kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Kell\'s Comm ME checkride
Early morning start for this one to the tune of 8 AM. This was in addition to the standard flight planning, performance computations and weight and balance that was done the night before. I'd heard the DE I was going up with was a real stickler for details when it came to logbooks and paperwork, and he didn't disappoint. After about two hours, we were done with the paperwork portion, and he was satisfied that I met the commercial requirements. The oral only last at the most an hour and a half. We discussed the flight plan I'd done from the night before, situational problems that might occur on the flight (engine loss, getting lost, icing, etc), airspace, icons on the sectional, cloud clearances, requirements to enter airspace, etc. Then I had to pull out the aircraft logbooks and show when the required mx checks were due and if any ADs would be due soon. Couple more questions about high altitude operations, pressurization and commercial priveleges. He asked me to draw the fuel system and describe that for him, and then he hit me with questions about the Seminole's other systems. After that, we broke for lunch for about 45 minutes.
Met back at the plane (shineysideup, you got any time in N2950A? It's an old Comair Seminole), did the pre-flight, waited 15 minutes to get the tanks topped off and started her up. Taxiied out, did the run-up, then got ready for the take-off. Yeah, SURPRISE, engine failure on the runway. Stopped it, got the engine back and did a short field takeoff, followed by ANOTHER engine failure on climb out. Didn't do too hot on that one, but he said we'd "re-evaluate" that later. Had to deviate from my flight plan a little due to an ATP Seminole on the VOR approach (it's opposite traffic from the takeoff runway at Arlington). Found my first checkpoint, worked the timing, groundspeed (yeah, avg 94 knots GS thanks to the headwind) and a rough ETA of when we would have arrived at my planned destination. He called for a diversion, circled an airport on my sectional, and said "let me know when we're over this airport." Enroute to my alternate we did steep turns (shaky, but passable. I was glad to get them done first since they were my weak point), slow flight dirty, power off stall, slow flight clean, power on stall, Vmc demo, and about the same time we arrived over the airport. Climbed up a couple of thousand feet more (pretty cloudy and ceilings were roughly 3600-3700 ft MSL), and he pulled a mixture on me. So, I did the engine failure flow, secured the engine and flew a bit single engine. Did the restart procedures, followed by an emergency descent. Climb back up another 1000 ft, and got vectors for a single engine ILS. Intercepted the localizer in about Mexico (it seemed that way since we were so far out), and noticed at the OM/FAF the GS was inop. Okay, guess it's a LOC approach instead of an ILS. Got to MDA, was told to go visual, then circled to land single engine. Touch and go, and lost ANOTHER engine on climb out. This time I nailed it. Time to turn home to Arlington. Came over midfield, circled out to enter the 45 for the downwind, and got set up for a short field landing. Good airpseed, good descent, gear down, DEER ON THE RUNWAY (not really, but he needed to see a go around). Went around, came back for another short field, and landed a shade too long. I overcorrected with airspeed and power for the gust factor (winds were 20 degrees off the runway 11G19), so I think that had something to do with it. It was still within 200 ft, so I was good. Taxiied back to Skymates, and got the thumbs up after shutdown. Time to decompress and enjoy it now before going on to the SE add-on.
Early morning start for this one to the tune of 8 AM. This was in addition to the standard flight planning, performance computations and weight and balance that was done the night before. I'd heard the DE I was going up with was a real stickler for details when it came to logbooks and paperwork, and he didn't disappoint. After about two hours, we were done with the paperwork portion, and he was satisfied that I met the commercial requirements. The oral only last at the most an hour and a half. We discussed the flight plan I'd done from the night before, situational problems that might occur on the flight (engine loss, getting lost, icing, etc), airspace, icons on the sectional, cloud clearances, requirements to enter airspace, etc. Then I had to pull out the aircraft logbooks and show when the required mx checks were due and if any ADs would be due soon. Couple more questions about high altitude operations, pressurization and commercial priveleges. He asked me to draw the fuel system and describe that for him, and then he hit me with questions about the Seminole's other systems. After that, we broke for lunch for about 45 minutes.
Met back at the plane (shineysideup, you got any time in N2950A? It's an old Comair Seminole), did the pre-flight, waited 15 minutes to get the tanks topped off and started her up. Taxiied out, did the run-up, then got ready for the take-off. Yeah, SURPRISE, engine failure on the runway. Stopped it, got the engine back and did a short field takeoff, followed by ANOTHER engine failure on climb out. Didn't do too hot on that one, but he said we'd "re-evaluate" that later. Had to deviate from my flight plan a little due to an ATP Seminole on the VOR approach (it's opposite traffic from the takeoff runway at Arlington). Found my first checkpoint, worked the timing, groundspeed (yeah, avg 94 knots GS thanks to the headwind) and a rough ETA of when we would have arrived at my planned destination. He called for a diversion, circled an airport on my sectional, and said "let me know when we're over this airport." Enroute to my alternate we did steep turns (shaky, but passable. I was glad to get them done first since they were my weak point), slow flight dirty, power off stall, slow flight clean, power on stall, Vmc demo, and about the same time we arrived over the airport. Climbed up a couple of thousand feet more (pretty cloudy and ceilings were roughly 3600-3700 ft MSL), and he pulled a mixture on me. So, I did the engine failure flow, secured the engine and flew a bit single engine. Did the restart procedures, followed by an emergency descent. Climb back up another 1000 ft, and got vectors for a single engine ILS. Intercepted the localizer in about Mexico (it seemed that way since we were so far out), and noticed at the OM/FAF the GS was inop. Okay, guess it's a LOC approach instead of an ILS. Got to MDA, was told to go visual, then circled to land single engine. Touch and go, and lost ANOTHER engine on climb out. This time I nailed it. Time to turn home to Arlington. Came over midfield, circled out to enter the 45 for the downwind, and got set up for a short field landing. Good airpseed, good descent, gear down, DEER ON THE RUNWAY (not really, but he needed to see a go around). Went around, came back for another short field, and landed a shade too long. I overcorrected with airspeed and power for the gust factor (winds were 20 degrees off the runway 11G19), so I think that had something to do with it. It was still within 200 ft, so I was good. Taxiied back to Skymates, and got the thumbs up after shutdown. Time to decompress and enjoy it now before going on to the SE add-on.
