cut it. So I started looking at other options that's when ATC looked good. But I wanted a back up plan.

Back in April I looked in to being a Controller in the military. Since I was is high school I have always been interested in the military and it's always been in the back of my mind to join but it's never been the right time or it didn't fit or it just didn't feel right. In April and I was looking into a military service that could give me all the things I wanted. Namely a Control Tower Operator Certificate and get my loans paid off. I narrowed it down to the Navy because they were the ones that would give me the most Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Money to payoff my Loans ($65,000) and the most likely to get the kind of experience I would want and would be valid for the FAA.

I talked to them and took the ASVAB in May. I got an 85 which was good for ATC or really any job that I wanted but they told me that I would have to pass a phyical before I joined. I order to pass a physical I had to lose 30 lbs. Over the summer I got a personal trainer and started to work out while eating about half the caloires I had been. I also on a fluke got to go backpacking at Philmont for 10 days which really pushed me and helped. So as of last month I made weight.

I took the physical and passed. Then came the part where I sign up for a job. I wanted AC (that is the Navy job code for ATC). But they said they didn't have it and that he would noy give it to be because my eyes aren't 20/20. The job they did have a Operations Specialist OS. OS controls air and sea traffic but in a tactical sense, where to go, who to engage and so forth. It's sounded cool but I was unsure. It wasn't AC. So I called my wife and we talked about it, together we decided to go for it. It was a good job (inside work environment, with a Top Secerat clearance). But above all it felt right. Through the whole process of filling out all the paper work it felt right. Every time in the past I've looked in to the military I stopped just because it didn't feel right. And there I was presented with a job that I would like to do but isn't what I wanted and it still felt right. So we signed up for 4 year. And I report on April 19th 2011.

I still want to be an AC for the Navy so my date might change if all the paper work gets approved and I get my job changed before I ship out. If not I'll change while I'm in.

Right now we are excited and a little nervous of course. It's something new and we don't know what is going to happen for sure. I still plan to finish my degree in the Navy (and have them pay for it). We are ready for this adventure and who knows what the future will hold.

Copperstate Fly-in 2010

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:41:00 +0000

Copperstate Fly-In 2010

Oct 23, 2010
by Ben Cowden

View Album
Play slideshow

Here are some photos from this years EAA Copperstate 2010, I flew down on saturday in the CAP airplane and hung out. We got to tour and talk with the captain of a the B-17 that flew down there from the CAF at Falcon Field. I ask if you had to be a really high time pilot to fly the B-17. He said "No" and that he was an account for his day job. To fly it is just like a big flying club that you buy into and it they see that you have some common sence and your head screwed on tight then they'll start to train you. I had never been in a B-17 before and it was a lot smaller then I thought it would be but man was it cool. I'm definitively going to join the CAF when I'm settled down a little more.

[Video] Air Bus A320 landing PHX Sky Harbor

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:29:00 +0000

I did it. I made the sacrifice and switched to AT&T and now have an iPhone 4. One of the features on the iPhone is that I can upload HD video that I took and edited on my phone to Youtube. I've done a few videos and wanted to post them on here. I flew a non-rev flight to Texas to see my cusins went to a Rangers game and rode along with my cusions who is a local cop there. tons of fun.

Shuttle Launch Meet-up

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:40:00 +0000

I know it’s been a while but it’s been a very eventful summer and now I’m back in school and all is well… Right.
If you haven’t been following me over the summer I went to Florida with my wife, 9-month-old son, and brother in law. The original reason for going was to see the STS-133 launch that was scheduled for the end of July. But after we had bought our non-refundable airline tickets and hotel room NASA pushed the launch back to the fall. We still went and had a great time at Disney World and the Kennedy Space Center. See picture below.

The next shuttle launch is scheduled for November 1st and I’m going to go. Here’s how.

Over the summer I was lucky enough to get an internship with the Mesa Air Group. Their training department, where I work, is also right where I go to school at Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus at Mesa Phoenix Gateway Airport (KIWA), formally Williams Gateway Airport, formally Williams Air Force Base.

What does this have to do with seeing a shuttle launch you ask your self? Well simple. One of the benefits for interning at an airline is well, the benefits.
So having the flying expenses taken care of is great. I’ll be able to get there. But being the poor college student that I am and already having paid for this trip once, we come to the propose of this podcast.

I’m sending a call out to anyone who would like to meet-up with me and help spit the cost of seeing this spectacular event. Ladies and Gentleman there are only going to be 2 more shuttle launches. Count them one, two. After that, well, we really don’t know what is going to happen. But think of the experience you could tell your kids, grandkids about seeing a shuttle launch. I still listen in ah when I here of people that saw the Saturn V launch in to space and this is truly a once in a lifetime event.

So if you are planning to going or live there and would like to meet up please send me an email Trevor@desertpilot.com or you can direct message me on twitter @TrevJSmith. I’m flying in on Sunday evening and the launch is the next day Monday November 1, 2010 at 4:40pm

Come down and see one of the last these last engineering marvels launch in to the heavens, you’ll regret it if you don’t.

Update 4/11/11: I Never went to the launch on Nov. 1, 2010 I actually joined the U.S. Navy that day. The launch didn't that day anyway it was pushed back several months and did go until Feb. 2011.

[Video] CRJ-200 Sim

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:48:00 +0000

Last month as part of my intership at Mesa Air Group 3 other interns and I got to "play" in their Canada Regional Jet (CRJ) model 200 full motion simulator while they're was not pilot scheduled for training. It was loads of fun.

Number of Student Pilots Down

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:52:00 +0000

This is a short segment (3min) from NPR that talks about the decline in student pilots in the US and why. It's great to help anyone understand what is going on in the industry.

Although most of the things in the story does hit the issue on the head I, along with JetWhine.com, don't agree that less student pilots will lead to less professional pilot. It will just lead to lower qualified pilots. One of two kinds, a fool who is up for his neck in debt or some one with rich parents.

So which one am I? Well I hope to be nether by staying clear of debt and not speeding though to stay proficient and professional. I'm learning that any schooling right now is going to put you in tons of debt. I plan to pay off my debt while working as an air traffic controller. At the same time building hours at CAP and working as an instructor aka Free flying. Then when I have enough hours I can get a good retirement for the FAA as an ATC and be hired as a pilot.

Flying is still my dream but I learning the best things come to those who wait.

Jessica and I flying to Disneyland December 2008

CAP O Flight

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:36:00 +0000

This last Wednesday morning I did my first Civil Air Patrol cadet Orientation Flight (or O flight). Three 13 year-old cadet boys and I went off for a 2 hour flight making 2 stops letting each cadet taking turns in the front seat flying. Each cadet gets 5 of these in CAP. First stop was Case Grande, second was Coolidge airport. When we landed we saw a DC-4 on the ramp fueling up. We got out and walked over to it. You don't see a DC-4 everyday and after talking with the pilot we learned that some one had bought the old plane that had been at Coolidge for years and they were ferrying it up to Anchorage, Alaska. They let us climb inside and take a look around. It going to be used to hall fuel to small towns in the bush in Alaska. I only had my cell phone for pictures so they are not that great but cool none the less.

me and the three cadets.

These are the big tank they had in the back to hall the fuel.

UPDATE 6/13/10: I got sent some more pics from a little better camera so I thought I would post them

[Video] Flightbag and Survival Gear

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 29 May 2010 03:13:00 +0000

A little while back I was listening to the Uncontrolled Airspace podcast ep. 186 and they were talking about flight bags and all the things that they carry in their flight bag. I was shocked when they didn't mention any survival gear that they carry. I consider survival gear an essential part of flying and my flight bag. I put this together to show everyone what I carry and give some ideas. I'm open for any input so send it my way.

Arizona Survival Gear from Trevor Smith on Vimeo.

Download the video HERE for your mobile device.

[Video] RC School Project

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 08 May 2010 05:05:00 +0000

In my Aircraft Design and Logistics Management class at Arizona State we made a Radio Controlled Airplane. But the way we did it was the class was step up like a company would be with a design, supply, manufacturing, etc. departments that all worked together to make the plane. I learned a lot and was a neat idea for the class. The grade we got in the class was not based on if the plane flew but how we worked together and what we learned from it.

I was in the test and evaluation department and charged with recording and editing this video which is a summary of the semester.

