Tips / Suggestions on Controlling the Weather

Will Kumley said:
Good luck on the checkride. My third attempt (all cancellations for DPE availability so far, so no failures) is currently set for Sunday but the forecast is questionable at best right now so it may have to wait even longer. This waiting game sucks!!!!
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I'll be glad to help by making you the same offer I made to @WDD .
 
Ryan F. said:
I have one applicant who has lived a bit of a charmed scheduling life. From his private all the way to multiengine instructor, it's just always worked out for him.
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I never really thought about it until you mentioned it. I have passed all eight of my certificate rides on the first try and never had to reschedule. Same with part 135 and military rides... I guess I am triple charmed!
 
Well..... passed the oral portion. Weather marginal, but almost could have done it. But the previous student check ride ran long, my oral started late, and we ran out of daylight. Who could have seen that happening on Dec 21 (shortest day of the year). So rescheduled for next Saturday. Which shows rain.

In addition to weather control, need advice on controlling sunlight.
 
WDD said:
In addition to weather control, need advice on controlling sunlight.
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I'll take care of that, too. I'll begin lengthening the days for you starting tomorrow. It'll be another $100, though.

Congrats on passing the oral. The flying part will be easy.
 
I found something called "Rha Sun God - Sales and Service (llc)" on the web. Looks legit.............
 
It’s beautiful at the airport my checkride was scheduled at but my airport is socked in with fog so no checkride today. Go figure, winter in the Pacific Northwest and there is lots of fog here.
WDD said:
Well..... passed the oral portion. Weather marginal, but almost could have done it. But the previous student check ride ran long, my oral started late, and we ran out of daylight. Who could have seen that happening on Dec 21 (shortest day of the year). So rescheduled for next Saturday. Which shows rain.

In addition to weather control, need advice on controlling sunlight.
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Congrats on passing the oral portion. Hope you have good weather Saturday.
 
Delay number 3 this fine cloudy Saturday. 1st was too windy. 2nd not enough daylight. 3rd IFR conditions.

Next? Take a vote: TFR's, solar flares, meteor strikes, locust swarm, or zombies?
 
WDD said:
Delay number 3 this fine cloudy Saturday. 1st was too windy. 2nd not enough daylight. 3rd IFR conditions.

Next? Take a vote: TFR's, solar flares, meteor strikes, locust swarm, or zombies?
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I vote for perfect wx and a plane that's down for mechanical problems. How long until your endorsement expires?
 
WDD said:
Delay number 3 this fine cloudy Saturday. 1st was too windy. 2nd not enough daylight. 3rd IFR conditions.

Next? Take a vote: TFR's, solar flares, meteor strikes, locust swarm, or zombies?
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Part of me wants to vote something really obscure like good weather, good plane, but a sick examiner. However, I really hope its good everything and you get your checkride so I'm sending good thoughts your way in hopes that I also get good everything when I get my checkride rescheduled.
 
Will Kumley said:
Good luck on the checkride. My third attempt (all cancellations for DPE availability so far, so no failures) is currently set for Sunday but the forecast is questionable at best right now so it may have to wait even longer. This waiting game sucks!!!!
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Just remember: "Mother Nature hates checkrides." I think I had three postponements....

Second thing to remember: Your judgement is an important factor in the examiner's pass/fail decision. Sounds like your first decision to postpone was a good one!

-Skip
 
Half Fast said:
I vote for perfect wx and a plane that's down for mechanical problems. How long until your endorsement expires?
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Solo endorsement ends in middle January...........
 
WDD said:
Interesting twist. Needs another kicker. What if he was sick with ........ leprosy?
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My checkride just got rescheduled for this Friday. Weather forecast is highly questionable all week including Friday. I haven’t been able to fly in the past 2 weeks so I’m a little concerned I’ll be rusty. My bet is that if I don’t get to fly Monday thru Thursday, Friday’s weather will be perfect and I’ll goon up something simple like straight and level flight.
 
