https://www.nikair.ca/home daily 1.0 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/fe3f45cf-aec8-4884-8983-8a0b5599f061/_DSC2155.jpg Home - Hey, I’m Nik a Toronto-based contract pilot and flight instructor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/83c8afde-4c22-432f-830e-b4e70d3f033a/Screen+Shot+2023-07-18+at+10.32.04+AM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1633395943737-XIZYOTR0YADNGRY9TWB6/specs-summary-bkg__sr22t2x-scaled.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1633396154138-CGBJFINU0EPJEYW3XVCL/IMG_1603.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1633396353630-8BKONB8A5TUHKMP7XMM3/IMG_0873.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1633396567989-5PO2PWWNAR8JX3R1MK7R/IMG_4202.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1634873467914-OAPFBSS1JRU2CQQMW4KF/IMG_3483.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/43645236-ee6c-46ec-bce0-fac6bee6a3e1/_DSC1520.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/0e3bf315-58b7-409a-8498-b6786c9f1514/IMG_8392.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/46e0cc5f-03c9-4056-ba4a-9292717dd35a/_DSC1254.jpeg Home G1000 NXi on Diamond 40 NG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ed24cba9-a610-418d-9021-e6813e7c7834/_DSC2241.jpeg Home Approaching Page, AZ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e984eb32-2e1f-4c5c-b397-b44fcbeff8cf/IMG_6811.jpeg Home Near Page, AZ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1820d168-f114-42ba-bdd5-9bab3a37db2f/IMG_8214.jpeg Home Climbing out of Cancun, Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/a12f0152-3147-4fe6-a730-079e0506c87a/IMG_8183.jpeg Home The Rockies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/f3fd4507-182e-4601-9f60-b2ddb629a444/_DSC2254.jpeg Home Heavenly arrival into Monterey, CA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ab6e8149-3de9-4d1d-a4fc-a365ce2a2701/IMG_8121.jpeg Home Flying along a line of storms looking for a gap through to the other side https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e428e170-f3d4-476c-99f5-a7535a062db5/IMG_7623.jpeg Home TBM 930 cockpit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/76afb890-b2bc-405e-a51f-d381022d63ba/IMG_8046.jpeg Home Somewhere over the Bahamas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/5aac3c07-6704-4c56-b706-39f789cf6176/IMG_8041.jpeg Home Ready for takeoff at the famous St Maarten airport https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/b616fa89-8c96-467d-9009-7653f42ffb33/IMG_7495.jpeg Home Sunrise or sunet? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/79fb1a8d-a8c2-4c8b-a7ce-4ed79962a78e/4B29EBA2-5155-4968-B9D2-7149D7EB3AD0.jpeg Home 6.59 degree approach into Aspen, CO https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/a0b51b0b-7e44-44ef-b1a6-b5480578c311/IMG_5983.jpeg Home Grounded by 1/4 SM vis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/3739275c-5385-4aed-b032-724a0d640427/636D6A32-19AA-4CE2-89FD-A2F61AB34595.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e53a41d8-ba93-4215-a0e6-307e51f9d565/IMG_7150.jpeg Home Sometimes, 6am wheels up pays off https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/2d4a55c8-c6b3-43b6-a41e-6184eb2f7e2d/IMG_6702.jpeg Home TBM training at SIMCOM in Scottsdale, AZ. Going through multiple failure scenarios https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/da0bf58b-4256-4383-a5d4-c38d806640b6/IMG_6580.jpeg Home Boston Logan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/d11c1942-5e38-419a-9cf6-b84217a7a7ed/IMG_6513.jpeg Home Chicago https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/db3225e3-5984-48f9-b339-4c41aac68bd1/IMG_6470.jpeg Home Waiting our turn to depart Washington Dulles IAD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/87dff6c5-68db-4715-9708-e7d1784c6f45/IMG_6264.jpeg Home Cirrus SR22T https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/275f9da6-92a4-4b47-9084-f278fe69e5d8/IMG_6185.jpeg Home Brand-new Diamond DA40 NG, just after delivery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/39aa372a-7012-41d9-ace2-e57fdec90f3a/IMG_6018.jpeg Home Mr Banyan keeps me company https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e7691e9b-6fc8-42be-b0ce-b1d2ce3a5129/IMG_5989.jpeg Home https://www.nikair.ca/contact-flying daily 0.75 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/d8b27b71-2b4f-467f-853f-12e39b23415d/Screen+Shot+2023-07-18+at+11.26.06+AM.png Contract Flying https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/cdcbacd5-25f3-4539-9213-bf9686b256d5/4AF4B86C-B67D-4817-8D10-23F93B7964A9.jpeg Contract Flying https://www.nikair.ca/memorable-flights daily 0.75 2023-07-18 https://www.nikair.ca/memorable-flights/aspen monthly 0.5 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/26f95ae4-eaa3-4056-9a8f-09d5585a373d/IMG_7249.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado First sight of the Rockies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/a479b2a6-51f5-4d2a-916c-41d50a1171da/IMG_7253.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado Approaching further just over Denver at this moment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/aa439fb2-74f5-4bf6-9a8a-46ea9a4a957f/IMG_7284.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado Got lucky with the weather for the most part https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/cb17f060-76e7-447b-a198-c3eb3c6ba2aa/IMG_7285.