Author: Navya Pottumutu

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing well.

First of all conGRADulations to all those who graduated this year! We have worked extremely hard to get here and hard work definitely pays off. I am going to miss walking around the hallways that I have been accustomed to for the past four years, eating lunch in the band rooms and most of all, rushing to the airport right after school.

This year through music at school, I was awarded the Top Musician/Citizenship award. I was also selected as a semifinalist for the National NUFSICISUM (read it backwards) award. This ward requires leadership and musical qualities, in and out of music departments.

Through cadets, I was awarded the Pilots of 848 RCACS award, Spirit Award, Most Outstanding Cadet and the most prestigious of them all, the Lord Strathcona Medal. The pilot award is for cadets that have earned their pilot license (glider or power) in the last training year. The Spirit Award recipient is selected by the cadets and officers voting. The Most Outstanding Cadet award is for cadets that are all rounded, show commitment and have good leadership qualities. Lastly, the Lord Strathcona medal is for the cadet that demonstrates considerable leadership qualities, provides an enthusiastic example, has a high level of physical fitness and is reliable.

Lastly, I will be starting university with the first year being covered due to the scholarships I have received.  I have received an entrance scholarship based on my GPA, a District Authority Award, a Teachers Association bursary and a local Rotary Club Bursary.

I am extremely honoured to have ended highschool on such a high note and will be remembering all the memories I have made here. But most of all, I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.

This summer, I will be working for Cadets Canada to enhance the program as well as develop better learning tools. As this is my last summer with cadets I cannot wait to pursue the opportunity I have been given.

I also plan to complete my mountain rating as I would like to build up my flying hours.

That’s it for me! Hope everyone has a fantastic summer and stay safe!

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying safe during these unprecedented times.

I just wanted to give a huge shout out to FMA, Bose and Bose Aviation for a fantastic token of appreciation by gifting me a Bose Aviation A20 Headset. I absolutely cannot wait to be up in the air again.

My next fight is next Wednesday, which is my check ride since I have not flown in over five months. It will also be the ride where I get to try out this new headset.

I can’t imagine the amount of noise it will cancel!

Once again thank you all for the support, and thank you FMA for continuing to give me more reasons to fly!

                                               

It is finally the beginning of my journey. I am now officially a private pilot. The first one in my family. When I started back in April, I did not expect to be done in approximately six months of training. But, today I am happy to say that driving 45 minutes each way, five days a week has definitely paid off and has given me a chance to see that hard work and commitment really does pay off.

I would like to thank the FMA solo program for giving me a chance to get started on my flight training as soon as possible and thank everyone part of the FMA community for giving me encouragement and advice as I had improved on my flying skills. I cannot wait to meet and interact with the FMA solo recipients of 2020.

In the future, I hope to stay in touch with you all and update you as I continue my passion for aviation.

Hello Everyone! As I had mentioned in my last update a while ago, I had my 150NM solo and my flight test left. Due to weather, my flight test date got moved around quite a lot and I finally ended up doing it a few days ago and passed it with a mark of 90%! The test consisted of a 2.5-hour ground session and a 2-hour flight. Though the tester wanted to get all of it done on one day, we had to split them into two separate sections, once again, the weather got in the way. The initial ground portion consisted of me being tested on my knowledge about the different systems of the aircraft, my ability to make a nav log for a cross country flight, my ability to make weight and balance charts and calculate takeoff/landing distances. As the scenarios were given to me the night before the test, I was able to get everything done ahead of time and be prepared for any questions that the tester – Mike – had for me. Though I was extremely nervous before the test, I was able to answer most, if not all, of Mike’s questions. Doing this gave me a confidence boost when it came to the flying portion of the test.

There was a long four-day gap between the ground and the flight portion, and finally, on the fourth day, Mike texted me saying that we were going fly that day, no matter what. The weather for that day was extremely weary. The forecast said that the ceilings were scattered at 3100 and broken at 3500, but when we got to the practice area, it was worse than the forecast. Luckily, we found a clear patch where we were able to complete our upper air-work. When we got closer to the forced and precautionary landings part of the test, was when everything got more difficult. There were a few times where we could not see the ground while travelling towards another clear patch. Eventually, we found a patch and worked with the weather in order to finish this test. Once the practice area portion of the test was over, we transited back to the airport where we did a few stops and goes, where I was tested on different types of landings, takeoffs and my ability to handle a circuit. The scariest part of this whole process was after we shut off the plane and I did not know if I had passed or failed.

