Check-ride Prep - Day 7

Check-ride Prep 7
Flight time logged:	1.1 hours
Total flight time logged:	51.5 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	161
Solo time:	0.0 hours
Total time solo:	10.2 hours
Total cost to date:	$7580

It was a nice day to fly today! Not to mention today is my birthday. Today my plan was to do a simulated check-ride with the chief flight instructor. It would be one last time to practice before the real deal.

After taking off, I climbed to 3000 feet and headed toward the practice area. I practiced slow flight, power off stalls, power on stalls, and steep turns. My instructor indicated that I did fine and would pass this section of the check-ride without a problem. I then headed to Winder to practice short- and soft-field take-offs and landings.

As I crossed over Winder airport to enter the left downwind for runway 13, I had to perform a simulated engine out. As I was turning from downwind to base, I was asked to perform a turning forward slip to lose some altitude. On final, I setup my glide speed for a normal landing. At about 10 feet off of the ground, I was asked to go around. I put in full throttle, started to climb, and slowly retracted the flaps.

On the next circuit around the pattern, I had to perform a soft-field landing. After the landing, I had to perform a soft-field take-off. Again, I did well and would have passed if I was taking the real exam.

After the soft-field takeoff, I flew the pattern again to setup for a short-field landing. After the landing, I performed a short-field take-off climbing at 57 knots. That pretty much covered everything, so I left the pattern to head back to LZU.

In the pattern at LZU, as I turned onto final, my instructor pulled the mixture to idle and cut off the engine. Usually, he just pulls the throttle to idle to simulate an engine out. This time he really stopped the engine! I quickly went through my engine out checklist checking the fuel selection, shut off, and pump. Because the propeller was wind-milling (still turning), all I needed to do was push the mixture back in to the full position and the engine started again. Actually experiencing this makes you realize how keeping your calm and knowing what to do can actually make the situation an easy one to handle.

After parking and securing the airplane, my instructor and I went back into the office to discuss scheduling the check-ride. Right now I am mainly worried about the windy weather and not my piloting skills. I believe I can pass (and so does my instructor).

It's final now. My check-ride is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 (one week from today) at 1pm CST. I'm taking my check-ride in Huntsville, Alabama. We'll be departing at 10am that morning in order to get there and have enough time to review and get some lunch before the exam. It's been a long journey, but now I can finally see the end. Of course the end is really the beginning of being a private pilot!

Check-ride Prep - Day 6

Check-ride Prep 6
Flight time logged:	1.4 hours
Total flight time logged:	50.4 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	159
Solo time:	0.0 hours
Total time solo:	10.2 hours
Total cost to date:	$7350

I originally planned on taking my check-ride today. Unfortunately, I had a severe head cold last week that kept me from flying. I did not finally get better until a few days ago. I'm happy to be feeling better and back to flying; however, I hate the fact that I missed being able to take my check-ride today. I really wanted to be finished before the end of February.

I completed my simulated instrument training requirement today. I needed to get 0.8 hours to complete the total 3.0 hours required. After take-off, I flew from LZU to the AHN VOR then to Madison airport all under the hood. At Madison, my instructor instructed me to remove the hood and land at Madison. Madison has a short runway -- the shortest that I've ever landed at, but I was confident I could easily land there.

I performed a forward slip to lose some altitude, then entered the downwind for Runway 32. I setup for a short field landing and as I turned onto final approach, kept the approach speed for the short field landing. I touch down right on the numbers and stopped within a few feet. It was a great short field landing. Even my instructor commented on it being good. I taxied back to take off and setup for a short field take-off. Again, I performed a great short field takeoff, easily clearing the trees at the end of the runway.

After getting into a climb attitude, I put the "foggles"-- a device that simulates flying in a cloud -- back on to fly simulated instrument flight again. I flew back to LZU under the hood. It was strange being under the hood for 50 minutes. Actually, it was somewhat boring not being able to see outside and just view the instruments the entire time.

