Want to share the discussion(s) we had before the flight.
There were two - a short one, and a much longer one.
None of this is going to give any trade secrets away - especially as it's all printed for you by the CAA.
Have a read of
Notes for guidance of applicants taking the CPL skill test (Aeroplanes). on the CAA website.
Not surprisingly, the first part was the warm and friendly
meet & greet .
"Mr. Flying for Fun?? Good morning - I'm Captain Keygrip. I believe we are scheduled to fly with each other today".
"Nervous?" <expects answer "Yes"> responds with "well, I'm not!!"
Then a quick check that we are actually going to continue with the planning and probably fly...
"Happy with your first impressions of the weather?? You'll be given plenty of time, shortly, to check the latest forecasts etc."
If he's happy to continue - we continue. If not, we abandon and go and drink coffee whilst trying to plan another day to meet.
"Can you just confirm that you are here to take your 1st attempt, of the 1st series, of the CPL skill test?"
This is our combined opportunity to make sure that we are both planning for the same thing - I hate surprises.
"What aircraft type will you be using today??" (Although we probably know the answer - maybe even the registration - but it's worth checking [I hate surprises]).
"OK - you should have some documentation for me. I need you to leave me your pilots licence, radio telephony licence, medical, log book, a picture I.D., a receipt from the CAA for having paid the test fee, a Form 170A from your flying school, any relevant correspondence from the Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft documents and, a copy of the aircraft checklist."
I also want a headset that matches (electronically, that is, not cosmetically) yours.
"Great - well for todays exercise, I would like you to consider that you are the Captain of a single pilot, public transport, passenger carrying operation, in a single engine aeroplane.
I would like you to treat me as a passenger that has come for a short flight - maybe as a birthday treat from my family, or a photographic session over my house.
The flight profile will include a departure from the airfield, a VFR navigation leg to a destination that I shall show you in a moment, followed by an unscheduled diversion to a point that I shall inform you about during the first leg of the journey. This diversion leg will include both VFR flying and some simulated IMC flying. During the first leg of the journey, you will not be allowed access to information from any electronic navigation aids - but during the diversion, I will expect you to navigate and/or plot our position using any, or all, of the aids installed in the aircraft - with the exception of the moving map portion of any GPS units that may be installed.
If you are able to glean any other information from the GPS receiver, you may use it - but not the moving map.
At the end of the navigation I will guide you through a sequence of upper air work exercises- such as stalls, steep turns etc., a few circuits and landings, and some simulated emergencies.
You can expect that the flight will take between 2 and 2½ hours duration.
For the flight today, your radio telephony callsign will be ***.
I would like you to plan a VFR navigation flight from
here to
there (points at places on your half mill chart - this gives us oportunity to make sure it is a current chart [if it is out of date - and you don't come up with a REALLY good, pre-emptive, reason why - book another test]).
Do you have any questions?"
(Answers question - then says...)
"OK, Mr Flying for Fun, the flight planning facilities are...<indicates in general direction, if unknown to candidate>, go ahead and plan your flight. Please bring back with you, a photocopy of your plog, your mass & balance calculations, your runway length requirements and any other pertinent information. The time now is <agree>, shall we say.....erm....40 minutes?? Let's meet back here again at <time>.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
So - end of first briefing...now, what do we need to know???
Radio telephony callsign - in the UK you will use an "Exam" callsign. "Exam 01", "Exam 02" - whatever. Each individual professional examiner has his or her own allocated callsign.
In the USA - as per Mr. Flying for Fun - we haven't yet explained to ATC that the "Exam" callsign is a recognised ICAO RTF designator.......so we tend to use the aircraft registration. Have to keep it simple for some people.
Questions?? What did you ask yourself?? The obvious one is (NO - mad-jock, not "where the hell did you get that shirt") "Please, sir, could I ask you for your weight??" You will need that for the mass and balance calculations - and if you don't ask, you may not get it. If you guess, or go fly without it, then.......book another test.
Other questions should include all the bull**it air taxi stuff like "Do you plan to take any luggage with you?", "Can you confirm that you will be the only passenger on this flight?"
.........and they should include, "Captain Examiner, sir, naturally I would not expect a passenger to carry out a brake check or full and free movement of the controls check, but for the purposes of this flight, as you are a licensed and experienced pilot, would you expect me to offer you the opportunity to carry out brake check?"
"Also, for the same reasons, would you like me to give a Captains departure brief, including speeds and crosswind components, etc - which, of course, I would not give to a passenger"
"Sir, may I ask if we are planning to land back here, or at another airfield, at the end of this flight" (Think about leaving your car keys with somebody you trust to come and get you if the aircraft diverts for any genuine reason - or, should you take your coat, or your wallet....whatever).
That's about it - you trot off to the flight planning room. I get on with checking documents and log books etc, whilst writing out the first part of the "Form 172" - Application and report form for the CPL(A) skill test.
I've already checked the weather, the upper winds and the notams before meeting you - indeed, the navigation was planned taking that information directly into account.
See you in 40 minutes for the second briefing!!
Do you want the rest?? Press 1 for "yes, please" - 2 for "nah, don't care what you say".
Will cover the second brief - if you want it.