Heath
Well-Known Member
4/1 Friday - Day 33
Today we did more sim work. The only thing different was that we're now practicing CRM, with the co-pilot operating radios, calling out checklist items, and generally helping out. WAY easier than single-pilot IFR! I can't wait to get to the x-country phase!!! Just gotta pass that Instrument ride on Tuesday. I feel ready, I'm just perpetually nervous about making some bone-headed mistake and busting on something that I knew better!
4/2 Saturday - Day 34
Supposed to sim today, but when we arrived at school today and got in the sim, the rudder trim mechanism was broken and had a full right deflection on the rudder, making the plane unflyable.
So, just studied the books for the oral portion of the ride today. The weather was a little bad for actual flying.
4/3 Sunday - Day 35
Met Brian today, a prospective ATP student in the future, who stopped by to check out ATP. Showed him the planes and then we started sim training in prep for the instrument ride on Tuesday. So, he got to see all our mistakes!
Then this afternoon we flew my final prep ride for the checkride. We decided rather than spend most of the time flying x-country to the actual airports of the checkride that it would be more productive to fit as many approaches in as we could. So we went airport hopping, doing 2.3 hours of approaches at 5 different airports. Overall I felt really good about, but I did botch the last one, it was a VOR approach and I started flying it with the GPS set in GPS mode, instead of VLOC, which had the HSI sensing off the GPS course instead of the VOR, DOH! That's the kind of mistake I hope I don't make on Tuesday. I'm taking tomorrow to fly a little practice with my training partner in the sim, and then the rest of the day to just go over the book stuff to be sure I'm on my game.
4/4 Monday - Day 36
Flew a little practice sim time with Brian today, then went home and just reviewed all my notes and the ASA Oral Guide. Tomorrow's D-Day!
4/5 Tuesday - Day 37
PASSED! Yeah baby!
Checkride went off without a hitch! The examiner was really cool, didn't make you uncomfortable at all. It was a really great experience. Did all the stuff he asked without a single problem. I feel about 4 inches taller now!
Coming back, I did my 302 pairing, which is the required ride with a different instructor than the one who trained you, to make sure you're safe to go on your x-countries and that you understand the CRM stuff. That went fine, too. Only thing was, we were brought in for a visual approach to FTY and there was a jet behind us, so ATC asked us to bring it in at the fastest speed possible. So, we left the plane clean and came in fast until we were ready to drop below 1,000'. At that time I power back, start the Gear Down Before Landing Checklist...Gear Down - one green, two green...two green...uh oh! TWO green, no right main, GO Around! We pull out the checklist, switch the lights, the light's good. Cycle the gear, no right main still, yaw the aircraft to help push it down, nothing. We call the tower and fly by, they say that the right mains are down and appear locked, so we make the decision to land. I fly back around and put it down as soft as I possibly could, it held! Phew! Honestly, I wasn't scared, just excited. It was kinda cool going through an emergency checklist for real.
4/6 Wednesday - Day 38
Well, it's day one of X-Country phase. 8am check in with dispatch. Today, they have nothing for me, so I get a much needed day off ( and hence the time to bring the blog up to date). Actually, it came as no surprise as Brian has to do his 302 pairing today before he can x-country, and they plan on sending us out together. So, I expect we'll start flying tomorrow, weather permitting. Today, I'm gonna take a day off from studying, and get some things marked off my honey-do list, like getting the taxes prepared, ick!
So, I've been thinking about the blogging during the cross countries and I'm thinking I'm going to do this, before each trip I'm gonna try and log in real quick and post my tail number, destination, and expected departure time. So, if anyone is checking the real time flight tracker will know which plane is me.
Till next time,
Heath
Today we did more sim work. The only thing different was that we're now practicing CRM, with the co-pilot operating radios, calling out checklist items, and generally helping out. WAY easier than single-pilot IFR! I can't wait to get to the x-country phase!!! Just gotta pass that Instrument ride on Tuesday. I feel ready, I'm just perpetually nervous about making some bone-headed mistake and busting on something that I knew better!
4/2 Saturday - Day 34
Supposed to sim today, but when we arrived at school today and got in the sim, the rudder trim mechanism was broken and had a full right deflection on the rudder, making the plane unflyable.
4/3 Sunday - Day 35
Met Brian today, a prospective ATP student in the future, who stopped by to check out ATP. Showed him the planes and then we started sim training in prep for the instrument ride on Tuesday. So, he got to see all our mistakes!
4/4 Monday - Day 36
Flew a little practice sim time with Brian today, then went home and just reviewed all my notes and the ASA Oral Guide. Tomorrow's D-Day!
4/5 Tuesday - Day 37
PASSED! Yeah baby!
Checkride went off without a hitch! The examiner was really cool, didn't make you uncomfortable at all. It was a really great experience. Did all the stuff he asked without a single problem. I feel about 4 inches taller now!
Coming back, I did my 302 pairing, which is the required ride with a different instructor than the one who trained you, to make sure you're safe to go on your x-countries and that you understand the CRM stuff. That went fine, too. Only thing was, we were brought in for a visual approach to FTY and there was a jet behind us, so ATC asked us to bring it in at the fastest speed possible. So, we left the plane clean and came in fast until we were ready to drop below 1,000'. At that time I power back, start the Gear Down Before Landing Checklist...Gear Down - one green, two green...two green...uh oh! TWO green, no right main, GO Around! We pull out the checklist, switch the lights, the light's good. Cycle the gear, no right main still, yaw the aircraft to help push it down, nothing. We call the tower and fly by, they say that the right mains are down and appear locked, so we make the decision to land. I fly back around and put it down as soft as I possibly could, it held! Phew! Honestly, I wasn't scared, just excited. It was kinda cool going through an emergency checklist for real.
4/6 Wednesday - Day 38
Well, it's day one of X-Country phase. 8am check in with dispatch. Today, they have nothing for me, so I get a much needed day off ( and hence the time to bring the blog up to date). Actually, it came as no surprise as Brian has to do his 302 pairing today before he can x-country, and they plan on sending us out together. So, I expect we'll start flying tomorrow, weather permitting. Today, I'm gonna take a day off from studying, and get some things marked off my honey-do list, like getting the taxes prepared, ick!
So, I've been thinking about the blogging during the cross countries and I'm thinking I'm going to do this, before each trip I'm gonna try and log in real quick and post my tail number, destination, and expected departure time. So, if anyone is checking the real time flight tracker will know which plane is me.
Till next time,
Heath
