IR Test soon
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Join Date: May 2004
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IR Test soon
Hi All,
I've got my IR test coming up pretty soon and to be honest i'm a bag of nerves
Apart from "Don't Fail" anyone else got any good tips advice etc ??? Still yet to do the 170A as well
Doing test at Leeds,
Cheers
SB001
I've got my IR test coming up pretty soon and to be honest i'm a bag of nerves
Apart from "Don't Fail" anyone else got any good tips advice etc ??? Still yet to do the 170A as well
Doing test at Leeds,
Cheers
SB001
Only to say good luck, and it's not nearly as bad as everyone says. I made a number of mistakes with an examiner with an unforgiving reputation, but the average performance was ok, and that was enough. It may be true in some cases, but generally I think having spoken to friends with similar experiences, that rumours about the requirement to put in a spotless performance may have been true in the past, but not now.. Being dangerous is clearly not acceptable so pay particular attention to minimas and other hard heights, but in most other cases, little errors can be passed off as exam nerves - don't let your first mistake ruin your concentration.. Also I must say that for CPL and IR, the 170A was tougher than the exam (although the same rules apply minor error wise), so proceed with confidence into the IRT once you're through your 170A.. I hope it goes well!
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I'm in the same position as you and at the same place. If it helps I envisage that I am just as nervous as you. However I remember being nervous before my PPL, ATPLS, CPL etc and they all turned out alright in the end so I am sure you and I will be fine.
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Apart from good luck, and no matter what anybody says, you will be nervous, we've all gone through it and felt exactly the same as you do, that means that airline pilots are either human, or big girls blouses, the ex would most definitely say the latter!
With the test, remember why you are doing it, and what they are looking for. Specifically, you are the acting commander, therefore make command decisions. If something unexpected crops up such as a late runway change from the one you planned for in the briefing room at 6am for a 2pm flight, what would you do? Go to the hold, clear your head, make a plan and go for it, tell the examiner what you are going to do, and if it is sensible he/she will just say ok, and watch you get on with it, then it is up to you not to mess it up with dodgy tracking.
Don't rush, only leave the hold when you are good and ready, when everything is briefed, the nav aids are set and identified, the last thing you want is to set things up going outbound on a procedure, that is when you will bust altitudes and not track, another lap of the hold could be the difference of £40 in hire costs or £1000 for a retest and training.
Show situational awareness, small things to show the examiner you have considered things such as ATIS change, usually it changes 20 past and 50 past, have a quick check of your watch and if you see its a couple of minutes to go, say to the examiner "I'm going to wait a couple of minutes to get the latest weather" but on the other hand getting the weather nice and early so to build a good picture as to what the active runway is and what approach to expect.
Make sure you follow the performance you worked out, for example, on my test the runway in use we could depart without a full back track and reduced power at that, but of course both reduction in power and reduced runway distance required factors in the performance. I had factored for the lack of runway but forgot to factor the power, therefore full power. I outright forgot, but I bullshined my way through it and said I didn't want to combine 2 factors into my performance, if I was going to have a reduced runway length I wanted full power, and he bought it until I lined up on the runway, he knew I forgot, but was looking to make sure I did exactly what I planed for, and not do a reduced power take off from a shortened runway that I hadn't got the performance data for!
These are only small things, your instructor wont put you to test if they don't think you are good enough, the only person you need to convince that you are good enough, is yourself! Showing the examiner too of course!
Hope some of the stuff is of some use. Good luck.
CJH.
With the test, remember why you are doing it, and what they are looking for. Specifically, you are the acting commander, therefore make command decisions. If something unexpected crops up such as a late runway change from the one you planned for in the briefing room at 6am for a 2pm flight, what would you do? Go to the hold, clear your head, make a plan and go for it, tell the examiner what you are going to do, and if it is sensible he/she will just say ok, and watch you get on with it, then it is up to you not to mess it up with dodgy tracking.
Don't rush, only leave the hold when you are good and ready, when everything is briefed, the nav aids are set and identified, the last thing you want is to set things up going outbound on a procedure, that is when you will bust altitudes and not track, another lap of the hold could be the difference of £40 in hire costs or £1000 for a retest and training.
Show situational awareness, small things to show the examiner you have considered things such as ATIS change, usually it changes 20 past and 50 past, have a quick check of your watch and if you see its a couple of minutes to go, say to the examiner "I'm going to wait a couple of minutes to get the latest weather" but on the other hand getting the weather nice and early so to build a good picture as to what the active runway is and what approach to expect.
