Passed Instument

Congrats! 'Tis a big accomplishment. Now make sure you use those newly acquired skills and stay current. The IR opens up a whole new world of safety and travel.
 
Congrats!

We can send the big bus to pick you up now!

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Kidding. Just kidding! :)
 
In what has been a long time coming, with weather delays, COVID-19 delays, more weather delays, I passed my check ride today. Of course, good CFII is important, but also spent a lot of time on this site learning from others. Thanks to all.

Congratulations. Feels good, don’t it. And thanks for the shout out to POA.
 
Congratulations! Any surprises on the checkride, or pretty much what you expected?
 
Congratulations! Any surprises on the checkride, or pretty much what you expected?

Actually no real surprise. I was well prepared. I took my time. I would say that in my case I treated it like I was taking someone up for the first time and explaining in detail everything that I was doing and all the instruments from the moment we started up until we finished. Because we are doing back to back approaches, I did ask him for vectors once so that I could reset the plane properly for the next approach and he thought that was the right way to address it. Don't rush but be efficient. The other issue we had was a circling to land issue. Someone was in the pattern and actually was landing on one runway but kept calling out the other runway. We also didn't see them and so I had to work that problem a little but it worked out. It just caused me to not to descend as quickly because I knew they were in the pattern ... But never had any full deflection of needles or anything like that. Basically as he said before it started, you don't have to be perfect you just can't suck at anything. Thought that was pretty good advice.

After it was over his main feedback was don't go out to fly 200 minimums yet!
 
Congrats!

I like reading the write-ups of how these checkrides went. I am a month or two away (passed written, have XC req's done, need some more sim instrument and dual). I really enjoy reading about how DPEs approach these checkrides. What was the oral portion like? Any gotchas there or interesting focus areas?
 
Congrats!

I like reading the write-ups of how these checkrides went. I am a month or two away (passed written, have XC req's done, need some more sim instrument and dual). I really enjoy reading about how DPEs approach these checkrides. What was the oral portion like? Any gotchas there or interesting focus areas?
Know reason for the altitude value above the FAF on the plate. It is the GS altitude at the outer marker or FAF. Good check of altimeter on the approach.
 
Welcome to the League of Temporary Airport. Now the hard part: maintaining proficiency and currency.
 
After it was over his main feedback was don't go out to fly 200 minimums yet!

Well, not intentionally anyway. But you need to be confident and prepared to always fly to minimums in case of changing weather conditions.

My first IFR flight after the rating was a trip to BHB when I did not expect nor were instrument conditions predicted. But a developing squall line miles west sucked cold Atlantic air inland, creating widespread IFR conditions along the coast and I wound up in a Conga line for the ILS at BHB.

Sounds like you had a good instructor, and you learned well. Enjoy the rating!
 
I flew an ILS to minimums in below-minimums weather on the day after my instrument checkride. I was probably better prepared to do it than at any time since.

Fortunately, it was not to an airport that I actually needed to land at.
 
CONGRATULATIONS Steve!! I am fighting this same fight. Have had a huge problem finding an instructor for my boondocks airport. Had it sort of going when COVID hit. My written expired May 31 and the instructor I was flying with so massively irritating I gave up. Then they extended my written to August 31 and I found a WONDERFUL instructor. I got my IFR cross country done last Sunday in actual and really bumpy air so it was great experience. All requirements are met except for 1.5 more hours and getting good enough that I can pass the checkride. I now have hope for the first time in a long time. Sure hope I can get where you are.
 
Congrats!

I like reading the write-ups of how these checkrides went. I am a month or two away (passed written, have XC req's done, need some more sim instrument and dual). I really enjoy reading about how DPEs approach these checkrides. What was the oral portion like? Any gotchas there or interesting focus areas?


There was nothing unexpected. Basically you need to print the airman certification booklet and go through it in detail. First thing I would say it make sure all your paperwork is ready and organized. I had everything in a folder and note cards ready to go. I even took a picture of my planes registration and certification, had my POH with me, and make sure all items needed to be signed off are done. I missed a few questions on my written, make sure your instructor signs off that he has reviewed the missed areas as my examiner did go over those areas to make sure I knew them. The oral wasn’t a big deal to me. Basically I looked at the entire exam as me telling someone who never flew how it all worked. One question was on mandatory reporting points, which I cannot remember all of them...but I do fly with a knee-board and pointed out they are lister there...he was okay with that. I also wasn’t ever going to learn all the items needed for IFR flight, but I knew 91.205, and I told him if something was broken in real life, I would look it up anyway. There were a couple of areas that I didn’t nail on the answer, but I was able to explain enough.

On the actual flight, it really was me treating it like I was taking a friend, who had never flown, and I needed to tell him everything I was doing, every instrument detail, basically what I was thinking and doing. In many cases, there are multiple ways to do the same thing..for example, a hold at a VOR. Just make sure you are able to show him/her that you know how.

I was not able to use autopilot in my exam except in a few spots. The main items I would stress is cross checking, being able to explain why you are looking at each instrument. Altitude...this is big for me....watch your altitude. Don’t descend below, MDA....and when you go missed, make sure you wait until you are passed the missed approach before turning. Depending on avionics, make sure you are clear on how it works.

since you are going approach to approach it can get very busy. In my case, after a missed, I needed to “reset” and he was already giving me the next approach. In my case, I asked him for a heading while I reset. He was glad to see me do that. I think in a way it would have been same if I was getting a route change...ask for a heading until you can get everything in the GPS.

i was very well prepared for this. In my case, I had to do an ILS, RNAV, and Circling Approach. Basically, just know the plates, altitudes and explain what you are doing.

Stephen
 
Congratulations. I always recommend that applicants verbalize everything they are doing. Sometimes the applicant does something not "by the book" but it accomplishes the goal....and the DPE learns something. BTDT.

Bob
 
ThereIn my case, I asked him for a heading while I reset. He was glad to see me do that.

That’s a very wise tactic and many examiners will allow it as realistically something you would do in a real-world overload scenario. Shows good judgement of when you know you hit a wall of personal task-saturation or you missed planning ahead a bit.

Ask the controller to put you at a safe location and altitude and then catch up. Very good. Shouldn’t have to do it every time, but once in a while that’s a lifesaver technique. Really common when dealing with an emergency, too. Perhaps combined with “get us headed toward the nearest airport if you can please”.
 
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