Depressing...

The weather and lack of social interaction in the past couple days is making me feel somewhat depressed.  I am glad school starts again today so some of the routine will return and bring back a certain level of comfort.  It is strange how tough it can be when you don't get to fly.  Since my internet was down and I had a lot of extra time I decided to do some doodles for a possible Class patch.  I attached a picture.  I think it would be a cool patch with lots of meaning to me.  The tail number on the heli is not arbitrary :)

Great flight...

That was a great flight!  Wind stayed just below 25 gust limit so it was windy, but that is nothing new.  In fact I like it!  I did the most beautiful hovering auto today, it was like landing with power.  My IP loved it.  We also did straight in autos from 700 AGL and I am getting pretty comfortable with falling towards the ground while managing my airspeed and rotor RPMs.  The funniest thing was after I came to a hover and rejoined the needles my IP says: "On the go" so I start a normal take-off and right about 50 knots he goes "abort".  I know this means I am to do a "quick stop" and come to a hover.  What my IP forgot is that he has never showed one to me or made me practice one before.  So in my mind I am debating if I should remind him - I decide against it since I know the maneuver from the sim and from reading about it.  So I pull hard aft cyclic while dropping the collective and giving it hard right pedal - and do a "perfect" (my IP's words) quick stop to a nice stable hover.  I am smiling ear to ear and he says:".. that was perfect but it seems like you hesitated just a bit!"  At this point I start laughing and tell him that was my first quick stop ever.  Then he laughs and says: "That's right you haven't done them with your previous instructor! Well that makes it even better!"  I feel great!