Any pilots here?

[tlrBeta]

Managed to get up today to do a mock skills test. Here's my CloudAhoy track for it:


The format is "essentially identical" to that of the real test, minus a couple of bits. For example, I didn't have to brief the instructor on mass and balance, take off distances, etc - not something I've actually done at all yet for my aircraft so I need to get that sorted for the next lesson.

1: Climbed up into the overhead then departed. As part of the test you have to fly through some kind of controlled airspace and this route required a MATZ penetration. Not an issue, nice straight line to the first waypoint with a small correction over Shawbury. I've never picked up on it before but the way I depart from the overhead means that my track is always going to be off slightly!

2: First turning point, the town was easy enough to identify, surrounded by a river and lakes all marked on the 1 : 500k map.

3: Headed south but somewhere along the second leg you'll get a diversion. I picked a town en-route to start the diversion from. Micromanaging flying the aircraft whilst trying to sort out the diversion was a bit of a hassle - you'll be expected to do it all yourself. My instructor clearly felt bad for me so did some circles while I sorted myself out. Need to calculate a sensible track, distance and ETA.

4: Got to the diversion point bang on time but did have to make a heading adjustment at one of the waypoints I was using - this isn't an issue providing you tell the examiner apparantely. Once we were there I did a position fix with 2 VORs - my instructor handled the aircraft while I did this, he said some examiners will do that for you, we'll see!

That was the end of the navigation section, not much else to it, just a standard navigation flight really. You're expected to handle all the radios and such yourself.

5: Onto general handling. We did the three stalls plus steep turns to the left and right. Stalls were fine but my steep turns need a bit of refresher - not surprised considering I haven't really done them properly in over a year!

6: PFL, all fine and we would've made the field I picked. Was essentially a perfect grass runway!

After that it was just back to the circuit to do a couple of different approaches: normal, precautionary and flapless. I did a go around on one of the flapless approaches as I'm not used to the picture and cocked up my speed.

That was pretty much it for the mock test. My instructor reckons I would've passed and did say the mock test is a lot harder than the real test. The flight itself was just over two hours - I do feel exhausted this evening from it, could be partly down to it only being my 5th or 6th flight this year! Also felt really anxious about it all this morning. We've got a lesson booked in for Wednesday to do some more steep turns and some circuits.

Dynix - As it turns out, I'm based very locally to you and currently investigating the options to do a PPL or even a NPPL at Halfpenny.

Please let me know if you ever have room for 1 more

Mike

 

[FL630]

I'm flying home this evening, enjoy Malaga! Do they still have the fruit van that comes up to the aircraft? Loved that, best strawberries ever!

I wish! That would require some form of organisation, so wishful thinking!

Enjoy your flight home!

 

[Dynix]

Dynix - As it turns out, I'm based very locally to you and currently investigating the options to do a PPL or even a NPPL at Halfpenny.

Please let me know if you ever have room for 1 more

Mike

Not biased () but could thoroughly recommend the school I use having switched to them from another and have no regrets. You're more than welcome to come for a quick spin once I have the license in hand!

Went up for an hour this afternoon just to do some steep turn refresher and a couple of circuits to finish. My instructor reckons I'm ready so is going to see what the availability is like for the examiner. I don't feel ready myself but I think that's probably quite normal!

 

[1pudding1]

Why don't you just say Virgin and BA?

And afaik, no more crew shop vans in Malaga, not seen them for a while. The oranges and cheap sparking wine were my favs.

 

[Dynix]

Just had a call and the skills test has been booked. By this time next week we should know whether I've passed or not, weather depending! Going in on Monday to do some solo circuits just to stay fresh. I'm still **** at landing the thing

Already lined up 3 things I'm going to buy once I pass as a 'present' to myself for passing - new headset, new kneeboard and a spare headset bag for my current headset (which I'll use for passengers)! Also look forward to using my GoPro more whilst I build the hours and visit places. Only managed to video two flights from my training.

 

[FL630]

Best of luck Dynix! I'm sure you'll do great. Don't worry about thinking you can't land it, if the instructor says you're good to go, you're good to go. In my experience as an FI it was always the ones who thought they were amazing who were the ones I'd be nervous letting them fly solo, I'm sure you're a hell of a lot better than you think!

This is a bit cheeky plugging my own website on this thread, but I've just put together a flying school directory/review site. It's just launched a week or two ago and I'm trying to fill it up with reviews and content. Would you mind finding your flying school and leaving a review? Would greatly appreciate it! http://flightory.co.uk/

 

[SupraWez]

Good luck Dynix, keep us updated...

 

[Dynix]

Cheers guys, I keep reminding myself that the instructor wouldn't sign me off as ready if I wasn't ready as they don't benefit from it. Great idea for a website @FL630, when I first started training I was actually going to open a similar website myself as there isn't (or wasn't) a decent directory for flying schools with reviews that I could find! Didn't have time to work on it myself, will check it out!

