Tomcatter

Its been 2 years since I've last had a flying lesson. After reading the news late 2008 of a collision near Bankstown Airport, that got me thinking of flying again. I think I felt that there needs to be more better pilots in the air to avoid such things. Perhaps, more pilots like me. But ofcourse it was a truly unfortunate accident. Anyway, I decided to start 2009 with a flight lesson. Continuing where I left off last time, I was doing circuits for 1.4hrs. Ie Taking off and landing. I must admit, I find that most fun. Always trying to get as smooth a landing as possible is the ultimate goal. But even after 2yrs without flying, it felt so normal to be up their in the skies. For me, it was comfortable and exhilerating. Like thats the only place I wanted to be. The air was cool, so not too hot. Usually if its really hot, it makes me tired faster than usual. But I think what I found most gratifying was that even though I haven't flown for 2yrs, the instructor was still impressed that I was able to trim the aircraft very well. Ie, make the airplane fly straight without touching the controls. I remember, when I first learnt about trimming the aircraft, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get the hang of it. But after a few lessons and feeling of the plane, I managed to do it. Even 2yrs ago, I had a different instructor for 1 day.  I felt greatly honoured when after the flight, he told me that it was a very smooth flight. He also told me that my usual instructor had informed him beforehand that I was very good with the plane. Usually if I don't do something for 2yrs, it would take me some time to get back into doing whatever it is. So I was surprised myself that I was still able to remember how to do preflight check as well as flying the aircraft.

 

As for the actual flying, i find it very exciting to land the plane and doing a touch and go(ie take off again straight away). I'm always inspired by US Navy pilots that get to land on aircraft carriers. Unfortunately, I'd never get to have that experience. But its something I'd like to visualize when i'm landing on the runway. Its a great sense of achievement to land the plane. But the ultimate goal is to land the plane as smoothly as possible. I remember, the best landing i've ever experienced was on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Beijing. The landing was soooo smooth, I couldn't feel the plane impact on the runway! And the pilot was also an Australian! I hope I can make my landings like that. After the landings, its straight into the take off. Which for me, is just as exciting. Everything must be done so quick, it feels like being a fighter pilot during world war 2 and scrambling to get into the air. Once the plane has landed, I must immediately raise the flaps and increase the throttle to full power for immediate take off.

 

Unfortunately, this flight wasn't cheap. I flew for 1.4hrs and it cost me $290  

But this year, I definitely will make a bigger commitment to flying. I hope to start studying soon to atleast get my solo done. Though after doing the take off and landings by myself, I'm very confident about doing my solo flight next time. Ofcourse, it will be even more fun when I can take passengers next time. I just hope that I can win lotto soon....

I don't know what I can say about my life. Some would say I'm very lucky. I might think the opposite. After watching the series Macross Frontier, it got me started thinking. Thinking about my role in my family. Thinking about where I am. I'm the only son to my mother. I'm the older brother to my sister.  I have to protect them both.

 

But at times, I feel I have failed them both. They both have stories of trouble and danger. Even life threatening stories. What saddens me most is that in their stories, I could do nothing to help them being on the other side of the country.  I wasn't able to be there for them in their time of need. As a result, they have suffered terrible experiences. They have had their lives threatened without me even knowing it until its over. All I think about is how much of a difference could be made had I been there for them. Especially my sister. My only sister who was threatened with a gun by armed burglars. Whom I vowed to myself to protect at all costs. Like Brera and Ranka. Though I am glad that she was not harmed, I'm very sad that she had to have such an experience. Especially being a 16 year old girl, I understand how terrifying that experience could be. I'm just as sad that I wasn't there to help her. Everytime I think about it, I visualize myself charging through the house to confront those that threatened my sister. But at the end, I am dissappointed with the fact that I wasn't able to. I wasn't there.

 

Though they smile and talk like the situations never happened, I only think about how unfortunate they had to be to experience such events. My question that can never be answered is, why them and not me?

 

Although I'm lucky that I never had to experience the life threatening situation like that of my sister. I don't feel lucky about it.  Sometimes I feel haunted by it. Although they would not want it, sometimes I'd be repeatedly apologising to them in my mind when i see them years after the event has happened. As the son to my mother. As the brother to my sister. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to protect you in your time of need. I'm so sorry you had to experience such bad events. I just hope that what you feel inside is what you express on the outside. I hope you never think about those times.

 

I believe in Karma. But I don't understand why such bad things had to happen to those I care about and not me.  Sadly, I don't think I ever will.

 

 

 

Well, its been a long time since i've added an entry. I can't even remember the last time that I added something here.

 

I'm really starting to worry about the global economy. The exchange rate of the AUD has taken a huge dive against the USD and the Japanese YEN. This really sux for me. I was hoping to take a holiday next year to Japan. But now that the AUD is about 67 YEN, thats effectively shelved that idea for a long while. Whats worse, that means all the things I order from Japan and US will effectively cost me more. Sometimes its frightening to think about how much they could cost. I'd foresee a 40% increase in cost if the exchange rate doesn't improve  Now thats a lot when we're talking a few hundred dollars worth. Unfortunately, due to my passion for my Tomcats etc I don't see any way around it other than 'flying through the flak' of this economic melt down. I sure hope I survive this. I really can't see myself compromising my diecast aircraft despite the economic situation. Right now, even the thought of having to fork out $100+ for my beloved Tomcats in the future is starting to scare me.

 

Its funny watching the global stock market crumble. There's really nothing you can do about it. Since I've got shares in the stock market, there is also the temptation to pull out and sell off the shares at a loss. But then, its only really a loss if I sell it or the company collapses. Well, thats the only idea thats stopping me from joining the masses and selling off what shares I have left. Right now, I can only think that I'm here witnessing a financial disaster that doesn't seem to be stopping yet. I only hope that we don't fall into the same situation of The Great Depression of the 1920's.

