It can be done!!!
Like many other student pilots, I never thought that I would gain sufficient skill and competence to actually pass my Private Pilot's licence.
I remeber thinking - way back before I had gone solo, that surely I will never be able to do that? - But Idid, and before long, the QXC was looming ahead ominously.
'I'll never be able to fly all that distance by myself - and land at those aiports,' I thought unhappily to myself - as I completed yet another dodgy dual trip with my instructor.
But I passed the QXC with no problems - and that was on Monday of this week!
On Tuesday, my instructor told me that my skills test was pencilled in for this Friday - depending on how the weather went.
'Friday! - I will not be ready for it!' I wailed pathetically.
'Yes you will. And not only that - you'll pass.' was his responce.
So on tuesday, where the weather was pathetic, I loitered at home, and began to get very nervous. 'Surely I am not good enough for the skills test.'
And that was confirmed to me on Wednesday, where I flew another dodgy dual trip with my very patient instructor. Undettered, he wouldn't allow me to land and lick my wounds, and instead made me feel ill - by making me practise stalls, steep turns, PFL's and unusual attitudes.
Thursay came, and I couldn't work out which radial I was meant to fly along - was it the one going in - or was it the other way around? I didn't have a clue.
My PFL was disastrous, with me unsure of which field to go for and losing altitude rapidlt - with no plan of action in my head. But after landing - my instructor told me that I was ready.
Ready for what? I wondered. Certainly not my skills test that was for sure.
Then Friday (today) came, and I was so nervous, I thought I was actually going to vomit! But I didn't - and after about three hours of torment and misery - I was informed that I had passed. I had joined the ranks of real pilots!
I have written all of this for two reasons:
1. To make me feel good about it again - me - a proper pilot!!
2. And also for those of you, who like i did, are feeling that it will never come all together. Let me tell you that it will, even if you don't think so now. I was lucky in that I had an insturctor who believed in my skills far more I believed in them myself. If it had been up to me, I would never have booked my test in today....
And finally, was it all worth it - ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!