CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure

bdhill1979 · May 23rd, 2007, 20:07

Halfway through the ride all of the radios and gauges go crazy. After cycling the GEN switch, no improvement, so I shut off the GEN/BAT and head for the airport. As we got close to the airport we tried to at least get the gear down, but the system was totally dead. After doing the emergency gear extension checklist tried to at least get confirmation of down and locked, but again, completely dead.

I had my handheld Radio so I tried to make some calls, but the headset attachment was all feedback. Hearing the handheld in the cockpit was almost impossible, but after some trying I got confirmation that the gear were in fact down.

The examiner made the landing prepared for the gear to not be locked, but all was well.

It was actually a really good experience. Just sucks though, the school wanted me to start my first student tomorrow morning. All I have is ground reference maneuvers, short field, and soft field landings left to complete the ride.

SmitteyB · May 23rd, 2007, 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdhill1979

Halfway through the ride all of the radios and gauges go crazy. After cycling the GEN switch, no improvement, so I shut off the GEN/BAT and head for the airport. As we got close to the airport we tried to at least get the gear down, but the system was totally dead. After doing the emergency gear extension checklist tried to at least get confirmation of down and locked, but again, completely dead.

I had my handheld Radio so I tried to make some calls, but the headset attachment was all feedback. Hearing the handheld in the cockpit was almost impossible, but after some trying I got confirmation that the gear were in fact down.

The examiner made the landing prepared for the gear to not be locked, but all was well.

It was actually a really good experience. Just sucks though, the school wanted me to start my first student tomorrow morning. All I have is ground reference maneuvers, short field, and soft field landings left to complete the ride.

Excellent experience and good work PIC.

aloft · May 23rd, 2007, 21:10

Dang, dude...commercial and CFI 2 wks apart? You're a manimal.

Nice going on the emergency.

JEP · May 23rd, 2007, 21:26

Great Job...I can't believe the DE didn't give you a free pass after a complete electrical failure on your checkride.......

dc3flyer · May 23rd, 2007, 21:59

I guess you ACED the emergency procedures!!!!!!!!!!
Did you teach the DE through what you were doing? (j/k)

Good luck with the rest, he will probably be slack after that.

bdhill1979 · May 23rd, 2007, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by aloft

Dang, dude...commercial and CFI 2 wks apart? You're a manimal.

Nice going on the emergency.

Never did declare an emergency, it was hard enough to get confirmation that our gear were down.

For those considering an iCom handheld for emergency situations, the headset attachment didn't work, and it was impossible to hear it until the throttle was brought back abeam the numbers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc3flyer

I guess you ACED the emergency procedures!!!!!!!!!!
Did you teach the DE through what you were doing? (j/k)

Good luck with the rest, he will probably be slack after that.

Im not sure, but I think he did check that one off the list, I would check, but the letter of discontinuance is all the way out in the car and I = lazy

newty · May 23rd, 2007, 23:15

damn bd nice job. What plane were you in? Do they still have the arrows? Sound like you handled it all well. Did provo tower yell at you for entering their airspace without radio contact? I know a guy that had a total electrical failure and landed provo only to have millionair tell him the tower would like to talk to him. They gave him an earful until he asked them why he never recieved any light signals? that shut em up

SierraPilot123 · May 24th, 2007, 01:08

Good job handling the situation bdhill1979.

I think you need a push to mic switch with the headset attachment. Otherwise, just use it wihout and plug in the headset to listen.

That is how mine works.

bdhill1979 · May 24th, 2007, 01:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by SierraPilot123

I think you need a push to mic switch with the headset attachment. Otherwise, just use it wihout and plug in the headset to listen.

That is how mine works.

I must have a faulty cable then, all I got was eardrum piercing feedback.

May 23rd, 2007, 20:07	#1
bdhill1979 Old Skool Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: U77 Posts: 2,438	CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure Halfway through the ride all of the radios and gauges go crazy. After cycling the GEN switch, no improvement, so I shut off the GEN/BAT and head for the airport. As we got close to the airport we tried to at least get the gear down, but the system was totally dead. After doing the emergency gear extension checklist tried to at least get confirmation of down and locked, but again, completely dead. I had my handheld Radio so I tried to make some calls, but the headset attachment was all feedback. Hearing the handheld in the cockpit was almost impossible, but after some trying I got confirmation that the gear were in fact down. The examiner made the landing prepared for the gear to not be locked, but all was well. It was actually a really good experience. Just sucks though, the school wanted me to start my first student tomorrow morning. All I have is ground reference maneuvers, short field, and soft field landings left to complete the ride. __________________ Commercial Pilot, IR Gold Seal CFI, CFII TT: 950ish Part 91 Company pilot 4 year Degree Will fish for pay

May 23rd, 2007, 21:10	#3
aloft Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Inside your OODA loop Posts: 6,998	Re: CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure Dang, dude...commercial and CFI 2 wks apart? You're a manimal. Nice going on the emergency. __________________ Commercial Pilot, ASEL/AMEL/IA 900+ TT/25 ME Mountain-qualified Search & Rescue/Disaster Relief Mission Pilot, Civil Air Patrol B.S., Psychology, Univ of Utah

May 23rd, 2007, 21:26	#4
JEP Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Eden Prairie, MN (KFCM) (KMSP) Posts: 10,863 Blog Entries: 1	Re: CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure Great Job...I can't believe the DE didn't give you a free pass after a complete electrical failure on your checkride....... __________________ NJC or Bust.....CountDown Timer

May 23rd, 2007, 21:59	#5
dc3flyer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Everywhere Posts: 1,161	Re: CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure I guess you ACED the emergency procedures!!!!!!!!!! Did you teach the DE through what you were doing? (j/k) Good luck with the rest, he will probably be slack after that.

May 23rd, 2007, 23:15	#7
newty Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: mapleton utah Posts: 208	Re: CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure damn bd nice job. What plane were you in? Do they still have the arrows? Sound like you handled it all well. Did provo tower yell at you for entering their airspace without radio contact? I know a guy that had a total electrical failure and landed provo only to have millionair tell him the tower would like to talk to him. They gave him an earful until he asked them why he never recieved any light signals? that shut em up __________________ "Once he told me why, he said we all have to fly someday." neil young

May 24th, 2007, 01:08	#8
SierraPilot123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Area Posts: 384	Re: CFI Checkride discontinued: total electrical failure Good job handling the situation bdhill1979. I think you need a push to mic switch with the headset attachment. Otherwise, just use it wihout and plug in the headset to listen. That is how mine works.

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