Arizona State RC Airplane Project Spring 2010 from Trevor Smith on Vimeo.
Download the video for your mobile device

Through the students into Scottsdale

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:43:00 +0000

This is a recording of a flight back into Scottsdale coming home from a 5 hours Civil Air Patrol exercise. We are flying in from the north west and there are tons of students around we really had to have our heads on a swivel.

http://www.archive.org/download/FlyingIntoSdl/CapIntoSdl.mp3

CAP flying videos

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:22:00 +0000

I did another funded Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flight this last week. Instead of taking my audio recorder this time I decided to shoot some video. I shot video in the past with the video function on my camera but I've since gone out and bought a Kodak Zi8 that shoots HD. I'm still getting used to all the settings that I has. The video I shot for this flight was not the best that I think the camera can shoot. The morning shots seem to be fine but the prop wash seems to get really bad later in the day. I'm going to try to mount it in some different locations in the plane and see what works best. Because the shots were so different I didn't edit a nice video I just put some of the raw shots on the web.

Free Flying!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:13:00 +0000

Download podcast here:
http://www.archive.org/download/FundedCapFlt/fundcapflt.mp3

This flight is my first really funded flight flying for the Civil Air Patrol that I flew last Tuesday. My squadron at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ) just got a plane assigned to them again and today I signed up for a crew pick up flight. The Arizona Wing does consolidated maintenance and for good or for bad some has to go pick up the pilot that takes their plane in to the shop in Payson (PAN). On this flight I pick up a pilot after he dropped off his plane and took him back to his car at Chandler Municipal (CHD).

Falcon Field like many in the Phoenix valley has its roots as an Army Air Corps field build for training British pilot in World War II. Falcon Field was it's original name give to it by the British in the 40's and the name has suck since. Currently it has one 5100ft and a parallel 3800ft runways and is one of the busier airports in the valley one probably my favorite.

This recording is just me taking off and opening my flight plan. You'll notice that I recored this podcast different then the others. I bought a patch cable that plugs right into the headset jack but it did something very strange in the begining of the flight the audio levels were normal but the slowly got lower and lower that by the the of the flight you could barely hear the audio at all. That's why you are only getting the first part. The rest of the recording was so bad that I really couldn't even use it. If there is any one that has an idea of what is happening please send me an email trevor@desertpilot.com. On past audio recording I used a little tie clip mic that I put in my headset ear cuff. The patch cable audio is much clearer with very little background noise, but the background with the tie clip you can hear the plane noise and gives it a more organic feel like you are there. It's different let me know what think of ether I hope you enjoy.

Falcon Field sq. patch

[Video] B-17 at IWA doing touch-n-gos

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:23:00 +0000

Boeing B-17 touch-n-gos at IWA from Trevor Smith on Vimeo.

Podcast Download:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13836556/b17touchngo.mp4

I was driving (Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010) to Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport where I go to school back from lunch and looked up and saw the B-17G Sentimental Journey fly over the car on final a few hundred feet off the ground doing touch-n-gos. The plane is based at Falcon Field (FFZ), just to the north of IWA, and operated by the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force I've never see a B-17 flying before and it was quite a sight.

The video in the podcast feed is a lower quality the one found on the blog so it can be viewed on an ipod

Mom's First Flight

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:03:00 +0000

This episode is my mother and I flying back from Payson, AZ to have breakfast with my Grandpa on his 79th Birthday. Mom did great she was a little nervous but that is normal from anyone who hasn't sent too much time in little airplanes. Here is a link to her blog where she talks about the flight and posts a few more pictures.

The breakfast crew

IFR training and Harriers

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:18:00 +0000

First I wanted to note that in the podcast I said this flight was done in September that is not true it was November 2009.

I flew a plane from Chandler (CHD) to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (IWA) to pick up my instructor then we flew south to Coolidge (P08) did a DME arc on the way out then shot an approach in to Coolidge and one in at Gateway coming back.

Here are some photo of the cool planes on the ground at Gateway.

The red line is CHD to IWA blue is the IFR training and pink is IWA to CHD.

Click here to see a 3D map of the flight using Google Earth

Commercial Pilot Land & Sea

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:29:00 +0000

I did it. Today I passed my checkride and am now one of the newest Land and Sea Commercial Pilot. I'm up at Sheble Aviation in Fort Mohave where I spent the last 3 days going up and down the Colorado River and Lake Havasu learning to land a plane on the water. It takes a spacial rating to do that. I also received my land rating. The flight school up here is really great at being very practical about what you need to know to be a competent pilot and pass the check ride with no fluff which is what I like.

Being a Commercial pilot and an Airline Pilot is a distinction that a lot of people don't make. I'm a commercial pilot meaning I can fly people or goods for hire. That doesn't mean I can start advertising for that though I have to be a charter to do that. What I can do with a commercial license are things like crop dusting, banner/glider towing, areal photography/site seeing flights, things like that.

I didn't fly this Beech 18 but I got to ride in the back on the first day

fueling the Beech

inside the Beech 18

docking

This is day two and the plane I learned in is behind me called the Lake Buccaneer

inside

My instructor and I

Lake Havasu

Colorado River we followed it all the way down to Blythe

I flew up here because the drive here is 5 1/2 hrs and the flight is 2. But I should have just drove I was planning to be home on Friday night but because of high winds on Thursday we didn't have time to finish on Friday and had to be push for today. I got done this after noon and was prepping the plane to leave and one of the mags were bad (one of the 2 pieces that supply spark to the spark plugs) and since I was going to be flying into the night I decided not to go. so one more night here then back to Mesa after the mechanic fixes it tomorrow.

Merry Christmas

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:34:00 +0000

Merry Christmas everyone thanks for listening to the Desert Pilot Podcast

Santa's Checkride

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:33:00 +0000

Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It was shortly before Christmas when the FAA examiner arrived.

In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order.

The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He checked the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear and Rudolph's nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa's weight and balance calculations for the sled's enormous payload.

Finally, they were ready for the checkride.

Santa got in and fastened his seat belt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santa's surprise, a shotgun.

"What's that for?" asked Santa incredulously.

The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but you're gonna lose an engine on takeoff."

I thought it was funny I got it off an aviation site I frequent.

Merry Christmas everyone.

[Video] Christmas Touch-n-gos

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:35:00 +0000

This the promised video from the podcast from yesterday. In this video I did 4 touch-n-go's and I full stop landing back a Chandler. Merry Christmas!

Desert Pilot: Christmas Touch-n-go's from Trevor Smith on Vimeo.

Christmas Podcast Experiment

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:51:00 +0000

I love listening to liveATC.net not really to listen and think really hard about what is going on but more as background, I did some of that for this experiment. This episode is largely unedited. I flew out to south of the Chandler (CHD) and did some touch-n-go at a little field called Phoenix Regional (A39). I have a Lightspeed Zulu headset and for this very relaxing flight I listened to Christmas music. This so for those that like Christmas music and cockpit audio enjoy. I took some video with this flight and will be come out with is shortly.

Here are some shots from the flight.

you can see this flight in 3D by download it and open the file using Google Earth

the music in this podcast is from Josh Groban, The King Singers, and 259

First Formation Flight

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:25:00 +0000

I did my first formation flight, ok so it wasn’t a true formation we still had lots of room between us but it was closest that I’ve ever intentionally been to an other aircraft. I’m with my friend David from school and meet up with some other friends in the air to a fly-in breakfast that we didn’t know we were all going to.

After breakfast we talked on the ground and thought we should meet up in the air and snap some photos of each other. We decided that we should go first and be the point of the 3 since we were in a high wing Cessna and they were both in low wing. We would get establish on an altitude and they would come up behind and below on ether side of us so we could all see each other the whole time. We are all new at this and this is this first time for most of us. I don’t do much talking in the podcast but I am very much there, we had decided to have David take the radios and I just fly the plane. We never really got too close but it was a blast doing it.

The pics below are some of the pictures we took I don't have a map of this flight but you can look back to last months flight to the same breakfast were we are flying almost the same route.

waiting to take off that is David and I are in the Cessna in the front.

You can almost see our smiling faces in this one.

the view from our right side

and out our left side

This is us bugging out.

Copperstate 2009 part 2

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:07:00 +0000

This is part two of the podcast where we are flying back from Copperstate 2009 at Case Grande Airport (CGZ) It's not a long flight but a fun one. I posted pictures and the 3D map of this trip on the previous post Copperstate 2009 part 1. The podcast is below. enjoy.

