(Cross posted from Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/1006575.....ts/S81CSWWpUKQ )

Had an amazing time at MFF 2011. The staff was great, hotel staff amazingly helpful (with OMG number of bags in our room).

The Flying Furs panel went SO well I was amazed. Thanks so much to Hunter and Duke Hyena for being co-presentors. We had over 15 people (few came late & at least 1 left early so real # I am not sure on) show up, 100% gave positive feedback and 100% want to do it again next year, with a few minor changes this panel will be so great. I can't wait until I do the panel again.

I had a good roommate in The Irate Fox and of course my <3 Hunter was at my side :)

Fursuit photos did not leave me burned out like it did last year. Having Bourbon Buck there to help Dex and myself was amazing as was Cala's new updates to the software he wrote. Thanks so much guys.

Man I did not realize I have not updated this journal in some time.

I have passed all tests and I am now a private pilot. I have continued flying and have over 85 hours in the airplane. I am now looking forward to starting my Instrument training this fall/winter.

I also will be hosting along with a few other furs a Flying Furs panel at MFF this year.

So i did it! After a long road and my 3rd time starting up flight training (2x ending for various reasons) I have finally soloed. http://twitpic.com/496rli Here is a pic of me and my CFI. Good times!!!
Next up cross country!

I have been asked to post a few more aviation photos. So here you go :)

Has a great time. Really a class act con. Had a great time fursuiting in JET for the first time http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4406637/ <3 So much fun.

Winding down in Berlin one last night before the long flight home.

Thanks to everyone for a great time! Felix and Doggie you two rock :) thank so much!

Really looking forward to it, just wish I could be in Germany longer.

Just got tickets for me and my pocket pup (alias_pup) to head to Germany for EF. Cant wait!

I just took delivery of my new car !!

Very nice, the nav is sooo cool and I have way too much to read on how to use everything.

2010 VW Jetta SportWegen TDI

Blue Graphite Metallic (i hope if not going platinum gray if there are major issues getting blue)
Black Interior
DSG Automatic Transmission
54" Panorama Sunroof
GPS
iPod dock


Found a few things i did not know about already including it has a 115v plug in the rear seat area!

Few minor issues, one the fuel tank is on the other side... that will take a bit to get use to. Also the headlights do not turn on automatically, again something to get use to.

Oh and the Nav rocks!

So I could write a long post about how amazing traveling to Switzerland and staying with Felix and his doggie was but I am lazy. Lets just say I had a great time and can't wait to go back. We traveled all over going to Zurich and Lucerne. Felix and I went to see a great aviation museum. On the day before EF two of their friends came over for a BBQ and we had lots of fun drinking and eating that night.

Photos of Switzerland and Suhl http://gallery.me.com/samw#100232

EF was amazing. For sure one of the best Cons I have been to. The hotel and staff where great. The bar layout made hanging w/ friends very easy. It was so nice meeting new friends and getting to hang out w/ old ones. I really cant list you all since i am sure I will forget someone on here and that would be mean. But you all made it a great convention and a vacation that was really stress free and needed. I am really looking forward to attending EF again. Thanks everyone!

(EF pics not gone though yet)

Ok i know it is like 6 months later... But I finally got off my ass and did the organizing and minor edits to the photos from then. So here you go, hope you like. http://gallery.me.com/samw#100192

Ok, Flight #3 in and i logged 1.7 hours! this is the most i have ever done and my mind is mush. We did some slow speed flight, a few power off (idle) stalls, power on stalls. That was all review from 9 year ago really so I did not feel out of control on it but it still really worked my mind keeping everything in control. We also worked on some instrument flying. This was the first time that i put on goggles so that was real odd. I did feel real comfortable with them on and really watched the instruments. I did as well as I expected from myself so that was good. I also flew to a new airport Waupaca Municipal Airport (KPCZ). We set up to do a landing but I was too fast so we just did a go around. The next landing was well... poor... Kate took over and cleaned up the landing and we talked about what happened. I took off with out issue and we went around again this landing was better but not as good as I wanted. we then went back Brennand (K79C) and by then my mind was mush so my radio skills where only ok. The landing was better so that was 3 for the day. All where done a bit fast and a bit high on approach. Will have to work on that as my comfort level increases. Over all again she said i did good other then that one landing.

