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Dan's Web Site
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Date: 2-7-2010
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Number of Hours: 0.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Solo - Tailwheels, Etc - Winter Haven, FL
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To get away from all of the snow and cold weather I planned a trip to Florida in late January / early February. I wanted to run the Miami marathon and I also wanted to finish up my private pilot's license somewhere away from all of the distractions of work and household chores, etc. After researching several accellerated flight training programs I finally settled on a 2-week program at Tailwheels, etc located in Winter Haven, FL.
I had a wonderful time but as luck would have it the weather was terrible. I really can't complain since back home my wife and family had to deal with two large snow storms that dumped two feet of snow each! Yikes! All I had to deal with was rain, wind, and chilly temperatures.
I didn't feel prepared enough to run the full Miami marathon so I switched to the half. I felt pretty good running the race but I was also felt a little disappointed for woosing out, even though it was the right decision.
My flight training in Winter Haven was a blast. My instructor was Nick Lewis who was wonderful. We flew in a Piper Warrior - N121DL. My solo was on Sunday and even though it wasn't my first solo ever, Nick still celebrated by cutting off my shirt tail and having everyone sign it.
I had many wonderful experiences including our dual cross-country with 2 other planes down to Key West, experiencing a flat on the nose wheel on landing, a pre-solo check-ride with Old Salt Fred Moulding in some of the windiest conditions imaginable and receiving an almost unheard of compliment from him after the ride,,,but ultimately time ran out before I was ready to take my checkride with the DPE.
Fred and Nick agreed to let me finish things up in April when I come down again for Sun-n-Fun.
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Nick Lewis trimming my shirt tail
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It's chilly in Florida in February!
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Nick Lewis and I next to Warrior N121DL at Tailwheel's, Etc in Winter Haven, FL
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