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado Briefing the LOC-DME E on the G3000. Particular attention is paid to step-down altitudes and descent planning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e398b3da-b32a-46b7-b8b2-bf7a7be70251/IMG_7297.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado In a holding pattern over the mountains as we await our turn for the approach. Because ASE is a one-way airport, departures and arrivals face each other, requiring more separation that usual. Couple this with heavy traffic and you get delay vectors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/4ed941d4-31b9-4fca-96b6-5822bc7d8f35/IMG_7298.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado A steep approach truly catches you by surprise the first time you fly one. If you don't have your gear and flaps down, and speed on target by the time you hit final descent point, you're simply not going to have a stable approach https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/2e1b6394-5388-4c61-a7d2-912d3dedd53a/IMG_7301.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado Typically busy GA ramp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ef6f6d5b-b103-41dd-8c97-d534e17761a3/IMG_7299.jpeg Memorable Flights - Aspen, Colorado It's a wrap! https://www.nikair.ca/memorable-flights/new-orleans monthly 0.5 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/35a4e683-a525-45d7-93e2-de3ed71000ed/IMG_6270.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Starting the day with exercise by pulling the Cirrus out of its cage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/cf903bbd-4d3d-495f-97b6-ee32adb01bea/IMG_6271.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Ready to board! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/42f70efb-8c69-4218-982b-f6cebdc2c9d2/IMG_6273.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans From the beginning it looked like I was going to have to work a little extra hard that day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/8db5eb66-9c97-4190-882b-632c32891a2a/IMG_6274.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Reaching flight levels in a piston single. Fairly doable in the Cirrus, but I much prefer to stay at 10,000 and avoid having to use supplemental oxygen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/56b5f804-c6fa-49b7-a51f-11d53f4feee0/IMG_6275.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans So far so good https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/816efdd5-c240-4540-9c19-98cd1775d721/IMG_6276.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans This was a race to our planned fuel stop in Lexington, KY. The goal was to land, clear customs, grab fuel, and depart before the storm over SDF arrived at LEX. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/3ffa3605-fed5-4d2e-b960-70c066bc1ecc/IMG_6278.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans It didn't quite work out. Got caught in the rain during the ground stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/bbc28acd-d0fd-4b4a-9ded-6461693e45a2/IMG_6282.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/5b2adfd1-c5e8-4bfb-b9e1-9656b8cbb924/IMG_6280.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans After the storm had passed, we had an opening and departed to the south. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/93722794-2afe-4d6b-8dbd-6f2bdbb06012/IMG_6281.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Negotiated a detour to the west with ATC to get more distance between us and the retreating storm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/72a2a793-3847-4e8a-a409-2e8703380f23/IMG_6283.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/cc75106d-6fa3-4fb2-b432-f2bdb4739ad7/IMG_6284.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans You couldn't pay me enough to fly through one of these willingly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/da618b48-a33e-4d43-8046-bac0354886ee/IMG_6288.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/191b4cc9-9fbb-4b10-8006-98ee5290d876/IMG_6285.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Soon enough, the Atlantic ocean appeared. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/394d6a4e-6f57-4071-9081-33e6859555b4/IMG_6291.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/63111345-29fc-49b1-a9a7-c338666bcfe7/IMG_6289.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans A sunset. They just don't get old. I'm sorry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/a5aacb28-6043-4e01-b98f-9fed41bd7155/IMG_6290.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans Approaching New Orleans area from the south-east. A bit of a detour but that's how flow works there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/48dcc118-d957-4c67-bd7e-5de63d89eb8b/IMG_6293.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ecdf589b-e991-470c-8db4-665270c0d017/IMG_6294.jpeg Memorable Flights - New Orleans And that's a wrap! https://www.nikair.ca/memorable-flights/turks monthly 0.5 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/c7a28573-c03f-4efd-be9a-d9f822410f75/Screen+Shot+2023-07-17+at+11.40.13+PM.png Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Mission route that would take just under 8 hours block to complete. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/b7a2948d-b40c-4a1e-972b-dbb33fb3cf9c/69315122701__382C1211-E763-41B5-8FBA-4715D3FE8C3E.fullsizerender.