I passed!!!! - Post skills test notes
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Join Date: Mar 2002
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I passed!!!! - Post skills test notes
To all those who gave advice on the requirements for the skills test ...thankyou.
The important bits
Brief the examiner, talk to him/her as if it was your granny, insult there inteligence, doesnt matter if they have 2000 hrs plus, make sure they know to keep the feet off the pedals etc
Tune your navaids and identify the beacon with morse ( saves you doing it in the air and demonstrates good airmanship. Write down the dits & dahs on your plog and prove you are able to do this. Check the bearings from & to, and the dme. This is on the airfield plates.
Know your emergency drills off the top of your head, fire on the ground etc
The nav section was I thought not brilliant as by the half way mark was sufferring quite badly with poor viz 5km and stronger than anticipated winds and was about 20 degrees off, but as my instructor has always said do not panic, make the course correction, and continue to fly the leg for the time and it worked. Was working Waddington at the time receiving an FIS, but upgraided to an RIS, gave some comfort both to me and the examiner I think.
The diversion went well, all be it the wind messed up my timing a little. The biggest lesson confirmed was always start your diversion from a prominent landmark. Once you have decided which landmark you will use as the startpoint, start the watch from the overhead, make sure you are in trim and then start the planning, as it is easier to plan when flying straight and level than trying to orbit your start point! Once done with the numbers return on a recipricol heading to the start point (this is why you set the watch).
General handling was reasonable, all be it put a little aileron when doing the turning stall with flap...dont do it!
PFL was marginal by my own admission, yes we would have landed safely but would probably have gone through the fence. Most important lessons learnt was trim the dam aircraft, nail that glide speed (i didnt and wasted spare mental capicity watching the asi increase and the height reduce). Secondly be prepared to change your field, there was a huge common to starboard but I stuck with the lawn with a fence!!
To all those about to go through this mill, revise thoroughly your drills and relax... good luck
What now???
The important bits
Brief the examiner, talk to him/her as if it was your granny, insult there inteligence, doesnt matter if they have 2000 hrs plus, make sure they know to keep the feet off the pedals etc
Tune your navaids and identify the beacon with morse ( saves you doing it in the air and demonstrates good airmanship. Write down the dits & dahs on your plog and prove you are able to do this. Check the bearings from & to, and the dme. This is on the airfield plates.
Know your emergency drills off the top of your head, fire on the ground etc
The nav section was I thought not brilliant as by the half way mark was sufferring quite badly with poor viz 5km and stronger than anticipated winds and was about 20 degrees off, but as my instructor has always said do not panic, make the course correction, and continue to fly the leg for the time and it worked. Was working Waddington at the time receiving an FIS, but upgraided to an RIS, gave some comfort both to me and the examiner I think.
The diversion went well, all be it the wind messed up my timing a little. The biggest lesson confirmed was always start your diversion from a prominent landmark. Once you have decided which landmark you will use as the startpoint, start the watch from the overhead, make sure you are in trim and then start the planning, as it is easier to plan when flying straight and level than trying to orbit your start point! Once done with the numbers return on a recipricol heading to the start point (this is why you set the watch).
General handling was reasonable, all be it put a little aileron when doing the turning stall with flap...dont do it!
PFL was marginal by my own admission, yes we would have landed safely but would probably have gone through the fence. Most important lessons learnt was trim the dam aircraft, nail that glide speed (i didnt and wasted spare mental capicity watching the asi increase and the height reduce). Secondly be prepared to change your field, there was a huge common to starboard but I stuck with the lawn with a fence!!
To all those about to go through this mill, revise thoroughly your drills and relax... good luck
What now???
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Mike,
Congratulations! Not just on passing, but also on a great set of notes!
As for "what now?", well, you get to enjoy yourself by flying where you want, when you want, instead of doing what your instructor tells you. Shortly you'll be able to take passengers up. Fantastic opportunities to visit new airfields and gain confidence - enjoy it!
FFF
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Congratulations! Not just on passing, but also on a great set of notes!
As for "what now?", well, you get to enjoy yourself by flying where you want, when you want, instead of doing what your instructor tells you. Shortly you'll be able to take passengers up. Fantastic opportunities to visit new airfields and gain confidence - enjoy it!
