sfgiants13
Well-Known Member
I went down to TVC a week ago and did the training for my CMEL. This is a brief write up of my time there.
I arrived on a Monday night after a day from hell trying to get there. I am an employee for Delta and spent a redeye and day trying to get in. I eventually settled for a zed ticket on United into TVC after flying SEA-DTW-CVG-ORD-TVC. Got in late Monday night and relaxed at the hotel. Tom does the training at the airport in Cadillac MIa for the winter. Arrived at about 9AM on Tueday. We briefly discussed systems for an hour before heading over to the trusty apache. Around 11AM we were up and flying. I definitely wasn't expecting the climb performance that I got on the first takeoff. It was also 20F so that may have helped. We started off doing steep turns, all 3 stalls (power on, off, accelerated), slow flight, engine restart, and a single engine ILS without the foggles. I didn't do too bad but I was still getting used to the power of a multi engine plane. The winds were very gusy (over 25 kt gusts the whole day).
After a lunch break we went more into the systems of the plane and some additional oral stuff. The next flight was pretty much the same thing. This time we were doing the single engine ILS under the foggles. The engine failures were announced since we were still in the early training phase. After 2 flights I had logged about 4 hours in dual in the apache. I was exhausted after the debacle of trying to get in the previous night. I got a decent nights sleep and headed back to CAD the next morning.
We did the same things but this time it was more of a mock checkride. I botched a few things but nothing to worry about. We went inside the terminal and talked more about the oral. Tom sends a very handy pdf file of checkride questions which really helps before you even arrive in TVC. After the brief break we flew one last time. I did everything quite well but I botched the engine failure a little bit. But everything I was doing was still passable. The winds were still giving me trouble but I made due. I went to a lunch break and then when we got back I met up with the DPE who would be doing the checkride.
I met up with DPE Kevin Spaulding after lunch. I've seen him a few times mullling around the airport. Everyone gets nervous for checkrides. Multiply the normal person stress by about 10 and that's what you get with me. That being said I tend to perform quite well on checkrides. We started off talking about factors that effect VMC. I was so nervous that I blanked on the first question even though I knew the answer. After talking about VMC factors we moved into systems a little bit (didn't talk about much...most of it was related to the hydraulic system and what would happen if I lost the left engine (ie vacuum system). After that we mainly talked about decision making (ie: would I fly in this scenario. He gave me a situation where I would get a decent climb with both engines but none if I lost an engine). I blanked on a lot due to nerves but he made it more of a conversation which I really appreciated. He got the answers out of me. The oral was only about an hour. This type of oral I would've appreciated on my instrument because that oral was 3 hours of hell.
We went flying and he cut my engine immediately after I set up for my short field takeoff. I cut the throttles and after we continued on my short field takeoff. Accelerated to VX and at 50 ft went gear up and pitched for VY. He cut an engine again at about 500 ft and I went through the push up clean up identify verify procedure. Got it back and we went out into the practice area. Steep turns started off well but on the right turn I started losing altitude rapidly. I jerked the controls up and completed the maneuver keeping it +-50 feet. Did a power on and accelerated stall no problem. Set up for slow flight and did a 90 degree turn and then did a power off stall. No issues there. Turned back toward CAD and we did an engine loss and simulated restart on the intercept heading. We simulated the restart part and I then did the single engine ILS. Since the winds were favoring 25 and the ILS was for 7 we did a circle to land. I got preoccupied and blew through by about 150 feet the initial altitude on the ILS approach. The initial was 3600 but I blew down to almost 3400. I saw it and got back to 3600 immediately. After I captured the ILS and found the glideslope I descended down to 3200. I was about 3/4 deflection high the whole approach (and I knew it... I was on one engine and trying to get down the whole time but I had too much speed so it was hard). Eventually I was told to take off the foggles and do the circle to land. Landed without issue and did a touch and go. Stayed in the pattern and tried for a short field. I set the plane down right on the 500 ft marker but it wasn't pretty. Yes it was within standards but not a good landing by any means. We took off again and he told me to use crosswind correction this time. His mic cords were going out so it was a bit card to communicate. I greased this landing and we taxied back in. Said I passed no problem but there were a few issues (being high on the single engine ILS and not using enough crosswind correction on the landing). Other than that he said everything else was great. Taxied in and parked it. A huge weight off my shoulder and I went and celebrated at the local hooters.
Overall it was a great experience. Tom really knows what he is doing and the DPE is very fair and goes out of his way to make you feel comfortable. I was nervous and told him that I talked a ton when I get nervous. He said he doesn't talk much during rides but we had some good conversation during the ride which put me at ease. TVC is a beautiful area to do the training in. I got about 6 hours of duel and 1.1 PIC from the ride when it was all said and done. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.
