PPL Checkride

BobDDuck · May 12th, 2004, 15:43

Okie, as promised, here it goes.

I took my checkride at Elkins WV with Mr Don Judy. Last week my instructor and I had flown down to Elkins and gone through a simulated practical test. Elkins has two crossing runways. The only tricky bit is that 34 has a 500 displaced threshold due to a hill on short final. The other thing is that Elkins sits at the top of a North-South valley. The airport is at about 2000 MSL but the mountains immediatly to the West (my route in) are about 4000 to 5000 feet. Fortunatly there is a pass that a has a road running through it. They call it "that gap". How origional.

Anyhow... I flew down to Elkins about an hour before my checkride. I had preplanned a cross country to Wheeling County but I had only put in the distances and true heading (as I didn't know the winds at that point). So we sat down and went over paperwork. Everything seemed in order so he asked me to walk him through my xc.

I started off with my checkpoints and why I had chosen them. The first point I had was just outside of the gap. Then I headed up to my first "real" checkpoint and then from there on course to Wheeling. He then asked for the estimated time and I told him I still had to figure out the winds. He was slightly annoyed I hadn't done it yet (I guess I should have thought of that ahead of time). So I called FSS and computed the winds. After that we moved on to weight and balance which was no problem. From there we did takeoff distances from the POH. He then asked how much fuel we would burn during the trip. I figured it using the POH but then he asked me to verify it with my EB6... But wait. I'd never done that before. I did some fiddeling with the wheel and then told him I had no idea. He clued me in that it was similar to getting ground speed and I was able to figure it out.

So now I had done two things that I thought he might bust me for (xc planning and gas) but he moved right on to items on the chart and weather minimums. I had some trouble with the numbers for SVFR (I thought there had to be a 1000 foot ceiling to do it) but otherwise did pretty well. We went on to Vspeeds and aircraft systems and then a few FARs and aeromedical factors.

After about 45 min total we moved on to the practical. A quick preflight and we were off. KEKN has a on field FSS so I called for an airport advisory. He didn't like the fact that I only used the last three digits of the N number (59G as opposed to 7959G). After taking the active we did a short field takeoff and climbed out of the pattern. Here's where it got bad. Because my first checkpoint was due west and then to the north I headed west. He immediatly asked what I was doing. I told him I was heading to my first checkpoint and he replied that this was the strangest xc start he had ever seen. Uh oh! Anyhow, about this time there was a big thunderstorm that started forming to our south (down the valley). He called FSS to get an update and they said it was pretty much stationary to our south. Apparently that took his mind off my xc start as once I turned on course on my second checkpoint he had me divert. Now fortunatly me instructor had already told me where and when I would end up diverting so I already had a bearing and range in mind. Sure enough it was just as my instructor predicted. So I fiddled with the plotter for a second and then came up with a heading and distance. We turned that way and he delcaired the xc portion over.

He then had me put on foggles and track a vor inbound for about 1 min. Then standard turns to the right and left. After that we did two unusual attitude recoveries (they were really weak ones compaired to what my CFI had been doing, which was fine with me) and then he had me take the foggles off. By now we were back in the valley through the gap and heading east about 5 miles from the airport. He then had me turn south (heading directly towards the now dissapating thunderstorm) and go into slow flight. In slowflight I did two clearing turns and then proceeded to do a power on stall. I recovered at the buffet (bufet? buffett? whatever) and he said to do a power off stall but to let it actually break this time. With that accomplished we did a 360* steep turn and then headed back north for the airport.

On entering downwind he pulled my engine and I made a slight mistake. My engine out flow went well (I actually remembered to check the primer for a change) but as I turned base I did something wrong. I had been told multiple times by my CFI that this DE really like slips. So instead of putting out flaps I through the plane into a slip all the way down. About 50 off the ground he said ok, you would have landed, but go around now. So around we went to do a shortfield landing. On the way around he commented on the fact that my flaps weren't broken on the last approach and I probably should have used them. Doh! The second landing (short field) was went well and again we went around at 50 feet, which was just as well as most of the problems I have had with those landing occure during the flair. From there we moved on to a softfield. This time we went all the way to the ground. It went ok, but I forgot to add power at the last minute for rudder authority. Oh well. Our last landing was a slip, and it went pretty well. After that we taxied in to finish up paperwork. Total time in the air: 1.3 hours.