Copperstate 2009 part 1

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:12:00 +0000

This episode is part 1 of flying with my friends Nick and Jacob to Copperstate 2009 last month. Copperstate is an EAA event and I would say that it is like Arizona’s Oshkosh. It’s is at Case Grande Airport (KCGZ) just about .5 hobbs south of Chandler where we flew out of.

Below are some pics from the day we were there and this podcast, part 1, is us flying there. Hope you enjoy.

This Trimotor was giving rides that I should have taken but we saw flying in and out all day.

This is the heli we got a ride in.

Jacob and the Heli pilot

Nick and I

nice bikes that I could see my self on.

Trimotor taking off.

the only jet there.

The l-39 on take off

2 Apache coming in

Kicking up some dust

Don't know how one got this

2 heli's and the jet

taking off

checking out a Huskey

sitting in the roomy Super Sport Cub

Over fly of some Stermans

Flying back

View a 3D map of this flight using Google Earth

Crazy Approach into GYR

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:11:00 +0000

This flight I'm flying right seat for a friend (Dave) practicing IAP. The podcast isn't the whole flight just coming back into Goodyear (GYR) when it got a little interesting. here is a link direct to the file but you can always subscribe to the podcast using iTunes by clicking the link on the side.

http://sites.google.com/site/trevjsmithfiles/podcasts/dp002dave.mp3

Dave

Click here to view this route in 3D using Google Earth

Fly-in Breakfast with Nick

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:29:00 +0000

This is my first try at a podcast:

http://sites.google.com/site/trevjsmithfiles/podcasts/DesertPilot-flyingbackwithNick.mp3

For those of you who don't know what is that is I found a good little article about what it is.

http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/what-is-a-podcast.htm

I started to record cockpit audio and when I go on my flights. I haven't really got is all down with the recording and me narrating the podcast but I'll get better as I go.

This flight is off to a fly-in breakfast that the Coolidge airport put on the first sat of every month in the fall, winter and spring month. So this was the kick off for the after the hot summer.

here is a few pics:

Stearmans flying over (sorry about the camera smudge)

Andy and I next to he's pitts, if only it had two seats.

Great J-3 Cub

very nice newly painted Citabria

Blue is there red is back

Click here to see the above map in 3D with google earth

New Born

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:18:00 +0000

This past week has been crazy. On Friday Oct. 9, 2009 I became a father to my first child. Shadrach or just Shad. It really is a wonderful thing to be a father and really all the emotions of being a father that I've hear people talk about start to make since as I start to make these small steps in my life. Here is a shot of right after he was born.

ILS in to IWA

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:17:00 +0000

Today I flew some instrument approaches into Gateway (IWA). I like flying into a towered airport because it is more like flying a real approach would be. Although it wasn't too busy today the controller vectored us past the final approach fix. oops, good thing it was just practice. Then after that we flew to Coolidge (P08) and did a GPS approach and came back. Like always you can see my flight in 3D by downloading the file and opening it using google earth.

Flying down south

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:07:00 +0000

Ok so I didn't go too far south just down to Marana Regional Airport (AVQ). I still need a little more time to build up my time for commercial.

On the way to Marana I stopped at a little airport called Phoenix Regional (A39) just north of Case Grande and I got out and walked around. Most people don't so I wanted to check out what was there.

on the ground at A39

there was this house right on the taxi way that looks like it is a foreclosure (I could get it for cheap) very nice looking, few broken windows but other then that looks good.

these are two very large radial engines that look like they've seen better days.

It looks like a Baron, cool paint job, needs a little work.

this office/hanger was also right on the runway and no one was in it. Also there is 100LL at A39 I never knew, doesn't show it on the charts.

I didn't take many pics at AVQ seemed like an ok place might have to go back and try the restaurant out. Here are some old planes there.

the cars below were going faster then I was in my little Cessna 152.

Click here to see this route in 3D with Google Earth

Practicing Approaches

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:00:00 +0000

I finally got my GPS to work when I was practicing VOR and ILS approaches into Case Grande (CGZ). You can see the crazy patterns to fly an approach. That's why I may seem like airlines are turning the wrong way sometimes.

click here to get the file above to view in 3D using Google Earth

Flying with F-16

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:14:00 +0000

This week I went on a Civil Air Patrol flight. This mission was really awesome it was to go out and have the Air Force practice intercepting us. I was flying scanner and finished the scanner training up. Here are a few photos from the flight.

To Greenlee Co. and Safford

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:05:00 +0000

A friend from the Phoenix Pilot Group, Dave needed to go to Greenlee Co. (CFT) and wanted to practice some instrument approches for his instrument that he is working on. When he asked if I wanted to go and be a safety pilot I didn't really have to think long about it, I love to go flying. It was a good long flight in a Cessna 172. We did some VOR tracking and went to CFT then flew over and did a GPS approach into Safford (SAD). Then came back through the mountains and a ILS into Gateway (IWA). It was a good day. Here are some pics.

On the ground at CFT it was a nice little strip nicer runway then SAD actually

Dave getting out at SAD

Good old Safford Regional Airport I think it is a really nice field and has lots of potential to be great. It has 2 great runways and lots of room, they need to have a good fly-in there.

Flying out. It looks like I'm really short in this pic and I did realize how low my seat was until after I took it.

click here to get the file to view our route in 3D using Google Earth

Photoshop

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0000

My wife is getting pretty good with photoshop and I just wanted to show off her handy work. This is what she did some of the photos from a flight I had last week.

NASA ANSWERED MY QUESTION!!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:49:00 +0000

Check it out! The STS-128 crew on the International Space Station answered my question that I submitted a few weeks ago. My question starts 3:25 in the video. This was also live on NASA TV.

thanks to the crew of STS-128.

Phoenix Pilot Group September full moon Fly-in

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:58:00 +0000

Last night the Phoenix Pilot Group (PPG) had a full moon fly-in. I flew up with a guy name Andy and his son Jacob, in his friends Mooney. We headed out of Falcon Field a little after 6pm. We flew around Sky Harbor (PHX) and headed west to Blythe (BLH). We checked on the common frequency and found we were the last of 3 heading over but since the Mooney we were in was turbo charged we had no prob catching up. We headed through some rain that really wasn't too bad just we couldn't see for a little bit. After landing in BLH we walked over to a truck stop and had dinner then headed out in the night sky.

Andy, Jacob, and I

Flying in a little weather

Inside the Mooney

Sunset

(thanks to Ken) us eating dinner, we were the only ones there at the Union 76 truck stop

full night moon

the route back

click here and view our route in 3D in Google Earth

Flying a Cirrus SR22

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:07:00 +0000

Wednesday, Rock a friend of mine. Took me up for the first time in his Cirrus SR22. He let me fly left seat and can I just say WOW. Cirrus aircraft are everything they advertise to be. Rock took off from Deer Valley and came down to Falcon Field to meet me. I know the map at the bottom isn't the cool new tracking GPS one. I forgot my GPS in the car but there was plenty of GPS on board. The plane had an integrated Avidyne PFD and MFD linked to 2 Garmin 430's and a Garmin 496 all with xm weather and storm scope. The plane was great to fly. It didn't feel like it was over powered but had plenty of power to get anywhere fast. The cockpit was one of the most roomy and most comfortable that I've been in. Everything in side just felt right it seems like the Cirrus guys where really thinking when designing this aircraft. The controls seemed to be right in the place they should be. Just all around very nice. We flew up to Sedona. I never been there, I don't know why I just never had made it. Flying through the red rocks were great and the way the airport being on a plateau really didn't throw me off at all. We stopped and had soda's then came home. all and all a really fun day. thanks Rock.

Rock and the plane at FFZ

Cruising along on the way to SEZ

inside the cockpit

where we were

CAP mission #1

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:40:00 +0000

I talked about how I was checked out to to fly the CAP aircraft on my own time and I am but I'm going for mission pilot. In order to start the training for mission you have to finish 2 flights as scanner he is the guy in the back behind the pilot looking for things below. On the 1st I took a mission. It was early, like 4:30am in the morning, we flew south of Gila Bend and in the interest of OpSec we'll keep it at that what we did. All you need to know that it was fun and am just a little closer to mission pilot.

