My wife and I have been enjoying our very first official vacation since I started this job on June 16, 2014. We’ve worked smaller vacations into the schedule, but this official one had me not flying in October until the 23rd of the month. Twenty two consecutive days off!
The big vacation idea: Bev and I hatched a plan to use our airplane this year to travel the US. We’ve invested quite allot in this resource. Rather than take another European vacation, we wanted to continue exploring the US on our own. The plan was to fly to Nashville and hang out until we’d seen enough; fly to New Orleans to see the town and also Biloxi while we are down there; then pack up and see Savannah on the way home. Things don’t always work out as planned, however. We’d have to compromise on the big idea.
The annual inspection for N833DF was due at the end of August. I had planned to get it done early, before Oshkosh. I also needed to hone my skills again if I was to fly my wife on such a complex trip. I hadn’t been flying it much lately since I’m just about living in the Dash-8, so I signed up for a type specific flight training course with the ICS – International Comanche Society. I’d taken this two day course before when I first purchased the airplane. It is known as the CPPP, or Comanche Pilot Proficiency Program. I wanted to be Sh#! Hot for the Oshkosh traffic and sometimes unpredictable weather.
The training was out in Capital City airport near Harrisburg, PA. The training includes shutting down an engine, and in my case, I wanted to practice that and shut them both down – one at a time of course. After shutting down the left engine, I noticed the Aspen PFD reported switching over to it’s backup battery. That right alternator was apparently operating (pre-flighting as good), but not putting out the juice required to keep the ship running on it’s own under load. Not good, specifically since all the LED and avionics upgrades have reduced the certified energy originally required.
Can you imagine me losing the left engine in IMC, shutting it down, and then having 30 minutes to land before being left with the vacuum AI alone. The Aspen Battery new gives you 30 minutes of backup power, but this one was on it’s last month of life before replacement. My landing gear is electric too, though it has a manual backup. None of this was an acceptable risk over the Lake Michigan with my wife aboard. You only have redundancy when it is all working and available.
Good news – I found out before Oshkosh. Bad news – it’d have to be fixed before we go. One more thing to do.
So I talk with Sussex Aero and ask them to fit me in for a new alternator. They are jammed, as any good shop normally is, but they love me so they squeezed me in. We talked about doing the annual too, but trying to get the annual done at the same time would jeopardize Oshkosh. We resolved to talk about that as soon as I got back. Oshkosh was flawless – the new alternator ran superbly; the airplane is amazing. I tested both alternators under load several times during the trip. Beverly and I have more wonderful Oshkosh stories to tell.
Well – I was so excited and satisfied about making the trip in the middle of a busy schedule that I forgot to have the conversation about my annual when I got back. I think the fact that Rob (Sussex Aero) and I talked it through in August, and that I paid a bill for the alternator work, caused me to mentally check it off my list of things to do.
With the big vacation trip coming in a a month, I noticed I hadn’t flown my airplane since Oshkosh. I needed to get some approaches in and practice with the airplane, so I grabbed up a friend and went flying on the first day in September. Only AFTER that flight did I realize that I was actually out of annual. Darn!! I called my mechanic to get it going, and he was surprised too. We both thought I was good, but checking the records, determined I was grounded for the meantime. He would do his best.
Fast forward to October 1st and the airplane isn’t done. It could be a week or so more, so Bev and I had some re-planning to do. I could wait for the airplane and burn one week of vacation if everything worked out, or Bev and I could just go do something else. We talked about it, and decided we’d better take advantage of our time together and not wait for it. The next day we drove in Bev’s new van to Harper’s Ferry to spend a wonderful day immersed in Civil War history. Our modified trip by mini-van would take us to Luray Caverns; Skyline Drive; Nashville; Chattanooga; Atlanta; Richmond; and home. We very much enjoyed just being together, but also got to spend time with two families we’d come to know through general aviation. We had a ball, and were very happy to be home and still hanging out with two weeks of vacation left to go!