After the paperwork I headed back north to my home airport. Another thunderstorm was forming to the south but my first flight as an actual pilot went well. Oh right... the marines. Apparently when I was down in Elkins the Marines had taken over 4G7 to do assault practice out of Chinooks and such. WVUFlyer can tell you about it better then I as he was there at the time. The only effect it had on my was that as I entered the pattern from the east about 4 choppers (the marines version of the Sea King I think) headed past me the other way.)

So, I'm glad it is done. 1 down, a whole bunch to go. Thanks for the support and help that everyone has given me here.

Ethan
PPSEL(

)

RiddlePilot · May 12th, 2004, 16:46

Congrats!

If I can say one thing though:

[ QUOTE ]
I had been told multiple times by my CFI that this DE really like slips. So instead of putting out flaps I through the plane into a slip all the way down.

[/ QUOTE ]

You shouldn't go into a checkride trying to cater to what the DE likes to see like this. You are the pilot, and it's your responsibility to get the aircraft on the ground safely, not his.

BobDDuck · May 12th, 2004, 17:52

Yeah, I agree with you on that one. It wasn't really intentional. By then time I realized I needed to loose some altitude I just sort of did it. I don't know why I did. But at least it worked out. I don't think I was thinking "ok, this will give me brownie points." If anything I was trying to stay away from slips and what not because if they weren't just right... they were wrong. I think the lesson of all of that is that a checkride is your chance to show the DE what you know, not what they want to see (within the constraints of the PTS)

Ethan

USMC-SGT · June 2nd, 2006, 14:01

Not to be "that guy" but the Marines use a CH-46 Sea Knight and the Army uses a CH-47 Chinook and the SH-3 Sea King is used by the Navy but for the most part it has been phased out.. I just like to throw military flight knowledge in here and there.

..Moving on......

GREAT JOB ON YOUR PPL! I HAD SO MUCH FOR FLYING ANYBODY ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON WHEN I GOT MY TICKET!

BrianNC · June 3rd, 2006, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMC-SGT

Not to be "that guy" but the Marines use a CH-46 Sea Knight and the Army uses a CH-47 Chinook and the SH-3 Sea King is used by the Navy but for the most part it has been phased out.. I just like to throw military flight knowledge in here and there.

..Moving on......

GREAT JOB ON YOUR PPL! I HAD SO MUCH FOR FLYING ANYBODY ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON WHEN I GOT MY TICKET!

That was from 2004. He flies for an airline now.

USMC-SGT · June 4th, 2006, 12:42

ha! So it was....ok ill be in my hole if you need me

Thanks Brian...Maybe i will be his FO someday

BrianNC · June 4th, 2006, 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMC-SGT

ha! So it was....ok ill be in my hole if you need me

Thanks Brian...Maybe i will be his FO someday

Well, just goes to show you how doable it is in such a short amount of time. He's been with the airline for several months. So he did it in less than two years once receiving his PPL.

scflyin · June 5th, 2006, 14:16

congrats on the PPL!!

BrianNC · June 5th, 2006, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by scflyin

congrats on the PPL!!

Hey newbie, read the whole thread.

desertdog71 · June 5th, 2006, 15:10

Happy 25th month anniversary on getting your PPL.

BrianNC · June 5th, 2006, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertdog71

Happy 25th month anniversary on getting your PPL.

LOL.

LoadMasterC141 · June 6th, 2006, 17:49

Bob,
Did you blog the rest of your training? Now that I have read your PPL story from 2 years ago, and know you are an airline pilot, I would love to know the in-between details.....Helps wannabe's like me gain perspective.

BrianNC · June 6th, 2006, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoadMasterC141

Bob,
Did you blog the rest of your training? Now that I have read your PPL story from 2 years ago, and know you are an airline pilot, I would love to know the in-between details.....Helps wannabe's like me gain perspective.

You may want to shoot him a pm and ask him. His last post in this thread was in 2004 and there has been a forum upgrade/change since then and he may not be subscribed to this thread any longer and may not get notification of your post.

LoadMasterC141 · June 7th, 2006, 14:06

Yes thanks. I noticed that he posted yesterday in an ATP thread, but did'nt want to sabotage that one.
PM Sent

BrianNC · June 7th, 2006, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoadMasterC141

Yes thanks. I noticed that he posted yesterday in an ATP thread, but did'nt want to sabotage that one.
PM Sent

Post the link here if you get one. I would like to read it too.