I arrived on a Monday night after a day from hell trying to get there. I am an employee for Delta and spent a redeye and day trying to get in. I eventually settled for a zed ticket on United into TVC after flying SEA-DTW-CVG-ORD-TVC. Got in late Monday night and relaxed at the hotel. Tom does the training at the airport in Cadillac MIa for the winter. Arrived at about 9AM on Tueday. We briefly discussed systems for an hour before heading over to the trusty apache. Around 11AM we were up and flying. I definitely wasn't expecting the climb performance that I got on the first takeoff. It was also 20F so that may have helped. We started off doing steep turns, all 3 stalls (power on, off, accelerated), slow flight, engine restart, and a single engine ILS without the foggles. I didn't do too bad but I was still getting used to the power of a multi engine plane. The winds were very gusy (over 25 kt gusts the whole day).
After a lunch break we went more into the systems of the plane and some additional oral stuff. The next flight was pretty much the same thing. This time we were doing the single engine ILS under the foggles. The engine failures were announced since we were still in the early training phase. After 2 flights I had logged about 4 hours in dual in the apache. I was exhausted after the debacle of trying to get in the previous night. I got a decent nights sleep and headed back to CAD the next morning.
We did the same things but this time it was more of a mock checkride. I botched a few things but nothing to worry about. We went inside the terminal and talked more about the oral. Tom sends a very handy pdf file of checkride questions which really helps before you even arrive in TVC. After the brief break we flew one last time. I did everything quite well but I botched the engine failure a little bit. But everything I was doing was still passable. The winds were still giving me trouble but I made due. I went to a lunch break and then when we got back I met up with the DPE who would be doing the checkride.
I met up with DPE Kevin Spaulding after lunch. I've seen him a few times mullling around the airport. Everyone gets nervous for checkrides. Multiply the normal person stress by about 10 and that's what you get with me. That being said I tend to perform quite well on checkrides. We started off talking about factors that effect VMC. I was so nervous that I blanked on the first question even though I knew the answer. After talking about VMC factors we moved into systems a little bit (didn't talk about much...most of it was related to the hydraulic system and what would happen if I lost the left engine (ie vacuum system). After that we mainly talked about decision making (ie: would I fly in this scenario. He gave me a situation where I would get a decent climb with both engines but none if I lost an engine). I blanked on a lot due to nerves but he made it more of a conversation which I really appreciated. He got the answers out of me. The oral was only about an hour. This type of oral I would've appreciated on my instrument because that oral was 3 hours of hell.
We went flying and he cut my engine immediately after I set up for my short field takeoff. I cut the throttles and after we continued on my short field takeoff. Accelerated to VX and at 50 ft went gear up and pitched for VY. He cut an engine again at about 500 ft and I went through the push up clean up identify verify procedure. Got it back and we went out into the practice area. Steep turns started off well but on the right turn I started losing altitude rapidly. I jerked the controls up and completed the maneuver keeping it +-50 feet. Did a power on and accelerated stall no problem. Set up for slow flight and did a 90 degree turn and then did a power off stall. No issues there. Turned back toward CAD and we did an engine loss and simulated restart on the intercept heading. We simulated the restart part and I then did the single engine ILS. Since the winds were favoring 25 and the ILS was for 7 we did a circle to land. I got preoccupied and blew through by about 150 feet the initial altitude on the ILS approach. The initial was 3600 but I blew down to almost 3400. I saw it and got back to 3600 immediately. After I captured the ILS and found the glideslope I descended down to 3200. I was about 3/4 deflection high the whole approach (and I knew it... I was on one engine and trying to get down the whole time but I had too much speed so it was hard). Eventually I was told to take off the foggles and do the circle to land. Landed without issue and did a touch and go. Stayed in the pattern and tried for a short field. I set the plane down right on the 500 ft marker but it wasn't pretty. Yes it was within standards but not a good landing by any means. We took off again and he told me to use crosswind correction this time. His mic cords were going out so it was a bit card to communicate. I greased this landing and we taxied back in. Said I passed no problem but there were a few issues (being high on the single engine ILS and not using enough crosswind correction on the landing). Other than that he said everything else was great. Taxied in and parked it. A huge weight off my shoulder and I went and celebrated at the local hooters.
Overall it was a great experience. Tom really knows what he is doing and the DPE is very fair and goes out of his way to make you feel comfortable. I was nervous and told him that I talked a ton when I get nervous. He said he doesn't talk much during rides but we had some good conversation during the ride which put me at ease. TVC is a beautiful area to do the training in. I got about 6 hours of duel and 1.1 PIC from the ride when it was all said and done. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.
