new pvt. pilot

[joeboez]

This is a follow up to a previous post three weeks ago. I JUST PASSED MY PRIVATE PILOT SINGLE ENGINE LAND TEST. I just wanted to share the good news, thanks for all of the advice fellas.

[Keef]

Congratulations, and welcome to the fraternity! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as most of the rest of us do.

Hope we met up some day - in Europe or in California.

[Aussie Andy]

Well done Sir! And what a spectacular city (from the air) to do it in!

Andy

[Saab Dastard]

joeboez,

Congratulations and well done!. It's a great feeling - if a little daunting as well!:ok:

Cheers

SD

[joeboez]

Thanks Fellas,
this really is a great feeling and now im an official member of the aviation community. Its one of the highest points of my short 17year life.

[LowNSlow]

joeboez congratulations and welcome to $100 hamburgerland :ok:

[knobbygb]

Well done joeboez. :ok:

How about posting a full account of the test? What was the examiner like? Where did you go to on Nav? Did you make any mistakes and how did you deal with it? I've read many covering UK tests (and still love reading them) but not so many on the US GFT. I'm sure this'd be interesting to pilots who fly over there as I know it's all done a bit differently. For instance, don't you do quite a lengthy formal verbal test with the examiner just before the actual flying test?

And you get your license straight away too! As you'll have seen on here, in the UK we have to wait several weeks :uhoh: for the paperwork to be done.

[joeboez]

this is in response to knobbygb, its a draft im writing for my flying club.
aircraft used : cessna 152


* is the coolest retired person I’ve ever met. He’s sharp, funny, and has a lot to teach. My advice for your check ride is to prepare as best as you can, take a phase check, and practice, practice practice… * is more then an examiner, he’s an instructor. The most comforting thing I can tell you is to expect to learn.

* called and left me a message the day before our flight telling me to plan a cross country to Ganser Field (40nm ENE of the Chico VOR). I planned the cross-country the night before the test taking into consideration: runway length, altitudes, and weather. I woke up that morning excited and a bit nervous. I called flight service and copied the weather information. I then calculated my times, loads, and fuel burn. I met + at the Flyers and we headed out to Lou’s trailer. + left after joking around with Lou for a few minutes.

For the first hour Lou and I talked about aviation, life, and *’s amazing flying carrier. We first started with the oral portion of the test. * is big on accurate paper work, so make sure you have all of your legal maintenance documents, flight manuals, and weight + balance sheets. Refer to the FARs if you have to. Some of the harder oral questions he asked referred to some common sense type calculations.

Example-
Q: How can you estimate the temperature of a field if the temperature at 060 is 14*C.
A: Field elevation is 3,500 and its temperature is unknown. So if temperature decreases 2*C per thousand feet, it increases as you descend every thousand feet. The temperature at 060 is 14*C, so the temperature at field elevation is 5*C+14*C= 19*C.

Q: What can you expect the barometric pressure to be at 6,000 feet?
A: Barometric pressure decreases by 1” every thousand feet. So if at ground level your pressure is 29.92 the pressure at 060 is 23.92.

Make sure, you consider cruise density altitudes and the proper airplane tables for your cross country. I neglected to account the temperature information for my x-country calculations. Some other questions he asked me related to TAS, IAS, CAS, aircraft performance, chart information, AFD questions, and oxygen requirements. I believe * tests you on an individual basis. He likes to challenge you, so don’t be surprised if the questions are harder or easier then the ones I’ve listed. After passing, my oral test, we took a lunch break and agreed to meet at the plane in an hour.

After eating and finishing a thorough preflight, I met * at the plane. I went through my normal checks and started my flight as if # was to my right seat. I explained all of the thoughts going through my mind while flying. We took off 33 with a slight crosswind and climbed to 035 on our heading of 007*. While leaning the mixture * taught me to use carb. heat to check for a drop. This indicates that your engine is leaned properly. After finishing my ground speed and TAS check he told me to divert to Nut Tree. We anchored on a road south of Travis AFB for about 5 minutes and departed on our heading. * will fail you if you don’t stick with a set heading and disregard your calculated time. DO NOT FLY OFF COURSE WHEN YOU SEE THE AIRPORT, wait for your time to end. When our time was up, Nut Tree was directly on our left wind and I started a shallow descent requesting airport advisories. A pilot came on frequency informing me of a temporary airport closure and sure enough X’s were visible on the runways. * told me we would head to Byron. Along the way he simulated an engine out and I performed turns around the point. Arriving at Byron I went through my uncontrolled airport procedures by requesting advisories and flying over head. I advised the traffic I would be entering the pattern and we did one normal touch and go followed by a full stop short field approach. This was the only part of the flight I was afraid of failing. After exiting the runway * informed me that I landed short of my touchdown zone. He said he would give me another chance at Oakland. We went through a second run-up and informed the traffic that we would be taking off and departing the area. I made a 360* turn on the taxiway clearing traffic. After takeoff I turned toward my desired heading and * put me under the hood. * asked me for climbs, turns, recovery from unusual attitudes, and to track into a VOR. Although it isn’t in the PTS, * also covered my vacuum instruments and had me do magnetic turns. Although they were a bit rusty * felt it was acceptable. He also asked me to identify VOR morse code and we tracked into the station. I analyzed the OBS excessivly and * assured me it was less complicated then I was making it. I came off the hood over Livermore. * told me to start my high air maneuvers which turned out fine. Lou then told me to head home. I contacted NORCAL and made a nice short field approach into Oakland.

