Cancelled my Chech-Ride Today

N521MA

N521MA

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
129
Display Name
Display name:
FlyBoy
Waited a whole month for today. Studied entire weekend. Woke up at 6am (was scheduled for 9am), looked at the TAF and saw 20kt wind with gusts up to 30kt but dead along my airport active runway.

Called my school to cancel my check-ride. Next available in two weeks.

Now, checking METAR every minute I get, winds never went above 20 and were along the runway entire time (no cross wind period) and by now I would have be done - what a shmak!!!!

The only reason I cancelled - I didn't want my DPE to think I was suicidal going out flying in a 30kt winds.

Hate myself at this point!!!
 
N521MA said:
Waited a whole month for today. Studied entire weekend. Woke up at 6am (was scheduled for 9am), looked at the TAF and saw 20kt wind with gusts up to 30kt but dead along my airport active runway.

Called my school to cancel my check-ride. Next available in two weeks.

Now, checking METAR every minute I get, winds never went above 20 and were along the runway entire time (no cross wind period) and by now I would have be done - what a shmak!!!!

The only reason I cancelled - I didn't want my DPE to think I was suicidal going out flying in a 30kt winds.

Hate myself at this point!!!
Click to expand...

You're based at KFRG correct?

Right now it's 310@14G24 . Yeah it's straight down runway 32 but why put yourself through that on a checkride? Good call, don't beat yourself up.
 
redtail said:
Right now it's 310@14G24 . Yeah it's straight down runway 32 but why put yourself through that on a checkride? Good call, don't beat yourself up.
Click to expand...

This. Checkrides can be stressful enough as it is without dealing with winds on top of it all.
 
N521MA said:
Waited a whole month for today. Studied entire weekend. Woke up at 6am (was scheduled for 9am), looked at the TAF and saw 20kt wind with gusts up to 30kt but dead along my airport active runway.
Click to expand...

Sounds like my private ride. Made it easy to do the short field landing. We'd already cancelled flight portion of the ride 3-4 times. So as soon as the sun was out we got it done. Made all the ground reference maneuvers fun!

GauzeGuy said:
This. Checkrides can be stressful enough as it is without dealing with winds on top of it all.
Click to expand...

They are only stressful, if you choose to make them stressful. What's the worst that can happen? You get a pink slip, get another lesson, and take it again. Oh, the horror!
 
the flip side of a windy or bouncy day is that it is hard to fall you on altitudes and headings since you have less control that you would on a calm day - at least until you get some more experience and then its does not matter any more.
 
One option could have been to go out to the airport anyway and start the check ride. Maybe you could have passed the oral portion and then punted the flight to another day so you'd have less on your mind for the flying part.

What are the winds aloft doing at the lowest level? That's something else to consider for the checkride. No sense in doing your ground reference maneuvers in big gusty winds if you don't have to, and all that bumping around would be a pain when you're trying to do your cross country navigation and calculate a new course when the DPE deviates you.

Doesn't mean it can't be done, or that you shouldn't be able handle winds and bumps aloft, but don't kick yourself too much for waiting for a calmer check ride.
 
Yeah, you don't need too much wind, but I was told that some is a good thing as the DPE is supposed to make allowances for conditions when executing maneuvers.

Don't know how true it is, I ended up with a CAVU no wind winter morning.
 
comanchepilot said:
the flip side of a windy or bouncy day is that it is hard to fall you on altitudes and headings since you have less control that you would on a calm day - at least until you get some more experience and then its does not matter any more.
Click to expand...

Yup, my short-field landing was described as "unlady-like" by the DPE (which wasn't so much of a concern for me, not being a lady), he attributed it to the blustery crosswind and let me do standard landings from then on. :D
 
N521MA said:
Waited a whole month for today. Studied entire weekend. Woke up at 6am (was scheduled for 9am), looked at the TAF and saw 20kt wind with gusts up to 30kt but dead along my airport active runway.

Called my school to cancel my check-ride. Next available in two weeks.

Now, checking METAR every minute I get, winds never went above 20 and were along the runway entire time (no cross wind period) and by now I would have be done - what a shmak!!!!

The only reason I cancelled - I didn't want my DPE to think I was suicidal going out flying in a 30kt winds.

