Interesting checkride stories

Matthew Johnson

Matthew Johnson

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Matt Johnson
New member/first post here...

Anyone have interesting stories to share from their checkrides over the years? I would be curious to hear them. Mine only one so far is below. Also, just in case this DPE is reading/this was as memorable for them as it was for me (unlikely), I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the same person for additional checkrides in the future!

Mine was a couple of years ago, ASEL, doing laps of the pattern. I make the downwind to base turn and the DPE asks: could you make the runway if the engine quit?
Me: Yes (said knowing that this DPE likes their candidates to always stay within gliding distance while in the pattern)
DPE: okay, show me (pulls the throttle back to idle)
Me: okay, I am going to fly a non-standard base leg to minimize distance to the threshold.
(already near best glide with 10 degrees of flaps out on a 172)
(I pull the flaps back to zero)
DPE: what was THAT?
Me: an insurance policy.
(At this point, I am wondering if I am getting a discontinuance or if we are now playing chicken)
DPE: Okay, let's make this real (reaches over and pulls the mixture back to cutoff)!
Me: okay (looks like we are playing chicken!)
Now on short final on a stable approach with the runway made with 20 degrees of flaps
DPE: okay, you can have the mixture back...
Me: okay, thanks (push mixture to rich, quick blip of the throttle just to check that it is ready if needed, then flaps to 30 degrees)
(now in the flair and within a second or two of touching down)
DPE: GO AROUND!
Me: Okay (throttle a little too quickly to firewall, we were low and slow with nose really high)
(airplane pitches up, stall horn blaring and controls mushy - I point the nose at the ground to regain some speed margin over power on dirty stall speed)
DPE: Don't go ANY LOWER than THIS!
Me: not going any lower, but needed the airspeed!
(speed now at Vx, climbing and reducing flaps 10 degrees at a time)
DPE: I bet you have never done a go-around that low have you!?
Me: Nope!
 
This was just a couple of years ago, and the examiner simulated an engine failure by pulling the mixture? That is specifically prohibited in the examiner's manual, and all around a really bad idea.

But it does make for a good story. Welcome to the forum!
 
Matthew Johnson said:
New member/first post here...

Anyone have interesting stories to share from their checkrides over the years? I would be curious to hear them. Mine only one so far is below. Also, just in case this DPE is reading/this was as memorable for them as it was for me (unlikely), I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the same person for additional checkrides in the future!

Mine was a couple of years ago, ASEL, doing laps of the pattern. I make the downwind to base turn and the DPE asks: could you make the runway if the engine quit?
Me: Yes (said knowing that this DPE likes their candidates to always stay within gliding distance while in the pattern)
DPE: okay, show me (pulls the throttle back to idle)
Me: okay, I am going to fly a non-standard base leg to minimize distance to the threshold.
(already near best glide with 10 degrees of flaps out on a 172)
(I pull the flaps back to zero)
DPE: what was THAT?
Me: an insurance policy.
(At this point, I am wondering if I am getting a discontinuance or if we are now playing chicken)
DPE: Okay, let's make this real (reaches over and pulls the mixture back to cutoff)!
Me: okay (looks like we are playing chicken!)
Now on short final on a stable approach with the runway made with 20 degrees of flaps
DPE: okay, you can have the mixture back...
Me: okay, thanks (push mixture to rich, quick blip of the throttle just to check that it is ready if needed, then flaps to 30 degrees)
(now in the flair and within a second or two of touching down)
DPE: GO AROUND!
Me: Okay (throttle a little too quickly to firewall, we were low and slow with nose really high)
(airplane pitches up, stall horn blaring and controls mushy - I point the nose at the ground to regain some speed margin over power on dirty stall speed)
DPE: Don't go ANY LOWER than THIS!
Me: not going any lower, but needed the airspeed!
(speed now at Vx, climbing and reducing flaps 10 degrees at a time)
DPE: I bet you have never done a go-around that low have you!?
Me: Nope!
Click to expand...

Lesson #1, don’t turn a simulated emergency into a real emergency.
 
RussR said:
This was just a couple of years ago, and the examiner simulated an engine failure by pulling the mixture? That is specifically prohibited in the examiner's manual, and all around a really bad idea.

