Last Sunday I passed my practical test for the Sport Pilot certificate. And what an eye opener it was. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect and, on top of that, I had managed, very methodically, during the few months leading up to that day, to work myself into somewhat of a tizzy about The Event. It didn’t help that I imagined that all FAA examiners were big, scary I’m-going-to-make-your-life-miserable monsters. Or that I knew that my brain had been dulled by an education system in which multiple-choice testing was the standard. The thought of a one-on-one oral test was knee-shaking — I couldn’t help but wonder if my brain would hold up under pressure. There’s so much information to learn and know about flying, he/she could ask me anything … practically!
These fears, I realized, were ultimately of my own creation, thanks in some part to my psychosomatic fallibilities — and in part to the fact that because of this Great Unknown I had fashioned, failure could be a possibility. My friends and colleagues reassured me that it would OK if I had to do it over. And I am a big believer that even with failure you can win big with lessons learned. But somehow I don’t think I would have taken it so well in this case. I had invested a lot of time and heart into this and knew that the investment wouldn’t be ending any time soon, God willing. In a word, I was committed to the lifelong success of this relationship I had renewed with aviation. That investment and commitment (not to mention the training!) alone should have been enough reassurance for me to know that I could overcome any monsters.
Sure enough, the Great Unknown revealed itself as The Event unfolded that day. There was no monster. Instead there was what I suspected to be a model examiner, one whose job was to be sure she would sign off on a safe pilot and no less. There were no mind games or tactical silent stares to break me down into quivering mess. Just real-world scenarios that I had to either converse about or aviate through. My examiner’s congratulatory handshake officially informed me that I had performed competently and passed my first practical. For sure, the next one will be much less scary (at least she said so!)!
Do you remember your first practical test? Did it seem like a big unknown as far as how the examiner was going to approach it? Did you worry about the outcome or did you handle it with aplomb? I’d love to hear about it!
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Connie, first of all congratulations on passing your checkride!
I took my Sport Pilot checkride in April 2008, flying out of South Lakeland and up to Zephyrhills. I was very nervous, but also fairly sure I would do OK. My DFE was "Wayne from Maine" and had a very sharp sense of humor, but I'd also learned from my oral exam that he was also very patient in explaining the process and what he was looking for.
Nerves made me fumble a radio call... and very, VERY nearly call "clear of the runway" a half-second before the entire plane had crossed the hold-short line. I think I just squeaked by on that one. In the air, though, I did fine... and I remember that surprised me somewhat during the process. I was more nervous about speaking up than I was about actually flying the plane!
After going through the PTS maneuvers, I knew I was in the clear when we turned back towards X49. Wayne's exact words were, "get me back to the airport without turning us into a lawn dart, and I'll sign you off." He also encouraged me to "not stop here," and continue on towards my full PPL and other ratings.
It saddens me that so far I haven't made good on that decree, though I still hope to in the near future.
All too familiar. After seven years of on and off training I earned a Sport rating last summer. The DPE, a Maryland State Trooper, was the consumate gentleman and his attitude helped calm my elephant-sized anxiety. The best advice I got was from a pilot about 1/3 my age who said......"you trained for this day....now go have fun!" Harvey Cohen
My checkride, taken about a year and a half ago, was a comedy of errors. I was so nervous, I was shaking the entire time, and was drenched in sweat by the end of it, more from nerves than from the Florida summer heat. The start of the oral exam was delayed when the examiner and I realized that I had incorrectly written down my FAA password that I received from the written test and it took an emergency phone call to get the right one. The checkride also started out badly when I couldn't reach my E6B in my bag in the back seat. One of my landings --with a moderate crosswind -- was so rough the examiner started to reach for the yoke in front of him. As we flew in ground effect, I knew that if his hand touched the yoke my test was over, so I literally slapped at his hand, yelling, "I got it! I got it!" I did got it, but it wasn't pretty.
After we finished the manuevers, it was time for me to navigate back to my home airport, Tampa North Aero Park (X39), and I was expecting this. I saw nearby Zephyrhills airport (KZPH) and the sulpher plant and knew exactly where we were (there was no GPS in the plane). So I talked my way through it, saying, "Well, I see Zephyrhills, which I know is almost directly due East of Tampa North, so I know exactly how to find our way back," and I made a nice coordinated turn... to the East, exactly 180 degrees opposite of the direction we wanted to go. It took me about three seconds to realize my mistake, so as the examiner was turning to give me a look as if to say, "Are you really that dumb?" I announced, "So of course, we want to go WEST, so I'll just turn around now..."
On our last landing of the day, the examiner asked me to do a short field landing, setting the plane down by the windsock a little ways down from the runway threshold. In training, I sometimes had trouble keeping my airspeed down for the short field landings, so I was apprehensive. But my approach this day was beautiful. Perfectly stabilized and my airspeed was stuck on 60 knots, right where I wanted it. But just as we crossed the threshold, the wind shifted a bit and we touched down right on the numbers, well short of the windsock. The examiner turned and said, "I thought I told you to land by the windsock." I just shrugged.
He made me wait until I had parked the plane before telling me, "Well. You passed, but you need to work on your crosswind landings." Indeed. I also needed a shower, but at that point I was the happiest guy at the airport.
That last comment was mine, by the way. I thought I was logged in, but was not...
Good grief, I'm spamming up the comments here. The anonymous comment that was mine, I think, is still in moderation, and was about my checkride, the "comedy of errors"...
My most memorable check ride, indeed the only one I remember was for my CFI 40 years ago. I'd bought an expensive flight bag as a brownie point to the FISDO Inspector (go figure) and though my entire body was shaking (I don't do well with authority figures), managed to present myself at the office. The oral and check ride was lost to the finale of the event. After the air work was done, we headed back to KSJC. The Inspector wanted a straight in overfly to downwind and I managed to comply. Downwind the inspector said he wanted a short field landing from a 180 degree, overhead approach. I'd never heard of a 180 degree overhead approach and my mind started jibbering about my impending doom and whether I could face another check ride with Attila. I finally decided just to do a regular pattern to a short field. Since the Inspector didn't pierce my jugular with his fangs as I approached short final, I hoped I'd done whatever the hell it was he wanted. We taxied to the tie down in silence, I tied the plane down and followed the Inspector to his office. We were having a "nice" chat as he filled out the paper work for issuance of my CFI. Suddenly he frowned, stood up, took my temporary certificate and left the office. I was non plussed and waited nervously for his return. About ten minutes later he returned and sat down. He explained that if it were up to him, he would give me a pink slip for a response to question he'd asked as he signed my temp., but his boss stated that as he'd signed the certificate, he'd issued it and could not unilaterally revoke it. After an additional tongue lashing I left with my tail between my legs and a certificate in hand. Even now, after a several successful years as a CFI and Chief Flight Instructor and a rocky relationship with Inspectors (never ran into a FAA type with a sense of humor like Martha Lunken), I still can't remember what the question was. Not only that, I don't even remember my CIFI ride or if I did the CFI/CIFI ride at the same time (that log book was lost).
In 2007 I was at KSNS after a demo flight in a Sport aircraft and spotted the same Inspector talking to my demo pilot. I got up my nerve walked over to him and told him he'd given me my check ride in 1970 and shook his hand. He immediately apologized for his behavior (I hadn't mentioned my trauma to him). I guess I wasn't the only one to have a rough time under his strict eye and felt somewhat vindicated, abate many years later.
Happy flying
I'm enjoying reading about your experiences. I'm positive they will help others readying for their pts to calm any nerves. Thank you for sharing them and I hope others will join in!
CSW
I wolul like to invite you to new flight society http://www.FlyClub.net
Enjoy
If you get your CFI to sign you off for the check ride and he/she put you through the ringer to get that far then the ride will be fun. The check ride is your 1st legal flight with a passenger. As such you will be allowed to show off your skills. Basically the examiner wants to see that you will safely control and command your aircraft and that you can recognize errors quickly then make the corrections. Practice a few touch and goes when you arrive for the ride. That will familiarize you with the pattern and the approach to landings. Fly safe and fly often ! You will leave with a ticket to learn . The sky never ends .
