The Fight for Charlie!

After a rocky start, Adam is coming along really well with his flight training. So much so, that he's flying patterns at the actual airport and not having to go out in the boonies in the test area. Sometimes, I feel like I'm enrolled as well because I flashcard him all the time and I'm learning quite a bit. I had no idea that there was a military alphabet, but I have fun trying to remember it. Anywho, now what I look forward to when he walks in the door is how it went in the fight for Charlie, pattern, that is.

Charlie pattern is the most popular heli flight pattern at the school. It's popular because you can usually fly it even in iffy weather (for some reason) and the weather hasn't been good for the last couple of weeks. So, if you don't get Charlie - you don't get airborn. Students are only allowed to sign up 15 minutes prior to a flight block and they start lining up way before that, as it's on a first come, first serve basis. Adam has had the 7:30 a.m. flight block all this week and has left the house at 6:00. He's been the first one there all week and of course, he's pretty proud of that. It's kind of turned into a game for him.

He won't tell anyone exactly what time he gets there...Someone asked and he told them 6:25, a whole twenty minutes later than he actually does, because he doesn't want to be beaten there the following day. Additionally, one day this week while "flying" out of the house, he forgot his log book. A huge 'no no' - you have to carry it with you at all times when flying. He figured it out as he was sitting in the lounge waiting to sign up. Of course, the first one there.

So, he decided to leave his backpack there (apparently you can do that) and run to the truck, speed home, speed back and hope people thought he was just in the bathroom. Between the 10 minutes that this took him, a couple of other people trickled in to the school, and when Adam walked back in and sat next to his backpack, eyebrows were raised..."You were here?" one kid asked. "Yeah, bathroom..." Adam said, rubbing his belly.

"Liar! What has Charlie done to you?" I responded when he recounted the story to me. "But, I was there...Amy, it's getting brutal, I gotta do what I gotta do." was his response.

Fair enough. Gotta log those hours.