Eblo

A Different Perspective

While looking over my logbook yesterday and contemplating my checkride being rescheduled to Saturday the 5th, I realized I might have a problem with one of the recency of training requirements, namely 61.109(a)(4) which requires:

3 hours of flight training in preparation for the practical test in a single-engine airplane, which must have been performed within 60 days preceding the date of the test

Based on when my flights were with my CFI, Saturday would either be the 60th day, or the 61st, depending on how you counted. My CFI seemed to think I'd be OK, but didn't have the regulations in front of him.

I decided to contact the Designated Examiner (DE) and find out her opinion, since it's hers that counts. Her judgement was that June 5 would be 61 days after April 6 leaving me .3 hours short of the requirement.

I wasn't going to argue the point, I just had to fix the problem. So last night I raced over to the airport and got on the schedule with an instructor (not my usual) for first thing this morning.

I had been meaning to have a fresh pair of eyes look at my flying before the checkride, but weather hadn't allowed it until today. Today, the weather was perfect. CAVU. Severe clear. Not a cloud in the sky with a nice steady breeze out of the northeast.

I liked flying with the new instructor. At first I was nervous about having someone 'new' critiqueing my flying, but I settled in pretty quickly when he didn't criticize my takeoff or anything ;-) He gave me some good pointers and I definitely feel better prepared for the checkride after having flown with him. So while it was a hassle to have to do last-minute, it was a good thing.

It's funny that he pulled power to simulate an engine failure while we were over a private strip - my regular CFI always focuses on finding a good field - this guy's point was to always know where you are and if there's an airport nearby. Both good skills, in my opinion.

Another training difference was that I listened to him when he told me to turn base for the field, and I ended up high. I had to dive to 'make the field' (we didn't actually land, just went low enough to show that I could and then executed a go-around). Ordinarily I would have extended my downwind leg out a little further to have a better glide slope, but as he pointed out, it's better to slip and dive to the field than come up short. Different philosophies I need to meld into my own. . . .

I did blow my attempt at a short-field landing back at Campbell, because he'd had me fly the pattern at 1,800' instead of 1,600' which I always do. I told him on short final that I wasn't going to stop short and asked if I should go around. He said, for the test, yes, but for now, just land. No biggie. I saw the problem and knew what to do about it.

I get the impression that my flying didn't wow him, but he said he didn't see any problems and that I should do fine on the test. He also gave me some other good pointers about slow flight and stalls which my primary CFI glossed over pretty quickly quite a while ago. I even did my first turning stall today. My ground reference maneuvers and steep turns were dead on, so that's cool.

Anyway, I'm on for 2:00-?:?? Saturday afternoon. They've revised the forcast to look better, so we'll see. I may try to get up at noon tomorrow to get used to that higher pattern. It makes sense to bump up to 1'800 over the houses that popped up at the end of Runway 27.

So, yeah, it was a GREAT morning to fly. Beautiful, not one cloud, and the air was like glass above 2,000'. I got the .3 hour I needed plus .7 extra. That gives me a cushion of a week to get the test done, or I'll have to fly with someone again.

After my flight, the CFI was taking a guy up for his first flight. The guy's wife and kid were there. It was so cool to see the excitement and nervousness on his face. Another one hooked. . . .

Update:

For some reason, the GPS crapped out about 2/3 through the flight. It might have been low batteries - it didn't lock up like on the Madison trip, it was just off by the time we landed.