calling the FAA tomorrow for the SODA ride!

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
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10 more landings today - had another good day!

wish me luck. Ben, I know you told me before but I don't remember - what were you tested on?

I don't know when they will sched the ride but I'm making the call!
 
I partially found the checklist, did you do all this?

Observe an applicant with a visual field defect (one eye missing or one eye blind) demonstrate the following in an aircraft:

The ability to select emergency landing fields at a distance, from high altitude, and preferably over unfamiliar terrain

The ability to simulate forced landings in difficult fields; note the manner of approach, rate of descent, and comparative distance at which obstructions (stumps' boulders, ditches, etc.) are recognized.

The ability to recognize other aircraft (which may be present by prearrangement) approaching at a collision course (particularly aircraft approaching from the far right or far left)

The ability to judge distances and to recognize landmarks (compared with the inspector?s estimate)

The ability to land the aircraft

The ability to read aeronautical charts in flight and tune the radio to a predetermined station accurately and rapidly.

The ability to read instrument panels (including an overhead panel, if any) quickly and correctly.
 
woodstock said:
I partially found the checklist, did you do all this?

Observe an applicant with a visual field defect (one eye missing or one eye blind) demonstrate the following in an aircraft:

The ability to select emergency landing fields at a distance, from high altitude, and preferably over unfamiliar terrain

The ability to simulate forced landings in difficult fields; note the manner of approach, rate of descent, and comparative distance at which obstructions (stumps' boulders, ditches, etc.) are recognized.

The ability to recognize other aircraft (which may be present by prearrangement) approaching at a collision course (particularly aircraft approaching from the far right or far left)

The ability to judge distances and to recognize landmarks (compared with the inspector?s estimate)

The ability to land the aircraft

The ability to read aeronautical charts in flight and tune the radio to a predetermined station accurately and rapidly.

The ability to read instrument panels (including an overhead panel, if any) quickly and correctly.
Click to expand...

Sounds like all the normal stuff anyone has to do. Don't sweat it, you'll do fine.
 
Beth,

You'll do fine. And my bet is that you'll have a few days to polish up on anything else before the ride.

Good luck.

bill
 
Yes, I did. It wasn't difficult; just different. Henning has it right--they are just trying to see if you can do the stuff "normal" people can do. My examiner had me do some stuff like on climbout, name that airliner on the ramp (United 767), then a couple of minutes later ask me to read a frequency off a chart. The rest was casual.
 
Beth,
go for it! I know you'll do fine, and it's about time you got it done! That house can wait! :)
 
I've been flying for over 35 years with two eyes, and I'm still lousy at estimating how far away landmarks are.
 
Ron Levy said:
I've been flying for over 35 years with two eyes, and I'm still lousy at estimating how far away landmarks are.
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Ain't that the truth.
 
the collision course spec slays me. so we're going to look for planes to be on course with? or I suppose he just wants my neck on a swivel 100% of the time.
 
woodstock said:
The ability to recognize other aircraft (which may be present by prearrangement) approaching at a collision course...
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That's the one I really like...

"Hey, Charlie, this is Fred over at the FSDO. I'll be up in a C-152 in the North Practice area tomorrow at 3. Without letting us know you're there, would you please take your plane up and set it up on a collision course with us so I can see if the one-eyed SODA applicant spots you before we collide? Thanks!":eek: :rofl:
 
Elizabeth, best to plan the next learing step with CFI. At the Springfield FSDO, these take about 6 weeks to arrange. Sigh.
 
crikey, really? that's after October 31 - my de facto deadline. crap.

what a pain in the butt. well, I hope to know soon enough. I guess we can do the next steps - more XCs and so on.

bummer is, November starts the crap months for flying. if I don't solo until then, I won't fly much in the winter...
 
woodstock said:
crikey, really? that's after October 31 - my de facto deadline. crap.

what a pain in the butt. well, I hope to know soon enough. I guess we can do the next steps - more XCs and so on.

bummer is, November starts the crap months for flying. if I don't solo until then, I won't fly much in the winter...
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You can't solo until you get your SODA? Do you have a medical? I was allowed to fly solo, but I had to have the SODA before I went for the checkride. I took the SODA test one month before the checkride.
 
woodstock said:
I suppose he just wants my neck on a swivel 100% of the time.
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Damn straight, just like everyone else! One eye or two, does not change that requirement for VFR pilots.
 
woodstock said:
bummer is, November starts the crap months for flying. if I don't solo until then, I won't fly much in the winter...
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That matters not one iota. What's the difference if you solo then can't fly for three months and if you don't solo and then can't fly for 3 months? Solo doesn't click some magical "Save" button in your flying. Don't stress it. Keep trying to call the FSDO, when you get to talk to him, tell him you'll bring a batch of fresh choclate chip cookies to the ride. That ought to get you scheduled in the next couple of days...:D Really, begging, pleading and grovelling does work.
 
spiderweb said:
You can't solo until you get your SODA? Do you have a medical? I was allowed to fly solo, but I had to have the SODA before I went for the checkride. I took the SODA test one month before the checkride.
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that's what the flight surgeon told me.
 
