MDeitch1976
Line Up and Wait
After receiving a couple discontinuance from weather, and another because the plane would not start, today I had my check ride.
I awoke a 7 AM this morning. Filed my flight plan for 1415z out of GAI and received my briefing. I arrived at the airport a little before 830AM. When I arrived the owner of the flight school had my plane out and running. Good to know the plane will start. I gave the plane a little pre flight pre flight. Didn't have to add fuel, that was convenient. I went and met Bob a few minutes before 9. He took my discontinuance sheet, and my log book, and sent me out to pre flight. He arrived after I had completed the pre flight. Go through the briefing, start things up, get all set up and ready to taxi. And then it hits me....I didn't pull the chocks. Got back in, went to start up again. Yelled out to clear the prop, started up, and then learned about an "aviation minute". Essentially, give a little more time for someone to get clear of my prop, then start.
Taxi'd out to the run up area. Had to do a little bobbing and weaving to get away from our hangar as another plane pulled in as we were leaving. As we taxi'd Bob recommended I crack the canopy. Little fogged up on my side. I wonder why, nerves maybe. I will say, I did not need any heat, Bob turned on the heat. Good thing he reminded me to take off my jacket before we got all belted in. The run up went OK. Need to put a lot into the brakes this time to keep the plane from turning while doing the run up. With the run up complete, we go to depart.
Take off went well. I started to level at traffic pattern altitude, Bob reminded me to keep climbing. Duh, departing on a XC. Found my first checkpoint right away that Bob wanted me to plot. Start my timer, and continuing on to the second check point, a fish hatchery. We cross over Sugar Loaf Mountain, and I know it should be visible. I don't see it, and we are about 3 minutes into what I calculated as 4 minutes ETA. I told him I am going to make a couple short turns to look for it. He tells me, try dropping the nose a little, first. Voila, there it is. Arrived there, 10 seconds after my calculated ETE. He has me then figure out how to divert to Carroll County. I figure out my heading to DMW. He then has me climb to 3500 and take him there. Also, he covers up my PFD. On the way there he has me line up with the cement plant, and prepare for steep turns. He asks me which way first, I said left, but I am going to do clearing turns. First he asks me why left first. Left just felt like a good directions start. Which he followed up with asking if overtaking another aircraft which side do you pass on? The right. So, why left first? Then he just said I cold use the 360 left turn as my clearing turn. Left went well, right went well. Off to slow flight, and stalls. Slow flight, easy. He had me set up for my stalls a little differently than I had learned. Never went into a full stall. But, recoveries fine. He then had me go into my emergency descent down to altitude for turns around a point. Which was pre determined at the oral exam with a roll of the dice. Got half way around a pond, with very little wind, and he wanted me to take him to DMW.
We arrive at DMW. Fly over the field. I was going to fly out as I learned and turn back into a 45. He recommended just using turning onto downwind. On to the short field landing with the numbers as my 50 foot obstacle. My turn to final is a little wide, and i tell him I am going to go around. He said that I have plenty of room to get lined up. so, I do. Cleared the obstacle, and landed within his mark, not perfect, but good enough. He asks me who is PIC. I told him me. He asked why I listened to him and did not go around. I told him, he was a lot more experienced than me, and I trusted his judgement. He told me, if I decide to go around, just do it. Don't listen, even if it is an instructor. Luckily I did not fail here. Then off to short field takeoff, easy. Followed by soft field landing. Which was one of my nicest. Yay! Soft field take off, and then follow the VOR home.
On the way home to GAI, het dated me on the autopilot. Which, my instructors never taught me, but I read about a little. I set it for the VOR. Then he had me turn on the altitude. Uh oh, little trouble. He helped me. But, was lenient here. By this point we are inside the SFRA, and almost home. He asks me what I would do if the controls for the power unattached, but the power was still the same. I tell him I will let ATC know, and continue to GAI, and take a long final, cut the power when I am close enough for a power off descent. While he said this would probably work out at GAI, he told me to think a little more. Divert to Baltimore or Dulles where I have a long runway. He wouldn't let me touch the power at all even in the power. Had to deploy the flaps with cruise power. Pitched up to bleed airspeed to get the flaps down. Probably 200 feet over TPS now. By this point I am on a long final. He tells me I have control of the power. He has make make a normal landing by the third centerline marking. Just before the Captains Bars. Nailed it.
Taxi to the hangar. He reviews my performance, and where I could use a little practice. And, where I had a couple hiccups. He then tells me if I can park it without incident there is no reason why he wouldn't be issuing me the white piece of paper. Pull in. Shut down. Receive a hand shake from Bob, and high five from my instructor.
Side note, did this ride with my new Bose A20 headset. Wow! So much better. You just don't know until you know.
Probably missed some things. The accomplishment it still sinking in.