Hate myself at this point!!!
Click to expand...
You will get credit from your DPE for making good aeronautical decision making. He reads the TAFs too - and knows that's all you had to go on when you cancelled the ride. Don't worry about what the METARs are saying at this point.
 
redtail said:
You're based at KFRG correct?

Right now it's 310@14G24 . Yeah it's straight down runway 32 but why put yourself through that on a checkride? Good call, don't beat yourself up.
Click to expand...

Yup, FRG. Just want to get it done already!!!
 
I would -- and did -- do the oral half and then make a decision about the flight. TAFs are not always correct. Even with that, I found myself second guessing my decision. I saw winds aloft at 3000 at 30 knots, but calm on the surface. With the mountainous terrain around here, that says turbulence to me, at altitudes where I would be doing steep turns. I wanted some PIREPs and I called the AFSS asking for them right in front of the examiner. The closest one was 50 miles away, and it was for low level wind shear. So I discontniued. It was a lot better the next morning.

The decision is made, so it's what you have. Nothing can be gained by beating yourself up over it.
 
Thanks for the support guys and sorry for silly post! I think its a case of a "nut" that is finally loosing his patiences after 19 months of hammering to get to this day.

The next two weeks of guesstimating and saying "magic spells" for favorable weather will drive me up the wall.... :ROLF
 
redtail said:
You will, but that's a lot of wind for a checkride, unless you've been flying in that a lot!

What school? Farmingdale State University?
Click to expand...

Yes, over last 100 hours - done plenty of windy cross-landings and love it! But this morning I was really concerned that DPE will not appreciate my judgement, although with these conditions, while bumpy, still very manageable, even on a check-ride.

SCHOOL:
NFI - best school in a world. Wish I came to them from get-go. Originally did not do enough research, didn't have anyone to ask and picked a very bad school, if you can actually call it a school, more of a crook's office at one of the Atlantic Aviation FBOs. Wasted 35 hours and 7k for nothing, seriously! Finally found NFI and could not be more happier. New fleet, plenty of GREAT instructors and VERY well organized! Not to mention their participation in the community, awards, etc. as Jan 1, 2013 was appointed by Cirrus to be their authorized training center! Simply put - BEST OF THE BEST, at least to me.
 
When I was training 10 years ago I was going to NFI as well. Their fleet is significantly bigger nowadays but I had no issues with them. The one thing I notice now is that most of the fleet seem it be in the air more often than not.

I work in Plainview and the winds were strong and gusting most of the morning
 
momalley said:
When I was training 10 years ago I was going to NFI as well. Their fleet is significantly bigger nowadays but I had no issues with them. The one thing I notice now is that most of the fleet seem it be in the air more often than not.

I work in Plainview and the winds were strong and gusting most of the morning
Click to expand...

From what I know, the ownership changed few years ago and people are really nice. Their fleet starts with a 152 and all the way up to SR22, including a twin. They really do cover all their basis.

I went to work (Manhattan), hardly any wind here.
 
N521MA said:
Waited a whole month for today. Studied entire weekend. Woke up at 6am (was scheduled for 9am), looked at the TAF and saw 20kt wind with gusts up to 30kt but dead along my airport active runway.

Called my school to cancel my check-ride. Next available in two weeks.

Now, checking METAR every minute I get, winds never went above 20 and were along the runway entire time (no cross wind period) and by now I would have be done - what a shmak!!!!

The only reason I cancelled - I didn't want my DPE to think I was suicidal going out flying in a 30kt winds.

Hate myself at this point!!!
Click to expand...

30 down the runway is nice. The good thing about taking your ride in bad conditions is that the DE usually cuts some slack. Lots of places in the country 20-30 is a standard wind day and if you want less you'll be waiting a while.
 
N521MA said:
From what I know, the ownership changed few years ago and people are really nice. Their fleet starts with a 152 and all the way up to SR22, including a twin. They really do cover all their basis.

I went to work (Manhattan), hardly any wind here.
Click to expand...

I was just checking out their website, looks good.

I drove through Manhattan on my way to work, a few hours ago. Hardly any wind as you said:lol:
 
So you mean to tell me that DPE would not actually say something like "really, you want to take me up with 30kt gusts, REALLY?!?"
 