But it does make for a good story. Welcome to the forum!
Click to expand...
Technically, they simulated the engine failure by closing the throttle. But then I did something unexpected and the game of chicken was ON! Didn't seem the best idea to me either, but in my day job in the automotive industry the engine cal folks generally shut off the injectors when the throttle is closed - so this didn't strike me as much different (and I was sure that I could make the field and land safely without any flaps out with no power if needed).

Thanks for the welcome!
 
I think I would have turned in that DPE. Shutting the engine down at low altitude, especially when he was questioning making the field..?? You got the engine back because the prop was windmilling, but it would not have taken much to turn very bad.
 
I would have pushed the mixture back in and said "as PIC I don't consider that an acceptable safety risk for this flight".
 
A side question. Is it allowable for an examiner to touch any controls to facilitate the testing? Seems like it shouldn't be. I think one of mine said something like "if I touch the controls, the check ride is over and you fail".

*edit* I just realized I actually did have an examiner touch "controls" to facilitate the testing. In my glider check ride, he pulled the tow release to simulate a rope break. So I guess it is acceptable.
 
Salty said:
A side question. Is it allowable for an examiner to touch any controls to facilitate the testing? Seems like it shouldn't be. I think one of mine said something like "if I touch the controls, the check ride is over and you fail".
Click to expand...

I know that can't be right. I've had mine take the controls while I put on my hood and to set up for unusual attitudes.

As for pulling the throttle, I know we did a simulated engine failure (where are you going to land? etc.) but I don't remember if he touched the controls for that or not.
 
jsstevens said:
I know that can't be right. I've had mine take the controls while I put on my hood and to set up for unusual attitudes.

As for pulling the throttle, I know we did a simulated engine failure (where are you going to land? etc.) but I don't remember if he touched the controls for that or not.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but taking controls while you prep isn't to facilitate testing. Like comms with ATC to coordinate a test for example.

I can't remember if the examiner pulled my throttle or told me to do it for the engine out test. But, I do remember the glider examiner letting loose the tow rope, which is more akin to pulling the mixture out than pulling the throttle is. Once he does that, you're landing, and soon.
 
Almost failed my captain upgrade ride. We ran the wrong checklist and misdiagnosed the problem. The only reason the examiner didn’t fail was because he said we did everything absolutely perfect before so he gave us a mulligan.
 
That is good 2 hear... which airline is it you fly for again? :)
 
jordane93 said:
Almost failed my captain upgrade ride. We ran the wrong checklist and misdiagnosed the problem. The only reason the examiner didn’t fail was because he said we did everything absolutely perfect before so he gave us a mulligan.
Click to expand...

have you gotten called back for training yet?
 
I did my PPL check ride April 30, 1977. I don't remember doing a real extensive oral, if any at all. When the examiner got in the airplane (C-150), it was a towered airport and he did all the radio work. We got to the runway, he said "do a short field take off", did fine on that. We went out to the practice area and he said "ok, do whatever you've been doing". Then he wanted me to do a take off and departure stall. I did it, then he said " let me show you something with a 150". He did another T/O dep stall, as soon as it broke, he pulled the throttle, then immediately ran it back in. It was pretty neat, the nose dropped just a bit with neither wing trying to drop off to the side. He pretty much did all the flying after that, just showing me some neat things a 150 can do. We went back to the airport, I landed the airplane, we went inside and he wrote up my temporary airman certificate.
 
Marshall Alexander said:
I did my PPL check ride April 30, 1977. I don't remember doing a real extensive oral, if any at all.
Click to expand...

Same here, My private, instrument, and commercial oral were all pretty easy. Private he saw I knew my stuff and started skipping through pages in his oral book. Instrument oral I actually did with another pilot because we had trained for the instrument together so he would ask me one question and then the other pilot one. Commercial oral didn't seem to last long at all. I had done some of my commercial training with the DPE himself, so that may have been the reason for that.
 
Multi commercial ride. DPE- You were doing awesome until the single engine instrument approach. Me - my leg is so tired it’s shaking. I’d been flying 3 days in a row in the class and my legs were worn out! She laughed, we landed and I passed.
 
BrianNC said:
Same here, My private, instrument, and commercial oral were all pretty easy. Private he saw I knew my stuff and started skipping through pages in his oral book. Instrument oral I actually did with another pilot because we had trained for the instrument together so he would ask me one question and then the other pilot one. Commercial oral didn't seem to last long at all. I had done some of my commercial training with the DPE himself, so that may have been the reason for that.
Click to expand...

