pilot602
If specified, this will replace the title that
Well cr@p ... or, what it\'s like to bust the IA checkride
First, let me say I'm not overly proud of this. But if something in my troubles helps someone else then at least there's some good in it. And hey it just took a little luck out of the one bag and put into the bag marked experience, right?
So I had my IA checkride yesterday and I busted the ILS.
First approach. Nothing failed. Both engines. And I flew right threw the top of the GS. I knew I had done it, I told him I was going to go missed at the OM (the GS intercept) if the GS didn't come alive and when it didn't I went missed. I never busted an altitude, I was on the LOC, I just didn't catch the GS. As we're going missed he said "I'm going to have to disapprove you on that."
Later, he said I went through the GS way out near the first intersection (DRIBB) on the ILS (five some miles from the OM and GS intercept). I, however, for the life of me can not remember ever seeing the GS in the "up" position and come down - doesn't mean it didn't/wasn't there I just don't remember it.
So, as we're going missed he asked me if I wanted to continue and I said sure - 'cause it couldn't get any worse at that point, you can't fail twice - so we wen't around and did the LOC, single engine. It started to get away from me but I salvaged it and he passed me on it. Next up was airwork and as we were passing 7,000 on the way back to OLS (from Ryan) we hit a pretty good bump and ... BAM ... sounded like a gun had gone off and looked over to see the cabin door was open. I looked to the rear of the aircracft and the rear headliner/bulkhead (seperates the pax compartment and the tailcone) had blown out and was hanging down on the seats when the door blew. GREAT! My bad day just got better!
We couldn't get the door closed. It got real noisey and real cold real quick. It's definately a different airplane with that door hanging out in the slipstream but it's still flyable and not much in the way of an emgergency. But, at this point we were halfway between TUS and OLS so we just continued on to OLS and landed. The landing was interesting because the door blocked some of the airflow to the rudder - and we had 08G18 cross winds the switched from the left to the right as we turned final.
The DE was wary of carbon monoxide so he had the unicom operator call the local FD (on the non-emergency number) and had them check out our O2 levels. We were fine. But while we were waiting he said he thought we might have some problems with our marker beacons because the OM was coming on when were were almost literaly on top of the airport (that would explain my GS problem somewhat - but only somewhat as if my scan was up to speed I would have noticed the GS coming in and followed it regardless of my position to the OM).
So I didn't get to do my airwork or the final, partial-pannel VOR approach into OLS. I did pass the oral and the single engine, LOC. So I go back in two weeks to do an ILS (which I have never had problems with - and the sucky thing is I've even flown the Ryan ILS before) and the partial-pannel VOR approach and airwork.
I know I hosed the ILS. But what bugs me is I recognized it, announced it, went missed and handled it safely (I didn't bust any altitudes, I remained in protected airspace, I didn't dive for the false GS, which I got at the OM) and I failed it. If I were out in the clouds and missed the GS I would have done the exact same thing. If I had blown through the bottom of the GS, or busted an altitude I'd feel a little "better" about failing it because those would have been mistakes that could have had serious ramifications.
Oh well, it's not the end of the world. The re-test will be a much more relaxed (as relaxed as a checkride can be that is) atmosphere and I'm confident I'll do better.
The DE was super nice and "supportive" about the ILS thing as well as the door situation. Of course he had to hold it shut the 20 miles or so back to OLS but he was very professional about everything.
But the IA gods were still not happy with my level of humiliation so on the ride home the airmet that was forecast for the Colorado River area must have worked its way east 'cause I was getting tossed around pretty good. Not to mention I had to fly home with the gear down (1.5hr flight no less under 150mph) as I didn't get my gear up light climbing off of OLS (that's getting checked today) so I just put them back down and got three green. And then, just to top it off, on the drive home I notice my gas was pretty low (in the car) so I get off on Via De Ventura and it has to be the only street in the entire PHX metro area that doesn't have a single, friggin' gas station on it.
Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Sucko was more like it!
Moral of the story:
Don't hose your ILS!
Don't freak out if a door pops open on you (it'll scare you but the airplane will keep flying).
If you do bust something on a chekride you may as well continue 'cause you can't fail the same ride more than once (same ride as in the actual pyshical ride you're doing when/if you bust something).
Don't freak out over the oral.
If you suspect a problem with the gear dump 'em and fly with 'em out (lessoned learned on this one).
