- FNT (Flight Navigation Test) -

Date : 30 December 2010

Time : 12:00 o'clock in the afternoon

Callsign : APAC 07 T - Captain Younus (the most scariest instructor at our academy)

Aircraft Registration : 9M-NRH

Weather : Cloudy covered most of the sky, recent rain, IMC in the morning

Situation: No aircraft airborne since the morning, even doing a circuit
Mode : Scared..!!

FNT is the test for our navigation exercise..
We have done a lot of navigation, mostly en-route to Terengganu..
Navigation is not only a tour..
We have to go through a test that been conduct by senior instructor at our academy..

The first test in CPL stage..
Instead of IF test and GH test, FNT also important..
And the endurance for the test is about 2:30 hours..

And the instructor that been assigned for my test is Captain Younus..
Oh..
My blood start to race through the vent faster than normal..
And plus, this time the weather quite bad..
Monsoon season at Kota Bharu..
Sometimes, no aircraft flying for one week due to weather..

He just coming back from Hajj..
And I heard, he become more "soft" than before..
Hope that was a fact..
Because he well known as the most brutal instructor..
You know what I mean rite??
I have flown with him once..
My NAV 9..
First NAV in CPL stage..
That time his mood was good, plus that day was the fourth day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration..
Maybe effect from the Ramadhan month..
Alhamdulillah..
But this time??
I'm not sure..
Hope still same..

I go n see him 2 days before the test..
I show him the route..
All the way coastal to Terengganu,..
He disagree..
"This is so easy, better don't have to do FNT.. I want other route"..
Aiseh..
And at the end of the day, I see him for the route..
He ask me to use the route that I show him in the morning..
Because the weather was bad..
Now only he realise..
Thank God..
I prepare everything..
Prepare for the battle..
But, the weather won't allow us to airborne..
The weather never improving..
And I standby for almost 2 weeks for FNT..
Until one moment, feel like don't want to wait anymore..
I just want to sleep at home..
Almost everyday my name appear on the sortie board..

Until one day..
Capt RVK force Capt Younus do done my FNT..

Alamak..
The weather still bad..
How I want to fly in this condition..
I call the ATC..

Me: Assalamualaikum tuan..
ATC: Waalaikumussalam.. (I know, Encik Aznan is on the line)
Me: Maaf tuan.. Nak tanya.. Possible tak for APAC o7T airborne this time for FNT??
ATC: Airborne boleh, tapi mesti RTB (return to base).. Weather teruk en-route.. Cloudy.. Belah sana hujan..
Me: Kalau kitorg nak cross Gong Kedak, then patah balik mcm mna??
ATC: Tak boleh.. Sebab Gong Kedak taknak accept any aircraft this time..
Me: Ok la tuan.. Nanti sy discuss ngan APAC 07.. Terima kasih tuan.. Assalamualaikum..

My conversation with Capt Younus..

Me: Sir, ATC doesn't allow us to fly cross Gong Kedak.. They will not accept us because of the weather..
Capt Younus: How if we change the route?? We go fly in land??
Me: Err.. I'm not sure sir.. But they said the weather in land is worse..
Capt Younus: Its ok.. You prepare the new route.. Then talk with them.. Ok, let see the map..
The new route, we got to Peringat - Pasir Mas - Pasir Ira - Kampung Lubok Bongor - ...................

Me: Kampung Lubok Bongor..?? What kampung is that?? Habislah aku kali ni.. (whispering)

Capt Younus: Ok.. Call tower now.. Ask them.. We fly and check the weather..

I'm shacking..
I pick up the red phone in the operation room..
And press number 5..

Me: Assalamualaikum tuan..
ATC: Waalaikussalam..
Me: Tuan.. Capt Younus nak fly jugak.. Ini route kitorang.. Peringat - ........ bla bla bla.. And we want to check the weather.. Habislah saya tuan.. Kena paksa jugak naik..
ATC: Haha (yes, he laugh at me).. Ok.. Hantar flight plan.. Wait and see how..
Me: Thanks tuan.. Assalamualaikum..

Me: Sir, they allowed us take-off.. And we have to sent the flight plan..
Capt Younus: Ok good.. How much time you need??
Me: 30 minutes sir??
Capt Younus: Oh God.. 30 minutes?? Why so long.. I only give you 10 minutes.. Ask your friend to help you.. Any of your friend here right now??
Me: Yes sir..
Capt Younus: Ok.. Ask them to help you..

In the briefing room..
And batch 24 was there..

Capt Younus: All of you, help this guy.. Hurry..!!
Batch 24: Ok sir..

Batch 24: Kau nak naik jugak ke??
Me: Yela.. Kena paksa naik.. Adoi.. Teruk betul.. Sardinlah aku kali ni..
Batch: Jangan risau.. Kitorang tolong kau..
Me: Ok.. Thanks..

