Keeping rating valid: Hours vs Check

[hsw_ping]

Hi all,

My SEP rating is up in September (had my license since 2013 so this is only my second renewal) and my genuine plan was to catch up on hours over this summer, but weather and other factors have conspired against me. I'm on 7/12 hours, with only 2 of those solo, so here's my question: how tough is the proficiency check?

I'm thinking at this point that both time-wise and money-wise it'll be a slog (and a worry) to get the hours in by the deadline, so I was thinking about just taking the proficiency check/test instead. I've had a read over what's required and I think I'll be fine - just need to brush up a couple of emergency procedures (no harm in doing that!) and actually go navigate somewhere, which I've not done for a while. Is it actually like the Skills Test, or is it more lenient? (Like, if I completely cock up my PFL or one of the circuits, will I get to re-do, or is that a "fail"? If it's a fail, how long before I can re-try?)

As you can tell from my hours ratio over the last 12 months it's mainly been check-out with instructor followed by brief solo flight then a month or so lapse, the more check outs with instructors.... so pretty much all of my flying has been check-outs, so I think I *should* be okay, but I think I'm worrying about this too much!

Any advice/options appreciated!
Thanks

~Ping

[Meldrew]

I wouldn't worry too much about the PC. I revalidated my license three years ago after a ten year lay off without flying. I was required at first to do about six hours revision flying with an instructor, due to the rather long lay off period.At the end I had a PC with an examiner which was more like a light weight GFT. Pretty much like the sort of check flights that you have been doing with your instructors. Shouldn 't be a problem at all. Good Luck.
Meldrew.

[rudestuff]

You've only got 5 hours to fly, so there's not much point in doing a PC. In each case you'll do an hour with an instructor (either sign-off or preparation for the PC), so the options are 4 hours solo rental or an hours rental plus examiners fee.

[scifi]

I just wonder why you are doing all these check-flights, is it a currency requirement of the place you hire the aircraft?


It would have been far easier if you had done a few 1+ hour flights to a distant airfield then return after tea and cakes.


In many Gliding Clubs, they can ask for 2 week currency, just to give their Basic Instructors some free airtime. Whether this is ethical or not is open to discussion.
.

[hsw_ping]

Originally Posted by TangoAlphad

At the risk of sounding harsh anyone flying a SEP on a PPL without supervision of an instructor should be capable of passing a PC or you shouldn't be flying it as you are not current enough or have allowed your skills to degrade to an unacceptable point and you should volunteer yourself up for some remedial training with an instructor. A PFL is not a one off exercise to test you on and forget, it is a save your life if the donkey quits skill set you should be capable of doing! PC is generally a lax affair etc and usually carried out with the intention to achieve some training value. I wouldn't be afraid of it and if you are your next few hours need to be with an instructor.

Thanks for the input, and no, I'm not scared that I won't pass, but there is always the "exam nerves", especially if it's with a stern examiner! There's a difference (at least for me), with being confident that if necessary, I could get a plane safely down into a field, and being confident that I can show a textbook PFL under exam conditions

Originally Posted by scifi

I just wonder why you are doing all these check-flights, is it a currency requirement of the place you hire the aircraft?


It would have been far easier if you had done a few 1+ hour flights to a distant airfield then return after tea and cakes.


In many Gliding Clubs, they can ask for 2 week currency, just to give their Basic Instructors some free airtime. Whether this is ethical or not is open to discussion.
.

Yep, that's it. The club I fly at has a 1-month currency check, if you've not flown a club plane within the last 30 days it's a compulsory check out with an instructor. This does mean however, that if for reasons of weather or planes being out of service, or whatever, its very easy to slip out of the 30-day period Most annoyingly is if you have a week's holiday and want to borrow a plane, then there's ONE good weather day and you spent it flying with an instructor, then the plane is booked out for the rest of the day!

I've recently changed to a club closer to me which should make it easier.

Thanks to everyone else for the replies too, my main thing is I just don't see myself getting 5 hours solo in between now and the end of the summer (I'm currently checked out so I can take the plane out), with work and a wedding to plan* (mine!) I think it might be easier to just do the PC. Unless there's any overwhelmingly obvious reason not to, that I've not thought of?

*this is also financially-thinking, £PC + fee < £5 hours flying

[Level Attitude]

A Proficiency Check is much less onerous than a Skill Test:
Usually Steep Turns left and right, 2 x Stall Recovery, a PFL and 3 circuits and shouldn't take more than one hour.
Navigation is not a Mandatory Item for an SEP Revalidation and is at the discretion of the Examiner. Most would just ask for a short leg (maybe even just a diversion).

As your SEP has not expired, this is a Revalidation so, no need to approach any Instructors, if you think you are capable just book an Examiner.

This, in my opinion, is a much better approach than trying desperately to get the required hours in for Revalidation by Experience. Which, if you are not successful your Rating will expire. This, then becoming a Renewal where, although the Proficiency Check is exactly the same, you now need to be 'Recommended for Test' by a Flying School.

[hsw_ping]

Thanks all, I am going to fly with an instructor and do a bit of practise but I think I'll go for the PC. As Level Attitude said, it's actually turning out to be onerous to get the hours in, and I don't want flying to be a chore