JaceTheAce · June 7th, 2006, 15:26

Congratulations on the PPL!

LoadMasterC141 · June 7th, 2006, 15:58

His PPL was in 2004. Read da whole thread homes.

RynoB · June 8th, 2006, 02:15

Did you hear that we finally put a man on the moon!

BobDDuck · August 8th, 2006, 00:58

What the heck. I go off on a 4 day trip from hell and end up with this.

I didn't really blog the rest of my training. I mean, I did here and there but nothing coherent. Some of it is in various places on here and some of it is on different websites I've had over the past 2 years. I don't think there is anything about my non 121 training on my current website, but there is some stuff (not much) from the training where I am now there.

It took me 18 months to go from 0 time to the right seat of an RJ. It can be done with out purchasing a type or right seat direct programs. </soapbox>

As far as the helicopters go... I just remember they were big and preventing me from landing.

Chewie von Nubbins · April 6th, 2007, 21:58

Although a couple month's short of one year from the last time, I didn't want the tradition to die.

Congrats on your PPL!!!

After reading this tread, I just couldn't resist.

ComplexHiAv8r · May 2nd, 2007, 15:30

CONGRATS ETHAN!!!!!
Glad to see that you are moving forward with your dreams!

meyers9163 · May 2nd, 2007, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComplexHiAv8r

CONGRATS ETHAN!!!!!
Glad to see that you are moving forward with your dreams!

Are we serious?

Swen · May 2nd, 2007, 15:52

Let me join the fun.

Happy belated passage of your PPL!

Stone Cold · May 2nd, 2007, 23:09

Dude, that's OutFREAKINGstanding!!! Congrats on the PPL!!!

BobDDuck · May 2nd, 2007, 23:16

This darn well better be a yearly thing or I am going to feel REALLY left out next year.

May 12th, 2004, 15:43	#1
BobDDuck Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Left Seat Posts: 5,734	PPL Checkride Okie, as promised, here it goes. I took my checkride at Elkins WV with Mr Don Judy. Last week my instructor and I had flown down to Elkins and gone through a simulated practical test. Elkins has two crossing runways. The only tricky bit is that 34 has a 500 displaced threshold due to a hill on short final. The other thing is that Elkins sits at the top of a North-South valley. The airport is at about 2000 MSL but the mountains immediatly to the West (my route in) are about 4000 to 5000 feet. Fortunatly there is a pass that a has a road running through it. They call it "that gap". How origional. Anyhow... I flew down to Elkins about an hour before my checkride. I had preplanned a cross country to Wheeling County but I had only put in the distances and true heading (as I didn't know the winds at that point). So we sat down and went over paperwork. Everything seemed in order so he asked me to walk him through my xc. I started off with my checkpoints and why I had chosen them. The first point I had was just outside of the gap. Then I headed up to my first "real" checkpoint and then from there on course to Wheeling. He then asked for the estimated time and I told him I still had to figure out the winds. He was slightly annoyed I hadn't done it yet (I guess I should have thought of that ahead of time). So I called FSS and computed the winds. After that we moved on to weight and balance which was no problem. From there we did takeoff distances from the POH. He then asked how much fuel we would burn during the trip. I figured it using the POH but then he asked me to verify it with my EB6... But wait. I'd never done that before. I did some fiddeling with the wheel and then told him I had no idea. He clued me in that it was similar to getting ground speed and I was able to figure it out. So now I had done two things that I thought he might bust me for (xc planning and gas) but he moved right on to items on the chart and weather minimums. I had some trouble with the numbers for SVFR (I thought there had to be a 1000 foot ceiling to do it) but otherwise did pretty well. We went on to Vspeeds and aircraft systems and then a few FARs and aeromedical factors. After about 45 min total we moved on to the practical. A quick preflight and we were off. KEKN has a on field FSS so I called for an airport advisory. He didn't like the fact that I only used the last three digits of the N number (59G as opposed to 7959G). After taking the active we did a short field takeoff and climbed out of the pattern. Here's where it got bad. Because my first checkpoint was due west and then to the north I headed west. He immediatly asked what I was doing. I told him I was heading to my first checkpoint and he replied that this was the strangest xc start he had ever seen. Uh oh! Anyhow, about this time there was a big thunderstorm that started forming to our south (down the valley). He called FSS to get an update and they said it was pretty much stationary to our south. Apparently that took his mind off my xc start as once I turned on course on my second checkpoint he had me divert. Now fortunatly me instructor had already told me where and when I would end up diverting so I already had a bearing and range in mind. Sure enough it was just as my instructor predicted. So I fiddled with the plotter for a second and then came up with a heading and distance. We turned that way and he delcaired the xc portion over. He then had me put on foggles and track a vor inbound for about 1 min. Then standard turns to the right and left. After that we did two unusual attitude recoveries (they were really weak ones compaired to what my CFI had been doing, which was fine with me) and then he had me take the foggles off. By now we were back in the valley through the gap and heading east about 5 miles from the airport. He then had me turn south (heading directly towards the now dissapating thunderstorm) and go into slow flight. In slowflight I did two clearing turns and then proceeded to do a power on stall. I recovered at the buffet (bufet? buffett? whatever) and he said to do a power off stall but to let it actually break this time. With that accomplished we did a 360* steep turn and then headed back north for the airport. On entering downwind he pulled my engine and I made a slight mistake. My engine out flow went well (I actually remembered to check the primer for a change) but as I turned base I did something wrong. I had been told multiple times by my CFI that this DE really like slips. So instead of putting out flaps I through the plane into a slip all the way down. About 50 off the ground he said ok, you would have landed, but go around now. So around we went to do a shortfield landing. On the way around he commented on the fact that my flaps weren't broken on the last approach and I probably should have used them. Doh! The second landing (short field) was went well and again we went around at 50 feet, which was just as well as most of the problems I have had with those landing occure during the flair. From there we moved on to a softfield. This time we went all the way to the ground. It went ok, but I forgot to add power at the last minute for rudder authority. Oh well. Our last landing was a slip, and it went pretty well. After that we taxied in to finish up paperwork. Total time in the air: 1.3 hours. After the paperwork I headed back north to my home airport. Another thunderstorm was forming to the south but my first flight as an actual pilot went well. Oh right... the marines. Apparently when I was down in Elkins the Marines had taken over 4G7 to do assault practice out of Chinooks and such. WVUFlyer can tell you about it better then I as he was there at the time. The only effect it had on my was that as I entered the pattern from the east about 4 choppers (the marines version of the Sea King I think) headed past me the other way.) So, I'm glad it is done. 1 down, a whole bunch to go. Thanks for the support and help that everyone has given me here. Ethan PPSEL( )

May 12th, 2004, 16:46	#2
RiddlePilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Prescott, AZ Posts: 928	Re: PPL Checkride Congrats! If I can say one thing though: [ QUOTE ] I had been told multiple times by my CFI that this DE really like slips. So instead of putting out flaps I through the plane into a slip all the way down. [/ QUOTE ] You shouldn't go into a checkride trying to cater to what the DE likes to see like this. You are the pilot, and it's your responsibility to get the aircraft on the ground safely, not his.

May 12th, 2004, 17:52	#3
BobDDuck Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Left Seat Posts: 5,734	Re: PPL Checkride Yeah, I agree with you on that one. It wasn't really intentional. By then time I realized I needed to loose some altitude I just sort of did it. I don't know why I did. But at least it worked out. I don't think I was thinking "ok, this will give me brownie points." If anything I was trying to stay away from slips and what not because if they weren't just right... they were wrong. I think the lesson of all of that is that a checkride is your chance to show the DE what you know, not what they want to see (within the constraints of the PTS) Ethan

June 2nd, 2006, 14:01	#4
USMC-SGT Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Posts: 1,145	Re: PPL Checkride Not to be "that guy" but the Marines use a CH-46 Sea Knight and the Army uses a CH-47 Chinook and the SH-3 Sea King is used by the Navy but for the most part it has been phased out.. I just like to throw military flight knowledge in here and there. ..Moving on...... GREAT JOB ON YOUR PPL! I HAD SO MUCH FOR FLYING ANYBODY ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON WHEN I GOT MY TICKET! __________________ .....i have two speeds, walk and kill

June 4th, 2006, 12:42	#6
USMC-SGT Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Posts: 1,145	Re: PPL Checkride ha! So it was....ok ill be in my hole if you need me Thanks Brian...Maybe i will be his FO someday __________________ .....i have two speeds, walk and kill

June 5th, 2006, 14:16	#8
scflyin Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 276	Re: PPL Checkride congrats on the PPL!!