This is how my A&P oral/practical went. 3 of us, my brother, a friend of our, and I did it all at once with the examiner. Took about 2 hours, we worked on his flight school planes. When we got the "tasks/repairs" done on them, we were finished, lol.
If my understanding is correct, the FAA won't let the examiners do but one at a time now.
 
I had a 135 check ride where our airplane had a VOR-DME R-Nav system. The FAA guy never realized that I was using it on an ADF approach. But he did give me a favorable comment on how well I was tracking the course!!

I "think" it was a Gold Crown KNS-300 R-Nav with 10 waypoints. Jeppesen used to publish en-route charts just for VOR-DME R-Nav
 
kgruber said:
I had a 135 check ride where our airplane had a VOR-DME R-Nav system. The FAA guy never realized that I was using it on an ADF approach. But he did give me a favorable comment on how well I was tracking the course!!

I "think" it was a Gold Crown KNS-300 R-Nav with 10 waypoints. Jeppesen used to publish en-route charts just for VOR-DME R-Nav
Click to expand...

He probably didn’t even know what it was:biggrin: While were here, I was wondering something. Is it customary to tip DPE’s:devil:
 
My private check ride was 40 minutes.
It was blowing 16 to 26 at 50* to the runway, I had never landed with or without an instructor in winds like that. The oral was brief but to the point. We went out and got into the airplane, it was bouncing all over in the wind. He got on the radio and called his buddy who was going to go fly somewhere and suggested for him to stay on the ground as it was really blowing. He said to me as we taxied to the runway "its blowing pretty good, give me one good landing and that's all we'll do today", I though he meant to take it around the pattern and land it and the checkride would be over. But, as we landed, he told me to take off again and I did. We then did one power on stall, one power off, went about 5 miles into my planned cross country, and headed back to the airport.
Seaplane checkride was even quicker. I had flown with him prior to the checkride and he was happy with my skills. We took off on a pretty small lake, once over the trees and turned about 90*, he pulled my throttle and said "you just lost your engine", we were maybe 500 feet. I managed to do an emergency checklist, put in flaps and did, in his words a "perfect cross wind landing".
 
My PPL check ride went very well and I passed with flying colors. But after the oral and the preflight, we climbed in the plane and I organized all my charts, etc. I called up the tower for my instructions and then the DPE says "how far do you think we can go today?" Not knowing what he meant, I sat perplexed and started doing calculations based on full fuel with reserves, etc. Then he looked out the window and said, "think we should do something about that?"
The plane was still tied down. I was completely embarrassed. He laughed. I untied the plane, rearranged my charts and we headed out. After that everything was gravy.
JC
 
Jeff Creamer said:
My PPL check ride went very well and I passed with flying colors. But after the oral and the preflight, we climbed in the plane and I organized all my charts, etc. I called up the tower for my instructions and then the DPE says "how far do you think we can go today?" Not knowing what he meant, I sat perplexed and started doing calculations based on full fuel with reserves, etc. Then he looked out the window and said, "think we should do something about that?"
The plane was still tied down. I was completely embarrassed. He laughed. I untied the plane, rearranged my charts and we headed out. After that everything was gravy.
JC
Click to expand...


You were still "safe". You wouldn't have been able move anywhere in order to be unsafe. Which is what, if you read the PTS standards, the MAIN goal of the check ride is..........safety. :)
 
I left the oil door open on the C-172 I used for my check ride. We were in, strapped, preflight brief done, engine running when I noticed. I shut down the engine. Got out, closed it and got back in with a very sheepish look on my face. The DPE laughed. I did bust the ride, but this wasn't why...
 
This is not embarrassing, just a little humorous.

I was due a Part 135 six month recurrent ride in a C-207 in Kotzebue, Alaska. The chief pilot was in town helping out with company pilot shortage.

On the day of the check ride, the wind was howling. Not your typical normal 20 - 30 knot stuff, I mean it was 45G60. Oh, almost forgot that the wind had blown all the snow off the ice so just standing outside was very difficult.

Charles, the CP was flying the B-99. As he taxied in I could see he was having trouble with the wind and ice. He finally got it parked, tied it down and came inside. (tie downs consisted of half a 55 gallon drum filled with cement, carried out to the plane by forklift)

Me: Ok, Charles, I have the plane ready for the check ride so whenever you are ready we can go.

Charles: Billy, are you sure you want to go out and do a check ride in this wind.??