FFF
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mike congratulations on passing.
As FFF says, great notes for those who may be looking forward to their skills test with something less than anticipation
As FFF says, great notes for those who may be looking forward to their skills test with something less than anticipation
High Flying Bird
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Well done - pretty good weather for it, apart from the vis.
What next? First thing is to come to the Duxford fly-in.
Although I'd suggest you come early so as to miss the rush... You will have to come solo as I doubt your licence will have arrived.
What next? First thing is to come to the Duxford fly-in.
Although I'd suggest you come early so as to miss the rush... You will have to come solo as I doubt your licence will have arrived.
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
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Great! Congratulations! Britain has another pilot!
It's good to see that you knew what didn't go quite right (often the way!) and that the examiner recognised that you were on top of it.
Whatever type of flying takes your fancy, enjoy it now. Don't just go for the odd circuit or two - that gets boring very quickly!
Best advice I ever had was to join a group, and to fly with the other group members - to share costs, to learn from each other, and to get to go to different places. Doesn't work for everyone, but certainly does for me.
It's good to see that you knew what didn't go quite right (often the way!) and that the examiner recognised that you were on top of it.
Whatever type of flying takes your fancy, enjoy it now. Don't just go for the odd circuit or two - that gets boring very quickly!
Best advice I ever had was to join a group, and to fly with the other group members - to share costs, to learn from each other, and to get to go to different places. Doesn't work for everyone, but certainly does for me.
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Congratulations :-)
My skills test is still fresh in my mind - my entire nav was a diversion due to weather, my circuits were done at an unfamiliar airfield and my PFL field had wires across it which became apparent just at the point where options became limited (I would have probably nanded under them if it were for real)
Anyhoo, you will now find that the CAA don't deliver nearly fast enough and that would be true if you get the booklet back the very next day :-) For me, it didn't really sink in till my first flight after getting the licence. Realization that for the first time, I had decided where I wanted to fly and hadn't needed to get the route approved by an instructor beforehand.
My skills test is still fresh in my mind - my entire nav was a diversion due to weather, my circuits were done at an unfamiliar airfield and my PFL field had wires across it which became apparent just at the point where options became limited (I would have probably nanded under them if it were for real)
Anyhoo, you will now find that the CAA don't deliver nearly fast enough and that would be true if you get the booklet back the very next day :-) For me, it didn't really sink in till my first flight after getting the licence. Realization that for the first time, I had decided where I wanted to fly and hadn't needed to get the route approved by an instructor beforehand.
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Well Done!
Well done mate, interesting notes too, - a couple of things there I wish I'd thought about before blundering off on my test.
What next?
Buy a share in a PFA aircraft on a grass strip and fly everyday - It's what I did..
Kingy
What next?
Buy a share in a PFA aircraft on a grass strip and fly everyday - It's what I did..
Kingy
Join Date: Mar 2003
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Well done,
Those notes would most definitely have helped me last year when i took my test, as it is so hard not to get anxious, but as you said, its all about the groud preparation. Fortunately i passed and was happy with my performance.
I'm also interested with what people say what to do next, because i have lots of ideas, like aeros, IMC, night etc. but being a student i cant afford it just yet. I find myself merely flying enough just to keep in check with my flying club. Nevertheless, everytime i go and prepare the plane for flight, i get excited, even if just circuits. its sad but true, i just think of it all as learning.
A freind of mine is also learning, so this summer we plan to fly together and share the cost, at least this way i can get further a field without the whole cost. i can't wait.
Have fun
Those notes would most definitely have helped me last year when i took my test, as it is so hard not to get anxious, but as you said, its all about the groud preparation. Fortunately i passed and was happy with my performance.
I'm also interested with what people say what to do next, because i have lots of ideas, like aeros, IMC, night etc. but being a student i cant afford it just yet. I find myself merely flying enough just to keep in check with my flying club. Nevertheless, everytime i go and prepare the plane for flight, i get excited, even if just circuits. its sad but true, i just think of it all as learning.
A freind of mine is also learning, so this summer we plan to fly together and share the cost, at least this way i can get further a field without the whole cost. i can't wait.
Have fun
