Joe is AWESOME!

Hey everyone! So yesterday was Joe's big Nav check and just as I thought he would, he walked away with a 3E..meaning an excellent overall with only three downgrades! SO GOOD! I couldn't be more proud! I'm recovering from my week of sickness...ugh...I went to the doctor on Tuesday with a high fever, massive headache, painful cough, sinus infection, and uncontrollable shivering! It was pretty ridiculous! Today I'm down to a stuffy nose and occassional cough :)

(Joe) The weather here has been down right crazy...there has been severe icing and turbulance around, so both Tuesday and Today people took off, but they couldn't come back to Columbus, and they have to spend the night elsewere....fortunately I haven't had to do that...Tuesday I was planing all day for my checkride...we had to have 4 plans ready at brief time, and be able to flex to any one of those depending on the birds and weather(we actually have a forecast model to predict the amount of bird activity on our low levels, and if it is out of limits we cannot fly that low level) The checkride included a low level (500' Above the ground) for about 40 minutes...its pretty fun avoiding cell phone towers and other man made objects....after the low level I had to do a visual leg navigating from airport to airport or lake to lake, road to road if you will...so I did that to Chattanooga TN, where we stoppped for lunch...after lunch we took off and I had to do two approaches one into Chattanooga and the other into Huntsville, AL and then we came back to Columbus...After we landed the checkpilot gave me an emergency situation and I had to secure the emergency and talk my way through it to a safe conclusion...then he asked me a lot of general knowledge questions for about 45 minutes...after I answered all questions to his liking the checkride was over... A 3E is a very good grade and this was the most intense checkride of pilot training...It counted for 65% of my overall score and should allow me to choose where I go next (hopefully)...There is one checkride remaining, but it doesn't count towards your assignment...this next phase we will be doing formation in the T-1, we will practice Air Refueling and Air Drop only 15 flights stand between me and my wings...We find out our next plane on March 20th and Graduate on April 4th...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... just gotta stay focused :)
We love you guys, stay warm up there!!!