I knew I should have waited....sigh

SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Castle Rock, CO
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Everything Offends Me
Well, today was the big day of first attempt at the PPL checkride. The winds were nice and gusty....good sign I guess.

We started with the Oral exam, and it went ok. I definitely felt like I should have known a whole lot more than I did tho, and I think the DE did too. He really got me with "If you have a 15 knot crosswind, would you rather have it from the left side or the right side?"

Didn't know the answer to that one.

So we go fly. I have a -18 degree crab angle because the winds were so stiff. Not bad, I did ok on the cross country work. Next - we do flight by reference to instruments. I did pretty good on that, as I always have. Unusual attitudes were great also. I actually did ok on my steep turns. When I moved on to the stalls, I was getting kinda nervous, because I was doing everything decent enough so far. Stalls went fine. Ground reference was next.

Doing the turns around a point, I actually kept the plane almost perfect around the crossroads. Doing the S-Turns, I kept a constant radius, even though the wind was easily above 20 knots at this point (big, wide s-turns).

But oh boy....the landings.

We came in, and we had winds of 160@16 gusting 27. Luckily, we have a runway 17. We came in and tried a short field. Busted....but the DE didn't say anything. We went around the pattern again, and I had a humongous crosswind correction in to keep straight. Trying another short field....I busted again. DE still didn't say anything. I added full power, and he said "That's enough," and we exited the taxiway. The DE still didn't say anything at all to me.

When we got back inside the flight school, the first thing he says to my instructor is "Get the Camera!"

I passed!!! I Passed!!!! I PASSED!!!! I have my PPL!!!

I guess I hadn't actually busted the minimums on the short field....whoo!!!

Oh - and yes, I was trying to drag y'all along on thinking I had failed....I'm evil!
 
NickDBrennan said:
Oh - and yes, I was trying to drag y'all along on thinking I had failed....I'm evil!
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You had me going big time, too.

Congratulations, Nick!! :dance:
 
Nick, you ARE evil! You really had me going. Congratulations!!

Have a great weekend, as I know you will. :cheerio:
 
From personal experience, it will take a long time to lose the grin!!! Congrats!

Now start working on the Instrument Rating (it never stops).
 
Read the AOPA first so I escaped the trap. Like I said congrats. It does get windy at AEG. Where's your first trip? And who's you first pax?

Eric
 
I'll probably take my dad somewhere for lunch sometime...or maybe someplace else. Always have had my eye on Conchas State Park.

EDIT: Didn't notice you were the Eric Jensen from AOPA...my bad for the repeat post.

2nd Edit: You're in Fort Collins....I have a friend that is going to CSU right now...I am thinking of coming up to visit him. I already checked out the downtown airport last time I was up there....maybe that will be my first trip. Beer does taste much better up there (especially when consumed more than 8 hours from flying again)


:)
 
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Congrats, Nick. Way to go! :cheerio:
 
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Congratulations, Pilot!

Welcome to the ancient and eternal order.

Now the fun begins!
 
If you get close let me know. Be great to meet for a beer, go fly or something. You probably noticed I'm based at downtown. It's 2.5-3 hours from AEG.

Eric
 
Thank you to all of you! I appreciate the comments.

Brian - you saved my life last night, man.

Joe - you helped keep me cool last night.

I was in a euphoric, almost "disbelief" state earlier...now, 6 hours later, I am floating. I keep thinking..."ooh, I can go here. No, no, I can go there. No, no, I can go anywhere I want now!" (except R-4808N of course).

Phew.
 
Congratulations, Nick!! :cheerio:
 
NickDBrennan said:
Thank you to all of you! I appreciate the comments.
Phew.
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Welcome to the ancient and eternal order of pilots.

The next question is, what did you learn from the checkride? I would suggest:

(1) I really tough conditions, (low airspeed with a gusty crosswind, that's hard...can you say "short strip bad conditions?") a good landing does not have to be pretty.
(2) Some wisdom resides in your CFI. The DPE really wants to know that you are not going to embarass him prior to your next flight review (then that CFI is "responsible") He obviously thought you did pretty good. There are no rewards for signing off someone marginal.
(3) If you study thoroughly, even a somewhat unfamiliar aircraft can be familiar enough in which to pass a ride.