Make sure you follow the performance you worked out, for example, on my test the runway in use we could depart without a full back track and reduced power at that, but of course both reduction in power and reduced runway distance required factors in the performance. I had factored for the lack of runway but forgot to factor the power, therefore full power. I outright forgot, but I bullshined my way through it and said I didn't want to combine 2 factors into my performance, if I was going to have a reduced runway length I wanted full power, and he bought it until I lined up on the runway, he knew I forgot, but was looking to make sure I did exactly what I planed for, and not do a reduced power take off from a shortened runway that I hadn't got the performance data for!
These are only small things, your instructor wont put you to test if they don't think you are good enough, the only person you need to convince that you are good enough, is yourself! Showing the examiner too of course!
Hope some of the stuff is of some use. Good luck.
CJH.
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Arm chair fly an IR test as often as possible and the key to passing is to PREPARE. Have all the main possible airports and approaches mapped out in your head. Despite the stories you will hear the IR examiners are usually very fair and a mistake does not mean a fail, if you make a mistake during the test, correct it then forget about it and carry on flying the a/c.
Never try and bull **** the examiner if you dont know an answer say so, this stands in any sim checks you will have in your future career.
Good luck, you will remember your IR for the rest of your life! enjoy it!
Never try and bull **** the examiner if you dont know an answer say so, this stands in any sim checks you will have in your future career.
Good luck, you will remember your IR for the rest of your life! enjoy it!
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Ir Test
First of all good luck
When I did mine my instructor kept telling me if you make a mistake Correct it right away and forget about it, a lot of people have failed the test because of a mistake they made eairlier... If you are still flying you have not failed!
The key is you are the commander, make a mistake correct it, NEVER sit there thinking everything is done, check everything again and again and keep that scan going.
When you arrive at the test centre you have passed, it is up to you to keep it that way
Once again best of luck
When I did mine my instructor kept telling me if you make a mistake Correct it right away and forget about it, a lot of people have failed the test because of a mistake they made eairlier... If you are still flying you have not failed!
The key is you are the commander, make a mistake correct it, NEVER sit there thinking everything is done, check everything again and again and keep that scan going.
When you arrive at the test centre you have passed, it is up to you to keep it that way
Once again best of luck
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Hi Guys,
Many thanks for the feedback and tips etc, Some really good ponits there, Armchair fly for instance, you know i even do that while driving to work
But it really does work, especially with checks etc, I've got use of a few computer programs RANT & ELITE and they help loads no doubt.
I've done all the routes over and over and i feel really comfortable in myself, holds & procs at the destinations seem to be ok, apart from the odd brain fart, only things i can't do on the Sims are the ILSs EFATOs & Stalls but i still do the drills.
Does the actual test follow what we've practiced, I.E similar set format ? I was just wondering if there will be any hidden supprises instore ?? Spoke to a few guys and they said the examiners are not there to trip us up.
Cheers
SB001
Many thanks for the feedback and tips etc, Some really good ponits there, Armchair fly for instance, you know i even do that while driving to work
But it really does work, especially with checks etc, I've got use of a few computer programs RANT & ELITE and they help loads no doubt.
I've done all the routes over and over and i feel really comfortable in myself, holds & procs at the destinations seem to be ok, apart from the odd brain fart, only things i can't do on the Sims are the ILSs EFATOs & Stalls but i still do the drills.
Does the actual test follow what we've practiced, I.E similar set format ? I was just wondering if there will be any hidden supprises instore ?? Spoke to a few guys and they said the examiners are not there to trip us up.
Cheers
SB001
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just go relax, you will be more worry after your 1st time pass, and still no job after 3 years!
just think about the next 30'000 euro you will spend for type rating and still no job.
just think about the line training at 40'000 euro and still no job.
do you feel better now?
btw, I passed first time.little bit nervous, got good weather and no much wind.
just think about the next 30'000 euro you will spend for type rating and still no job.
just think about the line training at 40'000 euro and still no job.
do you feel better now?
btw, I passed first time.little bit nervous, got good weather and no much wind.
The format is pretty standard, so there should be no surprises...
The standard profile is set out in section 3.6 of this PDF (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_FCL_01.PDF) and doubtless you will have flown the same thing many times with your instructor...
The standard profile is set out in section 3.6 of this PDF (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_FCL_01.PDF) and doubtless you will have flown the same thing many times with your instructor...
Last edited by trainee99; 12th May 2011 at 16:11.
the WX being a factor !