Phase check for my SP-ASEL checkride with Dave.
We met to discuss theory a couple of days ago, but our flight was scrubbed due to Wx. We met today to try to do the flight, but Wx was not ideal. As it turned out, after talking, we decided I was not ready anyway, so we decided to postpone the flight.
Theory
I did fine on that. The test was more of a discussion than a straight rapid-fire Q&A, and Dave said that would be the case on the actual checkride as well.
Flight discussion
On our first attempt to fly, I looked at the Wx and noted a 13 knot xwind. Dave asked, so can we fly? I figured hey, I have a CFI with me, so sure. Dave hinted about what the aircraft's crosswind capability is. I looked in the POH and it had only 12 knots demonstrated. Oh. So I guess no. (On further reflection, flying in even a 12 knot xwind in a Flycatcher would be challenging, to say the absolute very least.)
On our second attempt, today, I had sort of prepared and briefed a flight plan the previous day, but did not update it, thinking oh well, we're just going to fly around. The plan was to KSNS via the Woodside VOR, and Dave had said we'd be diverting as soon as we got to Woodside. Dave asked me if we could fly today. I said oh, the bottoms are reported around 3000' so sure why not? He asked me what altitude we needed to be at to overfly Woodside. Hm, at least 3500'. Oh. So I guess no.
So right away, one of my deficiencies is being absolutely 100% clear about Wx issues. I need to be much clearer and more deliberate about this.
Another thing I did not understand, but now do, is that for my checkride, I am flying solo (with a specific exemption to carry 1 passenger, the examiner) and so I still need to be within my solo limitations. This actually simplifies things a lot -- I can just do all the planning as I normally do.
We then discussed the actual flying. I noted to Dave right away that I felt I was inadequately trained in slow flight and ground reference maneuvers. I could fly slowly, and I could fly around the ground, but the specific PTS "airshow" maneuvers were still pretty new to me, both in the "theory" of how they are done and the practice of flying them.
I had a checkride planned in a couple of days; we decided to postpone that. I've been sick for the past couple of weeks and the Wx has not cooperated. I have not had the practice that I needed to be truly ready.
We met to discuss theory a couple of days ago, but our flight was scrubbed due to Wx. We met today to try to do the flight, but Wx was not ideal. As it turned out, after talking, we decided I was not ready anyway, so we decided to postpone the flight.
Theory
I did fine on that. The test was more of a discussion than a straight rapid-fire Q&A, and Dave said that would be the case on the actual checkride as well.
Flight discussion
On our first attempt to fly, I looked at the Wx and noted a 13 knot xwind. Dave asked, so can we fly? I figured hey, I have a CFI with me, so sure. Dave hinted about what the aircraft's crosswind capability is. I looked in the POH and it had only 12 knots demonstrated. Oh. So I guess no. (On further reflection, flying in even a 12 knot xwind in a Flycatcher would be challenging, to say the absolute very least.)
On our second attempt, today, I had sort of prepared and briefed a flight plan the previous day, but did not update it, thinking oh well, we're just going to fly around. The plan was to KSNS via the Woodside VOR, and Dave had said we'd be diverting as soon as we got to Woodside. Dave asked me if we could fly today. I said oh, the bottoms are reported around 3000' so sure why not? He asked me what altitude we needed to be at to overfly Woodside. Hm, at least 3500'. Oh. So I guess no.
So right away, one of my deficiencies is being absolutely 100% clear about Wx issues. I need to be much clearer and more deliberate about this.
Another thing I did not understand, but now do, is that for my checkride, I am flying solo (with a specific exemption to carry 1 passenger, the examiner) and so I still need to be within my solo limitations. This actually simplifies things a lot -- I can just do all the planning as I normally do.
We then discussed the actual flying. I noted to Dave right away that I felt I was inadequately trained in slow flight and ground reference maneuvers. I could fly slowly, and I could fly around the ground, but the specific PTS "airshow" maneuvers were still pretty new to me, both in the "theory" of how they are done and the practice of flying them.
I had a checkride planned in a couple of days; we decided to postpone that. I've been sick for the past couple of weeks and the Wx has not cooperated. I have not had the practice that I needed to be truly ready.
No comments:
Post a Comment