DCA Diary

[H46Bubba]

Now with partial panel approaches out of the way, I am now waiting for my Stage II checkride. I'm pretty confident about the stage check flight and oral. Finished up lesson 25 on Tuesday. Logged 1.5 of actual, it was great! It definately put my non precision MDA skills to work. I did the ILS 9L NDB hold over the Sanford NDB, then did the NDB C approach to RWY 27R. Orlando Approach blew me through my final twice. Finally got established and flew a flawless approach. We were just at the bottom of the ceiling at MDA and couldn't see the runway or approach lights. We went missed and got vectored for the 27R ILS. Approach vectored us out a ways for spacing. Flew a great ILS apprach and broke out of the clouds just above DH.
Now I just want to get this stage check out of the way, so I can move on to my two cross country flights and the two review flights for the end of course flight. For my short cross country I'm planning on flying down to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, shooting an approach, refuel and head back to Sanford. For my long cross country I'm planning on flying to Savannah, GA, shooting an approach, refuel, and return to SFB. On the return trip to SFB, I will have shoot an approach and landing at Craig Field in Jacksonville, FL.
I'm on track as to what I forsaw at the beginning of the course. I figured that I would be finished with instrument by the last week of February or the first two weeks of March. Once I get the end of course out of the way it will be on to Commercial and the Piper Arrow!

[H46Bubba]

Got my two cross countries out of the way. The flight down to Fort Lauderdale Exec was okay untill they had us descend down to 5,000 ft. We were in the soup and got bounced around pretty good for awhile till I asked for a lower altitude. It took us longer than planned due to us operating at Va for most of the time, while we were in the clouds. Got back an hour and 15 minutes late. Last night, did my loooong cross counrty to Savannah. I logged about 5.7 hrs. No actual this time! Now I just need to get lesson 29 and 30 out of the way and then it's on to the end of course stage check. I'm gonna need to take a week or so to let my brain relax and slow down.

[H46Bubba]

I've finally gotten through the instrument course. I had my last flight last Friday, but I had to finish up on the required 15 hours of backseat time. Tomorrow I was expecting to get the end of course done, but they only have me scheduled for the Oral portion. Weird, but maybe it will work out for the best. I feel like my head's going to explode with all the information I've put in it, and trying to interperate it all. So hopefully the next time I post I should be an instrument rated pilot!

[H46Bubba]

The Oral went very well. Paperwork took up a bit of time. Only missed a couple of things. I had the flight the next day. Now that didn't go to well. Flew down to Kissimee to do the VOR/DME Arc. My arc was outstanding as well as my initial approach. I called our my altitudes, got down to my MDA of 680, but I started to think too far ahead and descended to 600 ft. BUST! Performed the published miss to hold at Cambi intersection as published. Approach was really busy and I blew through the Intersection before the controller gave me my holding instructions. I did a 180 and did a direct entry. My hold was great. I got my inbound leg to 59 seconds. Left the hold to return to Sanford. We ran out of time and had to incomplete the rest of the tasks. I did a partial panel ILS back into Sanford. I forgot to simulate a call to ATC about the vacuum system failure. BUST! The approach was great. I forgot to acknowledge my approach clearance too. So I have to go up and do the VOR approach again, a partial panel NDB approach, steep turns, and unusual attitudes. As long as I don't screw up I'll get my ticket. I had a review flight with one of the senior group leaders last night and it went very well.

[Mr_Jimmy_Fly]

[ QUOTE ]
The Oral went very well. Paperwork took up a bit of time. Only missed a couple of things. I had the flight the next day. Now that didn't go to well. Flew down to Kissimee to do the VOR/DME Arc. My arc was outstanding as well as my initial approach. I called our my altitudes, got down to my MDA of 680, but I started to think too far ahead and descended to 600 ft. BUST! Performed the published miss to hold at Cambi intersection as published. Approach was really busy and I blew through the Intersection before the controller gave me my holding instructions. I did a 180 and did a direct entry. My hold was great. I got my inbound leg to 59 seconds. Left the hold to return to Sanford. We ran out of time and had to incomplete the rest of the tasks. I did a partial panel ILS back into Sanford. I forgot to simulate a call to ATC about the vacuum system failure. BUST! The approach was great. I forgot to acknowledge my approach clearance too. So I have to go up and do the VOR approach again, a partial panel NDB approach, steep turns, and unusual attitudes. As long as I don't screw up I'll get my ticket. I had a review flight with one of the senior group leaders last night and it went very well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Been there, done that. Your glutten for punishment selecting the DME arc on a checkride. If you get to pick your approaches on the next ride (and the winds are favorable), try the ORL VOR 7 approach, it's much easier (as you probably already know). Good luck on your next attempt.

