I am finally registered and able to reply to the kind welcome and remarks from a few of you casual sky heroes.
I am still goose bumpy from the check ride adventure and subsequent temporary airman certificate. Talk about a kid in a candy store, this is it.
I could talk for an hour with the details of the check ride which started with challenges such as the Beech A-23 Musketeer I was flying to the airport to meet the examiner would not start again after taxi and fueling.
Short story she finally fired and I made it to the destination only about 30 minutes late.
The examiner was awesome. I was told to take a couple of minutes to freshen up (I was soaked from sweat) and relax. By the way, I read Capt. Ron Levy's check ride advice and found it very comforting and reassuring. Thanks for that Capt. Ron.
It was not long into the oral that the examiner leaned back in the chair, smiled and told me we were doing very well so far. What a feeling of relief!
I made it through the oral with more emotions that a body should experience in a month, much less a couple of hours. At one instant I was feeling like I was in control and this is not hard at all and the next I was thinking "oh my God, I didn't answer that one as well as I should have, am I going to fail?
After those magic words "O K let's go fly" were spoken, I thought to myself the hard part was over.
The check ride started about 2pm on a hot summer day in Texas and the thermals were bouncing us all over the place so I had my hands full with the additional work that the thermals presented.
The coolest part was when the examiner told me to turn to a heading of 270 and maintain 3,000. This was just after I was told to divert to an alternate airport and I had made may initial analysis and heading correction.
After a few minutes I was told to turn to a heading of 090 and maintain 3,000. After completeing the turn and rolling out the examiner made a statement "huh, that looks like a grass strip below, do you think it is?" After a little effort, I located the area referred to and sure enough, it looked like a grass strip. I never gave it any further thought except that the examiner must be trying to divert my attention from flying (I heard they would do that).
After a few more minutes the examiner pulled the throttle to full closed and said "we have lost power, I wonder if there is a suitable location to set her down". Instantly I got the biggest grin you ever saw and I replied; how about that grass strip over there. I was told excellent choice now lets do it, and I mean really all the way.
I was able to set glide, execute turns and we were just short of wheels touching when I was told very good lets climb to 3,000 and head back to the airport.
I can't describe the feeling I had at that time. I was sure I had passed but I had not been told that I had. I wanted to be told without asking so I waited to hear from the examiner on thier time. After landing I was told to bring my log book and come to the office. After arriving in the office I was offered a handshake and congratulations. I think I almost fell to my knees as the feelings overtook me, I Got ER DID.
The flight back to my home airport as a private pilot was, as you all know, the ultimate of ultimates.
Thank you all for your kudos.
Blue side up,
Bobby Tutor