My DPE called and said he could schedule me on Wed this week. Weather might actually be good. Yes, this Wed - Jan 1. Flight school, plane rental closed of course. I'm trying to get in touch with school owner and see if they would dispatch me the plane before they close New Year's Eve, and I'll bring the bag back / check plane back in on Jan 2 first thing.
 
The school I fly out of has a lockbox outside that they put logbooks and keys in if a person rents the plane after hours. You should see if your school has something similar. Its also an easy way to return aircraft keys and logbooks if you land after closing time. Its nothing fancy and a person walking by would think its just another unmarked locker in front of a hanger.
 
WDD said:
Solo endorsement ends in middle January...........
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Heh. He was joking about the 61.39 endorsement, not the solo one. But you started this game in Dec so you shouldn’t need another one yet. :)

Get er done on Wednesday. Cool. Or whenever. :)
 
WDD said:
Thanks to all who controlled the weather long enough for me to get check ride in!

All done and passed.

Allow me to let go of the good weather now so someone else can do their check ride
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Congratulations! Give us a full report.

And that will be $100 for the weather, please.
 
I already put that check in the mail. Any day now, really.....


Long day - but what a way to start the new year.

What I thought would be easy was hard and visa versa. But all good.

Wife already has a list of places to go, starting with Hilton Head in the spring.
 
Will Kumley said:
My checkride just got rescheduled for this Friday. Weather forecast is highly questionable all week including Friday. I haven’t been able to fly in the past 2 weeks so I’m a little concerned I’ll be rusty. My bet is that if I don’t get to fly Monday thru Thursday, Friday’s weather will be perfect and I’ll goon up something simple like straight and level flight.
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Will, your turn for good weather now!
 
WDD said:
Will, your turn for good weather now!
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Crossing my fingers!!!! Seems like the forecast keeps changing every time I look at it but I've gone from an attitude of not a chance to man, I really need to study because it might just happen. Speaking of that, time to turn off the computer, tv and hit the books!!!
 
Will Kumley said:
Crossing my fingers!!!! Seems like the forecast keeps changing every time I look at it but I've gone from an attitude of not a chance to man, I really need to study because it might just happen. Speaking of that, time to turn off the computer, tv and hit the books!!!
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Good luck!!! And don't worry about cramming now. If your instructor thinks your ready, you got this!
 
Annnnd, Now I’m sick☹️. Just called the airport to cancel my reservation and they informed me that they were getting ready to call me and cancel anyway as the plane hasn’t had ads-b installed yet. Doesn’t sound like they have an idea on when it will be done either. At least I’m sick so I can’t fly anyway.
 
Will Kumley said:
Annnnd, Now I’m sick☹️. Just called the airport to cancel my reservation and they informed me that they were getting ready to call me and cancel anyway as the plane hasn’t had ads-b installed yet. Doesn’t sound like they have an idea on when it will be done either. At least I’m sick so I can’t fly anyway.
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Crap - sorry to hear this Will. Surprised they "forgot" about the ADSB Jan 1 mandate (it's been known for how long???). Heal up quickly.
 
WDD said:
Crap - sorry to hear this Will. Surprised they "forgot" about the ADSB Jan 1 mandate (it's been known for how long???). Heal up quickly.
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I was thinking the same thing about ADS-B. Feeling a little better so hopefully I’ll be good by the time the plane is ready.
 
WDD said:
Crap - sorry to hear this Will. Surprised they "forgot" about the ADSB Jan 1 mandate (it's been known for how long???). Heal up quickly.
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Feeling better today. Weather was beautiful of course as I took meds that grounded me.
Oh, and heard back from the flight school, estimated time of completion on the install is 3 weeks... starting to rethink my plan early on the fly the Cherokee since they only have one. I’m sure the weather here will improve by the end of Jan, beginning of Feb!
 
How is the plane and weather looking for you Will?
 
WDD said:
How is the plane and weather looking for you Will?
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Winter has arrived but I’m still hopeful it will cooperate. I’ll call tomorrow to see if they got the plane started yet. All other planes are showing as available so I’m hoping that means they are finally working on the Cherokee. I can easily say it’s not they way I would have handled a required install by the faa but it’s been a while since I managed the maintenance of aircraft.
 