My instructor took some of the "down time" to show me how to use the autopilot. This is a nice feature to have! I'm definitely going to make use of it on any cross-country flights from now on.

After landing and parking the airplane, my instructor asked me when I was going to schedule my check-ride for next week. It was just a great day today. The weather was great. It would have been a great day for my check-ride. If only I had not gotten sick... oh well. Maybe next week will be just as good.

Solo 7 - Last solo as required

Solo 7 - Last solo time
Flight time logged:	0.8 hours
Total flight time logged:	49.0 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	157
Solo time:	0.8 hours
Total time solo:	10.2 hours
Total cost to date:	$7130

I finished up my required solo time today. I needed to get 0.6 more hours. I rented a C-172R this morning and took off to do a few touch and goes at Winder. I had not flown solo since September. I was amazed at how I jumped right back on the saddle with ease. After the flight, I realized that flying is becoming second nature. I felt like I was finally ready to be a private pilot.

Check-ride Prep - Day 5

Check-ride Prep - Day 5
Flight time logged:	0.6 hours
Total flight time logged:	48.2 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	154
Solo time:	0.0 hours
Total time solo:	9.4 hours
Total cost to date:	$7800

There is nothing much to blog about today. I stayed in the pattern today for some short- and soft-field takeoffs and landings. My instructor wanted to see my flares. I had no problem with my landings. I performed all of them very well according to my instructor. I told him that the previous flight was just a fluke due to concentrating on the gusting winds.

Afterwards, he told me to think about a check-ride date within the next week or two. I wanted to have at least one more flight with my instructor as a simulated check-ride so that I would feel more confident before taking the real exam. I'm getting excited now that I'm almost there! I'm thinking about scheduling my check-ride for February 23.

Check-ride Prep - Day 4

Check-ride Prep - Day 4
Flight time logged:	1.2 hours
Total flight time logged:	47.6 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	151
Solo time:	0.0 hours
Total time solo:	9.4 hours
Total cost to date:	$7610

Today was more preparation for the check-ride. I prepared a short cross-country to fly. While in flight on my cross-country flight plan, my instructor asked me to divert to Monroe. I knew exactly where I was, so I easily turned to a heading that would take me to Monroe. On the way to Monroe, I had to calculate my current ground speed (of which can be confirmed by just using the GPS) and calculate when I would arrive at Monroe and how much fuel it would require.

After the diversion, my instructor had me intercept and track some VOR radials. Not too much work there. I finished up the day working on some cross-wind takeoffs and landings.

The chief instructor again told me that I was ready. He wanted me to work on some landings, so I scheduled another flight in two days to practice landings.

Check-ride Prep - Day 3 - Oral exam prep

Check-ride Prep - Day 3
Flight time logged:	0.0 hours
Total flight time logged:	46.4 hours
Total takeoffs/landings:	146
Solo time:	0.0 hours
Total time solo:	9.4 hours
Total cost to date:	$7285

Today I did not fly. The weather was IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) with a ceiling of 100 feet. Although, I did spend two hours with my instructor to prepare for the oral exam portion of the check-ride. I basically sat in the training room and answered random questions asked by the chief instructor. I haven't studied as much as I should, but I did correctly answer over 90% of the questions asked. Again, I was a little rusty, so I'll be spending more time reviewing the regulations and my ASA Private Oral Exam Prep guide. This book is a great book for a comprehensive, easy-to-read review. It was also be a good reference in general.

The chief instructor thinks we'll be scheduling my check-ride around the third week of this month. It will be here before I know it! I have a lot happening over the next two weeks at work, so I'm going to have to find the best time to take a relaxed exam. Right now, I'm thinking that I'll try for the week of February 18. My goal is to finish before the end of February. If I can keep up my practicing and studying, and the weather cooperates, then I should be able to make my goal. This journey is now on its final leg.