My tips for the flight portion of your test with *…
Use your checklist
Scan continuously for traffic
Try not to be nervous, pretend you’re flying solo or with you’re instructor
Be confident with your decisions and don’t second guess yourself. Fly like you normally do, I doubt he will favor hesitation
Act as PIC
Don’t expect your flight to be exactly like mine. He wants to see what you’re capable of so he tests your abilities.
Fly with an open ear, because this WWII Navy fighter pilot will teach you a lot.

After our landing I taxied off the runway, shutdown the plane, and * exited. He told me to meet him at his trailer for my debriefing. I refueled and met with #. We then headed to *’s trailer and started the debrief. * told me that I did a good job overall and gave me a lot of great advice. He then congratulated me and handed my temporary PVT. Pilot’s certificate. I thanked both * and # thanking both of them for a memorable experience.

I feel fortunate for the opportunity to live my dream at the age of seventeen. Looking back at the test and my great flight training I honestly can say that I don’t have any regrets. Every lesson I’ve had with # was well worth it and it was great to see our hard work pay off. My flight training at 123456 was excellent, but more importantly I walked away with new friends. Just remember that you’re taking a check ride because both you and your CFI think you’re ready. All you have to do is to prove it to your examiner.

[knobbygb]

Sounds a bit different to how we do it, but at the same time basically the same sort of thing (if that makes sense?)

One question you've raised - For my BFR (when I got my reciprocal FAA license) I was asked to do 'ground reference manouveres'. I had no idea what they wanted, and the instructor showed me what to do before making me demonstarte. I did turning about a point and S-turns along a line feature - no problem, but still don't understand - why? I assume it's somthing you'd do to try to idfentify a ground feature if unsure of position, but we have no such manouveres in the UK and with everything else being so similar I just wondered why. I personally use my own 'fly around randomley a bit until you get sorted out' method :D

Thanks for posting the account, by the way. Should go down well at your flying club. You now have to look forward to your first flight with passengers etc. (if you haven't done so already!)

[joeboez]

yeah, im taking my dad up this saturday morning... first passenger

um ground reference maneuvers are just low altitude maneuvers: Rectangular Course(pretty much pattern work), S-Turns, and Turns around a point

[EnglishmaninNY]

Joeboez;-

Congratulations on passing!!! Enjoy your new licence in the CA sunshine :cool:

KnobbyGB;-

The point of doing 'ground reference maneuveres', from what I recall at the PPL level is to get one used to making co-ordinated turns, while taking into consideration varying wind conditions. For example, the examiner is looking to see if you can fly a shapely rectangle around a field to replicate a traffic pattern factoring in the wind. The S-Turns around a straight line show that you can relate wind direction to angle-of-bank needed to maintain the same distance from the reference point(road). Anyway, I think that's the basic reasoning for the maneuveres

Safe flying to you both

EiNY

[Aussie Andy]

joeboez - thanks, I really enjoyed reading your post: its interesting to learn the differences between your flight test regime and ours here in the UK.

I have also done a flight test overseas, specifically in Australia for my "Special License". But for my US "permit" I didn't need to do a test. While on the subject, I think its worth commenting that in general its great to do some flying in foreign environments as you always learn something and gain some new insights / perspectives - which is great - so I hope you have the chance maybe to come to the UK say one day and try flying in our environment!

So anyway, here are the main points of difference compared to my experiences here in the UK (which may differ to other people's) that I noted from your post (in addition to the points already mentioned above about 'ground reference maneuveres'):

I planned the cross-country the night before That's lucky: we have to plan ours immediately before the test (I think I was allowed an hour?)

I called flight service and copied the weather informationCan't do that here - unless prepared to pay £17 (that's $24) for the privelege of talking to the Met Office (a bit cheaper through private services such as http://www.weatherweb.net/aviation.htm)... so instead we get things like TAF, METAR and general overview from the web or recorded voice/fax services. E.g. the UK Met Office website is here: http://www.met-office.gov.uk/aviation/ Usually, flying clubs will have a PC and a web connection, or some faxes pinned to the notice board. Your system in the US, of being able to call flight services for current wx is great and you're lucky to have it for free!

Field elevation is 3,500 I don't think we have any airfields that high!