Went up for 2 circuits this morning - was actually quite interesting as there was a 90° crosswind with grass debris all across the runway. ATC asked us to do a runway switch whilst 2 of us were in the circuit so they could clear it - first time I've had to do that. Didn't see the benefit of doing more as it was beyond the company solo limitations so came down.

So, just looking ahead to the test now and hoping the weather holds off. I'll prepare a briefing pack containing M&B / weather / NOTAMs / etc as I'm sure that'll go down well with the examiner. The test is booked for 9 but I'll have bits to finish off in the morning before we can start. Will of course do a full write up and get CloudAhoy logging the flight!

 

[Dynix]

Just preparing what I can for tomorrow and had to call the school to find out the examiners weight for M&B as they didn't let me know. I can't forsee how we can do the test in one block as we only have 30KG to spare in one aircraft and 50KG in the other. The former gives us under 2 hours of fuel and the latter just over 3. Should make for a good talking point in the morning...

 

[FL630]

I've never known an examiner to tell the truth when it comes to their weight, most light aircraft simply wouldn't be able to fly if people told the truth

People must have been lighter in the 50s, but certainly a 95kg me and a similar sized student couldn't legally take full tanks in a Cessna 152. Never did it.... honest....

 

[Dynix]

Absolutely, I'm 90kg and my instructor is probably similar and we've gone up almost every time with 100ltrs in the tank which would put us way above the limit! Just going to leave it until the morning to see which aircraft they're giving me and speak to the examiner.

 

[Dynix]

I passed!

To say I've been a bag of nerves for the past few days would be an understatement, especially this morning. Will do a full write up of the exam tonight along with my CloudAhoy log!

 

[SupraWez]

I passed!

To say I've been a bag of nerves for the past few days would be an understatement, especially this morning. Will do a full write up of the exam tonight along with my CloudAhoy log!

Amazing news, well done and congrats, you must be over the moon, huge sigh of relief I bet

So what is your plan now?

 

[Blinkz]

I passed!

To say I've been a bag of nerves for the past few days would be an understatement, especially this morning. Will do a full write up of the exam tonight along with my CloudAhoy log!

Congrats! Awesome job and well deserved. Welcome to the club!

 

[FL630]

Amazing well done Dynix! Welcome to the club!

(Edit, posted at the same time as Blinkz, must be a standard greeting to people who pass )

 

[john_s]

I passed!

Congrats

 

[Dynix]

Thanks all Had that smile on my face for the past 7 hours!

Here's the flight log:

This morning I finished off the navigation headings and prepared/printed off a briefing pack which included:

• NOTAMs (for both routes - I had the choice of two)
• 214/215 weather and wind forms
• METAR/TAF for local airfields
• Mass & balance for the two aircraft

I picked a route which required me to get a MATZ pen through Shawbury - done it plenty of times and the route would take me over my old town which I thought would be nice for the skills test! The examiner was surprised by my choice - the other route was by far 'easier' and everyone picks that apparantely. We talked about the weight / fuel issue and we agreed that we would never get to go up flying if we stuck to the weight limits So we had enough fuel to do the whole test without the need for a refuel.

I explained the route to him and he asked a few basic questions, like how I was working out MSA. He wasn't really bothered by the NOTAMs/weather/M&B briefs - perhaps because it was clear I had done them quite well so knew what I was talking about? He then explained the format of the test: navigation, diversion, general handling, circuits.

Paperwork done and booked out, we headed out to the aircraft and worked my way down the checklist - he kept quiet throughout. Spoke to ATC to get taxi instructions and off we went. I offered him to test his brakes which I've always been taught to do. Standard power checks then took off, climbing into the overhead as I normally do up to 3,000ft.

1: First leg was uneventful - departed, switched over to Shawbury to get a MATZ pen just before Telford. We were very slightly off track - Ternhill was meant to pass on my left but ended up overhead. It's probably a 1 or 2 degree difference so wasn't a problem. For this leg, you're expected to do straight up VFR navigation - no radio aids or feature crawling. ETA was also bang on.

2: After turning onto the second leg, I was asked to plan a diversion to Cosford. The diversion is always going to be pointing back towards the departure airfield so I expected it to be to here! Only took a few seconds to estimate a heading and ETA. Windstar is crucial for this otherwise your heading will be wrong! These tools are very useful for the diversion:

• Windstar: Easy enough to do yourself but this does the whole thing in 3 seconds: https://www.lopezshackleford.co.uk/windstar/
• Time/Distance Ruler: Stops the need for mental calculations, just measure the distance and find your ETA with your current speed: https://www.pooleys.com/shop/pooleys/cpm-1-185-mm-x-40-mm

3: Turning onto the heading I calculated to get us to Cosford. How far along the diversion you go depends on how convinced the examiner is that you would make the airfield/destination with your current ETA. Within about 30 seconds he said the navigation and diversion exercises were over so I must have convinced him! Next up he asked me to do a position fix. We only have a VOR on my aircraft so turn the OBS until the from flag shows and CDI centers - this shows your radial from the VOR. Draw the line on the map and you're somewhere along that line. Do this twice and you've got an approx. position where the 2 lines cross. Onto general handling...

