XC phase check coming up this Sunday

Lachlan

Lachlan

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Lachlan
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Like it says above. Went out with my instructor last weekend and did a mock phase check ride. I wasn't expecting the ~hour or so of oral questions before we went flying. I hadn't done a whole lot of studying for that, but I have a great CFI who has taught me a lot and I ended up knowing the material pretty well. Need to study up, for sure, but he's drilled a lot of into my thick head already. :rofl: I did a few landings for him at the end- normal, soft field, and short field. By far my three best landings ever. I'm nervous now, though, because I'll be flying with the chief instructor this weekend for my phase check, and I'm worried that those three landings were a fluke. :dunno: I just hope the airplane doesn't care who's flying, who's in the right seat, or what the occasion is... maybe I can do it again. If so, time for my solo XC flights, and then I'll be about ready for the DPE. Seems like it will be a long time from now, but it's coming sooner than I think. Wish me luck.
 
Thanks. I am loving the xc part of learning to fly. GPS is cool, and relatively easy to use, but I really dig the basic VOR and pilotage method of getting from A to B. It's cool that in the tech-based era we live in there's still a way to fly xc that's been around since the first flights: looking at landmarks and writing down the time. I guess that will never change, but there's just something about xc that I really like. I'm really looking forward to Sunday.
 
It went well. The day started out about 23*F and since it snowed last night, the entire ramp was covered in about 1/4-1/2" of ice. :hairraise: It was hard just walking across the ramp, and I was worried that we'd be grounded. Lucky for me the airplane that I reserved was under covered parking and clear of any snow/ice. The chief instructor took his time with the oral part of the phase check and let the sun warm things up a little. By the time I answered lots of questions about lost comms, lost procedures, controlled and uncontrolled airport operations, and on and on, it had warmed up to about 34*F. We went out to the airplane and preflighted it, pulled it out of parking and went flying. My CFI is so awesome! He had me prepared for this. My performance takeoffs and landings are pretty solid. (Not the most amazing person to ever sit in a cockpit, but I'm solid.) My flight plan was fine, so we decided to fly it to the first checkpoint. I found that with ease, and then he threw the divert flag. No problem. Did some VOR navigation and headed for home for a soft field full stop. Nailed it. (Sometimes I get lucky!) Next flight will be my solo xc. Time for a beer.:yes:
 
Sounds cool.

Diversion for the cross country? Makes sense, but that seems like a checkride prep thing.

Expect the exact same thing to happen on your checkride.

The oral thing also seems a bit beyond, but I'm sure it's described in the syllabus (this is a 141 school, right?).
 
MAKG1 said:
Sounds cool.

Diversion for the cross country? Makes sense, but that seems like a checkride prep thing.

Expect the exact same thing to happen on your checkride.

The oral thing also seems a bit beyond, but I'm sure it's described in the syllabus (this is a 141 school, right?).
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My school asks similar questions for the second stage check. Flight consists of flying to the first or second check point, diversion, landings at the diverted airport, vor tracking, basic instrument flying, and unusual attitudes.
 
MAKG1 said:
Sounds cool.

Diversion for the cross country? Makes sense, but that seems like a checkride prep thing.

Expect the exact same thing to happen on your checkride.

The oral thing also seems a bit beyond, but I'm sure it's described in the syllabus (this is a 141 school, right?).
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My flying club is really thorough, for sure. They offer Part 61 and Part 141.
 
Your CFI is the one who should be nervous,he scheduled you for the check,he must figure you ready. Good luck.
 
Lachlan said:
Short one first: KAPA-KLIC-KAPA. about 60nm each way.
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So the question becomes, follow I-70, or not? ;)

Can we race you out there and land and sat up lawn chairs and hold up scorecards for the landing? ;)

Just kidding. No pressure. Have fun.
 
Yup, nothing has changed on the check ride.
Over 60 years ago I did the same ride - from Saginaw, Michigan going to Lansing Michigan with the FSDO Inspector - same results, second check point and he says I see bad weather ahead divert to Munger. Then sits there with this little smile.
Little did he know I was raised in the Thumb of Michigan.

Now, you have to realize we were in a 1948 Cessna 120 with a coffee grinder radio, needle ball and whiskey compass, and that was it. The icing on the cake was (not ice, it was 90 degrees) thick haze that day from a stagnant front. We can see the ground but there is no horizon. And Munger is about the most obscure town you never heard of without an airport. So I look down, recognize the road intersection we are passing over and roll into a turn, time it and roll out and wait for the compass to settle down to verify my heading.

what are you doing
going to Munger
you didn't look at the chart you have to look at the chart FIRST and then turn to the heading
don't need the chart
why
isn't this the heading to Munger
yes but you have no way of knowing that without the chart
sure I do we turned at Hurds Corner and I headed for that red barn up ahead on the Clapp Farm, and about 5 degrees to the right is the heading to Munger here let me show you on the chart
go back to the airport I've seen enough

Back on the ground I got a stern lecture about being a smart ass - and signed off to be a Private Pilot ASEL :goofy:
 
MAKG1 said:
Wouldn't I-70 take him a bit close to KDEN?
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Shoot, I don't even need I-70 to fly to Limon. :goofy: Depart Rnwy 10 and fly straight out for 58nm. Its practically on the rnwy centerline! :rofl: I'll probably fly over Kiowa, though, as there are more landmarks that way (other than a major highway.). Besides, isn't a solo xc all about learning how to use pilotage? Well, that, and a few other things. I can use the Falcon VOR for crossing another checkpoint at a good landmark if I want to put something like that in my nav log.
 
From what I've heard, those phase check instructors aren't too concerned with how smooth your landings are, as long as you exhibit safe handling of there airplane. You can save that worrying for your real checkride. :)

Good luck and have fun!
 
rachelk.tailwinds said:
From what I've heard, those phase check instructors aren't too concerned with how smooth your landings are, as long as you exhibit safe handling of there airplane. You can save that worrying for your real checkride. :)

Good luck and have fun!
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Well, it depends on how rough the landings are.

An uncontrolled plop on an icy runway in a crosswind can be unsafe. Similarly, landing on the nose wheel hard can have really bad outcomes.

But just a little bit of firm thump on the mains? Probably not a worry. Same deal with a consistently slightly flat landing.

Basically, they need to be reasonably sure you won't break the airplane or yourself. And consistency is just as important as quality, if not more so.
 
I'm home. Flew from Centennial to Limon Municipal and home. Great flight! Short field landings at both airports with 40* flaps. I love short landings! It's a cool feeling to land and then need to add power to keep rolling just to get to the first taxiway. :)
 
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