The bird early in the morning.

flying out

out the back

beautiful morning

sunrise

Me backseat flying

Chandler to Payson once again

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:32:00 +0000

I have really come to enjoy the flight for the valley just into the mountains to Payson, AZ. The flight has taught me a lot about flying in mountains things like mountain waves and going from an area of high to low pressure. I saw my grandparents while up there, like always. They got a new 42" HD TV so I had to see that. There was a TFR just north of the town for a forest fire. I didn't see any smoke but the airport was crawling with fire aircraft of all kinds. It was very neat to see. I didn't get any pictures of them though. I forgot my camera at home so only had my cell phone but the pictures turned out better then I thought they would.

Me flying home.

up over the Beeline 87 highway

Coming in to Phoenix this is Falcon Field right off my nose.

click here to download file to view this route in Google Earth

Tracking my Flights with Garmin GPS

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Check out this map I made using my Garmin GPSmaps 96:

This is just a screenshot so it you can't see much detail but if you click HERE to download the file and see in Google Earth. You can zoom in a on the map and see exactly what I flew and even see where I parked at the airport.

Here is how I did it. Garmin came out with this program called BaseCamp. You can just upload the route you flew, drove, hiked, whatever. There was lots flights on my GPS just select the one you want, this one is a flight I took a few weeks ago. Then there is a menu at the top where you can view your selected route in Google Earth. Then to get it from Google Earth to maps you export it to a .kml file. and upload to a site like Google sites and you put the link of the file in Google maps and it will show up as shown above.

This is the only way I could figure out how you do it. If anyone know an easier way let me know.

I passed the Written

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:08:00 +0000

That's right I passed the instrument written exam. For most every aeronautical rating advancement (private, instrument, commercial, ATP, just to name a few) there are 3 parts of the test. First is the written porion, then an oral test, and the last is a practical flight test. The latter of the two are with a check instructor pilot (a special instructor blessed by the FAA to give tests) and are called the check ride.

The written exam I took was 60 questions in 2 1/2 hrs. This was of the 700-something questions that there are for instrument. When I went into studying for this test I thought it would be like the private test. I study for a couple of weeks and feel ready, then take the test. After trying to study for the instrument like I did my private, I learned I couldn't do that. So after getting a Gleim, an online study help program and 3 months later I felt ready and passed. The good news is that I hear this is one of the hardest writtens there are, so I'm glad to get it out of the way.

I also wanted to send my thanks out to Selkirk College for there Navigation Displays website. It really helped me when studying how the nav aids work and what you are seeing in the cockpit really looks like from a birds eye view.

[Video] CAP Mountain Ground School

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:29:00 +0000

Got my first free flying "mission" with CAP today. It wasn't a lot it was a short 20min flight from Chandler to Deer Valley airport and back. I shared the flight with 2 others so I only flew on the way back. All the pics I took from the back seat on the way there. I hadn't been in the back for about 6-7 years. The pic below is some of the CAP planes in a row before we left at Deer Valley and it looked cool.

Here is what we flew. I think I would fly around the valley when I do it again because of all the extra radios that are in the CAP airplane there was tons of static and radio interference around south mt. (two peaks on the map) from all the radio towers on top.

the flag on my shoulder

me
Chandler tower
flying over Stellar airpark
south mountain
this is a military center of some sort the radar gave it a away but I'm not quiet sure, looks army
Deer Valley's brand new tower
At Deer Valley we had a few hour class about mountain flying it was very informative, really a great class and great things to know in Arizona.

Form 5

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

This morning I took my Form 5 checkride and passed.

A few weeks ago I talked about how I had joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and am having a blast. There is a link on the side bar too. I joined to help build my flight hours and also the idea of low-level search and rescue (SAR) sounds fun to me too. Today was the first step to be coming a SAR mission pilot I took what is called the Form 5 flight evaluation which basically lets everyone know that you are serious about flying for CAP. What it is, is a mini private pilot checkride that is very relaxed. What we did was took-off from Chandler and stayed over the farm fields between there and Casa Grande. Did some things like steep turns, stalls, turns around a point, and landings. I didn't do everything perfect (maybe I'm too hard on myself) but I thought I did well and my instructor did too and passed me.

Like I said this is just the first step. Getting the Form 5 means I can rent a CAP plane if I want which I pay and I can also transport it or people if needed for CAP which is paid for (free time). Nothing to do with SAR though that is Form 91 and I have lots of paper work and training in between to get there. I dosen't go in order 5 through 91 but it might be that much paperwork. But I'm having fun doing it all.

[Video] Chandler to Payson, AZ

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:28:00 +0000

This is my new DIY camera clip that I made to hold my my camera and clip it to the dash board. I drilled a hole in the top and put a screw in there it worked pretty well. As you can tell from the video.

Went to Payson, AZ to take some pics of a train set my Grandpa wants me to sell on ebay. I still need flight time so flew. It's just over 50nm but climbs 4000ft. in elevation so the ground comes up to meet you.

View CHD to PAN in a larger map

Started in Chandler 0530 trying to beat the heat it was still just about 90F when I left.
Mt. Ord
Me
Flying back into the valley about 0930 just under 100F

Page AZ the Vortex where things go wrong

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:36:00 +0000

View CHD-U77 in a larger map

Still trying to get my 250nm solo cross country I decided to fly to Utah last Wednesday. Jessica had driven up with her mom the to be where it is cool and help her grandma. The plan was to fly up on Wednesday and back on Friday. Although I was taking a faster Cessna 172 it couldn't make the 455nm flight to Spanish Fork so I had to stop somewhere for fuel

The flight was going great until I got to Page, AZ, my planned stop for fuel. The landing I made was beautiful if I don't say so, but it was really rough after the nose wheel touched so I taxied off. Low and behold the nose tire was flat. So 2 1/2 hours later because of the incompetency of the mechanic there I was back in the air.

The stay in Utah was great nice cool air and temps with a wonderful wife. Friday on the way back everything was great until I got to Page. I landed, fueled up everything seemed normal got in the plane the thing wouldn't start. The starter wasn't engaging the prop. I asked the mechanic to hand prop it (kind of like rolling a car down a hill to get it started). The mechanic didn't know how. The best advice was to let it cool down so I did and one hour later it was up and running and I was in the air and never going back to Page, at least in an airplane.

over PHX early in the morning on Wednesday.

downtown Phoenix
Sedona red rocks
me
Flagstaff

This is why it took 2 1/2 hours. (note the top of the plane on the ground) I really didn't know at the time that you had to take everything apart it was my first flat tire. I found this out after talking with the owner.
Glen Canyon Dam
Payson, UT
Rocky Mt.
Flying back on Friday yes I'm wearing a jacket it was 50F at 11,000ft.
more of the beautiful mountains I flew through that morning.

[Video] Safety Pilot

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:06:00 +0000

I went Flying with David, from the Phoenix Pilot Group meetup, who needed to do some instrument approaches to stay IFR current. You don't need a instructor to do this just another pilot.

He had a great just over 10 year old Bonanza in great shape and flew just as well.

We flew from Gateway an the did some VOR, GPS, and ILS approches in to Coolidge and Case Grande until coming back and doing 2 into Gateway to make it 6.

under the hood

beautiful morning
me
more of the valley

Hurricane

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:53:00 +0000

The other day I was trying to fullfil my commercial solo cross country for an airport over 250nm away, well I didn't realize that the airport only had to be 250nm not that I had to fly there non-stop. So my plan was to fly from Chandler, AZ to Cedar City, UT in a 152. Which is a little 2 seat plane. After taking off and in cruse for awhile, like any good pilot I started to check my flight with the flight plan I had made I noticed I was flying at 80kts when I had planned on going at 100kts. With only 4 hours of fuel I did a few time/distance problems and I found out I wasn't going to make it to Cedar City so I landed short of my 250nm airport by 8 miles. and not knowing at the time that if I could have just stopped, fueled and continued a little and landed I would have completed the requirement that's what I get for not reading the regs all the way. Good thing I'm not going to become a lawyer.

View 1L8 in a larger map

Early morning in Chandler, AZ

over the Grand Canyon
more of the Grand CanyonHurricane, UT
me and the famous Hurricane cliffs you can decide what the Mt. looks like.
I like how it says terminal 1 like there was a number 2
they did sky diving out of this airplane the door opened up, very small.
arial shot of Hurricane
Flying back home over Phx. If you look close there is a plane just about to land on the far right runway.

