Peter The Pilot

Happy in Gold River

2008-06-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MY JOB!

2008-06-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

New Career

2008-04-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

Air Nootka phoned last night to make it official. I start my new career next Wednesday - I am getting paid to fly a plane as a commercial float pilot.

What does Air Nootka do:

-fly loggers to and from logging camps
-mail run to remote communities - my favourite
-fly surfers to remote beaches where they camp on the beach and surf the most isolated beaches
-fly hikers to the trail head of the Nootka and Hesquiat trail then pick them up at the trail end
-scenic tours to incredible places like Yuquot (Friendly Cove)
-and more....

If you are in Gold River- drop by the Air Nootka base.

my former Neighbour

2008-04-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

My former neighbor in Victoria started off his season with a bang - NICE WORK SQW! I am trying to make sure that I can watch SQW win worlds in Vancouver and of course I will be watching every second of the Olympic Triathlon race on CBC.

Looks like I finally have my first job as a commercial float pilot. I am very excited about the new job. It's very similar to the day that Reebok wanted to hire me as one of their pro triathletes. I have a grin from ear to ear. I start mid-May. More on the new job after my road trip this weekend.

For the past few years I have been pacing part of the Boston and New York City marathon with PowerBar. It's a great gig. I get to hang out with the great crew from PowerBar and run part of the marathon. I am teaming up with my buddy Tim Deboom for Boston. He gets 13.1 and I get 13.1. It doesn't matter which leg I get - running Boston is a huge treat. One of these days I need to do a marathon for time. To see what I can do. The itch to train seriously for something is finally coming back. It's taken almost 2 years and a ton of extra pounds of my body to want to get back in shape.

Anyway, look for Tim and I at the PowerBar booth Saturday-Sunday then out on the race course Monday.

Also, GOOD LUCK TO DESIREE at the US Women's Marathon trials Sunday in Boston!

Motivated to run!

2008-03-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

This is the year I get back to racing - trail run races with a possible assault on the 2009 Western States 100. I am following the path of one of my idols - Paul Huddle.
Check out this blast from the past that Andrew Ernst created for me:

http://www.rubbergoose.com/videos/peter_reid/peter_reid_promo.mov

IFR and off to Camp

2008-03-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

For the past 8 days I have been commuting (1hr 45min each way) from Squamish to Boundary Bay Airport to spend time in a Simulator learning how to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). At first I hated it and wondered why a wannabe float guy like myself was learning IFR. Now, I get it! I almost addicted to it. I enjoy the SIM! What a difference a few hours can make.

I have two more sessions in the SIM then it is off to Tucson for my yearly journey to AZ. I have been going to Tucson since 1993 as either an athlete or coach.

This year we have 2 camps.

It should be fun and to see guys like Bruce (see picture) get so pumped makes it worth being away from the SIM.

More from Tucson....

PR

Back home from the Tour of California

2008-02-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

The weather was wet and cold; but, the roads and riding partners were incredible!
I had a great time and it was nice being on the bike again. I have a few weeks off the bike then back on at the Tucson training camp. Specialized continues to spoil me.

new plane and a road trip to California

2008-02-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I begin my Simulator training in the morning then do a fun flight in a tailwheel plane - Citabria - in the afternoon.
Tuesday I am off to California to help my former sponsor, Specialized, at the Tour of California. I am still a huge cycling fan; so, watching the big boys of cycling race is going to be a blast.

I sure miss the twin

2008-02-12T15:50:00.000-08:00

For the past week since my flight test I have been away from the twin while I study for the INRAT. I sure miss FIMC.
Some offers are slowly coming back to me after a big push to get my resume out there. Looks like I will be working on the dock or ramp loading planes for quite some time before I get the flying gig. Bring it on! It's all part of my path to landing the first flying gig.

Selkirks - Great People, Great Food and lots of snow

2008-02-06T18:09:00.001-08:00

Got the Multi

2008-02-06T17:47:00.001-08:00

I am now a Multi-Engine rated pilot!