4: We did the following maneuvers:

• Foggles on, 180 degree rate 1 turn whilst keeping level to get you out of simulated cloud. Went fine and didn't alter my height.
• Clean, base and final stalls. Just remember to do a HASELL / HELL check. All went fine.
• Steep (45 degree) turns to the left and right. These are what I had to refresh last week so was determined not to alter my height! All went fine!
• Steep gliding turning descent. A what?! I've probably done this in my training at some point but not recently. Wasn't expecting this but used some common sense - around 30 degrees, turning, descent at around 80kts. No comments were made so seemed to be what he wanted!
• PFL. No issues. Picked a lovely field! He did give me a comment at the end of the exam that you could delay the shutdown checks til later (few hundred feet vs the 1500 I did them at).

That was it! After that, we headed back to the airfield - I've flown around the area enough to know a rough idea of where the airfield is in relation to local features so just pointed us in the right direction. Standard overhead join, then 4 circuits:

• Standard
• Flapless: He gave me an EFATO after this one.
• Precautionary pass: I hadn't even heard of this until my mock test last week. Essentially it's a standard circuit, but you level off at 50-100 feet above the runway and climb out.
• Bad weather circuit / short field landing: All of my landings had been shortfield anyway so he did say it wouldn't be any shorter than the others. Never quite understood these anyway - think you just need to touch down as early as possible and stop in the shortest distance. Just fly these at 600ft with first stage of flaps out and keep it tighter than a normal circuit.

Taxied off the runway, after landing checks, taxi back to parking and shutdown checks as normal. At this point, he asked a few technical questions about the aircraft. On other skill tests, people get these at the start but I get the sense that some students may muck up here and make them more anxious. My questions were:

• Alternator light - what is it and what would you do? Reduce electrical load as much as possible.
• If the artificial horizon failed, what could it indicate - vacuum/suction failure or instrument failure. We could tell by looking at another instrument like the direction indicator. Honestly this was a guess / vaguely remembered it from the aircraft general knowledge stuff!
• Carb heat - why do we put it back on final? In case we need to go around and stop any unfiltered air getting into the engine.
• Magnetos - why do we check them? Making sure they're earthed.

All seemed fine and he announced I had passed!

We sat in the aircraft for a few minutes having a quick debrief. He was very complementary - said it was a pleasure to have flown with me and that I was by far one of the best students he's examined in his time and that I'd make a great flying instructor from the composure and how methodical I was in the aircraft - I told him that's exactly what I'd love to do! He said he couldn't find any faults with anything I did and the only comments I got were to consider shutting down later on a PFL and keeping it a bit tighter on a bad weather circuit. He also said it was the quickest exam he's ever done at just 1 hour 45 minutes!

Then inside to do the paperwork. Decided to check out the PPL application process online and it's so much easier, so I would highly recommend doing yours online @SupraWez rather than filling out the 9 page document! Paid and sent off my application so just a waiting game now.

Genuinely feels like a weight off my shoulders - had quite a few sleepless nights lately so looking forward to a solid sleep! Next steps will be to go up on my own and have a bit of fun flying around then get checked out on the 4 seater Warrior. Once I've got hours under my belt and feel comfortable in the Warrior, I'll start looking at the IR(R) (the aircraft I'm current on aren't IR equipped) then finish my night rating in the winter. Later this year/early next year I need to get my eyes tested/sorted out and sort a Class 1 medical out, then start ATPLs next year.

But for now, I'm looking forward to taking friends and family up and just enjoying it If anyone is in the midlands area and fancies a flight, hit me up

 

[FL630]

Great write up Dynix, really happy it all went well for you.

As a small piece of advice, get your class 1 before you invest anything more if you're intending to go commercial. I got mine before my first hour of the PPL and I'm glad I did, ended up having a lot of troubles getting the bit of paper signed. Don't invest tens of thousands unless you know you're 100% fit!

 

[SupraWez]

Great write-up and very informative, once again congrats.

I am hoping to get some air time this weekend, most likely just circuits as I haven't flown for a month due to other commitments, I was working my way through the nav so hopefully not too far to go either, not done my solo nav yet or a land away, think that was next.

 

[Dynix]

Will do on the class 1! I'm intending to get the IR(R)/NR anyway so just working towards those next, won't be doing any serious hour building until after I've got the class 1. I know my eyesight won't pass and guaranteed to have to wear a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours due to white coat

Hope the weather holds out for you this weekend Supra!

Treated myself to a new headset and kneeboard as well