Maintaining motivation to finish when checkride is constantly getting postponed

N918KT

N918KT

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
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Location
Philadelphia, PA
Display Name
KT
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KOQN
So long story short, I did my first attempt on my checkride back in late November. Unfortunately a bad night sleep got the best of me and I failed like 5 minutes into the flight portion with landing off centerline when I tried to do a soft field landing.

Ever since, I retrained with my CFI and got another endorsement to retake the checkride. But due to the holidays and mostly due to weather, I ended up rescheduling my checkride 3 times now with the 60-day retake limit about 1 week away.

The good news is the DPE I chose usually has plenty of availability and schedules on a rolling basis so I do not have to wait months for a slot. He even allowed me to book 2 slots at a time for my retake. The issue is that I have to fly about an hour to the checkride airport solo (my CFI flew with me on my first attempt but he prefers I fly solo the second time), where the weather has to be just right for the flight to the checkride, the checkride itself, and the flight back to my home airport. So far the weather hasn't been cooperative with me mostly because of windy conditions.

I am so close to the finish line and I really want to get this thing done.

Does anyone have similar experiences like mine? Just getting frustrated with the waiting but as PIC I made the no go decision since weather was simply not in my personal minimums.
 
In the northern states it is often difficult this time of year. I usually advise students that if they don't get it done by Thanks Giving there will be a good chance it will March before they finish the check Ride. There are exceptions but not a high percentage.
Having to commute for the checkride makes it even more challenging.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
Will you be as frustrated scrubbing flights after you earn a certificate? Because this doesn't end with the DPE. It doesn't end with an instrument rating. It doesn't end with more capable hardware.

If you're ready to hang it up over a few delays, I'm not sure you've been wise in your choice of pursuits.
 
I scheduled my checkride for the first time in January and ended up taking the checkride in June. I didn't have a clock ticking because I never even got to start my checkride, but it was definitely a mental game. If you can afford to, try to take the pressure off and just fly for fun. I would also recommend taking a few practice written tests every week or so to keep up with any knowledge areas that might be fading and review any weak areas.
 
SkyChaser said:
I scheduled my checkride for the first time in January and ended up taking the checkride in June. I didn't have a clock ticking because I never even got to start my checkride, but it was definitely a mental game. If you can afford to, try to take the pressure off and just fly for fun. I would also recommend taking a few practice written tests every week or so to keep up with any knowledge areas that might be fading and review any weak areas.
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Thanks for your advice! Yea I considered flying around or doing some short solo cross countries to airports I want to check out while I wait to keep flying fun. I know canceling flights is part of the game. But I really enjoyed this entire journey. It was challenging and I felt a sense of growth and maturity since I restarted last year.
 
N918KT said:
the weather has to be just right for the flight to the checkride, the checkride itself, and the flight back to my home airport. So far the weather hasn't been cooperative with me mostly because of windy conditions.
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This is the part that jumped out at me. How do you define “just right” or conditions that are too windy? Particularly with respect to the wind, is this something that maybe getting more comfortable with less-than-perfect conditions might be a good way to spend some effort?
 
MauleSkinner said:
This is the part that jumped out at me. How do you define “just right” or conditions that are too windy? Particularly with respect to the wind, is this something that maybe getting more comfortable with less-than-perfect conditions might be a good way to spend some effort?
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This. It's possible to be too windy to fly. Even more likely to be too windy to prudently take a check ride. But without knowing the details, I'm wondering if there's some anxiety involved.

Curious, with the unsat completion of the soft-field landing, did the DPE give you the option to continue with the remaining tasks? I failed my first check ride for a similar reason, but all of my landings were at the end of the ride.
 
A lot of pilots do their check rides at the new facility in Las Cruces (KLRU) Frost Aviation that has a bunch of planes. They've really expanded and have quite a fleet including twins.
 
I just missed a check ride in the fall [2 years ago] by a couple flights. DPE wintered in AZ. Continued training when weather allowed it till spring. In the spring, examiner said he wasn't coming back. School had to scramble to find another DPE. That took another month. DPE scheduled testing about 6 weeks later. A week before testing his plane was inop so needed to fly to his airport. Not doing that. Unfamiliar strip in an area prone to cross wind and exam it's a non starter. So back to finding another DPE. That took a month and an additional month to schedule. Well now the plane I had been flying needed a repair. Reschedule again 2 weeks later. During all this time more hours and cost, now it's late July. Finally got the test done and passed.

Do have to give the school credit however, they discounted the cost per hour because of all the issues. Extra flight time didn't hurt either.
 
Lindberg said:
This. It's possible to be too windy to fly. Even more likely to be too windy to prudently take a check ride. But without knowing the details, I'm wondering if there's some anxiety involved.

