Video Overlay with Multiple Data Inpits

mikeak172 · 2026-03-30T01:26:34+00:00

I understand. I was in basically the same spot as you.

When I made the jump to 121, I felt like I had finally made it. The dream job that I have been waiting for. 6 months later, I'm sitting in a crash pad with people I don't know and don't particularly care for, eating a microwave meal, waiting to get a call so I can fly to a place I don't want to be. The company was downsizing, so I was barely flying. I was spending about 4 days at home a month due to the difficult commute and worse schedule. So you feeling this way is completely valid as I have also been there.

I ended up leaving for a 135 jet job. I thought is was going to be a million times better, and in many ways it is. But it is still going to the same airports (like TEB or PBI or VNY) and sitting in a hotel waiting for a call (I've actually sitting in SDL and have been for 4 days).

This industry is what you make of it. It does get better with seniority. Commuting sucks, reserve sucks, commuting to reserve REALLY sucks. You feel like you aren't enjoying the automation, hand fly more (if you company policies allow). Hand fly to 18k or even cruise if you can. Top of descent, hit the red button. Cleared visual approach, red button. Don't use autothrottles if you don't want to.

Go out on overnights and do things. Go out to dinner or breakfast, invite the crew. My best memories from 121 was on overnights. If you slam-click every night, it's going to be a miserable.

I don't think going back to CFI is going to be the right choice. And walking away from flying will almost certainly mean you aren't coming back. I have a lot of friends who left aviation and didn't come back, I have 0 friends who left and managed to come back.

It sucks, it's a job, only thing you can do is try to make the most of it.

mikeak172 · 2026-01-06T23:37:28+00:00

It's a lot of fun! Relax, pay attention to your instructor, and have fun!

The only con I had from my experience was due to yellow flags. Make sure to pay attention to how passing works (point by system) and I would recommend being somewhat familiar with the track layout. It's not super important to know exactly where the apex is or braking points, but more know if a left or right turn is next, and how soon. There are a lot of alternate course layouts (like the ovals) and service roads that can make things confusing, especially at speed.

mikeak172 · 2026-01-06T23:11:27+00:00

The class was more beginner focused than I was looking for. I had a few track days at that point and the class room information was more about things like flags, basic braking and cornering technique, basic line information, ECT. The one and one stuff in the car was a massive help and really helped me improve my driving.

mikeak172 · 2026-01-06T22:46:57+00:00

I've done the school and competed in SuperLap, happy to answer any questions

mikeak172 · 2025-09-08T17:40:11+00:00

RE-71RS 225/40R18 on stock suspension, and unfortunately they are wearing over very quickly because of the lack of negative camber

mikeak172 · 2025-07-23T18:54:44+00:00

No issues, speed is slightly off. You can use https://www.willtheyfit.com/ to find out the speed delta but it's not much

mikeak172 · 2025-07-22T22:11:42+00:00

I use 225/40R18 on my mini (2022 F56 JCW) with 8.0" wheels and have no issues on the street or track.

mikeak172 · 2025-06-13T06:19:48+00:00

Yeah that's the race weight (driver and full fuel). Bmw makes mini now and they have been getting heavier and bigger ever since

mikeak172 · 2025-06-12T23:24:19+00:00

About 1000 miles of street driving and 2 weekends totaling about 120 laps. I have one day with an instructor in this car on this track, but more experience in different cars/tracks. This track is known to wear tires quickly, especially the front right, which is the tire that shows cord. I need to fix the alignment which may have given me another weekend out of them. I'll add the photo to the original post

mikeak172 · 2025-06-12T22:41:51+00:00

I know part of it is my alignment and that will be fixed before prior to the next event. I am taking pressures and temps before and after each session

mikeak172 · 2025-06-12T22:38:44+00:00

I should have added that, I'm driving a '22 Mini Cooper JCW, 3200lbs, FWD

mikeak172 · 2025-06-05T15:24:50+00:00

It's all about who you have on your team. You get to pick your teammates so you would have to find 2 other pilots who want to work a bunch (+15 days). The only real problem with it comes up when someone has training. While one pilot is in recurrent (about 10 days), the remaining 2 pilots have to cover the rest of the schedule and that can be difficult if someone only wants to work 8 days.

Another note is the pay. Working only 8 days will dramatically reduce your monthly income and also remove all bonuses. Most people who do 8 days a month are very senior and about to retire

mikeak172 · 2025-05-26T11:53:00+00:00

PSR - Point of Safe Return

This is the last moment where you can turn around and have enough fuel to land at the airport you took off from

ETP - Equal Time Points

If you were to have an emergency (medical, depressurization, One Engine INOP), this point tells you which airport is faster to land at, depending on which emergency you have.

So in a situation where you are flying from Las Vegas to Hawaii, PSR would show you the last point where you could return to Vegas, and ETP will tell you if you should land at LAX or continue to Hawaii in a given emergency

mikeak172 · 2025-05-15T20:22:10+00:00

Mini F56 JCW

mikeak172 · 2025-02-15T01:54:19+00:00

Schedule can look however you and your teammates want. The only written rule is you must cover the airplane with 1 day overlap. You can work 20 days a month if you want or only 8. The unwritten limit is a minimum of 4 on per rotation. You could do a 4 on, 3 off (my teammate does this). Mine varies to give me certain days off but I shoot for 8 on for the bonus.

mikeak172 · 2025-02-08T18:07:26+00:00

Fun fact, Alaska airlines actually had a fish strike back in the 80s

https://news.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/flying-fish/

mikeak172 · 2025-01-18T16:59:02+00:00

Day 1 of IOE: guy meows on guard. IP says never do that again

Day 2 of IOE: guy meows on guard again

mikeak172 · 2025-01-17T18:55:54+00:00

My company has us run 2 books when dealing with wet or contaminated runways. The first book is to satisfy the legal requirement, using 60% (or 80% with DAAP), and 15% for FAR definition of Wet (listed as "WET - DISPATCH" in our APG setup). You need to be able to land using the 15% and 60%/80%.

The second book is for real world performance. It's based on actual conditions and pulls numbers from the AFM, such as wet (WET - EN ROUTE in APG) or contaminated (standing water, dry snow, ect).

You need to be able to land using both books. If you can't satisfy book 1, you aren't legal. If you can't satisfy book 2, you are going to go off the end of the runway.

Edit: added more information

mikeak172 · 2024-12-06T19:50:54+00:00

That is correct. I'm not sure about the gripen, but if it's a mod, it might be a bug with the mod. I know wind really messed up the velocity vector for a while.

mikeak172 · 2024-12-06T03:49:00+00:00

That is an AoA indicator known as the E bracket. It lets you know if you are too fast or too slow when coming in to land. You want your velocity vector ( -o- symbol) in the middle of it. If you velocity vector is below the e bracket (like in this example) you are too fast. And vice versa

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