38bat
New Member
I know this is the most basic of checkrides but I sure was nervous so I thought I would post this for others. About me, 41.9 hours total but 22 hours were in the year 2000, 5 in 2005 and the rest in the last few weeks. My checkride was scheduled for 1:00 so I was to meet my instructor at 7:00 for oral prep and then we would go fly maneuvers etc.(I hadn't flown maneuvers since 2000. Best laid plans as they say! The examiner showed up around 9:00 and said since we were all here we might as well get started! No time for a ride with my instructor:whatever: After fooling with IACRA and getting everything ready we started the oral. I had to plan a 3 leg cross country flight which I knew ahead of time and had prepared. I did a very detailed plan and went over it on the chart, explained fuel info, checkpoints, vor radials etc. and he was happy with that. The level of detail though it was not necessary seemed to please him and he didn't ask too many questions. He did ask a few airspace questions as well as asking about a few odd things on the chart. I didn't know the answer to one of them and looked it up on the legend. He seemed pleased that I knew where to find the answer.
Next he asked general stuff about the plane, weight and balance etc.. My oral was probably about 1.5 hours but I was really comfortable and it wasn't too bad. I did miss a couple things but we talked them through. It seems that the examiner is looking for your knowledge level to be good but not perfect. He said in debrief that I did excellent and was very well prepared.
Next we were off to fly and here comes the curve ball. Only plane available was an old 172 that I have never flown and manual flaps which I have never used. It was a piece of !@#$(not because of the flaps but it just was very loose and out of trim) but I figured what the hell, we are here so let's go. We couldn't get the headsets to work right but finally got it figured out and off we went. I did make the decision to have the plane fueled because it wasn't full. He seemed to like this decision, "Good head work" as he put it.
We took off and he instructed me to fly to my first planned checkpoint which I did and had to point it out. He then asked how long it would take to get to my next checkpoint and then diverted me to another field and asked me how long I estimated it would take. Did fine on all that so then we flew to practice area with Slow flight on the way. That was easy. I then did Stalls for the first time in 7 years and that was fine. We did both Power on and Power off. Then put on the foggles and did instrument for a while, basic stuff, maintain altitude and turn 90 W, 180 E Fly a heading etc. Then two rounds of unusual attitudes. He specifically commented in debrief that most people don't grab the throttle and I did so that was very good. We then did emergency landing, he just cut the power and said what are you going to do. I didn't have alot of choices but there was a freeway close and a field so I setup for the freeway and told him that was my out if I couldn't make the field. I talked through all of this and he was happy and gave me power back at about 1200'. He then said to head back to the airport and I was a little lost. Between the foggles, turns around a point etc. I was a little mixed up and I am not very familiar with the area but talked through that also and I knew we had gone NW of the airport so used that general info to head towards the airport. We entered the pattern for a short field takeoff and landing. The plane I was flying had manual flaps and a different sight picture so I got a little screwed up and came in high. I could have forced it down and been okay but I decided to do a go around and try again. Oddly enough, he really liked this as it was good "head work". I think it showed him that if things aren't right I won't foce it. Second time was fine and then it was a short field takeoff, followed by a soft field landing and a soft field takeoff. Then it was "go ahead and land however you like" I landed fine and we parked the plane. "Congratulations, you are a pilot".
In summary here are the tips I can offer:
If you don't know, know where to find out.
Be calm and have fun.
If it isn't right, don't be afraid of a go around
Be Calm
Be Calm
and finally, Be Calm
Next he asked general stuff about the plane, weight and balance etc.. My oral was probably about 1.5 hours but I was really comfortable and it wasn't too bad. I did miss a couple things but we talked them through. It seems that the examiner is looking for your knowledge level to be good but not perfect. He said in debrief that I did excellent and was very well prepared.
Next we were off to fly and here comes the curve ball. Only plane available was an old 172 that I have never flown and manual flaps which I have never used. It was a piece of !@#$(not because of the flaps but it just was very loose and out of trim) but I figured what the hell, we are here so let's go. We couldn't get the headsets to work right but finally got it figured out and off we went. I did make the decision to have the plane fueled because it wasn't full. He seemed to like this decision, "Good head work" as he put it.
We took off and he instructed me to fly to my first planned checkpoint which I did and had to point it out. He then asked how long it would take to get to my next checkpoint and then diverted me to another field and asked me how long I estimated it would take. Did fine on all that so then we flew to practice area with Slow flight on the way. That was easy. I then did Stalls for the first time in 7 years and that was fine. We did both Power on and Power off. Then put on the foggles and did instrument for a while, basic stuff, maintain altitude and turn 90 W, 180 E Fly a heading etc. Then two rounds of unusual attitudes. He specifically commented in debrief that most people don't grab the throttle and I did so that was very good. We then did emergency landing, he just cut the power and said what are you going to do. I didn't have alot of choices but there was a freeway close and a field so I setup for the freeway and told him that was my out if I couldn't make the field. I talked through all of this and he was happy and gave me power back at about 1200'. He then said to head back to the airport and I was a little lost. Between the foggles, turns around a point etc. I was a little mixed up and I am not very familiar with the area but talked through that also and I knew we had gone NW of the airport so used that general info to head towards the airport. We entered the pattern for a short field takeoff and landing. The plane I was flying had manual flaps and a different sight picture so I got a little screwed up and came in high. I could have forced it down and been okay but I decided to do a go around and try again. Oddly enough, he really liked this as it was good "head work". I think it showed him that if things aren't right I won't foce it. Second time was fine and then it was a short field takeoff, followed by a soft field landing and a soft field takeoff. Then it was "go ahead and land however you like" I landed fine and we parked the plane. "Congratulations, you are a pilot".
In summary here are the tips I can offer:
If you don't know, know where to find out.
Be calm and have fun.
If it isn't right, don't be afraid of a go around
Be Calm
Be Calm
and finally, Be Calm
