MEI Initial Tommorow

[desertdog71]

I get test anxiety, anyways. I feel like I am prepared but I am still nervous as hell. I am less worried about the Oral than the flight. I still feel strange in the right seat. I am probably just psyching myself out.

I will let you all know how it goes tommorow.

[BrettInLJ]

I haven't been on the board much, but are you doing it with the FSDO or a DE? The oral was the hard part where I did mine (Fort Worth FSDO) as it was 8 hours long. That was a CFII initial though. As far as the ride goes, just keep instructing. Talk a lot, even when taxiing. If there is a lull/silence, use it to teach something. They are looking for you being an instructor, not being perfect. If you mess something up explain to your "student" what you did wrong and how to fix it.

[Captain_Bob]

Good luck tomorrow DD!

Bob

[Ian J]

Awesome Van... you'll do great.

[Swen]

Woo! Go man.

[meritflyer]

Dont eat a double western or else he'll fail you because you had to do the poopy 3 arrival.

[falconvalley]

Good luck! Brett's right. Keep talking! Even if it's about something that might seem noobish to you. As you walk to the airplane, talk about ramp safety (dangers of propellers and jet exhaust, airplanes always have the right-of-way on the ramp, blah blah blah) and don't forget to mention that the airplane preflight starts as soon as you have your airplane in your field of vision, looking for flat tires, missing prop, etc... It's a great lull filler! If you keep everything simple and in layman's terms, talk about everything that you're doing, you can go on for hours. I tried to pretend the Inspector was a beautiful college freshman doing a report on learning to fly. It helped get me psyched!

[SIUAv8r]

Originally Posted by meritflyer

Dont eat a double western or else he'll fail you because you had to do the poopy 3 arrival.

LMAO!!

Good Luck tommorow!!

[Swen]

Well...?

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by Swen

Well...?

Well, I am an idiot.

In preparation for this checkride I focused on all the engine out procedures and maneuvers. I also focused on the commercial PTS requirements and I felt totally ready for the checkride.

The Oral was no problem at all. I rolled through the oral without even a hiccup and was feeling good about the outcome. The Oral was 4 hours from 8am-noon.

Flight portion, everything was great. I performed better than I have ever done on any checkride before. The Examiner was very happy with my presentations and how I was flying the airplane. Did all the difficult Multi engine manueves, landings, takeoffs, drag demo, Vmc Demo blah blah. I had just completed the single engine landing, he asked for a short field takoff and that went perfect as had everything leading up to that point.

Last thing to do he says, lets do turn around a point and then go back to Wichita and we are all finished. I presented the maneuver and selected a good point to do the maneuver. Entered with the wind, steepest bank blah blah. AND SCREWED THE EASIEST DAMN MANEUVER UP!!!!!

I entered too close to the point, let the wind blow me back into the point on the upwind side and a also was out of the altitude parameters. I explained what I had did wrong and aske to do the maneuver again. I again was not within parameters. The examiner stated that it was unsatisfactory and that I would have to return and do ground reference maneuvers again.

Good News is that all I have to do is the Ground reference maneuvers. Bad News is that I am an idiot for not practicing ground reference manevers and allowing myself to bust the ride on something so simple. I am so aggravated with myself right now. I'll knock this crap out in a few days and move on.

I hope someone else can benefit from this. My own arrogance bit me in the ass on this one. I knew I had to do the ground reference maneuvers and I blew it off in practice because I thought I would be able to handle them no problem.

[meritflyer]

Dont worry. Its not an easy ride. You'll be fine. Just relax and talk your way through both the positive and the mistakes.

Point your mistakes out to the examiner. Let them know you understand what is going wrong.

[falconvalley]

Hey, I failed turns around a point on my initial, too!

Nice job, though. NICE. You started, what, back in January and you're already almost an MEI. Props man, props. When I got my CFI, I had been flying for 7 years! As I understand it, it's really difficult to pass your CFI initial on the first try at alot of FSDOs. When I decided to get my CFI, I had a hard time finding an instructor because the FSDO in my area was failing almost 90% on their first try and no one wanted a failure on their record!

