HELLO Thief13X
I have not long passed my skills test ,(JUNE ) so it is still quite fresh in my mind ,
I wonder if you would like me to share it with you .
(well one bit of it )
(even though I have been viewed more as a pest than plesure on here , )
but from someone who was scared to death of taking it and not feeling ready perhaps ,
(kept stalling , oops wrong choice of word , KEPT CANCELLING ,)
I found the whole exsperiance fun and not scary at all .
In fact alot easier than I imagined .
WEEEEEEEELL that is if we forget the very start of the test , when I thought I could fail before we even left the runway .
It started off as I has been warned and imagined ,
given my route ,
told to plot and prepare
(weight , balance , you know all that stuff )
Then briefed as to the way the whole test would go .
I was warned however ,
(now let me get this right)
I was P1 , and made the descions .
If however , I felt it nessesary to turn back ,
(because of the weather ) which today , did have alot of low cloud ) ooerrrr ,
If I gave my permission , then in order to continue on the NAVIGATION exercise , the TEST , would temporarilly STOP , while the examiner took over IMC through the cloud , and then handed the controls back to me , to continue on .
(That was not required though , thank gawd )
But ,after a couple of questions on the apron , by G PINK ,
and doing the usual routine CHECK LIST CHECKS ,
(don't forget you passenger brief ,)
(I didn't )
I was thrown by an RT suggetion that I has never come across before .
I was at the holding point waiting , having been cleared for 24 (now 23 )
as a big boy was on long finals ,
When all of a sudden I was ASKED , (never been ASKED before , used to being TOLD )
if i would like to accept 30 instead .
wwwwhat I thought .
P-A "say again "
GAWD , Was this a trick question .
If I accepted it , and the wind direction ,was not suitable for a good take off , then WOULD I FAIL INSTANTLY .
Tower "confirm you are able to accept 30 , BLAH BLAH BLAH."
Heavans to betsy , my mind was doing all sorts of calculations , my brow was glistening , and another fear was that ,
If I accepted the different runway , would I have to land on it as well
, the short one which i didn't particulaly like , or use often ,
and would have to do
( be tested , judged )
on all my different flaps ,flapless and glide approaches, when I returned .
OOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
"I accept 30, G PINK "
Of course It wasn't a trick , I made the right descion.
I made all the right descions that day , and my confidence grew as I sensed the CFI , ticking away , tick tick tick .
There is alot more ,, alot happened , nearly got lost , but didn't panic , and read my map ,
but all you want to hear is that ,
"It really was not that bad . It was MUCH MUCH better than a lesson , and much easier ."
I did NAV first , and was told I had passed that section , which filled me with the confidence to SHOW HIM ALL MY STUFF ,for the big finish .
good luck .
(alright ,alright , I am off now ,
WELL HE DID ASK )
THE PINKSTER