Are the FAA crazy ??

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ferrari-tech

Pre-takeoff checklist
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ferrari-tech
So there I was a few days ago, hanging out at the FBO where my school is.
I run into this little bloke who has an interest in aviation.

Nosey bugger, starts asking me all these questions, on and on he goes...

finally he says
"I need a ride to airport XXXX, can you help" ??.

I just happened to have been at the FBO couple of hours before, had the plane fueled, done the preflight and even had the destination planned ;)

Interesting guy, he had all these instructions and requests about going here and there, doing this and that, I thought he was very critical for a bloke that was just sitting back and writing stuff down.

Told me he had heard about these different maneuvers, slow flight, steep turns, power on, power off stalls, and could I show him some......sure thing

He had me take him over to Camarillo and do 3 or 4 different landings, then asked if I had ever been over to Santa Paula ? "once" I told him.

He had me take him over there, crazy place, but he was obviously was very familiar with KSZP, as he knew were he was, the pattern entry and all that good stuff ( KSZP in very unique)

After we landed he had me taxi off the active and shut down...

He got out and asked if I could get back to Van Nuys on my own...Sure I said, to which he reached out his hand to shake mine and said "congratulations Pilot" :) :) :)

So that was my check ride.....to think that I'm now qualified to fly an airplane, makes me think there is something wrong with the system...

I thought I did absolutely crap, it was a bit bumpy in socal, during the ride, but nothing crazy.

As is always the case the things you think you have down, you mess up when tested, and the stuff you think you don't know and will blow it, you don't ,apparently I did just fine.

On steep turns, for some reason in the G1000 plane I struggle staying within PTS on altitude, but he didn't even have me do full 360's and I was bang on...the tape didn't even move... hit my own wake in both directions.

As for the power on stalls......that's a totally different story....I have never had a problem with them since the first one I did, in fact I enjoy them, but I screwed the pooch on this, I couldn't get coordinated to safe my life...we lived, and he didn't have to grab the controls, but I knew I F..ed up...DPE covered the PFD and said give me a power on stall...............perfect was his next comment. Go figure, pressure ??

Unusual attitude recoveries under the hood, something I'm not totally sure about, he said were some of the best he's ever seen ...go figure...

I didn't think my landings where great.

We did a short field landing, touch and straight into a soft field take off.

Then a no flap landing, then a normal landing that tower requested if we would do a short approach which turned into a "show me a side slip", worked out ok I guess as all wheels are still on the wagon.

Then off to Santa Paula, which is a world unto its own...people that fly from there don't like pilots that are not from there, and the rest of the world think the locals on that airport are crazy.

The DPE gave me a few pointers, and for sure I learned a lot on the ride.
After all that he tells me, " oh the test was over 30 minutes ago, I just needed a ride over here for a commercial check ride" :);)

Getting ready to go back to VNY, I have never check the same thing so many times over and over, but i did just to reassure myself.. I knew I had enough fuel and oil but dipped it 3 times anyway..
I did a short field take off and departure, no worries, on departure I finally got on the right SoCal approach frequency to get traffic advisories into Van Nuys, they acted like I knew what I was doing....
VNY told me to make best speed and go straight for the numbers...mmmmm no big deal right ?
I got down and over the numbers ok....thought I was floating bit so did a go around, reported down wind abeam and came back in.....not my best by a long shot but here to tell the tail...told the tower thanks for the help, that was my first landing as a private pilot.....I got a congratulations great job.....
I taxi back to my school and they ask what I did with the DPE....LOL
 
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Congrats! Go enjoy your new found privelages.

I wonder the same thing some times. Seems redicilous that average guys like me can take command of an airplane and fly. But hey, I'm not arguing! :)
 
Congrats ,nice write up,have fun flying.
 
I enjoyed your writing style. Congrats!
 
Congrats, and yes, they've been crazy for at least 35 years which is when they handed me that piece of paper. Enjoy your new privileges!
 
Too funny! As I started reading your post, I thought, "Oh God, another troll!":D

Congratulations! And no, the FAA isn't crazy. You have been deemed competent to fly! Or at least competent to continue learning to fly. Have fun, and be safe!
 
Congrats, and entertaining write up. Good job! :D
 
ferrari-tech said:
.......
I taxi back to my school and they ask what I did with the DPE....LOL
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Congrats on the ticket....:thumbsup:.

As for the answer to the question your school asked.... You should have kept a VERY straight face and told them the DPE failed you on the checkride and you opened the door and he fell out..:hairraise::yikes::D
 
Sounds kind of like my checkride, in my 75 hours of flying I don't think I've ever done as absolutely terrible of landings as I did on my checkride.

No idea how I passed.
 
It doesn't count unless you recorded it.

Just kidding - congratulations! I was supposed to go this weekend, but on a TSA-induced hold for the moment...
 