Me: Yes, let's get it done.

Charles: Billy, you know the wind is pretty strong out there.

Me: Yeah, the wind gets like that up here in northwest Alaska, quit stalling and lets go.

Charles: You know, Billy, the 727 is having trouble with the ice and wind. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow. (actually the 727 was parked and sliding on the ice because of the wind. they were tying everything that they could find to it to try to keep it on the ramp)

Me: Those 727 pilots are wimps. If their coffee spills they cancel flights.

Charles: You know judgement is part of the check ride. You should really think about trying to taxi on the ice in this wind.

Me: Judgement smudgement. I need to get this ride done so I can go on my days off. I have only had 6 days off this quarter.

Charles: Billy, you should really consider waiting until tomorrow when the wind won't be so bad.

Me: Charles, are you wimping out on me? Are you saying you would rather go have a drink instead of getting this check ride done.??

Charles: I think that would be the best idea.

Me: Ok Charles, I have a full bottle of rum at my apartment.

Charles: Now that is using good judgement.!!

The next day winds were almost dead calm. Check ride went off without a hitch, although the temps was about -30F. We spent half the ride getting the inside of the plane warm. I passed and went on my 10 days off.
 
At the end of the cross country portion and approaching the distant airport the DPE calls on the radio and orders his lunch at the burger counter then asks me what I want. A burger fries and drink will do thank you. There was no ATIS or AWOS, but we were getting bounced around pretty good. Wind sock was in taters and needed to be replaced. I miss judged the wind and blew through final on the base to final turn with the wind behind me on base. BIG TIME blew through final, I commented WOW that's more wind than I expected. I started to angle back in but said no and I started a go around early.

Fixed it with a wider downwind and a constant 180 downwind to final, no base leg. Crabbing down final I noted out loud there is a hill to the windward side of the runway spilling turbulence onto final. I commented that if he had not already ordered lunch I would be looking for a different runway. He commented "you got this". Getting into the flare I didn't like it and started to add power, but he wouldn't have it. "WE" landed the airplane and I applied proper controls into the wind all the way to tie down. I thought I had blown the check ride. He said nothing.

Went in, had lunch and talked airplanes, nothing about the winds or the landing. After lunch we went out and did all of the air work while flying back to his own airport. We had started at my airport where he had finished another check ride prior to mine. Back at his airport, a perfect no power landing into the wind. Inside a bit of the oral portion while his counter lady typed up my temp certificate.

He hands me my temp and said congrats. I told him I thought I had blown it with the botched pattern and problem with the crosswind. He said, No, you earned it when you went around and fixed it. You sealed the deal when you said you didn't like it and would find a different runway.
 
I had been asked on my PPL check ride to plan the XC from KVGT to KNYL. We were just leaving the KLAS bravo on the west side when the DPE tells me to call Flight Service and make a PIREP. I get a hold of Reno Radio and make my report uneventfully.

Then Reno Radio asks me if I want to open a flight plan. “No” Then they ask me if I want to get weather. “No” Then they asked me if I wanted something else. (I don’t remember what it was, but I was more concerned with flying, and this guy would not stop offering things.) Finally I just said “Reno Radio Skyhawk 12345 is a student on a check ride and you are going to screw me up. Out.” And I looked over and the DPE was laughing so hard I thought he was going to pop.
 
Salty said:
A side question. Is it allowable for an examiner to touch any controls to facilitate the testing? Seems like it shouldn't be. I think one of mine said something like "if I touch the controls, the check ride is over and you fail".

*edit* I just realized I actually did have an examiner touch "controls" to facilitate the testing. In my glider check ride, he pulled the tow release to simulate a rope break. So I guess it is acceptable.
Click to expand...

So why is the consensus that pulling the mixture is unacceptable, but pulling the tow release is acceptable (even required)?

IMO. they are the same, either at the wrong time can cause an emergency, either at the right times are just good training with minimal risk. In the example above, the runway was already made, it was just a mostly normal power off approach, even then the option of a go around was not eliminated just reduced. Also unknown are what were the other options should a go around not been possible.

