ozone
Well-Known Member
Well, I tried doing my checkride for my checkride today with 10-15kt winds 90degrees to every runway the check airman told me to go. First request was for a short field landing. So, after setting flaps etc., I realized i was too high and initiated a go-around. Next time, i was too high again and crabbed like crap. Touched down and bounced. If the check airman had not grabbed the wheel, it would have initiated a nasty porpoise. At that point my balloon of confidence deflated as if 3 RPG's had detonated around the proverbial balloon. Everything was crap after that point. Bouncing/porpoising my way on every f-ing landing. We did some air maneuvers which i did ok (except for diving a wee bit too much after a power-off stall). But, if this had been the real thing, i would have failed miserably. The really annoying thing is that I was totally gresing my landings on all my xc solos, my night flights and so on. I even managed to land OK when my instructor had me turn off the landing/taxi lights on our laast night landing (his rationale was that you landing lights always blow when it is most inconvenient)
Things learned:
1. I need to learn to slip much better, this whole crab until floating then kick the rudder over is NOT working for me
2. I need to tell the check airman when i am no longer comfortable (if i had my druthers, i would not have started the engine in the first place because the wind had already kicked up)
3. I need to cheer up (admittedly, the scotch i am drinking as i type is helping), and not give up on my goal of getting my PPL
4. I need to scan the instruments better on final to make sure airspeed etc is all in the right range....no diving for the runway.
Questions for the rabble:
1. Can you tell the check airman that today is not the day?
2. Advice on slipping?
Other than that, I am just venting at a very frustrating stage 3 check....I was SO CLOSE!
Things learned:
1. I need to learn to slip much better, this whole crab until floating then kick the rudder over is NOT working for me
2. I need to tell the check airman when i am no longer comfortable (if i had my druthers, i would not have started the engine in the first place because the wind had already kicked up)
3. I need to cheer up (admittedly, the scotch i am drinking as i type is helping), and not give up on my goal of getting my PPL
4. I need to scan the instruments better on final to make sure airspeed etc is all in the right range....no diving for the runway.
Questions for the rabble:
1. Can you tell the check airman that today is not the day?
2. Advice on slipping?
Other than that, I am just venting at a very frustrating stage 3 check....I was SO CLOSE!