When we walked into the club, all I was told was that we would be debriefing and talking about what I could improve on and this only made me more nervous. Once, we sat down and he started talking, the first thing he said was, “You passed with flying colours!”. This was probably the most exciting moment in my entire aviation career so far. I was absolutely ecstatic!

Now that I am done my flight test, the only thing I am waiting for is a clear sunny day to do my 150NM solo. I also have my written exam to do, which I will be writing later on this month.

Finally, thank you to everyone that followed my journey and supported me along the way. I don’t know how I would have done it without all of you! This community is so encouraging and so helpful when students like me have questions or concerns! I really appreciate it!

Hey All! I just wanted to update all of you what I have been up to for the past month with my flying and music. As for flying, I have been working on my cross country hours by flying to our neighbouring aerodrome – Nanaimo (CYCD). I have flown there once with my instructor and twice by myself. Recently, my instructor and I flew to Qualicum (CAT4), which is about a 45-minute flight each way. All in all, I have about 45-60 minutes of dual cross-country time left, as well as my 150NM solo. According to my instructor, I will most probably be doing my 150 NM solo next weekend if the weather pertains. Without the leftover cross-country flying, I have 4 hours of solo time left and my flight test to prepare for. On the days that we have bad weather for cross-countries, we have been doing flight-test prep, where we just review all the exercises that we have done thus far. Overall, I have (hopefully) got only a few more weeks of flying to go! During the prep for my test, I have also been studying for my Transport Canada written test, which I will be writing very soon.

As for music, since the school year just started a month ago, all the music is still new and we have been having constant rehearsals to get better as an ensemble and as a department. As our music department’s tradition, we let two student groups perform at each concert and they are chosen by the music directors via an audition process. My friends and I thought it would be a cool experience to audition and to make music in a small group outside of rehearsal times! The tune we will be auditioning with is called Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman.

Lastly, I am extremely excited to get my licence in the near future and have a chance to take my family up. Once again, thanks for all the support you have given and thanks for all the advice as well!

After eight long weeks of not flying, I feel ecstatic to be back in air and doing what I love most. I did not have a chance to fly this summer since I was at camp for seven weeks and after that I was on a seven day cruise to Alaska. Though it was lot of fun to be on the water for seven days straight, I would much rather be in the air instead. After a summer full of memories and fun, I had my first flight back on September 5th, where we reviewed everything I had done till the moment we had to pause my training. Due to a successful review flight, my instructor decided that he was confident enough to send me solo once again, and I was on a solo flight the next day. Though I knew that flying solo is thrilling every single time, I did not regain the full memory until I was at 2000 feet all by myself. Being a senior in high school this year, I am extremely busy due to many academics courses and music ensembles. Though I fly five times a week on top of my other schedule, flying is my therapy to life, helps me get back on track with academics and daily life. All in all I am excited to be back where my heart belongs– 2000 feet in the air.

View on first solo after coming back !

Hello all, hope everyone is having a great summer! Before I get started about my summer at Canadore collage as a staff cadet, I would like to apologize for disappearing for the last month. As mentioned in the previous post, my 2019 summer is being spent at Canadore collage in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Along with fifteen other staff cadets from across Canada, I have been selected to staff at the two cadet summer training courses that take place at Canadore Collage every year, which are Airport Operations and Aircraft Maintenance. As these two courses are scholarship courses, there are only 60 cadets selected for each course. The best part about this course is that these cadets are from coast to coast to coast. They all bring their own unique talents and experiences.

Being staff cadet here means that I get to work closely with the cadets and help them start their journey in aviation. Two years ago I was in their shoes and was given the opportunity to attend Airport Operations, where I learned about what happens behind the scenes at an airport. This camp was my closest experience with anything to do with aviation. Canadore Collage was where I was able to plant a seed and start my career in aviation.