Passed my flight test Monday.

Next up - IFR written.

Durrand Glacier Lodge - WOW

2008-01-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

Just got back from an amazing trip in the Selkirks.

There was an amazing group of fit and fun people to hang out with during the daily 7 hour tours of the backcountry. We did daily 9500 plus feet summits with some epic run s down the mountains.

Slide show up soon.

Christmas in January

2008-01-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning I receive my Christmas present from Malaika: A week of backcountry skiing with M at the Durrand Glacier Lodge at 6000 feet in the Selkirks. www.selkirkexperience.com

It should be incredible. The snow levels to date have been massive; so, there should be lots of runs in the fluffy stuff.

The week is going to be perfect for launching my base aerobic training to get ready for the Tucson training camps and Solvang Camp with my former training buddy Chucky V.

more Air Nootka photos

2008-01-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

10 hours on a Beaver

2008-01-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's Friday night and I am on a huge High! No not from any products; but, from real West Coast flying in a deHavilland Beaver.

A few weeks before Christmas I sent an e-mail to Brad Koop of Air Nootka asking if he would be interested in training me on the Beaver. He called and said - no problem. All I had to do was show up in Gold River.

I showed up last week and we were flying Monday.

I now have 10 hours of flying on the most incredible machine. This is what I want to do! I want to fly the Beaver as a commercial pilot. Working for Air Nootka would be a dream job but it's challenging flying and they generally don't let low timers like me fly for them. Landing with ocean swell, low visibility and tight docks are a standard. Ther aren't too many easy places for them to fly.

I was lucky to do some flying with Mike who is one of the younger guys at Air Nootka and was blown away with his flying. He made the machine as part of his body. I was able to do this a few times in my career as a pro triathlete on the bike. The bike felt like it was part of the body. Mike and Brad both fly this way. I have a long way to go before I can call myself a good pilot after flying with them. UNREAL! You guys are rock stars!

2007 finshed with a bang

2008-01-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

My brother Dave and his incredible wife Petra welcomed a new Reid to the world on December 31st - Griffin Peter Reid! I am extremely proud to be Uncle Pete.

Air Nootka

2007-12-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was in Courtenay doing some small lake training with Mike Seib in his Cessna 182. Mike pushed my limits and taught me how to fly in tight situations. I enjoyed this type of flying. Next to Mike's hanger was a flight maintenance operator who seemed to specialize in deHavilland Beavers - my dream machine. One day there was a beautiful Beaver in the maintenance shop. I had never heard of the operator - Air Nootka. I did some research and WOW! Air Nootka does some great trips for surfers, hikers and the classic remote mail run on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island. Check out the site: www.airnootka.com

Learning from the best

2007-12-11T14:43:00.001-08:00

This past weekend I spent all my time at a three day seminar at the Boundary Bay Airport close to the US Border attending an excellent seminar on Instrument Flying. My instrument rating is not high on my priority for flying at the moment – getting a float job is. You don’t need an Instrument Rating to land on a lake – you need it to land at an airport with low visibility and low ceilings. So why did I spend all my time sitting in a classroom or driving 2 hours to and from the lecture for something I don’t really need. Well two reasons:

1. One of the best in the flight training business was giving the lecture.
2. It can only help my flying.

The more I learn the better I get.

One of the best ways to learn is to ask the best and listen. I was very fortunate to be able to ask two of the greatest triathletes (Paula Newby Fraser – 8 time IM champ and Mark Allen – 6 time IM champ) questions about training and racing. Each one had many great tips based on experience. They never preached – they just shared a tip based on experience. I could find out through trial and error or learn from them.

I am trying to do the same with flying: ask and learn from the best.

This week I am doing a presentation for StarCite in Florida then it will be back to flight training.

The timeline for the new job is April when I get back from the Solvang training camp with Chuckie V. A few resumes have been mailed but the real push will be April when I drive from operator to operator in Canada’s North hoping to land that first job flying floats.

