Getting ready for stage 3 check
I'm in the final throws of getting ready for the checkride. Last weekend I spent some time with CFI Jake to go over my log book to mark off everything against the FAR's private pilot requirements. Over the past weeks I have been reading the practical test standard. Jake and I used the sectional to play through scenarios covering airspace.
This weekend we took to the skies again to put on the finishing touches. And what a ride it was. There is nothing more helpful in training to have your CFI introduce little surprises. After all I'd rather experience them with my CFI in the plane than later on my own. So when we practiced another engine out I thought ok, piece of cake, I'm ready for this. Oppps do you hear that noise? I think the door popped open. I think it's pushing out quite a bit. Then came the air. Papers on my kneeboard started flying and drag jumped up big time. I dropped the nose slightly to keep up speed, but it definitely took me longer to establish a proper glide and make decision on my approach pattern or run through the checklist. Definite distraction. I finally got in the groove and made a nice 45 entry and short approach to E16. Actually flying with the door open was a huge learning experience that one can describe, but that you can only experience when you do it. Jake threw in a few more curve balls, each of which paid off in lessons learned. We practiced several soft field and short field takeoffs and they were decent, but when Jake demonstrated one it finally clicked. Don't be shy to have your CFI demonstrate. Sometimes it helps to pick up little things you might have missed. I find demonstrations even more helpful the farther I come in my training.
Next weekend we're off to our stage III checkride. I'm preparing a flight plan to Porterville (KPTV) a little airport outside of Vasalia. I'll go up with John Pyle who is a seasoned aviation veteran and checkride pilot.
In the meantime I am reviewing the GPS manual. The plane I'll use for the checkride has a Bendix/King KLN94 and user manuals are posted at Honeywell's web site. We tried it out on our last flight and there are some amazing capabilities packed in that little thing that I wish I had had on my cross country.
This weekend we took to the skies again to put on the finishing touches. And what a ride it was. There is nothing more helpful in training to have your CFI introduce little surprises. After all I'd rather experience them with my CFI in the plane than later on my own. So when we practiced another engine out I thought ok, piece of cake, I'm ready for this. Oppps do you hear that noise? I think the door popped open. I think it's pushing out quite a bit. Then came the air. Papers on my kneeboard started flying and drag jumped up big time. I dropped the nose slightly to keep up speed, but it definitely took me longer to establish a proper glide and make decision on my approach pattern or run through the checklist. Definite distraction. I finally got in the groove and made a nice 45 entry and short approach to E16. Actually flying with the door open was a huge learning experience that one can describe, but that you can only experience when you do it. Jake threw in a few more curve balls, each of which paid off in lessons learned. We practiced several soft field and short field takeoffs and they were decent, but when Jake demonstrated one it finally clicked. Don't be shy to have your CFI demonstrate. Sometimes it helps to pick up little things you might have missed. I find demonstrations even more helpful the farther I come in my training.
Next weekend we're off to our stage III checkride. I'm preparing a flight plan to Porterville (KPTV) a little airport outside of Vasalia. I'll go up with John Pyle who is a seasoned aviation veteran and checkride pilot.
In the meantime I am reviewing the GPS manual. The plane I'll use for the checkride has a Bendix/King KLN94 and user manuals are posted at Honeywell's web site. We tried it out on our last flight and there are some amazing capabilities packed in that little thing that I wish I had had on my cross country.
posted by Alex Hammer | 7:50 PM
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