Kate had a ruff day at home so I feel bad for her having to deal with my less then stellar landings. Oh there has been some questions about costs. The airplane (Cessna 172) runs me $106/hour+tax and Kate's time is $40/hour.

Feeling accomplished yet... not sure about things... excitement/anxiety? I am for sure over analyzing things.

So we talked a bit before and after the flight. She helped me w/ the preflight i did feel rusty with that. She asked questions i had no idea the answer to but I felt I should have know. After preflight I taxied down the the end of the runway more or less ok, though not as cleanly as I wanted but i did stay near the center line. I did not turn hard enough at the end for run up so she had to taxi a bit over the grass some to get in position to take off, she was not thrilled about that. I made the radio calls (not bad, I it down for a non-controled airport) then she took off and got us to 3k feet MSL and then we started to do level flight then simple turns. She was happy I was using the rudder and could keep things nice and level and turn well. We worked on more turns to set courses (north, south, east, west, etc.) and again she was happy though it was not sharp as i wanted. Playing w/ power settings got me a bit out of my game as far as staying at altitude. I keep slowly gaining or loosing altitude... will work on that more for sure. Mentally i was a bit overwhelmed with info again, trying to learn the lay out of the panel, it does not have the same layout i was use to in the other 172 about 9 years ago. Plus some of the labels are worn off so I was not sure where some things where... I need to sit in the plane for a bit just to study the lay out of things. Some of it is in places i would never put it. Not sure why the transponder is so far out of the way for example. I would have never put it there, also some switches i can not see with out bending over to find. Anyway... She too back controls and landed.

After helping tie down the airplane (learned a new knot) we chatted a bit more and I paid the bill... this is going to be $ lol. She is more corporate then my old instructor, not sure if that is good or bad yet. How ever she is not as corporate as some so that is good. Other then that not sure... the over thinking comes into the can i do thisdo i want to do this, wanting it to be right the first time etc. Next flight time is Monday at 4... but i am thinking of putting that on hold until i talk w/ my friend Brian... (he was a CFI so will try to bounce some thoughts off him). ook, i am over sleepy and mentally wiped out and still on edge a bit... i hate this feeling... oh well...

So FCN... Got to see and meet some amazing furs. Drank some good beer, though one was a bit bitter for my normal fair. Got to drive fast in Nbowa's car... And realized there are still sucky hotels out there. That was the only downfall for me this con. The hotel... how can it be put, it was hot, humid, bad beds, bad plumbing, bad AC and apathetic staff, though they where alway friendly to me. So now that you got the $.05 tour take a look at my photos i took there. If you find one you dont want online let me know.

http://jet-der-hund.livejournal.com/3197.html

Well I hope you like!

Jet Der Hundephotograph

What can I say, I want to know "What the frak is going on." I am very excited about this 4th and final season of BattleStar Galactica. This has far become my fav TV show currnely on, and yes I will be very sad to see it go, as I was with The Sapranos. So if you want to know where the frak I will be at 9PM Centeral... I will give you one guess

I will be trying to figure out "What the frack is going on." http://www.scifi.com/index.php?clip=frak

Started a LJ a few weeks back. http://jet-der-hund.livejournal.com/ Not much to see there now... but we will see if I post there enough to make it worth it.

jet

Just changed accounts on FA. Did not like my old profile name so after much thinking (over thinking?) and help from a dear friend have come up with this new profile name. Jet is my fur name so needed to have that, Der Hund is German for The Dog. It works well on a few areas, I am of German ancestry and the great dane is a German breed so there :)

WOOF

Jet