Curious, with the unsat completion of the soft-field landing, did the DPE give you the option to continue with the remaining tasks? I failed my first check ride for a similar reason, but all of my landings were at the end of the ride.
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No he didn't even give me the chance to continue. We were done after that. I did 2 approaches but I decided to go around pretty late when about to touch down, the 2nd approach I landed pretty far left of centerline, steered towards the centerline after touchdown, and during the roll out he took controls. We were planning to do takeoffs and landings in the beginning then the XC and maneuvers.
 
Lindberg said:
What's up with not taking check rides when there's a crosswind?
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Where I trained winds were usually in the low 10's or less. Other field was common to see high 10's+, and yes there was anxiety.
 
To the OP, yes. My first checkride was a PITA to schedule, for about 3 different sets of reasons, most of which were out of my control. Not weather, but circumstances with the CFI, other students, the DPE, etc. I ended up postponing it a couple of months. Then on the scheduled day the weather was lousy, so I did the written and got a continuance. I did the actual flight though some sprinkling snow and overcast, but I did it.

A couple of other students actually called me during those reschedule times and encouraged me not to give up. So I'm kinda trying to do the same here. Don't give up, you've got a lot of time and effort in this, your CFI wouldn't set you up for it if they didn't think you were good, just slug your way through it.

In particular, here in the NE, and I'll include PA in that, winter weather can be kinda miserable. I feel your pain, my checkride was on January 2.
 
N918KT said:
Thanks for your advice! Yea I considered flying around or doing some short solo cross countries to airports I want to check out while I wait to keep flying fun. I know canceling flights is part of the game. But I really enjoyed this entire journey. It was challenging and I felt a sense of growth and maturity since I restarted last year.
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I flew ten more hours between scheduling my checkride and taking it. I concentrated on the things I thought needed tuning.
Lindberg said:
What's up with not taking check rides when there's a crosswind?
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There is always a crosswind. You will rarely fly in dead calm conditions. Yes, there is a point where crosswinds are too stiff to fly--it's a personal limit.
Find a wide runway >=50 feet and go practice.
 
brcase said:
In the northern states it is often difficult this time of year. I usually advise students that if they don't get it done by Thanks Giving there will be a good chance it will March before they finish the check Ride. There are exceptions but not a high percentage.
Having to commute for the checkride makes it even more challenging.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
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Cancelled a flight today due to low ceilings with an applicant that is schedule to finish on Tuesday. Weather not really looking good for Tuesday and he is approaching his 60 day expiration also.
Brian
 
I cancelled my checkride today also due to MVFR/IFR conditions and got it rescheduled again to my back up date next week, just 2 days shy of the 60 day expiration.

4th cancellation so far.

Weather looking good so far but it may be gusty that day too, we shall see.
 
N918KT said:
I cancelled my checkride today also due to MVFR/IFR conditions and got it rescheduled again to my back up date next week, just 2 days shy of the 60 day expiration.

4th cancellation so far.

Weather looking good so far but it may be gusty that day too, we shall see.
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Spend the next week practicing in gusty conditions.
 
Well I had my 5th cancellation yesterday, but this time I myself cancelled it. On advice from my CFI I called the DPE to move my checkride earlier in the morning due to winds picking up later around noon time and winds were a strong direct crosswind over 10 knots. I didn't sleep at all the night before (wasn't checkride jitters - simply went to bed earlier than normal to get up early. Not an early bird. If I gone to bed at normal time I would've fallen asleep right away). Felt disappointed in that it was a thing that was avoidable, but oh well. It is what it is and felt I made good ADM.

Didn't feel safe to fly to the checkride airport take the checkride then fly back, much less risk a second failure.

Next ride is scheduled towards the end of February.

Lindberg said:
Spend the next week practicing in gusty conditions.
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The day before the checkride I was doing a few laps in the pattern with my CFI doing take offs and landings with a strong gusty quartering right headwind. It was probably 14 gusting 19 knots. They were surprisingly good and was able to do both soft and short field landings within standards.
 
N918KT said:
Well I had my 5th cancellation yesterday, but this time I myself cancelled it. On advice from my CFI I called the DPE to move my checkride earlier in the morning due to winds picking up later around noon time and winds were a strong direct crosswind over 10 knots. I didn't sleep at all the night before (wasn't checkride jitters - simply went to bed earlier than normal to get up early. Not an early bird. If I gone to bed at normal time I would've fallen asleep right away). Felt disappointed in that it was a thing that was avoidable, but oh well. It is what it is and felt I made good ADM.

Didn't feel safe to fly to the checkride airport take the checkride then fly back, much less risk a second failure.

Next ride is scheduled towards the end of February.



The day before the checkride I was doing a few laps in the pattern with my CFI doing take offs and landings with a strong gusty quartering right headwind. It was probably 14 gusting 19 knots. They were surprisingly good and was able to do both soft and short field landings within standards.
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Obviously we only know you based on what you've posted here, but I'd suggest that you do some yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, or whatever else you need to do to just get through this next check ride. Of course I could be way off base, but from here, it doesn't seem like the weather is the real issue.
 
N918KT said:
Next ride is scheduled towards the end of February.


The day before the checkride I was doing a few laps in the pattern with my CFI doing take offs and landings with a strong gusty quartering right headwind. It was probably 14 gusting 19 knots. They were surprisingly good and was able to do both soft and short field landings within standards.
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Sounds like you’ve got time to get comfortable with the fact that your skills are up to the task…just keep flying in windy conditions.
 
N918KT said:
Weather looking good so far but it may be gusty that day too, we shall see.
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My checkride had winds at 21-18kts on the ground but very little crosswind component. At 3000' we had a headwind of near 40kts. I failed it on the forward slip to a landing, the final exercise, because I used my usual reference for when to chop and drop and had to come out of the slip well before the threshold (I was not looking at the ground speed of around 25-30kts instead of my usual 50-60 in my 182. Waahh waahh waahh. :redface: The examiner said that he thought I would bail due to the wind and gave me the opportunity to do so, maybe I should have but glad I didn't. After the debrief I looked at my CFI and said "If you've got the time, let's go nail the slips". He did and I did.
 
In my area checkrides 2-3 months out. A few of my students got rides cancelled took over 3 months. It cost them a small fortune to stay current for ride and added several months to their training as such wait list was same for all ratings. A few flew out of state to get sooner ride, costing rental aircraft and hotels, ECT…

If your area has DPE shortage, have your school and students call the FSDO and complain. They won’t likely care, and say they don’t have enough oversight to bring on more DPEs, but with enough calls it may help. FAA is changing the DPE program admin to a nationwide management, but don’t expect much change.

I let a few applicants in the situation borrow my plane to fly out of state for checkride, both booked rides same day, so cost was shared. Another is flying it to TX for initial CFI ride next week because he got ride scheduled about a month out, where it’s over 3 months locally… and flying down with another applicant in case the DPE has a cancellation and maybe fit him in. So maybe consider finding an out of state DPE with openings for maybe 2 rides and splitting cost with others. My plane is experimental so it’s not a rental, they just buy gas, but recognize rental planes for long trips cost $….but maybe reasonable if splitting with others…especially if you get the ride done 1-2 months earlier. .also suggest bringing a CFI capable of signing you off for immediate retake if you have to repeat something.
 
N918KT said:
Well I had my 5th cancellation yesterday, but this time I myself cancelled it. On advice from my CFI I called the DPE to move my checkride earlier in the morning due to winds picking up later around noon time and winds were a strong direct crosswind over 10 knots. I didn't sleep at all the night before (wasn't checkride jitters - simply went to bed earlier than normal to get up early. Not an early bird. If I gone to bed at normal time I would've fallen asleep right away). Felt disappointed in that it was a thing that was avoidable, but oh well. It is what it is and felt I made good ADM.

Didn't feel safe to fly to the checkride airport take the checkride then fly back, much less risk a second failure.

Next ride is scheduled towards the end of February.



The day before the checkride I was doing a few laps in the pattern with my CFI doing take offs and landings with a strong gusty quartering right headwind. It was probably 14 gusting 19 knots. They were surprisingly good and was able to do both soft and short field landings within standards.
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It's been my experience, in a lot of different areas, that the folks who aren't quiet sure of themselves are almost always underestimating themselves. I'd keep practicing crosswind until you find them fun - they really are - and remember your CFI wouldn't be signing you off if he/she didn't think you were ready.
 
N918KT said:
I am so close to the finish line and I really want to get this thing done.
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Congrats on sticking with this! Yeah, it's so close to being done, getting your PPL. Which BTW is just a way to continue to train solo flying, except you don't need a CFI endorsement to do so.

So... keep your CFI endorsing you for solo, go fly and have fun, and you'll get to the check ride soon enough. This time will be much easier, as you'll already have a good idea of what it's like.
 
918KT, with all you've been through don't stand down now. The finish line is in sight. It may appear to you to be on the horizon but you can see it now. With all your other issues, be RESILIENT on the follow through.

No it's not reasonalbe.
No the FAA doesn't give a flying f___ about it.
Just Get 'ER done.

Be Resilient!
 
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We've been following you since the red board ... like Dr B said, get 'er done!
 
Thank you guys for your support.

I ran into another issue shortly after that DPE rescheduled. Apparently that DPE needs to renew his DPE insurance and it requires him to have 5 hours of flight time in the make and model airplane that he would be giving me the checkride in and unfortunately he doesn't have 5 hours in the Sling LSA. So now he can't do my retake at all.

I'm now waiting for the local DPE at my flight school to give me dates, but I heard he's booked through March.

Need to figure out my next steps and hopefully find another DPE who would take me in sooner. In the mean time, I plan to build more solo/PIC time while waiting.
 
I have a question regarding retaking a checkride. Are the checkride endorsements given to me by my CFI still valid? Can they be reused for a second sport checkride? Or would I need brand new checkride endorsements?
 
I've never signed off an LSA ride. Ask your CFI- it's crucial to GET THIS ONE RIGHT.
 
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