november.sierra
6th Dec 2005, 21:51
This is a somewhat unusual skills test report in that I elected to complete my training for the PPL in Germany, where I trained with Motorflugschule Egelsbach based at Egelsbach EDFE, the largest GA aerodrome in Germany (a very professionally run place within the Frankfurt control zone, yet only minutes away from totally uncontrolled airspace). Language was never a problem, as training and the theory exams were taken in English.
Apologies, I know the vast majority of people are not familiar with the area at all, and I won’t bore you with details, just to give you an idea really.
Anyway, after a lengthy wait due to miserable weather after the qualifying XC solo and a few consolidation sessions, I applied for a skills test and after a short wait had my examiner assigned (a captain with Lufthansa CityLine). We agreed on the 6th of December as the date for the skills test.
The night before the test I was given the route: Egelsbach (EDFE) – Juliett – Langenlonsheim (EDEL) – RID VOR – HDM VOR – Charlie – Mannheim (EDFM) – Echo – RID VOR – Delta – Egelsbach (EDFE). I was told that the first leg to EDEL was to be flown using terrestrial navigation only, airwork was to be undertaken on the way back in the area around RID VOR, including the diversion. The majority of the routing would take place in airspace class “E”, of course taking into account airspace “C” around Frankfurt Main Airport, i.e. staying below at the specified upper limit of 1500 feet. Another area to watch out for is control zone Coleman just before EDFM, i.e. maintaining 2000 feet to stay above airspace “D”.
In the morning I checked the METAR and TAF for both EDFE and EDFM, and even though far from ideal, after a quick phone call to the chief instructor we decided it was good enough and to go ahead with the test. I then confirmed this with the examiner and we agreed on an STD of 12:00 local. I was given the usual Cessna 152, this time D-EIOS.
EDDF 061050Z 22008KT 9999 SCT015 06/03 Q1005 NOSIG=
EDFM 061020Z 18004KT 130V210 9999 FEW010 SCT024 BKN030 05/04 Q1006=
I set off to the flight school and arrived at around 9:45, completed the planning and the pre-flight check and then waited for the examiner to show up, which he did around 11:00 (he immediately identified me as a Paddy, probably the first German to ever get it right...). We then went through the flight planning together and he asked me about airspace structures, safety altitudes en route and made me do a detailed approach brief. He then asked a few questions about minimum equipment and the tech log and maintenance issues, we then proceeded to the aircraft where further questions were asked (eg identifying the stall warner, and the various antennae).
Finally we set off and the routing seemed to work out ok, left Egelsbach behind us to head for Langenlonsheim to do a simulated approach. This is where the fun started as I couldn’t see the airfield anywhere and had to circle the town 3 times before making it out. The examiner was satisfied with the touch & go and we carried on to RID VOR, where the weather began to get worse, clouds forcing me to descend to 1,100 feet just before HDM VOR. At this point I requested the weather for EDFM and decided not to continue to the destination, which the examiner accepted and told me to divert to Worms EDFV (yes, really...) instead, which I duly did. On the way I was questioned about emergency procedures and the checklists which all went ok. Following a QDM approach into EDFV, we joined the circuit and landed on runway 24 for a touch & go. On the climb out the examiner pulled the throttle to simulate an engine failure and I completed the recall items to land straight ahead. Satisfied he told me to go around and carry out a glide approach from 2000 feet, which was perfect and we landed for a quick break and to pay the landing fees.
After setting off again, we progressed inbound RID VOR and on the way carried out the general handling exercises. In a bid to find an area clear of cloud we nearly flew into a restricted area around the nuclear power station at Biblis, which we stayed clear off after some guidance from the examiner. First to go was flying in various configurations, followed by instrument flying for 2 minutes and then various stalls and a spiral descent, all of which went ok. He then pulled the throttle again for an emergency landing, I selected a suitable field and again, he seemed to be satisfied. After climbing again he told me to descend to 1000 feet due to a low clod base and land within 10 minutes for the diversion, to the glider area Bensheimer Stadtwiesen.
I checked for a heading & distance with the Frankfurt FIS, and low and behold got well and truly lost and yet again took ages to find the place, and only after some help from the examiner. Anyway, he seemed ok about it and told me to fly back to Egelsbach for a flapless landing.
At this point I was 100% sure I’d failed after the various orientation mishaps, but pulled myself together and carried out a good flapless landing. After completing the after landing checks while taxiing back, much to my surprise he told me I had passed, only just, but he seemed satisfied.
In the debrief, he said the weakest point was finding grass fields, and a reliance on QDM’s from FIS for the diversion, but on the whole satisfactory. The block time was an unbelievable 2 hours 50 and tested me to the full.