So, Thanks Todd for the great tips this weekend and to Paula and Mark for helping achieve my goals in sport.

Courtenay Landing

2007-12-05T14:32:00.001-08:00

Gig I want

2007-12-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

Check out my glassy water landing on Frog Pond

2007-11-30T19:44:00.001-08:00

2007-11-30T17:38:00.001-08:00

2007-11-29T20:02:00.001-08:00

The First Ride in the Multi

2007-11-29T18:59:00.001-08:00

Today was my first ride in the Duchess. There have been some restless nights the past two days thinking about flying this machine. Going from one engine to two with a retractable landing gear was going to be a lot to master. It was. I was behind the aircraft the entire flight. Simply things like holding altitude and heading were difficult. I sucked; but, I loved it! There were no paying passengers so it didn't matter. Plus, just like my former triathlon career I suck in training. I always did and seem to excel at it. Prior to my last two flight tests (private & commercial) I failed the practice tests; yet, on test day I scored in the 90's.

2007-11-22T16:18:00.001-08:00

My new favourite machine!

2007-11-21T20:32:00.001-08:00

Ah! My new love: a 1959 Cessna 180/182 Float plane.

I wanted to push my float flying training so I booked a week of training with Micheal Seib of Island Air to learn how to get to and FROM small alpine lakes. Mike pushed my limits. I learned a lot from the young float guru.

One of my highlights of the week was a tour of some remote communities and docks along the Inside Passage. The trip re-enforced my dream of becoming a float driver.

NYC

2007-11-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

In my former career I traveled the world for work. I must say that I have never been much of a tourist.

Well not this year! Malaika and I did some fun tourist stuff in NYC this year: Empire State Building, attended a play (Spamalot), Times Square and long long walks around the city. I guess it all depends on who you are with on trips. Thanks M for the great trip to NYC. Also, Thanks PowerBar for treating me so well. You guys are the best.

What are you doing these days?

2007-11-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

The number one question I get when I do triathlon gigs these days seems to be "What are you doing these days?" I was recently at the Clearwater 70.3 with Specialized promoting the new Transition TT machine which I must say is a true gem. We had a lot of curious cycling enthusiasts drop by the booth and for those who recognized me asked the question. I always respond with my generic "A little bit of this and that". It is a decent answer and quite true. For the past year I have been doing a lot of promotions for Specialized and Powerbar, coaching 5 athletes, working at triathlon camps in Tucson, Monaco, and Fuerteventura; yet, my number one activity has been aviation.

I have always wanted to be a pilot. I love to fly. Any chance I get to greet the pilots or observe what they are doing I take it. When I received my first big triathlon prize money paycheck from a 3rd place at the ITU World Long Course Champs in 1995 I used the money for an intro to flying flight at the Victoria airport. Unfortunately, the dumb ass instructor who took me up put the plane into a stall without telling me and I never went back. My dream of learning how to fly was killed by that one moron.

Last year when I retired from triathlon I had a lot of time to kill. I saw an add in the local paper advertising into flights. I decided to give it another shot. This time I had a guy who was patient and had a huge love for flying. What a difference - I was hooked.

18 months since that second intro flight and I am now a Commercial Float pilot.

I trained for flying the same way as I did for Ironman. I had many bad days while training in my search to be the best pilot I could be. It worked! I set a school record for my private pilot flight test and received a great mark on my commercial flight test.

I was a never a great student in school; yet, triathlon taught me that hard work with a focus to excel can be channeled into other avenues. Learning is not easy for me; but, working hard is.

2007-11-15T13:42:00.001-08:00

Iron Maiden

2007-11-15T12:42:00.000-08:00

Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high.
Fly, on your way, like an eagle,
Fly as high as the sun,
on your way, like an eagle,
Fly as high as the sun.

Iron Maiden 1985

The First

2007-11-15T08:05:00.000-08:00

It has been ages since I posted a blog on the net. It's time that I get back to posting.