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Waiting for a fuel truck in Burlington, VT. Shout out to Heritage FBO - one of my all-time favourites, and they have CAA fuel! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/e057ec10-6c8f-417b-93fa-06633628b519/_DSC1527.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Can you guess the east-coast US city we're (nearly) flying over? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/fead3234-8346-41f4-a785-8bf81efb387b/IMG_7407.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Approaching Top of Descent for Provo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/6c0c32b8-7707-450c-9b1b-779ed7a9207a/_DSC1543.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Spectacular waters of the Caribbean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/58a0250e-e7df-4106-8879-12a3bd925467/_DSC1539.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Can you spot the airport? This was taken on departure out of Provo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ebd454ab-3dcd-4c0f-ab0f-81ced4a263cf/_DSC1540.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos While at PLS, I had to make a "quick hop" to Nassau to pick up a passenger and bring them back to Provo. Nassau was a complete mess. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/61050174-33f3-462a-ad3b-913616a79e9c/IMG_7418.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Got tucked under an Airbus ACJ in Nassau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/57c48502-6024-4f23-bba8-0f44aec3b572/IMG_7419.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos This Virgin spent at least 40 minutes waiting for a gate. Not untypical for Nassau. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/9b175f23-58a5-44b8-aa19-a01683328d80/_DSC1690.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Almost broke my rental car getting here, but the privacy of this "secret" beach was worth it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/859044ac-2600-4200-9482-bde7948400af/_DSC1650.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Last night in paradise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/cf792ef7-4188-4a9c-a7c7-8853d41343b2/IMG_7466.jpeg Memorable Flights - Turks & Caicos Trying to set a ground speed record north-eastbound in the winter. https://www.nikair.ca/memorable-flights/page-az monthly 0.5 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/0f41bca2-51d8-4864-a078-171e073978e3/IMG_6806.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona Preflight at Las Vegas LAS where I had arrived the night before on Air Canada. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/516e4732-e88c-4e72-a145-2e69310beecf/IMG_6808.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona Waiting for takeoff clearance at LAS. The OAT was showing 35 degrees Celsius. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1710358c-900c-4349-99ec-6e2963dbf776/IMG_6832.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona Shortly after leaving Vegas, the canyons appear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/14960dc8-e56a-4556-8b47-5e13fa121ea4/IMG_6831.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona The G3000 avionics suite of the TBM 930. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/9230e84e-fc11-402c-8fe9-cc97e87362f7/IMG_6829.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/83c35218-3aba-42a9-891d-c60506fc0673/IMG_6825.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/760b5e14-6b45-4a83-97f7-22d9c49b86fc/IMG_6827.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/564dd153-7b15-4f83-b1d9-03a60674452c/IMG_6826.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/f08bc2a1-b8b8-4fa3-8689-8b505a810053/IMG_6828.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona Lake Powell https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/1c2b06c6-adab-48ce-b9ec-982e5946c108/IMG_6810.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona A Cessna was ahead of me for the airport. They offered to get out of my way and let me go first but I politely declined and did a slow 360 turn of my own to create some space. I didn't mind as every second flying here is pure joy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/7812eb5d-fe86-4dae-83be-72fb2749d186/IMG_6823.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona After departing Page to the East, the Monument Valley can be visible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/c500924b-d42b-4a6a-8103-0ff74ce1c2f6/IMG_6819.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona No shortage of jet traffic in the flight levels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/3f68be93-4998-4f5c-af89-be8ec7aadee7/IMG_6821.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona How a cell looked on the radar... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/ca1c038a-be8e-4f80-a680-a698142c7318/IMG_6822.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona ...vs how it looked out of the window. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/8fa9a125-64c1-45d3-9e2a-64ade23c9350/IMG_6816.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona Days are short when flying eastbound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/614a95ee1057ef457213f51f/53addcd1-3f95-424e-8a2a-ba855cc6b707/IMG_6815.jpeg Memorable Flights - Page, Arizona That's a wrap!