Passed Instrument Checkride!

[rickyrhodesii]

I completed my Instrument Rating under Part 141 training with Accessible Aviation at GTR.

The ORAL EXAM
The oral exam was actually an extremely relaxed setting, which lasted a little under an hour. The examiner did his best to put me at ease and kept me relaxed. This made things a whole lot easier. It almost seemed more like a casual discussion of IFR procedures than an oral exam.

I say this because during my private oral test, the examiner sat across the table and glared into my eyes searching for uncertainness and almost a reason to fail me. It seemed like everything I said was wrong for some reason or another.

The oral for my instrument was a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, he grilled me with questions and explanations, just a much better, professional atmosphere.

Here are some of the questions I can remember:

Disclaimer! I must say, with my background as an Air Traffic Controller (both tower and radar), I think he went a little light on ATC procedures.

-Explain how you'll keep your instrument currency. When does it expire?
-Who qualifies as a safety pilot?
-Say you're planning a flight with an alternate required, what are your fuel requirements. What if an alternate is not required?
-What are the alternate minimums?
-Is an alternate airport required today? (OVC025, 7SM) Why or Why not?
-Is the aircraft we’re flying today equipped for IFR? How do you know?
-What tests and inspections are required for aircraft equipment to be legal?
-How will you know about changes in approach procedures?
-How does pressure variations affect the altimeter? What about temperatures?
-What is the maximum allowable error for an altimeter?
-Say you’re flying on a cool day, in the clouds. You notice your airspeed is decaying with constant power. What’s going on? (This one really got deep with various types of icing, how it forms, the most dangerous type, actions to take, finding the freezing level, how we’d interact with ATC and on and on…It was Pandora’s Box!)
-What happens when the pitot tube freezes? What do you do?
-How are the gyroscopic instruments in your airplane powered?
-What are the errors of the magnetic compass? How do you compensate for them?
-How do you get a preflight weather brief?
-What is a convective SIGMET? SIGMET? AIRMET? (Remember Z, S, T!)
-What’s a TAF? How long is it valid for. How often it the forecast taken?
-What is the upside down T mean on approach charts?
-How are we protected from obstacles on departure? (Cross DER abv 35’, 400’ abv DER before turning, 200’ per n/m)
-What’s a VOT? (Memory Aid Cessna 182 “180 TO”)
-How do we check our VOR? Has your airplane’s VOR been checked?
-What do we do if we loss comm with ATC? IFR and VFR.
-What are the components of the ILS?
-What do you observe and hear in the airplane when you pass the OM? The MM?
-What are the OM and MM used for?
-Where’s the FAF on an ILS?
-Where’s the FAF on a non-precision approach?
-What’s a MOCA?
-When can we descend below the DA/MDA?
-What is a circling approach? What Category are we? How is this determined? What kind of obstacle clearance does this provide us? What if we loose sight of the airport?
-When must we execute the missed approach on any instrument approach?

The following question had me stumped:
Examiner, “Did you study?”
Me, “Um, yes sir.” By this point I thought I was right on with all my answers. My heart sunk and I thought, “Oh #####!”
After a pause the examiner said, “Good job, let’s go flying!”

We also reviewed a couple of approach charts on the ground, an ILS and VOR with only circling minimums.

All in all, I believe it was a very fair and thorough oral exam. But, it didn’t stop on the ground, everything I did in the airplane, he’d ask about.

The Flight
After the preflight, the examiner and I hoped in and started the engine. I ran my checklists, got my taxi and IFR clearance. While we taxied to the runway, I explained how I was checked the instruments. Airspeed indicator read 0, altimeter was within 75’ of field elevation, vertical speed indicator showed about -50’, explained how I would use than for 0, turn coordinator turned correctly with turns, ball moved to the outside on turns, heading indicator was set, compass swung freely to known headings, and the attitude indicator stabilized to show level.

Following the run-up, I requested takeoff clearance and was told “hold short, awaiting IFR release.” We briefly discussed what this meant. Moments later, tower issued take off clearance with climb out instructions. I departed RWY18 on rwy heading up to 3,000’ Departure control radar identified me, climbed me to 5,000 and turned me on a 360 heading to join V278, westbound. After about 10 miles on the V278, the examiner requested a turn eastbound to hold over IGB VORTAC. I was given holding instruction of left turns, 5 mile legs. I quickly reminded ATC I was not DME equipped and requested a 1 minute holding leg. Gold star for that one! The holding entry was fairly simple, a teardrop. I called established in holding, once I was established on the inbound leg I “lost” my vacuum pump. We discussed what we’d do.

Following the turn in holding, I requested the full procedure VOR-A into UBS. Kinda relieved to get the partial panel out of the way on the first approach. If you’re not familiar with this approach, it takes forever, over 4:30 minutes for the FAF to the MAP. The examiner calls the airport in sight, I circle overhead and enter left traffic for RWY18. Short final, the examiner calls for a go around. I climb out per ATC instructions, RH to 3,000.

Next we head back to GTR via vectors for the ILS followed by the LOC. The ILS wasn’t the best I’d flown, but I kept it within ½ scale deflection. I reached decision altitude, and began to execute the missed approach. The examiner called the field in sight. By this time, I already had full power and the flaps were retracted.

On the go, I requested short vectors for the LOC RWY18. At this point I started to feel a little relaxed and I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I received my clearance and intercepted within a mile of the FAF. I flew this approach much better, almost dead center. I nailed the landing and made the first taxi way to hear, “Congratulations Richard!” I think I had one of the biggest and cheesiest smiles on my face. What a relief.

I taxied, shut down, greeted my wife who surprised me at the airport and debriefed. All in all it was a very memorable and enjoyable (yes I said enjoyable!) checkride. The examiner not only made this a checkride, but a learning experience. He pasted on a few tricks and techniques that I’ll add to my bag. The flight lasted 1.6, 0.8 of it was actual instrument conditions.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Good luck to all who are preparing for the instrument rating.

[L00king4traffic]

Congratulations! And Thanks for the info you provided above. I'm sure it'll be very helpful to a lot of us.

[Stomp16]

Good Stuff!!!! Congrats!!!!

[alloyicon]

Congratulations Rick!
Thank you for sharing your checkride experience.

[Skillet]

Congrats on passing the instrument ride! It sure is a good feeling when you're done and know you've passed. Good write up by the way too!!

Mark

[AP2B]

Congrats to you, and thanks for the write up!

[captain]

Hey Thanks Ricky For Ur Information

[Pietrantonio]

Originally Posted by rickyrhodesii

I completed my Instrument Rating under Part 141 training with Accessible Aviation at GTR.

The ORAL EXAM
The oral exam was actually an extremely relaxed setting, which lasted a little under an hour. The examiner did his best to put me at ease and kept me relaxed. This made things a whole lot easier. It almost seemed more like a casual discussion of IFR procedures than an oral exam.

I say this because during my private oral test, the examiner sat across the table and glared into my eyes searching for uncertainness and almost a reason to fail me. It seemed like everything I said was wrong for some reason or another.

The oral for my instrument was a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, he grilled me with questions and explanations, just a much better, professional atmosphere.

Here are some of the questions I can remember:

Disclaimer! I must say, with my background as an Air Traffic Controller (both tower and radar), I think he went a little light on ATC procedures.

-Explain how you'll keep your instrument currency. When does it expire?
-Who qualifies as a safety pilot?
-Say you're planning a flight with an alternate required, what are your fuel requirements. What if an alternate is not required?
-What are the alternate minimums?
-Is an alternate airport required today? (OVC025, 7SM) Why or Why not?
-Is the aircraft we’re flying today equipped for IFR? How do you know?
-What tests and inspections are required for aircraft equipment to be legal?
-How will you know about changes in approach procedures?
-How does pressure variations affect the altimeter? What about temperatures?
-What is the maximum allowable error for an altimeter?
-Say you’re flying on a cool day, in the clouds. You notice your airspeed is decaying with constant power. What’s going on? (This one really got deep with various types of icing, how it forms, the most dangerous type, actions to take, finding the freezing level, how we’d interact with ATC and on and on…It was Pandora’s Box!)
-What happens when the pitot tube freezes? What do you do?
-How are the gyroscopic instruments in your airplane powered?
-What are the errors of the magnetic compass? How do you compensate for them?
-How do you get a preflight weather brief?
-What is a convective SIGMET? SIGMET? AIRMET? (Remember Z, S, T!)
-What’s a TAF? How long is it valid for. How often it the forecast taken?
-What is the upside down T mean on approach charts?
-How are we protected from obstacles on departure? (Cross DER abv 35’, 400’ abv DER before turning, 200’ per n/m)
-What’s a VOT? (Memory Aid Cessna 182 “180 TO”)
-How do we check our VOR? Has your airplane’s VOR been checked?
-What do we do if we loss comm with ATC? IFR and VFR.
-What are the components of the ILS?
-What do you observe and hear in the airplane when you pass the OM? The MM?
-What are the OM and MM used for?
-Where’s the FAF on an ILS?
-Where’s the FAF on a non-precision approach?
-What’s a MOCA?
-When can we descend below the DA/MDA?
-What is a circling approach? What Category are we? How is this determined? What kind of obstacle clearance does this provide us? What if we loose sight of the airport?
-When must we execute the missed approach on any instrument approach?

The following question had me stumped:
Examiner, “Did you study?”
Me, “Um, yes sir.” By this point I thought I was right on with all my answers. My heart sunk and I thought, “Oh #####!”
After a pause the examiner said, “Good job, let’s go flying!”

We also reviewed a couple of approach charts on the ground, an ILS and VOR with only circling minimums.

All in all, I believe it was a very fair and thorough oral exam. But, it didn’t stop on the ground, everything I did in the airplane, he’d ask about.

The Flight
After the preflight, the examiner and I hoped in and started the engine. I ran my checklists, got my taxi and IFR clearance. While we taxied to the runway, I explained how I was checked the instruments. Airspeed indicator read 0, altimeter was within 75’ of field elevation, vertical speed indicator showed about -50’, explained how I would use than for 0, turn coordinator turned correctly with turns, ball moved to the outside on turns, heading indicator was set, compass swung freely to known headings, and the attitude indicator stabilized to show level.

Following the run-up, I requested takeoff clearance and was told “hold short, awaiting IFR release.” We briefly discussed what this meant. Moments later, tower issued take off clearance with climb out instructions. I departed RWY18 on rwy heading up to 3,000’ Departure control radar identified me, climbed me to 5,000 and turned me on a 360 heading to join V278, westbound. After about 10 miles on the V278, the examiner requested a turn eastbound to hold over IGB VORTAC. I was given holding instruction of left turns, 5 mile legs. I quickly reminded ATC I was not DME equipped and requested a 1 minute holding leg. Gold star for that one! The holding entry was fairly simple, a teardrop. I called established in holding, once I was established on the inbound leg I “lost” my vacuum pump. We discussed what we’d do.

Following the turn in holding, I requested the full procedure VOR-A into UBS. Kinda relieved to get the partial panel out of the way on the first approach. If you’re not familiar with this approach, it takes forever, over 4:30 minutes for the FAF to the MAP. The examiner calls the airport in sight, I circle overhead and enter left traffic for RWY18. Short final, the examiner calls for a go around. I climb out per ATC instructions, RH to 3,000.

Next we head back to GTR via vectors for the ILS followed by the LOC. The ILS wasn’t the best I’d flown, but I kept it within ½ scale deflection. I reached decision altitude, and began to execute the missed approach. The examiner called the field in sight. By this time, I already had full power and the flaps were retracted.

On the go, I requested short vectors for the LOC RWY18. At this point I started to feel a little relaxed and I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I received my clearance and intercepted within a mile of the FAF. I flew this approach much better, almost dead center. I nailed the landing and made the first taxi way to hear, “Congratulations Richard!” I think I had one of the biggest and cheesiest smiles on my face. What a relief.

I taxied, shut down, greeted my wife who surprised me at the airport and debriefed. All in all it was a very memorable and enjoyable (yes I said enjoyable!) checkride. The examiner not only made this a checkride, but a learning experience. He pasted on a few tricks and techniques that I’ll add to my bag. The flight lasted 1.6, 0.8 of it was actual instrument conditions.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Good luck to all who are preparing for the instrument rating.

Awesome awesome awesome! Great job and congrats! Have you taken any flights since the checkride? I'm getting ready to take mine hopefully within 2-3 weeks. Thanks for the valuable info as well. Again, congrats!!

[rickyrhodesii]

Originally Posted by Pietrantonio

Awesome awesome awesome! Great job and congrats! Have you taken any flights since the checkride? I'm getting ready to take mine hopefully within 2-3 weeks. Thanks for the valuable info as well. Again, congrats!!

Thanks! Unfortunately a few days after my checkride I had to pack my bags for a full expense paid vacation halfway across the world in the desert, courtesy of the government.

I'm hoping to find my way to a sim they have here and keep my currency.

[tpaRob]

Take care in the desert. I for one.. being ex-AF think about our troops everyday. Thanks for all you do and remember that we are thinking of you guys and gals. If you need anything while your over there let us know.

Rob

[Pietrantonio]

Originally Posted by rickyrhodesii

Thanks! Unfortunately a few days after my checkride I had to pack my bags for a full expense paid vacation halfway across the world in the desert, courtesy of the government.

I'm hoping to find my way to a sim they have here and keep my currency.

Damn. Stay safe over there. Hope you get to come back real soon. Thank you for what you do for us. !

[doog]

Man your post just reminded me how easy it is to forget some of this stuff... Congrats!

[PWK_Pilot]

Rock on!!

I'm starting my training next month with of the best CFIs/international Capts in the Chicagoland area!

[rickyrhodesii]

Thanks tpaRob and Pietrantonio! It really means a lot.

Tell me about it doog. I took a look at some of the questions and I feel like I'm already forgeting half of it! Gotta keep in the books...