Ill attempt a write up but prose isn't my game so bear with me.
I did the oral portion a week ago. The DPE (super guy by the way. Very laid back) was heavy on systems (electrical mainly). Quite a few battery life and alternator failure type scenarios. Reading the POH more would have helped. Not much in the way of weather. Quite a few questions on my XC, sectional and airspace. I aced all that stuff so it was pretty quick. I had to write the 91.205 list and AV1ATE list. Was discontinued to yesterday due to weather.
One thing the DPE did that I didn't expect was give me the same advice Ive heard on here. Answer the question I ask you and don't stray too far afield and run into the ditch. Good advice but I didn't expect the DPE to tell me that.
Yesterday started with him explaining the flow of the checkride, the possible outcomes and what to expect. Again, he stated that he was not looking for perfection he was looking for safe aircraft handling and recognition of impending problems.
I gave him the passenger brief and away we went. Started with a soft field takeoff. On climbout I got a 'good job', which was a nice way to start. And the 'stronger than expected' uppers blew me off centerline...
Still on climbout and I feel him lightly 'kicking' the right rudder pedal. Ahhh, I can tell a clue when I feel one. Add a bit more right rudder and the kicking stops. He asks a few questions about where my checkpoints are and time and distance while enroute on the XC then gives me a diversion. I quickly calculate a rough course and 'thumb' measure the distance and divert and give him and ETA. We talk a bit about how things look on the sectional vs how they look from the air and get into the practice area.
First up is steep turns. Ive had a rough time with steep turns for some reason but lately they've been getting better. Still, I was a bit tense about them. Clearing turns done and start the steep turn left. He asks if we should do anything with the mixture since I had leaned it for the cruise. Dang, forgot the pre-maneuver checklist! Steep turn left. Going pretty well until about 2/3rd around and realize Im shallow. I correct and he calls for a right steep turn. I nail the right one and we go into slow flight.
We do slow flight for a bit and some maneuvering and recover. Power off and power on stalls. Both go well. He tell me to pull the throttle to idle and 'Oops, you've had an engine failure and there is oil all over your windshield. I do the ABCDE emergency drill, but set up super high for my field. This was probably the worst maneuver of the checkride unfortunately. Stupid thing is he had told me during the oral just to set up the EP like a normal landing pattern and I STILL didn't do it! Still, we recover, go around and climb to ground reference altitude.
Wind aloft is about 26 so the turn around a point isn't spectacular, but we did one loop and he tells me to take him back to the airport. Luckily he added 'to do some takeoffs and landings' otherwise I would have thought I busted (although I knew the turns wernt 'bustable').
It occurred to me that if I nailed these TO's and landings that I will pass the checkride so I started to smile a bit.
Got into the pattern and did a normal touch and go. On the second pass he had me cut the throttle at midfield downwind and 'deadstick' it to the runway. That was, I later learned, because of the goof up of the emergency procedure earlier.
Next go around was a short field landing, which I stuck RIGHT on the markers! Followed by a short field takeoff. On climbout he tells me to make this one a soft field full stop. I realize I am one landing away from my ticket and inform the tower that I would like a full stop. I think she could hear the smile in my voice. The soft field was probably the best landing of the bunch. and he tells me I should try to make ALL my landing like a soft field landing, because that one was nice.
We stop to clean up and he informs me that if I can manage to taxi back to the hanger without hitting anything that Ive just passed my checkride.
Somehow I manage not to run the plane into the ditch!
It surprised me a little that I got no 'real' attempt at distractions. Although looking back he was talking to me at a few 'inappropriate' times, so that might have been it.
