Daydream Clouds
I saw a cloud and couldn't stop daydreaming about its life -- the goodbyes, the sunsets, the stars.
Boreal Pixel
Northern skies, systems, and campfires
Latest posts
I did it.
I finished my computer engineering degree! What this took, what I learned, and the people who got me through it.
Hey, It's Been a While - Reprise
Another long gap, another redesign. I've been thinking about perfectionism, the small web, and why I stopped writing.
The First Flight of the Season
First flight of the summer in the amphibious 206 with some lake splashing and a stuck landing gear that needed more than 200 strokes of the emergecy hand pump!
Hey, It's Been a While
Seven years away from writing! I went from flight school to corporate jets to a regional airline, then started over as a computer engineering student.
Castlegar FSS Time-Lapse
I mounted my camera on the Castlegar FSS tower and recorded an eleven-hour time-lapse of the airport. Already itching to try a full twenty-four hours!
Coo Coo Ca Choo
Woke up from a nap to a new Geocache alert and ended up bushwhacking to the top of a mountain near Castlegar! Found the cache just as the sun was setting.
Sunset Over Castlegar
Hiked back up Dove Hill with my camera and binoculars and recorded a short time-lapse of the sunset across the valley. I want to try a full day next!
The Top of Dove Hill
Hiked up Dove Hill with a friend on a gorgeous day and watched Jazz land on the runway below us. Every viewpoint out here seems to have an amazing view!
Multi-Crew Operations
I have been practicing emergencies in the sim with another pilot and it really shows how much a second crew member adds to safety and workload management.
Hope Island
We beached the 185 on Hope Island and hiked up to an abandoned lighthouse. The view from the top was incredible, and we grabbed ice cream on the way home!
Light Up The Runway
I walked the full length of runway 15/33 at night, lined with candles, at a charity event for Bethel Hospice in Caledon. A beautiful evening for a great cause.
More Float Time
I have been loving the float hours in the Cessna 185! The constant speed prop makes so much more sense in practice, and the power difference is fantastic.
A Lesson in Human Factors
I flew a friend home and everything snowballed. The engine flooded, the runway had no lights, daylight was running out, and search and rescue was on the clock.
Float Endorsement
I got my float rating on a Cessna 172L and absolutely loved every minute of it! Flying low over lakes and landing in remote spots is addictive.
Completed Vehicle Lighting Controller
The vehicle lighting controller is finally finished and working! I learned a lot about board design and I am already planning improvements for a next version.
My First Night Flight
I just did my first night flight and it was incredible! The air was smooth, the illusions were fascinating, and I already cannot wait for a night cross country.
Vehicle Lighting Controller Update
The lighting controller is nearly done! I fitted LEDs into door handles and speakers, figured out the headlight switch wiring, and built the enclosures.
The End of Year One
I finished my last flight of first year at Selkirk with spins under the hood. Recovering without outside reference was a real lesson in trusting instruments.
A Brief Dive Into CAN Bus
I spent a couple of days sniffing CAN bus data on my car and figured out how instrument brightness, media controls, and lighting are communicated.
Spins
Got back into practicing spins during upper-air work and remembered how much fun they are! Nothing gets the adrenaline going quite like it.
Golden Cross Country
I flew my first real cross country from Castlegar to Golden through Rogers Pass. 4.4 hours of Hobbs time, self-serve fuel in Cranbrook, and incredible views!
Castlegar FSS Tower Visit
A few friends and I visited the NavCanada tower at Castlegar. We watched IFR clearances, weather obs, and Jazz traffic from a whole new perspective.
Vehicle Lighting Controller
My under-dash LED strips finally fell apart, so I started planning a full RGB lighting controller for the car with ten LED channels and five EL channels.
Free Falling
We pitched up and then forward on the way back to the airport to get a moment of free fall. Watching it happen never gets old!
Flight Around Mt. Gimli
On a mutual flight as FO, we took a detour around Mt. Gimli in Valhalla Provincial Park. The views from up there were absolutely stunning!
Stepper Motor Test
Spent a quiet afternoon getting a stepper motor running with a microcontroller. Had it working pretty quickly, and added a wooden duck for good measure.
The SmartHorn Is Complete
I etched, drilled, and soldered a proper PCB for the SmartHorn project. The board turned out a bit messy with jumper wires, but it works great!
SmartHorn Prototype
I built a little prototype that lets you program custom horn functions for your car. Two buttons, a microcontroller, and a lot of fun!
Arcade Machine
I built a full-sized arcade cabinet out of maple with colour-changing buttons, a coin slot, and an ATtiny4313 controller that manages the whole thing!