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Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:39 pm
by foresterpoole
Went up with the CFI on Wednesday and did a complete mock check ride, less the oral exam. We got down and he said everything looked OK, the short field he felt could have been shorter, but I would have stopped in time, and my s turns were "a bit wide." However he said let's schedule your check ride your ready. So it appears weather permitting it's on for April 23rd.

Now the part that was unexpected, it's going to require a cross country to his airport 60 miles away, and the airport has just about every abnormal situation you can think of. Half the runways are right traffic, it has no tower, but does have a clearance frequency (GCO????), has a different name on the sectional than what the "local knowledge" refers to it as its commonly known as Opelousas (OPL) when the sectional refers to it as St. Landry Parish AHART, and lastly has a parachute jump area very close to the airport! YIKES, like the stress of the check ride is not bad enough, I have to do it in unfamiliar complex (by sport pilot standards) territory too!

Just a question I've never had a Clearance frequency listed, probably should know this but what exactly does that mean for a VFR pilot?

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:10 pm
by rcpilot
Congrats on getting setup for your check ride. I Googled GCO and it looks like it's a way to contact ATC and is only supposed to be used on the ground. "Ground Communications Outlet" apparently used to contact ATC for clearance and such. Looks like it hooks you to them via phone. Being you have time, maybe fly there with your instructor. A little more practice won't hurt and gives you the chance to get comfortable with the airport. Good luck and relax.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:48 pm
by Ecoloqua
Congrats! If you dont mind me asking how many hrs. did it take you before you were ready. I've got 12 hrs now and just trying to guage how far Ive got to go.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:15 pm
by foresterpoole
I have 36 hours total time, that is actually a lot more than I needed according to my CFI. I seldom let the CFI move forward with a skill unless I felt I had mastery of the previous one, I think he got frustrated sitting making turns around a point for 20 minutes straight. Some people complain CFI's milk the clock, I think my CFI is tired of flying with me! There are still a few things I feel need work, however he has said it will just take time to refine and I have the needed skills to pass the test, I guess we will find out. Good news is I have some time to practice!

Everyone is different, I learn slowly and methodically, so you might take the minimum and be just fine.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:45 am
by Ecoloqua
Did the 36 hrs include any endorsements for towered controlled airspace?

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:23 am
by 3Dreaming
Ecoloqua wrote:Did the 36 hrs include any endorsements for towered controlled airspace?
Unless you are flying a very slow, simple, and forgiving airplane, or are an exceptional student, the average for sport pilot is about 35 hours. I have done several that have been within a couple hours of this number.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:52 am
by Ecoloqua
I am serously considering just giving up on the whole sport pilot ticket and switching over to PPL. There were only 3 LSA's for rent here in Atlanta. One of them, a Skycatcher, was destroyed on the tarmac the other day during a violent storm. So that leaves only 2. The other LSA has been crashed landed twice has broken seats and seems to be in the shop every other day. I would love to buy my own LSA but they are still too expensive. Just frustrated and at a crossrods.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:21 am
by FastEddieB
If passing a medical is not a problem, I'd say go for the Private.

Not much additional training, and certainly more capability.

You always would have the option of letting your medical expire and just go with Light Sport Limitations or Basic Med once that is in place.

If you're in Atlanta, it's not much of a drive up to where I am to discuss options and maybe check out my Sky Arrow. I'm not soliciting - my Sky Arrow is Experimental and not available for instruction. Just here to help!

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:39 am
by rcpilot
Gee, I must be challenged. I had 85 hours when I took my check ride. Granted, I did have a 6 month layoff because of my accident, and it took a bit to get back to where I was, but geez.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:18 pm
by 3Dreaming
rcpilot wrote:Gee, I must be challenged. I had 85 hours when I took my check ride. Granted, I did have a 6 month layoff because of my accident, and it took a bit to get back to where I was, but geez.
I bit my tongue several times when you were posting about your training. I was hoping some of what you said was lost in translation. I would bet that your lay off added some to your time, but some of the things you mentioned makes me think the instructor was a bigger factor. From some of your postings it seemed that your instructor was doing to much of the flying instead of instructing.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:54 pm
by Ecoloqua
Well Im gonna go up in a 172 tomorrow. After flying a light sport It will probably feel like flying a mac truck...lol
Have to weigh it all out cost/time etc. so we'll see.
Great advice on here, thanks all.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:19 pm
by rcpilot
3Dreaming wrote:
rcpilot wrote:Gee, I must be challenged. I had 85 hours when I took my check ride. Granted, I did have a 6 month layoff because of my accident, and it took a bit to get back to where I was, but geez.
I bit my tongue several times when you were posting about your training. I was hoping some of what you said was lost in translation. I would bet that your lay off added some to your time, but some of the things you mentioned makes me think the instructor was a bigger factor. From some of your postings it seemed that your instructor was doing to much of the flying instead of instructing.
Well, all things considered I think my instructor was pretty good. Maybe he's just use to a different kind of student or because I'm an old fart he wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing. When we started he was still in college and instructing was his "job"(in addition to life guard). While I was recovering from my accident, he had finished school and moved on to a real job in aviation. He stuck with me, in part, because he was afraid no one else at the school would train me in an E-AB. His job made getting lessons sometimes a challenge and I'm sure that slowed things down a bit but it all worked out.

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:32 pm
by foresterpoole
It takes what it takes, honestly, I can probably stand a few more hours which I thankfully have time to squeeze in before the test. I do plan to use my hours for private pilot as well, just slow down a bit and take my time. There are a few things I can't do in the Tecnam for private so I'll have to fly a 172, but if I do go on for a private I foresee using the Tecnam for that check ride as well, I've fallen in love with the little thing...

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 6:32 pm
by pjdavis
I am pulling for you Ed!

a side discussion has begun on this thread about training hours - just adding my experience.

I have a lot of hours in and now getting close to my check ride. I had to over come quite a few fears since my aborted solo. I have since understood that more hours in training is a good thing for me. I am began training 2 months before turning 60. Just getting comfortable again with the wind and turbulence. I have learned it is not a race, I will be ready for my check ride when I am ready - in other words I will know when it is right for me!

Congrats! I know you will do well.

PJ

Re: Checkride Scheduled

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 7:34 pm
by foresterpoole
Well, hit two snags: long range forecast looks unfavorable higher winds and cloudy. Also, there is a hiccup with the plane now. It just came out of a 100 hour and they canceled my flight today because it was not ready, but when I called to reschedule they let me know that in 14 hours it's scheduled for its 2,000 hour overhaul (they are simply swapping out the engine). So if the weather clears there is a good chance I may not have a plane.

Question: if you were in my shoes would you cancel entirely, or take the oral portion, take a letter of discontinuence flight test at a later date, or just reschedule the entire shooting match at a later date???

I think I'm ready for the oral portion, and it appears the engine swap will take about 2 weeks from what they are telling me. Also, the DPE was going to make me fly to him, if I delay I might be able to piggy back with another exam and take the flight portion on my home turf locally. Thoughts?!?!