 

I'm not a praying person myself, but I sure hope there are many out there who are praying for this situation to end.... 

I'm soooo excited liao. I finally manage to get a picture of my lovely Tomcat on my bank card!!  I've been trying sooo many times to apply for a picture of a photo of a real Tomcat. But its always been rejected. It must be the copyright issue thing. So I went and took some photos of my diecast aircraft collection. I really liked one of my photos I took of my Tomcat, so I decided to send it in to ANZ bank to see if I can put that on my bank card. Finally they accepted it!! Now I can have my Tomcat with me all the time!! Well, I cant wait til it arrives. I hope it comes out as good as my preview. If so, I might see if I can take more photos of my other Tomcats and apply again hahaha

 

I find it very hard to see, hear or even read about people who are in distress and not being able to do anything about it. I find it especially hard to hear of people's sadness that they had to suffer pain because no one would help them. I only feel this way for those who I believe really didn't deserve it and think that perhaps if I was there, I could have made a difference.

 

When I read about stories that end in something like "I remember feeling the pain when I see the others being able to go out to party while we don't even have enough money for movies and McDonald's." I really wish I could have been there to help. That extract was from a news article about Air New Zealand employing chinese flight attendants and paying them very little compared to New Zealand flight attendants. I don't know if what she said was literally what happened. It would be sooo sad if it was. I wish I could have been there to help them directly in some way.  Especially for something so cheap like McDonalds and a movie. Ofcourse it would be just as sad if I was in that position.

 

Even in games, I have the same feeling. When i'm flying my flight simulator and I see my team mates in trouble, I will try my best to help save them. Even if it meant that I would not survive. I find that in life, just like my games, though I'm mixing with my friends, I'm always watching to make sure they are happy. Make sure they are safe. I remember cycling with a group of friends. Everyone was all over the place but there was one who was always at the back of the group because he couldn't cycle well. So, like an escort pilot escorting bombers home, even though I could cycle faster, I stayed behind so that atleast he'd have some company and made sure he got back alright with the rest of the group. Well I hope I never hear my frens say something like "I remember feeling the pain when I see the others being able to go out to party while we don't even have enough money for movies and McDonald's." when I am around. To me, that would be like leaving a friend behind.  And as the saying goes, "A good soldier never leaves a man behind."

 

I recently watched a series called Stand Off. It has a lot of SWAT people running around and I like seeing SWAT or any other soldiers running around doing their work. But there was one scene that really showed pure heroics. There was a small girl hiding in the bathroom and the bad guy throws a grenade at the SWAT people in the house. The SWAT leader straight away runs to the bathroom and throws his body over the girl. Lucky the grenade didn't hit the SWAT leader or the girl. But I'm always touched by scenes when someone is prepared to sacrifice their life so that others may live. Even though this is a tv show, you know it is something that some people would actually do.

 

But in the end, I feel sad if someone else is sad and dissapointed but even more sad when I know I cannot help them. Ofcourse realistically, I cannot help everyone in the world with a problem. But I hope I can look after those around me.

 

A few weeks back I was sent down to Melbourne for training. Lucky that the head office of my new company is in Melbourne otherwise I wouldn't get the chance to travel like that! Well, while I was there, I had the opportunity to stay in a very nice hotel there. Its called, Sofitel. I think its the best hotel in Melbourne!! Much better than Crown!! I was lucky to get the river view. I could see the Yarra River and the South Bank of Melbourne from my room. And at night, practically all the lights of Melbourne city could be seen from my perch high up in the building. It was wonderful that you could see so much activity, especially in the night. It was like watching ants in a toy city!! My room was soo soo nice. It was big, had a King Size bed all to myself. Aircon, tv and dvd player, nice bathroom and nice furniture. It was sooooo nice, I was actually happy just to stay inside the room. Not to mention my room being on the 47th floor!! It was like my own little house in the sky with all the luxurious furnishings. Even the soap and shampoos were branded!! I won't forget that hotel and I hope to stay there again next time. But it made me feel, like I was really one holiday. Even if it was just for a weekend. I guess its because I usually stay in hotel for holidays and just staying there made me start thinking I was on a really nice holiday. Well, I hope one day I can build a house of my own. I'd want to design my room just like that. Enough room for a King Size bed. Enough room for a table and a couple of arm chairs. enough room for a mini-bar fridge!! And carpet so soft and clean thath you don't mind just sitting on the floor!! The only thing I know i can't have, is to have it in a big tower so like I was living in the sky <sigh> Is this the plead of a birdman? Everyweek I think about it. All my branded soap and shampoo that i took from the hotel reminds me of such a wonderful place. A place I wish I could call home.  

Well, its been a long long time since my last entry. But then again, not much to tell since then...until now.

I just started my first day at my new job as a Business Analyst. To be honest, I have nothing bad to say about my previous job. Only the nicest words. Sure I had my ups and downs, but it surely was a great place. I was looking through some network files at my new place and I came across some software made by my previous company!!

I even saw some of the tools I used to use!!! It really made me think of my old job and made me really miss that place. The work wasn't always that bad. But atleast the people were entertaining. Some with such fascinating stories that I could never imagine myself experiencing. Like travelling around the world on a ship as a crewman like some sort of adventure. When you hear those sort of stories, you know they are those sort of experiences that money cant buy. 

 

I sure miss the atmosphere of my old place. My current place is so new, that there are only about 12-15 ppl in the office until the rest of the company moves in, which wont be for a while.  I wont have the jokes and stories that I very much enjoyed with my work colleagues in my previous place. But oh well, atleast its good to know that I had some great times there and met some really great people. But I guess its just time to move on....