Saturday, January 26, 2013

E- pilots.

Today was time to cash in on the great Christmas present PJ gave me of time in the Air Canada flight simulator. The two of us headed to YVR for a few hours of flying time on a Boeing 767.

The simulator is the real one that Air Canada pilots train on to get rated for the aircraft...so everything in the cockpit is identical to an actual plane. Using Disney ride style hydraulics, the plane moves, shutters and sounds just like the real deal. Apparently crashing the simulator has been known to traumatize more than one aspiring pilot.

Both PJ and I struggled to get a smooth, all-the-passengers-clapping type of landing, but were happy to be able to say that everybody made it out alive on each of our circuits.

While I'm not about to run out and get the latest version of flight simulator or try to join Air Canada, it was a really cool experience and a fun afternoon. Our guide Terry let us buzz skyscrapers downtown, simulate almost zero visibility, fly at night and have an engine fire. Maybe the coolest part was finally having enough leg room on an Air Canada flight.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013

E- Cypress

It was so beautiful after school on Friday that we decided to head up the mountain. Our friend Naomi, who has a one room cabin in the woods at Cypress, invited us to stop by for some hot chocolate and sledding. The kids loved it!

It's really cool to be able to get into the snow and feel so far from the city, less than 30 minutes from our house.

Friday, January 11, 2013