The first week consisted of training to be the best staff cadet possible. We learned about how to deal with irregular situations and how to handle multiple problems at once. Our ranks for the summer were determined from how well we did during this course. As a result of my hard work I was appointed as the Training Warrant Officer of the Canadore Summer Training Centre. This rank/position is the second highest position that a staff cadet can receive.

This year, my main goal was to show these cadets that when involved in aviation, aviation is not the only common interest between each other and that should not be the only thing that connects each other. As to my assumptions, many cadets have connected on many different levels. For example, there are many that became friends through the national band that is offered here. Through this opportunity, they are able to understand that, though they are all here for aviation, they all have other common hobbies that they use to relax and get away when they have a hard day.

These cadets are as much of an inspiration for me, as I was for them when I had a chance to share my journey through aviation with them. I explained to them about how giving up is not an aviation when it has something to do with aviation. I knew I made a difference when cadets approached me about wanting to be a part of the FMA program.

Overall, these past seven weeks have been a long roller coaster of extreme highs and deep lows. I learned so much about aviation but also attained many leadership skills that I did not know about.

As the camp is coming to an end, I can see what it means to be a role model for youth as well as learn from them.

A few things I am looking forward to after this camp is my cruise to Alaska as well as getting back to flying and going back to my routine of flying five days a week. Though it might take a flight or two to remember everything, I am extremely excited to get back into my daily routine.

Finally, I am happy that I will be leaving this course knowing that I have made a difference in at-least one person’s life and have inspired a few.

Hey guys! Just wanted to quickly update you on when I currently am with my training and what is coming up next. As for my training, I just finished my first three solo hours in the circuit and did my first solo flight to the local practice area on Monday. I will have my first flight tomorrow (June 27) since I will be in Ontario, Canada, as one of sixteen staff cadets from all over Canada, staffing one of two scholarship courses that are offered there for cadets. This course is seven weeks long, so I will only be back on the fifteenth of August, which is when my flight training will resume. As of now, cross countries and navigation are the only exercises left for me to complete my license.

Even though I am away this summer, I will try and keep you updated about the aviation related lessons that I will be learning there. Since there is an opportunity to be a part of the cadet band there, I will also update you on how I improve my musicality as I have never played in a marching band. 🙂

Lastly, thank you for all the support that I have received on my solo post! It really means a lot to me to see that I am able to showcase my passion through the way that I blog and the things I do!

P.S– I would like to thank all the organizers and supporters for all the merch I had received recently! I have been having a great time showing off what I got to my family, friends and peers! I will be sure to pack any swag that I can and represent the FMA program in Ontario through the summer!

Thanks,

Navya

Lifting my feet, “two feet or 3000 feet”, the experience of flying is always breathtaking. As I completed the technical learning days in March the hunger for the skies kept building and driving me to understand and appreciate the science, the engineering, the math and techniques that I needed to consistently practice throughout my flying journey. Starting in April, my first 10 hours of instruction took me through several real-time scenarios in the sky building my confidence step-by-step from taxing all the way to circuits. My instructor’s dedicated role helped me build my confidence and finally when he said “you’re ready”, I was right there all by myself doing my first solo. My heart rate was through the sky by the end of this flight that will forever be engrained in my mind.

It was absolutely an incredible experience that every pilot understands, loves and remembers for the rest of their lives. I thank Victoria Flying Club, my instructor, my parents and especially The Flying Musicians Association for helping me FLY. 

On the 3rd of June was the first day I was introduced to circuits and what they are. Like usual, I had a briefing with my instructor about what they are and how they are flown. When we went up, my instructor demonstrated a few and then gave me control, so that I could fly the rest of them. On this flight I was able to focus on improving my take-offs, landings and especially my radio calls. Since it was a busy day at CYYJ, I really had to concentrate on what the other aircraft around me were doing and their intentions for the time I was in the air. This flight also gave me an opportunity to fine tune small issues like altitude control as well as air speed control, hough mine was pretty good, it got even better and more consistent with the amount of circuits we did.