What happened during your flight test ? :o)
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What happened during your flight test ? :o)
Just like to know what interesting stories people have to tell about their flight tests ?
Never made it to mine yesterday due to Alternator failure ?
Who is first ?
Never made it to mine yesterday due to Alternator failure ?
Who is first ?
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Landing back at home airport after 2 hours 20 mins of flying and had to land in a 17kt wind, gusting to 23 kts. Or it was somewhere around those figures. Definately was an interesting landing to say the least, but I enjoyed it!
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On my IRT(pt2!);
Took off in pretty marginal wx. Cloud just above minima, +RASH 18kt X-wind etc etc. After T/O Chx done, funny noise coming from the nose gear, it wouldn't lock up. Told examiner i'd do the hold/ILS with the gear down. Entering the hold the right hand suction pump failed, no big deal. Turning on base leg with the noise of rain on the windscreen almost drowning out ATC the ADF needle locked onto a big CB sat about 5 miles behind me and the airfield. Got it in by the skin of my teeth i think.
Outcome: Pass
Lesson learnt: If it looks marginal, it probably is, and worse.
GA
Took off in pretty marginal wx. Cloud just above minima, +RASH 18kt X-wind etc etc. After T/O Chx done, funny noise coming from the nose gear, it wouldn't lock up. Told examiner i'd do the hold/ILS with the gear down. Entering the hold the right hand suction pump failed, no big deal. Turning on base leg with the noise of rain on the windscreen almost drowning out ATC the ADF needle locked onto a big CB sat about 5 miles behind me and the airfield. Got it in by the skin of my teeth i think.
Outcome: Pass
Lesson learnt: If it looks marginal, it probably is, and worse.
GA
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My planned altitude was 2,200ft but on the climb out I reached cloud at 1,900ft and it looked to be getting lower 
I told the examiner I was gonna fly lower and that it's still OK for MSA. Luckily, as I flew north of London the clouds disappeared and was almost perfect vis
Made it back after the skills bit and home base was FEW @ 3,000 3 circuits including one small balloon 
= PASS
I told the examiner I was gonna fly lower and that it's still OK for MSA. Luckily, as I flew north of London the clouds disappeared and was almost perfect vis Made it back after the skills bit and home base was FEW @ 3,000
3 circuits including one small balloon = PASS
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CPL - Second approach only got 2 greens upon selecting gear down. Did fly by, checked for gear warning horn etc. All with positive indications of gear down. Still a somewhat nerve wracking landing with fire engine following you down runway. Manged to get away without the glide approach though!
IR/T - Iced up like a brick in cumulus clouds, DME failed - leading to two timed approaches and having to ask radar for ranges - ILS and a VOR which I had never executed before.
Managed to pass both first time - somehow!!
IR/T - Iced up like a brick in cumulus clouds, DME failed - leading to two timed approaches and having to ask radar for ranges - ILS and a VOR which I had never executed before.
Managed to pass both first time - somehow!!
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Got lost on my Navigation Flight Test (when the NFT and the GFT were separate). The examiner still passed me, though, because I kept my cool, stuck to the procedures and after about 10 mins of circling trying to locate my position, said "OK, I'm lost, I'm going to call 121.5 and hopefully get a radar service". The examiner replied, "OK, you're here". I then estimated a heading back to base and 30 mins later was back at KBOW.
On my Multi Engine check out, I pulled back the power whilst over the threshold (à la C150 landing), and the PA23 Apache promptly stopped flying and dropped onto the runway, giving us both a huge jolt. As I taxied off the runway, I mentioned that that was the worst landing I've ever done, and the examiner certainly didn't disagree!
On my Multi Engine check out, I pulled back the power whilst over the threshold (à la C150 landing), and the PA23 Apache promptly stopped flying and dropped onto the runway, giving us both a huge jolt. As I taxied off the runway, I mentioned that that was the worst landing I've ever done, and the examiner certainly didn't disagree!
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Examiner: A Tornado pilot (need I say nemore!?)
Yes?
Ineventful departure, standard....yet with engine failure after takeoff "where would you land"...in that field ahead "ok, good". I suppose as long as you don't say "back at the airfield" you pass that part!.
Anyway, the route I was told to plan was a bit of a b****. Straight between gliding (kirton lindsey) and parachutting (hibaldstow).....to find they where both active.
Had to detour around them to the south..into a Matz (with permission of course) to the intended waypoint....a mast about 150ft (H). Found it spot on, now then what next.
