Check Ride

loch1957

loch1957

Pre-Flight
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
62
Location
Texas
Display Name
Display name:
James
Well it has been a long road up to this point. Took my check ride on the 22 of November but the examiner did not like my short field so I had to redo it. I took the check ride and I hadn't flown for 5 weeks, not a good idea in hind sight. Nice thing is he did not charge me for retake.

I got to the airport at 7:30, I had to meet my CFI so he could sign my log book and redo my IACRA since i was a dummy the first time. His next available date was the very end of January but he had a cancellation so I got to do it today. And of course you guessed it, pouring rain and windy, sitting in cafe I heard him on radio. Well he made it so I guess i can go do a couple landings and get my certification.

Now the nervousness sets in, I already sucked at short field once. We get in the plane and out on runway for a soft field take off which was fine. Oh great, he wants a short field landing for first one and you guessed it, I couldn't get it to save my life. He never says a word so I fly pattern again and this time it was just perfect. He smiled and said it was ok but i need see that again. It was a lot of stress to go do two landings but it was worth it.

So if any one ever has doubts my best advice is to not quit. and keep current, you get rusty fast. Never be afraid to go around, he wont fail you for that.

Hey im a pilot so im happy as a bug.
 
Congrats... No go commit some aviation!!!
 
Good to hear. Now, figure out the problem and get them nailed down.
 
Congrats!

I'd suggest that even though you have your certificate it's never a bad idea to grab a CFI and work on something you might be having trouble with.
 
Never enough crosswind practice. Or how to care for an airplane.
 
Long time coming.
Congratulations.

Have your first passenger picked out?
 
Congrats Pilot...:cheers::cheers::cheers: Welcome to the club... Someone show him the secret handshake:yes::yes::yes:
 
Congratulations!
And don't sweat it, many applicants fail short field on their checkride. Don't ask how I know. :D
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! ;)
 
Big congrats! Also, just because I'm curious, what did you not do right on the short field landing that busted you?
 
mkosmo said:
My examiner made the threshold the point... Would have sucked to land short
Click to expand...
Yea and the PTS specifies landing at or within 200 feet after the specified point. Obviously if you're landing before your point there's "nothing" there.
 
Congrats.

Now go practice the short fields on your own until you nail them. Got all the time in the world and no stress.

Highly recommend picking something other than the threshold as the aim point, though. Threshold doesn't leave any margin for error, which is where unnecessary nervousness sets in and it is fine for a checkride, but using a marker further down allows you to dial it in easier. Then move it back to the threshold when they start to look good.
 
Yes i landed before the touch down point. There was run way but in theory if it been real short field it would have been different. I did 17 short and soft today and they were fine, I think it was as much just nervous as any thing. An ercoupe can be very touchy, if pull to much power it will beat a brick to the ground. I extended my down wind a bit so i could have a bit more time get nice and stable(which i never do)but i didnt add any extra power to compensate for fact i extended it.

Not even thought about my first passenger,,,,oh great, more decisions.
 
loch1957 said:
Yes i landed before the touch down point. There was run way but in theory if it been real short field it would have been different. I did 17 short and soft today and they were fine, I think it was as much just nervous as any thing. An ercoupe can be very touchy, if pull to much power it will beat a brick to the ground. I extended my down wind a bit so i could have a bit more time get nice and stable(which i never do)but i didnt add any extra power to compensate for fact i extended it.



Not even thought about my first passenger,,,,oh great, more decisions.
Click to expand...


Understand on the nerves. My soft field sucked on my Private ride, of all stupid things to screw up... But it was apparently passable. I made it pretty clear I was willing to initiate a go-around early and the DPE back then said, "Go ahead and land it, see what you can do." It must not have been too terrible but I was too busy fixing it to notice. I think he wanted to see how I handled the self-induced brain overload.

First passenger is fun. Take someone who won't throw up and doesn't scream too loud. Try not to cuss over the intercom or say things like "oops". Makes them turn funny shades of white. Hahaha. (I'm only partially joking on those...)

Have fun, pilot in command!
 
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