Had to surrender my pilot's certificate!

Rob, that is adorable and put a huge smile on my face! I'll be PMing you shortly. :)

And thanks for the congratulations from everyone! So, here's the PIREP...

This is the same DE who I took my private pilot checkride with. He'd forgotten who I was initially, but remebered quickly. The check ride was more like a good lesson than a test, just as with the PP. Obviously, the focus was on my ability to proficiently perform the required IR tasks and have the required knowledge.

We went out and did the ILS at University Park, then the LOC at Reedsville, followed by the VOR at Selinsgrove. For the VOR approach, he killed my gyros. Of course, that was the approach I did the worst on, but I still managed to get us over top of the airport. During the flight, he continued to ask me questions, and we talked about other related and unrelated topics. It helped to keep things relaxed.

After that, we had a debrief about what I could have done better, and some general tips and other bits of advice. He emphasized that this was another license to learn, and that I should go out and learn.

Despite him keeping me relaxed overall, it was such a long period of my brain having "ON!!!!!" time, I was exhausted. The rest of the day I couldn't bring myself to do much besides watch movies, talk on LiveChat, and then highlight my routes of flight for today.

Oh, so what did I do today? Flew my mom down to Virginia and then back to IPT. 10.1 logged, 1.0 in actual. Filed for every part of the trip. Had some fun avoiding thunderstorms, too. I received outstanding help from ATC on the thunderstorm avoidance. I was remembering the things from training, like "Pop in a cloud, check the temperature" and turning on pitot heat if it was below 0C. At once point, I popped in a cloud at 9000 and it dropped to -2C, then I got mild to moderate visible precipitation. Called up ATC immediately and requested 7000 with my reasoning, and I got it. Of course, by the time I was done with my request, it had stopped raining, but I figured I would rather be where it was +5C anyway.

Mom enjoyed the flight, though, and she said she'd do it again! :)
 
Hestrument, Shestrument, Theystrument. Because Istrument, let's all westrument.:goofy:
Congrats, Ted!:blueplane:
 
Sounds like some good flights Ted. I'll share some things that my DPE told me in the Debrief after my IR ride. I thought the adivce made sense of course I'm sure there will be those that disagre but its food for thought.

1) Try and fly the same Plane. ( not forever of course) His reasoning is that in IMC there will more familiararity and there for less time looking for stuff or wondering why the plane reacted in a certain manner etc.

2) File every flight for the next 6 mo ( already told you that)

3) For your first flight in IMC file to a near by field and expand your envlope from there. ( I flew from PNE to ILG) Obviously you Went to VA but you get my drift

4) DON'T EVER let anyone tell you Real Pilots don't use Auto Pilot.

Finally Ed Guthrie shared this with me years a go and I think it was great advice. Get and IPC every Six months. He felt and I agree that you get so much more out of it that just going up and shooting the six approaches, intercepts, holds etc. He accuratly pointed out that it is less expensive than going up to to just shoot the approaches so you actually get a lot more bang for your buck. ( of course you can still shoot the six approaches ) This may not be as applicable for you since you really do fly quite a bit and have an unconciously low cost per hour. Just thought I't throw it in.

Be Well fly Safe and keep learning
 
AdamZ said:
1) Try and fly the same Plane. ( not forever of course) His reasoning is that in IMC there will more familiararity and there for less time looking for stuff or wondering why the plane reacted in a certain manner etc.
Click to expand...

Yeah, one of my friends at work said that he had heard you need 100 hours in a plane before you can be really good at IFR flying with it. While I think this varies heavily from pilot to pilot (and if you're flying that plane exclusively a lot in a short time period or if you switch around a lot, etc.), it makes sense. I'm approaching 100 hours of time in the Archer (probably a bit over 90 now), and I know where everything is on it. It's instinctive for where the switches are, how to use the plane, etc. The bigger part is that I know how it behaves, and I think that's more important.

2) File every flight for the next 6 mo ( already told you that)
Click to expand...

Check my flight aware and you'll see 5 filed flights yesterday. Wow did a learn a lot from that... :)

3) For your first flight in IMC file to a near by field and expand your envlope from there. ( I flew from PNE to ILG) Obviously you Went to VA but you get my drift
Click to expand...