The route took me north....overhead humberside airport, easy peasy they where very kind. Ok, "have you ever been to Melbourne kid?"..."erh, no"...."ok, let's go to Melbourne". This was the diversion I guess!
Go to what I thought was Melbourne, but wasn't. It was Pocklington...slight south (I think). Found Melbourne after some circling. Sorted.
Now then "foggles on captain, I have control"...."erh, ok".
Took us to FL080 north of L705 class A airway, which base was FL055....must remember, must remember, must remember, must remember...DONT GO THERE!
Now then, examiner still has control...."tell me what I am doing with the aircraft". So he does some show off stuff I guess they got taught in the RAF and all I said was "yeh, up, left and up, yeh, down".
5 minutes later, some instrument flying, nice and neat. Oh! must remember, L705! (Don't worry, I didn't touch it
)
did the 180* turn, nicely executed.
Ok foggles off. "Can you read that little warning panel down there for me, I have control"....the warning panel being under the ADF/RMI gauge, stuff about operating with 4 passengers, so I read it. "ok read it again"....."WTF!!"...so I read it again.
"Ok thats fine.....you have control..RECOVER!"......by this time we where hurtling towards the ground in a spiral dive. He managed to do it soooooooo stealthly! ARGH! Anyway I enjoyed, I gave him a hard time during the recovery, making the wings crank (Pa28 this was in).
Back to the airfield, 3000ft now, clouds coming up. Descended to avoid IMC (mandatory failure if you fly in clouds!). 3 circuits, flapless, glide, and normal...
Best landing to date I have ever done was in the skills test, and to date i I have 124hrs. Lucky me
Oh, I Passed
Yes?
Ineventful departure, standard....yet with engine failure after takeoff "where would you land"...in that field ahead "ok, good". I suppose as long as you don't say "back at the airfield" you pass that part!.
Anyway, the route I was told to plan was a bit of a b****. Straight between gliding (kirton lindsey) and parachutting (hibaldstow).....to find they where both active.
Had to detour around them to the south..into a Matz (with permission of course) to the intended waypoint....a mast about 150ft (H). Found it spot on, now then what next.
The route took me north....overhead humberside airport, easy peasy they where very kind. Ok, "have you ever been to Melbourne kid?"..."erh, no"...."ok, let's go to Melbourne". This was the diversion I guess!
Go to what I thought was Melbourne, but wasn't. It was Pocklington...slight south (I think). Found Melbourne after some circling. Sorted.
Now then "foggles on captain, I have control"...."erh, ok".
Took us to FL080 north of L705 class A airway, which base was FL055....must remember, must remember, must remember, must remember...DONT GO THERE!
Now then, examiner still has control...."tell me what I am doing with the aircraft". So he does some show off stuff I guess they got taught in the RAF and all I said was "yeh, up, left and up, yeh, down".
5 minutes later, some instrument flying, nice and neat. Oh! must remember, L705! (Don't worry, I didn't touch it
)did the 180* turn, nicely executed.
Ok foggles off. "Can you read that little warning panel down there for me, I have control"....the warning panel being under the ADF/RMI gauge, stuff about operating with 4 passengers, so I read it. "ok read it again"....."WTF!!"...so I read it again.
"Ok thats fine.....you have control..RECOVER!"......by this time we where hurtling towards the ground in a spiral dive. He managed to do it soooooooo stealthly! ARGH! Anyway I enjoyed, I gave him a hard time during the recovery, making the wings crank (Pa28 this was in).
Back to the airfield, 3000ft now, clouds coming up. Descended to avoid IMC (mandatory failure if you fly in clouds!). 3 circuits, flapless, glide, and normal...
Best landing to date I have ever done was in the skills test, and to date i I have 124hrs. Lucky me
Oh, I Passed
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I think this tops all of the above. It happened to an acquaintenance of mine. During his CPL flight test another aircraft on a multi engine flight test crashed during a botched single engine approach. My friend and his examiner circled the crash site guiding in the emergency services as the location was quite remote.
My friend did pass his test but I never heard whether the other guy ever got his multi.
My friend did pass his test but I never heard whether the other guy ever got his multi.
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The day I did my PPL skills test was the first day the CFI had been flying for a month because his wife had just had their first baby.
Anyway, departed Long Beach, left turn at the LA river and off down towards San Diego on the Nav bit. Half way down and the usual diversion. Got overhead the place I diverted to and did stalls, unusual attitude etc. Right Tim, plan the diversion back to Long Beach which I did, and set course. Then he says, "I haven't flown for a bit mind if I take it back?". "Oh ok" I said (wasn't going to argue was I!). He was so enjoying flying again after weeks of dirty nappies, I had to gently remind him I needed to do the engine out bit to complete the test!
