Lesson 36: Prep for Check RideTuesday, April 27th, 2004 Deane and I begin preparing me for the check ride in ernest. In less than 2 weeks I depart for a week long intensive first aid course (Wilderness First Responder). Deane thinks I can be ready before then and it would be better to do the check ride before than to come back and have to practice up again. Maybe he's right. I know that I want to finish with the check ride, become a pilot, and I would prefer to do that before the first aid course rather than come back afterwards face it. So after class I call up Bob Roetcisoender at Regal-Air on Paine field and schedule my test for Wednesday next week. I'm nervous, I'm unsure about my skills, and figure that I can always cancel later if my doubts are too great. I decided to take the check ride in the older Cessna 150C because it flies better. But it's grosse weight is 100 lbs less and I'll have to leave some fuel off. Fortunately Bob is a trim guy so it works out. Today's flight is done in turbulent conditions. I do some steep turns, an Emergency Landing, and instrument flight. Back at Boeing field there is a strong cross wind. We do two landings with me mainly following along with Deane as he masterfully sets the airplane down on the centerline. Lesson 37: Prep for Check RideWednesday, April 28th, 2004 First we meet at Clay-Lacy to practice the oral. I do fairly well and begin to feel a little more confident. I need one more night landing and plenty of instrument time so we do this flight at night. The air is calm and stabilizing the airplane by instruments is easy. We land at Paine, Bremmerton, and then back to Boeing. I spend most of the time under the hood so I have no enjoyment of the beauty of the cities at night. Lesson 38: Prep for Check RideFriday, April 30th, 2004 In the plane Deane asks me a series of questions about the airplane engine. We fly out, practice stalls, emergency landing, short field take off and landings, and a soft field take off and landing. Lesson 39: Prep for Check RideSunday, May 2nd, 2004 I schedule the airplane for very early on Sunday so that I might fly in the beautiful early morning light and because someone has it at 8am. However, clouds have come in. After takeoff I discover they are lower than reports. I practice one emergency landing on north Vashon squeezing between clouds. I then discover that the ceilings at Bremmerton are too low for VFR and decide to return to Boeing. One of my shortest flights. Lesson 40: Prep for Check RideMonday, May 3RD, 2004 I go out by myself again, have better weather, and practice power off landings from the down wind at Bremmerton. The wind is stronger than I expect and my first couple landings are short. Well, would have been if I had not applied power. I finally get it down for these wind conditions but how well will I adapt for different conditions? Lesson 41: Prep for Check RideTuesday, May 4th, 2004 Deane takes me (under the hood) up to Paine field and we taxi to Regal Air so that I know where it's located. Once off I'm back under the hood and we fly to Renton where I do another landing. Then back to Boeing. This completes the required instrument flight training. I now have all requirement and none too soon, my check ride is tomorrow. Am I ready? I don't know. Mainly I don't know what the standards are. The Practical Test Standards booklet lists them out and on reading they seem very exacting. If I'm really to be held to that I'm not sure how well I'll do. But, Deane thinks I'll do great. He's taken many check rides himself and sent many student's off to take check rides. He knows my examiner. I am placing significant faith in Deane's estimation of my preparedness. |
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Page last modified: Aug 20 03:23 2008 by Tom Unger