Crazy busy times!

This week has turned crazy!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: I delivered 2 CPL aerodynamics theory lessons each day this week to my two PNG students. While the material was still relatively fresh, as you can probably empathise with, when you get your head in a certain space it takes a while to change gears.

Today I was also the recipient of a briefing on IFR procedures in Australia, as the first session towards getting my instrument rating current over here. It went ok, but I hadn't really had much time to prepare, and as I said my head was in a different space...

In the background I've been trying to make arrangements from a distance to have all my furniture moved out of my house so that it can be rented out unfurnished for some new tenants. Yay for family and friends who are willing to help!

And at the same time as all that I have been submitting forms and waiting with bated breath to see if we would get approval from the Northern Territory government for me to travel to Gove on Friday to collect one of the Arnhem Land GA8s and ferry it to Mareeba this weekend. The Arnhem Land people had set a deadline of 3 pm today (Thursday) to decide whether the flight will happen on Saturday, or if it would need be pushed to next Wednesday, which would have messed up next week's schedule for me but hey. Anyway at 2:45 pm I received a phone call to say they had heard back from the government and since I was going to be in the NT for less than 48 hrs I could claim that I was 'in transit' and wouldn't need a permit, provided I stayed in the official quarantine hotel in Gove (which also happens to be the most expensive option). However, because I would not be holding an onward flight ticket (as I would be the pilot of the flight by which I would be leaving the NT) this was followed by a flurry of emails with supporting letters etc. to explain the situation and try and cover all our bases! Then I had to try and get flights and accommodation booked for tomorrow after the travel desk staff had finished for the day, make arrangements for someone to drop me at the airport in Cairns...

There's still a fair bit to do tomorrow (ironing, packing, printing tickets and letters etc.), but it's my scheduled day off and my flight doesn't leave Cairns until 4:30 pm so there is a little bit of breathing space.

I guess even in MAF there are times when it never rains, but it pours.

After all of that, I am looking forward to doing the ferry flight on Saturday. Although it will involve 8 hrs of sitting in one of the least comfortable seats known to mankind, it will be good to put everything else on standby, just focus on the task at hand, have fun employing some mental maths, and actually fly the plane myself for a change 😉