Commercial Checkride, passed!

VanDy

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Sep 16, 2012
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Troy, OH
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VanDy
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So i fired up the Tcraft and waited patiently for sunrise... ;) then launched to KMGY where the 172RG is based. Ran through the maneuvers once more on the way there. When I got there, I called Martha and we decided that we would have more time available if she came to me, which in turn gave me an hour to play with, so I hopped in the 172 to go practice one last time..

Martha showed up in her beautiful Cessna 180, so i went out and met her and we exchanged niceties and headed inside. a quick look over my papers and we were on to the oral. Started with having me plan an XC from my hip pocket while asking questions about performance, fuel burn, and what not. Followed by airspace and where to get the best inflight weather updates, and that she was a fan of using flight watch. Convinced me to talk to them through a VOR next time I go out in the 172 :D Started doing some weight and balance, after the first time i used the line graph, I asked if I could do them long hand and she was good with that. I let slip that I taught the weight and balance class at the local Community College and she was happy enough with my W&B calcs. A couple of systems questions, mainly relating to emergency gear extension and why, followed by "would you ever pump the gear up?" I said that is just silly, unless you are halfway down during an emergency extension, and even though it shouldn't work, its worth a try at that point. She was happy with that. A couple questions about Comm privileges and we were off to the 172RG.

We departed with the intention of going on the XC and I just so happened to lose power at 500 agl, I applied carb heat and boost pump on, and told her I'm headed to that field right in front of us and leaving the gear up because it looked rough (POH confirms that is the correct answer) power magically came back and we continued on our way.

5 minutes out, she gives me vectors over a friend of hers private field and asks for a steep spiral to landing on it. After she tells me to go around she commented "you fly really well" at this point I finally stop sweating...

After that was steep turns and slow flight, full flaps and stall horn blaring for a few minutes and she was happy. We head on back to KMGY and she asks for a short field landing. Made one of my better ones, a firm landing, didn't use brakes but i did tell her that if it was a real short field I would be braking heavy, but all it does is add maintenance and wear at this point, that was good for her. Then we went and hopped in the Tcraft.

I briefed her on my procedure for hand propping it, she agreed she was comfortable at the controls and it started up at the first try ( like always :) ) normal take off and to the practice area, started with chandelles to get to altitude. Followed with lazy 8's she was glad to see that I slowed down, from there we did power on and off stalls, we spoke about spins for a minute and she asked if she could do one, I told her to do whatever she wanted! She did about 1/4-1/2 a turn spin, we descended and picked a fence row that ended at fields to do 8's on pylons over. the pivotal altitude for the Tcraft is just under 500 feet, so i have to be careful picking a place. explained my choice and how it was 1,000 from structures and right between freshly harvested fields that would make acceptable forced landing sights. and of course, after a complete 8 on pylon, I lost power, and made my field. power came back and she told me to head home we were done and that I did a good job. I climbed up to 1,000 agl and headed the general direction of KMGY. I saw "THE" water tower I use for my downwind entrance point and flew towards it. Well.... about 2 miles from it I say a local interstate and realized I was about 45 degrees off course from the airport, becuase I chose the wrong tower.... Turned towards the airport, didnt say anything and jut kept flying. Martha surprisingly started telling stories about people getting lost, yep I was busted, but she didnt call me out specifically, so I just did my thing going home. got in the pattern and she wanted a power off 180, I turned base way too soon and had to S-turn and slip the heck out of the Tcraft, but i landed not too far after the numbers. She commented that she didnt think I was going to get it down in time, but was glad I did!

.5 in the 172RG and 1.0 in the Tcraft.

It was hazy, 6 mile vis, winds at 2,500 were 28kts and surface was 10kts at 30degrees off runway heading.

I also made sure to exaggerate my visual scans and do extra clearing turns.
 
Well done, nice to see someone finish their CPL in a proper plane :)
 
Congratulations, pilot! I saw your name in the can for 73B this morning :p
 
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