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by falconvalley

Hey, I failed turns around a point on my initial, too!

Nice job, though. NICE. You started, what, back in January and you're already almost an MEI. Props man, props. When I got my CFI, I had been flying for 7 years! As I understand it, it's really difficult to pass your CFI initial on the first try at alot of FSDOs. When I decided to get my CFI, I had a hard time finding an instructor because the FSDO in my area was failing almost 90% on their first try and no one wanted a failure on their record!

Started Feb 21st, and I wanted to be done in July. I found out that reality was more like October. I still should be done pretty soon.

[Swen]

It happens, but it does suck. But looking at the positives, you are a couple minute flight from the MEI!

[Timbuff10]

Man, my heart dropped for you there...

I can relate a bit though. After my private ride, I don't think I did another ground reference maneuver until I started instructing. They are pretty easy to overlook after the private.

Knock that thing down on your next flight man! Good luck and keep flying.

[Stone Cold]

Sorry to hear about the bust. Good luck with the rest of the checkrides. Get this one knocked out and don't get so cocky...dumba$$!!!

Enjoy the rest of training, and get to work!

[surreal1221]

It's all good Van. You have one area to focus on, and I think everyone can agree. . . you'll knock it just right on the next time.

Go get em!

[Ian J]

Hey, if that one little maneuver is the only thing that went wrong on a CFI ride, that's nothing to worry about at all. One little manuever left and you got it.

[Timbuff10]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

Hey, if that one little maneuver is the only thing that went wrong on a CFI ride, that's nothing to worry about at all. One little manuever left and you got it.

You know, that is kinda funny to bust that maneuver out of everything that could go wrong on that ride.

It will be a good one to look back on, and when it comes up in a future interview you will be able to easily explain that one.

I have one bust on my record too and mine was basically for not getting a proper weather briefing after the checkride got pushed back from 8 am to noon. Weather can change alot in 4 hours! Instead of checking the weather again, I sat around talking with my buddies about the ride.

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

Hey, if that one little maneuver is the only thing that went wrong on a CFI ride, that's nothing to worry about at all. One little manuever left and you got it.

Of all the stupid things I could have done wrong on this ride. Its the simplest of things that burned me.

Txpilot has it right though. Quit being a cocky S.O.B. and get the damn rides finished and get to work.

[Bandit_Driver]

sorry to hear about the bust...

Since when do they check ground ref maneuvers in a twin? I don't ever remember doing that...Times, they are a changin'

Good luck on the retest

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by Bandit_Driver

sorry to hear about the bust...

Since when do they check ground ref maneuvers in a twin? I don't ever remember doing that...Times, they are a changin'

Good luck on the retest

Its in the PTS for the MEI and also Private so its fair game. No big deal, all I have to do is go back and do that one stupid maneuver and I have my MEI Initial. It should go smooth after that. I am just glad to be nearing the end of my primary training.

[Tim]

Well at least you didnt do what a guy at ATA did when I was there. The DE cut the engine to do the required work and the student looked over at him and told him do not touch my controls again or I will whip your a$$ when we get on the ground....needless to say the ride was over then. I dont think the plane was fully parked before the DE was out and had the pink ticket of failure typed out. They kicked the guy out of the school.

[SteveC]

What's your impression of the Twinkie so far?

[desertdog71]

Originally Posted by Tim

Well at least you didnt do what a guy at ATA did when I was there. The DE cut the engine to do the required work and the student looked over at him and told him do not touch my controls again or I will whip your a$$ when we get on the ground....needless to say the ride was over then. I dont think the plane was fully parked before the DE was out and had the pink ticket of failure typed out. They kicked the guy out of the school.

Sounds like something I would say actually. Or at least think it anyways. That is just too funny.

Steve, the Twinkie is one hell of a fun bird to fly. My only complaint is that trying to trim it is near impossible, steep turns, and obviously ground reference maneuvers get to be a handful sometimes also. No excuses though. Overall its a fun airplane, comfortable, more than adequate single engine performance, and so far has been very reliable and economical.