How long is the Skills Test?

[TraineePilot01]

One day to the Skills Test now - AGGHH! Bit windy, mind, today.

Anyhow, I just wanted to know how long the actual flying part of the Skills Test is as I keep getting loads of different answeres from people. Some say over 2 hours, some say under an hour, anyone know the actual time?

Also, do you have to complete all of your navigation legs? Or just complete say leg A-B, and not B-C or C-A?

Thanks v. much.

Worried TP01

[captainkilner]

Mine personally was only an hour long , stalls ,steep turns , engine failure , soft /short/flapless field landings as for the nav side of it usually you'll fly one maybe two then get an in flight diversion to another airfield , you'll be expected to initially get a rough heading then measure track and apply wind correction and find your way there , you probably won't land at diversion airfield but head back home to do landings etc hope this helps a little and good luck , as long as you don't do anything stupid you'll pass no problem .
:) :) :)

[eagerbeaver]

safe bet is 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Depends how long your nav legs are really.

Good Luck, plan and prepare well have it clear in your mind what you are doing and dont be afraid or hesitant in making decisions and changing the plan, be authoritive and show your ability to command, you will be fine.

Good Luck i am rooting for you.

Where are you taking the test? I might be able to help you a little more if it is the area i used to fly.

[GonvilleBromhead]

I'm just curious TP01, has your instructor not gone through any of this with you ??

Ring him or see him if poss to go through a quick run through of what's involved, you shouldn't really need to get this sort of info from here. Not having a go at you, more your instructor for not briefing you on what to expect.

For what it's worth, mine was about 2.5 hours, nav leg 1 to point A, turn onto nav leg 2 to point B. About half way to B, diversion to point C. You have time to do some rough calcs to estimate your heading and ETA so don't panic this bit, nice and calmly does it. (tip: make sure your chart is folded to cover the entire nav triangle, you don't want to end up fannying around with new folds mid-air. Perhaps obvious but can catch people out).

Reach and identify point C, then onto general handling.

I was told I could do it in two parts, break between nav and GH, but I opted for continuous test.

Relax and fly like you do normally, you'll be fine. Good luck, let us know the outcome.

:)

[foghorn]

PPL and CPL and IR tests are all around 2 hours, usually the top side. The biggest factor is the length of the Nav legs (or the airways route in the case of the IR).

Looking back through my log books, my test lengths (all JAR) were:

PPL 2:25
IMC 1:15
CPL 2:15
IR 2:00

plus I got an South African PPL in 3:05 - big skies!

My PPL test was the same format as Gonville's. I was given a route A-B-C to plan and halfway between B and C was told to divert to point D giving the heading, alt and estimate (which you can change at the half-way point). I then had to find point D before doing the GH.

cheers!
foggy

[ 08 November 2001: Message edited by: foghorn ]

[TraineePilot01]

Thanks for the replies. My instructor has gone through it with me, I think it's just me panicking! I wasn't told the length of the skills test, knew it was around 2 hours, but got variations on it from different people...Will let you know how it goes (if I have it, It's bloody windy!).....I'm training at a short, grass airfield in the South West.

[Rusty Cessna]

TP, mail me, I'm in the South West too, I have a feeling I know where you are. Good Luck!

Hope it goes ahead, sick of mine being weathered off :)