Newly-minted Private Pilot!

LDJones

LDJones

Touchdown! Greaser!
Gone West
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Jonesy
Congratulations to my student Ben Amundson on successfully passing a long, very thorough private pilot checkride! The examiner, Mike Anderson, said the 2.5 hour oral went exceptionally well, and was very complimentary of his piloting skills. He only had a few minor constructive criticisms that were well-received.

Ben is another student I "adopted" after my buddy Chris Cooper temporarily lost his medical to cancer, so I picked him up late in December with excellent stick-n-rudder skills already in place. He soloed January 10th and is a certificated private pilot today (despite numerous winter weather delays and ten days spent in the Mexican sunshine!!)

Great job, Ben!

(Edited to correct airport!)

P.S. Ben is relocating to the Denver area. I believe he said Rocky Mountain will be his closest airport. Looking for recommendations on FBOs, flying clubs, local CFIs with him I can connect him. He's a great person, an excellent pilot and learns fast!
 

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Congrats.................. Altho anyone with the name Ben can't be all bad..:no::D
 
iflyblog.com said:
Congrats to both of you! That's a pretty healthy oral for PPL.
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I know! I was getting nervous. But they emerged smiling and he said it went very well! (The instrument candidate from somewhere else who tested before him had almost a four hour oral :hairraise: and then busted on his two hour ride.)

The examiner's nickname is "Iron Mike"! :wink2:
 
Have him check out Aspen flying club at Centennial. They have a great selection of planes from multiple LSA's, multiple 172's, a Citabria, Cirrus, and a twin. As a flying club they offer social events too. We do monthly fly outs and yearly fly outs to Oshkosh.

Carl
 
LDJones said:
I know! I was getting nervous. But they emerged smiling and he said it went very well! (The instrument candidate from somewhere else who tested before him had almost a four hour oral :hairraise: and then busted on his two hour ride.)

The examiner's nickname is "Iron Mike"! :wink2:
Click to expand...

Wow. So the examiner had a 10 hr day for 2 students?
 
LDJones said:
Mike Anderson, said the 2.5 hour oral went exceptionally well, and was very complimentary of his piloting skills.
Click to expand...

What! That seems unusually long.

LDJones said:
(The instrument candidate from somewhere else who tested before him had almost a four hour oral :hairraise: and then busted on his two hour ride.)
Click to expand...

Okay..... :yikes:

I can see that maybe the DPE was doing more teaching than examining which is great, but I think that might be a little excessive. Perhaps the instrument guy busted the flight portion because his brain was fried from a four-hour oral exam.


Of course congrats to your student :yes:
 
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dell30rb said:
What! That seems unusually long.



Okay..... :yikes:

I can see that maybe the DPE was doing more teaching than examining which is great, but I think that might be a little excessive. Perhaps the instrument guy busted the flight portion because his brain was fried from a four-hour oral exam.


Of course congrats to your student :yes:
Click to expand...

Mike does a VERY scenario-based checkride from start to finish, weaving in real-world stories that vividly illustrate WHY the rules are as they are. They are long, thorough, and very educational exams.
 
iflyblog.com said:
That's a pretty healthy oral for PPL.
Click to expand...

My Sport oral was about 2.5 hours and so was my private...but hey, who's complaining? I got to talk about flying with another guy who likes it for a few hours! Normally I have people screaming for me to stop :).
 
My oral started at 0800 and ended at 1330 at which time I was toast but then flew and passed the 1.5 hour practical. I was so tired that I couldn't even think about exercising my newly obtained privileges as a private pilot until days after the check ride.

Congratulations Ben! If it was easy everyone would be a pilot.
 
Congratulations! Another recommendation for Aspen Flying Club if he's coming out to KAPA. My experience is limited to the LSA's and light sport instructors, but it's a great club and group of people, can't recommend it enough.
 
I just found out he will be living only five minutes from Rocky Mountain airport (KBJC). Anyone with recommendations there?? Thanks in advance.
 
BTW, all his flying has been in the Jabiru with glass cockpit. Today I gave him an orientation flight in our Cherokee 140 with steam gauges. He thoroughly enjoyed the change and is looking forward to more time in low wing...liked the upward visibility.
 
Congrats to the CFI and pass on congrats to the new pilot!
 
Another job well done sir! Congrats to you and your new pilot. And way to go for showing that compassion to help your students network in aviation once they leave your FBO
 
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