Flying then Scuba

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:20:00 +0000

Flying in the early morning for some breakfast. At the tail is Quentin (Q) and Nick is taking the pic.

We flew from Chandler to Eloy and tried there little cafe down there.

View to eloy in a larger map

Leaving Chandler
Q is in the pink head set.
Looking over Chandler to the San Tan mountains
Later that day Nick another friend Ed and I drove out to Lake Pleasant to do so Scuba diving it was really fun. I don't have any more pic of there I don't have an underwater camera yet.

Kevra's first flight!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:10:00 +0000

So the last time that my sister Kevra was in a small airplane lets just say that is didn't end well I remember lot of throw-up smell and hearing her in the back while seeing my uncle trying to land the plane as fast as possible. I as remembering her getting out of the plane and asking what that design on her pants was... it was barf.

Since then about 6 or so years ago she has been very reluctant to fly in anything small. I've been talking with her and set a date for last Wednesday morning. She wasn't too happy about me picking her up at 5am but I wanted the time that would be the clamest and coolest. not to mention the prettiest as well here is some from the trip.

View kevr a 1s t flight in a larger map

Sunrise at the Chandler Municipal Airport
Kevra in Jessica's cool pink head setSky Divers landing in Coolidge just as we were.
the cool old WWII hanger at Coolidge
On the ramp in Casa Grande

Flying Home.

as you can see she did great didn't even think about getting sick plus and asking went you could go up next.

Night Time

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:26:00 +0000

View solo night flight in a larger map.

Last night I had to build 3 hours of solo (meaning me only) time at night toward my commercial license. I like flying at night. The air is very calm and there are not too many people flying then, which makes it very pleasant and relaxing. I wanted to go to a few airports around here that I've just not been able to get to. Like Eloy has a really nice field but every time I wanted to check it out they were doing too much parachute jumping so I couldn't land. Also I had never landed at the Buckeye airport I've been over just never stopped. So as you can see from my map above I just made a big 3 hour circle.

It was one of the funnest flying I've done in a long time. I really don't know how to describe it just that is was a blast and the perfect night to go flying. I almost didn't land at Buckeye because I couldn't see it. Most airports after the tower closes or if there is no tower has what is called "pilot controlled lighting" meaning just that. How it works is the pilot pushes the mic in mostly 5 or 7 or 9 times (depending on how bright you want the lights) and the lights will come on. [Also side note so if you had a little hand held radio on the airport frequency at night you could turn on the lights at most any airport that has lights by just pushing the "push-to-talk" 5 times. Cool huh.] Well at Buckeye I thought I had clicked the lights on but as the GPS told me I kept getting closer and closer and I just couldn't see the airport. Then the GPS said I flew over and I still couldn't see it. so I made a wide circle to try to find it and all I could see was black. Then just as I was flying beside it I remembered to click the mic again and the light came on. Out of the darkness it looked like an airport just appeared, it was really cool.

just before I took off.

to Glendale and back

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:41:00 +0000

View CHD-GEU in a larger map

So I thought I would try out some thing new, this a map of roughly where I flew today. It was just a quick flight to Glendale Airport. As you can see I can't fly straight there because of the airspace over Phoenix it is just easier to fly around it all.

In the last few weeks I've joined the Civil Air Patrol. There is a squadron (305) out of Falcon Field in Mesa.

I joined because they do a lot of cool "missions" like search and rescue, homeland security, and in AZ help out with things on the border. You don't have to be a pilot to join and there are lots of different things people do on the ground and in the air that don't require a pilots license. But if you are a pilot the deal is even better because you can get the government to pay for your flying, in other words free flight hours. and for a pilot like me just starting out that is as good as money. The Civil Air Patrol or CAP is funded partly by the Air Force and they oversee what we do but all the members of CAP are volunteers that meet once a week and do training exercises once a month (right now). I haven't started flying yet because there is a lot of paper work I have to do. So I have to wait a little bit.

Today though I did go to a training about marshaling airplanes it wasn't really what I joined CAP for but it was good info. Plus I had a friend fly over with me and paid half the cost because she was building hours too. here are a few pics and some cool planes on the ramp, they are with my cell phone and really bad. but you get the idea.

Check out the tires on this one.

up and over AJ

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I went flying today up around Apache Junction it was a short flight just to east and Falcon Field but it was an amazing day to fly I just couldn't pass it up. Nice and over cast, not too hot, and smooth air. What else would anyone want.

Inside of the 1950's Cessna 120

over AJ
this is a weird camera angle for me... or maybe I'm just weird.

more of AJ

Falcon Field on left downwind for 22L

GA Services America

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:25:00 +0000

I've felt for a while that I've need to write about this.

I wanted to bring up what General Aviation or GA is. Basically it's any part of Aviation that is not Commercial Airlines or Military. So Commercial operations like charter flights, business aviation, the big UPS and Fedx jets that fly out of Sky Harbor as well as the little ups planes that flies in to places like Safford and Payson are all GA. Crop-dusters, ariel firefighters, pilots that fly supplies to people that can't get it any other way, search and rescue workers, the forest service, flight instructors, as well as anyone with there own airplane is GA.

The problem is that most people think that General Aviation is only, stereotypically, rich people with their own airplane. The problem with this is that the Government now seems to want to tax more of the rich, but GA is not rich. Sure there is rich people that fly for pleaser but going after GA as a whole is wrong way to get money out of those people.

The reason I'm writing this is just to educate about GA and hopeful in the future if you hear anything about GA you won't think its a bunch of millionaires on joy rides after their games of golf. But that is a real asset that serves communities all over America.

Below are a few videos from the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association or AOPA and their push to help educate about how General Aviation Services America. For more information you can go to their website: GAservesAmerica.com

[Video] Sells, AZ E78 airport

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:37:00 +0000

I Flew to Sells, AZ today. I love finding and going to new airports. This one is a smaller airport with tight runway with cracks in the pavement lined with bushes and trees. I had never landed with trees so close to the runway it was a neat new experience.

This is looking down runway 22

My trusty 152 at the runway 4 end.

The house that had a helicopter take off from it and what looked like a fuel truck was there.

What was the FBO.

E78 from the air.

Saw this after I landed at Chandler (CHD). very nice.

Mesa-Payson-St. George

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Last thursday I went flying but that was my first flight that I took some one some where and left them there. The some ones were my Grandparents that live in Payson, AZ. They needed to go to St. George, UT to get their new truck and instead of driving 8 hours there then having to drive 2 cars back. They asked if I could fly them and since they didn't pay for the whole thing it was legal. I love to take any excuse to fly any where and I knew this flight would be a time saver for them because you can fly over the Grand Canyon only taking about 2 hours. The day was just right. I got up the flew to payson and pick them up then we were off to St. George. Flying over the canyon was very beautiful. I didn't get any pictures for the flight but when I got back in to mesa there was a ton of apache helicopters on the ramp so I have a cell phone pic of that.

Baby

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:16:00 +0000

I thought I should put this in here for all you who didn't find out on facebook and my wife's or mom's blog. We are have a BABY. It's really crazy. He/she will be here around October 13th. It's good that it's takes 9 month to get here to give us a little time to get our heads around the idea. We are super excited.

[Video] Cactus Fly-in

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:47:00 +0000

This is the first Fly-in that I flew in to. Super fun!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13836556/cactus09.mp4

Life Update

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:05:00 +0000

I thought I would just give an update on what it going on in my life right now. So far I'm still flying I try to at least 3 times on week until the loan run out which should still be a while.

I have started school I'm taking Physics 2 not so fun but I do learn and I'll get through it. Aircraft engines. (where basically we take apart the engine of an airplane put it back to together and talk it) It's easy and fun. Air Transportation where we look at airline and see how they run and how Southwest doesn't have to declare bankruptcy and the other do. And Conversational Pima (Akimel O'Odham) with Jessica it's a fun class. School is a little stressfully but that is life. Here's a pic for my engines class we just put this back together.

Brendon is doing great on him mission it seems like every week that he telling about a new person that he is teaching and has a baptismal date. I think it is great. I makes me think of my mission I can tell he is doing great.

Since Jessica got into her accident in January we've been using "Kevra's" car. Which we thank her for it. Last weekend we went out and got a new car a 2009 Toyota Corolla in red. It's nice nothing like having something brand it's nice. I'll get a pic of it soon.