N521MA said:
So you mean to tell me that DPE would not actually say something like "really, you want to take me up with 30kt gusts, REALLY?!?"
Click to expand...

Correct. I left on my PP/ME ride SVFR in low fog figuring it would burn off, it didn't, we had to discontinue until the next day and return SVFR (I had no IR yet). It caused no problems and I didn't even get charged extra. No, 30kt winds down the runway themselves would not cause an adverse reaction in a DE, 30 kt winds happen and you should be comfortable dealing with them by the time you have a license to haul passengers.
 
Henning said:
Correct. I left on my PP/ME ride SVFR in low fog figuring it would burn off, it didn't, we had to discontinue until the next day and return SVFR (I had no IR yet). It caused no problems and I didn't even get charged extra. No, 30kt winds down the runway themselves would not cause an adverse reaction in a DE, 30 kt winds happen and you should be comfortable dealing with them by the time you have a license to haul passengers.
Click to expand...

Ok, now I definitely deserve a kick in ass!!! Could have been PP today!
 
redtail said:
Never second guess your PIC decisions based on someone elses skill level and experience! :nono:
Click to expand...

The thing that differentiates humans from other animals is our ability to learn from others' experience. I had a total of around 70hrs when I took my PP-ME. Besides, I didn't get him to second guess himself, he did, that's what started this thread. I was just commenting that his reasoning for canceling his ride was incorrect, the DE would not have objected.
 
Henning said:
30 kt winds happen and you should be comfortable dealing with them by the time you have a license to haul passengers.
Click to expand...

Ya know, I agree with the spirit of what you're saying, but it's not practical in many areas of the country. There are plenty of folks who do their 50 or 60 hours of private training and never fly in more than 15kt surface winds. Some of that is due to timid instructors, some due to school policies, and some simply due to geography and weather. I don't have a problem with somebody getting a license who isn't comfortable with 30kt winds, so long as they know their own limitations.

There's always more we can do to expand our skill set as pilots, and those who fly less often and in calm climates will have lower personal minimums simply due to a lack of experience if nothing else. If you haven't flown in real wind while training then trying to do a checkride in those conditions (if they developed as forecast) is a poor idea. Similarly, I would expect the OP to not take passengers flying in such conditions the day after the checkride.
 
Henning said:
The thing that differentiates humans from other animals is our ability to learn from others' experience. I had a total of around 70hrs when I took my PP-ME. Besides, I didn't get him to second guess himself, he did, that's what started this thread. I was just commenting that his reasoning for canceling his ride was incorrect, the DE would not have objected.
Click to expand...

Yes, but your comment got him to second guess his second guess. :D

Took me awhile to get "comfortable" in anything over 15kts, straight down the runway or not.

20 gusting to 30 is not the norm here except a few weeks of winter. Why deal with that on a checkride, if I don't have to?

If getting "comfortable" in 20 gusting to 30, should be required before getting a license to haul passengers......most pilots wouldn't pass the checkride for several hundred more hours!
 
Henning said:
The thing that differentiates humans from other animals is our ability to learn from others' experience. I had a total of around 70hrs when I took my PP-ME. Besides, I didn't get him to second guess himself, he did, that's what started this thread. I was just commenting that his reasoning for canceling his ride was incorrect, the DE would not have objected.
Click to expand...

That was the #1 primary reason why I cancelled - I was sure that DPE will ask me if I had anything "good" to smoke or drink before I decided to fly him on a check-ride at 30kt winds.

#2 was - I've have quite a few flights at 30kt wind and while I enjoyed a nice 10/12kt cross-wing landing, (like the challenge) I really hated all the bumps while maneuvering, constantly trimming, changing frequencies for VOR and on a radio that is dancing to "jump around" by house if pain :)) LOL

If I had to fly for a $100 hamburger and winds were right along the runway, like today - would not be even a question, although a nice CAVU is always preferred :))
 
those winds would have made short field landings and takesoff quite short and fun. 20g30 nothing worthy of worrying about.
 
comanchepilot said:
the flip side of a windy or bouncy day is that it is hard to fall you on altitudes and headings since you have less control that you would on a calm day - at least until you get some more experience and then its does not matter any more.
Click to expand...

agreed. my instrument checkride was very rough with a fair amount of altitude bouncing. He chose an altitude right below the cloud layer in the middle of the day. The examiner told me I would have failed on a smooth day.
 
