Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:26 pm
#1509708
On Monday this week the time had finally come to take the last step towards the PPL I started over 12 years ago! after having the last 2 skills tests called off, one because of old hours needing validating and the other due weather, before I knew it I was sat in the aircraft paperwork filled ready to go!
Short Version: I passed!
Long Version
I felt everything started off ok, had a little problem starting the engine, before turning the key I gave it 4 pumps on the primer engine turned over nicely but didn't attempt to fire, after about 10 seconds I stopped and the examiner was kind enough to point out I hadn't given the primer cylinder enough time to fill when fully out, primed properly a few more times and she burst into life, was feeling quite nervous at this point just wanting to get on with the flight, taxi and power checks ect all went ok and before I knew it I was airborne thinking to my self ok don't mess this up!!
Frist up was the navigation, the first leg didn't quite goto plan! I noticed I was off track so at the halfway point I corrected this, by 3/4 I was estimating to be a good 10degrees off track! at this point trying to keep calm I tried to work out where I went wrong, ive never been this badly off track and the one time I am is the test! anyway corrected this and got to the first turning point and identified it! the next leg and diversion went really well, keeping a close eye on things, got to the diversion with out too much fuss and that was navigation over!
General handling was up next the ushal stalls steep turns spiral dive PLFs ect all went well, not my greatest but I felt I had followed the correct procedures and done what I needed to do. when it came to the radio navigation he asked me to fly a heading under the hood (simulated IFR) then I could use any equipment in the aircraft to get my position, so I tuned in a VOR as I planned to simply do VOR coupled with its DME, tuned but no IDENT, couldn't hear a thing, the VOR wasn't very far away and we were at 3500feet, so tried another VOR, same again along with the nav warning flags up. my last option was NDB and DME from our airfield that was already tuned just needed to ident and test again, luckily that did the trick, pulled off the hood and looked out below to see what I was hopeing to see!
Time to go back for circuits he asked me to negotiate a overhead rejoin with the airfield to be told by the approach controller it was a 10 minute delay, so flew around a nearby town feeling pretty tired and just wanting to get this done! oh well! overhead join was ok apart from a piper cub joined overhead ahead of me and I had lost sight of it for a few minutes, I was number 3 in the circuit following this piper cub, this made things a little more difficult having to slow the aircraft down to slow safe cruise and extend legs as I was a bit faster than the little cub, after a few touch and go's in different configurations and PFL we had landed and taxied back to the club for a diebrief.
at this point I was feeling tired and both happy and a little annoyed at my self for some parts of the flight, thinking I could of held that altitude better or heading better or the stalls could of gone better but reassured my self examiners aren't looking for a top class performance with no issues what so ever, perfect flying ect.
back in the club he asked me to fill out the paperwork and we sat down to have a debrief, telling me a few things he felt didnt go well for me, before saying overall he was very happy with the flight and was very pleased with some of the decisions I made, one thing I can think of was slowing the aircraft down as soon as possible in the circuit and making them wider to give separation. then those words we all want to hear, well done I'm happy to say uve passed!
Paperwork all signed and filled I applied for the licence on Tuesday by the CAAs online application, so now comes the waiting game, guessing its going to be quite a few weeks before the licence comes through but think ill try to fly in the mean time!
Anyway finally id like to say a big thankyou to everybody on here for making the forum what it is, ive found it really useful and if you have a question somebody knows the answer!
Blue Skies to you all
Blue wings
Short Version: I passed!
Long Version
I felt everything started off ok, had a little problem starting the engine, before turning the key I gave it 4 pumps on the primer engine turned over nicely but didn't attempt to fire, after about 10 seconds I stopped and the examiner was kind enough to point out I hadn't given the primer cylinder enough time to fill when fully out, primed properly a few more times and she burst into life, was feeling quite nervous at this point just wanting to get on with the flight, taxi and power checks ect all went ok and before I knew it I was airborne thinking to my self ok don't mess this up!!
Frist up was the navigation, the first leg didn't quite goto plan! I noticed I was off track so at the halfway point I corrected this, by 3/4 I was estimating to be a good 10degrees off track! at this point trying to keep calm I tried to work out where I went wrong, ive never been this badly off track and the one time I am is the test! anyway corrected this and got to the first turning point and identified it! the next leg and diversion went really well, keeping a close eye on things, got to the diversion with out too much fuss and that was navigation over!
General handling was up next the ushal stalls steep turns spiral dive PLFs ect all went well, not my greatest but I felt I had followed the correct procedures and done what I needed to do. when it came to the radio navigation he asked me to fly a heading under the hood (simulated IFR) then I could use any equipment in the aircraft to get my position, so I tuned in a VOR as I planned to simply do VOR coupled with its DME, tuned but no IDENT, couldn't hear a thing, the VOR wasn't very far away and we were at 3500feet, so tried another VOR, same again along with the nav warning flags up. my last option was NDB and DME from our airfield that was already tuned just needed to ident and test again, luckily that did the trick, pulled off the hood and looked out below to see what I was hopeing to see!
Time to go back for circuits he asked me to negotiate a overhead rejoin with the airfield to be told by the approach controller it was a 10 minute delay, so flew around a nearby town feeling pretty tired and just wanting to get this done! oh well! overhead join was ok apart from a piper cub joined overhead ahead of me and I had lost sight of it for a few minutes, I was number 3 in the circuit following this piper cub, this made things a little more difficult having to slow the aircraft down to slow safe cruise and extend legs as I was a bit faster than the little cub, after a few touch and go's in different configurations and PFL we had landed and taxied back to the club for a diebrief.
at this point I was feeling tired and both happy and a little annoyed at my self for some parts of the flight, thinking I could of held that altitude better or heading better or the stalls could of gone better but reassured my self examiners aren't looking for a top class performance with no issues what so ever, perfect flying ect.
back in the club he asked me to fill out the paperwork and we sat down to have a debrief, telling me a few things he felt didnt go well for me, before saying overall he was very happy with the flight and was very pleased with some of the decisions I made, one thing I can think of was slowing the aircraft down as soon as possible in the circuit and making them wider to give separation. then those words we all want to hear, well done I'm happy to say uve passed!
Paperwork all signed and filled I applied for the licence on Tuesday by the CAAs online application, so now comes the waiting game, guessing its going to be quite a few weeks before the licence comes through but think ill try to fly in the mean time!
Anyway finally id like to say a big thankyou to everybody on here for making the forum what it is, ive found it really useful and if you have a question somebody knows the answer!
Blue Skies to you all
Blue wings
FLYER Club Member