Don't try to get gas on Via De Ventura!
First, let me say I'm not overly proud of this. But if something in my troubles helps someone else then at least there's some good in it. And hey it just took a little luck out of the one bag and put into the bag marked experience, right?
So I had my IA checkride yesterday and I busted the ILS.
First approach. Nothing failed. Both engines. And I flew right threw the top of the GS. I knew I had done it, I told him I was going to go missed at the OM (the GS intercept) if the GS didn't come alive and when it didn't I went missed. I never busted an altitude, I was on the LOC, I just didn't catch the GS. As we're going missed he said "I'm going to have to disapprove you on that."
Later, he said I went through the GS way out near the first intersection (DRIBB) on the ILS (five some miles from the OM and GS intercept). I, however, for the life of me can not remember ever seeing the GS in the "up" position and come down - doesn't mean it didn't/wasn't there I just don't remember it.
So, as we're going missed he asked me if I wanted to continue and I said sure - 'cause it couldn't get any worse at that point, you can't fail twice - so we wen't around and did the LOC, single engine. It started to get away from me but I salvaged it and he passed me on it. Next up was airwork and as we were passing 7,000 on the way back to OLS (from Ryan) we hit a pretty good bump and ... BAM ... sounded like a gun had gone off and looked over to see the cabin door was open. I looked to the rear of the aircracft and the rear headliner/bulkhead (seperates the pax compartment and the tailcone) had blown out and was hanging down on the seats when the door blew. GREAT! My bad day just got better!
We couldn't get the door closed. It got real noisey and real cold real quick. It's definately a different airplane with that door hanging out in the slipstream but it's still flyable and not much in the way of an emgergency. But, at this point we were halfway between TUS and OLS so we just continued on to OLS and landed. The landing was interesting because the door blocked some of the airflow to the rudder - and we had 08G18 cross winds the switched from the left to the right as we turned final.
The DE was wary of carbon monoxide so he had the unicom operator call the local FD (on the non-emergency number) and had them check out our O2 levels. We were fine. But while we were waiting he said he thought we might have some problems with our marker beacons because the OM was coming on when were were almost literaly on top of the airport (that would explain my GS problem somewhat - but only somewhat as if my scan was up to speed I would have noticed the GS coming in and followed it regardless of my position to the OM).
So I didn't get to do my airwork or the final, partial-pannel VOR approach into OLS. I did pass the oral and the single engine, LOC. So I go back in two weeks to do an ILS (which I have never had problems with - and the sucky thing is I've even flown the Ryan ILS before) and the partial-pannel VOR approach and airwork.
I know I hosed the ILS. But what bugs me is I recognized it, announced it, went missed and handled it safely (I didn't bust any altitudes, I remained in protected airspace, I didn't dive for the false GS, which I got at the OM) and I failed it. If I were out in the clouds and missed the GS I would have done the exact same thing. If I had blown through the bottom of the GS, or busted an altitude I'd feel a little "better" about failing it because those would have been mistakes that could have had serious ramifications.
Oh well, it's not the end of the world. The re-test will be a much more relaxed (as relaxed as a checkride can be that is) atmosphere and I'm confident I'll do better.
The DE was super nice and "supportive" about the ILS thing as well as the door situation. Of course he had to hold it shut the 20 miles or so back to OLS but he was very professional about everything.
But the IA gods were still not happy with my level of humiliation so on the ride home the airmet that was forecast for the Colorado River area must have worked its way east 'cause I was getting tossed around pretty good. Not to mention I had to fly home with the gear down (1.5hr flight no less under 150mph) as I didn't get my gear up light climbing off of OLS (that's getting checked today) so I just put them back down and got three green. And then, just to top it off, on the drive home I notice my gas was pretty low (in the car) so I get off on Via De Ventura and it has to be the only street in the entire PHX metro area that doesn't have a single, friggin' gas station on it.
Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Sucko was more like it!
Moral of the story:
Don't hose your ILS!
Don't freak out if a door pops open on you (it'll scare you but the airplane will keep flying).
If you do bust something on a chekride you may as well continue 'cause you can't fail the same ride more than once (same ride as in the actual pyshical ride you're doing when/if you bust something).
Don't freak out over the oral.
If you suspect a problem with the gear dump 'em and fly with 'em out (lessoned learned on this one).
Don't try to get gas on Via De Ventura!