Woohoo! Now let the learning begin! :-)
 
Nick, congrats! Go have some fun! Go try some acro!
 
Congrats! Now if you'd aimed for a few days earlier, you could've done this post as an April Fool's joke ;) Tsk tsk.
 
Congratulations Nick!!! WAY TO GO, PILOT!!!
 
WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!

The sky is your oyster!

Awaiting your "first passenger" story with bated breath......

--Kath
 
Congrats, Nick!!! You are mean, btw, I was all sad when I saw your post title LOL

:cheerio:
 
Congrats!!!!

I believe you are the first person to pas the PPASEL checkride on the POA website!

Somebody check the statistics please!


:cheerio:​
 
Keith Lane said:
Congrats!!!!

I believe you are the first person to pas the PPASEL checkride on the POA website!

Somebody check the statistics please!


:cheerio:​
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Hmm....

I think Rudy got his right after we came online. Anyone confirm?
 
As to wherher the crosswind is from the left or right, I don't think there is a "right" answer. But every pilot I know prefers a left crosswind if there must be a crosswind.

I think that it may have something to do with left rudder vs right rudder less P-factor.

And BTW, CONGRATULATIONS! :dance:
 
NickDBrennan said:
DE still didn't say anything.

I guess I hadn't actually busted the minimums on the short field....whoo!!!
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Theoretically, as long as the DE hasn't said otherwise, the game is still on.

Who-hoo is right! Congratulations.:cheerio:

Do you realize that now you could fly yourself (and pax) almost anywhere in the country! Isn't that an awesome feeling?
 
Brian Austin said:
Hmm....

I think Rudy got his right after we came online. Anyone confirm?
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Congrats Nick, good job handling the wind! Whats next?
Now are you wondering what you were nervous about?
Piece of cake when you are prepared huh!
Don :dance:


P.S. Yes Rudy was first by a month almost to the day.
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/showthread.php?t=380
 
The Old Man said:
As to wherher the crosswind is from the left or right, I don't think there is a "right" answer. But every pilot I know prefers a left crosswind if there must be a crosswind.

I think that it may have something to do with left rudder vs right rudder less P-factor.
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That was the answer he gave. He said that if the crosswind is from the left, then you have more room to play because the plane has a built in protector against P-Factor. I don't know...I don't think I'll push the maximum crosswind component intentionally anyways.
 
lancefisher said:
Do you realize that now you could fly yourself (and pax) almost anywhere in the country! Isn't that an awesome feeling?
Click to expand...

Yes...that is the ultimate feeling. I cannot wait until I take my first passenger somewhere.
 
Congrats. I too had crosswinds on my check-ride,(13G19) made me nervous haha. But it made me more confident with crosswind landings. At the time i was mad about the winds, but now i am glad it was like that.

Have a blast with the license, I know i am loving mine.
 
Brian Austin said:
Hmm....

I think Rudy got his right after we came online. Anyone confirm?
Click to expand...
Yeah i got mine on March 11, and i am still smiling!!
 
I was following your thread at AOPA and congrat'zed you there, but I'll do it again!
:dance: Way to GO!!:blueplane: :dance:

peace

Terry
 
Rudy said:
Congrats. I too had crosswinds on my check-ride,(13G19) made me nervous haha. But it made me more confident with crosswind landings. At the time i was mad about the winds, but now i am glad it was like that.

Have a blast with the license, I know i am loving mine.
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You too? Are all check rides windy? On my private during slow flight we were hovering in the 152 and had 35kts at the surface. On my instrument the winds were out of the west so bad that even with a 0 minute outbound leg, the inbound leg was 1:30.

Conrgats Nick. And be careful of those really hard clouds out your way!
 
You know.....I could learn some humility like I used to have here.....
 
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