Henning said:
That matters not one iota. What's the difference if you solo then can't fly for three months and if you don't solo and then can't fly for 3 months? Solo doesn't click some magical "Save" button in your flying. Don't stress it. Keep trying to call the FSDO, when you get to talk to him, tell him you'll bring a batch of fresh choclate chip cookies to the ride. That ought to get you scheduled in the next couple of days...:D Really, begging, pleading and grovelling does work.
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yeah. I know. this has taken long enough anyway, what's another few months...
 
woodstock said:
yeah. I know. this has taken long enough anyway, what's another few months...
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Right, but try the cookie ploy anyway. Fresh home made Choclate Chip cookies beat a box of donuts anyday. You think I'm joking but I'm not.
 
spiderweb said:
You can't solo until you get your SODA? Do you have a medical? I was allowed to fly solo, but I had to have the SODA before I went for the checkride. I took the SODA test one month before the checkride.
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Without at least a Third Class medical, no solo is allowed in non-LS airplanes, period. Since Elizabeth has only one operational eye, she does not qualify for even a Third Class without a waiver (see 61.303 -- vision required in each eye), and the demonstration is what qualifies her for the waiver. Thus, for her, SODA ride first, then medical, then solo.
 
Ron Levy said:
Without at least a Third Class medical, no solo is allowed in non-LS airplanes, period. Since Elizabeth has only one operational eye, she does not qualify for even a Third Class without a waiver (see 61.303 -- vision required in each eye), and the demonstration is what qualifies her for the waiver. Thus, for her, SODA ride first, then medical, then solo.
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well, I DO have the third class medical, and it's two years along now... but I thought it needed a signoff on it - SODA - prior to soloing. again, the letter isn't explicit on this - but I remember the FS saying it.
 
Ron Levy said:
Without at least a Third Class medical, no solo is allowed in non-LS airplanes, period. Since Elizabeth has only one operational eye, she does not qualify for even a Third Class without a waiver (see 61.303 -- vision required in each eye), and the demonstration is what qualifies her for the waiver. Thus, for her, SODA ride first, then medical, then solo.
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I see. I was granted a Third Class medical, but was still required to fly the SODA before the checkride. I got all of this verified by the AME and Oklahoma. I guess it was because my left eye is "operational. "
 
woodstock said:
well, I DO have the third class medical, and it's two years along now... but I thought it needed a signoff on it - SODA - prior to soloing. again, the letter isn't explicit on this - but I remember the FS saying it.
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Hmmm. Better check this out. I called my AME and Oklahoma, and even my examiner. I was allowed to solo, but I had to do the SODA before the checkride. My medical said I had to wear glasses, and no passenger carrying, but I think that last bit is the same for all student medicals.
 
I had a monocular Student when I first started out instructing. He was issued a Medical Cert. with "Student Pilot Only" on it and was allowed to solo but then would've had to do the SODA ride before he took the checkride.
 
smigaldi said:
Best of luck and I have no doubts you'll do well
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Beth: On the occasion of my SODA flight I think it took longer for the pre-paperwork to be completed than did the flight itself. I think, except for doing the landings, I had it made when the examiner askedf me, "What's that gray area at 9 o'clock and how far away is it?" I said, "...gravel pit, 2 miles distant, with one shovel-loader and three dump trucks."

"OK, but what're you going to do about your engine which just died?" he having killed the throttle while I was looking out my left window and answering his question. A bit later, after a steep turn L & R he killed my engine, again, and let me S-turn my way down to 500msl before he said, "Enough; get us out of here; back to the airport and show me some landings." I think he sensed that I'd have landed that sucker(the plane) in that big, flat potato field if he hadn't called a halt to it. I enjoyed the SODA flight. It reinforced my belief that I can do that stuff. Go for it!!!!

HR
 
woodstock said:
that's what the flight surgeon told me.
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Either way, I'd be wanting to just get the thing done and out of the way so flying to be a pilot can be concentrated upon. Best of luck ...from what I've observed, you see very well when flying, both peripherally and distant, and so you should to fine...
 
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