Practice maneuvers & commercial checkride in complex?

Skydreamer2015

Skydreamer2015

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Skydreamer2015
I'm trying to decide if I should spend the money & time in perfecting the commercial performance maneuvers in the Arrow for my checkride or save the money and do all my practice in the 172 and do my checkride in the 172 for the commercial maneuvers & then jump into the Arrow for complex portion of the test. I have about 20 hours in the Arrow so I don't have a lot of time on it, but it's not unfamiliar to me either. Like everyone else I'm trying to save as much money as I can in training costs. Is it impractical to go this route? What's the pros & cons? What's everyone else's experiences? Thanks!
 
If you have access to a Cherokee it would be a little better. The sight picture is a little different in a high wing for the maneuvers. I did the maneuvers in the Warrior to start off then finished the training in the Arrow. It saved a little money. Just do the checkride in one plane. It will save a lot more time and the amount of money saved is negligible
 
I used an arrow for all,but I owned the airplane.
 
What is the cost difference per hour?
 
Doing the power off 180 in anything but the airplane that you do the checkride in might not he that helpful. Its a tricky thing to master in a complex due to the increased weight if you've only ever practiced in the fixed gear brother.
 
I did all mine in the Complex. The maneuvers are gonna be easier to do with a constant speed prop.
 
Skydreamer2015 said:
The cost difference is $35 per hour between the 2 planes.
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Just do it in one plane.... 2-3 hours more to be check ride proficient in both planes and you've lost any savings you may have had....
 
I did all my work in the Arrow. You've got to get the 10 hours of complex training anyway. Might as well use those to be proficienct in the commercial maneuvers.
 
I'm starting my commercial soon to help with my non profit. Was thinking of combining the instrument and complex at the same time in an Arrow.
 
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I I have a similar situation and looking for advice.

I just passed my Commercial written, so now I am on to my commercial checkride prep. I have all required hours and the only thing remaining for me is to get the maneuvers down- which I haven't started practicing yet.

I own a 182 that costs me about $100/hr to fly all in. The arrow I would rent costs $180/hr. I have around 40 hrs in retracts so I don't need any more time in it for the checkride and would be ready to perform the required retract stuff in a hour or so with some pattern work.

My DPE is based at the field I am based at.

My plan is to use my 182 for the required maneuvers and rent the arrow for the required pattern stuff.

A couple questions:

1. I know it's allowed, but has anybody actually done this? If so, how did you feel it worked for you?

2. How many hours did anyone who has taken the commercial checkride work on maneuvers before feeling comfortable on it?
 
neilw2 said:
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I I have a similar situation and looking for advice.

I just passed my Commercial written, so now I am on to my commercial checkride prep. I have all required hours and the only thing remaining for me is to get the maneuvers down- which I haven't started practicing yet.

I own a 182 that costs me about $100/hr to fly all in. The arrow I would rent costs $180/hr. I have around 40 hrs in retracts so I don't need any more time in it for the checkride and would be ready to perform the required retract stuff in a hour or so with some pattern work.

My DPE is based at the field I am based at.

My plan is to use my 182 for the required maneuvers and rent the arrow for the required pattern stuff.

A couple questions:

1. I know it's allowed, but has anybody actually done this? If so, how did you feel it worked for you?

2. How many hours did anyone who has taken the commercial checkride work on maneuvers before feeling comfortable on it?
Click to expand...
I know a decent amount of people who did this without issues. I personally didn't do it because I didn't see much extra benefit and it seemed like a hassle to switch planes in the middle of the check ride. After like 10 hours I was pretty comfortable. Not to PTS standards but I could get by. The commercial ride is one of the easier ones.
 
neilw2 said:
A couple questions:

1. I know it's allowed, but has anybody actually done this? If so, how did you feel it worked for you?

2. How many hours did anyone who has taken the commercial checkride work on maneuvers before feeling comfortable on it?
Click to expand...

I was enrolled in a Part 141 program for Commercial/Instrument and I think I did the Commercial maneuvers in either a C172 or C182 along with the Instrument, then switched to the Lance for the rest. Worked fine for me, I passed!

As for question #2, whatever was in the 141 syllabus was more than adequate.
 
I did this for my commercial SE, and have seen it done with others on Part 61 and 141 check rides.

I thought the maneuvers were easier to fly in a 172S - Lighter controls, High wing airplane (Steep Spirals,) plus it was what I had used for my private and Instrument.

The landings in an Arrow were much easier for me, especially since the arrow had much less float on landing. I had about 20 Hours in an Arrow at the time.

If your examiner charges the same for a three part check ride as he/she would for a two part check ride, and you're leaning toward doing your landings in the Arrow, I'd go that route.
 
Are you planing on getting the multi engine commercial? If so you can do the multi ride first and then do the whole single engine add-on ride in your airplane.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Are you planing on getting the multi engine commercial? If so you can do the multi ride first and then do the whole single engine add-on ride in your airplane.
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Although someday that is in the cards, right now I'm just going for the ASEL Com rating.
 
neilw2 said:
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I I have a similar situation and looking for advice.

I just passed my Commercial written, so now I am on to my commercial checkride prep. I have all required hours and the only thing remaining for me is to get the maneuvers down- which I haven't started practicing yet.

I own a 182 that costs me about $100/hr to fly all in. The arrow I would rent costs $180/hr. I have around 40 hrs in retracts so I don't need any more time in it for the checkride and would be ready to perform the required retract stuff in a hour or so with some pattern work.

My DPE is based at the field I am based at.

My plan is to use my 182 for the required maneuvers and rent the arrow for the required pattern stuff.

A couple questions:

1. I know it's allowed, but has anybody actually done this? If so, how did you feel it worked for you?

2. How many hours did anyone who has taken the commercial checkride work on maneuvers before feeling comfortable on it?
Click to expand...


In your situation I think your plan is fine. With the DPE being at the same field you are at, getting a quick lap in an Arrow to satisfy the requirement seems like a good plan. Do the rest of the training in your plane.
 
Practicing in the plane you're going to be using seems like the logical answer
 
James331 said:
Practicing in the plane you're going to be using seems like the logical answer
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Yep, I agree....I was just wondering if my reasoning of doing it in my plane made since- which judging by the responses that it does
 
I did all of my commercial check ride in the Arrow. No need to fly two birds.
 
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