We arrived home on the 11th, and my airplane was still not done. Though I was tempted to fly to New Orleans once it came back online, we decided right there that just hanging out and doing day trips was more what we wanted to do now. That was the plan.
October 12, 2015 – Surprise!!: The day started out with a planned trip up to see Bev’s parents. Bev was driving, so I read through my emails and saw one about the delayed permanent bid. Permanent bids show what base everyone is assigned to and who is being awarded Captain’s upgrade slots. I read this and joked with Beverly that it could be me, and she’d better be ready for that. In reality I am thinking 1st quarter at the earliest, and I tell her that. I an excited and amazed just to be thinking about it.
The email was telling us that there apparently are many candidates that have signed up for a Captain upgrade slot, but lacked the time requirements. Requirements include 1500 hours total and 1000 hours in a part 121. I’m not surprised, since all of us were told to do just that as soon as we were able. It never ever mattered before since the movement took about 8 years.
The FOs were all doing what they were told to do, and I was one of them. The only difference for me is that I came in with 3500 total hours, and as of this writing have about 5000 hours total. Only in September did I surpass the 1000 hours in a 121 environment requirement, so I just now became eligible. The letter warned us to change our bid to FO if we didn’t qualify, but it seemed I was good as of this month. Not that it mattered anyway – we’d all have the time when slots opened up.
We get to her parents and turned on the coffee. Nice family time together, and a chance to reconnect with everyone I’ve been too busy to see. My phone pings again, just as I sit on the couch. New email has arrived and it is a follow-up on the previous email from the company. I open it and am absolutely floored. Six names appear as being awarded a Captain upgrade slot, and Frank Dorrin was the fourth of seven. I was surprised, excited, and a little concerned. With all the confusion – I’d be leaving in only 7 days and had allot of work to do getting ready.
Had I known 14 months ago that I’d have this upgrade opportunity this soon, the decision to retire would have been even easier. This is better than I possibly could have imagined.
Honey Do List: I painted the Bilco doors; did planned maintenance on the Mustang; and picked up N833DF from it’s annual. Flew the airplane up to KILG for IFR certification, 
software updates for Garmins and Aspen, and to develop a bid for the ADS-B work coming up. I also needed to replace the Aspen Battery for continued airworthiness, and that was accomplished. Flew a few approaches on the way home; then topped off all tanks since it would most likely be sitting for awhile.
Book writing: Many of you know I’m writing a book about flying as a second career, and the path I’ve taken to pursue my dream of becoming a Captain for an airline. I was really building steam on the project during my overnights recently, but of course that will have to be put on hold until I get through this.
For those of you who read Dick Karl’s column in Flying Magazine, I think he and I are on a similar path. Mine is similar, though admittedly of a smaller scale – in some ways. I just read his article and I share his sentiments on the upgrade process. I’m sure he is a Captain by now, and I’m paying attention to what he has to say.
Studying and test taking: more to come on the specifics. I’m taking notes about my experience in the upgrade process, with the intent of sharing the good, bad, and ugly. The good is easy to share – the bad not so much.
Staring off with the good – my last landing on my last trip as an FO was the best of my career. My last flight in my PA30 with two fully automated approaches was flawless. I’ve completed all of the required written tests, scoring 96% or better. Indoc, Systems, and Winter Ops tests all completed. My 8710 is also all filled out, so I’m ready to go.
Scheduling: As of now, the training department is doing a full court press to accommodate the last minute changes and influx of people. I’ll get time off during the training to help out their schedule, which is good and bad. No matter – I’m in.
I did have my wife run around buying supplies while I gathered study posters, bicycle, a new Keurig coffee machine for the room, and many other supplies to make my stay in Charlotte as productive and comfortable as possible. Now I’ll have to leave all that home since I won’t be staying for long without a break. We all know that this will change after I arrive, and I’ll be there with no car and no supplies. Oh well – you do what you can.
Gotta run. Studying and prep to do all day today – again. I love it though. Thanks Beverly for understanding…..
Fly safe!! I will.