WDD said:
How is the plane and weather looking for you Will?
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Need to vent. Just called the school to ask on the status of the Cherokee and if it looked like the install would be completed in time for me to take the plane up Saturday so I could re-acquaint myself. The girl that works the front desk and handles scheduling didn't even know the plane was down for maintenance...… She's looking into it and will call me but its a little offputting that the plane has been down for maintenance for 3 weeks and she has no knowledge of it.
 
Probably a temp person - maybe new. Yeah she should know if it’s available.

can you reserve on line? If so - just go on line and see if they have it blocked off or available

call your CFI as well. He should be able to help as well
 
She’s not new. Been there since before I started training. Called me back and said plane isn’t done, don’t know when it will be started. I said I was upset to be paying for club fees to get a discount when they can’t get their **** in one sock. Not my exact words, I was actually polite. I called her back after I calmed down and said I wanted the bosses email and she said “never mind the plane is done”, but halfway across the state and they weren’t sure when they would get it back. Pretty sure these delays will push me past my sign off for my checkride. Thinking i should have just swapped to the Cessna when this all started. Sadly, the other flight school in the area doesn’t have a Cherokee.
 
WDD said:
The way I look at it, my goal is to get the highest probability of passing. Doing an engine out short final simulation with gusting 20 kts wind would stack the odds against me. Trying to circle around the point, S curves, etc. same thing. Besides, the CFE called my CFI (they know each other) and said it would be my call, but he'd heavily advise against the test today. CFI concurred. So thankfully God gave me enough to actually listen to people a lot smarter and a lot more experienced.

This way, I've got a couple more days lined up with new CFI to rehearse a few more times. One more week won't kill me. It's all good.
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The examiner will be evaluating you ADM skills along with quite a number of other skills.
However remember there are 2 sides to making good decisions about determining personal minimums.
One side is 20kts is more than my skills and the airplane can safetly handle so we are going to cancel the flight. Good Call.
The other side is I just won't fly if there is more than 5kts of crosswind, better safe than sorry. But then this pilot may likely have an accident the day he comes back to the airport and finds the winds and picked up to 10kts, but he hasn't done a good crosswind landing in 2 years or more.
In between is I am not comfortable with more than 5kts so lets grab an instructor on a good crosswind day and get better, even if I don't like crosswinds. Good Call.

On your checkride, less than ideal conditions just mean you have an excuse if you don't perform ideally. The examiner will take conditions into account and might give you a 2nd chance when he might not on a perfect day. Of course postponing when the conditions just are not safe or even marginally not safe is just good ADM.

Brian
CFIIG/ASL
 
Will Kumley said:
She’s not new. Been there since before I started training. Called me back and said plane isn’t done, don’t know when it will be started. I said I was upset to be paying for club fees to get a discount when they can’t get their **** in one sock. Not my exact words, I was actually polite. I called her back after I calmed down and said I wanted the bosses email and she said “never mind the plane is done”, but halfway across the state and they weren’t sure when they would get it back. Pretty sure these delays will push me past my sign off for my checkride. Thinking i should have just swapped to the Cessna when this all started. Sadly, the other flight school in the area doesn’t have a Cherokee.
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Just odd. Why are they letting potential revenue go by, letting an expensive asset sit? Plus they are paying tie down fees, insurance, registration, annual, etc. All of that can be split into calendar days that they are expenses without opportunity for revenue and income.

Get your CFI to update your checkride sign off. In the meantime, go fly in the Cessna to keep from getting too much rust.
 
WDD said:
Just odd. Why are they letting potential revenue go by, letting an expensive asset sit? Plus they are paying tie down fees, insurance, registration, annual, etc. All of that can be split into calendar days that they are expenses without opportunity for revenue and income.

Get your CFI to update your checkride sign off. In the meantime, go fly in the Cessna to keep from getting too much rust.
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Well, my instructor put in a valiant effort to get the plane tonight. Flew it mostly back but had to divert due to deteriorating conditions. He plans a second attempt in the morning so I might actually get to refresh my pattern work this weekend.
 
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