There are a very large number of pilots that don’t really know the difference between a simulated and real power failure. The good news is, there is in most cases functionally no difference, but not knowing sometimes caused pilots to respond to a real power failure inappropriately.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
One of my favorites Is I worked with pilot that needed a 709 ride after groundlooping her tail dragged.
The morning of the checkride she showed up early and did a few solo take offs and landings before the Faa Inspector arrived. And 10 minutes before her appointment she taxied in and the inspector met her at the tie downs and asked was that you doing the to takes offs and landings. Was pretty obvious it was as she was the only one in the airplane. We she replied yes, wondering if she had done something wrong, he replied congratulations we are done. She never actually flew with the inspector in a taildragger.

(Longer part of the story is she had flown with him prior in a tri-gear since taildragger was not available)

Brian
 
I wish I could remember the name of the examiner at Kenmore Air Harbor in the late 1960's. Anyway, this examiner didn't even get in the airplane initially, he just observed from his upstairs office.

I was instructed to untie/start/taxi out/turn around/ taxi in/dock/tie down the Super Cub.

I did all that, and THEN he got in and did the rest of the checkride.
 
Initial Fix said:
Multi commercial ride. DPE- You were doing awesome until the single engine instrument approach. Me - my leg is so tired it’s shaking. I’d been flying 3 days in a row in the class and my legs were worn out! She laughed, we landed and I passed.
Click to expand...

Friends of mine on his glider check ride...

Examiner what is that thumping noise, we should land and check it out?
Friend, It just my knees knocking on the side of the glider, they are shaking so bad.:)

The two applicants that had just flown before him had both failed their checkrides, He passed.

Brian
 
I guess my best one was when I got my ATP, Citation 500 type, Part 135 PIC and MEI on one ride.
 
kgruber said:
I wish I could remember the name of the examiner at Kenmore Air Harbor in the late 1960's. Anyway, this examiner didn't even get in the airplane initially, he just observed from his upstairs office.

I was instructed to untie/start/taxi out/turn around/ taxi in/dock/tie down the Super Cub.

I did all that, and THEN he got in and did the rest of the checkride.
Click to expand...

:D:D:DThat water is cold! He didn't want to trust you enough to go fly with you till he knew you at least could demonstrate basic launch and recover skills without dunking him in the water.
 
brcase said:
...Also unknown are what were the other options should a go around not been possible.

There are a very large number of pilots that don’t really know the difference between a simulated and real power failure. The good news is, there is in most cases functionally no difference, but not knowing sometimes caused pilots to respond to a real power failure inappropriately.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
Click to expand...
Original poster here:

Farm fields and an interstate at 90 degrees and ~1000 ft from the arrival threshold, so many options.

I actually found it quite interesting/informative to feel the difference in drag between an engine at idle vs. without fuel flowing. The go-around while in the flare was significantly more stressful and in my view potentially higher risk.
 
I guess the two most entertaining out of many were...

The tower making us go around during a single engine approach in the Seminole ... Both the DPE and I tried to get a word in edgewise but it wasn’t happening. I looked at him and said, “I can do it, or you can give me the other one back. Your call.”

He gave it back. We needed to fly back to home base anyway. He said I got credit for the approach but not the landing so just make a single engine landing back home and that’ll cover it. Ha. I said, “under the hood or not?” He said nah, just visual.

The other was how I busted my Commercial ride in my own damn airplane. I couldn’t land the thing for the life of me without bouncing off of each wheel individually and all at once and it was just a hideous mess that morning — and I’ve got a bejillion landings and hundreds of hours in the thing.

Examiner tried to let me clean it up. But it was obvious I couldn’t remember how to land my own airplane that day. He says, “This isn’t going well...” Even I had to help shoot myself down that day. “I know!” He says it isn’t satisfactory, I agree, he asks if I want to stop or go do the airwork.

I say airwork for sure, go mail all of that... And the landing back home. Couple days later and a couple times around the patch, we finished up.

Was utterly ridiculous. Haven’t landed my plane much worse than that ride ever nor since.

Beat non checkride fun still was the first night of instrument training with @jesse when I’m under the hood and he says “I need you to see something” and then proceeds to show me the River fog that had buried the LNK airport... and that we could still see Omaha completely VFR for a hundred miles...

“Ready for your first ILS to minimums?”

And it was too. We went missed for real the first time.

“Now what?” He says.

“I’ll try it one more time then we will be headed for Omaha.”
 
MY DPE was the remarkable and famous Arnold E. Ebneter.

Arnold called for turns around a point, and I started looking for a good landmark. While I'm scanning the ground for a prominent point, Arnold pulls power. "You just lost the engine," he said.

