Sport Pilot Talk

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 50 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

I passed my checkride on Tuesday. I won't say that I did a perfect job, but I guess I did good enough. So now I'm a full-fledged Light Sport Aircraft FAA-approved pilot. Just in time for good weather and all those fly-in breakfasts 8) .

CTflyer · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:02 am Post subject:

Well done Mr. PIC!

When you've come back down to earth :smile:, tell us about your checkride. Lots to learn from all you've accomplished!

Congratulations sir!

Tom

SkySteve · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:59 am Post subject:

Hey, Mike.
Congrats!!! Now you can leave the earth and return, at will. You are part of a prestigious few, welcome. Tell us about the check ride.

Jeff Tipton · Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 74

Welcome to the order of the aviator. The fun is just beginning.

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 26

Congratulations! The fun has just begun!

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 50 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

The checkride wasn't as bad as my expectations led me to believe it would be. Still, I was nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. As we preflighted the airplane (Flight Design CTSW) I pointed out a few of the features. I told the examiner when he got into the airplane not to use the silver handle as a hand hold since that's how the wings are bolted on. Of course he reached for the handle as we were getting in :D .

I performed a short-field takeoff and circled around for a landing. He told me to execute a missed approach and climb out and take a heading for the cross-country I had planned. After he decided that I wasn't lost we did a couple of steep turns and a stall and then descended to do some ground reference maneuvers. The weather in central Ohio was beautiful, winds from 220 at 6-8 knots and not a cloud in the sky. Of course that led to thermal activity so my inability to hold altitude was covered up by the bumpy ride.

We returned to the airport and entered the pattern. When we were even with the numbers he told me to pull back the power and act like we had lost the engine. What would I do to make the runway? Pretty much fly a standard pattern because that's how I land the CT anyway :wink: .

The only problem came when we were about 40 feet above the runway. The wind was about 200 at 6-8 knots and the runway we were using was 240. Paralleling the runway on the left side is a woods. The wind blows over the woods and causes a lot of turbulence over the runway. The wind caught the left wing and lifted it, catching the examiner by surprise. My brother learned to fly at that airport in a Piper Tomahawk and he told me the wind did funny things there, so I was ready for it. I recovered and made a good landing (at least by my meager standards).

After we parked we went into the examiners office. He shook my hand, told me I had passed and I was now I pilot. We finished up the paperwork and then he told me it was time for the hard part- writing him a check. I assured him that was the easiest part of the whole check ride.

During the flight back to my home field, a whole 21 nm away, my heart beat slowly returned to normal. The worst part was that when I got back to my home field there was no one there to witness my stunning series of snap-rolls down the runway folowed by a loop and a dead-stick landing. Just kidding. Now I have a bunch of people to give rides to, starting with my brother.

CTflyer · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

Mike - that is excellent. Thanks for the description. You must have a massive grin on your face.

By the way, never think you've made a bad landing if you can walk away from it. Take a look at this; even the "big guys" have their moments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mMLvNxHyuM

I believe the correct terminology for that is PIO - Pilot Induced Oscillations.

Again, congratulations to you!
Tom