Disneyland 2008 and New Years 2009

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:17:00 +0000

We flew to Disneyland for New Years it was really fun and great to get there in 3 hours in stead of 7. I need to build hour anyway. Here a few pics from the trip.

Check out Jessica's pick headset she got from me for Christmas.

I think this was my favorite ride.
Hmmm... Churros

Pulling the sword from the stone I almost got it.

Eating at the Blue Bayou the one of the Pirate's ride. It's really good but I wouldn't take any kids there.

We were the there New Years eve it was crazy too.
We stayed for this great fireworks show that was going to happen but a thick fog rolled in and all you could see is the sky light up and hear them go off.

Inside the new Nemo ride.

Moving and flying

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:17:00 +0000

Today we moved in to our new new apartment today. I been slowly moving thing into the new place the past week but today my dad, Jordon, Jessica, and I moved the big things in. It only took the morning to do it. It looks so great. I love our new place everything is better it seems, it's bigger, nicer and quieter.

I flew to Kearny yesterday great little airport in the mountains south of Globe. I love flying and seeing new places like this.

Flying to the Grand Canyon

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:53:00 +0000

Flew up to the Grand Canyon yesterday. I needed to work on hours for my Commercial license and this seemed like a great way to do it. So my instructor and I flew up to the Grand Canyon airport when when we got there we saw this old Ford Tri-motor take off that does tours. Very neat.

We went into the Park and had lunch then went and looked around. This is snow in the desert.
They had snow fall on Monday and this is what's left of a snow man.
This is us flying over the east end of the canyon.
Me :)
flying over the west end

Bright angel where we were just standing and ate lunch.
the airport (GCN)
Me in the plane after we were back in Chandler. (CHD)

Some pics of Flying the Champ

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:52:00 +0000

More endorsements

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Last week I finished up on the two other endowments I was working on. One a high performance engine meaning I can fly an airplane with an engine over 200 horse power. Where before I couldn't. And my complex meaning I can fly a plane with a landing gear. Now on to my instrument training.

I got My Tailwheel endorsement!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Some of you might be asking your self what a tailwheel endorsement is. Well as a private pilot I can fly but not all types of airplane and to fly different kinds of plane I need to get training in that kind of plane then get sign off by an instructor or what called an endorsement. The last 2 weeks or so i've be flying the little red taildragger shown about. It's really fun to fly very touchy but can be so smooth. I got the sign off on Wednesday day and then Nick and I went up yesterday we had a little bumpily landings but it was fun and it's cheap to rent. Jessica won't go up with me though because it is an old plane, from 1942, and not all metal. The wings and most of the fuselage are steel tubing covered with vinyl. I'm bummed because it's safe but that's ok I'll just find a taildragger out of metal and take her up.

ooh

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:15:00 +0000

My wife tells me that we really waited in line for 45 min. not 20 min. It didn't seem that long to me but I guess it was.

the elections

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Here is what is looked like on my neck of the woods. despite how long it looks the line was not really so bad we only waited in line for about 20 min. I voted for the Maverick and yes on 102. 102 passed but unlike the 17 polled on my blog that showed McCain winning by a land slide. He didn't pull it off. I voted for him because experience I think our country needs someone who know what they're doing in the white house. The rest of the country doesn't think so I guess.

I don't like to to think I'm against Obama. I don't hate him or really anything he's done. For most of the election I like him. I don't really have a reason to not trust him. I hope he does of a great job of turning the country around and we are all better for it.

Now this doesn't mean I'm not going to double up on the food storage and ammo. You never know what could be coming. It could be really good or really bad.

It Came, It finally came!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 05:35:00 +0000

Yes it came! you are asking your self what and then sneaking a peek at the pictures below. I got a new license plate. For some time I've been obsessed for some reason with license plates. I've even had to change my mother-in-law's plate. It all started with Jessica's car and the dealership license plates cover that was around it. I wanted to take it off but she wouldn't let. She said it looked funny with out a cover. So I was out to find a new cover that fit just right. She loves frogs and was looking to something that was frog that didn't say "I'm a tree huger" and I couldn't ever find one so I went for the next best thing. School. I found the NAU bookstore , Jessica's alma mater, online and she found one she liked. and here it is I think. I fit her car quite well.

In the mean time I was thinking about my own car and I been feeling that I need to jazz it up a bit. I bought a sparky sticker for the window but that just wasn't enough then I felt inspired this one of my favorite web sites.

I thought it was cool so I thought I get a flight oriented custom ASU plate the next time my registration came around. Then Jessica said why don't you just do it now. I didn't even think you could but she was right. We spent some time trying to figure out what to put on it. I knew I wanted something to do about flying and on the ASU plates you can only have 5 letters. We tried lot of different things: FLY, FLGHT, IFLY, PILOT, etc. Which were all taken. Then found WEFLY, and FLYBY that were available we like that the 2nd. I put in the order and 14-20 business days later it's all on my car. I think I looks great.

For a while I had noticed that there were holes to mount a plate on the front of my car. I settled on a scuba flag (red with a white strip) and there is a shark to make it look cool.

Arizona nummerbord; ruilen voor Nederlandse

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:31:00 +0000

Hoi iedereen,
Ik heb mijn oud Arizona nummberbord en ik wil een Nederlandse bord hebben. Als iemand een heeft en met me wil ruilen A.U.B. geef me een email.

Fly-in, Scuba and sick

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:27:00 +0000

This weekend has been eventful to say the least. On last thursday Nick and I went to a Fly-in that we should of flown into. Because we went on a Thursday and not on the week end it was that busy and we should have rented a plane and flown in there. oh well maybe next year. Below is one the smallest plane we saw. It was on sale for $1900 so I bought it. Just kidding. It is so small that in order for me to fly it I would have to lose 40 lbs. In the back ground there is an old C-17 or DC-3 which ever you like to call it. but very cool none the less.

We also went on a Helicopter ride. I'd never been on one. Nick is going to start he's training as a Helicopter pilot once he here's back for the FAA about he medical. They are know for taking their time with paperwork.

We were going to go to the show on saturday but our scuba friend Ed (one on Nick's old companions for his mission) invited us to go diving with him. and I'd been wanting to get my feet wet for since I got my certification. So off to Lake Pleasant we went. We went down to 60ft. the deepest I've bee so far.

The morning of the dive I and the friday before I had had a little runny nose but I thought I would be ok for the dive. Well Although it was a blast and don't really regret it I probably should of pasted it up. Jessica hadn't been feeling that great since the middle of the week and although we had tickets to the ASU game we didn't end up going. We just stayed home the rest of the day. and all day sunday. now we are both doing better but still not 100%. but we'll get over it the drugs are good.

Flying Quote

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:33:00 +0000

I found this great flying quote and just wanted to pass it on:

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

- Leonardo da Vinci

No Keys and New Food

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:10:00 +0000

This afternoon I was at school and I locked my keys in car. It's the first time in a long time. And I'm surprised I hadn't done it at school before this but it happened and Jessica had to come bail me out. When she got here we went to try this fry bread place that her parents had tried called Cafe Laguna. Don't know why it's called that because it really has nothing to do with fry bread, but that's beside the point it was REALLY good. As good as this family famed place at the Trading Post just north of Flagstaff in Cameron, Arizona. I would recommend Cafe Laguna to any one. Jessica and I should've spilt one so we would could have one of their good looking deserts but we were way too full. I have my keys now and it's all better.

Vote Yes on Prop 102 or 8

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:02:00 +0000

I would to say we need to vote YES for Prop. 102 in AZ and 8 in CA here are some cool video I've come across in the last week or so.

This is very informative:

This is sad:

Can't beat a prophet:

Canceled flight... again!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:49:00 +0000

Last week we had a our department meeting and had the big wigs in the department all excited about how this semester we had 30 new students to the flight program and had to hire 8 new instructors. Great I think it's great that is the program is grow but wait there is a problem 30 new students adding to the 50 that were already there all trying to fly on the same amount of aircraft. See the problem ya. This week I've had to cancel 3 times to because they didn't have a plane for me. I the reason I get the short end of the stick is because I have to do long cross countries right now and have to take more block time then normal. It's letting me fly or two others and the two others get fixed I have some other thing brewing about what I'm going to do but it is pretty ridiculous.

