Ppl Flight Test!

[Hakeem]

I've got a question can some one please help me out with this,
According to CASA ATO's in PPL Flight test if you flunk with CTAF Entry procedure they will straight away fail us or they will give us another chance.
I understand that it depends on ATO's mentality.
But normally what do they do?

[Shimmer]

Overall they'll fail you if they are not confident that you could conduct the operation on a solo flight. I doubt they'd concentrate on one thing, such as altitude maintenance for example, but instead look at the whole way you manage the joining procedure.

If you flew in making dodgy radio calls, making uncoordinated control inputs and having a noticeably stressed out demeanor your chances of heading home would be very high. They understand it's a PPL flight test though, so they take into consideration things like nerves and lack of command experience.

I guess what I'm getting at is there is no black and white answer, but I reckon they'd be more lenient if other aspects of your flight test went well.

[Lenroy]

In my opinion the ATO would ask himself one thing would they feel safe letting this person fly my kids around ?? From what i gather if you put the safety of the aifcraft/passengers in doubt you will fail. So i would say if you cant enter a CTAF area in the right procedure they would fail you. The procedures are there for a reason to keep us all safe so you need to have a working practive with them.

[ab33t]

You r whole flight would be evaluated if you had soem problems with a few exercises you may find you will be failed where as if you did a good job and struggled with one or two things you would be passed.

[Hakeem]

Thanks guys,
I was actually worried about my CTAF entry procedures.
But by god's grace i did it all right but apart from that i did some minor mistakes like i didn't flip the frequency before making CTAF radio call once.
But my ATO passed me finally got PPL thanks guys.

[The Green Goblin]

Are the flying schools still teaching an overfly at 1500 feet to check the windsock?

I understand it now says in the jeps/AIP it's recommended to overfly at 2000 feet at airfields where turboprop/RPT aeroplanes operate, in order to separate with their 1500 feet circuit heights.

Interesting because I still hear folk on the CTAFs around the place overhead at 1500 feet in RPT CTAFs.

Interesting :eek:

[Hakeem]

What you said make sense do they have changed in AIP/ Jeps about this 2000 ft AGL for overfly?

[The Green Goblin]

In the Jepps on page AU-719

6.7 Landing Maneuvers

6.7.1 Prior to entering the circuit at a non-towered aerodrome, aircraft should avoid the flow of traffic until established in the circuit. For example, wind and landing direction indicators can be checked while at an altitude of +500 above circuit height.

Note: If jet, turboprop or high performance piston aircraft operate at the aerodrome, 2000 feet AGL is a safer height to remain clear of all circuit traffic/

I also like AU-718

6.2.1.5 A normal downwind spacing of 1/2 to 3/4 of a NM from the runway is recommended for most single engine piston aircraft operations.

(not 3nm like you see most of the time these days!!!!!)

[DH 200']

AIP ref is ENR 1.1 64.1

Interesting, like most things in aviation it all just comes down to common sense at the end of the day.

[Hakeem]

Thanks for that guys!!!!!!!!

[Horatio Leafblower]

Are any of the respondents on this thread actually ATOs?

Have any of you even attended a CASA ATO Professional Development Program?

The attitude in CASA Flight Testing and Training office is pretty savage at the moment, and I think you would all be surprised at what CASA's views are on the pass/fail decision.

Basically zer vill be no more partial passes or conditional passes... eezer der kandidate vill perform perfectly or ze ATO vill fail ze candidate :{

At the last PDP I attended I think every ATO in the room was very concerned at the black/white attitude of CASA. Their current approach might be OK for CPL candidates but for PPL candidates disregards completely the variations in human performance :=

CASA. We're not happy till you're not happy :rolleyes: