flyingearly wrote:
So, ramble over, it would be great if there existed some kind of post-qualification 'skills checklist' for all the new, novel things to tick off and stretch yourself against in order to expand your skillset, rather than bimbling below 3k feet around your local AD.
Some years ago I posed the following list of rhetorical questions in an attempt to stimulate (or maybe just provoke) some post-qualification wing-streching amongst the cohort of qualified pilots flying from where I was then Head of Training. It was based on the observation that a surprising number of pilots turning up for their biennial flight with an FI have really not pushed the envelope at all in the preceding 24 months.
I suggested that they consider if any of the following apply to them, and if they do, what do they plan to do about it:
....I haven’t done any stalling
....I haven’t done any steep turns
....I haven’t been out of the circuit
....I haven’t done a practised forced landing
....I’ve not practised steep gliding turns
....I’ve not practised diving-off height
....I’ve always recovered at the first sign of the stall
....I haven’t practised recovering from a wing-drop in the stall
....I haven’t practised stalling in a turn
....I haven’t practiced stalling on the climb-out
....I’ve not called for a practice fix on 121.5
....I’ve not flown further than the local area
....I’ve not been above 5,000’
....I’ve not been above broken or scattered cloud
....I’ve not been above a layer of solid cloud and found my way down
....I break off any practice forced landings at 500’
....I have not glided to a touchdown from high over an airfield
....I have not flown at night
....I have not flown with the visibility less than 5km
....I’ve not flown in cloud
....I’ve not fixed my position using only radio navigation aids
....I’ve not practised the drills for a fire in the air
....I’ve not practised a rejected take-off
....I’ve not practised an engine failure after take-off
....I’ve not landed at another airfield
....I’ve not flown to the Continent
....I’ve not practised holding a course with an unserviceable DI
....I’ve not flown over water
....I’ve not flown over mountains
....I’ve not practised flying with a simulated blocked static vent or iced-up pitot
....I’ve not done a full weight and balance calculation
....I’ve not calculated the take-off performance for my aircraft
....I’ve not recovered from a spin
....I’ve not experienced basic aerobatics
....I’ve not flown a leg of more than 150nm
....I’ve not flown through controlled airspace (a MATZ doesn’t count!)
....I’ve not flown close to London and under the London TMA
....I’ve not used the listening squawk system
....I’ve not practised a bad weather circuit
....I’ve not practised a precautionary landing
....I’ve not been above 10,000’
....I have not practised low-level navigation
....I have not done an overnight land-away
....I have not leaned the engine
....I have not practised side-slipping
....I have not practised a flapless landing
....I’ve not really understood how to do a Met Assessment
....I’ve not practised a short-field landing
....I have not flown when the wind is above 20kts on the ground
....I have not taken off or landed with a cross-wind of more than 15kts
....I have not practised a kick-off (crabbed) cross-wind landing
....I have not practised a wing-down cross-wind landing
....I have not practised tracking to/from a VOR beacon
....I have not practised tracking to/from a NDB beacon
....I have not flown into a busy (non GA) airport
....I have not crossed Salisbury Plain Danger Area
....I have not crossed through Solent CTR/CTA
....I haven’t practised what to do if the engine runs rough but doesn’t quit
....I have not carried any passengers
....I have not practised an in-flight diversion
....I have not filed a flight plan
....I have not used a moving map
....I have not rehearsed ditching drills
....I have not flown semi circular levels
....I have not flown in formation
....I’ve not practised an approach to land with the ASI, Altimeter or Tacho blanked off
....I have not practised recovering from unusual attitudes
....I have not used a Traffic Service from ATC
....I have not used the local Flight Information Service (London Info)
....I have not flown a complex aircraft (retractable u/c and CS propeller)
....I have not practised the emergency undercarriage extension drill
....I have not flown a tail-dragger
....I have not seen the world from upside down
....I’ve not practised maintaining altitude whilst flying at the slowest possible airspeed
....I have not taken an aeroplane up to its VNE
In any event, there's a good start for things to do to widen your horizons...