Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

By vw-dan
#1565479
Well, it's been a long 2 Years, and 4 months - but I finally completed my skills test. Still feeling a little bit shell shocked, to be honest - it's been a long road and there were definitely times I didn't think it was going to happen!

Doing all of 9 hours in 2016 certainly didn't help, but my logbook total (Including test) is 61:15.

Test went well, which was a surprise given my appalling mock. I was incredibly nervous prior and this was my third booking - weather was, once again, marginal. On the basis that it was just about "good enough" and everything pointed to either staying the same or improvement I decided to go for it. Once I was in the overhead it was clear that we were going into good solid VFR weather I certainly felt my nerves disappear.

Nav was tricky as the winds were completely different on the first leg and we were WELL (Like, insanely) off track within the first few miles. ID'd it quickly and had to just fly at a landmark and try again - exactly the same thing happened again, and we noted almost zero drift despite the forecast being a strong crosswind. Fortunately, by that point I was half way so did my double track correction and got away with it! Second leg was very featureless, but I'd taken some VOR radials which turned out to be very useful (and saved me a position fix later) and the diversion was fine.

As ever repeated, the examiner made clear he was looking for safety and good decision making - not sheer perfection. I took that and my instructors advice to slow down and breathe to heart and I think that was certainly key. As was mentally separating each task - no good thinking about your nav when doing stalls. Before each maneuver I really did "chair fly" it in my head first and, I've got to say, pulled out my best. Hit my wake on the steep turns which I don't think I'd ever managed before and the stalls went well which was something that really needed improvement as part of my test preparation lessons.

PFL wasn't amazing - certainly didn't play out how I'd practiced as my first choice turned out to be a bad choice once we got closer, but I made some decisions and threw the pattern out of the window in favour of a decent and viable landing site. Examiner seemed happy with that and content that we would have made it with a solid chance of walking away. EFATO came on the way out which was swiftly dealt with.

And then it was finally back to the airfield for a few circuits. Ended up using the shortest runway, of course, but I've always enjoyed circuit work so nothing too interest to report there.

So yeah, not too bad though I'm in on rush to do another one!
Last edited by vw-dan on Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
scd975, T4RG4, Cessna57 and 7 others liked this
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By FlightDek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1565484
Nice one Dan :thumleft:

I've landed on the short runway at Wolverhampton only once. As I'm used to 2km runways it looked very short to me :shock:

Dek
By MarkOlding
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1565515
Congratulations, on your skills test its lovely feeling isn it.
Now get your licence in to the CAA as the turnaround time seems to be really short at the moment. Mine took 10 days from drop off of documents to receipt.
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By Dangerman
#1565548
Congratulations!! We met on Simon's weather course many moons ago - glad you persevered despite life getting in the way, and got there in the end.

Now get out there and use and enjoy it ...
By Cessna57
#1565767
Congratulations!!!

Genuinely pleased for you that you got there! You're a qualified pilot now (let that sink in for 5 minutes)

I really need to organise the student fly in next year that I said I would. I hope you'll bring one. :thumright:
OptiGone liked this
By vw-dan
#1566161
Thank you all, I really appreciate the kind words!

Cessna57 wrote:I really need to organise the student fly in next year that I said I would. I hope you'll bring one. :thumright:


Please do, and I absolutely will!
By CapnM
#1566628
Well done Dan! Which route did Barry get you to do? Also did my test on 22 which is my most unfavourable given the length, width and weird bump on the 16 numbers!

We've had quite a few passes through AMW over the past 3 months, we should get a small flyout arranged some time to grab some lunch.

Any plans for the next steps - check out on the Warrior, some aeros?