June 5th, 2006, 15:10	#10
desertdog71 Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: KIDP/KCNU Posts: 3,007	Re: PPL Checkride Happy 25th month anniversary on getting your PPL. __________________ www.flywhiteair.com http://www.myspace.com/desertdog71 Following message is for SkyCougar. Took my chances on a big jet plane, Never let them tell you that they're all the same.

June 6th, 2006, 17:49	#12
LoadMasterC141 Old Skool Join Date: May 2006 Location: Live in Arlington, TX - From Ithaca, NY - Wish I was on an island in Fiji Posts: 1,928	Re: PPL Checkride Bob, Did you blog the rest of your training? Now that I have read your PPL story from 2 years ago, and know you are an airline pilot, I would love to know the in-between details.....Helps wannabe's like me gain perspective.

June 7th, 2006, 14:06	#14
LoadMasterC141 Old Skool Join Date: May 2006 Location: Live in Arlington, TX - From Ithaca, NY - Wish I was on an island in Fiji Posts: 1,928	Re: PPL Checkride Yes thanks. I noticed that he posted yesterday in an ATP thread, but did'nt want to sabotage that one. PM Sent

June 7th, 2006, 15:26	#16
JaceTheAce Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: San Diego Posts: 7,430	Re: PPL Checkride Congratulations on the PPL! __________________ "Time spent flying is not deducted from one's lifespan." Free The Grapes!

June 7th, 2006, 15:58	#17
LoadMasterC141 Old Skool Join Date: May 2006 Location: Live in Arlington, TX - From Ithaca, NY - Wish I was on an island in Fiji Posts: 1,928	Re: PPL Checkride His PPL was in 2004. Read da whole thread homes.

June 8th, 2006, 02:15	#18
RynoB Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bixby, OK Posts: 635	Re: PPL Checkride Did you hear that we finally put a man on the moon! __________________ Ryan ATP (CE525, CE510, BE-300), SIC BE-400, CFI, CFII, MEI, IGI States I've landed in:

August 8th, 2006, 00:58	#19
BobDDuck Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Left Seat Posts: 5,734	Re: PPL Checkride What the heck. I go off on a 4 day trip from hell and end up with this. I didn't really blog the rest of my training. I mean, I did here and there but nothing coherent. Some of it is in various places on here and some of it is on different websites I've had over the past 2 years. I don't think there is anything about my non 121 training on my current website, but there is some stuff (not much) from the training where I am now there. It took me 18 months to go from 0 time to the right seat of an RJ. It can be done with out purchasing a type or right seat direct programs. </soapbox> As far as the helicopters go... I just remember they were big and preventing me from landing. __________________ TBJC08 The Gear Monkey The Gear Monkey Store

April 6th, 2007, 21:58	#20
Chewie von Nubbins Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: KGKY Posts: 947	Re: PPL Checkride Although a couple month's short of one year from the last time, I didn't want the tradition to die. Congrats on your PPL!!! After reading this tread, I just couldn't resist. __________________ CFI, CFII, IGI

May 2nd, 2007, 15:30	#21
ComplexHiAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: OH or is it MX?? Posts: 4,849	Re: PPL Checkride CONGRATS ETHAN!!!!! Glad to see that you are moving forward with your dreams! __________________ ASEL Instrument 500+ TT Cirrus Driver Engineer Loving Spouse and Father Proud Foster Parent Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying....

May 2nd, 2007, 15:52	#23
Swen Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,614	Re: PPL Checkride Let me join the fun. Happy belated passage of your PPL! __________________ "Smith & Wesson - the original point and click interface"

May 2nd, 2007, 23:09	#24
Stone Cold Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SE US & Kiev Posts: 3,038	Re: PPL Checkride Dude, that's OutFREAKINGstanding!!! Congrats on the PPL!!!

May 2nd, 2007, 23:16	#25
BobDDuck Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Left Seat Posts: 5,734	Re: PPL Checkride This darn well better be a yearly thing or I am going to feel REALLY left out next year. __________________ TBJC08 The Gear Monkey The Gear Monkey Store

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