Bob's Private Pilot Checkride Experience...

[ExpressJet_Bob]

I thought some of you might get a kick out of this... I wrote this the day I did my Private Pilot Checkride back on May 5th, 2003. It seems like eons ago, but really wasn't... It should give you some more insight into myself, and what a checkride is like for those who have never had one.

Hope you all enjoy!

Bob

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Last night was the most serene night flight I believe I've ever had.

I departed out of Portland at about 8:00 pm and flew up to Lewiston-Auburn to do a few landings at an unfamiliar airport at night. On the way back to the Jetport I had the chance to just fly and enjoy the night. The sky was black as pitch and it looked as though millions of stars were shining through it. On the ground the lights were gleaming up at me from Gray, Cumberland, Portland and several smaller communities... beyond that... the darkness of the Atlantic. It felt like I not only had stars above me... but also stars below. I was following the thumbnail moon all the way back to the ocean. There was little to no wind... it was a smooth flight.

It was one of those flights that made me realize how much I enjoy flying. My new office will be in the air. The romance of flight... there's just something about it. I knew for certain that I was making the right decision after that flight.

I landed about 10:00 pm, after doing a couple of night landings for practice and to get my night currency back. Then went home to get a good nights rest... however, I haven't had much sleep these past few nights because I've been studying so much for my Oral FAA interview. Last night was no exception... I ended up staying up until 3:00 am.

Ordinarily, that wouldn't be so bad... I mean, after all, my wife and daughter were in Texas visiting family. So I didn't have any reason to really go to bed that early... except... I had scheduled my FAA Oral Interview and Check-Ride for 8:00 am, this morning!

Before I went to bed, I had to do some cross-country planning from Portland to Albany, NY. This was a required part of the interview. I plotted several different courses before I found one I liked... By the time I did my weight & balance, time & distance, weather, and fuel calculations it was already 2:30 am... Then I must have packed & re-packed my flight bag at least 5 times to make sure I had everything I needed. Must have been nervous energy...

Cut to 6:00 am... and me dragging myself out of bed... ate breakfast in the shower... (just a granola bar), got dressed, let the dog out, grabbed my flight bag, and off I went to the airport... Don't remember much of the drive... not that I was sleeping, but I had my study materials in front of me the whole time! Trying to cram right up to the last minute. I arrived at the Jetport at 7:50 am... before the examiner! That allowed me to get set up in the conference room and start to study and relax before he arrived.

He arrived at 8:05... and we got started promptly... He immediately reviewed my Cross Country Flight Plan and asked me several questions about it before moving on to the Oral. Then... What's a Special Flight Permit... What's an MEL?... Does your aircraft have one?... If so, where?... What is a METAR?... SIGMET?... AIRMET?... VOR?... NOTAM?... FA?... Describe what a Surface Weather Analysis Chart shows you... Define & describe Class A airspace, Class B, C, D, E, & G while your at it. Define VX, VY, Vso, Vs1, VA, and VS for your aircraft. Describe your planes fuel, oil, and hydraulic systems. Pitot-static system? Emergency Procedures... and even... How do you get out of a spin!?

Speaking of Spins... 2 hours later... I felt as if my head was spinning from all the questions... It was just then that he said... "That's it... the hard part's over, now let's go have some fun!". Woo-hoo! I had passed the Oral!

It was an absolutely beautiful day to fly! I did the pre-flight on my aircraft as he watched me and asked me several questions as I went... We then got in... started up, got clearance from the tower and proceeded to take-off. I was no longer nervous... To me, flying seems very natural... and I was eager to impress him.

We flew out to Old Orchard Beach, did some maneuvers, stalls, steep turns, hood work, VOR nav, and such... then called Portland-Approach for clearance back into their Airspace... We finished it off with several Touch & Go's, and finally as I was at TPA mid-field downwind of Rwy 18, he pulled out the power and said... "OK... Get me on the ground safely with no power."

I set up "best-glide", and proceeded to set up my final approach. I got him to the runway with air to spare... set up my flare for landing, and gave him the smoothest landing all day! We then exited the runway and proceeded to the taxi-way to take us back to the ramp...

He then turned to me and said... "Congratulations! You're now a Private Pilot!"

You couldn't wipe the smile from my face for the next several hours. I had just accomplished something that less than one percent of the population has.

It was exhilarating! ...and to celebrate... I went home... and napped!

Bob

[WilliamH_TX]

Wow. Great story Bob.

The whole time I read it, there was a mildly panicky part of my brain going, "But how do you do that, what the hell is Vso, blah, blah, blah..." I know these are all things I'm going to learn, but from the non-pilot perspective it's a strange voodoo of language and procedures that mimic, to a layman, a religious ritual.

Really, really can't wait. Must get this damned house sold.

[AndrewO-IL-607]

I recently (two days ago) completed my private check ride. It sounds like your oral was alot harder and longer than mine. I know that nervouse feeling though. I was more nervouse for my check ride than I was my own wedding. Is that bad? I did fine though. Once I got through the oral we went to go fly and the weather was not cooperating at all and it didnt help that I got even more nervouse because of that. When we finished I thought I have one of the worst flights I had ever been on but the examiner told me he knew I was a good pilot through his intuition and did very well handling the plane in less than perfect weather. I still wish I could take him up one more time and show him what kind of a pilot I really am. Ohh well there will be other check rides and more time to learn.