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

Moderator: AndyR

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By c750X
#1581220
Biggest one I'd impart is Don't ever give up.

My examiner for my skills test was rather prickly. I'd never met him before and he came across very sterile, very cold and rather abrupt. He had no sense of humour and claimed he would do nothing devious like pulling CB's - instead he sat there saying nothing and occasionally looking out the window and doing odd things on his chart with his pen, which really threw me off.

For me, it was 2.5 hours of hell where in my head I'd already failed during the climbout. I then proceeded to hit my first turning point bang on time but 2 miles south of it (still not sure if he accepted my fluffed explanation, that on a low wing aircraft I thought it would be better not to be overhead). Then there was my altitude wandering as I just couldn't get it perfectly trimmed, my position fix started badly using the VOR without enough altitude to get a fix, so I went for an NDB and inadvertantly had the source on ANT and the volume up to the max so I deafened him and could positively confirm without doubt the true heading to the right wing. Then I got lost, then worked out where I was, then got lost again. Thankfully he then requested that we did the upper airwork and he was taking over comms and nav, so bullet dodged. Feeling absolutely shattered recovering back to home for the circuit stuff, which had also changed runways since we were out, with just over 2 miles until the overhead join it dawned on me I was pointing at the wrong bit so quickly corrected. Finally on my last landing, the glide approach, I was so obsessed with being bang on the centreline I thought I was a bit too floaty and when we did touch locked up the mainwheels. We taxied back at walking pace (as apparently thats what examiners like) in total silence with me desperate for the lav, a cigarette, some coffee and either a good cry or a quiet corner to throw up in. Never before had I felt so down thinking all the time and money to get me here has been for nothing and I'm just not for flight.

10 minutes later, after the requested period from Captain Icicle to write up his notes, he shook my hand and congratulated me on passing. In his opinion I could fly the aircraft, I knew where I was going, I knew what I was doing, and I had demonstrated that I could recognise when things weren't going to plan and react. His only criticism was that I was hesitant in my decision making due to a lack of confidence but assured me that would change with experience.

Ultimately, the examiner doesn't want to fail you. He/She wants to see some nice flying, good depth of knowledge and above all else a safe aviator. So don't ever give up regardless of how bleak it seems!
merlinwiz2k liked this
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1581259
Examiners do often come across as a bit austere although most of us make an effort to put the candidate at ease before the test. After all, we've all been students too; we all have those familiar flight-test nerves; and the irony is that the higher up the food-chain you get as a pilot the more damn flight tests you have have to pass each year (for example, as an instrument-rated flight examiner I get formally flight-tested by a senior examiner at least five times within any three year period; others may well have more). So we all go through the mill as test candidates on a regular basis. It's part of being a pilot.

At the end of the day, however, remember that the PPL flight test is a Test and the examiner has a really important judgement to make which may be critical to the candidate's (and the candidate's passengers') survival once he has his licence. To do that he needs to take a pretty cold hard look at the candidate's flying. That said, none of us fly perfectly and so he's going to accept that the candidate will make mistakes, sometimes due to unexperience, sometimes due to flight-test-nerves, and sometimes due to any of the plethora of other factors at work in the air. This is normal and it isn't something to get hung-up about.

So, as others have already said:
    Don't be put off by flight test nerves;
    Don't be put off by having an unfamiliar (and potentially rather distant and perhaps intimidating) presence in the RHS;
    Do what you've been taught to do, and do it the way you've been taught to do it;
    If you screw-up something, don't worry too much. Everyone screws-up from time to time. Fly safely, get yourself sorted out, put it behind you and move on;
    Don't try to do the examiner's job for him. It's his job to assess your performance so leave that to him. Just concentrate on your job which is to fly the aeroplane safely the way you've been taught;
    And, if at all possible, try to enjoy it. You should aim to learn from and enjoy every flight - and believe it or not, that includes a flight test.

Good luck
Ben K liked this
By BehyBill
#1600572
Enjoy it the same as you did enjoy your training flights, tough one that is a bit expensive :thumleft:

Remember:
- Test does not stops when wheels touch the ground (go-around)
- The PFL after engine failure does not stop when you go around (go-EFATO)

None of these surprises are dramatic as long done safely, actually you will enjoy them :D