I Passed My Checkride!!!
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States
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I Passed My Checkride!!!
Yup! Yesterday i passed my Private Pilot Checkride at age 17 with 61.5 hours
. I'll give you the basic rundown...
If you have yet to take your checkride, you might want to read this, it certainly wasn't as bad as i anticipated!!!
Remenants of hurricane Jean were supposed to have moved out of the Pennsylvania area by the time my checkride was scheduled for, yesterday @ 9 AM. Checked the Weather again after getting to AP, not real good but decent, OVC @ 7000, VIS 10 mist, wind calm, not bad not bad.
I give my examiner (who is already half way there) a ring to tell him i wanted to postpone it for a few hours because of IFR cond i BUF (my xcountry destination), (this was a pilot in command thing, i knew we weren't really going to buffalo), he told me we would be staying local and to continue as planned, and that he would be there in 15. 40 min later no examiner
By this time my heart is pounding off the walls of my ribcage from anticipation and four cups of coffee while waiting. He gets there at 45 min past the hour, and thus begins the oral.
He apologized for being late, said a bridge was out and he needed a detour, so its all good.
He starts out by going over the 8710 (PP application). He then explains to me how the checkride will proceed (oral, flight portion). Then out of nowhere..."whats the steepest bank allowed during turns-around-a-point?", CRAP! couldn't remmember! "I belive its 20 degrees"{ "No Its 45" (explains to me for 10 min why, gives me lots of insight.
then on to the airplane logbooks which i had tabbed to the most recent inspections, as well as having them all written out on a sheet of paper with expiration dates. (this is a good idea, it kept him from asking questions!). Then a few, "how often do replace ELT batteries?" "when can you test an ELT?"
On to the Flight Plan. He pours over it for a few, then asks me about airspace. ...
up the anwser to bout 3 of the Questions (thought i had failed for sure), then off we trot to the airplane.
Did a final walk around (had preflighted prior to his arrival) and he went over various things. He stayed and chatted about the prop for a bit and we hop in the airplane. I go through the passenger brief, get ready to start the engine and my troubles begin. Start cranking the engine, she don't wanna start, then approaching the AP with the 'cut engine handsignal' is the AP mechanic (who is a good freind of mine) , he walks up and pulls the chocks from the front wheel!
'Its over, You're an ignorant forgetful pilot and you've failed, don't waste my time ever again' (or so what i was expecting to hear), the examiner smiles, says 'you owe that guy lunch' and lets me start the engine.
Listen to ATIS before taxi...(3000 OVC) The examiner says nothing, and i pipe up 'sir i wouldn't go out in these conditions personally, shall i proceed?', he says yes.
Get a clearance and taxi to RWY 5 (which is on the opposit side of the AP i'm used to taking off on). Take Off, and While climbing through 2800 i start to brush the clouds, tells me to decend to 2500. I'm lower than usual, my mind is racing, the vor isn't cooporating, i forget to start my timer, and now, i'm lost. I don't let him know but i finally find my way after making an arse of myself but i stayed calm.
Then he tells me to divert to an AP to the west, i fiddle with my chart for about 1 min trying to get it opened to the right place, and he finally tells me to turn toward the general heading and then figure out ETE, distance, and heading. Luckily, once i had located the AP on the sectional, i found it had a VOR on field, so i dialed her in, and got my exact heading. My thumb is 15 nm, Estimated 30, pulled out my computer, 110 mph...figured it out, he was happy enough anyway.
Then stalls, turns around a point, steep turns, then hood work. Has me do some unusal attitudes and has me do some slow flight and other manuevers which last about 15 - 20 min. Then he has me pull the hood off and tells me to fly back home (where am I?! ). Triangulate with vor's, 10 nm north of AP, listen to ATIS, Contact tower, tells me to report 2 miles right base.
He tells me to make my first landing soft field (BTW my first takeoff was soft field). I complete it pretty well and go around for another one which he says will be a short field full stop. Complete it pretty well, and taxi back. After i had parked he says 'you can take the flaps off now' ive failed gooday to you too sir. 'Now lets hurry inside to get you signed off for the private pilot'
wha?!
On the way in off the ramp i double check and indeed i passed . Oc he doesn't forget to remind me about how dangerous it can be leaving the chocks in, and that learning from experience in an airplane is usually not good. My instructor stopped by to see us land and asked how i did, the examiner said i was an excellent pilot and did a good job in such fowel weather.
All together, i was sure i had failed, but i didn't let it bother me until the key was turned off. Concentrate at the task at hand. I felt that yesterday's flying was the most shotty flying i had done in a long time. He had told me once to 'watch my altitude' as i crept beyond -200 ft during navigation section. Also, initially after takeoff, the VOR said i was right of course, but my heading was already left of my calculated heading by 30 degrees. After takeoff he asked me 'whats your heading?', OC he had my flight plan on his lap.
I am rather suprised I passed, while i know i am a safe, competent pilot, i didn't feel that way yesterday, and i don't think i deserved to pass based on the flight alone. I just kept imagining looking like some 17 year old punk who was cranking in the controls and ignorant to all safety aspects. Nonetheless i passed, and I may be 17, but i'm the safest 17 year old pilot on the face of the earth today:-) .
Hope this helps some aspiring Private Pilot, and remmember, the checkride was alot easier than i had anticipated. He didn't even ask for my weight and balance, and performance sheets which i had spent hours on.
Dave
. I'll give you the basic rundown...If you have yet to take your checkride, you might want to read this, it certainly wasn't as bad as i anticipated!!!