Barometric pressure decreases by 1” every thousand feet.Of course our air pressure is different to yours, because it decreases by 1mB "millibar" per 30 feet.

Whereas in continental Europe, naturellement, their air pressure is different again, as it decreases by 1hP "hectoPascal" per 30 feet :D!


While leaning the mixture * taught me to use carb. heat to check for a drop. This indicates that your engine is leaned properly.That's interesting: I understand leaning is not done routinely in most parts of the US (nor in Australia) as it is here in northern Europe. For us, carb-icing is a fairly constant threat, so we tend to use carb heat regularly, say every 15 minutes on a "FREDA" check.

We also lean as a matter of course whenever descending, especially on final. From what I hear from mates who fly in the US, this is not done routinely but exceptionally in the US. Maybe I am wrong about this?

Anyway, I've certainly not heard of using carb-heat to confirm that the engine is properly leaned! I don't understand how this would work as we expect a drop of say 100rpm whenever carb-heat is applied: not just if leaned.

Having said that, it is far more common here (due to Class A airspace which is often above us in southern England) to cruise at between 2,000' and 4,000' say, thus leaning is often not applied at all. I lean when above 4,000' as a rule, e.g.when crossing the Channel or the Welsh Mountains etc., but have never stopped to notice if the application of carb-heat gives results any different whether done on a well-leaned or poorly-leaned setting. (We generally use engine-note or EHT to lean the engine - I suppose that is generally the same in the US).

... requesting airport advisories. A pilot came on frequency ...Here, sadly, pilots never officially communicate with each other by radio. You either speak to ATC, an "Airfield Information" service (don't ask: long story... basically pseudo-ATC), an "Air/Ground" station (not ATC at all, btu a good way to get information), or you make "blind calls". Blind calls (e.g. when A/G don't answer) are the closest you get to your UNICOM system in the UK. And we don't, as you do, say the airfield name at he beginning and end of the transmission as - generally speaking - the frequencies are not (intentionally) shared.

I turned toward my desired heading and * put me under the hood. * asked me for climbs, turns, recovery from unusual attitudes, and to track into a VOR. Although it isn’t in the PTS, * also covered my vacuum instruments and had me do magnetic turns.The only instrument flying we have to do on the PPL(A) equivalent to your PVT certificate is a 180 level turn, to simulate that we are able to turn away from an inadvertent entry into cloud. No climbs, turns, unusual attitudes or mag turns are required unless you do an IMC rating (like a kind of cut-down private IR). Having said that, many examiners/instructors will test/teach a bit more than the basic requirement.

Other than these points (and the fact that our controlled airspace is a bit different, especially as regards Class A), the rest sounds very similar. I hope you found this of interest, and if you want to know more about flying in our environment, take a look here: http://www.alioth.net/flying/flyinguk/usukprep.html

I hope you and your Dad have a great flight together (don't kill him: your Mum will be cross!), and once again WELL DONE - especially given your tender age young fella!

Andy

[joeboez]

Aussie Andy-

It sounds harsh to fly in the UK. From what I understand, most of the airspace in the UK is privatized. I also hear you poor guys get charged for airport services (flight service, instrument approaches, $$$ for renting a plane). This may change in the US due to the increasing number of privatized fields. Hopefully it won’t, I like the free services. My dad also just bought a headset today, it will be fun to show him flight through a pilots eyes. I think he’s too used to controlling =).

Anyway, thanks for the reply it was very informative

PS we also have an online weather information service (free) http://www.duats.com/ check it out

[Aussie Andy]

It sounds harsh to fly in the UKI wouldn't say harsh: in fact I'd argue that to learn in this environment - with its difficult weather (for VFR) and complex airspace, especially around London and the south east, is a positive advantage: if you can cope here you can cope most places!

I think its wrong to call the airspace "privatised" - it belongs to Her Manjesty I suppose: here in Europe the impulse is to urge on the side of regulation, where in the US the impulse is more generally to err on the side of freedom. Greater separation is provided between IFR and VFR in a lot of our airspace, especially close to LHR which is the world's busiest international airport. Its always interesting to me to see how the airspace is differently handled on the US eastern seaboard where you have the freedom to fly right through the climb-out and descent paths of your major airport clusters (like Newark, La Guardia, JFK, Boston to name a few).

What is true though is that we don't enjoy the subsidies / traffic levels that many of your private airports do: hence the charges generally made here for landing fees (typically $10 ~ $20 for a light single per landing). This is less true in France and varies elsewhere in Europe.

Moroever, our flying costs are generally about 2 to 3 times higher per hour than yours are : this is primarily due to much higher fuel costs.

But don't let these things put you off: my earlier point was that it is a great advantage for anyone AS A PILOT to gain the experience of flying in foreign environments, and I hope you one day get that chance.

Meanwhile, enjoy your license!



Andy :D