5/28/09 - Checkride Endorsed

I met with my instructor today; he quizzed me on a few topics, we looked over the airframe, motor, and propeller maintanance logs for 4KU, asked me questions about several items and systems on the airplane, and asked how my solo practice yesterday went.

With all that looking good, we completed the necessary paperwork, and I received the endorsement in my logbook for the checkride.

My instructor then gave me some background on the examiner I’ll be with – Very tough but fair, PPL at 16, one time test pilot for Cessna, 35,000hrs logged, captain for a major airline... Great! I’m feeling relaxed now!

Actually my instructor has a lot of respect for him, and I trust his judgment that I’ll learn a lot, and that I’m ready.

So more studying tonight, and 2hrs solo scheduled for tomorrow morning to get some last minute practice in.

5/27/09 Solo Checkride Practice

1.7hrs – Solo

Today was a beautiful day to get some final practice in. Clear skies, a little wind, a few bumps.
I departed for the practice area and performed any maneuver I could think of. Practiced short and soft field takeoffs and landings, as well as landings in different configurations at both 2S6 and 7S3.

My landings seem to be suffering, which is frustrating. Nothing too bad, I just seem to be rounding out a little too soon, and dropping in a bit.

Checkride approaching!

Lesson 34 5/21/09

1.4hrs - Some final checkride prep, and a great day to fly too.

We started with a little airwork; power off stalls clean, power off stalls in landing config, power on stalls, turning stalls, step turns, and the like, mostly to get warmed up.

We then headed back over Twin Oaks at 4000 for an engine out. No problems here, a few times around in a descending left turn set me up nicely for mid downwind at 2000, and from there nearly a normal pattern placed me just right. Cool! Off to a good start.

The rest of the time was spent in the pattern with short field and soft field takeoffs, and short field, soft field, no flap, a slip with no flaps, and a slip with full flaps landings. My first approach slipping with no flaps ended in a go-around, but the next try was good. Slips have not been one of my strong points, but I do at least feel more comfortable with them now.

Slips are performed by pushing in full rudder, and preventing the aircraft from turning by using opposite aileron. This places the side of the fuselage somewhat in direction of travel, creating a lot of drag, allowing you to push the nose down and drop altitude very quickly without gaining airspeed. Managing airspeed is very important; too little airspeed and you'll stall, too much and you'll float down the runway. Slips take a little getting used to.

I was hoping to scchedule my checkride for early next week, but we weren't able to come up with a time when the airplane was available that would work with the examiner. So, I have a couple hours of solo practice scheduled on Wednesday, and a final ground lesson Thursday with my instructor to make sure all the paperwork is in order and cover any last minute items, then checkride!

So close to the end, and each time the wheels leave the ground, I still can't believe that I'm actually doing this. Very cool.

Lesson 33 05/19/09

1.4hrs Mock checkride, 1hr oral exam prep

It was a challenging day, and I was happy that this was a mock checkride, and not the real thing. It was bumpy, rainy, and windy. Definitely good practice.

We started with clean power off stalls, power off stalls in landing configuration (full landing flaps), power on stalls, and turning stalls. Nothing new here, but good to keep fresh on.

Next we practiced engine out and partial power/stuck throttle landings. These went fine, but were pretty challenging for me given the variable and gusty wind conditions. We also discussed some differant emergancy landing scenarios.

We then practiced recovery from unusual attitudes, turns, climbs and descents, and tracking a VOR while under the hood. All pretty good here, though I dove a bit during a few of the turns.

Diversions were next. My instructor asked me to fly back towards Twin Oaks, then picked somewhere at random and asked me to divert, giving him heading, and estimated distance, time in route, and fuel burn. Nothing too difficult here, we were right near the Newburg VOR, and could easily pick a radial to follow and estimate the rest. A couple of the diversions were places I’d not heard of, and took me a little time to find on the sectional.

Turns around a point were good, with some turbulent air down low and the wind adding a fair level of challenge.

As we headed for home, my instructor said that he feels I’m ready, probably more so than I feel I am, and asked how I feel. “Nervous just thinking about the checkride, to be honest, but if we wait for me to feel ready, it’ll be another year”.

We spent an hour on the ground reviewing what my instructor has quizzed me on in the past, and as well as communications, night ops, electrical systems, flight planning, decision making, and a host of other topics.

Wrapping it up for the day, my instructor will be calling the examiner to see what his availability is for next week (NEXT WEEK??!!). We’ll practice whatever I’d like when we are scheduled next, on Thursday (slips come to mind right off), and then fly with another instructor if I’d like, the day prior to the checkride.

Next Week??!!

More Solo Practice Time 5/15/09

After two weeks of not being able to get in the air I was off on this beautiful morning for 1.7hrs of solo time to practice anything and everything I felt comfortable with.

I started off with a simulated engine out over 2S6 (Sportsman Airpark) from 3000ft about 3 miles out. I was a little high, and though I could have stopped on the remaining runway, decided to go around from the flare. Not what I’d set out to do, but the go-around was good practice. The second attempt was better, though the landing was a little harsher than I was shooting for.

A pretty fair simulated soft field takeoff and I was on my way a little farther south to practice some maneuvers.

Once up to 4000ft, I got all set up in slow flight, and performed a few clearing turns before slowing even further to practice MCA (minimum controllable airspeed).