Remenants of hurricane Jean were supposed to have moved out of the Pennsylvania area by the time my checkride was scheduled for, yesterday @ 9 AM. Checked the Weather again after getting to AP, not real good but decent, OVC @ 7000, VIS 10 mist, wind calm, not bad not bad.
I give my examiner (who is already half way there) a ring to tell him i wanted to postpone it for a few hours because of IFR cond i BUF (my xcountry destination), (this was a pilot in command thing, i knew we weren't really going to buffalo), he told me we would be staying local and to continue as planned, and that he would be there in 15. 40 min later no examiner
By this time my heart is pounding off the walls of my ribcage from anticipation and four cups of coffee while waiting. He gets there at 45 min past the hour, and thus begins the oral.He apologized for being late, said a bridge was out and he needed a detour, so its all good.
He starts out by going over the 8710 (PP application). He then explains to me how the checkride will proceed (oral, flight portion). Then out of nowhere..."whats the steepest bank allowed during turns-around-a-point?", CRAP! couldn't remmember! "I belive its 20 degrees"{ "No Its 45" (explains to me for 10 min why, gives me lots of insight.
then on to the airplane logbooks which i had tabbed to the most recent inspections, as well as having them all written out on a sheet of paper with expiration dates. (this is a good idea, it kept him from asking questions!). Then a few, "how often do replace ELT batteries?" "when can you test an ELT?"
On to the Flight Plan. He pours over it for a few, then asks me about airspace. ...
up the anwser to bout 3 of the Questions (thought i had failed for sure), then off we trot to the airplane.Did a final walk around (had preflighted prior to his arrival) and he went over various things. He stayed and chatted about the prop for a bit and we hop in the airplane. I go through the passenger brief, get ready to start the engine and my troubles begin. Start cranking the engine, she don't wanna start, then approaching the AP with the 'cut engine handsignal' is the AP mechanic (who is a good freind of mine) , he walks up and pulls the chocks from the front wheel!
'Its over, You're an ignorant forgetful pilot and you've failed, don't waste my time ever again' (or so what i was expecting to hear), the examiner smiles, says 'you owe that guy lunch' and lets me start the engine. Listen to ATIS before taxi...(3000 OVC) The examiner says nothing, and i pipe up 'sir i wouldn't go out in these conditions personally, shall i proceed?', he says yes.
Get a clearance and taxi to RWY 5 (which is on the opposit side of the AP i'm used to taking off on). Take Off, and
While climbing through 2800 i start to brush the clouds, tells me to decend to 2500. I'm lower than usual, my mind is racing, the vor isn't cooporating, i forget to start my timer, and now, i'm lost. I don't let him know but i finally find my way after making an arse of myself but i stayed calm. Then he tells me to divert to an AP to the west, i fiddle with my chart for about 1 min trying to get it opened to the right place, and he finally tells me to turn toward the general heading and then figure out ETE, distance, and heading. Luckily, once i had located the AP on the sectional, i found it had a VOR on field, so i dialed her in, and got my exact heading. My thumb is 15 nm, Estimated 30, pulled out my computer, 110 mph...figured it out, he was happy enough anyway.
Then stalls, turns around a point, steep turns, then hood work. Has me do some unusal attitudes and has me do some slow flight and other manuevers which last about 15 - 20 min. Then he has me pull the hood off and tells me to fly back home (where am I?!
). Triangulate with vor's, 10 nm north of AP, listen to ATIS, Contact tower, tells me to report 2 miles right base.He tells me to make my first landing soft field (BTW my first takeoff was soft field). I complete it pretty well and go around for another one which he says will be a short field full stop. Complete it pretty well, and taxi back. After i had parked he says 'you can take the flaps off now'
ive failed gooday to you too sir. 'Now lets hurry inside to get you signed off for the private pilot' wha?! On the way in off the ramp i double check and indeed i passed
. Oc he doesn't forget to remind me about how dangerous it can be leaving the chocks in, and that learning from experience in an airplane is usually not good. My instructor stopped by to see us land and asked how i did, the examiner said i was an excellent pilot and did a good job in such fowel weather.All together, i was sure i had failed, but i didn't let it bother me until the key was turned off. Concentrate at the task at hand. I felt that yesterday's flying was the most shotty flying i had done in a long time. He had told me once to 'watch my altitude' as i crept beyond -200 ft during navigation section. Also, initially after takeoff, the VOR said i was right of course, but my heading was already left of my calculated heading by 30 degrees. After takeoff he asked me 'whats your heading?', OC he had my flight plan on his lap.
I am rather suprised I passed, while i know i am a safe, competent pilot, i didn't feel that way yesterday, and i don't think i deserved to pass based on the flight alone. I just kept imagining looking like some 17 year old punk who was cranking in the controls and ignorant to all safety aspects. Nonetheless i passed, and I may be 17, but i'm the safest 17 year old pilot on the face of the earth today:-) .
Hope this helps some aspiring Private Pilot, and remmember, the checkride was alot easier than i had anticipated. He didn't even ask for my weight and balance, and performance sheets which i had spent hours on.
Dave
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 865
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All together, i was sure i had failed, but i didn't let it bother me until the key was turned off.
Well Done....
Well done indeed! Enjoy touring the US with your friends once the hurricanes, tornados and other extremes let you!!
Such detailed write ups are very useful in order to help other people at your stage of flying to get a good feel for their check rides.
It's interesting to note the differences between the UK and US PPL flight tests!
I'm sure that Pink_aviator would also send you her congratulations if PPRuNe would let her......
Such detailed write ups are very useful in order to help other people at your stage of flying to get a good feel for their check rides.
It's interesting to note the differences between the UK and US PPL flight tests!
I'm sure that Pink_aviator would also send you her congratulations if PPRuNe would let her......
