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| Gian |
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| EnRoute to Three Hills |
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| Joelle after the Trochu parade |
July 12, 2011
Pictures taken by Niklas
Just before we left Switzerland, Niklas was given a little digital camera. We now have another little photographer taking pictures of everything that looks slightly interesting. In order to present Niklas' art we created his own album, hopefully giving you another perspective of our journey with MAF. The album can be accessed by clicking the pictures below or in the blog's right-hand column.
July 09, 2011
First Goal Accomplished
It had been a rather smooth flight so far, even though the cloud ceiling and the visibility were lower than expected. So, after flying a non-precision approach to Calgary’s runway 25 and reaching the minimum descend altitude I hadn’t seen the airport at first. And when I finally caught sight of it, I had been right over the runway without a chance to land the twin engine Piper Seneca. Adding full power I had flown the missed approach procedure and was instructed by Air Traffic Control to turn south for an ILS approach to runway 34. This would take me down lower, hopefully out of the clouds and to a successful landing at my destination.
Skimming the top of the cloud layer that hid Calgary from my view I had a quick glance at the Rockies to my right. Majestically its white peaks continued South and North as far as the eye could see.
Back to the task at hand I engaged the autopilot and started to brief the approach procedure that lay before me. It all happened, when I punched in the frequency of the navigation aid used for landing.
In a split second everything vanished. The world outside: cloud layer, mountains, the town of Calgary. The world inside: my instruments, gauges, radios, and navigation aids. And with the airplane basically nonexistent all movement stopped, and it got quiet. Gone was that constant shoving motion characteristic to small airplanes. Gone was the engine noise, the voices of Air Traffic Control, the occasional crackling of the intercom when my passenger moved or breathed a little too heavily.
All that remained was a black nothingness impossible to fathom or to penetrate combined with a stillness that gave me a feeling of being suspended somewhere in mid-space with God having forgotten to turn on the stars.
“I’m dead!” was the first thought that went through my mind, if indeed being dead still allows for thoughts. But why would I be dead? There was nothing that had indicated a looming catastrophe, and everything happened so quickly, it was almost impossible to think of a natural event having taken place. So, was this the rapture? But where was I “raptured” to? Into nothingness? There should at least be a tunnel with a bright light at the end or some indescribable colours and sounds. I was supposed to go to heaven, after all.
But then again, something was odd. I was still sitting in my pilot’s seat, buckled in and holding the controls. And looking to the right, there was my passenger sitting in his seat, with the same expression of astonishment and unbelief that must have shown on my face.
Suspended in space in a cockpit-like cabin? Temporarily put on hold since the gate to Heaven is congested? Or maybe not dead in the end?
“I think the socket went dead.” After the intense concentration during the flight I relaxed only slowly. This was my instructor talking from the outside. After an awkward moment of silence the Flight Test Examiner next to me suggested we do some oral emergency testing until the simulator would run again.
It only took a few minutes until we were back over Calgary, heading south with everything set up as before. And after another few minutes I broke through clouds, landed the plane with only one engine working – and passed the flight test for my IFR renewal.
Skimming the top of the cloud layer that hid Calgary from my view I had a quick glance at the Rockies to my right. Majestically its white peaks continued South and North as far as the eye could see.
Back to the task at hand I engaged the autopilot and started to brief the approach procedure that lay before me. It all happened, when I punched in the frequency of the navigation aid used for landing.
In a split second everything vanished. The world outside: cloud layer, mountains, the town of Calgary. The world inside: my instruments, gauges, radios, and navigation aids. And with the airplane basically nonexistent all movement stopped, and it got quiet. Gone was that constant shoving motion characteristic to small airplanes. Gone was the engine noise, the voices of Air Traffic Control, the occasional crackling of the intercom when my passenger moved or breathed a little too heavily.
All that remained was a black nothingness impossible to fathom or to penetrate combined with a stillness that gave me a feeling of being suspended somewhere in mid-space with God having forgotten to turn on the stars.