So you're saying the DPE requested a Commercial flight from a non-Commercial pilot with no common interest in traveling to another airport and didn't split the expenses 50/50 in a non-135 aircraft?
 
denverpilot said:
So you're saying the DPE requested a Commercial flight from a non-Commercial pilot with no common interest in traveling to another airport and didn't split the expenses 50/50 in a non-135 aircraft?
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Bingo............... We have a winner....:yes:;)
 
denverpilot said:
So you're saying the DPE requested a Commercial flight from a non-Commercial pilot with no common interest in traveling to another airport and didn't split the expenses 50/50 in a non-135 aircraft?
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Other than missing the part about me having an appointment with aforementioned DPE that's about it :rofl::goofy::wink2:
 
N801BH said:
Hmmmmmmmmmm..

Did you know ahead of time you would be deadheading back home without him ?:dunno:
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He did ask if I would be ok with doing that before we started yes.

I said your assuming I'm going to pass then LOL ;), he said yes assuming you pass
 
I was wondering how he completed the post check ride paper(computer) work and printed your temporary certificate?
 
BillTIZ said:
I was wondering how he completed the post check ride paper(computer) work and printed your temporary certificate?
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He used the office of one of the FBO's at Santa Paula...same place he was doing the commercial ride out of.
 
N801BH said:
Congrats on the ticket....:thumbsup:.

As for the answer to the question your school asked.... You should have kept a VERY straight face and told them the DPE failed you on the checkride and you opened the door and he fell out..:hairraise::yikes::D
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LOL that was actually my first impulse as this DPE has a bit of a rep for being harsh with students :mad:, I had the speech all planned out but the first person I ran into was the wife of the schools owner and she is such a sweet lady, I thought if had said that she would of had a heart attack on the spot :D:D
 
Congratulations. Great write-up, too.

Now, go use that license to learn.

OBTW, if you think your landing was bad, wait until you are working on your IR. Fastest way I know of to forget how to land an airplane. Once you start, you'll understand. :D
 
ferrari-tech said:
He used the office of one of the FBO's at Santa Paula...same place he was doing the commercial ride out of.
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Ok, glad they had one for him to use. But most flight schools do. I'm sure he knew that in advance.

We are still on paper. No computer access at the airport unless the DPE brings his own computer, printer and 3G or worse connection.
 
BillTIZ said:
Ok, glad they had one for him to use. But most flight schools do. I'm sure he knew that in advance.

We are still on paper. No computer access at the airport unless the DPE brings his own computer, printer and 3G or worse connection.
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If this is the DPE I'm thinking of, he instructs at the flight school on an "at-will" basis.

Generally, most of the airports in SoCal are wired and everybody knows or knows of everybody else for at least 50-60 miles around.
 
warthog1984 said:
If this is the DPE I'm thinking of, he instructs at the flight school on an "at-will" basis.

Generally, most of the airports in SoCal are wired and everybody knows or knows of everybody else for at least 50-60 miles around.
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A lot of the aviation community seems to be that way. It's a pretty tight knit group, I like it. :)
 
N801BH said:
Hmmmmmmmmmm..

Did you know ahead of time you would be deadheading back home without him ?:dunno:
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Still doesn't seem like that matters. He had the applicant transport him to an airport they both didn't have a common interest in traveling to.

I'm sure there will be apologists, but he shouldn't tempt busting Mangiamele like that.

The government doesn't like private aircraft used for business transportation of two parties who are not traveling for the same purposes anymore, and if for the same purpose, both parties must pay the direct costs.

Or...

The whole damn thing is stupid, which is what I've been saying all along.
 
denverpilot said:
Still doesn't seem like that matters. He had the applicant transport him to an airport they both didn't have a common interest in traveling to.

I'm sure there will be apologists, but he shouldn't tempt busting Mangiamele like that.

The government doesn't like private aircraft used for business transportation of two parties who are not traveling for the same purposes anymore, and if for the same purpose, both parties must pay the direct costs.

Or...

The whole damn thing is stupid, which is what I've been saying all along.
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Unless the DPE chipped in, the private (student) pilot paid the full share of the expenses, which is "not less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses." So did I miss something, or does the FAA now say that you can't fly someone somewhere on your own nickel? My understanding of the Mangiamele issue was that someone else was paying the expenses.
 
Lindberg said:
Unless the DPE chipped in, the private (student) pilot paid the full share of the expenses, which is "not less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses." So did I miss something, or does the FAA now say that you can't fly someone somewhere on your own nickel? My understanding of the Mangiamele issue was that someone else was paying the expenses.
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If you are floating the full bill, you can take anyone you want, anytime you want, any where you want as long as you are rated and current for that aircraft and operation (IFR/VFR/Night).
 
Lindberg said:
Unless the DPE chipped in, the private (student) pilot paid the full share of the expenses, which is "not less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses." So did I miss something, or does the FAA now say that you can't fly someone somewhere on your own nickel? My understanding of the Mangiamele issue was that someone else was paying the expenses.
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I was thinking of the other test that says you must have a common reason to be going there.

But I guess you're right. As long as I'm paying for it I can advertise free flights to anywhere you want to go over on Craigslist, right? ;) ;) ;). :stirpot:
 
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