Dirt Strip

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:45:00 +0000

Today before my class I took my friend Nick up and went flying. He is going to start he's flight training soon and this was also to give him a little extra push. Well it worked. We took off for CHD and I was headed for E81 in Superior, AZ there is a dirt strip there that I just wanted to touch down on and it got better. I was a little hesitant to go that way because it was a little hazy but we went on. I also didn't know if I wanted to touch down ether because the A/FD said there were large rocks on the field. We got closer and it just looked better and better then flew over at around 200ft and I didn't see any rocks so we circled around for a touch and go. (didn't have the money to stop) I floated a little long but made it down and up. I was so excited I forgot to tell Nick to record it. so the picture below it at the take-off you can see the field in the back ground. The most thrilling landing I've made since I started flying.

Singing in Conference

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:13:00 +0000

Got a letter from my brother in the mtc and he said he is singing in the missionary choir for the priesthood session of conference so be one the look out for him if you go.

Jessica's First Flight!

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:56:00 +0000

6 am Friday morning we got up and drove out to Chandler Municipal Airport got in the rental that we had reserved the night before and took off.

pre-flight

I look so serious

I-10 , 51, and 202

We took off and went over Phoenix and saw sky harbor. We went up and about Deer valley airport, Scottsdale and Falcon Field. Then flew over Jessica's school which she thought was rather cool.

Sky Harbor

Her school

After fly by my school and the airport I fly out of we can back to chandler I got of the wrong frequency when trying to talk to chandler tower :) but we made it all right. They say a private pilots license is really just a license to learn.

After the flight we had breakfast at the restaurant they have on the field there. It was good and all and all is was a good morning. Jessica never even got sick.

Missionary Brother

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:05:00 +0000

I have a brother that is on a mission. He went in to the mtc yesterday afternoon. I think it's really weird to think about or more to realize. I've been thinking about what I wanted to do and tell him about the mission that I didn't know or that I wish some one had told me. I thought of about everything I think but I've been think so long when he would go and now it's his time. He was so ready and excited to go. My mom texted me as they were leaving the mtc and said "I'm a missionary mom again" I didn't really know what to say to that. I've never been on this side of the mission before. Seeing them leave makes me want to be on my mission again. For being so hard that is was it was also so wonderful. He'll come back changed but I'm exited to see the change in the making through the letters and all.

For those who don't know he is now in the Provo, UT Missionary Training Center (mtc) he'll be there 3 weeks then he's off to the Seattle Washington Mission where he'll spend the remainder of the 2 years there. You can write him in the mtc if you would like his address is:

Elder Brendon Albert Smith

MTC Mailbox #108

WA-SEA 1007

2005 N. 900 E.

Provo, UT 84604-1793

I send him letters though DearElder.com if you write him in the mtc it's Free once he gets in the field you have to pay for the stamp and I'll update his address when that happens, but it's nice you don't even have to touch any paper. but do remember that written letter are always better and if you really want to go out of your way a picture of you or some one he knows doing something fun with that letter is awesome as a missionary.

Private Pilot

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Thats right as of Tuesday I'm a Pilot sure I can't get paid for it yet but that will come. I had my re-check today because I didn't pass all the way last week when I did my check ride for the first time. I did everything great but I got lost on the flight plan part when you are suppose to simulate a deviation to another airport and I told myself what I needed to but didn't do it I was too nerves. Today was a cake walk I had to go up and and not get lost. Also last time he go at me because I didn't use the GPS in the airplane when all I've been taught is during check rides don't use the GPS don't even look at the GPS. So when he said use it I did and it was done like that.

Now that is done I start to work towards my commercial license which will take alittle longer because I'll work at my instrument rating so I can fly in clouds and in visibly and so forth.

I went down to the Chandler airport yesterday and got checked out to rent planes from them. I want to get me endorsement to fly taildraggers from them some time soon but my first thing I want to take Jessica up ASAP. She is a little nervous but once she gets in the air I think she'll love it. I hope. :)

Places I've Flown to

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:55:00 +0000

View Larger Map

I thought this was cool I posted a list of places that I've flown to so far in my short flight career and I'll continue to up date the map. I'm almost done with my private pilots license, there were some complications with my check ride (final flying test) so instead of Saturday it's on Tuesday morning nest week so wish me luck.

President and guns

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:50:00 +0000

Well today two big things happened we learned who McCain's pick for VP is. Now for the passed little while now I've been going back and forth about who I should vote for. When Obama picked his VP I wasn't to impressed about what the man did and stood for but now it's clear Palin sealed the deal for me. well just look at this:

She has a float plane! and loves to hunt and fish. How cool is that they got my vote.

Oh, if you haven't voted yet here place do so on the right side of the screen.

The other thing that happened today was I bought an AR-15 well sort-of. If you are wondering what an AR-15 is it's the semi-auto version of an M-16 see below:

But with my first piece I didn't buy that whole thing just the part with the serial number on it that part the government considers the "firearm" this:

It's not much I know and it will be a little while til I get all the parts together that I want and it needs to shoot. But it's a start and it'll be a fun project.

support aviation

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:09:00 +0000

New saying

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:28:00 +0000

well I learned a new saying today from the old guy who works in the pilot shop. He is one of those people that you always seem to talk and then some who he talks about the days when he was flying. Good guy. Reminds me of my grandpa. So I leaving the store he says referring to me flying,

"Hey you have fun, remember It's the best you can do with your clothes on."

I thought about it and I like it and for me it's true.

new cars!... but not for me

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:20:00 +0000

It all started on Sunday I get a call from my mom and she says we have to come over they have a surprise to show us. With that I knew they bought something and I knew it's has to big because they won't tell us what it was. I thought it a car or a new TV. I was hoping it was a TV because then we would get there old one. They told all this while we were at urgent care finding out Jessica has strep. After getting the meds and getting Jessica comfortable I went to my parents and I pulled in the drive and saw 2 new cars a Nissan Titan and an Xterra.

My dad had always wanted a truck and has been trying to get on for the past 10 years or so. I guess there was a deal in the paper where you could buy one car and get another for a dollar so they did that and got the 2nd car planning on selling it before they have to pay anything on it.

I took them both for a test drive I like them both. So if there is anyone out there that wants a 2008 Xterra with less then 100 miles on it let them or me know. I think they're asking $23,000 OBO.

Sick... well not me...

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:11:00 +0000

first things first we sold are love seat and our sofa so the pic below with those two around the love sac is no more. now it's just the love sac. We are planning on buying a sofa sometime but I don't know when.

but for right now Jessica is sick. She felt bad on Saturday and then sunday she was no good. we went to one of those urgent care centers and found it was Strep-throat. She went to target and got some drugs and have been inside ever since well except for this morning when we drove to her school and had to finish up stuff for the sub.

luckily we've signed up for a free trail of Netflix and have been watching ER all weekend and today we're into season 9 now (dr. greene just died). and no we didn't start at season 1. I like it but ya...

all signed up for classes heres a list if you would to know:

-AMT 214 Comml/Instrument Ground School 1

-AMT 280 Aero Structures/Matl & Systems + Lab

-AMT 200 Flight Safety 2

-AMT 201 Air Traffic Control

-PHY 111 General Physics + Lab

-AMP 301 Intro Statistics

-PIM 115 Beginning Pima Conversation 1 (at SCC)

all and all 21 credits you might be wondering why I'm taking Pima. well no only because my wife is half Pima Indian and we are taking the class together along with her sister. But I'm also going to minor in American Indian Studies it looked really interesting so i'm going to go for it.

so right now i'm just waiting for the storm know as school to begin next week, and football to start we both have season tickets, I'm so excited

Love Sac

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:28:00 +0000

Here it is! The LoveSac Yes and it is wonderful after the 3 days it took to fluff it. They don't tell you about that when you buy it. We love the Sac!

Greenbook

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:54:00 +0000

This is the Greenbook. I made it a few months ago for my brother. It's all the really good talks that I found on my mission and most the talks that are sited in Preach My Gospel. I think it's way cool. You can order one for your self from the link above. I don't make any profit.

Cabin in Payson, Arizona

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:11:00 +0000

I took this video way back in 2004 when Grandma and Grandpa Mabry were selling their cabin in Payson, AZ and since just getting a mac I thought I would put it all together and well here it is. I had some great memories there.