Re: Canceled my Check-Ride Today

You elected to cancel based on the forecast. This won't be your first or last time to cancel flights. We have all flown in gusty, crappy WX and its not remotely fun. Unless you absolutely need to be somewhere why get the hell beat of you? I think you made the right call... Chill out:rofl:
 
dukeblue219 said:
Ya know, I agree with the spirit of what you're saying, but it's not practical in many areas of the country. There are plenty of folks who do their 50 or 60 hours of private training and never fly in more than 15kt surface winds. Some of that is due to timid instructors, some due to school policies, and some simply due to geography and weather. I don't have a problem with somebody getting a license who isn't comfortable with 30kt winds, so long as they know their own limitations.

There's always more we can do to expand our skill set as pilots, and those who fly less often and in calm climates will have lower personal minimums simply due to a lack of experience if nothing else. If you haven't flown in real wind while training then trying to do a checkride in those conditions (if they developed as forecast) is a poor idea. Similarly, I would expect the OP to not take passengers flying in such conditions the day after the checkride.
Click to expand...

How much good does knowing your limitations do when those limitations get exceeded while airborne? The whole 'limitations' and 'personal minimums' thing is improperly used IMO, you have to be ready for whatever comes your way, that's what being in command is all about.
 
When is it rescheduled for? Trust me I feel your pain!
 
redtail said:
Yes, but your comment got him to second guess his second guess. :D

Took me awhile to get "comfortable" in anything over 15kts, straight down the runway or not.

20 gusting to 30 is not the norm here except a few weeks of winter. Why deal with that on a checkride, if I don't have to?

If getting "comfortable" in 20 gusting to 30, should be required before getting a license to haul passengers......most pilots wouldn't pass the checkride for several hundred more hours!
Click to expand...

Check ride is just another flight, you might have to deal with 20 gusting 30 on your very next flight after taking off in calm. Why not deal with it on a checkride that's scheduled? In a way, this is kind of a lesson in how GA will operate forever more in the future. Every flight you can find at least 3 reasons to not go, if you always choose not to go, you get no value out of aviation and get no better.

Anybody that learns in North or West Tx is comfortable with 20-30 by the time they solo, it's often all they know.
 
I still think you made the right call, especially with the gusts. It's hard enough because you're nervous, why make it worse by trying it on a windy day?
 
Henning said:
Check ride is just another flight, you might have to deal with 20 gusting 30 on your very next flight after taking off in calm. Why not deal with it on a checkride that's scheduled? In a way, this is kind of a lesson in how GA will operate forever more in the future. Every flight you can find at least 3 reasons to not go, if you always choose not to go, you get no value out of aviation and get no better.

Anybody that learns in North or West Tx is comfortable with 20-30 by the time they solo, it's often all they know.
Click to expand...

Anybody that's flown a lot of IMC is comfortable in IMC, does that mean I should be on my PPL checkride, since I've received 3 hours of hood work?:dunno:
 
Last edited:
EdFred said:
What's the worst that can happen? You get a pink slip, get another lesson, and take it again. Oh, the horror!
Click to expand...
No, the worst that happens is you crash and kill the DPE. No, seriously, that's all I was thinking on the way back from FNT on my IR checkride. I knew I'd passed -- unless I did something to really scare him. Winds were 14G24, about 50 degrees off the runway. I did grease it on -- but in all honesty, I got lucky.
 
Henning said:
The thing that differentiates humans from other animals is our ability to learn from others' experience. I had a total of around 70hrs when I took my PP-ME. Besides, I didn't get him to second guess himself, he did, that's what started this thread. I was just commenting that his reasoning for canceling his ride was incorrect, the DE would not have objected.
Click to expand...

Here I disagree with you. There is never a wrong or incorrect reason for cancelling a flight. It is far more likely you will end up regretting taking a flight you were uncomfortable with than not taking a flight you were uncomfortable with. In the grand scheme of life, waiting a few weeks is not very long.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top