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[Wannabe2]

I am pretty sure our instrument checkride requires the arc. I recall doing the Kissimee arc as well, and I am sure I wouldn't have picked it given a choice. Bubba, you may want to ask about doing a VOR without an arc since you already did that part. I doubt you can do it that way as I think the entire approach is graded as one task, but it may be worth the time to ask. Good luck on your recheck. I am an instructor in the inst. group as well. Give me you instructor's name (or even just initials if you don't want to give his name), and I will try look you up. Nice job on the diary by the way....

[flyboy04]

I remember mine, im about 100% positive that a DME arc is required for the 31 end of course check. I did it at Kissimmee and it worked great, but i know others who go up to daytona and do it there.

[chrisdahut1]

Yep, It's been required for the past 1-2 years now.

[mtsu_av8er]

I loooovvveeee the DME arc!!!

Am I crazy, or what!!

[H46Bubba]

Well my second flight was outstanding up until the end. Got started late on the flight. Check instructor called and asked to move it back an hour, no problem. When I got to DCA, the schedule moved it back 30 more minutes. He was out with another student. 1700 rolls around and he calls in to dispatch and asks for a 30 minute extention. So 1730 passes and he's still not back. He finally showed up at 1745. Unforfunatly I have the same aicraft he had on his previous flight, so I had to wait to get the can and go preflight. I get the can and head out to the line to preflight. I got the aircraft preflighted and still had to wait. I think we got started around 1815. We took off VFR and went out to the west do steep turns and unususal attitudes. My altitude and airspeed were right on the money. Only took one steep turn and he was satisfied. He put me into three unusual attitudes and nailed them. I got set up for my VOR approach to RWY 7 at Exec and he called and got our clearance from approach. My approach was one of my best the whole course. Went missed and got set up for the NDB-B approach back into Sanford. This is were things go T.U. I couln't hear the SFB NDB identifier code and the ADF needle is jumping back and forth more than 10 degrees. As we got closer I told him that I couldn't hear the tones, but he said that he could here them and to continue on. I pressed on and got vectored to 070 to join the final apprach course. I turned and the needle is still fluctuating. I said something to him that I wasn't sure about the approach. We were over 30 degrees deflection from our inbound course, so we were north of course. The needle is still fluctuating over 10 degrees and the voice in my head is saying to go missed. Before I get to utter a word, he takes the controls and said that we were over the 20 degrees allowed. Oh I was pissed. He said that I had over 45 degrees deflection. Even with the fluctuation the needle never passed the 40 degree mark. He barely made a correction to get us on course and did the appoach. I did three review flights to get back up for the flight again. Two wer ein the plane and one in the sim. Even on my review flight last night the NBD or the plane was screwed up again. No tones until we were 3 miles out and the needle was fluctuating slightly. Now I have to do the whole flight over, everytask! That is my only beef with this school. This school over emphesize the NDB approach too much. Especially since it is the most non precisional navigation aid and approach, it's baing phased out, and other than in the sim, not used by the airlines. I talked to a UPS 767 captain the other day and he said that the entire time he flew with Comair and at UPS he has never done an NDB appoach, except maybe in the sim a couple of times. I should be up to fly the end of course tomorrow, so hopefully I get a good plane with a reliable ADF.

[JAM]

Bubba,

Hang in there, man. I think it is absolutely ridiculous your ride hangs on the SFB NDB. That thing is the biggest piece of crap! It only works inside of 5-6 miles accurately anyway.