We prepare all the thing..

Map..

Flight plan..

I ask them to sent it to tower..

No need to key in..

Only local NAV..

And I walk to the aircraft..
While waiting for him, I memorise the map..
As much as I can..

And he enter the aircraft..
Request start, taxi and clear for line up..

Encik Nasa was the ATC on the line..

During back track..

ATC: APAC 07 T, be advice Pasir Mas is raining at the moment..
Me: Copies sir, APAC 07 T..

Don't have to mention actually..
When I see to the sky, I know the other side far from airport is raining..
And we airborne..

Once approaching 2000 ft, I can see the cloud..
So thick..
Hard to see Peringat..
Overhead Peringat, I turn to Pasir Mas..
Heading of 210..
And suddenly he said..

Capt Younus: What are you doing??
Me: Tracking to Pasir Mas..
Capt Younus: Are you sure??
Me: Standby sir..

And I realise, the heading on the map is wrong..
It suppose to be 280..
And then, I correct my heading..
He start to "bebel" to me..
Hope he will never punch me..
Until I forgot to brief him about Pasir Mas..
That time, we approaching Pasir Mas..

Capt Younus: My dear.. What you suppose to do.. You suppose to brief me 3 minutes before approaching your reporting point.. Now you doing your FNT.. Not a normal NAV.. You suppose to know.. The road, the river, the town, everything..
Me: Ok sir.. Sorry Sir..
Capt Younus: Ok.. Continue..

After Pasir Mas, we turn our aircraft heading to Pasir Ira..
And water drop start to hit the screen of our aircraft canopy..
And we climb..
Try to avoid the cloud..
The cloud was so thick..
Hard for us to see the ground..
Until one moment..
We I don't know where I am..

Capt Younus: Can you see the ground??
Me: No sir..
Capt Younus: River?? Anything??
Me: Standby sir.. Yes.. River sir..
Capt Younus: See the map.. Where are we??
Me: I think we approaching Pasir Ira sir..

This time we are on KB approach frequencies..
Due to traffic..

Approach: APAC 07T, approach..

Capt Younus: Approach, APAC 07 T, go ahead..
Approach: One aircraft will cross you at 5500 ft, 2 o'clock high.. Report sighting..

We struggle to have visual contact with the aircraft.. Then, we have visual.. Hard to see..

Capt Younus: APAC 07 T visual with traffic..
Approach: Copied.. Maintain 5000 ft..

One moment of silent..

I don't know what to say..
At that moment, I know that we just pass Pasir Ira and and approaching Kuala Krai..

Capt Younus: Tower, APAC 07 T negative proceed our navigation, request RTB via Pasir Mas..
Tower: APAC o7 T copied.. Descend 2500 ft, report again abeam Pasir Mas..
Capt Younus: Descend 2500 ft, report again abeam Pasir Mas..

No more FNT I think..
Intention, just want to bring the aircraft and us back safe to Kota Bharu airfield..

The rain was so heavy..
Until we can't see anything in front..
Maybe only 10 meters ahead the furthest we can see..

He have the control that time..
He look cool..
I'm sweating..
One moment he said, "Oh, shit" (Sorry, bad words)..
I realise, he also feel the same as I am..
He ask me to fly, using the instrument..

No more visual flying..

Until approaching Tanah Merah we can have visual contact with the ground..

Continue with visual flying..
We report abeam Pasir Mas and continue to KB town..

Overhead KB town at 1500 ft..

We are clear to join right base from KB town..

Capt Younus: You think if engine fail now, we can make it to the airfield??
Me: I'm not sure sir..

Capt Younus: Ok.. We try.. (then, he idle the throttle)
Me: Ops..
Capt Younus: Maintain your speed.. 70 kts.. Delay your flap.. Nose up..
Me: Ok sir..

Me: APAC 07 T final to land..
Tower: APAC 07 T, surface wind 090/07 kts, clear to land..
Me: Copied, clear to land APAC 07 T..

At 500 ft, I put the take-off flap..
Just before touchdown, I put landing flap..
And touch the runway safely..
Vacate the runway to apron..
Shutdown the aircraft..

Capt Younus: I pass you this time.. Because of the weather.. I give you chance.. Next time, do improve your skill..
Me: Thank you sir.. I will (even no more NAV after this)..

Alhamdulillah..
At last finish my FNT after almost 2 weeks of waiting..
Even not satisfied with my performance, it's ok..
As long as I pass my test..
Praise to Allah..
Now looking forward for CPL IF and GH Test..
Lets fly, high to the sky..
(",)

- APAC 07 a.k.a. Captain Younus -