Passed!
Anyway, departed Long Beach, left turn at the LA river and off down towards San Diego on the Nav bit. Half way down and the usual diversion. Got overhead the place I diverted to and did stalls, unusual attitude etc. Right Tim, plan the diversion back to Long Beach which I did, and set course. Then he says, "I haven't flown for a bit mind if I take it back?". "Oh ok" I said (wasn't going to argue was I!). He was so enjoying flying again after weeks of dirty nappies, I had to gently remind him I needed to do the engine out bit to complete the test!
Passed!
I say there boy
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IR/T: All set up to fly, route planned, flight plan in and accepted, psyched up, weather close to minima but we don't care. Start walkround. Pitot heat won't switch on.
Simple decision: we're not going. Sigh.
Passed it first time the next day!
Simple decision: we're not going. Sigh.
Passed it first time the next day!
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Qualifiying X country woes
Didnt even get off the ground...turned up , first flight of the day, A checked the aircraft, got weather , route, did brief to my instructor etc taxied out and whilst doing the mag drops power check discoved problem so decided to taxy back....nothing else availiable that day, weather s**t for the following 2 weeks 1 refresher and did it a few weeks later....
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CPL flight test:
Gorgeous winter morning - nae cloud, excellent. Gets to the airport and two inches of snow fall - Ok not looking so hot now. Snow clearing equipment only sweeps the GA taxiway once - slush promptly re-freezes into a nice ice-rink in time for my power checks - aircraft sliding ever so gently along with feet wedged against brakes. Got away with it as examiner was busy whining about how cold he was.
Diverts to some miniscule hamlet in the backhole of beyond. Does the GH, not bad (steep turns nearly blew it for me - up and down like a bride's nightie) until recivery from UA's on partial panel - he did about 6 consectuive spiral dives to the left (made worse by me catching glimpses of the horizon flashing past the wee gap in the screens) By the time he said recover I thought I was inverted no matter what the instruments said.
Passed - and all done with a fantastic hangover from a steading the nerves drink the night before...
Gorgeous winter morning - nae cloud, excellent. Gets to the airport and two inches of snow fall - Ok not looking so hot now. Snow clearing equipment only sweeps the GA taxiway once - slush promptly re-freezes into a nice ice-rink in time for my power checks - aircraft sliding ever so gently along with feet wedged against brakes. Got away with it as examiner was busy whining about how cold he was.
Diverts to some miniscule hamlet in the backhole of beyond. Does the GH, not bad (steep turns nearly blew it for me - up and down like a bride's nightie) until recivery from UA's on partial panel - he did about 6 consectuive spiral dives to the left (made worse by me catching glimpses of the horizon flashing past the wee gap in the screens) By the time he said recover I thought I was inverted no matter what the instruments said.
Passed - and all done with a fantastic hangover from a steading the nerves drink the night before...
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CPL FLIGHT TEST
I hate to admit this , but I failed a CPL (UK) GFT.
All was going well during th eVFR leg, but a cloud was in front of me , so rather than divert around it, I decided to drop down just 500 feet to stay beneath it, therefore maintain track and VFR.
The examiner agreed with me on this, but th ecloud was positioned exactly on an altimeter setting region, so I called for th enext reginal QNH which was about 2 mb different.
Having read back that, and declared toATC I was dropping down to 2000' on th enew regional QNH, and then declared to th eexaminer what I was doing, I then simultaneously descended and set the new QNH...just about a minute before reaching the ASR boundary. the examiner then told me I'd failed because as far as he was concerned, I'd moved th econtrol column (and therefore started descending) a split second before setting the new QNH.
the fact was that I still had about a minute to go before I had to set it. the other fact was that I hadn't even busted my 100' limit, so I could argue that I was still maintaining level flight on th eold QNH and hadn't passed the 100' limit until after th enew QNH was set, but he was on a power trip so I lost that argument and a lot of money. GRUDGE WHINGE !!
All was going well during th eVFR leg, but a cloud was in front of me , so rather than divert around it, I decided to drop down just 500 feet to stay beneath it, therefore maintain track and VFR.
The examiner agreed with me on this, but th ecloud was positioned exactly on an altimeter setting region, so I called for th enext reginal QNH which was about 2 mb different.
