Passing the Skills Test
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Manchester
Passing the Skills Test
Hi Ppruners, i'm new to the forums but have been browsing the website for some time and I thought I should say hi!
Last week I passed my PPL (A) Skills Test but was told afterwards that I had only just passed the NAV exercise. My examiner told me that I had only just made a Pass on the NAV exercise. I was quite off track on my second leg and it took me a while to realise this. I am disappointed that I let the situation get that bad and I feel that my performance during the test does not reflect my true capabilities.
Although Im really happy to have passed, I feel somewhat deflated by the fact that I only "just scraped a pass". Have any of you guys had similar experiences with your Skills Test?
I didn't think I'd come away from passing the test feeling both extatic and at the same time disappointed.
Sorry for going on but I just wanted to share my experience and was wondering whether anyone has had similar experiences with the skills test,
Regards
Information Delta
Last week I passed my PPL (A) Skills Test but was told afterwards that I had only just passed the NAV exercise. My examiner told me that I had only just made a Pass on the NAV exercise. I was quite off track on my second leg and it took me a while to realise this. I am disappointed that I let the situation get that bad and I feel that my performance during the test does not reflect my true capabilities.
Although Im really happy to have passed, I feel somewhat deflated by the fact that I only "just scraped a pass". Have any of you guys had similar experiences with your Skills Test?
I didn't think I'd come away from passing the test feeling both extatic and at the same time disappointed.
Sorry for going on but I just wanted to share my experience and was wondering whether anyone has had similar experiences with the skills test,
Regards
Information Delta
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 7
From: EU
Well done on passing the Nav exercise. 
Don't be dispirited at all. Some days your nav will be spot on, directly overhead your waypoint at the ETA, but somedays you'll make a mistake and miss it. It's a learning process and you'll get much better as your aircraft handling becomes second-nature and you can devote more of your attention to navigation.
My initial navigation on my Skills Test was awful! I was off track and had to correct myself (and did that wrong too). In fairness, I think my diversion was fine. But I would have been very upset had I failed the Skills Test on that basis alone because I had been very accurate on my previous cross-country flights and felt I just had an off-day on my test day because I was nervous. Fortunately I redeemed myself with my general handling and the way I had handled a genuine rough-running engine on the initial take off.
Remember it's only a licence to learn....
Don't be dispirited at all. Some days your nav will be spot on, directly overhead your waypoint at the ETA, but somedays you'll make a mistake and miss it. It's a learning process and you'll get much better as your aircraft handling becomes second-nature and you can devote more of your attention to navigation.
My initial navigation on my Skills Test was awful! I was off track and had to correct myself (and did that wrong too). In fairness, I think my diversion was fine. But I would have been very upset had I failed the Skills Test on that basis alone because I had been very accurate on my previous cross-country flights and felt I just had an off-day on my test day because I was nervous. Fortunately I redeemed myself with my general handling and the way I had handled a genuine rough-running engine on the initial take off.
Remember it's only a licence to learn....
Last edited by Mikehotel152; 3rd April 2008 at 09:53.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Manchester
Mikehotel152,
Like you say, it's a learning curve. I have had flights as you say where you are over a waypoint at the expected time and everything is running smoothly. Thanks for your encouraging words, I'll try and put it behind me.
Information Delta
Like you say, it's a learning curve. I have had flights as you say where you are over a waypoint at the expected time and everything is running smoothly. Thanks for your encouraging words, I'll try and put it behind me.
Information Delta
