Successful Checkride. I'm now a pilot! - 10/21/2002

written: 1/2/2003
checkride date: 10/21/2002
checkride airport: STS - Santa Rosa
landing airport: Q69 (Petaluma)

I. Pre-Checkride.

   For weeks, I had prepped with my instructor, Jeff , and another CFI - Khaled at Oakland Flyers.
   They were both very helpful - and Khaled was specific in grilling my oral knowledge (Without hesitation), and helped me thru my first 'divert' which would have been a failure (didn't change altitude to appropriate VFR cruise alt.).

   Got in touch with the DE the week before (schedule for 10/20/2002 - a Sunday) and we had to postpone to that Monday, the 21st. This was at first a tough decision, but I was ready and did not want to wait weeks before the combo of DE and plane were ready.

II. Cross-Country Planning for the checkride

   It was 5pm, then 6pm, then 7pm and I hadn't heard from the DE - was this a psych test?
   I called my CFI, who called the DE and contacted me with the checkride info.
   I was to plan a checkride from STS to SBA (Santa Barbara).
   Even though this was a shorter xc than one to the LA area, it still took several hours of planning:
   W&B, Fuel, TO/LD distances, WX-brief, etc... there was a MOA, and several necessary altitude changes for terrain.
   I finished around 11pm or so and went to sleep.

III. Morning Prep.

   Got to Oakland Flyers in the am (around 10am I think) for a 2pm checkride at STS.
   Went over the xc plan, quick mental quiz (airspace, etc) and got ready to depart to STS in 99348 - the clubs 160hp C-172. The weather was CLR into the late day, but I was concerned that if I didn't pass, I would have to fly at night and thru SFO's class Bravo to get back to OAK if the weather turned the typical late-summer overcast. Jeff signed me off with practically several endorsements just-in-case, and sent me off to STS.

IV. Flight up.
   Nothing new to report - just very excited - and happy to see Petaluma, Gnoss, and finally STS all where I remembered them. Tied down where Jeff diagrammed (on a paper plate I might add) and walked over to the DE's office.

V. Exam (Oral).
   The examiner showed up a little late, but was in a good mood - well worth the wait in my book!
   We went inside - I was dressed professionally, and had my books / materials in a nice book bag and my flight bag. After a general info on his history: CHP, CFI, etc... and doing the FAA paperwork, we got to the real stuff.
 
   1. Systems.
      a. Fuel System
      b. Flap System
      c. Engine

   2. Regulations.
      a. *most* of them
      b. airspace
      c. flight reviews - BFR, etc... - this one I got wrong (said 6mo and he corrected me)
      d. instrument inspections

   3. XC Planning
      a. went over my chart in detail
      b. asked about several classes of airspace (i.e. if you were here, at this altitude, what class)
      c. asked about airspace entrance requirements
      d. asked about the MOA in SBA
      e. in general - asked 'why did you chose this' etc...
      The DE was pretty happy with my XC plan and showed it during the test - didn't grill me here as much as with the regs.

   4. W&B / Airplane Logs
      a. looked over my W&B - having copies with diagrams / exceprts from the POH was *really* good
         this seemed to impress the DE with quality, and also made his job easier to do.
      b. logs - this was where I learned more than I was checked - the DE showed me how to read the logs, and said that while most people never look at them - him included, that when first renting from a place, or purchasing an aircraft, it really is up to the PIC to inspect the logs.

   5. "Let's go flying".
      The DE was really nice and helped me relax with the whole process... so I was ready to go.

VI. Exam (Preflight).
   1. This was pretty obvious - he asked me about several of the antennas on the aircraft etc, and said to do a normal preflight.
   2. He actually told me some funny stories, which really made it easier to relax. One student threw the fuel from the wing sump at the DE's shirt instead of the ground by mistake!
   3. I went thru a very abbreviated passenger brief, but he was happy that I told him the basics, and I double checked both his door, and that the controls were free from obstruction. I also asked him to be careful not to obstruct them.

VII. Exam (Flight)
   1. I had handed the DE my deluxe kitchen timer and he was fascinated with it. All of my calls to ground/tower were professional and 'correct', and we were cleared for takeoff. This is where I forgot one thing: to set my timer. While I had the time to within about a minute (watch), the DE has very nicely started my timer on takeoff.

   2. At around 2000', the DE had me level off and continue the XC at that altutide.

   3. Divert - the DE had me 'do' a diversion to Angwin (which I dreaded) but only the numbers (heading, distance, fuel, speed) and also using the E6-B calculate our groundspeed from takeoff to our current position over Santa Rosa.

   4. Maneuvers - he had me fly him over a little W-SW, where there was a low fog coming in over the hills.
      a. We did an engine out that while not perfect, he thought would have been survivable (long field, but I was a bit high too).
      b. Stalls - these went really well. He had me 'turn right' and while in the turn he had me stall the aircraft. He said that my turning stall was one of the best he had seen - nearly up to commercial standards. I was coordinated the whole time, and the break was gentle and neutral.
      c. Steep turns - one to the Right - OK. one to the Left - hmmm - that fog is looking somewhat close. The DE had set me up from the other maneuvers so that my last steep turn would bring me within questionable distance from the fog. In increasing urgency/stress, I challenged his instruction, until I told him I was not going to proceed with the turn - he was happy with this!
         So - the DE takes the yoke, and instructs me to put on the hood.

   5. Hood Work
      a. Climb, Turn, Descend, mix climb and turn, etc... all were fine.
      b. Unusual attitudes - he was happy with all of them, and said that if anything - I should more aggressively fix the problem (vs. smoothly).
 
   6. Alternate Airport - Petaluma Q69.
      We were cruising now around 2000' and nearly abeam Petaluma when I took the hood off and was instructed that we would do our landings at Petaluma. I told him that I would consult the chart & AFD prior to approach/landing, so I turned somewhat away 15-30 degrees from the field.
      After taking my time with the AFD and chart (he was happy that I bookmarked useful airports in the AFD), I put away the AFD and it was time to do a normal non-towered pattern entry. I made intention/traffic calls from about 5 miles out, crossed midfield for the windsock (tetrahedron), and to enter on the 45. I called out every leg, of every pattern, and tried to read/do/announce the checklists. Landings - we did just a few of them 4 is my guess from memory - and he was happy with them. I knew they weren't my best, but all were very close to the centerline. Finally, on upwind leg, the DE said a few great words: "take me back to STS, safely and legally". I announced our departure from Q69 and climbed out to 2000' on Q69 freq.

   7. Cruising back to STS - tuned and wrote down the ATIS info. Called STS tower with a perfect position/info report (in a mix of poor communications from other pilots) and was given Left Traffic for RWY (14?). On the way back the DE asked me if anyone else in my family had flown before etc... and said I was doing a great job - definitely handled the aircraft well and that my radio/checklist procedures were well prepared for a future in flying.

   8. Landed - taxi to a specific tiedown the DE had picked out - all the while careful to follow procedure, checklist, and control-wind-compensation.

      "Shutdown, and...
      let's go print up your certificate!"