Passed my PPL checkride today!

gmwalk

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gmwalk
I had my checkride today and I passed!

Well, its been a long journey. I started flying in 1976 and got about 48 hours total I did almost everything needed for a PPL, but I never took the checkride. I restarted again last November at age 48. Since November I did about 30 more hours and as of today I have my PPL!

The checkride was good and bad. I did very good on the oral, but my flying wasn't my best.

The DPE asked me a series of questions covering safety, regulations, weather, and procedures. He had the PTS infront of him and just asked questions based on the PTS outline. He unfolded a sectional and asked me questions about various features and annotations on the chart. He said I did extremely well on the oral and that we should then go out and fly.

He wanted me to have the hood ready because very soon after takeoff he was going to have me put it on. We took off and at about 75' he said "your engine is on fire!" so I calmly put it right back down on the remaining runway.

We took off again and after a short climb I put on the hood and he gave me some headings and altitudes to fly. Well, I was all over the place! I have always in the past nailed this with my instructor. The altitude would start to drift high, I would catch it, correct it, and then the coarse would drift. I was just behind the plane. Every time I noticed it, I would call out either heading or altitude. It was like that most of the ride. My VOR intercept was poor, but I did it. I did good on the slow flight. I almost messed up the power-off stall by not applying full power quickly enough.

Actually, I would have to say that the DPE was very good. He said that I appeared to be tense and that was contributing to my being a little behind the plane. He also said that because of that I thinking too much about each manuever. He gave me some pointers which were great. One thing, I think, that helped me was that I like to talk through every manuever: takeoffs, landings, stalls, everything. I think he liked that because he never had to guess at what I was doing. Even when I was messing something up, I was calling attention to it and telling him the correction.

We then went back to the airport for some T&Gs short and soft field takeoff and landing. On one of the takeoffs he pulled the power just after I turned cross wind. I set up for best glide and got back to the runway. I was so focused on making the runway that I did a no flap landing. A beauty too! I got a full stall just (with a little tailwind) as the wheels touched. That made me happy.

After that, it was back to the shack to get my new license. On the way back to KLWM I had my altitude and heading nailed all the way with no real deviations at all.

Now I know what a rookie I am. I have so much to learn!
 
Let me be the first (here, at least) to offer a huge

CONGRATS!!!
 
Congrats on both the checkride and the nicely put account of it! Sound like you learned some things as well. Good goin' :yes:
 
Congratulations. Feels great having the tether removed, doesn't it?
 
gmwalk said:
I had my checkride today and I passed!
Well done and congrats!:yes:

Well, its been a long journey. I started flying in 1976 and got about 48 hours total I did almost everything needed for a PPL, but I never took the checkride. I restarted again last November at age 48. Since November I did about 30 more hours and as of today I have my PPL!

I guess persistance does pay off eventually.

He wanted me to have the hood ready because very soon after takeoff he was going to have me put it on. We took off and at about 75' he said "your engine is on fire!" so I calmly put it right back down on the remaining runway.

Nice. I doubt I'd be very calm if my engine was on fire.
 
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Thanks, all. I'm not quite sure how I feel right now. It felt when I got in the plane to head back. I keep thinking about how I messed manuevers that I have had no trouble with before. I guess I got too worried about messing up and nearly did!

I'm not sure where or I what I want to do for my next flight. I think I may take some friends up for some $100 hamburgers. My wife is nervous about me taking here and/or the kids up just yet.
 
AdamZ said:
Great write up! And WAY 2 GO! Who will be your first pax?

My wife is too nervous about flying with me and she doesn't want the kids to go with me either (they are 15 and 17.) They want to go; I'll just have to be patient on that.

I have some friends that are very eager to go for some $100 hamburgers.
 
Congratulations; so how many times (so far) have you pulled the ticket out and gazed at it so far?;)

gmwalk said:
My wife is too nervous about flying with me and she doesn't want the kids to go with me either (they are 15 and 17.) They want to go; I'll just have to be patient on that.
How different from mine! I got home from the check ride, announced that I had passed, and my wife said, "Of course you did- where are we going?"

I suggested mybe I should get a few more hours of practice, and she told me that if I was good enough for the FAA, I was good enough for my wife and son, and that we were all flying someplace "tomorrow morning."

So my first pax were my wife and son, and we went to Possum Kingdom Airport, by Possum Kingdom Lake.
 
Another Congratulations from me!!

Welcome!!
 
w00t! Congratulations!

Take a loved one flying and show them that the FAA trusts you to fly them around! Its a great feeling!
 
gmwalk said:
I had my checkride today and I passed!

Congrats! :yes: Your secret decoder ring will arrive in the mail shortly.

Now I know what a rookie I am. I have so much to learn!

As do we all. As soon as you know it all, you'd better quit flying because you're about to have a bad accident!

gmwalk said:
My wife is nervous about me taking her and/or the kids up just yet.

Be patient... Once she sees you come home from flying enough times, she'll warm up.

I recommend you buy a copy of Greg Brown's book, "Flying Carpet: Soul of an Airplane." When you're done reading it (which will be the same day you get it), let your wife read it. I had that book take someone from "There is NO WAY I'm ever going flying with you" to "When are you taking me flying?"

Then, make sure you take her up on a smooth day (ie, not in the summer unless it's early in the morning or late in the evening, when the sun is about ready to go down) for a short flight. Maybe fly over your house and some local landmarks. Let her know that any time she wants to stop, you'd be happy to go straight back to the airport.

On the second flight, take her on a short cross-country flight to do something she likes to do - Shop, go to an art gallery or concert, see some friends or family that are just a bit farther away than you'd normally drive, etc.

Then, build from there. Good luck! :yes:
 
Patience is the key to most things in life. My wife has been in small planes before. She is not afraid of flying. She is afraid that somenthing will happen to me with her or with me and the kids. She knows it is an irrational fear; she is just being overly protective. She knows the statistics.

I am just going to keep flying with friends and other family and not argue the point at all. I know that in time her curiosity and good sense will come through. I just need to let her see for herself.
 
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