I strongly suggest you ask for the LEE NDB approach instead. The beacon there, as you know, is much stronger and accurate. Of course, the kicker is the circle to land and the non-towered airport ops. But, the approach should go much better.

Another note. If you think you are getting unfair treatment from a stage check instructor, see if you can arrange, tactfully, to have your instructor fly in the back seat. If what you said happened happened to my student while I was in the back seat, and the ride was unsat, I would raise hell and get the review and recheck paid for by the academy. Of course, if you just go into a your word against his, the pissing match could be more trouble than it is worth.

What upsets me is that it is this type of thing that leaves a bad taste in someones mouth and could end up being a reason they drop out. If any check instructors are reading this, please remember your job is to evaluate a students performance related to the standard and the given conditions.

Okay, I feel a little better

[Mr_Jimmy_Fly]

I feel your pain Bubba, I have in fact been there, done that and got the pink slip. The Commercial section must be backed up at DCA again, gotta hold some of the instrument students up until they have room for ya. Next time this senario occurs take charge, make a PIC decision and get revectored or call the NDB unreliable. Don't let the stage check pilot call the shots, he's just an observer.
I did the same approach with Mr Rasky, I was 10° off on the indicator however I was right on course. That was all instrument error not wind correction. The Sanford NDB is very unreliable indeed.
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[aviator]

I have never had a student fail a checkride that was their fault. It has always been due to faulty equipement, check pilots, weather conditions, over emphasis of NDB's.......ect, ect, ect

[H46Bubba]

Well I finally got up and did the flight again. The flight was lax and I just went out and had fun with it. I got pretty flustered after unsatting the last one and had to take a step back and take a two day breather. Anyways, I went out and started off with the VOR 25 at Exec. It was okay, not my best. From the missed we went up to hold at MAMBO Int and that went really well. This is where I goofed up the flight. We made up an arc to bring us back towards Sanford. It was a 20 DME arc to the east. I forgot to twist the OBS of my NAV to read "From" the VOR and got all screwed up and also I was instructed to climb to 3,000. I was so into trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, I didn't notice I had went to almost 3,300 ft. He took the controls and said that he had to unsat the arc. No problem that would be an easy recheck. I knew what I had done wrong. We got vectors for the ILS 27R into Sanford and he asked me questions about lost comms. He asked me what I would do if we lost comms at that point and we were in IMC. I told him that I would fly direct to ORL VOR and the go to a fix where I could initiate an approach. I picked a fix on the 27R ILS, which I got wrong. There are n o feeder routes on the 27R ILS. It is a radar required approach. I busted lost comms too. Ils went great. It was a little squirlly due to turbulence, but I kept it close. The next and last approach was the NDB-C approach. I had a good ADF and the sinals came in really good. I nailed it. Had it pegged on my inbound heading and it never moved. I never even got a call from tower telling me that I was north or south of cource. So I got all the Hard stuff done and over with. The Recheck should be short and simple. VFR, to the west make up an arc and go over lost comms, and then head back. I should hopefully be an instrument pilot tomorrow!

[NJA_Capt]

Delta Connection Academy???????????

All this time I thought this thread was about the real DCA. Washington (Reagan) International Airport.

Stop confusing us with imitations

It'll always be Comair Aviation Academy to the rest of us.

[H46Bubba]

Well I'm sort of in a rutt right now. I've taken the damned end of course flight four time and unstat them all. Three for simple stuff. All I had to do on the last one was fly a DME arc. I went into it confident and even practiced on MSFS before hand. Took off 27R and turned 360 to intercept the 19 DME easbound from the ORL VOR. I fogot to look at the fk'n DME. It got to 19.9 and the check instructor asked me to talk him through the steps. When i got to the DME it was at 20.5 and he took the controls at that point. I kicked myself in the A$$ for two days over that. That was last Monday and I haven't flow since. I've been waiting to do a review flight. It has to be with an assistant chief or chief flight instructor, so they can evaluate me. I've flow with two group leaders and a senior instructor in the group. I flew great on those flights and impressed them. I had a review flight last Friday but got as far as the runway hold short line. We had a T-storm blow up, so I had to return to the line. I probably won't fly till next Tuesday. I'm flying back to San Diego for my dad's wedding on Thursday. Hopefully I can get back on the schedule for the end of course flight and get it over with by the end of next week. Anybody have any words of wisdom or encouragement? I sure could use some right now.