Questions? Please ask.
Matt
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
I awoke a 7 AM this morning. Filed my flight plan for 1415z out of GAI and received my briefing. I arrived at the airport a little before 830AM. When I arrived the owner of the flight school had my plane out and running. Good to know the plane will start. I gave the plane a little pre flight pre flight. Didn't have to add fuel, that was convenient. I went and met Bob a few minutes before 9. He took my discontinuance sheet, and my log book, and sent me out to pre flight. He arrived after I had completed the pre flight. Go through the briefing, start things up, get all set up and ready to taxi. And then it hits me....I didn't pull the chocks. Got back in, went to start up again. Yelled out to clear the prop, started up, and then learned about an "aviation minute". Essentially, give a little more time for someone to get clear of my prop, then start.
Taxi'd out to the run up area. Had to do a little bobbing and weaving to get away from our hangar as another plane pulled in as we were leaving. As we taxi'd Bob recommended I crack the canopy. Little fogged up on my side. I wonder why, nerves maybe. I will say, I did not need any heat, Bob turned on the heat. Good thing he reminded me to take off my jacket before we got all belted in. The run up went OK. Need to put a lot into the brakes this time to keep the plane from turning while doing the run up. With the run up complete, we go to depart.
Take off went well. I started to level at traffic pattern altitude, Bob reminded me to keep climbing. Duh, departing on a XC. Found my first checkpoint right away that Bob wanted me to plot. Start my timer, and continuing on to the second check point, a fish hatchery. We cross over Sugar Loaf Mountain, and I know it should be visible. I don't see it, and we are about 3 minutes into what I calculated as 4 minutes ETA. I told him I am going to make a couple short turns to look for it. He tells me, try dropping the nose a little, first. Voila, there it is. Arrived there, 10 seconds after my calculated ETE. He has me then figure out how to divert to Carroll County. I figure out my heading to DMW. He then has me climb to 3500 and take him there. Also, he covers up my PFD. On the way there he has me line up with the cement plant, and prepare for steep turns. He asks me which way first, I said left, but I am going to do clearing turns. First he asks me why left first. Left just felt like a good directions start. Which he followed up with asking if overtaking another aircraft which side do you pass on? The right. So, why left first? Then he just said I cold use the 360 left turn as my clearing turn. Left went well, right went well. Off to slow flight, and stalls. Slow flight, easy. He had me set up for my stalls a little differently than I had learned. Never went into a full stall. But, recoveries fine. He then had me go into my emergency descent down to altitude for turns around a point. Which was pre determined at the oral exam with a roll of the dice. Got half way around a pond, with very little wind, and he wanted me to take him to DMW.
We arrive at DMW. Fly over the field. I was going to fly out as I learned and turn back into a 45. He recommended just using turning onto downwind. On to the short field landing with the numbers as my 50 foot obstacle. My turn to final is a little wide, and i tell him I am going to go around. He said that I have plenty of room to get lined up. so, I do. Cleared the obstacle, and landed within his mark, not perfect, but good enough. He asks me who is PIC. I told him me. He asked why I listened to him and did not go around. I told him, he was a lot more experienced than me, and I trusted his judgement. He told me, if I decide to go around, just do it. Don't listen, even if it is an instructor. Luckily I did not fail here. Then off to short field takeoff, easy. Followed by soft field landing. Which was one of my nicest. Yay! Soft field take off, and then follow the VOR home.
On the way home to GAI, het dated me on the autopilot. Which, my instructors never taught me, but I read about a little. I set it for the VOR. Then he had me turn on the altitude. Uh oh, little trouble. He helped me. But, was lenient here. By this point we are inside the SFRA, and almost home. He asks me what I would do if the controls for the power unattached, but the power was still the same. I tell him I will let ATC know, and continue to GAI, and take a long final, cut the power when I am close enough for a power off descent. While he said this would probably work out at GAI, he told me to think a little more. Divert to Baltimore or Dulles where I have a long runway. He wouldn't let me touch the power at all even in the power. Had to deploy the flaps with cruise power. Pitched up to bleed airspeed to get the flaps down. Probably 200 feet over TPS now. By this point I am on a long final. He tells me I have control of the power. He has make make a normal landing by the third centerline marking. Just before the Captains Bars. Nailed it.
Taxi to the hangar. He reviews my performance, and where I could use a little practice. And, where I had a couple hiccups. He then tells me if I can park it without incident there is no reason why he wouldn't be issuing me the white piece of paper. Pull in. Shut down. Receive a hand shake from Bob, and high five from my instructor.
Side note, did this ride with my new Bose A20 headset. Wow! So much better. You just don't know until you know.
Probably missed some things. The accomplishment it still sinking in.
Questions? Please ask.
Matt
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
They're tricky like that!