Never mind, the license will be issued soon and I hope a few people do find this report helpful, even though the test was taken abroad. Thanks also at this stage to the various people who wrote up their test reports and gave me a rough idea what to expect.
Apologies, I know the vast majority of people are not familiar with the area at all, and I won’t bore you with details, just to give you an idea really.
Anyway, after a lengthy wait due to miserable weather after the qualifying XC solo and a few consolidation sessions, I applied for a skills test and after a short wait had my examiner assigned (a captain with Lufthansa CityLine). We agreed on the 6th of December as the date for the skills test.
The night before the test I was given the route: Egelsbach (EDFE) – Juliett – Langenlonsheim (EDEL) – RID VOR – HDM VOR – Charlie – Mannheim (EDFM) – Echo – RID VOR – Delta – Egelsbach (EDFE). I was told that the first leg to EDEL was to be flown using terrestrial navigation only, airwork was to be undertaken on the way back in the area around RID VOR, including the diversion. The majority of the routing would take place in airspace class “E”, of course taking into account airspace “C” around Frankfurt Main Airport, i.e. staying below at the specified upper limit of 1500 feet. Another area to watch out for is control zone Coleman just before EDFM, i.e. maintaining 2000 feet to stay above airspace “D”.
In the morning I checked the METAR and TAF for both EDFE and EDFM, and even though far from ideal, after a quick phone call to the chief instructor we decided it was good enough and to go ahead with the test. I then confirmed this with the examiner and we agreed on an STD of 12:00 local. I was given the usual Cessna 152, this time D-EIOS.
EDDF 061050Z 22008KT 9999 SCT015 06/03 Q1005 NOSIG=
EDFM 061020Z 18004KT 130V210 9999 FEW010 SCT024 BKN030 05/04 Q1006=
I set off to the flight school and arrived at around 9:45, completed the planning and the pre-flight check and then waited for the examiner to show up, which he did around 11:00 (he immediately identified me as a Paddy, probably the first German to ever get it right...). We then went through the flight planning together and he asked me about airspace structures, safety altitudes en route and made me do a detailed approach brief. He then asked a few questions about minimum equipment and the tech log and maintenance issues, we then proceeded to the aircraft where further questions were asked (eg identifying the stall warner, and the various antennae).
Finally we set off and the routing seemed to work out ok, left Egelsbach behind us to head for Langenlonsheim to do a simulated approach. This is where the fun started as I couldn’t see the airfield anywhere and had to circle the town 3 times before making it out. The examiner was satisfied with the touch & go and we carried on to RID VOR, where the weather began to get worse, clouds forcing me to descend to 1,100 feet just before HDM VOR. At this point I requested the weather for EDFM and decided not to continue to the destination, which the examiner accepted and told me to divert to Worms EDFV (yes, really...) instead, which I duly did. On the way I was questioned about emergency procedures and the checklists which all went ok. Following a QDM approach into EDFV, we joined the circuit and landed on runway 24 for a touch & go. On the climb out the examiner pulled the throttle to simulate an engine failure and I completed the recall items to land straight ahead. Satisfied he told me to go around and carry out a glide approach from 2000 feet, which was perfect and we landed for a quick break and to pay the landing fees.
After setting off again, we progressed inbound RID VOR and on the way carried out the general handling exercises. In a bid to find an area clear of cloud we nearly flew into a restricted area around the nuclear power station at Biblis, which we stayed clear off after some guidance from the examiner. First to go was flying in various configurations, followed by instrument flying for 2 minutes and then various stalls and a spiral descent, all of which went ok. He then pulled the throttle again for an emergency landing, I selected a suitable field and again, he seemed to be satisfied. After climbing again he told me to descend to 1000 feet due to a low clod base and land within 10 minutes for the diversion, to the glider area Bensheimer Stadtwiesen.
I checked for a heading & distance with the Frankfurt FIS, and low and behold got well and truly lost and yet again took ages to find the place, and only after some help from the examiner. Anyway, he seemed ok about it and told me to fly back to Egelsbach for a flapless landing.
At this point I was 100% sure I’d failed after the various orientation mishaps, but pulled myself together and carried out a good flapless landing. After completing the after landing checks while taxiing back, much to my surprise he told me I had passed, only just, but he seemed satisfied.
In the debrief, he said the weakest point was finding grass fields, and a reliance on QDM’s from FIS for the diversion, but on the whole satisfactory. The block time was an unbelievable 2 hours 50 and tested me to the full.
Never mind, the license will be issued soon and I hope a few people do find this report helpful, even though the test was taken abroad. Thanks also at this stage to the various people who wrote up their test reports and gave me a rough idea what to expect.