Having read back that, and declared toATC I was dropping down to 2000' on th enew regional QNH, and then declared to th eexaminer what I was doing, I then simultaneously descended and set the new QNH...just about a minute before reaching the ASR boundary. the examiner then told me I'd failed because as far as he was concerned, I'd moved th econtrol column (and therefore started descending) a split second before setting the new QNH.
the fact was that I still had about a minute to go before I had to set it. the other fact was that I hadn't even busted my 100' limit, so I could argue that I was still maintaining level flight on th eold QNH and hadn't passed the 100' limit until after th enew QNH was set, but he was on a power trip so I lost that argument and a lot of money. GRUDGE WHINGE !!
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Flight Test
CPL Skills Test
My test started on one of those hazy , cant see S--t mornings, test was set for 10.30, i met the examiner, who went through his brief i went through my calcs and all that and told him my decision was not to go due to visibility, " Horay" he agreed but as he was resident and didnt have any more candidates that day I could wait around and make a deciaion any time during the day and let him know.
After marching up and down for a few hours , should i should'nt i, wanting to get it out of the way i could see a landmark 10 miles away so i said lets go for it.
After the customary walk around , "whats this" , "thats a stall inducer sir", whats that" "thats the static hole sir" we got in the plane.
I gave a quick re cap on the route, gave him the mandatory safety brief, went through the checklist maticulouosly its when i got to the point of............
Miture rich, prime engine, start engine........ "Excuse me sir can you vacate the plane while i get the keys".
Result = Pass
Did'nt feel funny at the time though
My test started on one of those hazy , cant see S--t mornings, test was set for 10.30, i met the examiner, who went through his brief i went through my calcs and all that and told him my decision was not to go due to visibility, " Horay" he agreed but as he was resident and didnt have any more candidates that day I could wait around and make a deciaion any time during the day and let him know.
After marching up and down for a few hours , should i should'nt i, wanting to get it out of the way i could see a landmark 10 miles away so i said lets go for it.
After the customary walk around , "whats this" , "thats a stall inducer sir", whats that" "thats the static hole sir" we got in the plane.
I gave a quick re cap on the route, gave him the mandatory safety brief, went through the checklist maticulouosly its when i got to the point of............
Miture rich, prime engine, start engine........ "Excuse me sir can you vacate the plane while i get the keys".
Result = Pass
Did'nt feel funny at the time though
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CPL I/R in 1991 - Streaming Cold. Ears not clearing.
Went to Brize Norton (Westerly) to do the single engine ILS, Go Arounds etc. Brize Tower said, "Exam 07 we are due some Nimrod Circuit Training in 5 minutes please leave our zone"
Off I pop, trying not to grumble. Brize Radar get back saying "We've had a word with Benson, who'll take you if you want"
Examiner - "Would you like to go to Benson to do the I/R?"
Me- "Of course"
Examiner "OK- I have control. You get the plates"
I had never been to Benson and it was a Southerly Runway. What had been a healthy head wind to calculate drift for was now a healthy crosswind.
Thanks to the best instructor at Kidlington (Stan Black), I wasn't daunted and got a full pass.
Flight time - 2hrs 55 mins.
Went to Brize Norton (Westerly) to do the single engine ILS, Go Arounds etc. Brize Tower said, "Exam 07 we are due some Nimrod Circuit Training in 5 minutes please leave our zone"
Off I pop, trying not to grumble. Brize Radar get back saying "We've had a word with Benson, who'll take you if you want"
Examiner - "Would you like to go to Benson to do the I/R?"
Me- "Of course"
Examiner "OK- I have control. You get the plates"
I had never been to Benson and it was a Southerly Runway. What had been a healthy head wind to calculate drift for was now a healthy crosswind.
Thanks to the best instructor at Kidlington (Stan Black), I wasn't daunted and got a full pass.
Flight time - 2hrs 55 mins.
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Well I managed a 170 (pre-test check ride, full IRT profile) in 1.1 hours airborne. That was quite busy. Passed though.
Before that I had a gear failure on my PFL on the CPL skills test. I went through the drills plus some shaking and about 2g, finally achieved 3 greens. Then my examiner (CAA employee, note) tried to cycle the gear back up and down!! Even my Mum knew that was the wrong thing to do and she's never been taught to fly. Fortunately I had already pulled the emergency release and not reset it, so it would not even try to retract, and got down safely for an incomplete test.
Before that I had a gear failure on my PFL on the CPL skills test. I went through the drills plus some shaking and about 2g, finally achieved 3 greens. Then my examiner (CAA employee, note) tried to cycle the gear back up and down!! Even my Mum knew that was the wrong thing to do and she's never been taught to fly. Fortunately I had already pulled the emergency release and not reset it, so it would not even try to retract, and got down safely for an incomplete test.
