whereisrandall
Pre-takeoff checklist
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2016
- Messages
- 333
- Location
- Wiscasset, Maine
- Display Name
Display name:
Randall Williams
Just finished my Multi-engine commercial/instrument add-on, and wanted to give a shout-out to
instructor Mike Hardin in Terrell, Texas (Just east of the DFW Bravo.)
The good: $275/hr dual time in a Seneca 1, with a *really* competent instructor. His flat fee for the add-on is $2000 (I took an extra day and paid $2600) and then $500 for the checkride.
The not-as good: Mike's not as organized as many people might like - slow to return calls and mildly chaotic at scheduling.
Day 1: he gave me a packet of questions to fill out while he flew with a student. We then reviewed for 2.5hrs, and then flew for an hour, doing basic maneuvers including Vmc, single engine cut on takeoff and again 500 AGL. I really wish he'd emailed the packet weeks beforehand so that I could have saved us hours of review by knowing the info cold on arrival.
Day 2: we reviewed the packet for another hour, doing weight and balance and performance, including a thorough discussions of single-engine aerodynamics, accelerate-stop and each specific factor of Vmc. We then flew for 2.5hrs, reviewing all maneuvers again, and practicing all kinds of takeoffs and landings. In-air restart. Four ILS single-engine approaches. I probably could have gone to the checkride at this point, but I'm glad I had the extra day to lock in.
Day 3: one hour of checkride-like mock oral exam, then 1.5 hrs of mock-checkride flying including two more approaches, in-air restart, and a hold (yay, I'm current again!) as well as circling at minimums.
Day 4: shot an approach on the way to the checkride, reviewed steep turns once and Vmc. Checkride was 30 minutes of pre-briefing, an hour of peppered questions, and 1.5hrs of flying.
The checkride was in McKinney (KTKI) with Robert Riney, an EMB145 pilot and check airman for American Eagle who's been a DPE for decades. He's friendly, sharp and direct on the ground - in the air he's sharper and faster, and if you're not used to workload in the cockpit, he'll fix that. Here's a description of the checkride I posted to FB just after:
He loaded me up from start to finish. He wouldn't stop pushing, or allow me time to calmly complete a checklist. I was rattled. I kept breathing deep, trying to re-center and keep flying the plane, not make mistakes, oh look, now one engine's simulated "on fire," now we're stalling on that one engine, now it's "PITCH DOWN for restart, c'mon, get there NOW" emergency descent, then the HOLD THAT GLIDESLOPE! single-engine ILS approach to minimums and circle.
After the adrenaline subsided, my buddy pointed out that he'd done it all on purpose - after all, his was the signature that would put me in the cockpit of a 12,500 pound plane bouncing along in clouds that go almost all the way to the ground with a load full of passengers who expect me to get them home safely to their families.
At the end there was paperwork, a tiny little gleam in his eye, and a firm handshake. "You fly pretty good. Congratulations."
PIREP: I recommend Mike, and feel that I got excellent flight training for much cheaper than elsewhere. He's limited by examiner availability, so when you call, it may be a month until he can schedule with them. That's frustrating to him and to you - and so sometimes, he just doesn't return calls. Forget email - texts are best. I wish that I'd had the question packet to review at home beforehand - it would have saved 3 hours or more of ground training.
As a pilot, Mike's got some hardcore real-world stick and rudder skills that I have massive respect for. He's got years of pipeline flying at low level all over the country. He's an ATP with thousands of hours, almost 500 turbine hours, and an A&P with their own repair shop on the field. My favorite so far is his telling me about how he managed to do an 8-day Flight Safety King Air training and graduate with a Pro rating three days early without ever once getting killed in the simulator. I'm a much better pilot because I've trained with him.
instructor Mike Hardin in Terrell, Texas (Just east of the DFW Bravo.)
The good: $275/hr dual time in a Seneca 1, with a *really* competent instructor. His flat fee for the add-on is $2000 (I took an extra day and paid $2600) and then $500 for the checkride.
The not-as good: Mike's not as organized as many people might like - slow to return calls and mildly chaotic at scheduling.
Day 1: he gave me a packet of questions to fill out while he flew with a student. We then reviewed for 2.5hrs, and then flew for an hour, doing basic maneuvers including Vmc, single engine cut on takeoff and again 500 AGL. I really wish he'd emailed the packet weeks beforehand so that I could have saved us hours of review by knowing the info cold on arrival.
Day 2: we reviewed the packet for another hour, doing weight and balance and performance, including a thorough discussions of single-engine aerodynamics, accelerate-stop and each specific factor of Vmc. We then flew for 2.5hrs, reviewing all maneuvers again, and practicing all kinds of takeoffs and landings. In-air restart. Four ILS single-engine approaches. I probably could have gone to the checkride at this point, but I'm glad I had the extra day to lock in.
Day 3: one hour of checkride-like mock oral exam, then 1.5 hrs of mock-checkride flying including two more approaches, in-air restart, and a hold (yay, I'm current again!) as well as circling at minimums.
Day 4: shot an approach on the way to the checkride, reviewed steep turns once and Vmc. Checkride was 30 minutes of pre-briefing, an hour of peppered questions, and 1.5hrs of flying.
The checkride was in McKinney (KTKI) with Robert Riney, an EMB145 pilot and check airman for American Eagle who's been a DPE for decades. He's friendly, sharp and direct on the ground - in the air he's sharper and faster, and if you're not used to workload in the cockpit, he'll fix that. Here's a description of the checkride I posted to FB just after:
He loaded me up from start to finish. He wouldn't stop pushing, or allow me time to calmly complete a checklist. I was rattled. I kept breathing deep, trying to re-center and keep flying the plane, not make mistakes, oh look, now one engine's simulated "on fire," now we're stalling on that one engine, now it's "PITCH DOWN for restart, c'mon, get there NOW" emergency descent, then the HOLD THAT GLIDESLOPE! single-engine ILS approach to minimums and circle.
After the adrenaline subsided, my buddy pointed out that he'd done it all on purpose - after all, his was the signature that would put me in the cockpit of a 12,500 pound plane bouncing along in clouds that go almost all the way to the ground with a load full of passengers who expect me to get them home safely to their families.
At the end there was paperwork, a tiny little gleam in his eye, and a firm handshake. "You fly pretty good. Congratulations."
PIREP: I recommend Mike, and feel that I got excellent flight training for much cheaper than elsewhere. He's limited by examiner availability, so when you call, it may be a month until he can schedule with them. That's frustrating to him and to you - and so sometimes, he just doesn't return calls. Forget email - texts are best. I wish that I'd had the question packet to review at home beforehand - it would have saved 3 hours or more of ground training.
As a pilot, Mike's got some hardcore real-world stick and rudder skills that I have massive respect for. He's got years of pipeline flying at low level all over the country. He's an ATP with thousands of hours, almost 500 turbine hours, and an A&P with their own repair shop on the field. My favorite so far is his telling me about how he managed to do an 8-day Flight Safety King Air training and graduate with a Pro rating three days early without ever once getting killed in the simulator. I'm a much better pilot because I've trained with him.