I trim for best glide angle, which in a C152 is just spinning the trim wheel back until it stops. I cease looking for a landmark and start looking for a place to put down.

We are over the flatlands west of the Cascade foothills and there are plenty of options. I pick one, point it out to Arnold, but we need to lose some altitude. I start a few S-turns, while I check fuel, ignition, and such. We're still way high, so I transition into a left forward slip. So far, this is my weakest performance and I know it.

Riding the slip, I'm looking out my side window. The engine roars back to life. Trimmed full back, the nose pitches up, reaching violently for the sky! The yoke slams back against my hand, and I jam it forward to counteract the sudden pitch up. Everything loose atop the panel, as well as our butts, pop up into the air then slam back down as we level off. I said something intelligent like, "Whoa!" Neither of us made any comment other than that. Arnold had applied full power in the slip. We never mentioned it, and to this day, twenty years later, I don't know whether it was purposeful or a brain fart. It certainly tested my reaction to something unexpected.

I passed the checkride.
 
Matthew Johnson said:
New member/first post here...

Anyone have interesting stories to share from their checkrides over the years? I would be curious to hear them. Mine only one so far is below. Also, just in case this DPE is reading/this was as memorable for them as it was for me (unlikely), I wouldn't hesitate to go back to the same person for additional checkrides in the future!

Mine was a couple of years ago, ASEL, doing laps of the pattern. I make the downwind to base turn and the DPE asks: could you make the runway if the engine quit?
Me: Yes (said knowing that this DPE likes their candidates to always stay within gliding distance while in the pattern)
DPE: okay, show me (pulls the throttle back to idle)
Me: okay, I am going to fly a non-standard base leg to minimize distance to the threshold.
(already near best glide with 10 degrees of flaps out on a 172)
(I pull the flaps back to zero)
DPE: what was THAT?
Me: an insurance policy.
(At this point, I am wondering if I am getting a discontinuance or if we are now playing chicken)
DPE: Okay, let's make this real (reaches over and pulls the mixture back to cutoff)!
Me: okay (looks like we are playing chicken!)
Now on short final on a stable approach with the runway made with 20 degrees of flaps
DPE: okay, you can have the mixture back...
Me: okay, thanks (push mixture to rich, quick blip of the throttle just to check that it is ready if needed, then flaps to 30 degrees)
(now in the flair and within a second or two of touching down)
DPE: GO AROUND!
Me: Okay (throttle a little too quickly to firewall, we were low and slow with nose really high)
(airplane pitches up, stall horn blaring and controls mushy - I point the nose at the ground to regain some speed margin over power on dirty stall speed)
DPE: Don't go ANY LOWER than THIS!
Me: not going any lower, but needed the airspeed!
(speed now at Vx, climbing and reducing flaps 10 degrees at a time)
DPE: I bet you have never done a go-around that low have you!?
Me: Nope!
Click to expand...

I never understood this obsession about engine failing in the traffic pattern. Why is it more likely to fail in the landing traffic pattern than during cruise?
 
I did my Commercial SEL with an old B-24 pilot. Learned a lot. I got three or four engine failures, really didn’t think anything of it, until he asked, “Why do you keep lining up on roads?” “Because I’ve seen more landings on roads than I have on runways.”

apparently he was wanting me to make a nice pattern into a small field. ;)
 
sarangan said:
I never understood this obsession about engine failing in the traffic pattern. Why is it more likely to fail in the landing traffic pattern than during cruise?
Click to expand...

Some say they usually happen or are exacerbated by power changes.

Having talked to some folks who’ve had them, I don’t personally ascribe to that theory. Just answering the question.
 
Second hand accounts from our insureds, claims that I have handled:

Several gear up landings on checkrides, instrument and commercial(in the students' own airplanes). Of course the planes are down for months which stops their progress. Liability becomes a mess of who is PIC, who has ultimate authority(don't want to talk about it).

Bush flying course in student's own plane. Instructor is a Skygod, 10k hours plus, has some space shuttle time, etc. They are about to land, instructor decides he wants to go around, takes control, gets indecisive, bounces and ground loops. Well, the students sign a waiver before they start the training, absolving the Skygod of all wrongdoing. So he gets off scott free.
 
sarangan said:
I never understood this obsession about engine failing in the traffic pattern. Why is it more likely to fail in the landing traffic pattern than during cruise?
Click to expand...

Carb ice?
 
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