Well, I've got somewhere between 5 and 8 hours of actual during my training. Yesterday was my first time flying in IMC without the instructor (or even another pilot) in the right seat. In fact, when I did have someone in the right seat, she would have been a hindrance if I needed assistance. The time I spent in IMC was minimal. It was a maximum of about 5-10 minutes of hard "I can't see anything" and then broke out of the clouds. The total of one hour was over the course of 10 hours of flying. VFR was always easy to find. :)

4) DON'T EVER let anyone tell you Real Pilots don't use Auto Pilot.
Click to expand...

Yep, used it yesterday. It's great at reducing work load. I prefer hand flying when the work load is lower just because I still need the practice to improve my skills, but when ATC gives me new routing and I need to write it down and then mark it on my chart, it is nice to be able to leave one aspect of the flying to the computer.

Finally Ed Guthrie shared this with me years a go and I think it was great advice. Get and IPC every Six months. He felt and I agree that you get so much more out of it that just going up and shooting the six approaches, intercepts, holds etc. He accuratly pointed out that it is less expensive than going up to to just shoot the approaches so you actually get a lot more bang for your buck. ( of course you can still shoot the six approaches ) This may not be as applicable for you since you really do fly quite a bit and have an unconciously low cost per hour. Just thought I't throw it in.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we'll see how that goes. I think the way I fly I am likely to end up doing a number of actual approaches, at least the required 6 in 6. If nothing else, I'll just ask my instructor if I can fly the Navajo on dead headed legs when the weather's bad. :)

Be Well fly Safe and keep learning
Click to expand...

The learning never stops!
 
WOO HOO TED, now I have a personal instrument pilot to take me where I want to go when I can't fly VFR. ; )
 
Missa said:
WOO HOO TED, now I have a personal instrument pilot to take me where I want to go when I can't fly VFR. ; )
Click to expand...

Hmm... maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all... :goofy::blowingkisses:

Oh, and as I told you when I called you to tell you I passed, this is COMPLETELY YOUR FAULT! :D

Thanks for getting me started on this crazy journey, my dear friend. :)
 
AdamZ said:
1) Try and fly the same Plane. ( not forever of course) His reasoning is that in IMC there will more familiararity and there for less time looking for stuff or wondering why the plane reacted in a certain manner etc.
Click to expand...

Amen to that. Heck, I like flying the same plane even VFR.

2) File every flight for the next 6 mo ( already told you that)
Click to expand...

Except for when you're doing pattern work. :rofl:

3) For your first flight in IMC file to a near by field and expand your envlope from there. ( I flew from PNE to ILG) Obviously you Went to VA but you get my drift
Click to expand...

Really? Short instrument flights are a b*tch! For the first one, I'd say that going about 150nm would be much better... And go with high ceilings.

Then, do 100nm with high ceilings, then 50... And then do it all over again with lower ceilings.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
What a morning. I woke up and decided to fly down to Selinsgrove since it was such a nice day out. I landed, and then this guy started asking me a bunch of questions, and insisted we go flying. Then, at the end of it all, he made me surrender my pilot's certificate...

...and then gave me a paper one labeled "Private Pilot - Airplane Single Engine Land Istrument Airplane"

I'm done flying for the day, time for a beer! :yes:
Click to expand...


You worried me there for a second like he was an FAA official and made you surrender your newly won Ir rating
 
I didn't realize you didn't already have the PPL. Good job, Ted, can't wait to read how it went!
 
SkyHog said:
I didn't realize you didn't already have the PPL. Good job, Ted, can't wait to read how it went!
Click to expand...

I did already have the PPL! Got that end of March. This is the instrument rating, Nick. ;)
 
Great job, Ted. I'm working on mine and I know what you went through to get yours.
 
Congratulations Ted. Your message had me worried in the beginning. And it is an exciting thing to now be able to fly when others cannot "Vee Follow Roads". Welcome to the club of a minimum 6 approaches, holds and intercepts every 6 months.
 
Thanks, Gherry and Arnold. I used that IR again last night, although unfortunately the destination was not made, we had to turn back.

A lesson or reminder to those who think otherwise (of which I've come across a surprisingly high number): An IR is not a ticket that means you can get anywhere you want! :no:

Rather, it's a ticket that gives you increased ability to get where you're going, but comes with more responsibility as it gives you the ability to fly into situations that have potentially fewer "outs" and higher probability for problems. Not to be taken lightly!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top