Keeping up appearances...

It's been a while since I've posted anything here and to be honest, that's mainly because I don't have any photos to put up. Since my last post, my new course (no known as CP25 - not sure what happened to 24) have started in Bournemouth. In the month or so we've been here, as well as complete a week of death by powerpoint and some familiarisation on the new aircraft systems and displays we've done 2 complete phases. Phase 1: UK Orientation - 5 sims followed by a check ride - a combination of getting us up to scratch doing things the Bournemouth/UK way and getting used to the UK's different airspace types and services. Phase 2: Single Pilot IRT preparation - 6 full Instrument rating test profile sims flown along most of the common Bournemouth test routes including Bristol Filton and Lullsgate, Southampton, Cardiff and Alderney and assessed at the end of the phase using a random route. We've also done a qualification laid down by the CAA upgrading our partial instrument rating taken in a twin star with a modern electric panel to a full instrument rating; and a radio operating license for flying in the UK - no more Kiwi style 'g'day mate, how's it going, coming in to land... etc.' now. Next stage is in the plane as soon as the groups in front of us make some progress. Then it's 6 flights to instrument rating and 10 more flights before we move onto jet simulators and multi crew work....... But for the time being it's back to Hamilton style watching the weather pass by and enjoying the delights of Bournemouth town for at least another week...