[Doug Taylor]

I hit a lot of hurdles during my training. Mostly because I hadn't developed the ability to just 'let it go' for a few days and think about something else, then come back with clarity.

When I was in new hire school at Skyway, I called my ground school instructor scared to death because I was so nervous about my company oral, I couldn't remember things that I had to remember.

And he gave me some good advice, "Well, it's friday, if your oral isn't until sunday, go out tonight, have a few beers and forget you're a pilot for a bit. Wake up tomorrow morning, watch some cartoons and then about 2 or 3, start reviewing your material".

Worked like gangbusters for me.

Sounds like you're more fighting your mounting frustration rather than the performance of the maneuver, take a break for a day, let yourself unwind and then reattack the situation.

Just my humble opinion.

[H46Bubba]

Thanks for the pep talk Doug, I needed it. I guess you're right. I know my stuff and can put it to work. I guess I get frustrated having to redo tasks that I've already completed and passed. Plus I'm sure deep down I'm worried that I'll screw up something and have to do the flight over again.

[Doug Taylor]

Like when Obi Wan told Luke to "Let go Luke, use the force"...

That saying got me in more trouble, but he DID have a point in some circumstances!

Take a break, relax, step outside in the sun and go for a walk. You'll get clarity.

[Wannabe2]

Great advice Doug. Obviously Bubba you have all the skills, as you have sat everything at least once so the best advice is to try to relax. Almost impossible I know, but it is that stress that makes multitasking difficult and is probably causing some of the problems. Think of that instrument ticket as already having your name on it. It is already yours, just go prove to the stagecheck pilot that you deserve it. It is pretty common for everyone to hit that learning plateau, you just hit yours early. You will probably be one of those guys that flys through commercial in no time.... Good Luck!

[Doug Taylor]

I also had 'stage fright' during checkrides earlier in my training. I'd become self conscious and worry too much about how the check airman would think "Oh, this guys going to booger up this manuever!". Then I'd get nervous and wouldn't perform the way I felt I should.

Then I started thinking of the check airman in the airplane with me just like a cabby. He's more or less a talking head and it's just between me and the airplane, much the way it would be if you were single-pilot.

If he issued me a DME arc, I'd perform it and wouldn't worry so much about what I thought he wanted me to see, but would think about the standards and tolerances with the manuever.

[chrisdahut1]

Good advice from Doug. Trying to forget about it and move on is easier said then done, but every so often I'll see a perfectly good pilot bust a ride by trying too hard not to fail. I still feel some nervousness whenever I'm doing a stagecheck or checkride. I like to think as positively as possible. It's a simple idea, but helps a lot. I see too many people walk in to stage checks/checkrides with their heads bowed down muttering "well, let's see how I do today". Have confidence in yourself, no matter what happens. And don't try TOO hard.

I just had my "pre" instrument checkride stage check the other day. On past stage checks I have always been ridiculously nervous about who my stage check pilot was and I'd always try and get a gouge from whoever I could about what he or she was like.

I got my self reeeeealy worked up about this stage check for some reason (i.e. trouble sleeping the night before) and all it was was holding and three measley non-prec. approaches.

About four or five hours before the flight I kind of came to terms with things and did exactley what Doug seggested. I decided to just act like it was me and the airplane. The guy in the right seat was just an observer and could have cared less about how I flew. With that mentality in mind I flew the check damn near perfect and I was definetely as calm as I have ever been on a check ride or stage check.

Just be confident and fly it like you know how to.

[H46Bubba]

Well I'm back from a short trip to San Diego. Southwest did a great job getting us there and back. Almost didn't want to come back! Did two review flights to get back into the swing of things yesterday and Tuesday. I think I've exorcised all the bad things out of my head. I should be up for my end of course flight tomorrow.

[yankee_one]

GOOD LUCK!!