Skill Test Stories

[Mikehotel152]

Morning!

Just thought I'd share this with you lot, despite the risk of losing my cloak of annonymity...

On my PPL skill test:

I experienced a rough running engine on take off from a south facing runway and had to execute a perfectly safe, but rushed, emergency landing back at the aerodrome using the westerly grass strip, leaving other aircraft to go-around and causing the fire-truck to dash out.

Talk about a great way to start your test. :)

Oh and when doing my PFL, I chose a nice long pretty field only to find that I was still too high on base to turn final so chose to extend base leg so I could choose another lovely field further along instead. I duly executed my PFL well, only to notice the nice long, green farm strip between the two fields as I was climbing out...

You can take a horse to water....:E

I passed...:ok:

Anyone else got any funny or unusual stories from their Skill Tests? Come on, admit it!!!

[potkettleblack]

Not one of mine but one of my mates was out doing his multi engine rating and CPL (combined to save a bit of cash). As part of that you have to do a full shut down and feather the engine and then do a restart in the air. Only problem was the old girl wouldn't restart. CAA examiner tried as well but no cigar. So it was back to the airport with the firetrucks chasing them down the runway. Had to be towed back as she didn't like to taxi with only the one donk as well.

He took it all in his stride. Problem was since the examiner hadn't seen him restart the engine they had to go up again and redo that part of the test. Be enough to test the nerves of anyone I reckon. At least he got an incomplete on the first test so got a first time pass on his records after the 2nd flight.

[lebroix]

CPL skills test; deranged examiner with tourettes who was upset by the turbulent conditions and spent the whole two and a half hours shouting at me rather than examining me. His bizarre behaviour continued in the debrief room after the test by passing me despite having spent the whole flight telling me (or shouting at me) that I was a :mad:.

"Happy" memories...

[degothia]

The examiner fell asleep during the c/c part between two airports on my PPL skill test. I didnt dare to wake him up, but he did so him self on the down wind leg...
He sometimes brings his dog to skilltests and I guess that most pilots on this forum would like to trade their log book with hers. The bitch;) got over 3000 hours.
A guy from school was so nervous that he puked in his crew bag, but he passed anyway. Same examiner as I had.
Åke rules!
D.

[pilotmike]

Mikehotel152 - may I be the first to congratulate you publicly here. Well done! And especially so after such an unsettling incident just at the start.

Examiners like to see how you handle things under pressure. Most students will provide their own pressure for this, but some seem icy cool, and need to be pushed into making a few minor mistakes to see how they handle them. It is rare that the aircraft provides this function for them so obligingly!

After such a good handling of the initial problem (we assume?!), my guess is you pretty much 'had it in the bag', barring serious cock-ups.

On my IR test, just a couple of knots below V1 the whole G1000 display on my side failed, so I immediately rejected the takeoff. The examiner was initially wondering why I was stopping, as his display was unaffected. However this doubtless worked well in my favour, having seen how I would handle a minor 'emergency'.

As for your 'invisible' strip - we've all been there! It is so easy to overlook the obvious when under pressure. One test I regularly give my examinees on the way home on a skills test is a PFL from 2,000' directly over the home airfield. You would be shocked by how many dutifully search out and use a crappy little field next to a perfectly good 1,300m runway instead of using the runway itself!

PM

[MrHorgy]

Pilot Mike,

My instructor does that as well! I didn't fall for it though :ok: Actually on one of my lessons we were practicing PFL's and he pulled the engine to simulate an EFATO as we were climbing away from a previous. Ok pitch for 80knots and find a field.....

...how handy, there's a private airfield in my 11 o clock and i'm nearly on finals anyway hehe

Horgy

[pilotmike]

Mr Horgy - you must have been one of mine!

It is a classic, and with good cause. So many partial engine failures seem to recover when applying power for the final stages of approach, only to fail completely on the climbout from what should have been the forced landing.

I think that an instructor / examiner putting you within 20 degrees of a strip is common - just to see if the student will spot it under pressure. I'm pleased I'm in good company trying that little test.

PM

[MrHorgy]

I'm at Stapleford, alas though my instructor isn't called Mike :}

On that occasion he didn't realise we were so close and just said "Ahh, scrap that I just made it too easy" - highly amusing.

Horgy

[Mikehotel152]

Thanks PM :)

He was actually a little surprised that I immediately got another aircraft ready for a second go at the test! There was no way, after waiting months for go enough weather to finish the course and put in for the test, that I was going to waste another day!

And, yeah, I think the way I handled the 'emergency' helped counter some of my later mistakes. :O

[boogie-nicey]

Some good accounts and recollections of people's expriences during the skills test. I guess the issue that springs to mind here is human quality and how it plays for you or against you especially in terms of nerves. Don't be your own worst enemy, you know that the final hurdle has to be overcome so just get on with it. Well done all and best of luck.....