Skills Test

[VFR800]

Yup, the time has finally come, skills test a-rooney on Saturday (weather permitting, at the moment it looks like it ain't gonna permit!). So a couple of questions:

When doing the W&B, do you demonstrate to the examiner your workings out, or do you work it out and then tell him that the a/c is within the POH limits?

and

When doing yer PFL (my achilles heel!), if too high on the approach, S-turn or sideslip to lose height?

and

Constant Aspect or Standard Circuit? (I reckon Standard Circuit but on my mock, I made a complete SNAFU of the PFL, duh! My instructor now wants me to do Constant Aspect)

Cheers dudes. :cool:

[FlyingForFun]

When doing the W&B, do you demonstrate to the examiner your workings out, or do you work it out and then tell him that the a/c is within the POH limits?Assume you have to show it to him. That way, if he asks for it you're ready, and if he doesn't, it doesn't matter!When doing yer PFL (my achilles heel!), if too high on the approach, S-turn or sideslip to lose height?Depends on lots of factors - as a pilot (nearly) you should be able to make a judgement call. For example, how high are you? Have you got flaps down? The POH for some times suggests not sideslipping with full flaps - make sure you know whether it's ok in your type. How close to the field are you? If you're too close, an S-turn may take you away from the field. You really need to be able to figure this one out for yourself if/when it happens. Always better to be too high than too low, though.Constant Aspect or Standard Circuit?I would suggest whichever you're most comfortable with.

There are plenty of instructors, and a few examiners, who post here regularly and can probably give far more authoritative advice than me, though.

Good luck!

FFF
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[Evo]

Best tip for the PFL is to bank to the right when he fails the engine - that way you can see the nice field he just spotted :)

...and if there's no nice field then you know the examiner is a complete b:mad:d ;)

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

When doing yer PFL (my achilles heel!), if too high on the approach, S-turn or sideslip to lose height?

Whichever you choose, the most important thing (after flying safely) is to tell the examiner what you are doing. Whenever you notice that you are too high / low / fast /slow etc tell the examiner that you have seen the problem and what you plan to do about it.

If it's any consolation, I screwed up the PFL during my skills test and thought I had blown it. On the way back to the airfield, the examiner pulled the throttle again and I got it right second time. Test passed.

Good luck,

TG

[M14P]

I like the lateral thinking Evo! I have to say, I quite enjoy the surprise of just slowly closing the throttle with nowhere really obvious available - BIG judgment call in terms of survivablity here (I always favour running off the end at 20 knots to smacking into the fence at the beginning of the field at 70!)

My advice is to not try anything new on your test day. Stick to what you know. Also, this time of year think WIND! It might be calm the day before and blowing 20 kt at height the next. Either way your glide gradient will be significantly different.

Good luck.

[Say again s l o w l y]

Good luck with the skills test.

Ask your instructor what you should do in relation to side-slipping or S turns, since we do not know the type or which airfield etc it is not possible to make a judgement. Though I have to say, you should really know by now. I suspect your instructor will bang you round the head when you ask them!!

Constant aspect does work well from the downwind to touch down point, Don't do it from the beginning of the PFL, it is too easy to land downwind. Instant fail. Some examiners prefer you to only do it the 'CAA way' of a circuit, but again whatever you feel comfortable with and speak to your instructor, they'll know what it is about.

Always have your working out to hand, it shows you haven't just drawn a line on the sheet!

Evo, an interesting technique, but I can promise you that we do look out of the left window occasionally! Always look for the disused airfield though!!;)

[Penguina]

PFLs are easier in the test because you're concentrating sooo hard. First one I was ever happy with!