Fireworks

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:05:00 +0000

This is at Grandma Cheever's house on the Monday after the 4th when we could still light Fireworks.

Back from Colorado

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:33:00 +0000

We made the 400 mile trip from Payson, UT to Creede, CO to see my grandparents there it was truly breathtaking there. My wife goes in to more details about the trip.

Pictures of the Trip...

are here of the whole trip i put on facebook. I love going on trips and getting away and just forgetting about everything back home. but it's also good to be back.

Old Friends

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:11:00 +0000

I'm in Utah with Jessica's family still and it's been really fun you can read all about what we've been doing on her, her mother's, and brother's blog. Last friday I called an old missionary friend up. We never were companion but we lived in the same apartment in Almere for 3 months. Well turns out he had one ticket to the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert in Layton. And it was already a sort of guy night out because John (the friend) wasn't going with his girlfriend. I asked Jessica if I could go and she let me. The drive up there is over an hour. I went early to talk to John. It was great catching up and talk to and in Dutch. Then off to the concert me, John and two of his friends. We had font row seat right in the middle of the stage. (John got them for free) The concert was amazing! They were so good. The solo's were great not to long or short and it seemed like they didn't miss a note. Very professional, very nice. The whole time I wanted to just get up and swing. After the concert was over we went back to John house and I spent the night because I didn't want to drive all the way home that late. So I did and was home early the next morning.

Off in Utah...

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:29:00 +0000

I don't really feel like writing anything so here are two blogs so you can know what is going on. Blog 1 and Blog 2

and keep reading on this one

obsession

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:04:00 +0000

So I have this little obsession with my iTunes there is a thing in it where you can you see the CD covers but I did most of the music I have but there are a few CD's that I can't find the album artwork anywhere on the web or I can't take the image. I decided to just scan the covers into the computer but all so put it online for anyone else who has that same obsession.

This is a CD that they sadly don't sell anymore. "259 Christmas" by 259. It Rob Gardner's first group, if you can ever get a hold of it I would recommend it to anyone.

These two CD I got on my mission from a member in Groningen, Harm Wierda, who is starting to make a name for him self if you google him. He was in a Dutch band (that sings in english) named Planet Orange These are two of there CD's "Lollypop Barbershop" and "Drip Drop Drippin'" I think there not bad.

No More Work

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:17:00 +0000

Last Friday was my last day at work well for Med+One Healthcare I think. They really love there so I'm sure I could go back if I needed to. I stopped work not because I'm a bum but I'm going to go to school full time well almost over time, and get everything done so I can start flying and get paid to do it asap. Plus I have a wonderful wife who has a great job this year. We are really blessed and I'm really thankful for that.

Trash can

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:18:00 +0000

When I go shopping although it is not always true I like to find things that I need. Like this trash can. We would come home the house wold stink from the Trash so we'd have to take out the trash all the time. So we heard about this trash can from our friends that seals in the smell. We had some gift cards to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, so we went out and got one. And after about week of use it really does work the smell in the apartment is gone. It's great. I would recommend it to anyone.

D-Backs

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:34:00 +0000

Went to the D-Backs game tonight for Janaya's birthday it was way fun. We won 11-1 and plus got a FREE chalupa and thrust buster!

Grounded

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:26:00 +0000

I never really understood that term until I started flying. When you are on the ground you are not in the air doing what you want to. Last night I was planning on doing a night flight the weather was beautiful and the airport looked so cool all lit up at night. Everything looked good until we taxied up to the runway and did the run-up check where we check everything one last time before we take off. The alternator indicator was reading 0 amps which is bad meaning we were only run on the battery which is not safe so so taxied back and wrote it up and will try again another night. But that is part of flying is knowing when not to fly.

Other news, my brother Brendon got his mission call today: Seattle, Washington!

Valley Rally take 2 and Thatcher

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:32:00 +0000

well to start with the weekend and yes we went to Thatcher. It's is south east Arizona for those that don't know what I'm talking about. We went to go see the home coming talk from my cousin Kade. He just got back from his mission in Vera Cruz Mexico. I thought it was a 3 hour drive there, but when we plugged all the info in to our new GPS, not that we needed to I'd been there a thousand times but we just wanted to try it out, it said it was only going to be just under a 2 1/2 hours which I thought was weird. I didn't even speed and it took just over 2 hours so I don't know if I went super slow the other time I went but it was weird. Kade gave a good talk and it was to good to see the family and all.

Then to day I had no math homework. :) and I did the same flight that I did last week so I could practice really doing good on the radios. I was much better. I really love flying it so fun to look over everything and just cruise along I almost forget it's school, until I have to pay for it.

Valley Rally

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:57:00 +0000

I went flying this afternoon. I was also supposed to go last night but it was too windy for the little planes we fly so it had to wait for another night. (which I'm excited for) Today we did we the school calls the valley rally where basically you fly at a lot of different airports all over the valley right after one another. It helped me learn how to fly and talk on the radio and listen to two channels at the same time. It was crazy but so much fun. We started at Gateway then flew to Chandler did a touch-n-go then call Sky Harbor to fly over in their airspace. Then went to Deer Valley, Scottsdale, and Falcon (they were nice there, not so much at Scottsdale) and did touch-n-gos there too. then came back to Gateway. I loved seeing the city like that and all the different airports. We are probably going to do the flight again on monday to get some more practice in. and maybe change it up a bit. we'll see.

Long Day

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:57:00 +0000

Today seemed extra long mostly because I had to stay at school until 530pm (my class ends a 1110am) for this safety meeting that the whole department has to go to. They are a little informative but mostly really boring and waste of time. At a bad time too. plus the 30 min. drive home all makes for long day. But the plus side is I do my homework at school so I can come home and in the words of the Dutch "chill"

I finally got the pictures of when I soloed for the first time in an air plane from my instructor yesterday. so here a link to them.

solo photo

back in AZ

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:07:00 +0000

We had a great trip to Catalina Island. Jessica goes in to pretty good detail so you can read more about there. I did post some pictures of the trip on facebook I put a link below and some videos on facebook, if you can get in there.

Honeymoon

Today I started summer school I'm taking a math class. The professor seems ok but I'll see how it all works out.

Backpacking Trip 2008

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 26 May 2008 03:28:00 +0000

This is the backpacking trip I was talking about a few posts ago. Here is the promised video!

Start of the summer

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:03:00 +0000

Jessica had the last day of school today and now we had the whole summer to go or just the 2 months that it is. The camping trip is now canceled because well from what I hear there is going to be a 3 or 4 in. of snow on the ground so well it doesn't sound like fun camping. so the back up plan is to go see Indiana Jones and go out to eat it should be good I'm really excited well.

So in my life things are going well i went on my first flight cross county trip it was really fun. I had plans to fly up to Prescott then over to Payson and eat lunch there. But when i woke up that morning and looked at the weather it was too windy in Prescott so I had to make a change in plans but i had to fly at a airport that was above 4000 ft. so the only one that was close and had good weather was Willcox. We didn't stay in that whole long then we went up to Safford. The flight felt like my first flight all over again. there was so much going on inside the plane it was crazy. A lot of new things to learn. It was so much fun though at the end of the flight I almost forgot that I was doing this all for school and not just for fun. It was great!

I also over the week bought a MacBook. I've eyed the one Jessica had that the school gave her and really fell in love with everything, so i went and got one of my own here is a pic it taking a pic of it self.

Backpacking with my Bro.

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:54:00 +0000

This week well what should of been tue.- thru., i went back packing with my brother. It was really fun. We had planned to go up on the rim and do a 30 or so mile hike there. But we got up there and well it was snowing in May. Not somthing we were really expecting. So after thinking for awhile we decied to drive down to four peaks and hike to the top of Brown's peak at 7,657. I had done the hike before for scouts as a 12 year-old but I didn't quite remember how hard it was. Here are some pictures of the trip and video will be coming soon.

Backpacking pics

to catch up

trevor@desertpilot.com (Trevor Smith) — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:57:00 +0000

well I'm on facebook most of the time and here is some of the pictures that I've posted on there. These are all links to those pics below. I hope you enjoy.

Wedding Photos, Wedding Party, Life photos, Spring Break, Engagement photos, Sporting Events, Before mission photos, Backpacking with the Ward, Family Photo shoot, Shooting, mission photos, Backpacking w/ my bro