To this point, I had not performed stalls during solo flight, but my instructor had told me to go ahead and practice some if I felt comfortable with it. Since completing the first stalls early in my training, I had felt completely comfortable performing these with my instructor sitting next to me. He has not had to reach for the controls during previous stall practice, so with my heart racing just a bit, gave a little back pressure on the yoke. From MCA that’s all it took for the buffeting to start, and then the stall break. A quick recovery and I was on my way for another. Feeling good with power off stalls, I set up for a full power on stall. These are a bit more exciting, and feel as though I’m standing the thing on its tail. With very little wandering, and a slight dip of the right wing after the break, I was ready for another.

After another set of clearing turns, I spent some time on steep turns. I think I now have a pretty good picture of what the relationship between the nose on the horizon should look like for turns in each direction, and was able to stay within PTS guidelines.

I dropped down over the farmlands of the Willamette Valley to practice some turns around a point. At 800ft AGL, this was the lowest I have been while on my own. I did several turns around a point, with a little wind, and managed pretty well. Then several more right turns around a point.

Flying that low over those farmlands was really something, and another “this is why I’m learning to fly“ moments.

I climbed back up to 3000 for another simulated engine out at Sportsman. Judging by a column of smoke a little south of Sportsman, the wind now favored runway 35 with a little crosswind and right traffic, adding to the challenge. My approach and touchdown point was the best of all so far today.

I climbed back to 2500ft after departing Sportsman, practiced VOR nav, and determining my position using two VOR’s, and I was time to head home.

A normal approach and landing at Twin Oaks ended a beautiful morning.

Scheduled next Tuesday is a mock checkride, plus a little work on slips (still a weak spot), followed up with some ground time.

Good times….

The pictures are of some scattered clouds over the Aurora area, a couple of pictures from down low, and about 2000ft over the town of St Paul.

5/13/09 More Checkride Prep

Another 2hrs of prep that may be a little ho-hum for a write up, so here’s a short version…

We began with a few review questions, covering certificate, document, and airworthiness requirements, as well as airspace. All pretty solid.

Weather was a weak point last time, so this would be a primary focus for this session. My instructor would ask me to explain some weather phenomena, and how it would affect VFR operations, and we’d discuss it in detail if my understanding was shaky, or I had additional questions.

We then covered weather reports and forecasts. I spent a considerable amount of time studying the numerous types of reports:
METAR-aviation routine weather report
Manual observations
ASOS-automated surface observing system
AWOS-automated weather observing system
PIREPS-pilot reports
radar reports

Forecasts:
TAFs-terminal aerodrome forecast
FA-aviation area forecast
Inflight aviation weather advisories
AIRMET-airman's meteorological information
SIGMET-significant meteorological information
Convective SIGMET-thunderstorms
TWEB-transcribed weather broadcast
Wind and temperature aloft forecast

Aviation weather carts:
Surface analysis
Weather depiction
Radar summary
Significant weather prognostic
Winds and temperature aloft
Composite moisture stability
Convective outlook
Constant pressure anylysis

and was able to answer most questions my instructor gave me, but probably could use a little more study in this area just for comfort.

I’ve been able to read the cryptic language used in METAR’s, TAF’s, and FA’s, for some time, and breezed through that line of questions.

Aircraft performance was also a focus for this session, and included calculations for W&B, density altitude, takeoff and climb performance, etc, as well as a discussion of aircraft performance. Pretty solid here as well.

A very worthwhile 2hrs, with much studying still to do!

After two weeks of being on the ground, it looks like I will be able to get up in the air for 2hrs of solo practice time tomorrow. I am looking forward to that!

5/07/09 1.5hrs Ground - Checkride Prep

During my last lesson, my instructor had asked that I study up on my sectional chart, airspace, and be able to draw the fuel system from memory. I was already pretty solid on these topics, but spent a good amount of time reviewing in preparation.

We began with some reviewing some of the FAR’s (Frederal Aviation Regulations) that we’d covered last lesson. I was able to answer each question reasonably well, though the sheer number of regulations makes me feel a little uncomfortable with my level of knowledge.

Next we covered the sectional chart and airspace requirements. Mostly my instructor would point to an area on the sectional, and ask me to tell him about it, then point to another and ask what the minimum cloud clearances would be if he were at 800AGL and if he’d climbed to 12000, then what does this symbol mean, or who would you call for this or that and on what frequency, or what I could tell him about the airport he was pointing to. It felt like very good practice, and I had it down.

Feeling good about my knowledge level on that, we moved to weather.

Weather is still a little cloudy (ha!). Actually weather itself I have a good base understanding of, but the number of sources for attaining weather information, types of weather forecasts, and types of weather reports, is a bit overwhelming. We decided that would be a good stopping point, and a study topic for homework.

My instructor mapped out the topics to study in preparation for the next couple of ground lessons (an extensive list), as well as a few assignments for solo practice.

At this point, it looks like three more ground sessions, some solo practice on the full range of maneuvers, a mock checkride, and possibly one more lesson to work on areas identified during the mock checkride as still in need of work.

We agreed that the end of the month would be a good goal for having completed the checkride.

It’s hard to believe that the time is coming for me to step beyond being a student pilot, at least certificate wise.

Am I really ready to be kicked out of the nest? I feel more confident with each hour in the air, but the time sure has gone fast. I’ll find out soon enough!