If you can hear this transmission, ident.

Yup, that was me leaving Tampa International today.

Turn right heading 170
Heading 170
Turn right heading 170
….Heading 170
If you can hear this transmission, ident.
Crap.

Recieve worked fine, transmit no worky. Reset the avionics master, reset CBs, tried different coms, tried different headsets, different PTT buttons, nothing.

After a descent acknowledged by another ident, we were VFR. I set 1200 in and confirmed my IFR cancellation with another ident. Flew from Tampa all the way back to Vero VFR. Pulled out my cell phone and watched for when I had service. I had maybe 2 bars of service over Arcadia and immediately called the tower. I told him I was about 30 minutes away, NORDO and wanted to land. Right over the phone he cleared me to enter the pattern via a right base and to look for light gun signals.

About 10 miles out I set 7600 again and tower had me ident to acknowledge.

You're number one, cleared to land.

Phew.

Bust

Unfortunately, I will not be going to Switzerland.

A few days ago I received an email from SAT informing me of the unfortunate news that they will no longer be able to offer me a position due to the economic downturn. They have seen a decrease in business and can not justify the investment of my JAA conversions.

Although this is extremely depressing news and the exact opposite of what I was hoping for, it comes as no surprise. Given the state of the world economy and its specific strains on the aviation industry, I would have been surprised if they didn’t make this call.

I’m getting use to this dissapointment associated with aviation, unfortunately.

So continues the job hunt.