Test Today

[Thx1137]

I did my RA test today. I was being tested for my pilot certificate with passenger and cross country endorsements.

 

Got to the field at 13:10 and started flight planning at 13:30 or so. The trip was for YADG - Woodside - YMBD - YSYN - YADG.

 

There were thunderstorms forecast but off the coast, the actual conditions in my area were stratus cloud at 6000. Winds were 20 to 25 during the flight. It was actually not a bad day for a fly.

 

After the some ground testing involving POH use, ERSA use, Area Forecast decypering and some other questions it was time for the CFI to check my flight plan and weight and balance sheet. I managed to get ticks in all the boxes so far so I was starting to relax a bit.

 

I had to treat the CFI like a passenger. This is something I find a little difficult because I have no imagination! :-) going through the briefing were fine although the first thing he did when he got in was start playing with the rudder. (naughty passenger!). After doing the rest of the passenger briefing I did my checks, runup, taxi and takeoff. So far so good. No black marks!

 

The first leg of the flight plan called for flight under a 2,500 foot class C zone but also had a LSALT of 2,500. Once established (GPS was off for the whole flight so using headings) and FREDA out of the way I was sitting at 2,450 feet. It started getting bumpy so I slowed to Va and asked my passenger how he was holding out and that if it started getting too much to let me know straight away, I also said that if it gets too bumpy we will divert because I didn't want to risk getting into Class C.

 

It was all going great, and then...

 

I was about 1 minute from Woodside. The CFI asked me "what town is that?". I told him it was Woodside. I then had a thought, I turned over my map to see if I might be mistaken. Up to that point my heading was keeping me right on track but this town was to left of track and a bit too far away (by 2-3 mins). I couldn't see any other largish towns so head on over there. I started double checking, the roads seemed to match up and there was a little town behind me and to the right.

 

Nope. I managed to somehow overfly Woodside and go to Lobethal! I didn't see it on my map because it was right on the map crease and not knowing the towns in that area much. Well. After all that great work. grrr.

 

We head back to the real Woodside and continue on to YMBD. Enroute the CFI says. "At this intersection divert to Woodchester". OK. Map origami time. While working out the track, distance and time I kept finding myself turning to the left. I couldn't explain it. I ended up drifting a fair bit off track. I estimated a rejoining angle and managed to find my intersection (so tiny but there it is) and started off for Woodchester. My calculations seemed to work well enough, I was probably about 5 degrees off but found it fine.

 

Next we were off to do some stalls and steep turns. We were happy with the steep turns, the stall recoveriess were OK but certainly not my best. Next up it was engine failure time. Did the checks, found my field, did the PAX briefing and the mayday call. It was a bit sloppy but we would have suvived fine.

 

An embarising moment. The CFI says 'Take us home", I find the hills and start heading towards them. Everything seems ok but something wasn't right, I thought the heading was a bit low. I pressed on for a couple of minutes. Nope, definately not right. I grabbed the map and realised they wern't the right hills! I worked out a correction and managed to get myself on track.

 

We did some cross winds. The less I say about those the better. Certainly not my best work but I had already told my instructors that even if they are "good enough" I wanted more practice untill I was happy with them.

 

We had a practive EFAT which wasn't the best either.

 

So, after all that I still have a PSL and short fields to do plus some more cross winds. There will likely be some more EFATS too. Although I made some mistakes he was happy with how I resolved them, thank heavens :-)

 

Two hours in the air and nearly 2 hours on the ground and still not done. My car test was so much simpler!

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Boy reading that bought back some memories !. Can't recall doing a UL flight test, don't think they had them back then, just went solo, survived, and bingo you'r licensed.

 

I did do my PPL flight test in California and remember it well. Picked Mr Dave Morss who had flown everthing, done the initially test flights on just about everthing else (Lancair, Glasair etc,etc), and held every rating in the book, including Certified and approved test pilot. Managed to keep him happy most of the time until the final landing back at home base, which he had requested be a short-field landing. No problemos, until over the fence he changes it to a touch and go !. Talk about changing gears !!. My proudest moment when he hopped out and handed me my FAA temporary airmans' certificate with his signiture on it, which is as good as the real thing over there. I still have it.

 

Dave is still a well known and competitive Reno Air Racer in his Lancair and Grumman Bearcat, and has just completed flight testing the Yeneec E430 which will probabily become the worlds first commercial electric powered aircraft. Dave has a great website if you want to check him [email protected]..............

 

 

[Thx1137]

hehe, can it really have been like that!?

 

Some people really have aviation in the blood. It is a pity I couldn't start until 44. :-(

 

Hopefully soon I will find out what it's like. The weather has been getting in the way over the last couple of months. :-( Everything that is left can be done near the field thankfully.

 

 

[Guest Pop-top]

Wow, really good post Steven! Well done on your trouble shooting too!

 

I love reading real stories like this with lots of detail, but my goodness, you are making me nervous as hell about mine i_dunno Keep up with the updates! :big_grin:

 

Think I'll hit the books hard and "mind-flying" from my couch again this week so I'm extra prepped, then maybe...just maybe I can do some solo nav time.

 

 

[shags_j]

Wow bit stressful doing all 3 at once so well done. That would not have been an easy situation. I was just freaking out doing my 3 theory exams on the weekend yet alone doing 3 types of endorsement in the one flight.

 

 

[Thx1137]

I did my BAK, Nav and HF exams on the one day. It was good to get them out of the way!

 

Doing the two endorsements with the certificate is ok. There isn't a lot to do as far as PAX goes and the nav part should be just like we practice. Just be prepared to explain the 'why's a lot :-) It is a lot to get through so it does make it a long day.