“I’m dead!” was the first thought that went through my mind, if indeed being dead still allows for thoughts. But why would I be dead? There was nothing that had indicated a looming catastrophe, and everything happened so quickly, it was almost impossible to think of a natural event having taken place. So, was this the rapture? But where was I “raptured” to? Into nothingness? There should at least be a tunnel with a bright light at the end or some indescribable colours and sounds. I was supposed to go to heaven, after all.
But then again, something was odd. I was still sitting in my pilot’s seat, buckled in and holding the controls. And looking to the right, there was my passenger sitting in his seat, with the same expression of astonishment and unbelief that must have shown on my face.
Suspended in space in a cockpit-like cabin? Temporarily put on hold since the gate to Heaven is congested? Or maybe not dead in the end?
“I think the socket went dead.” After the intense concentration during the flight I relaxed only slowly. This was my instructor talking from the outside. After an awkward moment of silence the Flight Test Examiner next to me suggested we do some oral emergency testing until the simulator would run again.
It only took a few minutes until we were back over Calgary, heading south with everything set up as before. And after another few minutes I broke through clouds, landed the plane with only one engine working – and passed the flight test for my IFR renewal.
July 02, 2011
Three Hills, Alberta, Canada
After a 22-hour-journey we arrived in Three Hills on June 22 at 11pm. After a short tour of the house in order to determine who's going to sleep where we turned out the lights at midnight. Not long after that Niklas and Joelle appeared in our bedroom stating: "We're done sleeping." Fair enough, it was already bright outside, even though it was 5am only.
Three Hills looks (almost) the same. It's nice to walk through the streets, past familiar places, meeting familiar faces, like we hadn't been away at all. Even Niklas remembers things. Actually, we are amazed how many details he can remember. For instance, he still knew that children's church at Mt Olive used to be on the first floor (instead of the second where it is now).
So far we adapted quite well. Everybody, including Gian, sleeps through the night again. Markus is busy with studying and flying on the simulator, while Madeleine keeps the house and the kids in line and arranges meetings with old friends.
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| Our temporary home |
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| Patio |
Three Hills looks (almost) the same. It's nice to walk through the streets, past familiar places, meeting familiar faces, like we hadn't been away at all. Even Niklas remembers things. Actually, we are amazed how many details he can remember. For instance, he still knew that children's church at Mt Olive used to be on the first floor (instead of the second where it is now).
So far we adapted quite well. Everybody, including Gian, sleeps through the night again. Markus is busy with studying and flying on the simulator, while Madeleine keeps the house and the kids in line and arranges meetings with old friends.
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| Flightsim Piper Seneca at PSMA |
June 18, 2011
Leaving Switzerland
Today we had the last vaccination shots for whatever we need in PNG. We’re glad that’s done. Nobody really enjoyed it, oh wonder. But now we’re basically ready for our departure next week on Wednesday, June 22. That is health wise. We still have packing to do and an apartment to tidy up. Fortunately, friends and family have taken over the moving and cleaning, which is a terrific help. That way, we can stay in the apartment till we leave.
Our first stop is going to be Three Hills, Canada where Markus will renew the instrument rating (which is only good for two years at a time). We are able to sit a house during our stay of one month, which, of course, is very nice, since we will have everything we and the kids need. Many thanks to the Penners.
On July 20, we will be heading to Cairns, Australia for an orientation and flight standardisation course. This will take approx two month, but it depends on how fast Markus’ flying skills return, after not flying for more than a year.
So somewhen around the end of September we are going to head for Papua New Guinea, provided the visas are issued by this time.
Our first stop is going to be Three Hills, Canada where Markus will renew the instrument rating (which is only good for two years at a time). We are able to sit a house during our stay of one month, which, of course, is very nice, since we will have everything we and the kids need. Many thanks to the Penners.
On July 20, we will be heading to Cairns, Australia for an orientation and flight standardisation course. This will take approx two month, but it depends on how fast Markus’ flying skills return, after not flying for more than a year.
So somewhen around the end of September we are going to head for Papua New Guinea, provided the visas are issued by this time.
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